Calculating the Clever

The wind, carrying the scent of the sea, gently brushed against his cheeks. The breeze was mild, the sunlight just right, and a slight drowsiness crept in.

Rodney kept his eyes on the scene below. Kuroobi moved silently, like a cat.

A man with glasses walked out. He wore a black suit with a belly pattern and distinctive circular leather shoes. His hair was slicked back, gleaming under the sun. He smiled, giving off a dangerous aura.

"Miss Kaya, it's a beautiful day today." Kuroobi emerged from the back door. Following him, a girl with short, light blonde hair, fair skin, wearing a white dress, happily said, "Mhm, Kuroobi, the weather is really nice today."

The girl smiled sweetly, looking very cute.

Rodney, perched in the tree, felt it was troublesome. He couldn't let the child witness a bloody scene.

He used the Transformation Technique to alter his appearance to that of Scarface Locke and then leaped down.

Kuro, who had been a pirate just a year ago, sensed danger. Without hesitation, he fled with Kaya. His movements were agile, and within a breath, he reached the back door. Smiling, he said, "Miss Kaya, we have an uninvited guest today. Merry, take care of her." He spoke to the servant with the Sheep Hairstyle.

"Understood." Merry nodded and picked up Kaya.

Closing the door, he pushed his glasses up with his palm, a habit from his pirate days that he had never forgotten. He was always ready for a fight.

He turned to face Rodney. "Scarface Locke? What are you doing here?"

Syrup Village was isolated, and news of Scarface Locke's demise hadn't reached here yet.

"Oh? I didn't expect the famous Kuro the Hundred Plans to be alive, and even acting as a butler for a little girl. Tsk tsk, have you abandoned the darkness for the light?"

Kuro snorted. He hadn't expected to be recognized today. After faking his death, he had come here specifically to plot for Kaya's family fortune. In his plan, Kaya couldn't die yet. Her parents were still alive. If she died now, his plan to seize the family fortune would be ruined.

"I've thought it through. I don't want to be a pirate anymore," Kuro said. "We have no connection, no grudges. Why are you here?"

Why am I here? To eliminate you, of course!

Rodney chuckled and said, "Once a pirate, always a pirate. You can't change. Kuro the Hundred Plans, plotting for their family fortune. I'm here today to take care of you. Konoha Whirlwind!"

A powerful, incredibly fast low kick shot towards Kuro's head.

Kuro was no ordinary opponent. Before faking his death, he was a pirate with a bounty of sixteen million Belly. He was also skilled in speed. He retreated, disappearing in a few leaps.

Rodney: "..." Damn it, he can run that fast?

Then, he heard hurried footsteps. A group of bodyguards rushed over, armed with guns and clubs.

He curled his lip and leaped onto the rooftop, cackling. "Kuro the Hundred Plans, I'll give you one hour. If you don't come out, I'll spread your name across the East Blue. Believe me, I have the ability. The East Blue newspaper will surely love this big scoop."

"I've even thought of a headline: 'Shocking! Kuro the Hundred Plans Faked His Death to Retire, Only to...'. Haha, I'll be waiting for you in the North Forest. You only have one hour."

With that, he left the rooftop and headed for the forest.

In Kuro's room, upon hearing Rodney's words, his expression turned grim. All his painstaking efforts to gain the trust of Kaya's parents, to get closer to Kaya, and to blend in with the villagers – actions he considered foolish – were all for the purpose of seizing Kaya's family fortune.

He knew that pirates robbing money was illegal, but becoming rich and robbing money was legal.

Therefore, he could endure humiliation and hardship, all for the sake of the vast family property in the end.

Now, Rodney's arrival had caused a deviation in his plan. He had to find a way to eliminate this deviation and get his plan back on track.

He dragged a package out from under the bed. Inside was the weapon that had made him famous—Ten Blades: Cat's Claw!

Putting on the Ten Blades: Cat's Claw, his ten fingers moved lightly. The blades on his fingers flashed with a cold light. The blades, capable of cutting through hair, would tear that guy apart and make his plan perfect again.

He pushed his glasses up with his furry palm. It was a habit left from this weapon. Even after not fighting for several years, he still maintained his vigilance and combat instincts.

He pushed open the window, found no one around, and immediately jumped out, rushing towards the East Forest at the fastest speed.

He recalled information about "Scarface Locke" in his mind.

A pirate with a bounty of 4.5 million, skilled at sawing enemies in half with a steel saw, very strong, full of curses, a steel saw... a steel saw?!

He suddenly stopped. Scarface Locke just now was very strange. Why didn't he see his weapon? Moreover, a pirate with only a 4.5 million bounty recognized him but didn't run away. Instead, he threatened him. He had also never heard of Scarface Locke being skilled at leg attacks.

Kuro discovered a lot of blind spots!

"There must be a trap in the forest, but if I don't go..."

Rodney had set a blatant trap for Kuro. Go or not, it was up to him. Anyway, he would definitely set a trap. If Kuro didn't come, he would have to wait for the Marines.

For his plan, Kuro had no choice but to be led by the nose. The thought of this made him furious. Who was he? He was the dignified Kuro the Hundred Plans. How could he be cornered by the Gate of Death one day!

He couldn't swallow this insult.

"Damn it, I must kill that bastard. Jango isn't here, otherwise..." If his First Mate, the Hypnotist Jango, were here, it would be much more convenient. It was a pity that because of his orders, Jango would absolutely not appear here.

The East Forest was not far. Kuro took out his signature skill, Silent Step, and walked on the ground without making a sound, just like a feline hunting.

A few bird calls occasionally came from the forest. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled light spots on the grass, making it look very pleasant.

"Scarface Locke, I'm here." No one was around, and the silence was eerie. Kuro decided to break the silence.

"You're here just in time."

Clang! Clang!

There seemed to be a metallic collision in the air. Kuro saw a black shadow and dodged to the side, avoiding a shuriken.

No, there were two sounds just now!

Sensing something was wrong, he felt a pain in his back. Two shurikens embedded themselves in his back, and another was stuck in the tree trunk.

Uchiha Shurikenjutsu, a very practical ability that changes the trajectory of a shuriken in mid-air by colliding it with another.

Clang clang!

The sound came again. Kuro swung his Ten Blades: Cat Claws, deflecting the shuriken. Then, his figure flickered, and he appeared before a tree. With one swipe, the treetop was sliced off, and a figure flew out.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"

A scorching fireball the size of a house materialized out of thin air, charging towards Kuro.

Kuro immediately stepped on the tree he had just decapitated and retreated. The fireball struck the tree, igniting it. The high temperature from the chakra-formed flames quickly turned the tree into charcoal.

"What terrifying power. A Devil Fruit user?" Kuro felt a desire to retreat.

Rodney landed on the ground. As expected, Great Fireball, like Amaterasu, had never killed anyone.

"Silent Step!"

Seeing Rodney appear, Kuro decided to take a gamble.

Kuro's speed was astonishing. The next moment he appeared, he was behind Rodney. His Ten Blades: Cat Claws aimed at Rodney's nape. A single swipe would be enough to separate his head from his body.

"Substitution Jutsu!!"

"I win!"

With one swipe, he easily tore through Rodney's body, only for it to turn into a wooden log the next moment, which he ripped into several pieces.

"What?!"

"Alright, game over. Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu!" A hand emerged from the soil, tightly gripping Kuro's ankle.

With a strong pull, Kuro was dragged into the earth. Not long after, Rodney emerged from the ground, covered in dust. He shook himself, still filthy.

The spot where Kuro had sunk was now surrounded by soil stained red with blood.

Taking advantage of the element of surprise, he had dragged Kuro into the earth, restricting his vaunted speed, and causing him to die before he could even use his signature technique.

"Find a place to take a bath and change clothes." Rodney returned to his previous appearance and walked towards the Village.