"You…"
The Rear Admiral choked, unable to speak. But it was the truth. For the safety of the Celestial Dragons, even the highest-ranking Admirals would be deployed to protect them.
This Rear Admiral had once been a man of justice, but after experiencing too many absurd things, his sense of justice had begun to crumble, leaving him numb.
What was justice?
Justice for the common people?
Or the Celestial Dragons' so-called "divine" justice?
Now, he could no longer face the word justice at all…
"Bitch, bastard, let me go now, or you'll die miserably! Tell the Navy, call an Admiral here! I'll make you my slave and torture you for the rest of your life!"
Even while being strangled and terrified, Margarita Palace continued barking at Yuno.
Even without her command, a Marine had already grabbed a Den Den Mushi and alerted Marine Headquarters!
(Yuno thought bitterly: I was wrong before. That walnut-sized brain of mine was filled with praise for the Celestial Dragons…)
Yuno was speechless. He slapped Margarita Palace across the mouth, leaving her lips swollen. Calmly, he said:
"Do you think I wouldn't dare attack you Celestial Dragons?"
"Then… watch."
Yuno suddenly let out an inexplicable smile, and murderous intent filled the air.
Suddenly, Margarita Palace trembled all over, her body shivering as if she had been thrown naked into a frozen wasteland. Yuno's murderous aura froze her soul completely.
Fear—true fear—surged within her heart. She had never known such an emotion in her life!
"This… this cold… like falling into an icy abyss…"
"Quincy, you dare!"
The Rear Admiral also possessed Observation Haki. The moment he sensed Yuno's killing intent, his face changed drastically!
This lunatic actually dared to release murderous intent toward the Celestial Dragons!
He wanted to kill them!
He must be stopped!
The Rear Admiral launched his Soru charge, trying to rescue the Celestial Dragon from Yuno.
But how could a mere Rear Admiral—who wasn't even among the Navy's rising stars who had once fought Drought Jack—possibly stop Yuno?
With a single blow, Yuno knocked the Rear Admiral back. Then, grasping Margarita Palace and hurling her into the air, he gathered white lightning in his palm. His voice was cold and indifferent:
"Celestial Dragon? God of the world? Ridiculous! None of that works on me!"
"Boom!"
A pillar of white lightning pierced through the sky. Margarita Palace, the Celestial Dragon, was instantly annihilated by the high-voltage thunder!
The thunderous roar resounded not only in the crowd's ears but deep within their hearts!
Fear—boundless fear—gripped everyone.
The Celestial Dragon… had been killed!
Everyone stared blankly at the pirate who had dared to commit this unthinkable act. For the first time in history, a Celestial Dragon had been killed in public!
It turned out… the Celestial Dragons weren't gods at all.
They could die—just like ordinary people.
Many in the crowd began sobbing uncontrollably. Memories of their families, their daughters, wives, husbands, and loved ones destroyed by the Celestial Dragons surged back. At this moment, they felt a release—as though centuries of resentment had finally been avenged.
The Marines and CP agents in black suits stood frozen. The Celestial Dragon was dead!
Right before their very eyes—blasted into nothingness, leaving no body behind!
They were finished.
Without protecting the Celestial Dragons, they would not survive either.
Run!
Run!
Run!
That was the only thought in everyone's mind!
If a Celestial Dragon was dead, the Admirals would definitely come!
"Hurry… Run! We can't stay here!"
The cry snapped everyone awake. In the next instant, chaos erupted as the crowd fled in a frenzy.
And as they ran, the news began to spread like wildfire across the Sabaody Archipelago—and even beyond!
…
The other Celestial Dragons stood dumbfounded, paralyzed with terror.
They couldn't believe their eyes. Someone had actually dared to kill one of them—a Celestial Dragon!
Boundless fear consumed them, their legs trembling uncontrollably.
"Quick, get me out of here! Lunatic—he's a lunatic! Get me away from here!!!"
The Celestial Dragon wailed hysterically, crawling in disgrace across the ground.
The scene was witnessed by everyone still present. And for the first time, the words Celestial Dragon and God no longer held their oppressive weight—they were just empty titles.
"Don't worry. Don't even think about running away."
Yuno took a single step and appeared before another Celestial Dragon. He raised his finger, and a bolt of white lightning blasted through the Celestial Dragon's skull.
After finishing him, Yuno glanced briefly at the Marines before vanishing instantly.
There was no time to waste—the Admirals would arrive soon.
One? Two? Or even all three? Yuno had to assume the worst-case scenario.
…
Witnessing the Quincy slay two Celestial Dragons, the Marines finally reacted and gave chase. But how could their speed compare to Yuno's?
…
By then, news of the Celestial Dragons' deaths had spread throughout the Sabaody Archipelago.
Every pirate on the island was shaken.
They rushed to the harbors in panic.
No one could underestimate the significance of the Celestial Dragons' deaths.
The Admirals were coming!
Should they stay here and die?
Some pirates who had just landed cursed Yuno bitterly:
"Damn it! What rotten luck!"
…
At Shakky's Rip-Off Bar—
Only two people were inside: Shakky and Silvers Rayleigh.
Suddenly, the Den Den Mushi on the desk rang.
Shakky picked up the receiver, her expression darkening. She looked at Rayleigh and said solemnly:
"Something terrible has happened. Two Celestial Dragons have been killed on the island."
Rayleigh froze for a moment, then frowned deeply.
"That Quincy… did it?"
Shakky's eyes widened in surprise at how he knew, but she nodded.
"Yes. Two of them, at once…"
Rayleigh grimaced, his teeth aching.
"What a reckless madman…"
…
Meanwhile, at Mary Geoise, the Holy Land—
Inside the office of the Five Elders, a Den Den Mushi began to ring.
One of the Elders picked it up. His face twisted in shock and rage.
"Quincy killed two Celestial Dragons at Sabaody Archipelago!"
"What?!"
"The Quincy who defeated Doflamingo?!"
"Damn it! What is going on?"
"Quincy… notify the Navy immediately. Send the Admirals. Capture this dangerous man at once! If we cannot capture him—kill him on the spot!"
The order of execution had been given.
The Five Elders were enraged beyond measure.
How dare Quincy!
...
Even elsewhere—at Marine Headquarters.
In Sengoku's office, a Den Den Mushi suddenly rang.
"Celestial Dragons were killed at the Sabaody Archipelago? Two of them?"
Sengoku answered, his face suddenly changing. He immediately stood up, voice sharp as a blade.
Marine Headquarters was thrown into chaos.
Then, a golden light shot out from Marineford, streaking straight towards the Sabaody Archipelago.
It was Admiral Kizaru.
As he flew, Kizaru's expression was unusually grim. He had been relaxing in his office, only to be suddenly dispatched on an emergency mission. Anyone would have frowned—
let alone Kizaru, known for his lazy, carefree demeanor.
He had been living idly, earning his pay with minimal effort, and now he was being ordered to deal with Quincy?
Such a dangerous individual—couldn't someone else handle it?
"I really wish I could trade powers with Aokiji…" he muttered.
But no matter what he thought, Sengoku's orders—and by extension, the World Government's orders—were absolute.
After all, he was the fastest of the three admirals.
The Sabaody Archipelago had descended into madness.
Pirates, bounty hunters, criminals, and all kinds of shady figures were desperately preparing to leave.
A Celestial Dragon had been killed.
An admiral was on his way. If they didn't want to be caught in the crossfire, escape was the only option.
Meanwhile, Yuno had returned to the Donquixote Family's auction hall.
Under the horrified gazes of everyone present, Yuno approached Lao G and asked calmly:
"Is the ship ready yet?"
"S-Sir, yes… it's ready!" Lao G stammered, his words barely coherent. This man had killed a Celestial Dragon without hesitation—he was utterly terrifying.
Yuno nodded.
"Then prepare to depart. If we linger any longer, we might have to fight the admiral himself."
"I'll get it ready immediately!" Lao G replied, not daring to question Yuno's orders.
But just as Lao G turned to leave, Yuno's eyes flickered.
"By the way," he asked, "do you know of a bar on the archipelago called the Rip-Off Bar? Which grove is it on?"
If escape proved impossible and a clash with an admiral became unavoidable, Yuno was prepared to use every resource available.
Unless he could push one of his three skills—Shunko, Zangetsu, or Hyōrinmaru—to 80% proficiency, he knew he stood no chance of truly matching an admiral.
Even the same blade that had felled Drought Jack would not be enough. At best, it might only threaten Kizaru.
He could fight, yes—but victory was impossible. If he got trapped, Yuno would have to seek out Silvers Rayleigh for help.
After all, in the original story, Rayleigh had managed to hold his own against Kizaru and escape.
"Rip-Off Bar? Sorry, sir, I don't know it," Lao G said after thinking for a moment.
But one of the younger family members, who had overheard, stepped forward nervously.
"Sir, I know! It's on Grove 13. I've been there once… it's really expensive."
Judging by his sour expression, he had clearly been ripped off.
Yuno nodded, then left the room and headed for the harbor.
Grove 17.
At the harbor, a Donquixote merchant ship was undergoing coating. Under urgent orders, it was being prepared to set sail for the New World.
The coating craftsmen worked steadily, only one mast left unfinished.
Yuno arrived swiftly, observing the progress. Behind his mask, there was no trace of fear.
But suddenly, he looked up. A golden light was streaking toward him.
"Still a step too late, huh?"
His Observation Haki tingled—the admiral had arrived.
The one approaching was none other than Borsalino, Admiral Kizaru.
It wasn't surprising. With his light-based Devil Fruit, Kizaru was the fastest and most likely to arrive first.
Whether more Marines followed behind, Yuno did not know.
"Hey, hey… I can't let you escape, criminal Quincy!"
The golden light condensed, forming Kizaru in his trademark yellow suit and Marine admiral's cloak.
He stepped into the air with Geppō and raised his hand, firing a laser beam directly at Yuno.
The orders of the World Government were clear: anyone who killed a Celestial Dragon was to be eliminated on the spot.
This time, Kizaru wasn't here to play around.
"Admiral Kizaru? You think highly of me," Yuno muttered, sensing the admiral's murderous intent. He dared not be careless.
A serious admiral was no laughing matter.
Lightning surged between Yuno's fingers.
"Thunder Roar Cannon!"
Boom!
The thunder beam clashed against the admiral's laser, exploding in midair with a shockwave strong enough to make the colossal Yarukiman Mangrove trees tremble.
Bubbles burst by the thousands, swept away in the aftermath.
"Have you ever been kicked at the speed of light?"
The voice came from right beside him. In an instant, Kizaru appeared before Yuno, his right leg swinging toward his head like a blade of light.
"Bzzzzt…"
Lightning erupted across Yuno's back and shoulders, shredding his clothes. Fortunately, his reinforced garments kept him from being completely exposed.
Speed was Yuno's specialty as well. Just before impact, he vanished with a flash step, narrowly evading the attack.
Still, several strands of hair were sliced clean off.
"I got grazed," Yuno said calmly, reappearing at another spot. He brushed back his hair and stared intently at Kizaru.
This was the first time his Observation Haki had failed to fully avoid an attack—Kizaru's speed was truly frightening.
"What speed…" Kizaru muttered, slightly impressed that his strike had been dodged.
But his eyes narrowed. Was this Quincy mocking him?
In truth, Yuno was sincere. Kizaru's speed really was overwhelming. But his casual tone and movements made it feel like mockery.
"Can a Logia fruit really enhance physical strength?" Kizaru said coldly, drawing a blade of light from his hand.
"Ame-no-Kurozume!"
The instant the sword appeared, it was clear—Kizaru wasn't playing games.
Yuno inhaled deeply and exhaled, answering with a steady voice:
"Devil Fruits depend on their wielder. If someone else had eaten the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, would they be the world's strongest man? Don't compare me to the last lightning user."
The storm behind him crackled even more violently, as if to prove his words.
"Quincy," Kizaru said grimly, "has anyone ever told you that you're dangerous?"
"It seems a Celestial Dragon did… right before he died." Yuno smirked, coating his fists with Armament Haki as lightning danced along his arms.
"Thunder and Lightning—One Bone!"
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