Inside the grand mansion of Koya, in the spacious hall, Kaito Sakamoto blocked the pursuit of Kuro as he chased after Meli.
Kuro couldn't help but take a closer look at Kaito. He hadn't expected this pretty boy to be able to stop him, especially with his Silent Step technique. Kuro, still puzzled by Kaito's words, raised an eyebrow.
"You really know me well."
"I've been missing at sea for three years. Given your age, why would you know about me?"
Kuro pressed one of his clawed hands down on Kaito's long staff, standing sideways, and staring at him with a suspicious expression.
"Guess."
Kaito smirked, his tone dripping with annoyance.
Without warning, Kuro swiped with his other hand, reaching out to grab him. "Guess? Guess this, you little brat!"
The hand that had been pinning Kaito's staff suddenly shifted and locked it in place.
Kaito knew he would have to drop the staff if he wanted to dodge.
But what Kuro didn't expect was that Kaito bent down, and as soon as the pressure was released, Kaito's staff transformed into a pistol.
"Surprised?"
Kaito swiftly leaned back, shooting the gun in one fluid motion.
"Bang!"
Kuro's eyes widened slightly, and his body instantly moved. However, the distance was too close, and a bullet grazed his waist.
The wound wasn't deep, but it stung like a knife's cut. Kuro, being a renowned pirate with exceptional physical strength, barely flinched. His wound wasn't severe, but a thin line of blood began to trickle down.
Despite the pain, Kuro didn't even glance at the wound. His eyes were locked on Kaito's flintlock.
"A Devil Fruit?"
"Guess."
Kaito's response was the same as before. But after speaking, he couldn't help but cough twice, his condition growing worse.
During the time he had spent unconscious, the effects of mimicking Zoro's body had worn off. Now, his body was weak, and after lying on the shore for a while, he had developed a fever.
Kuro noticed Kaito's condition and, in his mind, that was good news.
It seemed that a fight was about to resume.
Koya, worried about Kaito's condition, couldn't believe he'd be able to hold up against Kuro in this state.
"Kuro Harter!"
"Stop fighting."
"You wanted my fortune, right? I'll give it to you. Just leave the village now."
Koya broke free from Meli and rushed into the hall, standing behind Kaito.
"I think you misunderstood."
"What I want is money, but also stability."
"In three years, I've built a good reputation in the town."
"I need to get this money legally. I want to live here, do you understand?"
"So, if pirates attack the village and you happen to die, that's necessary."
Kuro spoke without any emotion, his words cold and calculating.
Koya was left speechless. She couldn't believe the person who had taken care of her for three years was now the one plotting her death, just for the sake of securing a legitimate claim.
After living together for three years, he showed no sign of any emotional attachment—he was a monster.
...
After that, Kuro remained silent, using his Silent Step to continue his assault on Kaito.
In a flash, Kaito's pistol transformed into three swords, adopting Zoro's Three-Sword Style.
Sparks flew as the three swords blocked Kuro's claws.
Meli quickly pulled Koya outside to safety.
The two combatants moved with incredible speed, clashing fiercely in the hall. Furniture was destroyed as the two exchanged blows, but neither sustained any serious injuries.
...
As time passed, Kaito began to lose ground.
Not only was he operating at only about 60% of Zoro's strength, but he was also battling a fever.
After forcing Kuro back with a sudden burst of strength, Kaito quickly retreated, distancing himself from Kuro.
Kuro also paused, treating it as a brief break. He hadn't expected this kid to last so long, but he could tell Kaito was reaching his limit—his attacks were growing weaker, a clear sign.
"Ha~"
Kaito exhaled, glancing at Kuro. He didn't want to reveal his trump card just yet, so he decided to use his mouth instead.
The three swords shifted back into bracelets, a gesture of good faith.
"Take a look behind you."
Kuro didn't understand what Kaito meant by turning the swords back into bracelets, but he figured there wasn't much Kaito could do at this point. Turning around, he saw the first rays of dawn breaking through the window.
It was already past midnight.
"It's already morning."
"You really believed in your plan, didn't you?"
"But now, it seems like the village is pretty quiet."
Kaito drove the point home.
Kuro turned back to Kaito, his gaze narrowing. "What's going on?"
"Heh, you have your brothers, and I have my crew."
"By now, they've probably stopped those Black Cat Pirates over on the hill."
"How about we make a bet?"
"We'll go to the hill together."
"We'll see who wins. If your side wins, I'll kill myself."
"You don't need to do anything special. Just come with me."
"After all, I promised my crew that I wouldn't always be the 'sharpening stone' for others."
Kaito responded.
"You think I'm just your sharpening stone?" Kuro growled, his expression darkening.