Only Blood Can Wash Away the Filth!

Usopp seized the instant Kuro was distracted, pulled out his slingshot, and fired: "Special Attack: Gunpowder Star!"

The projectile struck Kuro in the face and exploded. The intense, searing pain drew a scream from him.

Usopp seized the chance to push Kaya's wheelchair and hurried into the mansion, shouting:

"Help! Someone, help! Klahadore is the great pirate Kuro of a Hundred Plans! Kaya's in danger!"

At first, Usopp's shouting drew quite a few servants, but when they saw who it was, they rolled their eyes and turned back to work.

Seeing this, Usopp grew even more anxious. "What are you doing?" he cried in confusion. "That's Kuro of a Hundred Plans! Get your weapons! We have to fight together to protect Kaya!"

But not one of them believed the tall-tale teller. He was lying again.

If Miss Kaya didn't consider him a good friend, they would have taught him a lesson!

The employees' response made Usopp frantic. Then an idea struck him, and he looked down at Kaya. "Kaya, hurry and tell them to get their weapons and fight Kuro of a Hundred Plans!"

But when Usopp saw Kaya's expression, his gaze froze.

Kaya was looking at him with utter disappointment, tears glistening in her eyes. "Enough, Usopp," she said gravely.

"K-Kaya, what are you saying? That's Kuro of a Hundred Plans..."

"Enough!" Kaya raised her voice, even more disappointed.

"I know you're prejudiced against Klahadore, but that's no reason to slander him!

Usopp, if you tell another hurtful lie like that, we... won't be friends anymore."

Her words stabbed into Usopp's heart like a cold dagger. In an instant, he was utterly despairing.

Even Kaya didn't believe him?

Of course. He was just a tall-tale teller, while Kuro was beloved by the villagers. They trusted Kuro more than him...

Kuro had also come to his senses by then. He took off his shattered glasses, walked up to Usopp, and kicked him.

"You little brat, that really hurt! Get lost. Miss Kaya doesn't like you. You're not friends anymore."

Usopp looked at Kuro in fury, then was shocked to hear Kuro turn his back to Kaya and speak in a voice only he could hear.

"Damn brat. I don't know where you learned my true identity, but you're dead, and Miss Kaya will soon join you in the underworld!"

Those words made Usopp completely lose his reason, and he charged at Kuro. But how could someone as frail as him possibly match Kuro?

Just as Kuro's fist was about to strike Usopp again, a hand suddenly reached out and stopped it, leaving Usopp facing a tall, steady figure.

"Usopp, do you know why no one believes you?" Ivan asked, turning back after casually pushing Kuro away and nearly sending him stumbling to the ground.

Facing Ivan's gaze, Usopp's mind went blank for some reason, and he couldn't help answering, "Because I'm always lying?"

"No, that's only one reason." Ivan shook his head and slowly walked toward Kuro.

For every step he took forward, Kuro took one back. That brief contact had shown Kuro, through Ivan's terrifying killing intent and unmatched strength, that he was no match for him.

Ivan's voice rang out again:

"Because you're not a real tall-tale teller at all!

A real tall-tale teller gives everything he has to turn his tall tales into reality.

Tall-tale tellers don't lie all the time, either. Their lies are smoke screens to confuse their enemies and armor to protect their friends.

You, on the other hand, are nothing but a lowly liar who uses lies to attract attention!

If you don't want to watch the people you care about fall into danger, if you don't want people to keep treating you like a liar, then change yourself completely. Become the great pirate you talk about, the one who leads eight thousand pirates!"

The moment he finished speaking, Ivan vanished. When he appeared again, he was already at the mansion gates.

Carrying a head that looked extremely familiar to Usopp, he tossed a pair of unusual Cat Claws over and left without looking back.

Usopp glanced at the unusual Cat Claws and immediately realized they were Kuro's weapons. They were enough to prove he hadn't been lying.

But Usopp's thoughts weren't on the weapons at all. He was staring at the tall figure ahead of him.

For some reason, he thought of his father. His father must have been just like that figure-just as tall and handsome!

Usopp got to his feet, cupped his hands around his mouth, and shouted, "Hey! I'll definitely make every tall tale I've ever told come true! Can you tell me your name? How can I repay you?"

Ivan didn't turn around. He waved his right hand behind him. "My name's Fox. You'll be hearing it a lot in the future. As for repaying me, try to collect as many Devil Fruits as you can!"

With that, Ivan disappeared from sight, leaving Usopp staring blankly in the direction he had gone, unable to recover for a long time.

Because that was everything he aspired to be!

After leaving Syrup Village, Ivan paid a visit to the East Blue 16th Branch.

Captain Nezumi had originally been the highest-ranking officer of the 16th Branch. Although Nezumi and most of the officers had died, some of the filthy rats had still managed to escape.

So Ivan went to the 16th Branch and, by torturing them for information and slaughtering dozens of rats, thoroughly cleared out the vermin and restored order to the branch.

Though the remaining Marines didn't much like him for it.

After leaving the 16th Branch, Ivan went to Marine Branch 153 and killed the legendary Axe Emperor Morgan outright.

In fact, the Axe Emperor wasn't all that powerful. Ivan crushed him to death with ease.

After dealing with Morgan, Ivan turned and left amid the cheers of the people of Shells Town, heading for his next destination.

Several days later, Ivan had exhausted himself, having dealt with nearly all the pirates and corrupt Marines he remembered.

There was one thing Ivan regretted, however: he hadn't been able to find Buggy.

Though Buggy didn't slaughter civilians, robbery alone was enough to make Ivan want to send him to Impel Down.

But Ivan hadn't expected Buggy's Conqueror's Haki luck to be so strong. Even though he had found scattered traces of Buggy along the way, he ultimately hadn't managed to pin down his exact location.

Still, that result was enough for him.

After this bloodbath, the evil throughout the East Blue had presumably been uprooted, and it would be much more peaceful from now on.

After all, only blood could wash away the filth!

Traces of Ivan's slaughter lay across the entire East Blue, and news of the bloodshed eventually reached Marineford.

Another headquarters meeting was convened, and Sengoku once again brought information concerning Ivan before the highest-level meeting.

Last time, Ivan had merely been an insignificant figure whose unusual justice had drawn attention from a small circle. This time, however, he was the focus of the meeting.