"How do you know it took me over four years to master the Silent Step?"

Kuro was already shocked to see Alex copy his Silent Step technique in an instant. But now, hearing Alex speak of the four years it took to master it, he was even more shaken. He couldn't fathom how Alex knew such a hidden detail.

"I don't owe you an answer."

Alex lunged with a punch, but Kuro dodged swiftly.

"Those strange eyes of yours... must be the power of a Devil Fruit, right?"

Using Silent Step, Kuro zipped behind Alex, and his twin Cat Claws slashed fiercely toward Alex's back.

"Even if you know this, it won't help you. All you need to understand is that I'm going to beat you bloody and send you flying!"

Alex shifted with his own Silent Step, narrowly evading the attack and appearing beside Kuro.

Kuro saw a blur—and then Alex vanished. The next moment, before he could react, Alex's knee slammed brutally into his gut.

"Argh!!"

Kuro folded like a shrimp from the blow, groaning in agony.

"You always looked down on Usopp, calling him a useless liar, but there's one thing where he surpasses you by far—and it's only a matter of time before he truly surpasses you in everything. You can't even see that, yet you dare to act superior!"

Without giving Kuro a chance to breathe, Alex followed up with a fierce punch to Kuro's left cheek, sending him flying through the air.

Boom!

Kuro soared sideways and upward, crashing into a rocky wall at the top of the slope, smashing a massive chunk out of the cliff.

Thud!

He landed sprawled on the ground. His left cheek was swelling rapidly, but his expression remained eerily calm as he stared up at the blue sky. Beneath the empty lenses of his glasses, his eyes burned with undisguised killing intent.

"Am I dreaming?"

"Captain Kuro… he didn't even get to fight back."

"Who is that kid? How does he know Silent Step?"

"Did you see his eyes? They're like a demon's—so terrifying!"

The pirates at the bottom of the slope gasped. Seeing Kuro sent flying by one punch was shocking enough, but when they caught a glimpse of Alex's glowing, blood-red pupils, terror gripped their hearts. None of them could believe their invincible Captain Kuro was being dominated so thoroughly.

Elsewhere, Jango—who had been aiding Butchie in fighting Zoro—also saw Kuro's defeat and froze. Alex's earlier words came rushing back to him:

"You say that because you haven't felt how hard my punches are."

Jango had thought Alex was just a naive kid. He hadn't expected him to have this kind of power—his punches really were that hard!

Zoro, meanwhile, used the distraction to widen the distance from Butchie, who was still wildly attacking under Jango's hypnosis. Butchie's strength had multiplied, enough to shatter the ground with a single stomp. Even Zoro had trouble keeping up with both of them.

Now that Jango was distracted, Zoro saw the perfect chance to turn the tide.

"Usopp Pirate Crew, attack!"

"You villain, prepare to be punished!"

"Evil-doer! Taste justice!"

Just as Alex approached the downed Kuro, three little kids burst out of the trees—Onion, Pepper, and Carrot—armed with a shovel, a stick, and a small iron pot. They charged at Kuro, whacking him furiously.

"Take that, you bad guy!"

"Damn pirate! You threatened the peace of our village!"

"You bullied our captain—this is unforgivable!"

The trio had secretly followed Kaya here. After witnessing everything Kuro had done, they were seething with rage. Seeing him lying motionless, they leapt into action, throwing all their strength into beating him with their childish weapons.

"What are those brats doing?!"

"They'll anger Captain Kuro!"

The pirates below turned pale with fright, panicked at the sight of Kuro being pummeled by three kids.

Jango's face went stiff too. Knowing Kuro well, he realized if Kuro snapped, they'd all be in serious trouble.

"You've already lost to me once—don't get in my way again!"

Zoro clenched a sword in his mouth, holding two more in each hand in a cross-guard stance. As Butchie charged him, Zoro's pitch-black eyes sharpened, and a feral aura exploded from his body like a predator ready to strike.

"Demon Slash!"

With a single move, Zoro carved a deep X-shaped wound into Butchie's chest, ending the fight in one brutal stroke.

Jango tried to intervene, but it was too late. Facing Zoro's overwhelming presence, he dared not make another move.

"What are you kids doing here?! Get out now!"

Usopp shouted in panic upon seeing the three kids. This battlefield was no place for them. If they angered Kuro, they could easily die.

"Captain, we're not leaving! You're fighting here—we want to help!"

"That's right! We'll fight the bad guys too!"

"Running would tarnish the Usopp Pirate Crew's honor!"

The three kids declared proudly beside Usopp.

Just then, Kuro stood back up. He adjusted his lensless glasses, ignoring the children entirely.

"Waaahhh!!"

The kids turned around and saw Kuro's cold, murderous gaze. Their eyes bulged in terror, and they let out shrill screams.

Seeing them in danger, Usopp struggled to his feet and shouted, "Stop! I won't let you hurt them!"

"Oh, so you can still move? But you're safer lying down. You think you can stop me from killing them?"

Kuro smirked at the barely-standing Usopp.

"Even if I can't beat you, I'll still protect them. They're members of the Usopp Pirate Crew, and I'm their captain—a brave warrior of the sea! I won't let you harm anyone in our village!"

Usopp's body was weak and battered, but his voice was firm.

"Hahaha! Look at this pathetic guy—still talking big."

"He must be about to cry! What a joke!"

The pirates at the bottom of the slope burst into mocking laughter at Usopp's bravado.

Boom!

Suddenly, a huge rock slammed down in front of them—hurled by Alex, who had picked it up from the cliff wall. The pirates fell silent in fright.

"Anyone laughs again, and I'll kill them."

Alex's crimson eyes swept over them, and the pirates felt like demons were watching. A chill ran down their spines—they couldn't laugh even if they wanted to.

Kuro didn't even look at Onion and the others. He walked past them, staring coldly at the fallen Usopp before turning to Alex with a sneer.

"You think I'm inferior to that worthless liar? You think I'll be surpassed by the son of some third-rate pirate? That joke's not even funny."

He raised his foot to kick Usopp—only to have it blocked by Alex's foot.

"You still don't get it, do you?"

As Alex said this, Kuro disappeared with another Silent Step—trying to outflank Alex again with his Cat Claws poised for the kill.

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