Chapter 46

"Since you insist..." Jango pressed down on the black cloth hat atop his head. "Then we shall use the secret hypnosis we trained with, the one that can increase your physical strength twentyfold. That way, neither of us has to die."

"Look at me, Sham!" Jango roared, swinging the circular saw in his hand back and forth. "Jango's Super Hypnosis! Awaken, strength!"

Sham stared at the circular saw with total concentration, his eyes wide as copper bells. The muscles in his exposed arms bulged layer by layer, thick veins spreading like tangled tree roots, and his rugged frame shot upward.

He seemed unable to control the power surging within him, and as if to vent, he stomped his foot heavily onto the ground.

BOOM!!

The rocky ground beneath his foot shattered instantly, and cracks about a centimeter wide extended several meters outward from the footprint.

Buchi looked at Cabaji with a ferocious expression. "With this power, I only need a minute to finish you off, and then I'll quickly dispose of the rest of these nuisances!"

"Cabaji, do you need help?" Buggy watched while propping up his head. "You don't? Fine, you don't have to say it; I already know your heart."

"..."

Cabaji wanted to say more but stopped himself, squeezing out a few words. "Captain Buggy, you truly understand me so well..."

"You dare to be distracted? Go to hell!" Buchi leaped high into the air, his right leg raised, and descended with a force that was both terrifying and swift.

Buchi's fearsome technique: Cat Kill!

Cabaji's gaze was grave. His right hand gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, and the turbulent wind blowing from above swept the hair covering the right side of his face behind his head.

In that very instant, his body became like a slender willow branch, shifting his feet with the sound of the wind to a position three meters away.

Suddenly, he drew his blade!

Sakura Blizzard fell like swirling snow, slow and chaotic. A white light erupted, as beautiful as a scene from a golden age.

Buchi's body, falling from high above, crushed the twenty-meter-long rocky ground into dozens of pieces of varying sizes amidst the snowy blade light, sending stone chips and dust flying into the air.

After dodging the opponent's attack and landing six precise strikes in an instant, Cabaji quickly jumped away through the dust to avoid the sinking ground. He had assumed the opponent was surely dead, but a sudden, ominous premonition struck him, and a powerful gust of wind lunged straight for his face.

CLANG!!

He hurriedly raised his sword to block. A terrifying force struck the blade and traveled into his palm, instantly numbing the web of his hand; Sakura Blizzard nearly slipped from his grip!

In the fleeting moment he blocked that cat claw, another followed in quick succession, slamming toward his chest with lightning speed and sending him flying, caught completely off guard.

BOOM!!

Cabaji's body was embedded into the mountain wall like a cannonball. The sturdy rock face could not withstand the impact and cracked, with rubble tumbling down.

Buchi snorted through his nose, struggling to keep his breathing steady to delay the effects and duration of the hypnosis.

He turned his body with some exhaustion, looking at Buggy and the other pirates with a ferocious expression. "One is already dealt with; the rest should be much easier."

"That was truly dangerous... If I hadn't dodged in time, every bone in my body would have been shattered..."

A voice came from the dusty wall.

Cabaji's clothes were tattered, and five claw marks were clearly visible on his chest. Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth as he stepped out from the mountain wall. Looking at Buchi, who was bleeding all over but still moving freely, he said with realization, "No wonder you didn't fall after taking my six strikes. It seems your thick fat saved you..."

Buchi stomped his feet heavily on the ground, a look of incredible ferocity on his face. "You're still alive!"

"Indeed, but next, you will be the one to die..." Cabaji held Sakura Blizzard vertically in front of him. "This move, 'Ghostly Appearance,' may have little force, but you will feel its terror..."

"Don't talk big! This time I will definitely take your life!" Buchi roared and charged toward Cabaji.

Cabaji's figure swayed back and forth, rapidly circling and thrusting at Buchi. His form seemed to vanish into the void, only to reappear in another direction in the blink of an eye. The Sakura Blizzard in his hand sometimes appeared like a short nail clipper, other times like a blade dozens of meters long, creating a startling and abrupt illusion.

His movements seemed to disrupt the entire space; his body would appear on the left, yet the Sakura Blizzard in his hand would strike from the right. Every second felt like he was scraping scales, leaving shallow marks all over Buchi's body.

Buchi, irritable as thunder, was like an ant on a hot pan, spinning around in circles. He had no way to deal with Cabaji, who moved around him like a loach. Amidst his anxiety, rage, and the aftereffects of overexerting his body, his speed and strength began to gradually decline.

Standing on the hillside, Kuro watched the battle, pushed his glasses up with his wrist, and said coldly, "Three minutes left."

Suddenly, his footsteps drifted slightly, and he used Silent Step to dodge a lead bullet that grazed him.

He then looked back at the person behind him, his expression finally changing. "Kaya, Miss Kaya..."

Kaya was supporting Usopp, who was covered in exhaustion and wounds, as they stood in the woods.

"Klahadore... no, I should call you Captain Kuro, shouldn't I?"

Kaya squeezed the flesh on her palm tightly with her thumb, an indescribable sense of loss rising in her heart. "I trusted you... so much. I really was happy during these past two years... Why would you do something like this..."

"You malicious pirate, if it weren't for Tamanegi passing the message..." Usopp gritted his teeth as he glared at Kuro. "I realized from the very beginning that you weren't a good person. Kaya, don't pity someone like this; he had this planned from the start!"

Kuro looked at Usopp with some surprise. "I really didn't expect... your vitality is truly tenacious. I thought you had already died in that wasteland last night... Originally, I wanted to blame your death on the pirates, but this is quite a headache now..."

Usopp said with a firm gaze, "I won't die so easily. Protecting this place and Kaya is my responsibility. Don't... underestimate 'Proud Usopp'!!!"

"How noisy... long-nose." Kuro showed no emotional fluctuation, glancing at Usopp mockingly before turning his gaze to Kaya. "Miss Kaya, when I saw you studying medical books in the past, I always thought you were just playing around. It seems it wasn't that simple... It's hard to believe you saved this guy, but there seems to be no other explanation..."

"Klahadore... why won't you answer me directly? Are you afraid!" Kaya bit her lower lip, a hint of paleness appearing on her face.

"Afraid?" The expression on Kuro's face turned rigid as he pushed his round glasses with his wrist.

"I, who was once Captain Kuro... had to smile humbly at a crying little girl, and even if I was unwilling, I had to fawn over you in every way. Can you understand... these days of humiliation? How could a noble-born, carefree young lady like you understand the peace that a pirate drifting at sea truly desires in his heart!!"

Kaya's body trembled slightly. "I understand... I will give you all my property, please leave this village!"

Kuro smiled slightly. "You don't understand; it's not just the property I want..."

BOOM--

The thunderous sound of a heavy object hitting the ground interrupted Kuro, and everyone's gaze shifted to the severely wounded, dying Buchi.

The battle had been decided!

Standing on the slope, Cabaji spat out a trail of blood from the corner of his mouth and glanced sideways at the people on the incline: "What boring words, they've made my ears grow calluses. It forces me to hurry up and end this fight..."

"Indeed, five minutes have passed." Kuro pushed up his circular glasses with his wrist, the cat claws on his fingers interlocking as he turned his cold gaze toward Usopp. "Although the plan has deviated from my original design, it doesn't matter. This man is very important to you, isn't he... Kaya."

"I will kill him, and then..." Kuro initiated his Silent Step, vanishing from his spot. When he reappeared, five nearly meter-long cat claws lunged toward Usopp.

Meanwhile, inside the cabin of the Big Top.

Mohji stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the corner of the wall. Beside him, the lion Richie lazily picked his nose, his expression dull and drool dripping from his mouth.

"Let me pass, you chest-hair-and-hair-all-in-one man!" Mikuru, hidden beneath her cloak, pointed an accusing finger righteously.

"Chest... hair... and hair... all-in-one man..." Mohji muttered, deeply wounded. He clenched his fists and roared, "You strange creature, you are not allowed to call me that!"

"You dare call me a strange creature? I am a descendant of the Cat God... Impudent man, I shall take your life, which is as lowly as a maggot's!" Mikuru set down her pack. Her hands, encased in cat claws, suddenly flashed with layers of dense static electricity, and her body curled slightly like a cat with its fur standing on end.

"Although the cabin isn't the place for a fight, if you insist on doing it, then I have no choice but to accompany you..."

"Then... go to hell!" Mikuru narrowed her eyes dangerously and lunged forward.

"Mohji-sama's Super Secret Technique--" Mohji, having prepared in advance, pulled out an object and recited with a serious face, "Also known as [Cat Training Rhapsody]!"

Whoosh!

A ball of yarn rolled into a sphere was thrown in a parabolic arc.

Mikuru's eyes widened, sparkling with light. The manic look vanished, and like an obedient, well-behaved kitten, she squinted her eyes and pounced on the ball of yarn in the air. Her cat ears twitched incessantly as she hugged the yarn and rolled back and forth on the ground.

"Roll~ roll~ so cute~"

"Haha!" Mohji put his hands on his hips and let out an exaggerated, scornful laugh. "How about that? Now you know the power of Mohji-sama, you stupid little cat!"

Mikuru hugged the ball of yarn in her hands cautiously, looking resentful: "How hateful, to use such a despicable method! How could you use a move like this? It's enough to make a cat die of anger!"

As she spoke, her eyes turned into stars again, and she couldn't help but stroke the yarn ball, unable to pull herself away.

"I'm not as despicable as a guy named Cabaji. What he does is called despicable; compared to him, I'm just a drop in the ocean!"

"Hey, it should be 'a world of difference'."

"Shut up!!" Mohji roared, embarrassed. "Don't you even think about targeting the treasure on this ship!"

"Hmm..." Mikuru's eyes darted around. She moved her feet slightly to the left, and Mohji moved in tandem, blocking her path. Just as she tried to dash forward, Mohji held up a ball of yarn as if to show it off.

"Ugh... what a tightly defended man! It really leaves a cat with no way to start!" Mikuru gritted her teeth, looking like she wanted to eat him alive.

"Actually..." Mohji began, "we could make a deal!"

"What kind of deal? What do you want to say, you despicable man!"

"That Black Cat Pirate Ship docked next to this one must have plenty of treasure inside. If we work together..."

On the coastal slope.

Usopp stared blankly, clutching a bloody scratch on his shoulder: "Kaya... you..."

Kaya looked at Kuro with a pale face, feeling terrified and uneasy about what was happening before her. However, a strong sense of crisis drove her to support Usopp and retreat with all her might.

Strange liquid completely blocked Kuro's vision. He wiped his glasses with his palm, but the stains wouldn't come off.

Just a moment ago, Kaya had moved her right hand, and a thin membrane bubble had suddenly enveloped Usopp. This bubble had disrupted the rhythm of Kuro's Silent Step the moment he approached.

Moreover, the membrane was surprisingly tough, slowing his stabbing motion by a beat, which allowed Usopp to narrowly escape with his life, suffering only an arm injury.

"What did you do..." Kuro's expression was cold and filled with surprise. "I served you for so long, and I never imagined that someone as frail as you would have a trick like this up your sleeve..."

"I..." Kaya bit her lip, supporting Usopp as she shook her head and retreated. "I don't know..."

"Jango!!" Kuro said coldly. "Find a way to make... the young lady sign that will. If you do that, I will let you live among these people..."

Gulp.

Jango swallowed, cold sweat pouring down his forehead. Not daring to delay, he replied, "I understand, Captain Kuro. I will do as you command immediately."

He rushed forward.

"Wait!" Shuma jumped down from the rock wall, pointed at Buggy—who was yawning—and blocked Jango. "Although the dancing ingredients are fun... Buggy says he can't let you go."

Buggy stood up and stretched: "That's right, let's loosen up our muscles..."

Jango gripped two circular saws between the index and middle fingers of both hands, his expression grim. "I don't have time to waste words with you here. Since you're looking for death, I'm going to get serious!"

"Fine..." Shuma shrugged.

"Brat! Go to hell!!"

Jango swung his hands, and the circular saws turned into afterimages, flying rapidly toward Shuma.

Shuma pulled his hands to his sides, and two objects instantly appeared in his palms. He toyed with the circular saws casually. "What is this... there's absolutely no force behind it."

Jango's eyes widened. He kept his mouth shut and looked down for a split second at the wrinkled skin of his own finger joints. Only those who had practiced with such boomerangs knew that this weapon required not only keen eyesight but also extremely high demands on finger strength and intensity. It required years of coordination between the fingers and hand muscles to unleash its true power.

That is why there are so few people who use this kind of weapon... Aside from his hypnosis, the circular saw capable of instantly slicing through a tree with a one-meter radius is also his finishing move...

How on earth did that young brat over there manage to catch it!!!

"Alright, returning these to you." Shuma flicked his hands, launching the two circular saws back toward Jango.

Jango was fully focused, his fingers slightly curled as he prepared to catch his own weapons, when suddenly, his pupils constricted. Two afterimages instantly crossed his hands, the circular saws grazing past his cheeks and leaving behind precise lines of blood. The gust of wind they stirred up blew his black cloth hat to the ground, revealing his curly hair.

The sudden approach of death left his mind completely blank, and his legs went weak, causing him to collapse onto his knees.

The circular saws spun through the air and returned to Shuma's hands. He chuckled, "Because you're an interesting dancing ingredient, I won't kill you."

"Jango... I really shouldn't have placed my hopes on you. I never expected that two years would have made me this pathetic..."

Kuro glanced at the state of the battle, his expression neither happy nor sad as he removed his stained glasses and swayed his body slightly. "Forget it... none of it matters anymore. If I kill all of you here, the plan won't be derailed too drastically; there will always be a way to make up for it later..."

The Black Cat pirates, who had been cut down by Cabaji and were finally regaining some consciousness while feigning death, could no longer hold back. They stood up shakily, looking at Kuro's current movements with terror on their faces.

"That stance... could it be that he's about to use that move!"

"The opponents are only a few people, right... There's no mistake, he's going to use that move, the 'Scoop', it's the 'Scoop'!"

"Hey, this is terrible! It's an indiscriminate attack that will even catch us in the crossfire and kill us too!"

"Stop, Captain Kuro, please don't use that move! We'll listen to anything you say! We beg you, Captain Kuro!!"

The pirates below screamed at the top of their lungs, their feet instinctively retreating.

Kuro let his body hang limp, swaying incessantly. Before unleashing the "Scoop," he needed to empty his mind and reach a state of total stillness.

The wind blew, and the air currents began to rage and spread in all directions...

Kuro vanished from where he stood!!!

"No!" The pirates of the Black Cat Pirates clutched their heads, kneeling helplessly on the ground. "We're all going to be killed..."

The group of pirates struggled powerlessly for a moment before exchanging surprised glances. "Why isn't Captain Kuro's indiscriminate attack having any effect!"

"Yeah, it's not just us—even the rock walls and the ground don't have any marks from his cat claws!"

"Strange, isn't it..." As if the voice were coming from the void, one of the pirates suddenly floated eerily into the air, as if grabbed by something unseen. Five deep claw marks suddenly appeared on his body, and he was immediately thrown to the ground, severely wounded.