Yuno was merely surprised. Despite its high-tech design, the weapon meant nothing to him.
Its power wasn't even on par with White Thunder's. At best, it was equivalent to one of his casual strikes.
"What other tricks do you have?" Yuno asked coldly, advancing step by step. His deep, masked voice was devoid of emotion. "Use them all. I don't have time for games."
Orleans narrowed his eyes, shouting, "Who are you?! Navy?!"
"This is the third time someone's asked me that today…" Yuno sneered beneath his mask as he kept walking. "And why do you think I wear this mask?"
Of course, it was to hide his face.
He had no interest in being mistaken for a wanted man and hunted down by the Navy. He wasn't a pirate, nor did he wish to become one.
If anything, joining the Navy was a consideration—better to lean against a great tree for shade. Less risk, more protection. But even then, only if it served his own interests.
Orleans froze. Third time? Which three?
He thought hard. Aside from himself… the other two—he must've meant the leaders of the other two underground factions!
Was he implying… they were dead?
The blatant disrespect sent rage surging through Orleans.
But despite the fury, he kept silent. The pressure Yuno radiated was crushing.
That single lightning strike earlier—Orleans wasn't confident he could take another one like that. Worse, he couldn't gauge Yuno's identity. People who hid their faces were either notorious… or dangerous.
And both types were best left alone.
Suppressing his fear, Orleans barked, "No matter who you are or what your goal is, anyone who attacks us… ends up dying miserably! Don't assume this is all we've got. The forces backing us aren't something you can afford to provoke!"
Seeing the situation deteriorate, Orleans resorted to his final card—threats. In this world, backing often trumped power.
Yuno just grinned. "Oh? Then I'd like to see for myself." His voice dropped an octave. "Tell me… who's behind you?"
He didn't care for bluffs.
Without warning, he raised his hand. With a crackle, a bolt of Bai Lei—white lightning—shot toward Orleans's chest.
Orleans had been watching closely. He dove and rolled across the ground, barely avoiding the strike.
But his subordinate behind him wasn't as lucky. The lightning pierced straight through the man's chest, dropping him instantly.
Cold sweat dripped down Orleans's forehead. If he hadn't reacted in time…
That attack… It was so similar to the weapon in his hand!
He glanced at his high-tech firearm, its muzzle still crackling faintly with static.
Lightning… they're both lightning-based weapons…
Yuno noticed his expression and smirked behind the mask.
"Thinking how similar my attack is to that toy in your hand?" he said mockingly. "Take a guess."
Without waiting, he unleashed another strike.
Bai Lei arced like a serpent through the air, ripping through over a dozen men in an instant. The air reeked of scorched flesh.
Yuno didn't intend to talk much. He preferred action.
But then something unexpected happened.
Orleans's expression changed drastically. His pupils shrank as if struck by a bolt of realization. Trembling, he pointed at Yuno.
"You… you… Could it be… Are you from the Vinsmoke Family?!"
Horror twisted his features.
This island… it had always been a secret experimental site for the Vinsmoke family.
Mysterious research had been conducted here for years. And recently… results had begun to emerge.
The weapon in his hand—it was one of those results.
A prototype.
Deadly, advanced, and if mass-produced, a game-changer in warfare.
And now, here stood a man whose natural lightning strikes mirrored its power… or even surpassed it.
Orleans felt a chill crawl down his spine.
Had the Vinsmoke family finally sent someone?
"Could it be that this mysterious masked man is from the Vinsmoke Family—specifically sent to silence us?"
The thought made Orleans's pupils contract as a sense of despair surged in his chest.
Some forces, in order to keep a secret from being exposed, would exterminate everyone who knew of it!
Orleans believed that this man was an assassin dispatched by the Vinsmoke Family to eliminate them—just to cover up the secret research being conducted here.
How ruthless!
To prevent the experimental results from leaking, were they really planning to kill everyone involved?
Orleans clenched his fists tightly, rage rising to the surface.
The others, clearly unaware of any such possibility, were stunned and horrified upon hearing Orleans' words.
The Vinsmoke Family?
Why would the Vinsmokes come all this way to kill them?
They were just low-ranking pawns. They didn't even understand the full scope of the power backing their research.
"Ah, this..." Yuno was a bit confused by Orleans's reaction. He had only spoken casually—there was no deeper meaning behind his words.
"The Vinsmoke Family? Oh... a familiar name."
But why would he think I'm one of them?
Yuno's eyes fell on the weapon in Orleans's hand. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind.
Could that thing have been made by the Vinsmoke family?
In this world, only a few forces—or individuals—were capable of producing such high-tech weaponry.
And the Vinsmoke Family, especially Judge, was one of them.
Genetic cloning, combat-enhancing suits, scientific warfare...
All of it pointed to the advanced research capabilities of Vinsmoke Judge.
Maybe I can use this to gather more intelligence, Yuno thought.
"Hmph," he snorted coldly, putting on an aloof demeanor without giving an actual answer.
Truthfully, he had no idea what to say. What could he even respond with?
Say "I'm not"? That Orleans had guessed wrong?
Anything more would undermine the mystique Yuno had just built. So, he decided to let silence speak for him—a cold snort was enough.
But that very reaction only served to confirm Orleans's suspicions!
Rumor had it that the Vinsmoke Family created emotionless clone soldiers—obedient to orders and unafraid of death!
"Why!? We haven't done anything to provoke you—why are you killing us? I swear, we won't leak a single word about the research!"
Orleans was drenched in sweat. Despair crushed him like a vice, yet he still made one final plea.
He had already reported the situation to his superiors.
His boss—Lawrence, the captain of a Vinsmoke-affiliated pirate group with a bounty of 47 million berries—was likely already en route...
What he once believed to be his salvation now felt like a blade hanging over his head.