As the ship guards and the trump cards of the Black Cat Pirates, the Nyaban Brothers were even stronger than the vice-captain, Jango.
The older brother, Sham, was a green-haired man with long eyelashes, dressed in a short-sleeved suit jacket and green shorts.
His younger brother, Buchi, was fat and bare-chested, with a golden bell tied around his neck and a white blanket draped over him.
The two usually liked to play dumb, lowering their opponents' guard before getting close and suddenly unleashing their strength to finish them in an instant.
But Zoro and Sanosuke's conversation had angered the Nyaban Brothers, leaving them in no mood to play dumb.
The arrogance in Zoro and Sanosuke's exchange had struck a nerve.
"You were looking down on me just now, weren't you?" Sham's eyes widened.
"Get lost, green-hair!"
Sanosuke was extremely annoyed at being blocked.
As powerful as Norton was, he hardly needed Sanosuke's protection, but if his lord faced danger while his Ninja was absent, that was a dereliction of duty however he looked at it!
Besides, Sham had the same hair color as Zoro, which annoyed Sanosuke even more.
"You want to beat me?" Sham read the look in Sanosuke's eyes. "But it's no use! I'm a man who's just like a cat!"
Of the Nyaban Brothers, the older brother, Sham, excelled at speed. He would steal his opponent's weapon the instant they made contact, securing his victory.
Unfortunately for Sham, he had run into Sanosuke, who was even better at speed!
As a Ninja, Sanosuke was in the habit of watching his opponents at all times.
"Impossible! My special move, Cat Grandmother, didn't work!" Sham muttered in shock.
He had intended to swipe Sanosuke's weapon the instant they clashed, but Sanosuke kept a firm grip on his Kunai!
Meanwhile, Buchi and Zoro had also begun fighting.
"Cat Kill!"
Buchi roared as he took a running start, leaped high into the air, and stomped down at Zoro!
"Jumping Impact!"
The tremendous momentum, combined with Buchi's weight, made the attack devastating. His stomp smashed straight through the deck!
Zoro twisted aside, somewhat surprised by Buchi's strength.
If that stomp landed, it would crack every bone in his body!
"Don't wreck the ship! You two are supposed to guard it!" Jango complained from the sidelines.
Aboard the White Pearl.
The moment Kuro stepped onto the deck, the seven pirates aboard surrounded him.
"Hey! Who are you?"
"He looks like a butler..."
"Whoever you are, you can't set foot aboard the White Pearl without Lord Norton's permission!"
Kuro glanced over their seven faces, then suddenly asked, "You're Redbeard's men, aren't you?"
Kuro recognized the seven because Redbeard was from his hometown, and he had made a point of keeping tabs on him.
But Sanosuke had joined the crew later, so Kuro did not recognize him.
The seven men's expressions changed. Usually, only a pirate crew's captain and powerful officers received Marine bounties, not ordinary crew members.
Without that exposure, no one would recognize them.
"How do you know that?"
"Not anymore! We serve Lord Norton now!"
Kuro pushed up his glasses with his palm. "Norton? I've never heard that name. Is he some newcomer who's appeared on the seas?"
Since he was preparing to retire, Kuro had not kept up with news from the seas for quite some time.
The most recent famous rookie pirate Kuro had heard of was Ace, captain of the Spade Pirates, known as "Fire Fist." Supposedly, he was so powerful that even a Marine Headquarters Colonel could do nothing against him.
After all, a Headquarters colonel was not the same as a colonel from a branch in the Four Blues. Their strength differed by at least three ranks.
A branch colonel from the Four Blues would only be equivalent to a captain at Headquarters.
Kuro had fought someone from Headquarters before. Even a mere lieutenant commander had been incredibly difficult to handle.
Against a Headquarters colonel, Kuro admitted he would be no match.
"You haven't even heard Lord Norton's name? What backwater did you crawl out of?"
One of the seven pirates spoke with contempt.
Lord Norton was the great King Slayer! A man worth a hundred million!
A bounty of that level was rare even on the Grand Line, never mind the East Blue!
How could anyone not have heard Lord Norton's name?
"Ah, I'm not interested. All I, Kuro, desire is a peaceful life..." Kuro revealed his claw blades, preparing to kill the seven pirates before him.
Weaklings like these could be killed in an instant.
But just as Kuro was about to strike, a figure wearing a forehead protector blocked him.
"Hmm?"
Kuro looked back in displeasure. Aboard the Black Cat Pirates' ship, Zoro was fighting the Nyaban Brothers alone.
"Damn Ninja! I'll kill you someday! You dumped your enemy on me!" Zoro roared, venting his frustration.
Sanosuke did not respond. He watched Kuro warily.
His instincts told him that this seemingly refined man was extremely dangerous! Like Zoro, he could not be underestimated!
The bounty alone made that clear: sixteen million Beli, twice that of their former captain, Redbeard.
"What useless fools..." Kuro turned back toward Sanosuke, leisurely admiring the claw blades on his hands.
"But no matter. It makes no difference if I kill you myself... remember, you died beneath my Ten-Blade Cat Claws!"
Sanosuke's pupils contracted, and he swung his Kunai!
With a clang, he blocked the claw blades that had sliced through the air before he knew it. Without his Kunai in the way, they would have slit his throat!
"You actually kept up with my speed?" Kuro was a little surprised. Few people could do that.
Behind Sanosuke, the seven pirates tried to step forward and help, but he stopped them.
"Stay put! This isn't a fight you can interfere in!"
Although all seven pirates had survived the battle against the Fish-Men, they were still nowhere near capable of taking on Kuro.
Elite grunts and bosses were on entirely different levels.
At Sanosuke's words, the seven pirates' expressions changed. They sensibly retreated, leaving him room to fight.
By then, Kuro and Sanosuke were already locked in battle!
Nami looked down from the lookout platform. All she could see were the ever-growing blade marks on the deck and afterimages in the wind.
Then the sounds of fighting grew louder and louder.
Nami's expression gradually turned odd.
Sure enough...
"Can't you find somewhere else to fight? I'm trying to sleep! You're so damn loud!"
The fight stopped abruptly. In the midst of his Shakushi, Kuro had his head caught beneath a palm that came out of nowhere, pinning him facedown on the deck, unable to move!
Sweat instantly drenched Kuro's head!
How was this possible!!?
Kuro tried to struggle, but the hand pressing down on his head was like a mountain. He could not budge it at all.
Then Kuro heard the following voices...
"King, I'm sorry. I was too weak!" That was the Ninja's voice.
"I'm seriously getting angry! Look what you've done to the White Pearl!" That was a woman's voice.
"You're the captain of the Black Cat Pirates, right? Listen up! Surrender or die!" Kuro finally heard the voice of the man pinning his head down.