On Scrap Island, whether they were pirate hunters or men from the Seven Great Ship Captains, everyone was clearly preparing to retreat.
The once overcrowded island was now emptying out in panic, a dark tide of people pulling back like a receding flood.
Seeing this, the three girls aboard the Twin Goddesses all let out a breath they had been holding.
Setting aside how strong those pirate hunters actually were, just the sight of that densely packed mass of people, with greed and ferocity written all over their faces, had put tremendous pressure on them.
Thankfully, the retreat had finally begun. This war was close to its end.
But at that very moment, a voice rang out, one that made their hearts clench in fear.
"Leaving already?"
It was Yemu.
He was crouched at the bow, arms crossed over his chest, his gaze sweeping over the entirety of Scrap Island as he spoke coldly.
Everyone froze, unable to understand what Yemu meant.
At the same time, with no enemies left in sight, Erik and the four Kuro brothers returned to the ship.
"Captain, we're back. That Atsu Atsu no Mi user has been knocked out. I used Kuromu's fruit ability to throw him into the Sea Cloud training room."
"Good work, Erik. We'll deal with that guy later. For now, I have another task for you."
"Please give the order, Captain!"
Yemu turned his gaze toward the direction of Water 7. Over there, the bosses of the Seven Grand Shipyards were fleeing in utter panic.
His eyes were icy, his voice low and heavy as he spoke.
"Take Kuroli with you and go see the mayor of Water 7, along with those seven men. Tell them this: when the war starts may be up to them, but when it ends is no longer their choice."
Erik immediately understood what Yemu was getting at.
"Then, Captain, what's your plan?"
Yemu finally laid out his real objective.
"I've heard they're sitting on a large supply of Seastone. Start by bringing that to me. As for the rest, we'll see how sincere they are. Tell them that if they refuse, I don't mind paying them a personal visit to take it myself."
The successful experiment with the Doa Doa no Mi confirmed that certain conclusions Yemu had reached about Devil Fruits were correct.
After a Devil Fruit user's death, the fruit would indeed reincarnate by attaching itself to a nearby fruit.
However, this randomness was governed by probability, and the range itself could not be controlled.
What Yemu wanted was to control that probability and range as much as possible.
The appearance of the Doa Doa no Mi had definitely not been a coincidence.
This meant that the Seastone particles contained within the Sea Cloud Gravity Chamber truly did have an effect on influencing that probability and range.
And if Seastone-infused particles could do this, then what about genuine Seastone itself?
"I understand. I'll head out right away."
Erik grasped Yemu's intent and hurried off the ship with Kuroli.
Yemu continued issuing orders.
"Kuromu, take Flare and the others into the alternate space and hide there. I need to step away for a while."
"Got it, boss. Leave it to me."
"Be careful!"
Flare said with concern. She didn't ask where Yemu was going. She was already getting used to the way he handled things.
"Don't worry. Don't forget the plan I told you about."
...
"Pure gold!!!"
The moment he heard those words, Mad Treasure, blood streaming down his forehead, snapped his eyes wide as if some forbidden taboo had been touched. Without the slightest hesitation, he swung his massive iron fist, wrapped in heavy chains, backward.
But the result…
"Bang…"
Mad Treasure's enormous fist, heavy like a solid ingot of iron, was caught firmly in a single palm, completely immobilized.
Mad Treasure froze in shock.
"Impossible…"
He recognized the person who had stopped his punch.
"Yemu, the captain of the Sky Pirates!"
"How is this possible? Are all the people on this ship monsters?!"
That fishman in front of him was monstrously strong, so blocking a punch could at least be explained. After all, fishmen were physically superior to humans. But why could this human, who looked so young, do the same? And without even using Haki, looking even more relaxed than the fishman?
Even so, no matter how this man knew about pure gold, that secret could never be allowed to spread. Right now, the most important thing was to escape this place.
"Bastard!"
Mad Treasure flew into a rage. His other fist shot up and smashed toward Yemu.
"Looks like you won't answer my questions unless I hit you first. In that case…"
Yemu's right fist was instantly coated in pitch-black Armament Haki. The air itself seemed to thicken as his punch met Mad Treasure's strike with utterly terrifying speed and power.
In that instant, Mad Treasure heard the sound of the bones in his left arm shattering, piece by piece.
"AAAH!!!"
The agony made him scream. The chains around his left arm exploded apart under the overwhelming force, revealing an arm that had been completely twisted and crushed.
Nearby, Naomi and Psycho P turned ice-cold at the sight of their boss screaming in pain, their faces draining of all color. Even so, driven by pure instinct, they still swung their bows and long blades at Yemu.
"Get lost!"
With just those words, Yemu's Conqueror's Haki erupted outward.
At such close range, the two of them felt as if their heads had been smashed by a massive iron hammer.
Their minds went blank. Their eyes rolled back, and they collapsed unconscious on the spot.
"So, can you talk now?!"
As Yemu spoke, the left hand gripping Mad Treasure's right fist erupted with extreme heat, instantly melting every chain wrapped around it.
Mad Treasure's agonized screams echoed across the entirety of Scrap Island.
"AAAH…"
...
At the center of Scrap Island, on the battlefield where Enel and Chinjao were fighting.
Even though Yemu had deliberately restrained the range of his Conqueror's Haki, Scrap Island was small to begin with, and Chinjao sensed it immediately.
For the first time, a hint of appreciation appeared on his demon-like face.
"I never thought a brat like that could possess Conqueror's Haki at this level…"
The Navy and the World Government were never generous enough to put detailed intelligence about the Sky Pirates on bounty posters. As a result, most people knew very little about them. That was precisely why so many dared to covet the Sky Pirates' treasure so boldly.
From another perspective, this was also part of the Marines' scheme. Whether pirates or pirate hunters, both were targets of the Navy and the World Government. Letting both sides tear each other apart was their ideal outcome.
At this moment, both men looked somewhat battered. After their storm-like exchange of blows, their bodies bore visible injuries. Blood flowed from their foreheads and the corners of their mouths, but to them, these were nothing more than superficial wounds.
Chinjao, however, seemed completely unfazed, still having the leisure to glance in Yemu's direction.
Seeing this, Enel wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and spoke in a low voice.
"What's wrong? Feeling uneasy and thinking of running?"
Chinjao paused for a moment, then burst into loud laughter.
"Kid, you've got it all wrong."
Enel was taken aback.
"You think Conqueror's Haki is something rare?"
Chinjao threw his arms wide, his voice carrying a hoarse, almost roaring edge.
"Let me tell you this. In the first half of the Grand Line, the so-called Paradise, Conqueror's Haki really is rare. But in the second half, the place known as the New World, there are countless powerful figures who possess it. Every great pirate standing at the top of the New World, which one of them doesn't have Conqueror's Haki?"
"Stories like yours happen every single day in the New World. Young brats awaken Conqueror's Haki, think they've been chosen by the heavens, believe they have some so-called 'kingly potential,' then charge straight into the New World and end up dead or utterly defeated."
"And you, a guy who doesn't even have Conqueror's Haki, actually think you can beat me? That really pisses me off!!!"
"In that case, the warm-up is over. Let me use the power I take pride in to show you just how cruel the New World truly is!!!"
"Hasshoken!"
As the words fell, white steam surged from Chinjao's entire body. He clasped his hands together as pitch-black Conqueror's Haki burst from his forehead. With a powerful kick, he launched himself forward like a cannonball…