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On a certain small island, within the dense jungle, a winding dirt road stretches upward from low ground.
At its peak sits a raised hilltop, on which a two-story brick structure stands, surrounded by lush, towering trees, offering great concealment.
At the top of the building, a pirate flag bearing a black cat pattern flutters gently in the sea breeze.
"Jango, is everything in place?"
Kuro, wearing a pirate captain's black cloak, is seated in the primary chair, casually resting his hands on his knees.
"According to your instructions, the traps around the island have been set up, and ambush points have been manned."
"Once that guy Moss sets foot on this island, he'll be greeted with a hellish onslaught!"
Jango, wearing his heart-shaped glasses, adjusts his hat, the sharp iron rings on his attire clanking against each other.
"Good. To think they aim to take my head for a promotion, let's see if they've got the capability, Colonel Morse."
Kuro nods in satisfaction, habitually raising his arm to push up his glasses on the bridge of his nose.
Beside him, Jango and the feline brothers, sensing the gesture, instinctively swallow hard, their expressions tense.
They know all too well that when their captain makes this gesture, it means he's in the mood for killing.
Colonel Morse, hell-bent on eliminating the Black Cat Pirate Crew, finds himself on a collision course with the pirates, both sides having engaged in dirty deeds, inevitably leading to a bloody confrontation.
According to the original storyline, Morse, with a spy planted by Kuro by his side, meets a disastrous end in this battle, even risking his life.
Perhaps, it is this event that leads Kuro, tired of a pirate's life of constant evasion, to set his sights on the Kaya family's fortune.
Under normal circumstances, the story would unfold this way, but now, Zyhark's sudden appearance will add complexity and trouble to the navy and pirate's intricate battle of wits.
"Have we figured out what that 'sacred fruit' we snatched from Fuschia Village is?"
Kuro's eyes are hidden behind the reflective lenses of his glasses, concealing his current mood.
"We've identified it, and it's not the high-value relic we initially thought it was."
Jango becomes visibly excited and elated at this point, "But its worth far exceeds that of any relic, being a Devil Fruit that could fetch at least one billion Beli on the black market!"
"Devil Fruit?" Kuro raises an eyebrow.
As a notable pirate in the weakest sea, the East Blue, he's certainly heard of the miraculous fruit that grants special abilities to those who eat it.
"Heh, luck is on our side. Who would've thought that something we took by chance would be such a treasure!"
Thinking of the Devil Fruit's value, even the usually stoic and cold-blooded Kuro can't help but let out a light laugh, his lips curving up.
Just as he stands to take a closer look at the so-called Devil Fruit, a pirate lookout rushes in frantically.
"Trouble, Captain Kuro, big trouble!"
"Our lookout spotted a ship heading straight for us!"
The sudden news startles Jango and the other officers, with Kuro's gaze turning icy.
"Is it Morse's naval ship? Damn it, didn't the informant say they wouldn't arrive for another half-hour? Did you mistake it for something else?" Jango tightens the iron-ringed coat around him.
"No, it's not the navy. It's that floating restaurant we encountered yesterday!"
The lookout, sweating under Kuro's intense gaze, stutters nervously.
"A floating restaurant? What are they doing here?" Hearing it's not a mistake, Jango breathes a sigh of relief.
Having not seen Zyhark and his companions personally, as he and the Meowban brothers were guarding this location yesterday, Jango is unaware of the threat they pose.
"Interesting, I didn't seek them out, yet they dare come directly to us."
Remembering the over two million Belly given away, Kuro sneers, elegantly putting on his ten-blade cat claws.
"Jango, proceed with the plan as if it were against Morse. Buchi, Siam, you're with me to welcome our uninvited guests."
With that, he flings his pirate captain's cloak behind him, stepping out the door with a firm stride, followed closely by the named brothers.
The remaining officers, including Jango, exchange looks, silently mourning the fate of the floating restaurant's owner.
Those who've previously incited such anger in Captain Kuro ended up as nothing more than bones.
Meanwhile, on the floating restaurant Endless Dream, on the second deck,
"Are you ready, Aqua? Aside from Captain Kuro, the combined bounties of the other Black Cat Pirates amount to about twenty million Beli. Be cautious."
As the silhouette of the island and the docked Black Cat pirate ship comes into view, Zyhark gives Aqua a solemn reminder.
On one hand, he's literally advising Aqua to be careful; on the other, he's subtly telling her to focus on the Black Cat Pirates' officers and not to backstab him.
"Don't worry! Isn't it just the trouble you can't handle? Leave it to me!"
Aqua, still oblivious to the full situation, confidently summons her Goddess Staff, her eyes burning with intense battle spirit as she looks toward the island:
Twenty million Beli, that's a lot of money for booze. Here comes the goddess!
Seeing her determination, Zyhark says no more, turning his head to look at King.
"King, as we agreed earlier, after Aqua and I land on the island, you'll stay on the ship and act accordingly. If there's danger, retreat ahead of time. We'll return once we've dealt with the island's pirates."
King nods solemnly, the engine of the Endless Dream roaring louder as they approach the island.
"But Zyhark, why insist on leaving King on the ship? His fighting spirit is so high!"
Ever since King completely overpowered her with just two fingers, Aqua firmly believes that this man, who, like her, emerged from the wishing well, is incredibly strong.
Hearing this, King's mouth twitches slightly, his expression saying: What high fighting spirit? That's the sound of me being terrified!
"King could join the fight, but then you wouldn't mind sharing the bounty, right?"
Zyhark toys with the two cutlasses given to him by Joseph and Johnny.
He's learned a bit of swordplay in Windmill Village and received some guidance from the Red Hair Pirates, barely qualifying as an apprentice swordsman.
Dual-wielding, however, is something he's yet to try.
Having not faced a real battle since setting sail, maybe it's time to test his skills against Kuro, the Ten-Blade user?
"That won't do!"
Aqua bristles instantly, glancing at the still-expressionless King, and then laughs awkwardly, "I mean, protecting the ship is also a very important task, right? Only someone like King can give us peace of mind!"
She fully displays her characteristic thick-skinned nature.
By the time their conversation concludes, the Endless Dream has already reached the island's shore, docking a short distance away from the Black Cat pirates' ship.
"Aqua, let's go."
Zyhark, with two large cutlasses slung over his shoulder in a wild manner, leaps from the deck, landing firmly on the sandy beach near the island.
Aqua follows suit, jumping down after him.
The moment her feet touch the ground, Aqua stumbles slightly, her body swaying from side to side before she finally manages to stabilize herself, narrowly avoiding a humiliating fall right at her entrance.
Under King's watchful gaze, Zyhark and Aqua proceed up the dirt road towards the Black Cat Pirate Crew's stronghold.
To Zyhark's surprise, they hadn't even covered half the distance when Captain Kuro, wielding ten blades, appears before them.
(End of Chapter)