Luffy's words made Kaya realize with dawning horror that someone in her household had already fallen victim to Kuro's claws. And then she remembered.
She had given the entire staff a day off at Klahadore's suggestion, to celebrate his three-year anniversary. All except one. Merry, who had served the household since before she was born, had remained to manage things in case of emergency.
"Merry...!? No...!!"
"Hey, Kaya!!"
Refusing to believe it, desperate to confirm it for herself—or to save him—Kaya bolted toward the mansion.
"Where are you looking?"
"!!"
Rushing off alone was dangerous. But in that moment of distraction, Kuro had circled into Luffy's blind spot, his right hand raised high.
"Die."
The five blades came slashing down straight toward Luffy's face. Kuro was certain this would finish him.
"WHAT...!!?"
Contrary to all expectation, the five blades shattered just as before. Kuro was dumbfounded. He'd specifically targeted flesh, not the steel-plated clothes. He couldn't comprehend what had happened.
"Sorry. Left out one detail."
"!!"
In that instant, Luffy thrust his right hand toward Kuro, his lips curling into a mocking smirk.
"Tags work on living things too."
"You bas—"
"[PASTE]!!"
A tag was affixed to Kuro. It was the extracted combat damage from a bandit who had once served as Luffy's reluctant caretaker during his childhood training—the crippling, immobilizing injuries inflicted in a fight against pirates.
Luffy had cut that tag away long ago.
"!!!!"
In an instant, unimaginable agony—burns, blunt trauma, and shattered bones—ravaged Kuro's entire body. He couldn't even scream. He just collapsed.
Luffy noted the distinct lack of resistance compared to his fight with Arlong.
'Didn't feel any pushback like with Arlong. He was the highest bounty in the East Blue. This guy's been rusty, playing butler for three years. Guess the stronger the will, the harder the tag is to apply. Something to work on. More importantly—Kaya.'
Deeper thought could wait. It was a problem for another time. Right now, he had to go after her.
"Luffy, what's going on?"
The commotion had woken Nami, who had been on boat watch. Beside her was Nojiko, who had apparently never returned after bringing supplies the night before.
"Nami! Tie up this butler here! He belongs to Kaya's mansion!"
"Huh?! Why?!"
The sheer absurdity of a butler being here, let alone needing to be bound, was too much to process. But Luffy didn't have time to explain.
"I'll explain later! Also, Makino's passed out naked in the forest—go get her!"
"WHY?!"
Ignoring Nami's bewildered shouts, Luffy sprinted toward the mansion…
"Merry! Stay with me, Merry!!"
Inside the mansion, Kaya's anguished cries echoed from the back rooms.
Luffy had been wary of more enemies, but if Kaya was unharmed, the area was likely secure. He followed her voice.
"Ah, Luffy! Merry, he's—he's—!"
"There's a lot of blood, but he's breathing. That means he'll make it. Step back a bit."
At Luffy's command, Kaya reluctantly moved away from the butler's side. Merry's breaths were shallow and rapid. Luffy extended his hand over the wounded man.
"[Detach]"
He cut away the information pertaining to "injury" from Merry's body. Wounds sealed, and the old butler's ragged gasps steadied into calm, even breathing. The danger had passed.
"He's fine. Wounds are closed."
"...Thank goodness... truly..."
Tears of relief streamed down Kaya's face, heavy as gems. But Luffy noticed the way her hands trembled—not solely from joy.
A report was made, and Commodore Purin-Purin arrived with almost absurd speed.
When Captain Kuro was handed over at the northern cove, the Commodore fixed Luffy with a look of weary disbelief. "You are rookie adventurers, correct? How in the world did you manage to defeat a pirate of this notoriety?"
He even extended an invitation—"Would you consider joining the Marines?"—which Luffy politely but firmly declined.
Luffy had no desire to stand out. And Kaya wished to avoid causing the villagers any unnecessary anxiety. So, with both their wishes in mind, the incident was kept quiet.
The Marines, for their part, were likely eager to bury the fact that the man they'd supposedly executed three years ago had been a decoy. Commodore Purin-Purin seemed genuinely displeased as he relayed his superiors' decision.
"Master Luffy... thank you for protecting Lady Kaya."
When Merry regained consciousness, his unblemished body made him briefly wonder if the attack by Klahadore had been a nightmare. But the destruction in the room and Kaya's trembling explanation brought a grim reality crashing down.
Still, he bowed his head in deep gratitude, for Luffy defeating Kuro, for saving his life, and for shielding his precious mistress.
But while the wounds were closed, the lost blood was not restored. The ever-fussing Kaya insisted, "You must rest today," and firmly tucked him into bed.
The tumultuous day had ended. By the time a moment of peace finally settled over the mansion, night had fallen.
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