Pulling the Rug Out, Ferocity Revealed

"Uh, I apologize for what happened earlier."

Beside the woods on the edge of town, Roman clasped his hands together and sincerely apologized to the dejected Usopp.

"Let me help heal your wounds as compensation. However—"

"I wasn't joking earlier. The butler by Miss Kaya's side is 'Hundred Plans' Kuro himself. If you let someone like him stay close, it's perfectly normal for Miss Kaya to suddenly 'drop dead' at any moment."

Perhaps because he'd been spending time with Luffy and the others, Roman had gradually picked up a habit of joking around. But it wasn't the time for silliness, because:

"No one believes me... Everyone..."

Usopp, clutching the bounty poster tightly, stood before Roman and the others, desperately holding back tears that welled up in his eyes! He had been shot in the arm, but after Roman cleaned the wound with his 'Surgical Paper Blade' and bandaged it with 'Paper Bandage,' he was fine.

"Even Kaya..."

"Alright, Usopp," Nami said, unable to watch him suffer, trying to comfort him. "Maybe Roman was mistaken; maybe that Captain Kuro has truly turned over a new leaf..."

Poor Usopp, because he usually told so many lies, no one believed him when he finally told the truth. Even though he held Kuro's bounty poster, he was scolded as 'despicable' for framing the butler.

Yes, that's right.

Although the young man named Usopp was full of lies, he actually had three other talents: shooting, engineering, and art.

That bounty poster was mistaken by people as something he had 'drawn'...

With such talents, he could easily get rich just by being a painter.

"Actually, it's very simple to prove whether that's the real Captain Kuro,"

Roman, standing beside them, clapped his hands to get everyone's attention.

"I'll just go and stab him."

Anyone who could dodge Roman's attack would definitely be the captain of the Black Cat Pirates; as for those who couldn't...

"Don't worry, trust my skills. —There definitely won't be any blunders like accidentally killing someone."

"Hey, hey, hey, you said 'killing' just now..."

"So, what's your plan?"

Facing Roman's question, Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and even Usopp shook their heads. —Even if that butler was truly a ruthless pirate, who would believe anything these people said?

What they were facing now was not a problem that could be solved by beating people up, cutting people, stealing people, or deceiving people...

"Then... we're not going to deal with this?"

"Absolutely not!"

Facing Luffy's immediate refusal, Roman spread his hands. "So, you can't come up with a solution, yet you want to deal with this matter. How about this:"

"Everyone listens to me."

In the backyard of the mansion, on a bed by the window, Kaya, a frail young girl who had to stay in bed for a long time due to illness, opened the book in her hands but couldn't focus on a single word.

"Saying Klahadore is a pirate, and even confidently showing a 'bounty poster'..."

"This joke is too much!"

However, as she recalled the young man who faithfully told her stories every day to comfort her, the anger on the girl's face gradually disappeared, replaced by a warm smile.

"...Hmm, if Usopp could apologize to Klahadore, I would forgive him—"

"Usopp,"

A familiar voice brought the anxious girl back to reality. She turned her head to look at the young man bowing his head outside the window, surprised, and put down her book.

"Usopp? Your wound... Cough, cough,"

Realizing she had shown too much 'joy,' the girl's expression turned serious, and she earnestly advised, "I know your relationship with Klahadore isn't... very good, but you shouldn't do this..."

"Good afternoon, Miss Kaya."

A voice interrupted the frail girl's words. Roman, smiling, stood beside the bowing Usopp.

"You are..."

"My name is Roman," the handsome young man introduced himself, "Tokovich Roman."

"I'm a pirate."

?

"Ah..."

"Then, Miss Kaya."

Roman raised his hand, and pieces of white paper fluttered from his palm.

"Please cooperate."

"It's kidnapping time!"

The butler named Klahadore had his own private room. First, Usopp had caused a scene earlier with his 'bounty poster,' and then he discovered that a group of rather powerful pirates were still lurking in the town, which made him feel a bit anxious.

Should I postpone the plan?

Bang!

"This is bad, Klahadore!"

The door was violently pushed open, and a butler with sheep-shaped hair rushed in anxiously. He was another butler in the house, named Merry.

"Miss Kaya has been kidnapped!"

?

"What?!"

Kuro, who had been living under the alias Klahadore and was actually the captain (formerly) of the Black Cat Pirates, shot up from his seat! Just as his plan was about to be realized, the chance to sever ties with the past and become a respected gentleman was within his grasp, and now—

"What exactly happened?"

Merry, who was being lifted by him, thought his 'colleague' was simply concerned about the young lady and immediately spilled everything:

"It's Usopp!"

"He colluded with those outsider pirates to kidnap Miss Kaya and demanded ransom from us—"

Slam!

Tossing Merry aside, Kuro, who was burning with impatience, turned, grabbed a long, narrow handbag from the room, and strode out! He wasn't worried about the mistress of the house, Miss Kaya, of course, but rather:

Damn it, I have to find those pirates first!

Otherwise, if someone else finds them first, they might just use all the property here to exchange for that sickly weakling!

He dashed out, However, this was a bustling town after all. No matter how anxious he was, the man named Kuro had to slow his pace. Amidst shouts of "Mr. Klahadore..." and "Butler, where are you going...", he silently tracked them. Thus:

He gave Merry, the butler desperately chasing behind him, a target.

"Miss Kaya."

"Please don't agitate yourself, it will be bad for your health."

In a clearing in the woods, Miss Kaya was tied to a chair with narrow strips of paper, and her mouth was also covered with a paper strip. Facing Roman's words, the girl didn't seem scared. Instead, she looked at Usopp, who had turned his face away, unable to meet her gaze, with heartbroken eyes.

Beside her stood Luffy, wearing his captain's coat, Nami with an eye patch, and Zoro, who was wiping his katana. Coupled with Roman's cold smile, the aura of 'pirates' was palpable!

"Don't worry, we just need a ship."

Roman, playing the 'villain' convincingly, folded paper cranes while looking at the frail, resentful girl Kaya with a cold smile.

"Once we receive the ransom, we'll naturally let you go."

"Roman..."

"Don't you speak!"

Glaring back at Luffy, who was striking a pose with a grimace, Roman feared that if this guy opened his mouth, the serious atmosphere would be completely ruined.

"They're here."

Before long, Roman's paper-folding motion paused. A figure had emerged from the woods and appeared before the clearing.

It was a man in a suit, with slicked-back hair, glasses, and a suit. The pattern on his clothes seemed to be... poop. He held a long, narrow handbag in one hand and adjusted his glasses with his wrist.

"Miss Kaya! I've come to save—"

"Klahadore... no, Captain Kuro."

Roman waved his hand, interrupting the man's 'performance.' The fact that he found this place so quickly indicated that the man was agile and a skilled tracker! But with those heavy footsteps and panting appearance...

Was he kidding?

"Although I'm curious why a pirate captain like you would hide away in such a small place:"

"100 Million Berries," Roman extended a finger and shook it. "Just hand over this money, and we'll pretend nothing happened. At the same time:"

Flipping his other hand, the paper crane in his hand transformed into a dagger as if by magic.

"Release your young lady."

Roman placed the dagger next to the slender neck of the girl named Kaya, almost causing Usopp to draw a weapon and aim it at him.

Silence—

The man's previously 'excited' expression turned grim.

"Huh? Captain Kuro, what do you mean, you're not willing to—"

"Wait, wait a minute!"

"Ha, ha, haha..."

Just then, a man with sheep-like hair ran over, also dressed in a suit. He looked like a butler from a wealthy family.

"Please don't hurt Miss Kaya,"

The panting, sheep-headed man braced himself on his knees, looking urgently at Roman and his group of 'kidnappers.' He didn't even spare a glance for Usopp, who was standing beside them as an 'accomplice.'

"Please give me some time. Whether it's selling off assets or taking out high-interest loans, we will definitely gather 100 Million Berries—"

Poof!!

However, before this loyal sheep-like butler could finish speaking, several flashes of light streaked past. He collapsed to the ground, blood gushing from his chest! The attacker was:

"That's all my money,"

The butler, who had taken out the weapon from his briefcase and put it on his hand at some point, Captain Kuro, raised his head. His eyes held only endless coldness and killing intent!

"Who gave you permission to use it to save that good-for-nothing, huh?"