"That flag… isn't that the Arro Pirate Group? The one with a combined bounty of over 60 million berries?"
"Were they bombarded?"
"No… wait, look! There's a small boat over there!"
A sailor with a telescope peered into the distance. His eyes widened, and he nearly dropped the scope.
"What is it? What did you see?" someone asked anxiously.
The man swallowed hard, his voice trembling.
"It's… it's that Quincy! The one who defeated Doflamingo, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and even killed a Vice Admiral a few months ago!!"
"Wha—!?"
The entire deck went silent, before erupting into chaos.
"What!? That Quincy showed up at the Sabaody Archipelago!?"
"Is this for real!?"
"Hey, this is huge news!"
"Is he heading into the New World?"
The name alone sent shivers down their spines. Not long ago, the Quincy had done something that shook the whole sea—defeating Doflamingo and killing a Vice Admiral of the Navy. A ruthless monster!
And now, they had just witnessed him sink an entire pirate crew with ease.
Terrifying. Ruthless.
That's all anyone could think.
It wasn't just their merchant ship that saw it. Other pirate crews lurking in the area had noticed as well.
"Let's get out of here! Don't let the Quincy notice us—I heard he used to be a bounty hunter."
"If he targets us, we're done for!"
After watching Yuno obliterate a pirate crew that dared provoke him, the surrounding pirates quickly grew cautious, not daring to approach his small boat.
But Yuno paid them no mind. Calmly, he continued sailing forward.
Soon, the great sight of the Sabaody Archipelago came into view—an island formed from massive Yarukiman Mangrove trees.
From Yuno's perspective, countless colorful bubbles seeped from the roots and drifted skyward. Under the sunlight, they shimmered beautifully, like a paradise floating on the sea.
"Number 17? …Oh, right. Where was that Doflamingo guy's auction again?"
The island he docked at bore the number 17, though Yuno wasn't familiar with how the numbering worked.
His purpose here was simple: to find the Donquixote Family's auction house, and from there, secure a passage into the New World.
He could continue on his small boat, but without a proper route, it was too risky. Far better to rely on an experienced navigator.
"As my ally, Doflamingo won't refuse, right? Heh…"
With that thought, Yuno stepped forward.
From Grove 1 to 29 lay the infamous "lawless zone"—a breeding ground for pirates, bounty hunters, human traffickers, and underworld gangs. Murders, ambushes, and shady dealings happened openly in the streets.
Though Yuno didn't fully extend his Observation Haki, he could still sense eyes trailing him—from alleys, from rooftops, even from shadows beneath the roots.
But none dared to act recklessly.
Unlike arrogant pirates who strutted into Sabaody boasting about conquering Paradise and acting as though even the Admirals were beneath them, these criminals knew how to read the room.
The moment Yuno's black-and-white mask came into view, expressions shifted. Some slunk away quietly, while others froze in place.
Yuno gave them a single, disinterested glance.
Small fry.
Without a word, he kept walking.
Grove No. 7.
Yuno stopped, turned down a street, and pushed open the door to a bar.
The name of the bar was [Night Bar], and when Yuno saw it, his curiosity only deepened.
Ignoring the sign outside the entrance scrawled in large blood-red letters — "No Entry" — Yuno pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The creaking of the door instantly drew the attention of everyone present. Dozens of eyes turned toward him.
A burly man with a ferocious look immediately scowled.
"Who the hell are you? Didn't you see the sign outside?"
Yuno's gaze swept across the bar. The floor was littered with broken limbs, and blood soaked the wooden boards. Piled corpses had already formed a grisly mound.
The pungent stench of blood filled the air. Yet Yuno didn't flinch. On the contrary, the scene almost felt familiar to him — bar, corpses, gangsters…
At the center of the room, several men knelt on the ground, their faces pale with despair. Compared to the corpses around them, they were lucky to still be alive. Judging from their ragged outfits and scattered weapons, they were a band of pirates. One of the kneeling men, a burly fellow trembling with fear, was clearly their captain.
In contrast, another group lounged casually at tables and against the walls, utterly at ease as though the bloodbath before them were nothing unusual.
Yuno ignored the hostile stares. He pulled out a chair, sat down, and spoke lightly:
"Isn't this a bar? I came in to drink."
"You deaf or something?" the burly man from earlier snapped, his expression turning dark as he prepared to strike. He clearly didn't recognize Yuno's identity and was bold enough to act recklessly.
But before he could move, a melodious voice interrupted.
"Allen. Since this guest wants a drink, let him have one at the bar."
Yuno turned toward the voice.
The speaker was a woman in a refined black dress that accentuated her tall, graceful figure. Her long pink hair was tied up elegantly, her features alluring and seductive.
She was the only woman in the bar.
Seated sideways on a high stool, one long, white leg swayed lazily as she crossed them. A slender pipe rested between her fingers. She took a slow puff, exhaled a ribbon of smoke, and tilted her head slightly as her rosy lips curved in a faint smile, her gaze fixed on Yuno.
"Tch… Boss…" Allen hesitated for a moment, then begrudgingly glared at Yuno before backing off.
Yuno, mildly intrigued, allowed himself only a glance at the beauty before looking away.
He wasn't a man swayed by lust. Beauty was nothing more than a garnish in life — pleasant, but not something to be consumed. It had been that way in his previous life, and it was the same now.
What truly interested him were her methods.
Judging from the corpses piled in the room, the group of pirates must have caused trouble here. Yet the staff of this bar had completely overwhelmed them — killing them all without hesitation. That kind of ruthless efficiency meant this bar was no ordinary place.
And the way everyone deferred to the woman made it obvious: she was the true master here.
Allen quickly returned, slamming down a glass of red wine — the same vintage sitting at the beauty's table.
"Red wine, huh? Not really my taste… but since it's free, I'll try it," Yuno murmured as he slowly removed his mask.
The face revealed was not that of Navy officer Yuno, but the face of his previous life.
After countless experiments, he had perfected his control over his artificial body, reshaping its features at will. Tonight, he chose to wear the face of his past self.
The moment he lowered the mask, the woman's eyes flickered ever so slightly.
Sensing this through his Observation Haki, Yuno smiled faintly to himself. Interesting.
Allen, standing nearby, nearly exploded with rage at Yuno's words.
"Free? Who the hell told you it's free? That glass of wine will cost you at least a million berries if you want to stay here!"
His voice dripped with venom.
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