Battle Kuro Again!

The once-lively banquet fell silent in an instant.

Everyone looked at Kuro in confusion, then at Gawain, before finally realizing what had happened.

"Hey, Kuro, we—!"

Before the fat Catman Buchi could finish, Akin beside him grabbed and held him back.

A crew member challenging the captain was perfectly normal within a pirate crew, especially for someone like Kuro, who had once been a captain and controlled everything.

Having realized what was happening, everyone turned their eyes toward Gawain.

"Sure."

Gawain smiled faintly and slowly picked up Kansei Masamune from beside him before saying,

"I'll satisfy you."

"Hmph."

Kuro curled his lips.

"That arrogant attitude of yours is still as infuriating as ever. Let's see whether you can still smile after you lose."

"Oh, right."

Kuro said teasingly,

"Don't cry when you lose later, okay~?"

Gawain paused, then recalled what he had said last time and immediately sighed.

"You really hold a grudge!"

The crowd quickly cleared an open space for Gawain and Kuro.

The food and wine had been moved away, while only the bonfire in the center continued to blaze fiercely, just like Kuro's surging fighting spirit.

Heat waves rolled through the air.

The two stood facing each other without a word. They merely drew their weapons in silence, their eyes holding nothing but the opponent before them.

An inexplicably grim atmosphere gathered in the air.

A bead of cold sweat appeared on Catman Sam's forehead as he uneasily dragged Buchi farther back.

Jango followed suit, retreating as well and standing beside them.

"Jango, Buchi, who do you think will win this time?"

Buchi answered without the slightest hesitation.

"Of course it'll be the captain."

"Last time, Kuro got smashed head-on by the captain. He didn't have any ability to resist at all."

"That's true."

Sam nodded.

Jango beside them looked at Kuro, his brows furrowing slightly.

"I'm not so sure."

"How is that possible?!"

Sam froze.

"With the captain's strength, how could he lose? Even if Kuro has gotten stronger lately, there should be a limit, right?"

"Besides, I heard from the companions who took part in the battle at Raven Port that the captain was able to suppress even that Devil Fruit User. Strength like that is simply monstrous."

Jango twirled a ring-bladed throwing knife around his fingertip. His gaze toward Kuro carried a nearly tangible reverence.

"I heard Akin say earlier that during his battle with him, Kuro awakened a power called Observation Haki. It can greatly enhance his perception. Not only can he perfectly control Shave, but he can even push Shave's speed to greater heights."

"If he has flexibility to go along with that kind of speed, then even a monster like the captain might not be safe from an upset."

The Catman Brothers fell silent for a moment. If they had a choice, they naturally wanted to follow Gawain more.

After all, everyone knew perfectly well what life was like under Gawain and what it was like under Kuro.

Who would want a captain with such an unpredictable temperament, one who might even treat his subordinates as expendable sacrifices?

Captain, you can't lose!

The two silently prayed.

Most of the pirate crew thought the same way as the Catman Brothers.

Kuro took in everyone's reactions and said to Gawain,

"You really are a captain who has won everyone's hearts. But unfortunately, I'll be the one who wins tonight!"

The moment the words fell.

Kuro launched the first attack. His feet stamped repeatedly, shattering the stone slabs beneath him. Borrowing the force rebounding from the ground, he entered the state of Shave in an instant.

At high speed.

The sight before his eyes warped and distorted, the sounds by his ears became a chaotic jumble, and even his skin throbbed with pain. It was the pain caused by his skin striking the air at extreme speed.

With all five senses rendered useless, Kuro simply closed his eyes. His fully mastered Observation Haki suddenly activated, and everything around him appeared in perfect detail within his mind.

Gawain's presence was impossible to ignore under that razor-sharp aura!

"Gawain!"

"I see you!"

"The final barrier that once restrained Shave has been completely broken through by me. My speed will rise to even greater heights!"

"Is that so?"

Gawain replied blandly, his expression unchanged, though he could not help but begin to deliberate inwardly.

How much strength should I use to win this fight without discouraging Kuro?

Forget it. I'll test him first!

The next moment.

Kansei Masamune in Gawain's hand suddenly thrust forward, colliding with Kuro's crossed Claw Blades...

Clang!

The colliding blades let out a piercing hum, and the surrounding onlookers instinctively covered their ears.

Kuro, however, only felt an incomparably immense force erupt from his Claw Blades. A distinct sound of bones cracking rang out from all ten of the fingers gripping them.

His body was sent flying outright, smashing through a wooden building in the distance.

Boom!

Only after the earth-shaking explosion did the crowd come back to their senses, staring at Gawain in stunned disbelief.

"No way."

"Was the captain always this strong?"

Jango's jaw nearly dropped to the ground.

Gawain had been able to forcibly stop Kuro's Shave before.

But casually sending Kuro flying like this was no longer on the same level at all.

Kuro was growing stronger, but Gawain was also growing stronger—and at a pace far faster than Kuro's!

Realizing this, Jango suddenly felt something.

As the gap between them and Gawain's group grew wider and wider, the help they could provide would grow smaller and smaller. One day, they would lose all value and become a complete burden rather than an asset...

Wait!

So Raven Port is the way out Captain Gawain left for us?

Even if we can't follow him to the Grand Line, we can stay in East Blue without having to fight other pirates just to survive?

Having figured this out, Jango felt something indescribable stir in his heart. He merely turned to the Catman Brothers and said,

"Hey, Buchi, Sam."

The Catman Brothers turned to look at Jango.

"Yeah?"

Jango took off his star-shaped sunglasses, rubbed his eyes, then put them back on.

The flames swayed.

The Catman Brothers could not see Jango's expression.

They only heard him say in a resolute tone,

"I've only just understood it. Raven Port is the way out Captain Gawain left for ordinary companions like us."

"Even if one day we can no longer keep up with him, we can still live peaceful lives here."

"No matter how this battle ends, I'll stand with Captain Gawain. What about you?"

The two exchanged a glance, then grinned at the same time.

"Isn't that obvious?"

"Captain Gawain is different!"

Nearby.

Akin silently took in the three men's reactions, but a faint smile could not help appearing on his lips.

"That's why."

"Kuro."

"You already lost the moment this battle began."

"No matter the outcome, this is Mr. Gawain's pirate crew."