The sun had begun to set and a crescent moon had started rising into the sky. Moonlight illuminated Luffy and the others gathered at the water's edge. The sound of waves hitting rocks could be heard.
Usopp sat on a rock while holding back the pain as Nami treated the gunshot wound on his hand.
"Alright, that's done!" Nami tied the bandage around Usopp's hand.
"So, what are you going to do next?" Luffy looked at Usopp who had his head hanging.
"...I'm a liar, I already knew from the start that no one would believe me after all the lies I've told," Usopp smiled bitterly, a burning resolve slowly appearing in his eyes. "But this village is my home, and I love everyone here... they think I'm lying, and tomorrow will be the same, a boring peaceful day... so I'm going to make that happen! That's the only thing a liar like me can do!"
"Even if I get shot and they chase me out with brooms... this is still my home! I love everyone here! So I'm going to protect them!" Usopp said, tears beginning to fall.
Zoro gripped his swords while grinning. "You're a genuinely kind fool! You even lied to those three kids so they wouldn't be in danger."
"This is actually good. I can steal the pirates' treasure after we defeat them," Nami added while making a money gesture with her fingers.
"Yosh! We'll help you," Luffy cracked his knuckles with a smile.
"You all... are you going to fight alongside me?" Usopp asked in confusion. "Why?"
"You look scared."
"You're outnumbered."
"Wh... I look scared, you say?!" Usopp stood, pointing at himself. "I have never been scared no matter how many people I face! Because I am the great Captain Usopp! A brave warrior of the sea! I can beat them with my 80 million subordinates!"
All three of them stared blankly at Usopp's legs, which were trembling violently. Usopp snapped, hitting his own legs in frustration. "What are you looking at?! This isn't a show! So what if Klahadore is a terrifying pirate? Of course I'm scared! So what! I don't need your pity! So go away!"
Zoro walked closer. "We're not laughing at you. We even acknowledge your courage to fight to protect your home... and as long as there's at least one person willing to fight—" said Zoro with a smile.
"We'll be there to help," Nami continued, also smiling, and glanced sideways at Luffy. "Right, Captain?"
Luffy's lips curved into a wide smile. "Shishi, yeah!"
"You all..." Usopp stared at them with eyes glistening with gratitude for several moments before wiping his tears, speaking in a firm tone. "Alright, since we don't have much time, let's start moving!"
As they were approaching sunrise, they stood on top of the hill while rolling down barrels of oil they had brought from Usopp's house. Usopp explained how he would make the pirates slip and fall while attacking them.
"Even though it sounds simple, it all depends on how strong we are, since we'll be fighting a small force... so what can each of you do?"
"Slashing!"
"Stretching!"
"Stealing!"
The three of them said confidently, and Usopp added, "as for me, I can hide."
"You have to fight!" all three shouted, their teeth sharpening like sharks.
"Ah, I was only joking!"
The sunlight had begun to show in the distance, and they still hadn't seen the shadow of any ship.
"Hey Usopp! How do you know this is the only place those pirates will dock?" Luffy asked.
Nami nodded in agreement. "That's right, how do you know? Our ships docked at a different beach after all..."
Usopp blinked several times before his eyes flew wide open in realization. "Right! There's another beach to the north! I was thinking because they talked about their plans here, they would attack from this beach! But they could come attacking from the north beach instead! What do we do?!"
Zoro thought for a moment, looking at the sea spread out before him, dawn approaching. "No, they'll definitely come from the north beach."
Nami nodded in agreement. "Alright! Then we're going to the north beach! Our ships are there too, and my treasure is inside them, we need to hide it."
At the north beach.
After hiding their ships, they scattered land mines and waited for the pirates' arrival on top of the hill.
Dawn arrived. In the distance they could see the shadow of a pirate ship slowly approaching. The pirate ship docked, and a group of pirates who looked bloodthirsty shouted and cheered as they descended from the ship, brandishing their weapons. Jango stepped down from the ship in a blue cloak and heart-shaped glasses, and he appeared to be their leader when he gave orders to the others.
"Alright, everyone!" Jango shouted. "Attack the village and raid that mansion!"
"WOOOH! Time to plunder!" The pirates then ran toward the hill. All four of them hid behind trees, watching. As the pirates climbed the hill, they stepped on the land mines scattered earlier.
"Ah! That hurts!"
"What is this?!"
Usopp immediately came out from his hiding spot, staring at the pirates crying out in pain. "Ahahaha!" His laughter drew the attention of all the pirates. "My name is Captain Usopp! My 100 million subordinates and I have been waiting for you scoundrels! We are fully prepared for war! You'd better retreat now if you value your lives!"
"What?! 100 million! Impressive!" Jango exclaimed in surprise.
"Captain, he's obviously lying!" one of the pirates said.
"Ah, no! They figured it out!" Usopp cried in surprise.
"Looks like he's trying to play games with us," another pirate said.
"Damn it! How dare you try to trick us!" Jango shouted angrily.
"Captain, this is bad! We've already passed the time we promised Captain Kuro!"
"What?! This is terrible! Everyone ignore that kid and attack the village immediately! If you don't, Captain Kuro will kill us all!" Drops of sweat appeared on Jango's forehead.
Meanwhile, behind the trees.
"Zoro, Nami, I'm leaving the ones here to you," Luffy turned to look at Nami and Zoro. "I'm going to go defeat Captain Kuro."
"Understood." Zoro tied his bandana around his head, drew his swords from their scabbards, and stepped forward to help Usopp fight the pirates who had managed to climb the hill.
Nami was right behind him, gripping her wooden staff tightly.
Luffy then ran toward the mansion.
Even though the pirates managed to climb the hill, all of them were successfully beaten back.
Seeing his subordinates sprawled on the ground, "just who are these people?!" Jango exclaimed.
Producing a disc tied with rope from his cloak. "Hey all of you! Aren't you ashamed of being beaten by kids like them?!"
"Listen, we don't have time to drag this out. If the opponent is strong we just need to get stronger."
"Everyone look at this thing. When I say one, two, Jango, you will all become stronger and be able to heal very quickly. One, two, Jango!"
"What is he doing, does he think using hypnosis will make them stronger, truly foolish!" Nami mocked, but those words quickly caught in her throat. The pirates shouted with enthusiasm, raising their hands. One pirate punched the cliff, which cracked and sent the rocks at the top tumbling down below, screaming with energy.
Zoro's expression turned serious. "They really have gotten stronger." He turned toward Nami and Usopp who were still stunned. "Both of you fall back."
Gripping both his swords and spinning like a top, he slashed every pirate trying to climb up.
Meanwhile, Luffy.
As he was about to reach the edge of the forest, a familiar shadow appeared before him, and he immediately braked.
A ray of sunlight pierced through the tree branches, illuminating that shadow. It was Klahadore. He was walking toward the north beach while carrying a small bag in his hand, his facial expression showing he was angry. Noticing Luffy's presence, he stopped, furrowed his brow, but his expression returned to normal.
Having heard the news from the villagers yesterday, that Usopp had told people pirates would attack the village and that he himself was a pirate — though the villagers took that as just another of his usual lies — Kuro knew it was true, and realized that Usopp had perhaps eavesdropped on their conversation yesterday.
Usopp had warned the villagers, but because he lied so often no one believed him. But perhaps these three newcomers would believe him. Even if they didn't believe him now, if they heard the news that Kaya had died, they might put things together and report it to the Marines.
And the life he wanted would be gone. His eyes subtly sharpened. In that case, they all had to be killed. In a tone that sounded friendly he asked,
"Aren't you a friend of Usopp's? Could you take me to him?"
"After thinking it over yesterday, I realized my behavior was excessive and I want to apologize," he slowly approached Luffy.
"You should drop the act," Luffy stared with sharp eyes.
"What are you saying, I'm not doing any..."
Luffy cut him off. "Your intent to kill is completely obvious."
Kuro went silent for a moment, then laughed with amusement. "It seems three years of living as a butler has made me slightly dull." He adjusted his glasses. "But since you now know my true identity, I'll need to kill you here."
He dropped the bag in his hand and put on a pair of gloves fitted with long sharp sword blades at the tip of every finger. Those ten blades flashed briefly in the sunlight before his figure disappeared using Nukiashi.
Luffy moved his body sideways just in time. Wind brushed past him, carrying the scent of metal and split earth. Moments later, Kuro appeared behind him — too close, too fast to fully turn around. The trees in the path that should have caught Luffy fell one by one, their trunks split clean as if by a giant axe.
Kuro adjusted his glasses, his voice flat. "Hmm, seems I missed. The next one won't be like that."
He charged forward. Luffy shifted his body to dodge the attack — a fraction of a second slower than before, just enough to feel a sharp wind sweep the edge of his vest. A tree fell directly behind him, producing a heavy thud that shook the ground. Kuro paused momentarily in confusion, his eyes searching for the figure that should have already been shredded.
That moment of confusion was enough for Luffy. He stepped forward, vanishing from where he had been standing, leaving cracks in the ground spreading like a spiderweb. His fist swung.
Kuro realized a fraction of a second before the fist arrived and dodged with Nukiashi. Luffy's fist only hit empty air, but the gust it left behind was strong enough to topple the bushes around it.
Realizing Luffy was no ordinary pirate, Kuro began to take this fight seriously. They moved simultaneously — one disappearing, the other shifting his body a fraction of a second ahead. The sound of falling trees continued, calling back and forth like war drums: some toppling from the slash of Kuro's blades, some toppling from the gust of Luffy's missed punches. The forest around them was slowly being turned into a messy open ground.
Several exchanges later, Kuro began feeling something he didn't like: he was being pressured. He quietly worried about the force channeled through his ten blade fingers — force that should have been enough to tear anyone into pieces, but kept failing to touch its target.
Kuro was certainly fast. But to Luffy, his speed was still well below Soru. The longer Luffy fought, the more he grew accustomed to reading those movement patterns — the fraction-of-a-second pause before Kuro disappeared, the direction of the air current created when he reappeared. From simply responding, Luffy was beginning to be able to counter.
Then suddenly, caught off guard, Kuro took a clean hit from Luffy.
His body bent backward like a shrimp, launched into several trees in succession before stopping. He fell to the ground clutching his stomach, coughing up mouthfuls of saliva mixed with blood. Hearing the sound of approaching wind, he immediately created distance with Nukiashi.
Sure enough — the moment Kuro disappeared, Luffy had already appeared in his previous spot, swinging a punch that toppled the tree before him. The sound of the falling tree echoed long through the forest now half stripped of its canopy.
Cold sweat soaked Kuro's forehead and face. Dark shadows flickered in his eyes.
"...I have no choice but to use that technique."
Shakushi. Kuro's strongest technique, the advanced form of Nukiashi — and the stakes were far higher than simply dodging or striking once. Once activated, the attack would continue nonstop, without pause for thought, until his stamina was completely exhausted. There was no going back once it began.
Kuro raised his hand, adjusted his glasses with his palm for the last time, then crossed both arms in front of his chest. The ten sword blades on his fingers shone with a terrifying light, reflecting the morning sunlight into sharp flashes.
"Shakushi!"
The next second, Kuro's figure vanished completely. Strong wind swept through the forest, cold and as sharp as a knife, bringing with it dust and swirling leaf fragments.
Luffy moved his eyes, searching for that figure — and found nothing.
Shing! Shing! Shing!
Deep claw marks suddenly appeared on the ground. Then on a rock. Then on the tree trunk beside him, splitting it open and bringing it down with a long cracking sound. Without any warning. Without any pattern that the eye could read.
Luffy immediately raised both hands, protecting his vital areas. But a second later blood was dripping from his arm — from where, at what point that cut had come he couldn't tell. The back of his vest was torn open, and a thin red line immediately marked his skin.
He tried to follow Kuro's movement with his eyes, but all he could see were the aftereffects: a tree suddenly collapsing, claw marks appearing on the ground a fraction of a second before he felt the sting of them. The attacks always arrived before his eyes could catch them.
Luffy closed his eyes.
If his eyes weren't fast enough, he would rely on something else. Cut after cut kept adding to his arms and back as he held himself in check, letting his body read the rhythm of the invisible attacks. Once, twice, three times a slash passed so close he could feel its heat on his skin.
Then, within the fourth whistle of wind, something felt different — a fraction-of-a-second gap that shouldn't have been there.
"Gomu Gomu no Pistol."
Luffy opened his eyes, stretched his arm to the side, and swung his fist toward an empty point in the air.
Crack!
The sound of shattering glass rang sharp and clear. Luffy's fist landed squarely on Kuro's face — his glasses shattered into pieces in the air before his body was sent flying. Wind gusted hard as he once again crashed through trees in his path, one after another falling to slow him, before he finally lay still on the ground.
Luffy immediately used his stretched arm as a guide to pull himself toward Kuro, intending to deliver a follow-up attack. But by the time he arrived there, Kuro was already lying unconscious, his broken glasses scattered several meters away.
Luffy stood for a moment, steadying his labored breathing. His eyes swept the surroundings — the trees that had once grown thick and sheltered the sunlight had now fallen, leaving bright gaps between the remaining trunks, like a battlefield that had just been hit by a storm.
Luffy grabbed Kuro's collar and dragged him toward the beach.
End of Chapter 19