Collapsing Fist

The moment of confrontation seemed to suck all the air out of the mansion's backyard.

The sunlight remained bright, casting its glow on Kaya's meticulously trimmed garden, where the blooming roses and lilies were still vibrant.

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But a nauseating smell of blood permeated the air—

It emanated from Kuro's lips and the dust kicked up when he had just kicked Usopp.

Kuro's gloved hands, adorned with "Cat Claws," hung at his sides, the ten sharp blades reflecting cold, fragmented glints of light in the sun.

The gentleness and restraint on his face had completely vanished, replaced by a morbid, explosive madness.

A cunning glint flickered in his eyes; he already envisioned the scene of the few people before him lying in pools of blood.

"Just a little more... just a little more and my plan would have been perfect..."

He muttered softly, as if talking to himself, or perhaps proclaiming his "genius" to the entire world:

"Since you all want to know so badly, I'll tell you.

After I kill you all, tomorrow, as originally planned, my loyal subordinates from the 'Black Cat Pirates' will 'raid' this village."

His voice grew louder, tinged with a morbid excitement:

"And I, as the loyal butler, will 'desperately' resist, and finally 'tragically' kill all the pirates!

This way, I can prove my innocence. I will be the hero of this village, a pitiable man who lost his beloved young lady!"

He spread his arms wide, his ten sharp claws pointing straight at the sky, as if embracing his twisted future:

"And I will inherit all of this! I don't want anyone who knows I'm still 'alive' to exist in this world!"

Ronan swung the pathetic half of a short club in his hand, its tip drawing a feeble arc through the air.

He interrupted Kuro's fantasy: "Oh? It seems you're determined to kill us all.

However, the people standing before you are not ones you can easily deal with."

His composure, in Kuro's eyes, was utterly laughable and ignorant.

Ronan ignored Kuro's contemptuous gaze, turning his head to Nami and Usopp, who was struggling to get up, his face covered in blood, behind him.

"Nami, Usopp, go upstairs and check on Kaya. Leave this to us."

"Okay!" Nami didn't hesitate at all.

She knew very well that the killing intent emanating from this pirate with a bounty of sixteen million Belly was almost suffocating her; this was not something she could handle.

And when Usopp heard "Kaya's" name, he instantly remembered Kaya, who had fainted earlier.

His anger towards Kuro was overshadowed by his worry for Kaya. Gritting his teeth, he ran into the villa with Nami.

Zoro watched Nami and Usopp disappear through the doorway and grinned, "This isn't a fight they can be involved in."

He turned his head, his sharp gaze sweeping over Ronan and the comical weapon in Ronan's hand, which was even worse than a fire poker:

"Hey, Ronan, are you really going to stay here without a proper weapon?"

This was a swordsman's final confirmation of his comrade's strength.

Ronan heard him and smiled.

He glanced at the wooden stick that had been with him for several days, casually tossing it onto the lawn at his feet.

"Thump."

The slight sound was like the flick of a switch for a ritual.

Ronan stretched his wrists, his knuckles cracking crisply.

Meeting Zoro's gaze, he smiled faintly, "I don't only use guns, you know. Underestimating me will cost you."

At this moment, the steadiness and restraint of a National Martial Arts practitioner emanated from him, standing firm like a great mountain in the courtyard.

"Then who's going first?"

Luffy was already eager to fight, ignoring Kuro's terrifying presence and bouncing excitedly in place, as if the situation wasn't a life-or-death battle but an interesting game.

"Hey, hey, hey..."

Kuro's expression turned extremely grim.

The three brats he thought he had firmly under control were now completely disregarding him, even discussing the insulting question of "who goes first."

A rage far stronger than his plan being ruined surged from the depths of his heart.

"There's a limit to underestimating people, you brats!!" Kuro let out a sharp roar.

His gaze locked onto Ronan, who had been the first to expose his identity.

"You'll go first!!"

The moment his words fell, Kuro moved.

No, he didn't "move." He "disappeared."

"Swish--!"

Kuro's figure turned into an afterimage in place, then completely disappeared.

There was no running motion, no acceleration process; he was as if erased by the air.

This was precisely Kuro's renowned ultimate skill—"Silent Step"!

With a speed completely imperceptible to the naked eye, he attacked Ronan!

The air in the courtyard seemed to freeze.

Luffy's smile vanished instantly, replaced by utter bewilderment: "Huh? Where'd he go?"

Zoro's pupils shrank to pinpricks!

As a swordsman, his perception of speed far surpassed ordinary people, but in his sight, Kuro had only left a faint, almost negligible afterimage.

He couldn't lock onto Kuro's true body at all!

He only felt a deadly killing intent, like a venomous snake, lunging at Ronan!

"Ronan, be careful!!"

Zoro let out the most urgent warning, his hand already gripping Wado Ichimonji, but his body couldn't possibly react in time to provide any support.

"Ronan!!" Luffy also realized the danger and shouted in terror.

However, it happened in the blink of an eye.

The moment Luffy and Zoro's voices left their mouths, Kuro's figure had already, as if teleporting, rushed to Ronan's right side!

He appeared!

Kuro's body leaned slightly forward, a cruel, triumphant sneer on his face.

The five sharp Cat Claws on his hands drew ten silver trails of death in the air, like a net from hell, slashing fiercely towards Ronan's neck and ribs!

He had poured all his strength into this strike! He wanted to instantly tear apart the kid who was the first to expose him and the first to dare underestimate him!

He could already imagine the beautiful scene of blood splashing and Ronan's body being torn open!

But Ronan was prepared.

From the very beginning, he knew all of Kuro's information.

He knew well that with his current Speed attribute of 12, trying to compete with Kuro's "Silent Step" in speed was like an egg hitting a rock.

Therefore, he didn't even try to capture him with his eyes.

The moment Kuro disappeared, Ronan's eyes slightly closed, his mind sinking into a state of calm like a deep, still well.

All his senses settled into his body.

A thousandth of a second after Kuro's figure appeared on his right side, Ronan's sixth sense erupted with a piercing warning!

The pores on his entire right side contracted frantically! A bone-chilling coldness shot straight up his spine to the crown of his head!

--Here it comes!

Just as Kuro's sinister eyes were certain he was about to succeed and kill Ronan on the spot—

Ronan moved.

He didn't retreat, he didn't dodge.

With his right foot as the pivot, his waist suddenly exerted force!

This was the most basic yet most powerful stance of "Collapsing Fist" from Xing Yi Quan!

His right fist, which had been prepared and charged for a long time, without any flourish, like a cannonball, carrying the strength of his entire body, fiercely blasted towards Kuro!

This was an ultimate prediction!

Kuro's speed was too fast; it was so fast that he himself couldn't finely change direction mid-flight.

His only option was to plunge those ten claws into Ronan's body.

And Ronan's choice was to blast him away first, before he could strike him!

"Boom—!!"

An extremely muffled explosion erupted in the garden!