Captain-level pirates are already incredibly powerful—and now three of them are attacking at once.
The trio worked together seamlessly. With just a glance, they silently agreed to strike simultaneously.
In an instant, the three surrounded Yuno from different directions, cutting off all possible escape routes.
The pirate behind him was a gunman. He raised his weapon and opened fire without hesitation.
"The three of them are far stronger than Freeman could ever hope to match. Any one of them could defeat him alone. Facing all three at once can't be handled with brute force or raw lethality alone—it demands sharp observation and extensive combat experience."
"Hahahahaha! Now this is getting interesting. What happens if he doesn't even know how to use Observation Haki?"
"Haha! I've never seen a rookie act so boldly!"
"Exactly! That's unbelievable!"
Shiki the Golden Lion was conversing with several of his top cadres—and none of them had expected a young man like this to wield Observation Haki.
And in truth, they were right to be surprised. If the three pirates fought separately, Yuno might stand a chance—but together, they're overwhelming. While fending off one, he'd still have to contend with attacks from the other two. In such a situation, Observation Haki would normally be essential.
But Yuno hadn't yet awakened Observation Haki. Instead, he possessed another ability that could serve a similar purpose.
"Fire Pupil!!!"
This perception technique, drawn from the Encyclopedia of Fire Skills, sacrifices normal vision in favor of a thermal-sensing system that grants 360-degree awareness—essentially a "God's-eye view"!
More than enough to handle the current predicament!
Green flames surged from his body into his eyes. His ordinary black pupils against a white sclera vanished, replaced by two blazing orbs of emerald fire.
Tendrils of flame curled from the corners of his eyes, giving him an eerie, otherworldly aura—as if a god of destruction had emerged from a sea of fire.
Everyone nearby suddenly felt exposed, as though their every movement was being anticipated.
In that moment, Yuno saw everything.
If one solution isn't enough… then use two!
He moved—sidestepping, tilting his head—dodging the bullet from behind with subtle, precise motions.
Then, a compressed jet of elemental flame shot backward, reaching the gunman in the blink of an eye.
Fast. Decisive. Merciless.
A flaming fist lashed out, unleashing a torrent of scorching green fire.
Damn it—is that Observation Haki?! How can someone so young possibly use it?!
The gunman's expression twisted in shock, his mind racing with disbelief.
Meanwhile, streams of flame seeped into the ground beneath him, silently building toward a devastating finishing blow.
"That's Observation Haki!"
Among the watching cadres, Golden Lion stood stunned.
I just said he didn't have Observation Haki… and now I've been proven wrong on the spot.
"This kid's got real talent. To master Observation Haki at such a young age—and paired with that terrifying natural affinity for fire… In a few years, he'll be one of the great pirates of the seas!"
Whitebeard chuckled beside him, his gaze fixed firmly on Yuno. His words carried clear recognition of the young man's strength and potential.
Everyone present stared at Yuno in awe.
Not only did he possess formidable Devil Fruit abilities at such a young age—but he could even use Haki?!
It's starting to feel like we're not even living in the same world.
The gunman never saw it coming—how Yuno could effortlessly dodge his shots and counterattack with such blinding speed.
As he desperately tried to coat his body in Armament Haki, Yuno's Sea of Fire Fist engulfed him completely.
His torso was reduced to ash in an instant. The armored limbs fell away, their moisture and blood vaporized—leaving behind only a dry, shriveled husk.
The remaining two were utterly horrified. The sudden death of their companion left them no time to even feel anger.
Just as the pair sped forward at high velocity, closing in on Yuno—
Something unexpected happened!
Rock-Burning Volcano!!!
Their feet suddenly burned with searing heat, and a suffocating wave of fire surged from the ground straight up to the tops of their heads.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The earth split open violently, and more than a dozen pillars of green flame shot skyward. The sight was terrifying.
The entire surface erupted—sand, rocks, and blistering heat waves exploded outward in every direction.
The two reacted quickly, dodging with impressive speed.
But against an attack of this scale, evasion was nearly futile.
You might dodge the first blast… maybe even the second—but the third and fourth? Almost impossible.
One of them was dead before he could even raise a hand.
"How is this possible?! How is this possible?! Three captains—surrounded and killed in seconds?!"
"When Freeman died instantly, I was just a little shocked… but now I'm completely dumbfounded!"
"His power is unnatural! Anyone touched by his flames turns to ash in an instant. Only high-level Armament Haki can resist it—right?!"
"I doubt anyone but a Cadre could defeat him!"
The pirates watched in horror—even the captain instinctively took two steps back. No one dared to step forward.
After all, no captain believed they could take on three opponents of equal strength, let alone slaughter them in seconds!
Why throw away a perfectly good head?
That would be pure suicide!
Never before had they heard of someone so young—and so terrifyingly powerful.
Are all the young fighters out there these days this frightening?!
Rocks, who had been watching the scene unfold, curled the corners of his mouth into a faint smirk. He didn't care in the slightest about the four pirate captains who had just been killed.
To him, they were nothing more than cannon fodder. He could recruit more pirates anytime—there were countless crews eager to join the Rocks Pirates.
Only pirates with the strength of a Cadre could help him fulfill his ambitions.
Yuno, despite his youth, already possessed Observation Haki and showed exceptional talent. His flame-based ability was devastatingly powerful.
Once he joined the Rocks Pirates, it wouldn't be long before he grew even stronger—bringing Rocks one step closer to toppling the World Government.
"May I have your name?" Rocks asked.
"My name is Yuno," the young man replied calmly, his voice steady with quiet confidence.
"Ah… Yuno! Hahaha! Your strength is indeed impressive. I grant you permission to join the Rocks Pirates."
Rocks swept his gaze over the assembled crowd. Seeing that no one dared to challenge him, he took the initiative—and ended it all.