Subduing Kuro

Kuro of a Hundred Plans admitted he had underestimated this bounty hunter; not only did this guy possess Devil Fruit powers, but he also wielded a bizarre Cursed Blade.

However, as a pirate captain, how could he possibly join the ranks of a pirate hunter?

"Then I choose to finish you off!"

Kuro sneered. The fact that this guy stepped in to protect these weaklings suggested something—this guy seemed to possess the righteous qualities of a Marine, which was something he could just happen to exploit.

Let's see how many people you can protect!

"Cat Claws: Shakushi!"

Kuro immediately unleashed his strongest technique. Under the high-speed movement of Silent Step, he used the Cat Claws on his hands to launch an indiscriminate attack. The speed was so fast that even Kuro didn't know what he was going to slash!

"A move you can't even control yourself? With your intelligence, is that the only thing you could come up with?"

"Barrier Ball!"

Daddy crossed the index and middle fingers of his left hand. A massive, spherical Barrier Ball instantly enveloped the wildly slashing Kuro, leaving him drifting and hacking away inside the sphere, amusing himself!

He was starting to doubt whether this Kuro of a Hundred Plans, whom the old thief Oda claimed had an IQ second only to Ben Beckman, was really that smart.

Right now, he looked like a bit of a dimwit.

"Still not stopping? If this is all you've got, then so be it!"

"Barrier Ball: Killing Explosion Funeral!"

Daddy extended his left hand and clenched it in the void. The massive, ten-meter-tall Barrier Ball, containing the frantically darting Kuro, began to shrink at high speed, instantly compressing the indiscriminately slashing Kuro into a sphere less than two meters wide.

Standing two meters tall, Kuro couldn't even stand upright inside the Barrier Ball. His Cat Claws couldn't be extended either; he could only cross them over his chest, bracing them against the sides of the sphere, using all his strength to prevent the Barrier Ball from contracting further.

"Finally stopped? Do you want to die or live?"

Daddy stood before the shrinking Barrier Ball, looking coldly at this Kuro of a Hundred Plans. Under the immense pressure of the contraction, the Cat Claws began to bend.

If this continued, Kuro would have his blades snapped and his body crushed into a pulp of meat!

"Mr. Bounty Hunter, please don't kill Butler Klahadore. Hand him over to the Marines, and you'll still get the bounty!"

Kaya suddenly ran up. Kind-hearted as she was, she didn't want to see the butler she had spent two years with die right in front of her.

"You, get out of here!!"

Daddy cast a ruthless glance at this frail little sprout. Too weak, utterly useless!

Merry and Usopp immediately pulled Kaya back, watching this brutal bounty hunter in terror.

"Kuro, I don't have that much patience. I thought you were a smart man, but you've disappointed me too much!"

"Barrier Magic: Heart Piercing Sword!"

A gap appeared on the contracting Barrier Ball. Daddy aimed the Sandai Kitetsu at the opening, ready to thrust it in and end the life of this Kuro of a Hundred Plans once and for all, letting the Cursed Blade drink its fill of blood!

"Wait!"

Kuro saw the Cursed Blade already pressed against his heart; at this moment, he could no longer maintain his arrogance!

But Daddy acted as if he hadn't heard, continuing to thrust the blade in slowly, giving Kuro plenty of mental and visual pressure.

This forced Kuro, who still wanted to negotiate terms, to shout out immediately.

"Wait! I want to live! My captain!!"

Kuro said, drenched in cold sweat. This bounty hunter was even more ruthless than him, and his grasp of the human heart was no less sharp than his own.

"You know the consequences of betrayal."

Daddy revealed a 'kind' smile, his deep eyes making Kuro break out in a cold sweat, his scalp tingling.

However, Kuro quickly adjusted, also revealing a neurotic smile.

"Don't underestimate the promises of a pirate, my devilish captain. You've unleashed another devil!"

Kuro's eyes were filled with madness; he felt as if he had seen someone smarter, stronger, and more cold-blooded than himself.

"I hope your brain and your strength can meet my expectations, otherwise you really will die!"

Daddy laughed, casually dissipating the still-contracting Barrier Ball. He picked up the sweat-drenched Kuro and patted his collar.

At 226 centimeters tall, Daddy was quite imposing in the East Blue. Kuro was only 207 centimeters, and Zoro was even shorter at 178 centimeters—a mere shrimp in front of Daddy.

"I hope the captain's strength can always crush me, otherwise you will die too!"

Kuro looked at Daddy without fear; he felt as if he had rediscovered his own ambition.

Bang!

Daddy punched Kuro in the stomach, causing him to immediately collapse to the ground clutching his gut, blood spilling from his lips.

"A very good look in your eyes! You are qualified to be my crewmate. Work hard!

However, you must still show respect to your captain. Let this be the last time!"

Daddy picked Kuro up again. The sight left Usopp and Kaya completely stunned.

Is this how you recruit crewmates?

How could he be so brutal? Is he really not afraid of his crew betraying him?

"Truly a devil of a captain, but I like it!"

Kuro wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his tone becoming genuinely respectful, as if he had truly submitted to Daddy.

Usopp's expression turned strange; Butler Klahadore seemed to have a severe masochistic streak—the more he was beaten, the more respectful he became?

"Keep up the pace and broaden your horizons. Don't waste your time staring at these village millionaires; I'm embarrassed for you!"

Daddy spoke with a tone of disdain, and Kuro did not retort, though a change did occur in his eyes—perhaps he felt insulted, or perhaps he had been jolted awake.

This scene only made Usopp more convinced that Kuro was a pirate with a masochistic tendency, seemingly suffering from some serious illness called 'Stockholm Syndrome'.

Kuro followed behind Daddy, expressionless, as they walked out of the mansion. His thoughts were complex; staring at Daddy's back, he felt both intimidated by Daddy's strength and a lingering desire to usurp him and exact revenge.

However, rationally, he knew he couldn't defeat this guy, and since he had already joined his crew, he disdained the idea of betrayal.

Unless he could defeat this captain head-on.

You had better pray I never surpass you, Devil Captain!

Kuro revealed a cruel smile. This bounty hunter had truly awakened him; with his intelligence, plotting against village millionaires was indeed too low-level. Perhaps he needed to follow this guy to the Grand Line and make a name for himself!

"Ah, they're finally gone!"

Usopp collapsed to the ground, the oppressive aura of those two guys having been truly terrifying.

"Usopp, you were very brave just now!"

Kaya helped Usopp up and said gently, then looked toward those two retreating figures, feeling as though she had just witnessed the emergence of two great figures.

Meanwhile, Zoro, for some reason, had rushed out of Kaya's mansion and arrived at the coastline, which left him incredibly frustrated—where was the enemy, Kuro?

Just then, a pirate ship with a black cat figurehead appeared on the sea, its Jolly Roger also featuring a cat-shaped skull.

"Another pirate ship? Forget it, never mind Kuro, I'll take these guys down first!"

Zoro's eyes lit up as he watched the Black Cat Pirate Ship draw closer, his hands tightening around Skillful Grade Sword: Yubashiri and Wado Ichimonji, waiting excitedly for the prey to approach!