The first time Tom said he would beat Kuro up, Kuro hadn't taken him seriously at all, seeing no threat and ignoring him.
But now, Kuro could genuinely sense a dangerous, savage aura from Tom, forcing him to shift his focus. Especially Tom's strange, dark crimson eyes, with their faint golden flicker at the edges, made Kuro feel a chill.
Kuro had seen it clearly from above. The moment Tom's eyes changed, he had instantly burst forth with power far surpassing Sham's, defeating one of the cat brothers with a single punch.
Though Kuro suspected Tom might be a Devil Fruit user, he didn't ask. He'd heard many rumors about Devil Fruits, but never one that could change a person's eye color.
"Come on then! Attack! I'll finish you in under three moves!" Kuro said, kicking the barely breathing Usopp aside and addressing Tom below.
Thinking about Usopp and Kaya's safety, I need to get Kuro away from them as fast as possible. Then I can beat him without holding back.
Just as Tom was gathering his strength to charge up and force Kuro away from Usopp and Kaya, he heard the BANG of a gunshot.
It was Kaya. Seeing Kuro humiliate Usopp so cruelly, her heart breaking with grief and outrage, she drew a pistol hidden in her dress. With Kuro's back to her, she hesitated, glanced at the blood-soaked Usopp, bit her lip, and finally fired at Kuro.
The moment Tom heard the shot, he knew it was bad. He charged toward Kuro at full speed.
Kuro's figure blurred. In the blink of an eye, he easily dodged the bullet and appeared behind Kaya. The long blade of his cat claw now pressed against her neck. "Young mistress, you've truly grown over these three years. You even have the courage to shoot someone now."
"What are you doing?" Tom saw the thin line of blood on Kaya's neck from Kuro's blade. If he charged forward now, Kaya would likely be killed instantly. He had to stop.
"Don't misunderstand. I won't use her as a hostage to threaten you. But before I fight you, I want to take care of a little matter," Kuro said, a cruel smile curling on his lips as he addressed Tom coldly.
Damn it! If that woman hadn't fired, things wouldn't have gotten so complicated.
Tom wasn't necessarily concerned with Kaya's life for her own sake, but he understood her importance to Usopp. This fight was to help Usopp protect the people of Syrup Village. If his reckless move got Kaya killed, what was the point of this entire battle?
Tom had to force himself to control his inner fury, searching for a way to rescue Kaya safely.
"Let Kaya go! I won't let you hurt her!" Usopp, lying in the pool of blood, struggled to rise again, picking up his slingshot once more.
"You're just a useless braggart who wants to protect others? Don't you find that laughable?" Kuro said, holding Kaya with one hand, taking a few steps forward, and planting his foot heavily on Usopp's chest, laughing coldly.
Using Kaya as a shield, the cat claw blade still at her throat, Kuro gave Tom no opening for a sneak attack. "Well? Don't you agree with me?" he asked Tom.
"A guy like him, playing silly pirate games with brats every day in a peaceful village, dreaming of becoming a brave warrior of the sea... He's just as foolish as his father, who went to sea chasing unrealistic dreams," Kuro said contemptuously, looking down at Usopp beneath his foot.
Hearing Kuro's words, a kind of anger Tom had never felt before filled his heart. He lowered his head slightly, fists clenched so tightly they shook. The dark crimson of his eyes deepened, becoming more vivid. Faint red light seemed to shimmer within them, intertwining with the golden glow at the edges, creating an eerie effect.
Seeing Tom silent, Kuro didn't mind. He turned to Kaya, whom he held captive. "Young mistress, don't you think I'm right?"
"You can have all my wealth. I'll give it to you. Just stop this evil, and let Usopp go," Kaya pleaded, tears streaming. She saw Usopp cough up more blood after Kuro's stomp. With her medical knowledge, she knew he would die if this continued.
"Young mistress, why aren't you answering me? And you're mistaken. While I do want your money, what I crave even more is a stable, peaceful life," Kuro said, an unexpected hint of nostalgia crossing his face. "Over these three years, I worked hard to earn the villagers' trust. That felt truly comfortable. To obtain both a peaceful life and your fortune—that's what makes my plan a success."
Here, Kuro smiled gently at Kaya. "For three years, I stayed by your side, a young mistress full of dreams. I shopped with you, cared for you meticulously when you were sick, shared your pains and joys. I devoted three whole years to this!"
"The reason I endured this humiliation, made such a sacrifice, was to legally obtain your wealth and live the stable life I've longed for. So today, two things must happen: pirates attack the village, and you leave a will bequeathing all your assets to me!" Kuro's gentle expression vanished, replaced by endless ferocity as he roared in Kaya's ear. "Me! The man once known as Captain Kuro of a Hundred Plans! For three years, I smiled and fawned over a snot-nosed little girl, worked hard to please you! Can you understand how agonizing this humiliating life has been for me?!"
"Therefore, from the very first day I saw you three years ago, I decided I would kill you with my own hands! I spent three years waiting for this day to come! Do you understand now?!" Kuro's face was full of sinister, cold-blooded ruthlessness as he revealed the cruel truth to Kaya.
Hearing this, Kaya broke down sobbing. Remembering the warm little moments of their three years together, she could never have dreamed that Kuro, who had cared for her so attentively and kindly all this time, had been thinking of killing her every single moment!
This enormous contrast plunged the sheltered Kaya into deep despair.
"You bastard!" Usopp, pinned under Kuro's foot, saw Kaya driven into a dazed state, her face as white as paper. Enduring the immense pain from his wounds, he raised his slingshot and aimed at Kuro.
But Kuro gave him no chance. He stomped down hard on Usopp's right hand, the one holding the slingshot.
Usopp's right hand had been shot by Merry yesterday; the gunshot wound wasn't healed. Kuro clearly aimed for it, deliberately stomping and grinding his foot into the injured area. "I told you! A low-life pirate's son who only knows how to lie can't do anything! You could try screaming a few times, try to earn my pity. Maybe I'll be merciful and let you go."
Despite the searing pain from his crushed hand, Usopp didn't utter a sound. He just glared furiously at Kuro and, as if making a vow, gritted out each word: "I will defeat you! I will protect my hometown! I won't let you hurt Kaya anymore!"
Usopp's shouts grew louder each time, resolute and clear, reaching everyone's ears.
"Usopp..." Hearing his words, a warm ray of light seemed to pierce the dark, helpless darkness in Kaya's heart. Her unfocused eyes regained their clarity, and a touch of color returned to her pale cheeks.
Kuro looked down at Usopp with utter disdain. "You really are just a bragging liar. And only a fool would believe your boasts."
"Hahahahaha!" Kuro laughed arrogantly. "Since you can make such bold claims, I'll kill her right in front of you! Let's see how you protect her then!"
Hearing this, Usopp's eyes widened with rage, fixing on Kuro. Kaya, still held by Kuro's blade, gave Usopp a faint smile. This always-frail girl now showed a look of unwavering resolve on her face, clearly no longer fearing death.
Seeing Kuro about to kill Kaya, Usopp grew desperate. Summoning strength from somewhere, his immobilized hands tightly grabbed the foot Kuro had on his chest and pulled with all his might. In that instant, Kuro lost his balance.
Seizing this opportunity, Tom moved. With speed like lightning, he appeared at Kuro's side, snatched Kaya from his grasp, and—as Kuro stared in shock and horror—landed a fierce punch squarely on his face, sending him flying back in a straight line.
BOOM!
Kuro's body slammed into the rocky slope wall, and falling rubble buried him.
"Well? Weren't you saying Usopp was just a braggart? But with his help, Kaya's been rescued. You'll never have another chance to hurt her. Can you still call Usopp a useless liar now?!" Tom said, after directing Kaya to tend to the severely wounded Usopp. He began walking slowly toward the pile of rocks.
"Impossible! This is impossible!" CRUNCH!
Kuro emerged from the rubble. His glasses were shattered by Tom's punch, leaving only the frames. His nose, also hit, was flattened and bleeding. But he had no mind to wipe the blood away. He stared at Tom, a mix of shock and disbelief on his face. "The movement you used just now... Was that my Silent Step?"
"You're right. The Silent Step you spent over four years mastering—that technique of concentrating the leg's power in the heel and stepping out before the force transfers to the sole, allowing for silent movement—I've indeed learned it," Tom said, his blood-red eyes fixed on Kuro, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Meeting you here has been fantastic."
"Thanks to you, I've not only learned a method of quick, silent movement, but I've also started to understand just what my Devil Fruit power is," Tom said, his smile widening, the crimson in his eyes deepening as he looked at Kuro. "This way, I can grow stronger. And beating you will be even more satisfying!"
"Now then, are you ready to get beaten, you bastard who's thoroughly pissed me off?!" Tom cracked his knuckles and charged at Kuro.
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T/N :
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