Kuro's Silent Step

At dawn the next day, the Straw Hat Pirates waited at the coast of Syrup Village for the Black Cat Pirates to appear.

"Please, everyone!" Usopp knew that because he had lied so often, the villagers no longer believed him. He could only protect the village himself. But he did not have the strength to protect it at all, and he was not brave enough for a head-on fight.

Usopp was grateful that he had met his father's friends at this time, and that they were all so strong. He absolutely had to help the village survive this crisis and keep it peaceful. Although Usopp had decided to risk everything to stop the Black Cat Pirates, his legs were already trembling.

When Luffy learned that Usopp was the son of Yasopp, the sniper of the Red Pirates, he agreed to help Usopp drive off the pirates. Even if Luffy had not intended to, William would have found a way to get him involved, because he had to obtain the secret of Silent Step from Kuro.

"Luffy, leave that butler to me!" Before the Black Cat Pirates reached the shore, William had already assigned everyone's tasks:

The Straw Hat Pirates' captain, Luffy, would deal with the current captain of the Black Cat Pirates, "Hypnotist" Jango, who had a bounty of 90,000 Beli. Though Jango was someone Luffy could defeat in one move, his hypnotic abilities were highly effective against Luffy. Hopefully Luffy would not get taken out by someone like him.

The Straw Hat Pirates' vice-captain, Zoro, would deal with the Black Cat Pirates' Cat Brothers. Though it was two against one, with Zoro's strength, it would not be a problem as long as he got serious.

The Straw Hat Pirates' navigator, Nami, and sniper, Usopp, would stop the Black Cat Pirates' ordinary crewmen. Once Luffy and Zoro dealt with their opponents, they could support the two of them.

The Straw Hat Pirates' strategist, William, would deal with the former captain of the Black Cat Pirates, "Kuro of a Hundred Plans," Kuro, who had a bounty of 16 Beli. However, since Kuro had already been declared dead by the Marines, they would not receive a single Beli in bounty even if they handed him over.

Originally, Luffy had wanted to personally send Kuro flying, but William had only managed to make him give up that idea through a mix of coaxing and deception. If Kuro were left to Luffy, who would William ask for the secret of Silent Step?

"Captain Kuro?" Judging by his attire, the person who could appear at this time had to be Kuro. Especially since William noticed the long bag he was carrying and that strange way he pushed up his glasses.

"Who are you?" Kuro stared at William warily. The name Kuro had been erased from the Marines' records three years ago. His current name was Klahadore, and he was the butler of Kaya's wealthy family in Syrup Village.

"If you don't want to die, hand over the secret of Silent Step!" William ordered, drawing the twin swords at his waist.

This was the first time William had used swordsmanship in battle since joining the Straw Hat Pirates. Zoro was also very interested in William's swordsmanship. Zoro had wanted to spar with William several times, but for various reasons, it had never happened.

"Looking to die!" Upon hearing William's demand, Kuro immediately used Silent Step and vanished from where he stood. Naturally, as he used Silent Step, he also put on his Cat-Claw Gauntlets.

"As expected of Silent Step. Truly silent and traceless!" William could not help but admire it. Otherwise, it would not have caught his attention. Although Kuro's Silent Step was fast, it was not enough to escape William's eyes. William had also mastered another high-speed movement technique, Shave, so he could see Kuro's movements clearly.

"When did that guy circle around behind William?" Nami realized she had not seen when Kuro moved behind William, or even the route he had taken. But she was not worried about William, because she knew he possessed another movement technique as well.

"Shave!" With a sharp sound, William's figure vanished before everyone's eyes as well. When they saw him again, his blade had already collided with Kuro's Cat-Claw Gauntlets.

"I see! So this is why you wanted Silent Step?" Though Kuro was surprised that William possessed a movement technique no weaker than his own, he noticed one flaw in William's technique—it made a sound when he moved.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Of everyone present, only Zoro's eyes were sharp enough to barely catch William and Kuro's movements. Everyone else could hear nothing but sounds and could see nothing at all. Only when the two briefly paused could they barely glimpse a figure that appeared and vanished in an instant.

"His swordsmanship isn't much, but that speed!" After watching their fighting styles, Zoro actually began to admire William's speed.

"Roronoa Zoro, turning your back on your enemies is very dangerous!" The Cat Brothers charged at Zoro from above and below, intending to tear him apart with their claws.

"Don't interrupt me while I'm watching the show! Oni Giri!" The Black Cat Pirates' strongest fighters, the Cat Brothers, had angered Zoro and were instantly defeated by a single Oni Giri.

"Zoro, stop standing there watching and come help us!" Nami and Usopp cried out fearfully.

Clang!

Iron Body! William forcibly blocked Kuro's Cat-Claw Gauntlets with the Six Powers technique Iron Body, while swinging his own blade and leaving a wound on Kuro's body.

"What is going on with your body?" If Kuro had not reacted quickly just now, both of his hands would likely have been cut off. He stared at William's body in confusion. His clothes had clearly been shredded by the Cat-Claw Gauntlets, so why was his body completely unharmed?

"Who knows?" This phrase had already become William's catchphrase.

But William also knew this could not continue. If Kuro refused to reveal the secret of Silent Step even in death, William could not exactly fight him for days and nights while slowly studying and figuring it out, could he?

Castle Domain! As Kuro prepared to slash William again with his Cat-Claw Gauntlets, William activated his Devil Fruit ability and took Kuro into his body. Though doing so carried some risk, it was the only way to quickly uncover the secret of Silent Step.

"Where is this?" Kuro found himself in a strange hall and immediately began warily examining his surroundings.

Castle Clone! Another William emerged from within William's body. Although the entire castle was under William's control, his goal was not to trap Kuro. Before Kuro discovered the secret of the castle within William's body, he had to keep fighting William's clone.

"Where did Captain Kuro go? Why is only that kid standing there?" The Black Cat Pirates looked at William, who stood there alone, in confusion.

But the Straw Hat Pirates had roughly guessed where Kuro had gone. William had probably used his Devil Fruit ability, though they did not know why he had done so.

"What is this?" Kuro discovered that within this strange hall, William was not only not using his high-speed movement technique, but had not even used the move that hardened his body.

Kuro also discovered that every time he cut William's body open with his Cat-Claw Gauntlets, not only did no blood flow, the wounds healed rapidly.

"You're a Devil Fruit user?"

"Who knows?" William had no obligation to explain anything to his enemy. As Kuro continuously used Silent Step in the castle, William gradually discovered its secret.

His purpose was to make Kuro repeatedly use Silent Step inside the castle within his body. Kuro still did not know that every inch of ground beneath his feet was part of William's body. As long as Kuro took even one step here, William would understand everything with perfect clarity.

"This is Shakushi?" William saw that Kuro was actually preparing to use Shakushi inside his body. This time, even William could not remain calm.