Chapter 33: To Kill the Man, Kill the Heart First!
The setting sun cast a bloody hue over the lawn before the mansion, the air thick with the lingering scent of blood and an aura of deadly tension.
Two figures stood ten paces apart, locked in a silent standoff.
This was the first formal encounter between "Hundred Plans" Kuro and Ralph.
Yet, with just one glance, Kuro's sharp intuition told him that this young man was utterly different from any pirate he had ever encountered.
It was not the raw ferocity of brute strength, nor the madness of a desperate outlaw, nor the wretchedness of lowlife scum.
Deep within those profound eyes flickered a light of intelligence—one Kuro recognized all too well, yet found unbearably glaring at this moment.
Almost without needing any proof, Kuro instantly knew.
This was the man! The one who had seen through his meticulously crafted, three-year-long plan—a scheme he had deemed flawless—forcing him into this blood-soaked situation where he had no choice but to take matters into his own hands.
Kuro pushed his glasses up with the heel of his palm, trying to suppress the surging violence in his heart, but his voice inevitably carried a chilling coldness:
"So you're Ralph? Pleased to meet you."
Yet his tone betrayed no trace of pleasure. "You're a smart man, I'll admit that. But you made one mistake—choosing to oppose me."
His voice gradually rose, the suppressed rage like a volcano on the verge of eruption:
"I worked tirelessly! Endured for three whole years! Three years of disguise! Three years of groveling! My plan was on the verge of success! And you! You ruined it all!"
He nearly roared the words, "I could have washed my hands clean, shed the stigma of being a pirate, and lived out the rest of my days as a respectable, wealthy man, enjoying a peaceful and luxurious life! It was you! You destroyed my one and only chance... to be a 'good man'!"
His chest heaved violently, his Cat Claws trembling slightly with agitation:
"Now! I'm forced back onto the same path I walked three years ago, once again a wanted pirate hunted by the Marines, despised by the world, my hands stained with blood, committing every evil imaginable! All of this! Is because of you!!"
His voice wasn't deafeningly loud, but the profound resentment and icy killing intent it carried pierced through the mansion's elegant windows like invisible ice spikes, clearly reaching the ears of everyone inside.
"You will die, your companions will die, everyone in this mansion, even everyone in Syrup Village—they will all die! And it's all because of you!"
Nami, Kaya, and the three children trembled in fear at this blatant declaration of annihilation.
Kaya's face turned as pale as paper, overwhelmed by immense terror and guilt. An absurd thought took root in her mind.
Just hand over the property, give him everything, beg him to spare everyone, to spare the village...
Just as Kaya's lips trembled, on the verge of pleading, Ralph on the lawn laughed.
The laughter was soft, laced with undisguised mockery and a comprehensive contempt for Kuro.
"Heh... What a pity."
Ralph shook his head, his tone even carrying a hint of regret. "You're far less impressive in person than by reputation. I never expected the famed 'Hundred Plans' Kuro to be such... a fool."
The word "foolish" seared into Kuro's most sensitive and arrogant nerve like a red-hot branding iron!
He could admit that his combat skills might not be the strongest in the East Blue, but he would never allow anyone to question or mock his intelligence!
Veins bulged on his forehead as he forcibly suppressed the urge to immediately tear his opponent apart, squeezing out a question through gritted teeth:
"Foolish? You call me foolish? Then I'd like to hear—where exactly am I foolish?!"
A cold smirk curled at the corner of Ralph's lips. Since the other was so eager to be insulted, he saw no reason to hold back.
"Your first foolishness," Ralph extended one finger, his tone flat yet each word striking deep, "lies precisely in—choosing to become a Pirate!"
That single sentence left Kuro utterly stunned.
Because... deep down, even he believed that his decision to become a pirate was foolish—otherwise, he wouldn't have been scheming so desperately to leave that life behind.
But such thoughts were one thing to keep to oneself; having an enemy point them out publicly was nothing short of the ultimate humiliation!
How could he possibly admit it? He immediately retorted, "Hmph! Absurd! Aren't you a pirate too? What right do you have to criticize me?!"
"Is it the same?"
Ralph let out a derisive laugh, as if he'd just heard the biggest joke.
"I became a pirate after careful consideration, fully aware of what I seek—companionship, freedom, grand adventures, and the dream of standing at the world's summit! Every one of my comrades shares this conviction!"
His gaze swept over the mansion as if he could see the people inside: "Usopp's father is a pirate, but he has never felt ashamed of it—instead, he takes pride in it! Like his father, he has the spirit of the sea and adventure flowing in his veins. He will set sail one day to become a brave warrior of the sea, and he will never regret his choice!"
His voice suddenly sharpened, lashing out at Kuro like a whip:
"But you! You chose to become a pirate yet lacked the resolve and conviction to match that path! Halfway through, you realized this wasn't the life you wanted and started scheming to escape like a coward! What does that prove? It proves that when you made your choice, you had neither determination nor wisdom! Hesitant, indecisive, and wavering! If that isn't foolishness, what is?!"
Kuro was left speechless, his face alternating between shades of green and white. He wanted to refute, but Ralph gave him no opportunity.
"Your second foolishness," Ralph extended a second finger, his gaze dissecting Kuro's hypocritical facade like a scalpel, "lies in your complete lack of self-awareness!"
"When you were a pirate, what did you rely on? Schemes, betraying comrades, toying with the Marines, plundering merchant ships!"
Ralph's tone shifted, "And when you claimed you wanted to leave the pirate life behind, saying you desired a 'peaceful existence,' what path did you choose? Still relying on schemes and deceit! Disguising yourself for three years to swindle a lone girl out of her inheritance! How is that fundamentally different from your acts of piracy—burning, killing, and plundering at sea?!"
Ralph's voice remained calm, yet it carried a penetrating force that seemed to see through to the core of one's being:
"At your very core, you have always been that greedy, treacherous, and cruel villain who takes pleasure in manipulating and controlling others! You've never changed! Even if you were to somehow inherit..."
"Even if you inherit Miss Kaya's fortune, you'll only become a heartless wealthy villain who exploits the village! When your greed can no longer be satisfied, you'll still resort to all kinds of sinister methods against Syrup Village and the surrounding towns!"
He stared into Kuro's eyes behind the lenses, watching his pupils contract violently upon hearing the truth.
"Look at your flustered expression now! Just three years as a 'docile' butler has suffocated you to this extent, making you eager to bare your claws! A scoundrel like you belongs in dark corners, hunted by justice, never finding peace! You deserve to never live the 'peaceful life' you desire!"
Ralph's tone wasn't intense, even carrying a hint of gentleness, yet every word was like a poisoned dagger precisely piercing the corners of Kuro's heart he least wanted to confront.
Inside the mansion, Nami kept nodding, feeling Ralph's analysis was incredibly penetrating.
Kaya covered her mouth with both hands, her delicate body trembling slightly, her eyes filled with shock and lingering fear. She couldn't imagine how human hearts could be so malicious and twisted? How childish and dangerous her momentary thought of compromising and begging for peace had been!
Compromise would only make evil more brazen!
On the lawn, Kuro was both shocked and furious, his blood boiling!
He was shocked because Ralph's analysis of his character was something he himself had never examined so clearly!
He subconsciously imagined his life after his plan succeeded... and had to admit that, given his nature, the future Ralph described was highly likely to occur!
He was furious because—if everything Ralph said was true, then he, Kuro, would truly become the "fool without determination, wisdom, or self-awareness" described by the other!
This was worse than killing him!
"Enough! No more words!" Kuro could no longer maintain his composure, roaring with boiling killing intent, "Just die!!"
Ralph looked at his flustered state and lightly delivered the final blow:
"See, getting angry and losing logic at the slightest setback, only knowing to resort to violence... isn't this exactly a sign of insufficient intelligence? It seems you really are a fool."
"Shut up!"
Kuro completely broke, his figure instantly disappearing, turning into a blurry afterimage. His Cat Claws-equipped hands tore through the air with piercing shrieks, attacking Ralph simultaneously from several tricky angles.
However, facing this swift and bizarre assault, Ralph's figure also became indistinct!
"Soru!"
His peak speed erupted fully! Combined with the prediction of his basic Observation Haki, Ralph danced on the edge of blades, always avoiding fatal claw strikes by a hair's breadth at the last moment.
Every one of Kuro's pounces landed on empty air, only tearing through Ralph's lingering afterimages.
When the two figures separated again, Ralph remained calm and composed, as if the rapid evasion had been nothing more than a leisurely stroll.
Looking at Kuro's livid face, the mockery continued:
"...Oh, I forgot to tell you. Aside from wisdom and eloquence, it seems even your most proud speed and strength... can't compare to mine."
Ralph's provocation of Kuro was driven by multiple considerations.
First, when enraged, people tend to lose rationality and weaken their tactical thinking, which would significantly undermine Kuro's advantage.
Second, anger forces the opponent to rush for quick results, making them more likely to unleash their strongest move in their current state, thus avoiding any hidden trump cards.
Seeing that Kuro still hadn't used "Shakushi," it was likely due to excessive physical exertion or injuries preventing him from executing it.
Of course, even if he did use it, Ralph wouldn't fear it in the slightest. With the same high-speed movement, Ralph's Observation Haki allows him to maintain clear perception and precise control over his body, never descending into the uncontrolled indiscriminate attacks like Kuro.
Lastly, and most importantly—
How dare you hurt my Lufia like that...
Killing you outright would be far too merciful.
Only by completely overwhelming and humiliating you in wisdom, words, and strength can I begin to quell the hatred in my heart!
Having toyed with him enough and gauged both his trump cards and current condition, it was time to send him on his way.
At the precise moment when the distance between them widened again, Kuro, like an enraged beast, recklessly lunged forward once more, his Cat Claws aimed straight for Ralph's throat!
This time, however, Ralph did not use Soru to evade.
He shifted his left foot slightly back, lowered his center of gravity, and firmly placed his right hand on the hilt of Wado Ichimonji at his waist, assuming the most fundamental yet spiritually concentrated iaido stance.
One of the key differences between those skilled in swordsmanship and those who are not lies in the alignment of the "blade path" during a strike.
A proper blade path means the motion trajectory perfectly aligns with the characteristics of the sword, concentrating all the body's power along the sharpest edge of the blade to achieve an unstoppable cutting effect.
This is basic knowledge for any beginner in swordsmanship, yet it is also one of the highest skills countless swordsmen pursue throughout their lives.
This, too, was one of the few pieces of knowledge Ralph carried over from his previous life.
Just moments earlier, while cutting down dozens of pirates with a worn-out blade, the swordsmanship techniques of this pirate world had clashed and fused with his prior understanding of mechanics and force application, all tested in live combat.
Now, gripping Wado Ichimonji, one of the 21 Great Grade Blades, feeling the gentle warmth of the hilt and the sharpness contained within the blade, a newfound clarity surged through him like a clear spring.
Blade and wielder, intent and spirit, strength and speed... all unified perfectly in this moment!
The next instant, he moved!
Propelled by the explosive leg strength enhanced by Soru, he shot forward like an arrow released from its bow! Footwork, body movement, hand technique, and swordplay merged into one, forming a straight, unwavering line!
"Clang—!"
A clear, resonant ring echoed like a dragon's cry!
As the famed blade left its sheath, it seemed to drain all light from the surroundings, leaving only a cold, silvery arc slicing diagonally—so fast it surpassed the limits of naked-eye perception.
Two figures crossed paths.
Ralph's form solidified three steps behind Kuro, Wado Ichimonji held diagonally toward the sky. A single drop of blood slowly slid down the gleaming blade, falling onto the grassy ground.
Looking at Kuro again, his charging posture froze in place, his face still bearing a ferocious killing intent mixed with a trace of lingering astonishment.
The ten steel blades of his notorious Cat Claws weapons, worn on both hands, were now severed at the base, clattering as they fell to the ground.
Immediately after, a thin line of blood slowly emerged across his chest, stretching from his left shoulder all the way to his right abdomen. Then, like a long-suppressed fountain, blood violently gushed forth!
"..."
A gurgling, air-leaking sound escaped Kuro's throat as the light in his eyes rapidly dimmed. With endless shock, resentment, and confusion, his body heavily collapsed onto the lawn, kicking up a cloud of dust.