"Hmm, and it seems like it's been consumed long-term."
Rosen's palm glowed with a faint green light, which drilled into Kaya's wrist and flowed throughout her body.
Kaya suddenly felt something surging up her throat.
Immediately after, Kaya couldn't help but open her mouth and spit out a mouthful of black blood.
"Grandpa, what is this?" Merry asked worriedly.
"I am detoxifying Kaya," Rosen said.
"Thank you, Grandpa."
"Kaya is my granddaughter," Rosen said lightly, his gaze falling back on Kuro: "And that is?"
"This is Klarabart, he is a shipwrecked sailor. Mama and Papa found him unconscious on the beach," Merry said.
Rosen's face showed a strange smile.
"Is that so?" Rosen smiled: "Speaking of which, Klarabart bears a slight resemblance to an acquaintance of mine."
"Oh, Grandpa, what do you do?"
"Me? I've joined a pirate crew now, and I'll be setting sail again soon. This time, I just came back to see my lovely granddaughter."
"Grandpa, are you really a pirate?" Kaya didn't feel scared at all; instead, her face was filled with excitement and thrill.
During the years she was ill, Usopp had always told her stories of pirates.
This also filled her with curiosity and longing for pirates.
"Yes, it's a pirate crew destined to stand at the pinnacle of the World."
"You said Klarabart looks like an acquaintance of yours? That's impossible; Klarabart is a very, very good person," Kaya said.
"Yes, I can see he's a good person, but he really does resemble a heinous pirate," Rosen said: "That's someone who died several years ago. He liked to use various tricks to deceive his victims, and several years ago, I even heard that he faked his death in battle, then pretended to be shipwrecked, infiltrated a wealthy family's home, and then slowly poisoned the Miss of that family.
Before the Miss died, he would find a hypnotist to make her write a will leaving her inheritance to him, and then he would kill the hypnotist as well.
This way, he could acquire vast assets and legitimately wash his hands clean, with no one knowing his past identity."
Everyone present felt a chill and unconsciously glanced at Kuro.
At this moment, Kuro's face had turned cold, and a faint killing intent emanated from him.
"Let me think what that guy's name was… Oh right, his name was Byakki Kuro."
Kuro finally gave up hiding. His hands suddenly burst open, and then ten slender blades were fitted onto his fingers, like cat claws.
Kuro pushed his glasses with his palm, his face clouded: "How troublesome. My plan was so perfect, why… why did you have to come and ruin my plan?"
"Klarabart, are you… are you really Byakki Kuro?" Merry asked incredulously.
"Shut up, you fool! You always talk down to me with that condescending attitude. You're the person I hate most." Kuro moved, suddenly appearing in front of Merry, his sharp claws swiping towards her.
Just as the sharp claws were about to tear Merry apart, Kuro suddenly froze.
A Shadow extended from Rosen's feet and connected with Kuro's Shadow.
Kuro looked at Rosen with difficulty out of the corner of his eye.
Rosen's face showed a smile: "In my home, in front of my lovely granddaughter, you want to kill my loyal butler, Kuro. Are you perhaps not taking me seriously enough?"
"You… you are a Devil Fruit user?"
"Yes, I am a Shadow-Shadow Fruit user," Rosen said.
At this moment, Kaya and Merry also had to believe that the meticulous and kind Klarabart in their eyes was the notorious great pirate Byakki Kuro.
Kuro suddenly shouted: "Miss Kaya, this guy is not your Grandpa at all! He is Byakki Kuro, and I am just a small pirate under his command. The one next to him is the hypnotist."
"I am a student of Teacher now!" Jango immediately showed his loyalty. If he didn't choose a side now, it would be his turn to be dealt with later.
Regardless of whether Kuro's words would be effective, Rosen was currently in control of absolute Combat strength.
As long as this didn't change, Rosen would have absolute authority here.
"Kid, you don't seem to realize your situation. Right now, even your body doesn't belong to you."
...
In the restaurant on the small island, Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and Usopp were eating and drinking.
Usopp was describing the situation in Syrup Village, as well as his love for the noble Miss Kaya.
Luffy was gobbling down food while laughing heartily.
"So, do you like Kaya?"
"Hmph hmph… I am a man who is going to be the commander of eighty million pirates. How could I abandon my dream for a little bit of romance?"
"So amazing!" Luffy's eyes sparkled.
"Miss Kaya's family must be very rich, right?" Nami's eyes also sparkled: "Let's go see the girl you like."
Luffy immediately cheered, and everyone else followed him out, intending to see what the most perfect girl in Usopp's words was like.
But just then, a figure blocked their path.
"Hey, Usopp, this guy doesn't look like a good person."
Usopp looked at Kuro in front of him: "He's Miss Kaya's personal butler, Klarabart… Klarabart, what are you doing here?"
"The Miss has grown tired of your constant disturbances, so she sent me to kill you," Kuro said coldly.
"Impossible! How could Kaya give such an outrageous order?" Usopp said, flustered.
Kuro adjusted his glasses, and with a swish of his hands, ten sharp blades popped out.
At the same time, half of his face was covered in black.
Everyone's hearts trembled slightly.
Swoosh—
Kuro instantly vanished before their eyes.
"So fast!" Luffy and Zoro immediately entered battle mode.
The next moment, Kuro appeared behind Usopp.
Just as his claws were about to pierce Usopp's back neck, Zoro's sword blade cut across, piercing exactly into the gap between Kuro's claws, blocking this fatal attack.
Swoosh swoosh—
Kuro flipped backward and retreated. Luffy seized the opportunity: "Gum-Gum Gatling!"
Kuro's body swayed continuously, and all of Luffy's attacks passed through Kuro's afterimages.
Kuro suddenly lunged at Luffy. Luffy didn't have time to react, and his arm was already scratched by Kuro.
Just as Kuro was about to attack Luffy again, Zoro once again blocked a fatal blow for Luffy.
But Zoro still wanted to press his advantage, and Kuro retreated again.
"Troublesome guy," Zoro frowned.
"Zoro, be careful, this guy is a bit formidable," Luffy said, watching Kuro warily.
Silent Step! Kuro's body swayed violently, transforming into a ghost-like figure as he attacked the two.
Luffy and Zoro hadn't even reacted, and several wounds had already appeared on their bodies.
But the two remained unfazed, always maintaining a vigilant posture, as if they were not the ones injured.
This Kuro was definitely the strongest enemy they had encountered since setting sail, without a doubt.
That strange movement technique, a speed too fast for the naked eye to catch.
Suddenly, a gleam flashed in Luffy's eyes. Now's the time!
Luffy suddenly inhaled, inflating his body into a giant balloon.
Kuro, who was charging forward, directly crashed into Luffy's stomach and was then bounced away by the suddenly inflated Luffy.
And in that instant, Zoro unleashed three swords at once.
Three-Sword Style: Lion's Song!
Kuro, who was sent flying backward, flipped his body, using his ten claws to parry Zoro's attack in mid-air, then flipped over, stomping his feet hard on the ground, and burst forth with even greater speed, sweeping past Zoro.
Several scars were left on Zoro's chest. Zoro sharply turned around, attempting to strike Kuro.
But Kuro once again disappeared behind Zoro, reappearing in front of him in an instant.
Gum-Gum Pistol!
Boom—
A powerful punch wind whistled past. Kuro immediately stopped, the punch wind brushing past his face.
In less than thirty seconds of engagement, Luffy and Zoro were already covered in wounds.
In contrast, Kuro remained spotless.
Kuro adjusted his collar, his gaze towards Luffy and Zoro filled with disdain.
"Are today's small pirates really this weak?" Kuro said provocatively.
And his words ignited Luffy and Zoro's competitive spirit.
Gum-Gum Storm!
Three-Sword Style: Eight Hundred Pound Cannon!
The two erupted with full power, their speed, strength, and momentum several times stronger than before.
But Kuro still moved leisurely, and the two's attacks consistently failed to even graze Kuro's clothes.
"Weak! Too weak! Both weak and slow, haven't you eaten?"
In an instant, Kuro left several more wounds on the two.
And Luffy and Zoro were getting frustrated, but the more annoyed they became, the more relaxed Kuro seemed.
Suddenly, Luffy's fist hit the nearby mountain wall, and the fist bounced back at a perfect right angle.
Boom—
Kuro's back took a heavy hit, and he stumbled forward a step.
It was this momentary mistake that threw his footwork into disarray.
Luffy and Zoro seized this instant opportunity, instantly unleashing their full offensive.
Fists and sword slashes rained down wildly on Kuro's body.
One moment he was strolling leisurely, the next he was covered in wounds.
Ten seconds later, Kuro lay on the ground.
"See if you still dare to look down on us!" Luffy shouted, raising his eyebrows in triumph, clenching his fist.
"You really are weak," the black half of Kuro's face spoke: "Kuro, I gave you a chance, but you couldn't grasp it. Now it's my turn."
Just then, Kuro's body began to be completely corroded by black, and then Kuro stood up straight in an extremely anti-gravity manner.
"Careful! This guy seems to have another trick up his sleeve," Luffy and Zoro watched Kuro warily.
"Now, Round Two begins," a grotesque smile appeared on Black Kuro's face.
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