With a loud crash, Luffy raised a massive boulder high into the air. Kuro's left-hand claw, resembling a cat's paw, embedded itself into the stone. Luffy twisted it forcefully, shattering Kuro's weapon. He then swung the boulder and smashed it onto Kuro's head, leaving him bleeding.
The two had already been in a fierce battle. Luffy's lip had been slashed open. Kuro never expected that, in just one day, two people would break through his silent step technique.
Meanwhile, Zoro and Usopp were still locked in combat with the formidable "lost navigator."
...
The Black Cat Pirates were in disbelief that Kuro had actually been hit, immediately rallying to cheer him on.
"Take him down, Captain Kuro!"
"Destroy that rubber man!"
Kuro stood up again, but the cheers didn't encourage him—instead, they disgusted him. When had he ever needed such support? The sight of them witnessing his humiliation was unbearable.
"Shut up!"
"I'll kill every last one of you later, including you, Zango!"
Kuro had no intention of letting the Black Cat Pirates escape. His goal was stability, and anyone who knew his identity as Captain Kuro had to die.
"So, from the very beginning, your plan was to kill us all?"
The members of the Black Cat Pirates couldn't believe their ears.
Luffy scowled and muttered, "Are you all idiots? What a pathetic pirate crew."
"Pathetic?"
"This is what a real pirate crew looks like!"
"My subordinates are pawns in my game. I decide whether they live or die. All they have to do is rush into the village and die for my plan!"
In Kuro's eyes, nothing mattered more than his plan. But this was exactly the point that struck Luffy's nerve. Luffy, just like Roger, would destroy a Navy base if they spoke ill of his crew. For Luffy, standing up for his friends meant confronting the World Government head-on. And if they raised their flag? He'd burn it!
Kaito Sakamoto couldn't hold his tongue any longer. "You say your subordinates die for you, the captain…"
"You won't even allow them to call you captain anymore. What are you now? What right do you have to send them to their deaths, for your plan?"
Kuro was left speechless.
"Hahaha, as expected of you, Kaito Sakamoto! This guy has nothing to say now."
"Yeah! What right do you have? Why should we die for you?"
The Black Cat Pirates instantly turned against Kuro. Who in their right mind would die for him now?
Kuro's veins bulged with anger as Luffy added fuel to the fire.
"Even if you have hundreds of subordinates, you're still no match for Usopp."
To be compared to a useless weakling was one thing, but to be outdone by him? Kuro was on the brink of losing it.
In a flash, Kuro aimed a knife at Kaito, but Kaito didn't dodge. He trusted Luffy.
Sure enough, as Kuro reappeared, Luffy didn't even turn. His fist shot backward, landing squarely on Kuro's neck. With Kaito's smile, Kuro was sent flying to the left, crashing back to the top of the slope.
Luffy and Kaito both smiled and, in unison, answered Kuro's statement.
"It's about character."
Luffy struck a pose with his hands on his hips. "You have no idea what it means to be a real pirate!"
Kuro wiped his forehead. "Heh. I've been insulted. Fine. If you want to know what a real pirate is, I'll show you the terror of a real pirate."
Kuro stood, his hands hanging naturally by his sides. His body began to sway slightly from left to right.
The Black Cat Pirates recognized the move and fear instantly filled their hearts and faces.
"He's using the Scythe Death!"
"He's going to use the Scythe Death!"
"This attack will drag us all in!"
"He's serious about killing us!!"
"Run!!"
The group of pirates immediately turned and fled, but how could they possibly outrun Kuro?
"Scythe Death!"
Kuro disappeared in a flash. This time, even Luffy couldn't catch his movement.
Kaito could barely see the afterimage.
As Luffy wondered where Kuro had gone, shrieks echoed from the Black Cat Pirates trying to flee down the slope.
Kuro's figure was still invisible, but it felt as though the wind itself was cutting through their waists, blood splattering everywhere.
"Where is he?!"
Luffy quickly turned around to look.
One by one, pirates fell to the ground, and Luffy's anger flared. He shouted,
"What do you take your crew for?"
"Come out here, Kuro!"
...
Meanwhile, Zoro and Usopp were still in the midst of their battle.
Along the way, they spotted Usopp's pirate crew, the three little punks, blocking Zango's path.
"Damn kids!!"
Just as Zango's sword ring was about to strike Onion, 500 meters away, Usopp's Firebird Star hit Zango right in the back.
...
Back at the slope, Kaito coughed twice. "Don't panic, Luffy."
"I'll be the bait."
Kaito smiled and then shouted loudly,
"Kuro! No, it's better to just call you a joke."
"You're nothing compared to Usopp, you always will be."
"And your plan, your three-year plan, will eventually go up in smoke!"