Chapter 52: No Swearing AllowedThe system acted mysterious, leaving Satoruhanging for three seconds before finally revealing why, despite having the ability to change his luck, Satoru was still so unlucky. That was because..."That is because this ability has a restriction: you cannot use foul language.""...""Huh!!!!!"Satoru simply couldn't believe his ears."Simply put, this ability will increase your luck by one point every day, with 100 points being the peak.""However, you cannot use foul language. If you do, it will reset directly to zero, and you will have to start stacking it all over again from the beginning.""There is also a small side effect: if you swear too much, you might become unlucky."The system gave a detailed explanation.The details were as follows: Luck is indefinable, but once it became an ability, Satoru's luck turned into a visible number.Distinguished by numbers, the maximum luck a person can have is 100 points, which is extreme luck.This refreshes for ordinary people every day, and it is the same for Satoru.But Satoru's ability gives him an extra 100 points, adding 1 point per day.If he doesn't swear, it exists permanently, accumulating one point a day up to a maximum of 100.Put simply, Satoru has an extra 100 points. That is to say, if one day Satoru's luck is at the extreme of 100 points, then adding the accumulated 100 points...that's 200 points, which is super luck—the kind of luck where you could even brush past a shot from Pluton and come out unscathed.But there is good luck and bad luck. It's distinguished by points. 1 point is the normal state; the more you have, the more luck is stacked.Then, negative numbers like -1 mean ordinary bad luck. The more negative, the unluckier you are, down to -100, which is extreme bad luck.Satoru's luck ability is reflected here.If on a given day Satoru's luck is at -100, extreme bad luck, but he has the ability's extra 100 points, adding them together would make it 0, a normal state. Whether he is unlucky or lucky then depends entirely on fate.But there is another side effect: because of swearing, the 100 days of accumulated extra luck points are instantly reset to zero. If he continues to swear, it will start deducting from Satoru's own random luck for that day point by point.If that day was lucky, it would be fine, but if it was unlucky, he would become even unluckier.That is why the system said: don't swear, or you'll be unlucky.Satoru was stunned. He had already forgotten how much foul language he had used over the past ten years. Even if it wasn't much, he must have said some. No wonder he was so unlucky when he set out to sea...."Hey! Hey! Wake up!"The system woke up the stunned Satoru, and Satoruwas startled."Ah!""I have already told you about the third ability. I have other things to do and must return. We probably won't meet again.""Since we've met, do you have anything else to say?"The system asked, a redundant question.Satoru listened, thinking to himself, "Where do you even get a 'face'?" At the same time, he gathered all the foul language in human civilization up to now in his heart, wishing he could dump it all on this "dutiful" system.But when the words reached his lips, they only became a gritted-teeth: "Take care.""You still have some manners."The system replied.Satoru screamed internally, "Manners? I was forced to!""I'm leaving. You should wake up, too!"The system's voice faded.This vast white space seemed to collapse. Satoruonly felt a whiteness before his eyes—a complete, utter whiteness, the kind where he couldn't even see his own hands.He tried hard to open his eyes, and with a sudden snap, his consciousness returned to reality.In reality, Satoru's eyes snapped open. Sweat from his forehead dripped onto the pillow. What met his eyes was a very ornate bed canopy...."Hey, is anyone there? We want to borrow a ship, and we're also looking for Satoru!"Arriving in front of Kaya's large mansion, Luffyopened his mouth and shouted.Satoru, who had just woken up in the room, had just sat up when he faintly heard Luffy's voice."Why does it sound like I heard Luffy's voice?"He looked around again; this room alone was very ornate."Looks like a rich person's house.""Logically speaking, this should be the island closest to where I fell into the sea. That means this must be the home of Usopp's friend, Kaya."Just as Satoru guessed, right after he finished speaking, Merry, wearing a sheep-head hat, walked into the room, bringing lunch."Oh my, are you awake? That's good. It's lunchtime, please have some lunch."Satoru took the lunch naturally. "Are you the butler of this house? Thank you for saving me.""You flatter me, I am not the butler.""I saw you on the beach this morning and brought you back. It's good that you woke up safely."Merry stood up very straight, looking very much like a butler.Knowing that it was Merry who saved him, Satoruimmediately bowed to him.Just as he was about to eat, he heard Usopp and a strange voice shouting."Oh my, Butler Kuro seems very angry. It seems the people who broke in have done something terrible."Merry said unhurriedly, as if he were not a servant of this house.Listening to the voices, Satoru roughly guessed that it was because Kuro had insulted Usopp's father, which led to Usopp and Kuro arguing and even getting into a fight.Poor Kaya was still protecting Kuro, unaware that these three years were just a grand play orchestrated by Kuro.After thinking about it, Satoru continued to eat his lunch. He didn't intend to meet up with Luffy and the others right now. Staying happily in this mansion and waiting for the battle to come was even better."Well then, you eat. I'll go see what's happening."Merry said."Go do your work, don't worry about me."Satoru also replied with a smile....Meanwhile, on Luffy and his crew's side.Usopp left after saying, "I'll never come here again."With a shout from Kuro, Luffy and the others also left the mansion, and the farce ended....Shifting the camera to Kaya's room, Kaya was very confused. She didn't know if it was right or wrong to defend Kuro and drive Usopp away.After all, in her heart, Kuro was still the good butler who had taken care of her for three years, not the pirate Kuro who had been plotting for three years to get her family fortune.So, Kuro came in and put on a show.He said things like he was saved by Kaya's father and that everything he did was for Kaya's own good; otherwise, how could he face Kaya's deceased parents?With that said, Kaya forgave him for what he said to Usopp. It was obvious: Kaya had been manipulated.Outside the room, Satoru, who had wanted to visit Kaya, heard everything and couldn't help but admire Kuro's acting skills.He couldn't listen anymore and knocked on the door."Knock, knock, knock.""Please come in," Kaya replied.Having received permission, Satoru opened the door and walked in.
Chapter 53: Kuro the SchemerKnowing he was in Kaya's mansion, Satoru chose not to meet up with Luffy and the others, but instead stayed behind to wander around on his own.After finishing lunch, Satoru came to visit Kaya, and after receiving permission, he opened the door and entered the room.Upon entering, he saw only Kaya and a meticulous young man wearing glasses and a suit inside the room.Satoru recognized the young man as Kuroimmediately.Kuro remained silent, with tears still hanging in the corner of his eyes. It had to be said that his acting was genuinely good. If it weren't yet time for the plan, he would truly have fully convinced himself he was the butler Klahadore, rather than the pirate, Kuro the Schemer.He had originally intended to leave, but upon realizing the person who entered was Satoru, Kurostayed, seemingly observing Satoru.Satoru felt Kuro's gaze, raised his eyes to meet it, and his expression was utterly placid, without even a ripple of emotion, as if he were looking at a complete stranger.Indeed, they were strangers.Although he knew Kuro's true identity, Satoru still maintained appearances, offering a smile as he spoke."You must be Butler Klahadore, right? Mr. Merry told me about you.""My name is Satoru.""I came to thank Miss Kaya for taking me in and finding a doctor to treat my injuries."Shifting his gaze to Kaya, Satoru smiled and gave a slight bow to express his gratitude.Kaya was stunned for a moment, then quickly waved her hand and said, "It's nothing.""I'm just glad you woke up, little sister.""Uh."Satoru choked slightly. "I'm a boy, Miss Kaya.""Ah?"Kaya looked very surprised, and after realizing her mistake, she immediately apologized."I am so sorry! I am so sorry!""I misunderstood. Satoru, you are very handsome.""You flatter me."Satoru replied, thinking: *No matter how handsome I am, could I be as handsome as the Usopp in your heart?*...After chatting with Kaya for a while, Satoru could practically be called a social terrorist.Kaya hadn't talked to anyone outside the mansion staff and Usopp for a long time, and she enjoyed chatting with Satoru immensely. The two became friends right then and there.But Satoru always felt like Kaya treated him like a sister, even asking him to sit on the bed to chat... "I should go back now. Thank you for allowing me to stay a little longer."Satoru stood up, stating that his goal had been achieved."Alright, Satoru, please rest well then."Kaya felt a bit disappointed. Having lived in the mansion for so many years, she was still just a naive girl inexperienced with the world."You too."Satoru replied, a smile on his face, and then looked at Kuro, who had stood aside like a statue, listening to the entire conversation."Mr. Butler, could you perhaps escort me out?""This villa is too large; I'm afraid I might get lost."Kuro stared at Satoru for a second, then offered a professional smile."Of course. This way."..."Clack clack clack clack."The sound of Kuro's leather shoes striking the floor echoed continuously down the long corridor.Kuro led the way, with Satoru following behind. Looking at the guy's stiff back, with a white cloth draped over his arm, he really seemed to have convinced himself he was a butler.Satoru smiled. "Butler Kuro is truly 'putting an elephant in the refrigerator,' isn't he?"Satoru's words reached Kuro's ears, and the sound of his shoes instantly stopped.Kuro turned around, still smiling slightly, and said, "My name is Klahadore. Also, what does 'putting an elephant in the refrigerator' mean?"Satoru returned the smile. "It means, 'You're really good at pretending!'"Kuro's smile instantly vanished. "What do you mean?""Stop pretending, Kuro the Schemer. I'm a pirate too."Satoru directly revealed Kuro's true identity.Kuro's eyes visibly widened slightly, but he immediately adjusted his expression."I didn't expect anyone to recognize me.""It's true, I was once a pirate, but three years ago, after being saved by the young lady's parents, I became a butler out of gratitude and stopped being a pirate."Satoru chuckled. He was still putting on an act."In three years, perhaps you even managed to deceive yourself.""Don't worry, I won't tell anyone.""Rumor has it that Kuro the Schemer is extremely clever, acquiring many treasures through his wits.""But he is also a paranoid man who absolutely forbids any mistakes in his plans. If something goes wrong, he will even kill his own crew.""What a coincidence, I enjoy watching schemes that others have planned for so long get shattered.""I won't do anything before your scheme begins.""If you don't believe me, you can strike now. But that doesn't seem to be part of your plan."After speaking, Satoru walked straight past Kuro. Claiming he didn't know the way was all false; it was just a lie to get Kuro to walk with him so he could freely speak his mind.The focus shifted to Kuro, whose face had become ferocious. He was grinding his teeth and fiercely suppressing his rage.He couldn't understand where this brat had come from or why he knew about his plot."Three years! My scheme is not allowed to fail!""Then it will be tomorrow morning at dawn.""I will make sure you die a painful death."Kuro muttered to himself, then left the mansion
Chapter 54: Who is Satoru?After Satoru annoyed Kuro in the mansion for a while, he began waiting for the arrival of dawn. Since he had told Kuro he wouldn't make a move until the battle started at dawn, he wouldn't. He was a man of his word.To ensure his plan went smoothly, Kuro immediately rushed out to meet with Jango to discuss things.Although Jango had accidentally hypnotized himself after using hypnosis in front of Zoro, Nami, and the three kids, and was now lying in the middle of the road.Fortunately, it didn't delay their meeting, but this just happened to allow Usopp and Luffy on the cliff to overhear their plan....From behind, Usopp was sitting on the edge of the cliff, feeling dejected. Suddenly, Luffy dangled down from the tree above."Hi!""Ah!"It gave Usopp a huge fright, and before he could recover, Luffy dropped another bombshell."Your dad is Yasopp, right?""How do you know that?!"Usopp hurriedly asked.Luffy climbed down from the tree, flipped over, and sat cross-legged beside Usopp."Satoru and I met him when we were kids. You look exactly like him! No wonder I felt a sense of familiarity; I only just remembered."Luffy grinned, revealing a row of teeth. His childhood was the happiest time of his life. Whether it was the days spent with the Red Hair Pirates, the Dadan Family, or with Ace, Satoru, and Sabo, they were all cherished memories."Then where is he now?" Usopp pressed."Hmm... I don't know.""But he should still be on the Red Hair Pirates' ship.""He's one of my favorite pirates.""He's also sort of half a master to Satoru. Hmm... it seems that besides Beckman, who is his master, everyone else in the Red Hair Pirates counts as half a master to Satoru.""Really?""So he's on Shanks' ship! That Red Hair..."Usopp sighed with emotion, but as he spoke, he seemed to notice something wrong!!"Shanks!!!!"Realizing who it was, Usopp's eyes nearly popped out onto Luffy's face."My dad is actually on the ship of someone that powerful? That's a legendary great pirate!""Speaking of powerful, Yasopp's greatest strength is his marksmanship.""Satoru also said that when it comes to marksmanship alone, even his master, Beckman, can't beat Yasopp."Luffy recalled."Hahaha, is that so?"Hearing someone praise his dad, Usopp was naturally happy, but then he circled back."Who is Satoru?""Satoru is my comrade! We went to the mansion to find a ship and to find..."Clearly, Luffy had forgotten about finding Satoru."Ah! I actually forgot! Hahaha."Satoru:...Afterward, Luffy told Usopp about how Satoru had been saved by Merry...."Is that so? Then just go again. You didn't swear not to go back like I did."Usopp replied."Yeah, but that butler is really annoying.""I agree. My dad, living bravely on the sea, makes me proud, but he actually said that...""Yeah, that butler is just annoying."Luffy pointed down the cliff at Kuro, who was on the shore, and said."Yes, that's the butler. I hate the sight of him."Usopp followed Luffy's finger and saw Kuro. He started speaking, but as he did, he realized who it was and got a shock."Why is that butler here!!!"...Just like that, the plan that Kuro thought was foolproof was now known by two more people, in addition to Satoru.But who is Luffy? He never plays tricks. Who's to blame him for being the protagonist and able to do whatever he wants?He stood up in a flash and shouted down at the two people below."Hey!! You are not allowed to kill the young lady!!"Then he was hypnotized by Jango and fell off the cliff...Kuro, seeing only Usopp remained, felt relieved. He knew that no one in the village would believe Usopp's words....Indeed, the story of the boy who cried wolf.No matter what Usopp said, the villagers didn't believe his claims that the Black Cat Pirates would attack at dawn.Instead, they brought out brooms and such to beat him up.Usopp had no chance to explain and could only rush toward Kaya's villa. Since Kuro's goal was Kaya, he had no choice but to take her away first.But what he got in return was a slap from Kaya."You've disappointed me so much, Usopp."There was no way around it; without seeing it with her own eyes, Kaya couldn't believe that the person who had taken such good care of her was a pirate and wanted to kill her.Satoru put himself in her shoes; if it were him, he wouldn't be able to suspect someone who had taken care of him for three years either.Therefore, Satoru, watching from behind, didn't speak up to explain for Usopp. Just saying it wouldn't prove anything.Since that was the case, Satoru would let Kaya see it with her own eyes.After Usopp fled the mansion.Satoru went to Kaya's room.Kaya was already in tears; she didn't know why Usopp had turned out like this.Even after seeing Satoru, though she tried to compose herself out of politeness, the tears just wouldn't stop flowing.
Chapter 55: Seeing is BelievingSatoru looked at the weeping Kaya before him and handed her a handkerchief.Kaya took it and said thank you.Satoru sat down without speaking, quietly letting Kaya collect herself.When Kaya had calmed down and forced a smile, wanting to ask Satoru what was the matter, Satoruspoke first, and his words startled her."Miss Kaya, actually, I am a pirate too."Kaya was startled and clutched the blanket she was wrapped in.She didn't discriminate against pirates, but why had so many appeared today?"But don't worry, although I am a pirate, I am not one to kill the innocent... *cough cough*!"As he spoke, Satoru suddenly coughed twice."Sorry.""I am not someone who kills the innocent.""Regarding Usopp, Miss Kaya, you have known him longer than I have.""You know his character; although he tells some lies, those fantastical adventure stories...""...have you ever heard him lie to slander others?"Satoru's words made Kaya fall into reflection; indeed, although Usopp liked to lie, he never disparaged others."Maybe it was because Klahadore said those things about Usopp's father that Usopp..."Kaya answered softly.Satoru shook his head. "Then why didn't Usopp say right then and there that Kuro was a pirate when he talked about his father?""Why wait until he returned home, only to run back here again?"Kaya was speechless; her mind was in chaos right now."A mouth alone can't prove anything. Seeing is believing, Miss Kaya.""So, if you want to know the whole truth, come to the outside of the main hall door when the moon rises tonight and watch.""Whether you believe me or not is up to you."After saying this, Satoru stood up and left. Kayawatched his retreating figure, remaining silent for a long time even after Satoru closed the door....Satoru returned to his room and took out the den den mushi that Dragon had given him to contact Nami.It connected, but no one answered.Satoru could only give up; it seemed they had gone in the wrong direction.Zoro being used as a stepping stone and Luffygetting lost was destined by fate....Soon, darkness descended, and the moon slowly climbed into the sky, set against the starry night.Tonight happened to be a new moon, with a crescent moon hanging in the firmament.Kaya looked at the crescent moon, hesitated for a long time, and then got out of bed.Meanwhile, in the main hall.Merry and Kuro were both inside.Merry was still telling Kuro about Usopp breaking into the mansion today."Is that so? I didn't expect such a thing to happen while I was in the neighboring town."Kuro answered normally; his life was nothing but acting."Hmm, what is this?"He suddenly caught sight of the gift Kaya had given him for their third anniversary on the table: a pair of glasses.Merry explained it from behind, even taking out a handkerchief to wipe away tears, saying how gentle Miss Kaya was.But little did he know, with his back turned, Kuro, who was pushing up his glasses with his palm while looking at the moon, had an expression that had turned gloomy, carrying a triumphant smile."Speaking of anniversaries, tomorrow is indeed an anniversary.""Tonight is a new moon; such nights always make one's heart surge and blood boil..."As he spoke, Kuro threw the gift Kaya had given him directly onto the ground and then stomped on it.Merry was so shocked his mouth fell open. "You! You! Klahadore! What do you mean! Why did you... to the gift the young lady gave you...""Gift."Kuro directly interrupted him, turned his head, and spoke to Merry with his profile facing him."I will accept the gift.""But not this thing, but the entire mansion!!""W-what?"Merry didn't understand.Kuro turned around slowly, his hands coming out from behind his back, already wearing his signature weapon, the "Cat Claws.""To this day, I don't need to act anymore; in any case, in a few hours, it will all happen.""Three years is too long!"Kuro said, and a flash of a blade gleamed."Ah!""Clang!"Two sounds rang out simultaneously.One was the exclamation of Miss Kaya outside the hall door.The other was Satoru appearing, swinging a long staff in his hand to block Kuro's Cat Claws, the sound of the blade and the staff colliding."It's you!"Kuro stared at Satoru's face, anger rising from his heart."It is me. What's wrong, Mr. Putting-an-Elephant-in-a-Fridge."Kuro glanced at Kaya outside the room. Kaya met his gaze and immediately covered her mouth, stepping back. Such a cold and sinister gaze—this was not the Klahadore she knew!!"Did you call the young lady over too?""Didn't you say you wouldn't interfere before my plan started?"Kuro asked."You're attacking and trying to kill Mr. Merry now; doesn't that mean the plan has started early?""Mr. Merry is my savior; I can't let him die.""Mr. Merry, retreat outside the room and protect Miss Kaya."Satoru said.Merry immediately obeyed, and Satoru then swung his staff fiercely to the right, blocking the pursuing Kuro."Clang!""Silent Step, that really is terrifying.""But at such a close distance, trying to escape a Sniper's eyes is not that easy."Satoru wore a faint smile, seemingly mocking Kuro.
Chapter 56: Battle in the HallInside Kaya's mansion, in the hall, Satoru blocked Kuro's pursuit of Merry with a staff.Kuro was starting to see this pretty boy, Satoru, in a new light; he hadn't expected him to be able to block someone using Silent Step. At the same time, hearing Satoru's words, he was also very puzzled."You really do know a lot about me.""I've clearly been gone from the seas for three years. Given your age, how could you possibly know who I am?"Kuro pressed down on Satoru's long staff with one of his Cat Claws. Positioned to the right, he stared at him from the side and asked."Take a guess."Satoru flashed a smile, his tone incredibly irritating.Kuro immediately swung his other hand to strike. Guess? Guess your grandmother!Moreover, the hand pressing down on Satoru's long staff quickly pinned it in place.If Satoru wanted to dodge, he would have to abandon the staff.But he didn't expect Satoru to bend over to dodge, causing the pressure on the staff to vanish instantly as it transformed into a pistol."Surprised?"Satoru leaned back into a bridge and fired instantly from that position."Bang!"Kuro's eyes widened slightly, and his body flickered instantly, but the distance was too close, and the bullet still grazed his waist.A bullet graze felt just like being cut by a knife.As a famous pirate, Kuro's physical fitness was naturally not poor. The wound wasn't deep, but it still seeped a bit of blood.Despite this, Kuro didn't spare the wound even a glance, completely indifferent to it.Instead, he stared fixedly at the flintlock pistol in Satoru's hand."A Devil Fruit?""Take a guess.""*Cough, cough!!*"Satoru repeated those same two words, but after speaking, he couldn't help but cough twice.During the time he was unconscious, the duration of copying Zoro's physique had expired. With his own physical stamina, just lying on the shore for that short while had caused him to develop a fever.Kuro saw that Satoru was in poor physical condition, which was good news for him.It looked like the fight would resume in the next second.Kaya was worried about Satoru; how could he possibly defeat Kuro while running a fever?"Klahadore!""Stop fighting.""Don't you want my fortune? I'll give it all to you, just leave the village now."Kaya broke free from Merry, ran into the room, and stood behind Satoru as she spoke."I think you've misunderstood.""I want the money, but I also want peace and security.""In three years, I have already built up a good image in front of the townspeople.""I want to obtain this money legitimately. I want to live here, do you understand?""Therefore, the pirates attacking the village and your accidental death are necessary."Kuro spoke these words without any expression.Kaya was so shocked she couldn't speak; she couldn't believe the person before her was truly the one who had cared for her for three years.Kuro wanted to live here, yet he was having pirates attack the village and wanted to kill her, all just for the sake of legitimacy.After three years together, there wasn't even a ripple of emotion; he simply wasn't human....Having said his piece, Kuro spoke no more. He activated Silent Step and charged at Satoru again.The flintlock pistol in Satoru's hand instantly transformed into three swords—it was Zoro's Three Sword Style.Sparks flew as the three swords blocked Kuro's claws.Merry quickly pulled Kaya out of the room.In the next second, the two flickered rapidly through the hall, exchanging blows back and forth without taking much damage. The poor, innocent furniture was sliced to pieces whenever they swept past....As time passed, Satoru gradually fell into a disadvantage.Not only could he only use 60% of Zoro's strength, but he was also running a fever.After a sudden burst of strength to knock Kuro back, Satoru quickly retreated away from him.Kuro also stopped, treating it as a halftime break. He hadn't expected this kid to be able to stall him for so long, but he also knew that Satoru was nearing his limit; the fact that his strength diminished as they fought was proof."*Phew~*"Satoru let out a breath and looked at Kuro. He didn't want to use his trump card here, so he chose to use Talk-no-jutsu.The three swords turned back into a bracelet as a gesture of sincerity."Look behind you."Kuro didn't understand what Satoru meant by turning the swords back into a bracelet.But figuring that Satoru couldn't do much else in this state, he turned to look. He saw the early morning sun shining into the room through the window.It was already dawn."It's already dawn.""Weren't you very confident in your plan?""But the village seems very quiet right now."Satoru continued to twist the knife.Kuro turned back to Satoru. "Do you know what's going on?""Heh, you have your brothers, and I have my comrades.""I reckon they should be at the slope right now, intercepting those guys from the Black Cat Pirates.""How about we make a bet?""Let's go to the slope together and take a look.""Let's see who won. If your side won, I'll kill myself.""And there are no conditions for you; just come with me.""After all, I promised my comrades that I can't keep using the 'whetstones' all for myself every time."Satoru replied."You're treating me like a whetstone!" Kuro replied with a dark expression.
Chapter 57: Battle on the Slope"Stop worrying about things that don't matter.""Just say whether you dare to or not. I'm not afraid to keep fighting, and I believe my comrades will be here soon.""As for you, your plan has already gone awry. With your personality, it must be painful not to see it for yourself, right?"Satoru's words seemed to pierce through Kuro's inner thoughts."It won't be too late if I go after I kill you."Kuro pushed his glasses up with his palm, staring directly into Satoru's eyes with the gaze of a predator looking at its prey.The corners of Satoru's mouth curled up slightly, and in the next second, he appeared behind Kuro.This time, Kuro finally lost his composure. His expression turned to one of shock, and he immediately spun around."This is my Silent Step.""How could you possibly know it?!"Satoru remained smiling. "Take a guess."At the same time, he grumbled inwardly. What's so great about Silent Step? I didn't even want to learn it; it's nowhere near as good as the Marine's Six Powers' Shave technique....Through this system update, Satoru had come to a fairly complete understanding of his Replication Fruit ability.Replicating techniques and replicating devil fruitabilities were two different things.First, let's talk about 'Visual' replication (which can only replicate half of the original strength).To replicate techniques, he needs to see the opponent use them. Just like the first time Satorureplicated Beckman's technique of shooting wine bottles at Makino's tavern, Satoru had to watch Beckman perform it once before he could replicate it.But for devil fruit abilities, because of the nature of the Replication Fruit, Satoru's eyes acted like a skill detector. No matter how strong someone was, Satoru could see the abilities they possessed.A Devil Fruit Ability is essentially a type of power manifested within the user. He can replicate it just by looking at the person; they don't need to actually use the ability.Then there's 'Touch' replication (replicates sixty percent of the original strength).Touch replication removes the requirement that the opponent must use a technique for him to see it.As long as there is physical contact, whether it's a Devil Fruit Ability or a technique, it can be replicated directly. However, a person can only replicate one ability at a time.As for the fruit's true name, the system still hadn't told Satoru.It left Satoru to figure it out himself, only telling him that if it were nighttime, the strength replicated by both methods would increase by twenty percent.Therefore, as long as it was night, Visual replication would reach 70% of the target's strength, and Touch replication would reach 80%, which is already very close to the target's actual power.Satoru thought that perhaps after his Fruit Awakening, he would be able to replicate things at one hundred percent....Consequently, the Zoro's Three Sword Style that Satoru had stored only possessed sixty percent of Zoro's actual strength.But the Silent Step he was using now was replicated from Kuro during their fight just now; on this crescent moon night, it was at 80% strength.Even though Kuro could see this slight deviation in speed, he was still more shocked by why Satoruknew his Silent Step."So, do you want to keep fighting?""'Kuro of a Thousand Plans.'""If I stall any longer, maybe my comrades will bring the villagers here to pay you a visit."Satoru mimicked Kuro's habit of pushing up his glasses with his palm, adjusting a pair of 'void glasses.' This was done intentionally for Kuro to see.Kuro's face darkened and he didn't answer. He instantly brushed past Satoru, kicking up a gust of wind.It was as if he were saying: I am the creator of the Silent Step; even if you've learned it, you can't match this speed.Standing by the window and looking at the rising sun, Kuro's expression grew worse. Without looking back, he said, "You'd better keep your word!" He then smashed through the window and jumped down.Satoru looked down. Kuro stood below, unscathed, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye, signaling for him to follow."Miss Kaya, please stay inside the house."Satoru turned back to Kaya and said."But Satoru, you..."Kaya was worried about Satoru, after all, he was still running a fever.Before she could finish, Satoru shook his head."Trust us. Trust Usopp."After saying that, Satoru also followed and jumped out of the window.Kaya hurried to the window, watching the figures of the two men as they departed.Finally unable to hold back her emotions, she collapsed and burst into tears, terrified that she might have caused harm to Usopp, Satoru, and the others....While Satoru and Kuro were on their way.The battle on the slope was underway.After Luffy broke off the black cat figurehead from the Black Cat Pirates' ship and got pinned under it, it was time for the Nyaban Brothers—the ship guards of the Black Cat Pirates, Sham (the thin one) and Buchi (the fat one)—to take the stage.After a display of playing the weak to catch the strong, Zoro was careless enough to have two of his swords taken away.With only one sword for his Three Sword Style, Zoro was currently severely limited."Nekoyanagi Dai Koushin!"Zoro fell into a predicament, being suppressed by the two men's pincer attack.Nami thought of a plan and ran over to help Zoroget his swords.But Jango couldn't just stand by and watch. Nami's left shoulder was slashed by Jango's hypnotizer, which was also a circular blade. Blood splattered, and just as Usopp was falling into despair, he saw a look of terror on Jango's face.Looking in that direction, the figures of Satoru and Kuro appeared at the top of the slope.
Chapter 58: I Never Said I Couldn't Make MusicLuffy was pinned under the bow of the Black Cat ship, mainly because he had been hypnotized.Zoro only had one sword and was being suppressed by the Nyaban Brothers.Nami's left shoulder was slashed by Jango as she tried to grab the swords.Usopp was on the verge of despair, but then he saw Jango's expression suddenly change from the smug look of stopping Nami to one of utter terror."Ah!! This... there's a reason for this!!"Usopp followed Jango's gaze and saw Satoru and Kuro standing on the left and right sides of the top of the slope.Usopp knew Kuro—more than just knew him, he wanted to punch him in the face several times.As for Satoru, it was Usopp's first time seeing him, but after Nami's shout, he could be considered an acquaintance."Satoru!""You're here! That's great!"Nami knew Satoru's strength; after all, he was the man who had taken down the entire Buggy Piratesby himself.But when she saw Satoru shake his head, Nami's expression instantly froze."What do you mean by shaking your head?!"Kuro couldn't contain his anger either. He pushed up his glasses with his palm and shouted."No wonder the plan hasn't been executed even though it's already dawn!""To think you were actually stopped by a group of brats like this!!""The Black Cat Pirates are truly a disgrace."He said that, but who knows who it was that had been held back by Satoru in the mansion's hall all night."Truly incompetent."Jango trembled with fear, but the Nyaban Brotherswere quite bold and couldn't stand the word 'incompetent'."Incompetent? You're calling us incompetent?""You were indeed strong before, Captain Kuro, but now, after three years of living in luxury in the village, we've stolen countless treasures and fought many battles.""Is it even possible for you, who have been idle for three years, to defeat us?"With that, the Nyaban Brothers abruptly launched an attack on Kuro.Satoru moved a bit to the right and couldn't help but let out a snicker.Kuro knew that was a mockery, and he couldn't maintain his composure at all.With a flicker of speed, he appeared behind the Nyaban Brothers, his hands already equipped with Cat Claws, resting them directly on the brothers' necks.The sense of oppression that had been sealed away for three years surged forth again, and the two brothers were so terrified they were on the verge of tears."Don't be a fool, Nyaban Brothers. Even on land, for three years, Captain Kuro has maintained the habit of pushing his glasses with his palm. This is to ensure that his weapon, the Cat Claws, doesn't injure him.""Maintaining this habit for three years shows that even after coming ashore, Captain Kuro has never forgotten how to fight."Kuro lifted his thumb, and the blades on the finger sheaths pointed straight at the Nyaban Brothers' necks.Were they moved? The two brothers didn't dare move at all."After three years of quiet rest, my temper seems to have improved quite a bit."While Kuro was threatening the Nyaban Brothers, Satoru gave Nami a meaningful look.He first looked at Nami, then at the swords on the ground. Nami understood instantly and gave a slight nod."Five minutes.""I'll give you five minutes to clean up this mess, or else...""I'll kill you all."Kuro said coldly, then released the Nyaban Brothers. This was supposedly after his temper had improved.Jango and the Nyaban Brothers were still delusional, thinking that as long as they killed Zoro, they could enter the village via the slope.But in the next moment, Nami moved quickly and kicked Zoro's two swords over to him."Zoro!""Catch the swords!""Damn it! Nami, how dare you kick my swords!"Zoro said with his eyes slightly narrowed, but after catching the swords, he muttered a thanks. He definitely had a bit of a tsundere side.At the same time, Satoru's bracelet transformed into a gong and a Mallet.Seeing Zoro get his swords, the Nyaban Brothersstill looked disdainful. If they could suppress him before, they could do it now!"So what if you have your swords! Just die obediently!"With that, the two of them launched an attack instantly.Zoro didn't answer, his eyes locked onto the two of them.With one sword in his mouth, he assumed a stance with both hands holding the other two swords as if carrying them on his back. As the Nyaban Brothersapproached, Zoro's eyes widened slightly, and his figure flashed!"Three Sword Style: Tiger Hunt!"In the next moment, Zoro appeared behind the two of them, his blades already in a finishing slash posture.The Nyaban Brothers were already lying on the ground, blood seeping from their chests.As Zoro struck, Satoru also slammed the Mallet into the gong. The sound of the gong echoed across the entire slope and coast. The snot bubble on the nose of Luffy, who was pinned under the bow and sleeping soundly, was shattered by the sound waves of the gong.Luffy slowly opened his eyes.Satoru had promised Kuro that he wouldn't interfere until a winner was decided between Jango, the Nyaban Brothers, and Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and Usopp. But he never said he couldn't make 'music', right?Is it not okay for me to love playing the gong?Luffy woke up and pushed the bow of the ship off him with a light shove."That was a great sleep!""Hmm? The bad butler is here too."While everyone's attention was on Luffy, Namiquickly moved away from Jango."Luffy! You must win this battle!"
Chapter 59: Slacking Off"Luffy, we must win this fight!"Seeing Luffy wake up, Nami's first words were these.Luffy was a bit surprised, "You..."Nami immediately raised her fist, her eyes shining, "I'm doing it for the treasure!"Luffy withdrew his surprise and pressed down on his straw hat."Yeah, as long as everyone's happy."Then, Luffy noticed Satoru standing on the slope opposite them."Ah! Satoru! I finally found you. Are you okay?"Satoru shook his head, "I'm fine, Captain. Please punch that hypnotist for me."Kuro was a bit surprised. With all of Satoru's strange abilities, he wasn't the Captain?Jango was enhancing the hypnosis on the tough, spotted cat that had taken a hit from Zoro but was still standing.Just as he finished, he suddenly felt a chill. Why was this coming towards him?As soon as he turned his head, Luffy's fist accurately landed on his face, sending Jango flying straight to the ground near Kuro.Satoru looked at Kuro, "It seems our victory is certain, Mr. Iceberg."Kuro, expressionless, instantly moved his right hand, cat claws reaching for Satoru.Satoru blocked with a long staff appearing in his hand, but his consciousness was already burning and blurry, his strength only half-effective. He was immediately shaken down the slope by Kuro.Zoro immediately caught him, "No way, your strength..."Zoro wanted to say that Satoru's strength shouldn't be so weak, but then he felt Satoru's abnormal body temperature, like a hot water bottle.Luffy also flew over instantly."You have a fever!""It's normal, I just need to rest. I'll leave the rest to you."Satoru smiled in response."Of course, get some rest, Satoru. I'll take care of this awful butler.""I believe in you."..."Ouch, that hurts."Jango came to his senses, feeling a burning pain on the right side of his face.As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Kuro looking down at him, eyes fixed on him, scaring him into jumping up immediately."Captain Kuro...""Shut up!!""Go to the village mansion now, hypnotize Kaya into writing a suicide note, then kill her and prove you're still useful!"Kuro pushed his glasses and commanded."Yes! Yes! I'll go right away."Jango immediately ran towards the village. Behind him, Usopp, bloodied from a hit on the back of his head, struggled to grab Jango's foot."No..no!!""Don't hurt Kaya!!"Fearing that Kuro might finish him off with a single strike, Jango kicked Usopp away."Get out of my way!"Kuro's figure flashed, intending to strike again."You're really useless, Usopp.""You still owe me a punch!"At the same time, the enraged spotted cat also attacked Zoro and Satoru."Go help Usopp.""I'll handle this fat cat."Satoru said.Zoro didn't say a word and rushed forward.The spotted cat was kicked to the right cliff wall by Satoru's swift whip leg, hitting it hard and cracking the wall.Luffy also punched towards Kuro, who was trying to attack Usopp. But remembering Luffy's previous punch that sent Jango flying, Kuro dodged Luffy's fist.However, Usopp was also rescued by Zoro, who carried him to chase after Jango.Their biggest enemy was not Jango, but Zoro's poor sense of direction....On the slope, Luffy, having missed his punch, followed up with another, flying past Satorutowards Kuro, engaging him in combat.Satoru remained stationary, and the spotted cat, enraged by Satoru's whip leg, leaped lightly despite its bulky body, kicking down at Satoru. Even before its madness, it could crack the ground with a kick, let alone now.Satoru remained calm, looking up at the cat, spinning his staff and striking the cat's abdomen as it descended, then forcefully slamming it to the ground.With a bang, dust scattered in all directions.The immense force embedded the spotted cat into the ground, instantly filling the middle section of the slope with cracks.Satoru used six-tenths of the staff technique power he had copied from Hongo. He thought that the staff technique should be his strongest close combat skill, and using it now would help him understand and improve it.The copied technique could only be used once, but his own could be used freely.The spotted cat couldn't get up again. Satoru turned his head, and the Black Cat Pirates nearby were startled. They had taken down the enraged spotted cat in one move! Who were these "Killing Gods" and where did they come from?But Satoru wasn't looking at these extras; he was looking at Nami's busy figure on the Black Cat Pirates' ship.Turning his head again to watch Luffy and Kuro's battle, Satoru smiled, "It seems I'm not needed anymore."He walked to the cliff edge, sat down with his back against the wall, and started to rest.
Chapter 60: What Do You Consider Your comrades?With a clang, Luffy held up the giant rock, and Kuro's left Cat Claw dug into it. Luffy twisted with force, effectively disabling one of Kuro's weapons.Then he swung the giant rock, smashing Kuro's head, leaving him bleeding.The two had already been fighting fiercely for a while.Luffy's lip was cut.Kuro, however, never expected that in just one day, two people would be able to break through his Silent Step.Meanwhile, Zoro and Usopp were still fighting against the formidable 'Directionally Challenged'… The Black Cat Pirates didn't believe Kuro could be hit and immediately cheered him on."Kill him! Captain Kuro... Mr.!"Kill that Rubber Man!"Kuro stood up again. The encouragement from the crowd didn't motivate him; instead, it disgusted him. When did he ever need their encouragement? Being seen in this state by them was simply a disgrace."Shut up!""I'll kill all of you later, and Jango is no exception."Kuro had never intended to let the Black Cat Piratesgo. All he wanted was stability, and anyone who knew his identity as Captain Kuro had to die."You mean! From the very beginning when you made the plan, you intended to kill us all!"The Black Cat Pirates could hardly believe their ears.Luffy pouted, "Are you all idiots? What a pathetic pirate crew.""Pathetic?""This is what a true pirate crew is like!""Subordinates are the Captain's pawns. Their life and death are decided by me. They just need to rush into the village and die for my plan!"In Kuro's eyes, nothing was more important than his plan.But this touched Luffy's sore spot.Luffy was like Roger. Roger would destroy a Marinebase because the Marine spoke ill of his comrades.And Luffy is someone who directly confronts the World Government for his comrades. What if it's the World Government's flag? Burn it directly!Satoru couldn't help but interject, "You said subordinates die for their Captain.""You don't allow them to call you Captain now, so what are you now? What right do you have to ask them to die for you, for your plan?"Kuro was speechless."Hahaha, as expected of you, Satoru. This guy really has nothing to say.""Right! Right! What are you now? Why should we die for you?"The Black Cat Pirates immediately defected. If he wanted them dead, who would be crazy enough to risk their lives for him?Kuro's veins bulged on his forehead in anger, and Luffy added insult to injury."Moreover, even if you have hundreds of subordinates, you're still not as good as Usopp."Being compared to someone he considered a good-for-nothing, and being told he was inferior, Kuro was practically driven mad with rage.He flashed, attempting to deliver a blow to Satoru, but Satoru showed no intention of dodging. He trusted Luffy.Indeed, as Kuro's figure reappeared, Luffy, without turning his body, swung his fist backward, hitting Kuro directly on the neck. Under Satoru's smile, Kuro was knocked to the left and returned to the top of the slope.Luffy and Satoru smiled and answered together why Kuro was inferior to Usopp, speaking in unison."It's character." x2Luffy put his hands on his hips, "You don't even know what a true pirate is!"Kuro rubbed his forehead, "Heh heh, I've been insulted. Since you want to know what a true pirate is, I'll let you experience the terror of a true pirate."Kuro stood up, his arms hanging naturally, and his body began to sway slightly from side to side.The Black Cat Pirates knew this move, and seeing Kuro's action, fear immediately crept into their hearts and faces."It's Death Spoon!""He wants to use Death Spoon!""This range will drag us in!""He really meant he would kill us!""Run!"The group immediately turned and ran, but how could their speed compare to Kuro's?"Death Spoon!"Kuro's figure flashed again. This time, even Luffycouldn't catch his shadow.Satoru could only barely see afterimages.Just as Luffy wondered where Kuro had gone, wails erupted from the fleeing Black Cat Pirates down the slope.Kuro's figure was still invisible, as if the wind was slicing open the waists of those people one by one, blood splattering."How is he over there!"Luffy quickly turned to look.Watching people fall one by one, Luffy became enraged and shouted."What do you consider your comrades?!""Get out here!"...On Zoro and Usopp's side.Halfway there, they surprisingly found three little kids from the Usopp Pirates blocking Jango."Damn brats!"In the next second, Jango's chakram was about to cut Onion.500 meters away, Usopp's Firebird Star directly hit Jango's back... Back at the slope.Satoru coughed twice, "Don't panic, Luffy.""I'll be the bait."Satoru smiled, then shouted loudly."Kuro! No, it's better to call you laughable.""You're inferior to Usopp, always will be.""And your plan, the plan you've been working on for three years, will ultimately vanish into thin air!"
Chapter 61: I Just Want to Sleep"Your plan will only vanish into thin air!"Satoru shouted loudly.Although Kuro couldn't stop himself and would only stop when exhausted, he could still choose his direction.Kuro's speed was still so fast that Luffy and Satoru's eyes couldn't track him.But Satoru was a Sniper, very sensitive to wind."Here he comes!"Satoru shouted, then immediately ducked down and lay on the ground.Kuro's cat claws grazed over Satoru's head, scratching the cliff wall behind him. As Kuro was still trying to make another move, Luffy grabbed the corner of his coat, "Gotcha!"Then, with a forceful swing, he threw Kurobackward, slamming him heavily onto the ground."Why! Why can't you just die obediently?""See, it's all your fault. My adorable subordinates can't die quickly, so they can only wail. What an awful sound."Kuro got back up. Satoru lay on the ground, listening to his words, and chuckled. This guy's mouth was still stubborn even after death.Luffy raised his hands, "I will never be a Pirate like you!"Kuro pushed up his glasses, "It's not that you won't... it's that you can't!""Because you'll die here."After speaking, Kuro began to sway from side to side again. Luffy flew over and wrapped himself around him, his hands and feet clamping Kuro's arms.In this round, Kuro essentially died due to his skill's wind-up.Then, Luffy tilted his head back forcefully, stretching his neck to gather power.Even at this point, Kuro was still stubborn. He was truly so stubborn that even if he were cremated into ashes, his mouth would remain unburnt."Gum-Gum...""My plan! It will never go wrong!""Bell!"With his Iron Head technique, Luffy powerfully headbutted Kuro's chin, and blood splattered from Kuro's mouth.The force made Kuro spin around, his eyes rolling back, before he collapsed onto the ground.Silence.With Kuro's fall, the scene instantly became quiet. Even those who had been cut in the abdomen by Kuro couldn't believe that Kuro had lost."He won... he defeated Captain Kuro!"..."You actually dared to defeat me... Who exactly are you?"Kuro asked weakly. Even now, he didn't know who this kid who defeated him was."My name is Monkey D. Luffy!""I will never lose to a cowardly Pirate who fled the sea.""A Pirate can only abandon his name when he dies.""I want you to remember my name forever. I am the man who will become the Pirate King!"Luffy's words silenced the scene again. Kuro's eyebrows twitched slightly; he had nothing to say.Satoru lay on the ground, looking at the blue sky and white clouds, so similar to the scene he saw on his first day after transmigrating.Hearing Luffy's words, though he had heard them many times, he couldn't help but smile, silently raising his right hand and giving a thumbs up.Luffy saw Satoru's thumbs up, smiled, and returned one. Then he grabbed Kuro's arm and threw him towards the Black Cat Pirates.Question: How many times was Kuro thrown in this battle?"Take him and get out! Don't ever come back here!"..."I didn't expect you to be so strong, Luffy."Nami, returning laden with loot, came back to Satoru and Luffy.Luffy was tired and immediately lay down on the spot.Nami was a little confused, "Why were you angry just now?""I hate them; they all did wrong.""Crew members should believe in their Captain, not switch sides at once.""A Captain should also believe in his crew members, not treat them as pawns that can be discarded at any time.""Believing in each other, trusting each other, that's what comrades are for."As Luffy spoke, Zoro also arrived, which was quite remarkable for him, to find this place.He was also quite injured. When he underestimated and neglected the Nyaban Brothers, his abdomen was slashed twice. Although the bleeding had stopped, it still looked shocking, but Zoro stood there indifferently, as if nothing had happened."How foolish, there's no Pirate like that."Nami didn't believe such Pirates existed."Hehe, of course there are. Satoru and I have seen them.""Speaking of which, without Satoru's help just now, I wouldn't have been able to catch Kuro so easily.""Right, Satoru?"...Luffy cued Satoru, but Satoru didn't agree with him as usual."Satoru?""Satoru!"Realizing something was wrong, Luffy sprang up like a carp, grabbing Satoru's shoulders and shaking him."Satoru! Satoru!""Are you okay!""Don't scare me."Satoru had just fallen asleep when Luffy shook him awake."I'm fine. If you keep shaking me like this, I soon won't be.""I just want to sleep.""Okay, then you sleep," Luffy replied with an innocent look.Satoru:...
The going merry"Can you guys keep what happened today a secret?"Usopp requested this of his three young crew members.The three were very confused. "Why!""We were fighting for the village, Captain Usopp!""You are the hero of the village! Everyone will look at you with new respect!"Usopp shook his head slightly, wiping away the beads of blood running down his forehead."Whether it's a misunderstanding or not, everyone still sees me as the kid who loves to lie.""There's no need to tell them and cause panic.""If it weren't for the situation today, our remote village would never have been attacked by pirates.""The villagers live peaceful lives because of this. There's no need to tell them and shatter that precious peace."Usopp's words left the three children speechless. They didn't understand—wasn't it good to be a hero?This was the measure of character Satoru and Luffyspoke of, which Kuro lacked compared to Usopp."Just pretend nothing happened.""I'm not forcing you.""No!""We will respect your wishes, Captain!""Me too!""If we say we won't tell, we won't tell for life!!"The three children immediately replied. Although they didn't understand, they supported Usopp's decision, just as Usopp wasn't forcing them.Usopp smiled, but then his expression quickly darkened."Alright, I have one more thing to say.""I want to go out to sea and become a true pirate!""After meeting them, I decided to set sail!""If you ask why! It's because the pirate flag is calling me!""We don't want that!""Captain, we don't want you to leave!"The three children immediately burst into tears. Even when facing Jango, they hadn't cried, but now they couldn't hold back.Usopp shook his head and shouted, "What are your dreams?!"Carrot: "To experience taverns!"Chinjo: "To become a carpenter!"Onion: "To become a novelist!""That's right! We all have to work hard for our dreams!""I also have to pursue my dream.""Therefore, as of now.""The Usopp Pirates are disbanded!!"As he shouted that line, Usopp couldn't stop his tears from streaming down... "Full HP Recovery!!""Just kidding!"Satoru sat back down, leaning against Zoro. Across from them, Luffy was searching for a fish bone in his mouth. Luffy's eating skills weren't quite there yet; he still had to spit out bones."How can I live without you!"Satoru said, placing his arm on Zoro's shoulder.Zoro glanced at him. "What are you going crazy about?"Satoru smiled, but didn't answer.He wanted to replicate Luffy's Rubber-Rubber Fruit Ability, which meant he could only replicate Zoro's physique. That's why he said he couldn't live without him. With his own frail and sickly body, even though the fever was gone, his head still felt a bit heavy."We've eaten enough, shouldn't we be going soon?"Zoro said.No sooner had he spoken than Kaya walked into the tavern."You guys are here.""Hello there, Miss." Luffy raised his hand to greet her."Miss Kaya looks much better."Satoru looked at the smile and complexion on Kaya's face; it was much better than what he had seen earlier at the mansion."My illness this past year was because I couldn't bear the passing of my parents.""But now, Usopp and you all have given me such great encouragement, I should cheer up.""Oh right, don't you need a ship?"Kaya suddenly brought up the subject of a ship.Luffy immediately broke into a Smiling Face. "Did you prepare one for us?"...Luffy: "Ooh! (⊙ꇴ⊙)"Nami: "A Fast Sailboat! ＼(☆o☆)／"Satoru: "(￣▽￣)"Zoro: "Ah... (^_^メ)"The above were the different reactions of the four upon seeing the Going Merry."Sorry to keep you waiting. Although it's an older model, this is the Fast Sailboat I designed. I named it 'Going Merry'.""Are you really giving it to us?"Luffy asked excitedly."Of course. You saved the village, and Mr. Bai Yunsaved me. To thank you, please take it and use it."Merry and Satoru nodded in acknowledgment, and then explained how to use the ship to Luffy.Question marks popped up above Luffy's head. Clearly, this was not something his CPU brain could comprehend.Satoru & Nami: "You should tell this method to me (Nami) instead.""What a great ship.""Then let's get on board."Luffy said.Satoru looked toward the slope. "Wait a bit longer.""Wait for what?" Zoro asked."Wait for... a ball.""?"As Satoru finished speaking, Usopp was seen rolling down, carried by his own giant package.Luffy calmly lifted his foot to block him, landing right on Usopp's face, helping him stop.This was the true "Foot Brake."
Chapter 63: The Formation of the Straw Hat PiratesUsopp had a unique way of making an entrance, and Luffy used a "foot brake" to stop him in his tracks.Meanwhile, Satoru climbed directly onto the ship and then up to the lookout tower. Looking out at the sea from such a high vantage point gave him a very different feeling."Usopp, have you... still decided to go out to sea?"Kaya asked. Although she tried her best to hold it back, the reluctance in her voice was still audible."Yes. Before my resolve wavers, I need to hurry out to sea.""Don't try to keep me here."Usopp replied as he adjusted his appearance, though he didn't have much of an 'image' left to maintain."I won't. I've had a feeling this would happen for a long time."Recalling the "lies" about sea adventures that Usopp used to tell her, Kaya knew that one day Usopp would truly set sail and become a real pirate."The next time I come back...""...I will tell you stories even more unbelievable than those lies."Usopp said solemnly.Satoru believed this. On this ship, the adventure of their Straw Hat Pirates had only just begun, and the things they would encounter would be even more exciting than imagined."I look forward to it."Kaya replied with a smile. It was the happiest smile Satoru had seen on her since he met her.With such a beauty waiting for him at home, this kid Usopp is winning at life.Usopp turned his head; Luffy and the others were already on board.Satoru remained in the lookout tower while Namiwent to steer the ship."Take care, everyone. Until we meet again."Usopp waved."Why?"Luffy leaned over the railing at the stern, resting his chin on it as he replied."Why? You're really heartless! I'm also going out to sea to be a pirate. Maybe if we meet in the future, it'll be..."Usopp was still there trying to explain.Zoro couldn't listen to any more of it. Leaning against the starboard railing, he looked at him sideways."What are you still rambling for? Get on the ship.""Hey! Even though this is the first time we've spoken, I'm actually very familiar with you."Satoru also shouted down from the lookout tower.Luffy picked up where he left off, "Aren't we already comrades?""This..."Usopp showed us a textbook example of being stunned. His brain's CPU was working fast—he should be happy now, right?Yes, it was indeed time to be happy."I'm the Captain, right?!"He jumped a meter high, which was enough to prove Usopp's joy.However, Luffy wasn't about to agree to a usurpation right off the bat."What nonsense are you saying! I'm the Captain!!"...Watching the silhouette of the going merry fade into the distance, Kaya and the three little brats hiding in the shadows shared the same thoughts.The sadness of parting, the persistence of dreams, trust in Usopp, and happiness for him taking his first step toward his ideal."Merry, I...""What are your orders, Miss?""I want to become a doctor. I'll wait for Usopp to return and treat his wounds.""Haha, you've certainly established a grand dream, Miss."Kaya didn't say she hoped Usopp wouldn't get hurt; instead, she wanted to treat his wounds. In her mind, it was impossible for Usopp to pursue his dream of becoming a warrior of the sea without getting injured. Since Usopp was prepared, there was no need for her to say sentimental things about not wanting him to get hurt.Meanwhile, the three children returned to the village road, timed it perfectly, and inhaled together to shout."The pirates are coming!!"They had taken over Usopp's "job."Ever since Usopp's mother fell seriously ill when he was a child, Usopp would shout this to her. 'The pirates are coming' meant his father had come back to get them. But until his mother died, Yasopp never returned.However, Usopp's mother told him that she was proud of her husband and hoped Usopp wouldn't hate his father.So, Usopp didn't hate Yasopp; instead, he took him as a role model. If there was any "hate," it was the desire to surpass him and become an even greater warrior of the sea... "Cheers!!""To our new comrade!"Over here, on the going merry, Luffy's group started a banquet.It was a banquet to welcome their new comrade, Usopp, and also to celebrate getting their own pirate ship.Now that they had a pirate ship, it was time to design a Jolly Roger."It's finished!"Looking at the symbol on Luffy's canvas, one could vaguely see it was a "skull" wearing a straw hat.But if they hung this thing up, people would die of laughter.Satoru thought to himself that it was a good thing he bought more than one piece of cloth."You have absolutely no artistic talent!""Let me do it."Usopp took the brush and got to work himself. A perfect... long-nosed skull Jolly Roger was finished.Luffy and Zoro each gave him a punch to the head."The pattern is completely different, okay!"Satoru thought, luckily he bought three pieces of cloth. "This is the last one, paint it properly!"After some tossing and turning, the Jolly Roger was painted and hung up, and the symbol of the skull wearing a straw hat was also painted on the sail.Now, the Straw Hat Pirates were truly and officially formed.
Chapter 64: Isn't This Plot Wrong?"Ah, I'm exhausted! So tired!!"After finishing the straw hat skull emblem on the going merry, Luffy and Usopp lay directly on the deck, complaining about being exhausted."I want food! Satoru!"Of the five people currently on the ship, Satoru had the best cooking skills."Ah, ah, alright!""I'll go cook."Satoru came down from the crow's nest. Cooking for Luffy was quite the ordeal. Fortunately, it would soon be Sanji's turn to take the stage.He could then "honorably retire" from the kitchen. Speaking of which, Satoru was already looking forward to the taste of Sanji's cooking... Time passed, and three days of sailing went by. Satoruestimated they were close to reaching the Baratie.After finishing lunch and eating, Satoru told Namithat the food was gone before heading up to the crow's nest, which had practically become his private domain.He listened to Nami below, scolding Luffy for his bottomless stomach, complaining that the month's worth of rations Kaya had prepared were gone in just three days.Satoru raised his right hand, whispered "good afternoon" to the Little White Snake on his wrist, and then turned the bracelet into earplugs. The moment he put them in, the whole world went silent.Unconcerned about the food situation, Satoruestimated they would reach the Baratie by evening, so he settled in for a sunbath and drifted off to sleep... "Ah... ROAR!!!"A powerful sound wave struck the small boat beside the going merry, and the resulting explosion sent the going merry reeling from the impact.The violent shaking jolted Satoru awake. He stood up instantly, his earplugs transforming back into a bracelet the moment he moved.Looking down, Satoru saw the going merry being pushed away by the waves. Debris from a wooden boat floated on the sea, alongside an unfamiliar pirate ship. Satoru scrutinized the pirate flag, but it didn't ring a bell.A burly man stood at the bow, nearly four meters tall. He wore golden armor and had Long Hair tied into a whip-like braid at the end, resembling a lion's tail.Satoru didn't recognize him."What on earth is happening here!!?""This plot isn't right, is it?"Filled with confusion, Satoru was carried away from the scene by the rapidly moving going merry.Only he and Usopp remained on the ship.Usopp tried to grab the helm to stop the ship, but he was caught in the rapidly spinning wheel and flung against the mast, seeing stars... The going merry, propelled by the explosion's shockwave, sped along until it ran aground on the shore of an island.Satoru finally jumped down from the crow's nest and gave the dazed Usopp a sharp slap to wake him up."Usopp! Usopp!!"Usopp slowly opened his eyes, looking dazed for a long while before snapping out of it. "Satoru! It was terrifying!! That giant guy opened his mouth and roared, and the small boat Luffy and Zoro were on was blown to smithereens!""The massive shockwave blasted the going merryall the way to this island!""Everyone is scattered; it's just the two of us now!"As Usopp wailed, Satoru remained utterly confused.Shouldn't the story be at the Baratie right now?Is this a movie plot?If so, he had no idea what was going on.Satoru had only seen two of the movies: the ones featuring Gild Tesoro and Golden Lion.But then again, if it was a movie, things would probably be fine. In the movies, even Imu would probably get slapped twice by Luffy... Satorucalmed Usopp down. "So, you're saying it's just the two of us on the ship now?"Usopp nodded. Satoru suddenly fell silent. Seeing the disappointment on his face, Usopp slumped over again, a dark aura hanging over him."That's so hurtful..."Satoru pulled Usopp up. "No, no, you have your strengths too, Usopp.""Like what?""...""Why don't you just tell me exactly what happened earlier?"Satoru changed the subject.Usopp sighed and recounted the events... "Honestly, he eats so much! A month's worth of food, gone in just three days!""Let's see if there are any islands or towns nearby."While Nami was complaining about Luffy, she was also studying the sea chart, looking for nearby islands where they might find food.Zoro, much like Satoru, had fallen asleep against the railing right after eating.Usopp and Luffy were lying in the middle of the deck, watching the blue sky, white clouds, and the fluttering pirate flag.While they were all "preoccupied," a small boat had snuck up from behind, and thieves had entered the cabin and made off with all their treasure.Was this really the future Four Emperors Crews?It goes to show that you shouldn't get too distracted, especially when sailing the high seas.By the time Nami noticed, the thieves had already moved their two large bags of treasure onto their small boat.Nami felt insulted. She was usually the one doing the stealing; no one stole from her!"What do you think you're doing!!"Her shout drew the attention of Luffy, Zoro, and Usopp."Hmm? Nami, what are they doing?"Luffy asked, confused.Nami facepalmed. "That's our treasure! Get it back, now!""What!"Luffy couldn't let that slide. As the three thieves mocked them, he stretched his arms and launched himself over, smashing their cabin to smithereens.Devil Fruit users were rare in the East Blue, and the three thieves were just as shocked as everyone else who had seen it before.Indeed, the three of them were no match for Luffy.However, that was when the burly, red-haired man Satoru had seen earlier made his appearance."Captain Golden Dragon!""Save us!!"Seeing the burly man and his pirate ship, the three thieves shouted for help. The only response was a raspy voice uttering a single word: "Gold."Golden Dragon raised his hands to gather power, golden energy radiating from his body. To the uninitiated, it looked like a Saiyan transformation."It's that!""Run!"Seeing Golden Dragon's stance, the three thieves immediately dove into the sea. Even then, they clung desperately to the treasure bags, knowing that if they didn't bring the gold back, Golden Dragonwould kill them anyway.Then came the roar that had woken Satoru up. Blue sound waves erupted from Golden Dragon's mouth, blowing the small boat to pieces.Instead of hitting the going merry, he blew up his own boat. Satoru had no idea what this "genius" was thinking.With the boat gone, Luffy fell into the sea, and Zoroimmediately dove in after him.Nami had somehow managed to sneak onto Golden Dragon's ship—truly a professional thief.Meanwhile, Satoru and Usopp were carried away by the going merry as it was pushed back by the shockwave.As for Golden Dragon, he sailed off contentedly after destroying his own boat.
Chapter 65: The Adventure of Golden IslandSatoru, who originally thought he was heading to the Baratie, fell asleep and directly entered the story of a movie.The good news was that he hadn't seen this movie.The even better news was that he had been separated from Luffy and the others, with only Usopp as his teammate remaining...."That's how it was, that's what just happened.""That was terrifying; with one roar, that big man shattered the small boat to pieces.""As expected, only by setting out to sea do you realize the wonders of the great ocean."Usopp finished recounting the recent events to Satoru and then marveled at the wonders of the sea, or rather, the wonders of the Devil Fruit."That big man named Golden Dragon is a Paramecia-type, Sound Wave Devil Fruit user.""That's why he could spit out powerful sound waves that blew up the small boat.""Besides him on their ship, there is one more who uses a sword; the others aren't much of a threat."Satoru analyzed the situation. Not much of a threat. "The main thing now is to regroup and snatch the treasure back."As for how much treasure Satoru and his group had, it naturally depended on how much treasure the opposing ship had; they would have as much treasure as the enemy did.Nami strongly agreed.Usopp was confused. "How are you so familiar with them?""I see them with my eyes."Satoru held up two fingers and pointed to his own eyes. "I am also a Devil Fruit user; I can see the abilities on others and then imitate their powers.""That's amazing!"Usopp's mouth dropped open. During the battle on the slope, he hadn't seen Satoru take action, so he didn't know Satoru's strength.Actually, Satoru didn't know his own strength either. If he used all his trump cards, nothing in the first half of the Grand Line should be able to stop him.Except for Marineford and the Four Emperors who liked to wander around, of course.As for the Shichibukai, some he could probably fight, and some he couldn't.But without using his trump cards, his strength was probably about the same as Luffy's right now...."It's not that powerful, just average. Third in the world.""Let's go. We should go to the island to see if there's any news or clues. Waiting on the ship all the time isn't good either,"Satoru suggested.The thought of Golden Dragon's sonic cannon made Usopp scared stiff. He clutched his chest weakly."I've caught a disease where I'll die if I board the ship. Can I wait for you guys to come back on the ship?"Satoru smiled, defeating magic with magic."I've caught a disease where I'll die if you don't get off the ship with me.""You wouldn't just watch someone die, would you?"Usopp: "..."...A seagull flew over and perched on the mast of the going merry, about to relieve itself.Satoru on the shore didn't even look, raising his hand and firing a shot. Another seagull lost its dream of getting fries at the pier."Satoru, your marksmanship!"Usopp was shocked again, remembering what Luffyhad said: his father, Yasopp, was considered half of Satoru's master."I'm also very good at shooting. We can have a competition when things settle down."Satoru replied. Usopp didn't answer; he was contemplating how accurate he would be if he shot with his slingshot.The two continued walking. They hadn't gone a few steps when, as the saying goes, enemies meet on a narrow road.Shortly after disembarking, they ran into Golden Dragon's group who had also come ashore.They had clearly been spotted.Before Satoru could make a move, Usopp somehow procured a wooden barrel and hid himself inside it upside down....Golden Dragon's lackeys surrounded them.Usopp stuck out his foot, foolishly hoping to escape now.It was a case of the thief protesting his innocence too much; the barrel was immediately flipped over."Ah! The weather is nice today!""Time to work, time to work!"Usopp chose to play dumb. Even though Golden Dragon and his men weren't smart, they weren't idiots."Who are you two?!"The one who spoke was the leader of the three thieves who had stolen Luffy and the others' treasure earlier. He had yellow hair and was simply called Yellow Hair.Usopp hid behind Satoru and didn't answer."They're probably just hoodlums who also came looking for Uran's gold."Yellow Hair made his own guess when Satoru and the others didn't speak."Uran? Gold?" Satoru repeated the two words with a questioning tone.He seemed to have heard of them, but only vaguely."Aren't you?""You didn't come for the gold left behind by the legendary pirate Uran, who supposedly possessed one-third of the world's gold?""Why would you come to this godforsaken, desolate island?""Gold! It's mine!!"Yellow Hair explained helpfully.When gold was mentioned, Golden Dragon also happily revealed his "city-toppling" smile.Satoru confirmed it; he really hadn't seen this movie.At the same time, he silently grumbled: one-third of the world's gold.Isn't that bragging too much? For an East Blue pirate to possess one-third of the world's gold, what would the Celestial Dragons and the Gold Emperor think?If it were said he possessed one-third of the East Blue's gold, Satoru might believe it."Forget it, no need to waste words with them.""Goras, kill them.""The gold can only be mine!!"Golden Dragon tossed three gold coins to Goras, who was tall and dressed like an Indian, standing beside him.Goras took the coins, smiled, put the gold away, and drew the massive cleaver from behind him.Usopp broke out in a cold sweat from fear, but Satoru showed no reaction.Nami, observing from Golden Dragon's ship with binoculars, relaxed her worried heart after recalling Satoru's strength.She had already overheard Golden Dragon and the others talking about Uran on the ship.What she cared about now was the treasure map they held, which showed where the gold was hidden.This was the same thing Satoru was thinking.Gold.Don't pirates love treasure and treasure hunting the most?"Wait, don't be so hasty.""If you kill us, you will regret it.""Since you are here looking for gold, you must have a treasure map, right?""Can't you read it?"Satoru's words made Golden Dragon stop Goras."How did you know!""I guessed. Treasure maps always have so many strange riddles.""However, do you know who is standing before you?""Who is it?""It is the famous Treasure Hunter, the ultimate treasure-seeking adventurer, Usopp!"Satoru moved aside, extended both hands toward Usopp, and introduced him grandly.Usopp's eyes widened. Why was it coming to him?!But immediately, he met Satoru's gaze and saw Satoru wink as a signal.Usopp understood. Lying was his strongest ability, so his aura immediately swelled, and he put his hands on his hips."That's right!""This great man is the famous Treasure Hunter, Usopp!""This is my assistant, Satoru.""You can't read the treasure map? I'll help you read it. Once the gold is found, it's all yours; we don't want any."Hearing that Usopp and the others didn't want the gold, Golden Dragon readily took out the treasure map.
Chapter 66: The Tail Points East"Walk from the southern hills, see the whale facing west, the tail..."...After listening to Satoru and Usopp's bluffs, Golden Dragon and his men actually believed them. Sure enough, in the world of pirates, there are smart people, but there are also plenty of idiots."Really! Then tell me quickly, where is the gold hidden?"There wasn't a hint of a request in Golden Dragon's tone, only threats.Usopp swallowed hard, took the treasure map, opened it, and saw a line of text written at the bottom." "Walk from the southern hills, see the whale facing west, the tail..."The remaining words were obscured by stains and couldn't be read clearly."The words below can't be seen. Aren't you a treasure hunter? Can you decipher it?"The yellow-haired man said. Golden Dragonsnorted, as if he would kill Usopp in the next second if he couldn't decipher it."O... Of course! I am a treasure hunter, after all!""Hmm, the whale faces west, the tail... If the whale's head is facing west, then the tail must be pointing east.""See the whale facing west, the tail pointing east—the treasure is at the spot the tail is pointing to?"Without thinking too much, Usopp almost blurted it out, though he was filled with doubt himself in the last sentence.But as soon as it came out, it shocked Golden Dragon and his men."So that's how it is!!""The whale faces west, the tail points east!""Gold! Gold!!""Boys, let's go!"Golden Dragon was very happy, as if he had already seen the gold appear before him. He gave the order and then turned to walk towards the southern hills.The yellow-haired man pushed Usopp and Satorualong.Usopp asked, "Do we have to go too?"Before the yellow-haired man's hand could even touch Satoru, Satoru had already started walking forward of his own accord, leaving the yellow-haired man grasping at air."Look how sensible he is.""You can't leave until we find the gold. Don't worry, as long as we find the gold, the Captain (low probability) will let you go.""Stop talking nonsense, let's go."Seeing that Satoru wasn't resisting, Usopp had no choice but to put away the treasure map and catch up with Satoru. Although he didn't know what Satoru was thinking, he could only rely on him now.Satoru was thinking that although he didn't know how the plot would unfold, under the arrangement of fate, he knew that Luffy and the others would arrive on the island and rendezvous with them.Don't rush to act yet, let's wait and see. Perhaps the process of finding the treasure will require digging or something similar; these are all free laborers. No rush, no rush.Meanwhile, Nami, who was watching from the ship, couldn't figure out Satoru's thoughts this time."What is this guy doing!!""He has the treasure map already, why doesn't he defeat them!"Putting away her telescope, Nami complained, but then immediately got off the ship and went ashore to see the situation....On the other side of the island, Ganzo, who ran an oden shop at sea, had also docked his boat on the shore of this Golden Island and ordered his grandson, Tobio, to wash the dishes.Some time ago, Tobio had been captured by Golden Dragon and forced into hard labor. He had been staying in the cabin that Luffy smashed.After Zoro saved Luffy with a wooden plank, Tobiohad also climbed onto the plank.Just when they were worried about where to go and how to find Satoru and the others, Luffy smelled the aroma of oden in the air, picked up a wooden stick, and paddled over quickly.Afterward, they saw the oden shop at sea run by Ganzo and learned that Tobio was Ganzo's grandson.But after eating plate after plate of oden, Luffy and Zoro were satisfied, but they had no money to pay.Then the two were wrapped layer by layer in iron chains by Ganzo and locked up tight."Old man, we will pay you back, just let us go first."Zoro said.Behind him, Luffy's straw hat was blown away by the wind and carried over to Tobio. He immediately shouted, his voice drowning out Zoro's."Hey, Tobio, help me catch the straw hat! That is something I cherish very much."Tobio nodded and caught the straw hat, but he was so angered by Ganzo's words about what was so good about being a pirate and wanting him to inherit the small shop that he stomped and broke several plates, then ran off in a huff. Seeing this, Luffyimmediately took Zoro and chased after him."We will pay the money! Old man!""Tobio, give me back my straw hat!"Luffy shouted, taking Zoro into the forest.Luffy shouted for Tobio to stop, and Zoro shouted for Luffy to stop.But no one stopped.Luffy had a clear view and would duck when he saw branches blocking the way, so all the branches slammed into the back of Zoro's head, who was running behind him."Bastard, Luffy, watch where you're going!!"...Running and running, by the time Zoro's green hair was covered in green leaves, Luffy finally caught up to Tobio.Tobio returned the straw hat to Luffy and at the same time declared that he wanted to become a pirate like Uran, not like his weak grandfather, guarding an oden stall for his whole life.The three continued walking forward. Zoro simply stretched out his legs, finding it quite comfortable to have Luffy carry him, but a sudden loud noise made Luffy dash off quickly again.Whoosh, Zoro and the back of his head were in for another painful experience....The scene shifts to Satoru and his group.The noise just now was caused by Goras slashing through obstacles on the road with his sword.Goras's swordsmanship was very strange; when he slashed down, it wasn't a clean cut, but an explosion.The obstacles were blasted to pieces, and even a portion of the ground was shaved off.Usopp was shocked, while Satoru thought this move was not bad and decided to take it.Soon, they saw the whale depicted on the treasure map, a giant stone-carved whale.The head faced west, and the tail indeed pointed east. Golden Dragon couldn't wait to lead everyone to the east, and sure enough, they saw a building that looked a bit like an ancient ruin."Gold, where is it??" Golden Dragon asked.Just as Usopp was thinking of an excuse, Namisuddenly popped out from in front of the building."You really betrayed father! I misjudged you, Stephen, Sloche!"With tears streaming down her face, Nami shouted at Satoru and Usopp.Acting is one of the required courses for a thief.Usopp was stunned, a trail of snot hanging from his nose, but Satoru guessed Nami's intention and walked over with Usopp."We were forced into this, miss!"Nami glared fiercely at Satoru, though it was unclear if it was a real glare or a fake one."Shut up! As Uran's daughter, I won't forgive you!""You are Uran's daughter?!""Then what about the gold? Where is the gold!"Golden Dragon immediately asked.Usopp reacted at this moment and joined in the act."Don't worry, miss, I won't tell them that the gold is right under their feet and that it will take three days and three nights of digging to get it."It was clearly nonsense; digging for three days and three nights would have dug through the earth.But the idiots on the other side believed it."Three days and three nights!""That's a long time. Should we start digging now? Captain?"Golden Dragon gave a scary smile, appearing confident, but before he could say anything...Luffy and Zoro appeared on the cliff above to the left.