Syrup Village, and Usopp Was Still Bragging There

A few days later, the Heavenly Court Thunder God dropped anchor in a secluded bay outside Syrup Village.

"My lord, do you need us to come with you?"

Dadi looked at the peaceful little village before them, somewhat puzzled.

It did not look like there were any vicious pirates here.

"No need. Stay on the ship and watch the house."

Lei En changed into a low-key gray outfit, concealing his absurdly handsome face.

"I'm here to recruit talent this time. Making too big a fuss might scare them off."

With that, he took Kuina, who had also changed into casual clothes but still carried her longsword, and jumped off the ship, strolling into the village.

Syrup Village felt very much like Foosha Village.

The villagers worked at sunrise and rested at sunset, their faces all bearing easy smiles, as if this were a paradise apart from the world.

Not long after they entered the village, an incredibly boisterous voice, brimming with bragging, drifted down from a nearby tree.

"Listen up! Pepper, Carrot, Onion!"

"Just yesterday, I, the great Captain Usopp, led eight thousand elite subordinates under my command and defeated a goldfish bigger than an island in the Devil Sea!"

On a tree branch, a boy with a distinctive long nose and a bandana was wildly gesturing as he boasted about his nonexistent "heroic deeds" to three snot-nosed little kids below.

Lei En looked up and could not help snickering.

"How did Yasopp manage to have such a treasure of a son?"

He had no interest in interrupting this "King of Liars" and walked straight through the village toward the grandest villa, which stood at its highest point.

The richest family in the village lived there, along with one of his targets this time—Kaya.

Of course, he had no interest in that sickly young lady.

What interested him was the conspirator who had lurked by her side for three years.

"Kuro of a Hundred Plans."

A highly intelligent but utterly lacking in strength and ambition schemer.

It would be a pity to kill talent like that. Bringing him back to serve as Heavenly Court's accountant would suit him quite well.

Lei En and Kuina had just reached the villa's imposing wrought-iron gate.

By coincidence, Usopp had also finished bragging and was sneakily carrying a ladder, preparing to climb over the wall and tell Kaya stories.

Just then.

"Creak—"

The villa gate opened from within.

A man with meticulously slicked-back hair, thick reflective glasses, and a crisp tailcoat stepped out.

His way of walking was strange. He habitually pushed at the bridge of his glasses with his palm. He looked refined and scholarly, yet carried an icy air about him.

It was none other than "Kuro of a Hundred Plans," disguised as the butler Klahadore.

"Usopp, how many times have I warned you?"

When Kuro saw Usopp carrying the ladder, an intensely cold loathing flashed through his eyes beneath the lenses.

His voice was not loud, but his tone was full of condescending rebuke.

"You are not allowed to come harass Miss Kaya again! The son of a lowborn man who is full of lies like you will only corrupt the innocent young lady!"

"You're talking nonsense! I only tell Kaya stories to make her happy!"

Usopp had been struck where it hurt, and his face flushed red as he craned his neck to argue back.

"Stories? Hmph, they are nothing but your absurd lies."

Kuro sneered and elegantly adjusted his bow tie.

"Get lost. Stop being an eyesore here. You'll dirty Miss Kaya's carpets."

His lofty posture, as though he were shooing away a fly, made Usopp tremble with rage, yet he had no way to refute him.

After all, the other man was Miss Kaya's most trusted butler.

Just as Usopp was about to carry his ladder away in disgrace.

"Hey, four-eyes over there."

An exceedingly lazy voice, tinged with amusement, suddenly came from the side.

Kuro frowned and turned toward Lei En, displeased.

Seeing that he was merely a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old boy, the contempt in his eyes deepened.

"Were you calling me?" Kuro pushed up his glasses, his tone cold.

"Who else? Is there another guy here wearing reflective glasses and pretending to be all proper?"

With both hands in his pockets, Lei En slowly walked up to Kuro.

He looked Kuro over from head to toe, his gaze like he was appraising merchandise.

"Not bad acting. You've been undercover for three years. Must have been hard on you."

Lei En grinned, flashing white teeth, but his words made Kuro's pupils suddenly contract!

"Doesn't it get tiring, wearing that gentle and refined butler mask?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? I don't understand what you mean."

A storm raged in Kuro's heart, but he maintained his composure on the surface, trying to bluff his way through it.

"You don't understand?"

The smile on Lei En's face instantly vanished, replaced by undisguised coldness and impatience.

"I don't have time to put on an act with you."

He suddenly raised his right hand. Before Kuro and Usopp's horrified eyes, without any warning, he viciously slapped Kuro across that "elegant" face he had kept disguised for three years!

Slap—!!!

An exceptionally crisp slap rang out through the sky!

Kuro was sent flying from where he stood as if he had been hit by a speeding truck!

His thick glasses shattered into pieces in midair. His body spun seven hundred and twenty degrees before crashing with a bang into the sturdy wrought-iron gate behind him!

The iron gate caved inward from the impact, leaving a massive human-shaped dent and emitting a teeth-grating metallic groan.

Kuro slid down the gate to the ground, half his face swollen high and blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. He fainted on the spot.

The ladder on Usopp's shoulder fell to the ground with a clatter.

His mouth hung wide open, his jaw nearly dislocated, as he stared at Lei En like he was a deity.

G-Good lord!

This guy was even bolder than him!

He started fighting at the slightest disagreement?!

Lei En shook out his slightly numb palm, then looked at Kuro embedded in the iron gate and snorted in extreme irritation.

"Damn it, I hate cultured types like you who love putting on airs the most."

He turned to look at the stunned Usopp, then at the damaged gate, a wildly arrogant curve rising at the corner of his mouth.

He pointed at the unconscious Kuro and grinned at Usopp.

"What are you standing around for? Hurry up and call the Marines!"

Lei En's voice was not loud, but to Kuro's ears—while he pretended to be unconscious—it sounded like the death knell of hell.

"Tell the Marines that the captain of the Black Cat Pirates, 'Kuro of a Hundred Plans,' is here!"