"Pathetic," he said again, louder this time. "My crew—defeated by children playing pirates."
Kuro.
He moved like a ghost, silent and menacing, with that same arrogant calm he always had in the stories. The false butler. The cold-hearted killer. The man who spent three years pretending to be loyal just to rob a sick girl.
I narrowed my eyes.
"Alright," I said, loud enough for all of them to hear. "Luffy, he's yours. Deal with him."
Luffy cracked his neck and stepped forward, stretching his arms with a lazy smile. "You got it. Been waiting for something fun."
Zoro sheathed his swords. "You sure about this?"
"Yeah," I nodded. "Let the captains settle it."
Usopp looked like he wanted to argue, but he glanced at Kaya's mansion in the distance, at the village behind them, and then stepped back. "Alright…"
Nami didn't say anything, but her fingers tightened around her bag as she took a few steps back with the rest of us.
This was Luffy's moment.
Kuro's eyes slid past me and focused on Luffy, scanning him as if trying to measure his worth. "So you're the one pretending to be captain."
Luffy tilted his head. "Pretending?"
"You're nothing more than a fool with stretchy limbs and a loud mouth." Kuro's tone sharpened. "You don't understand strategy. You don't have discipline. You'll never survive on the Grand Line."
Luffy grinned. "Maybe. But I'm still gonna be King of the Pirates."
Kuro's jaw twitched. Just a little.
I watched him carefully. Even without access to my full power, my instincts were sharp. And those instincts screamed one thing about Kuro: he was fast. Deceptively fast. Not brute strength, not power—speed and precision.
And cruelty.
Luffy would have to stay alert.
Kuro vanished.
Just like that—gone.
"Luffy!" Usopp shouted in warning.
But Luffy was already moving. His rubber body twisted mid-air as claws slashed the space where he'd just been. Dust exploded from the impact.
"He's fast," Zoro muttered, hand resting casually on his sword, just in case.
"Captain speed," I replied. "But not invincible."
Kuro reappeared behind Luffy, claws extended. "Die—!"
Luffy spun, foot snapping outward like a spring-loaded hammer.
"Gomu-Gomu no—Whip!"
CRACK!
Kuro flew back, skidding across the ground with a snarl.
"That didn't hurt," he lied, standing up immediately.
"Your claws are sharp," Luffy said, flexing his bruised leg. "But I'm used to sharp things."
Kuro's face twisted. His pride was hurt. His plan was ruined. And now a rubber boy was matching him blow for blow.
"You ruined everything," Kuro hissed. "Do you know how long I prepared? How many nights I spent listening to that girl whimper in her sleep, pretending to care? Three years, for the perfect escape. A quiet life, far from piracy. You ruined it!"
Luffy's expression sobered. "You're mad because we stopped you from killing your family. That's not just evil—it's disgusting."
"I have no family," Kuro growled. "Only pawns."
And then he dashed again.
This time, faster—blurred motions, zigzagging through the air.
"Watch out!" Nami shouted.
Luffy didn't flinch. His foot dug into the dirt.
"Gomu-Gomu no—Bazooka!"
Two fists shot out, palms open.
SLAM.
Kuro took the hit square in the chest and flew back harder than before, crashing into a boulder and sending fragments into the air.
He coughed violently.
Luffy straightened, rubbing his wrists. "You're not that tough. Sneaky, sure. But not captain material."
Kuro slowly stood, blood trailing from his lip. "You think you've won?"
He snapped his fingers—and from behind him, several of the surviving Black Cat Pirates began to rise, staggering toward us with dazed expressions. Hypnosis residue.
"I always have a backup plan," Kuro said with a manic grin.
"I thought you might," I said and stepped forward. "That's why we didn't leave."
I raised my hand, and the ground beneath the pirates erupted in a burst of sand and wind. I didn't need my higher-tier spells—just a precise one. A second-tier [Earth Grip] was enough to wrap tendrils of stone around their ankles, locking them in place.
"Wha—what the hell?" Kuro blinked.
"You were talking too much," I smiled. "We had time to prepare."
"Guess he doesn't know he's not the only one with tricks," Nami added, flipping a stolen gold coin.
Kuro turned his gaze to Luffy again, this time with panic in his eyes.
"You won't—!"
Luffy didn't wait.
"Gomu-Gomu no—Gatling!"
The rapid flurry of fists rained down on Kuro's frame like a storm. His claws couldn't block fast enough. He stumbled. Then reeled. Then—
CRUNCH!
Luffy delivered a final punch right to Kuro's jaw, launching him into the air.
The fake butler hit the ground with a crash, unmoving.
Silence.
The wind stirred the grass. The trees seemed to breathe again.
Then Zoro grinned. "Well, that's that."
Usopp pumped his fist. "We won!"
Nami sighed in relief, hugging her bag of loot like a pillow.
I walked to Luffy, who was dusting his hat. "Nice job."
He grinned. "Told you I'd handle it."
I nodded. "You did. And now the village is safe."
Behind us, the unconscious bodies of Kuro and his crew lay scattered—defeated.
No casualties on our side.
Another victory.
~~~
You can join my Patreon for 3$. Around 270+ advanced chapters on my Patreon. I posted some exclusive NFSW on each R-18 chapter for you to enjoy.
Support me through my Patreon. It would be a big help
Support me:
patreon.com/BlackBolt517