Black Cat Pirates

Following the nautical chart Nami had provided, Duen set their destination for an island to the south-southeast—not to replenish their food supplies, but to gather information about pirates active nearby.

To Duen, there were two fastest ways to make money: one was becoming a pirate, and the other was becoming a bounty hunter. The former could amass wealth by plundering towns, while the latter earned bounty money by hunting down the former.

Of course, Duen would never become a pirate. He had no interest in being chased around by the Marines, and unless he became one of the Shichibukai or gained power like one of the Four Emperors, the profession of "pirate" held no appeal for him whatsoever. He had long since removed it from consideration.

The scenery around them continued to shift and change. By the second night, the ship was still sailing over the rolling waves. After explaining a few things about the wind and currents, Nami handed the night watch over to Duen.

And the sea, which had been quiet for nearly two days, finally grew restless. Dazzling firelight and booming cannon fire erupted from the waters ahead as two pirate ships drew alongside each other in the darkness and began battle.

Duen woke Nami and pointed toward the two pirate ships ahead. The orange-haired navigator instantly lost all trace of sleepiness, her eyes shining. Following Duen's instructions, she used the wind and currents to accelerate, quietly steering the fishing boat through the night toward the outer stern of one of the ships.

Duen casually looked up at the hull towering six or seven meters above the fishing boat. "Guard our treasure and wait here for word from me."

"It's my treasure!" Nami muttered under her breath as she watched Duen leap onto the pirate ship.

Cries of battle rose and fell across the pirate ship. The two clearly divided groups of pirates fought with murderous intent, determined to put their opponents to death, while hot crimson blood splattered everywhere.

Boarding battles were the most common form of combat at sea, a true test of both sides' strength. Once a battle began, one side died or the other did. There was no trickery involved, proving just how cruel the sea was.

On the deck corridor outside the cabin, a pirate leaned against a barrel, panting as he stared at the enemy lying in a pool of blood before him. If he had struck even a little slower just now, he would have been the one lying dead on the ground.

"What a beautiful battle."

"Yeah, I almost died..."

"Oh, right. Brother, what's going on aboard the ship?"

"Oh, that damned Black Cat Pirates set their sights on us. But so what if their captain has a bounty of sixteen million? Don't think the Giant Hammer Pirates are pushovers either!"

Only after speaking did the pirate realize that something was wrong. He grabbed his saber and suddenly spun around, slashing behind him. The blow split the deck open with a crack as he roared, "Who the hell is there?!"

Negative Emotion Points from Ola +109...

What entered the pirate's sight was a neatly dressed youth staring back at him with a calm expression.

He pulled his saber from the deck. "Brat, I've never seen you before. You're one of the Black Cat Pirates, aren't you?"

"No, I'm not a pirate," Duen answered honestly.

"I don't care whether you're a pirate or not. All I know is that you're an enemy!" A savage grin appeared on the pirate's lips as he charged at the youth. "So die!"

Duen evaded the attack and drove his dagger straight through the pirate's chest, his expression as calm as ever. "The moment you draw your blade, you should be prepared to lose your life..."

He pulled back his dagger and stepped over the fallen corpse.

Compared to the cramped space at the stern, the fighting at the bow was far fiercer. Although Giant Hammer Pirates captain Steel Fang Lobita's bounty was much lower than Black Cat Pirates captain Hundred Plans Kuro's sixteen million, in the East Blue—where the average bounty was only three million Beli—his nine-million-Beli head was already beyond the reach of many pirates.

It was said that Lobita had once been an outstanding student in both character and academics. But after accidentally killing one of his classmates during a dispute, he fled to sea and became a pirate. From then on, he had continued to sink deeper into the pirate life.

At that moment, on the deck at the bow, the massive Lobita gripped a giant hammer and constantly turned to look at the afterimages around him, cold sweat streaming down his temples. The Black Cat Pirates were far stronger than his own crew as a whole, and Hundred Plans Kuro was the strongest enemy he had ever faced.

Aside from a few combat captains still struggling beneath the enemy's fierce assault, the Giant Hammer Pirates had almost been completely wiped out...

"I told you... a pirate like you, who has nothing but brute strength, can never be my opponent."

Hearing a voice that seemed to come from right beside his ear, Lobita spun around and raised his hammer, smashing it down behind him with all his strength. But... there was nothing there!

The deck was blasted into a massive crater, sending wood chips and dust flying in every direction!

Kuro appeared behind him like a ghost and, in an instant, drove his cat claws into Lobita's shoulder. When he pulled them free, a spray of hot blood followed. Watching Lobita stagger two steps forward while clutching his shoulder, Kuro said coldly, "Your only advantage... is that your skin is thick and your flesh is tough, Giant Hammer Lobita."

"Damn it, you bastard Kuro..." With his shoulder wounded, Lobita could barely raise his giant hammer. He did not want to die here, but the cruel and merciless sea had never pitied anyone.

With his eyes wide in fury, he raised his giant hammer and charged at Kuro with all his strength, attempting one final desperate strike. Maybe he still had a chance. As long as he killed Kuro, perhaps he could turn this around!

"The game should be over."

Kuro pushed up his round glasses with one hand. His five cat claws came together, producing a metallic clash, while his footsteps struck the deck in a precise rhythm.

In a blur, his figure appeared behind Lobita like a phantom. The clustered cat claws pierced through Lobita's heart from behind. Lobita opened his mouth, desperately trying to breathe, only to find that he no longer had the strength even for that. The color gradually faded from his unwilling eyes.

The bloody sea wind blew past. Even the moon in the sky seemed to have been dyed crimson beneath the blood-soaked gale. Watching the corpse slowly collapse forward, Kuro coldly adjusted his round glasses. "What a boring slaughter..."

"Captain Kuro... is unbeatable!!"

The Giant Hammer Pirates' remaining combat captains were all dealt with as well, and the Black Cat Pirates let out deafening cheers.

Even amid their excitement, the pirates could not help feeling fortunate. Thankfully, they were following Captain Kuro. If they had been on the other side, their own bodies might have been among the corpses covering the deck...

"The heads... have all been taken?"