The wind carried the scent of salt and adventure as our ship neared Syrup Village. White gulls screeched above as Luffy, Nami, and Zoro stood at the bow, staring at the approaching island.
"So, what's this place like?" Luffy asked, stretching his arms behind his head.
I exhaled, closing my book. "Quiet little village. Not much happens here."
That was a lie.
Usopp, a storyteller with a heart bigger than his reputation, lived here. And lurking in the shadows was Captain Kuro, a man who traded his infamous pirate life for a scheme of deceit and murder. I knew what was coming, but it wasn't my job to change fate—only to play my part in it.
The Liar and His Crew
As we stepped onto the shore, laughter and rapid footsteps echoed through the village. Then—
"THE PIRATES ARE COMING!!!"
A familiar voice rang out as a lanky, long-nosed man bolted across the town square, flailing his arms.
Luffy blinked. "What's his deal?"
"That's Usopp," I murmured, suppressing a smirk.
Right on cue, three small figures ran behind him—his loyal crew, the kids Ninjin, Piiman, and Tamanegi.
"Captain Usopp! The villagers aren't buying it!" Ninjin yelled.
Usopp skidded to a stop and turned dramatically. "Hahaha! That is because they fear my presence! As they should! For I am the great Captain Usopp! Feared by all who sail these seas!"
Luffy, amused, grinned widely. "He's funny!"
"Or delusional," Nami muttered, crossing her arms.
Zoro sighed. "Another idiot. Great."
Feeling mischievous, I leaned toward Usopp. "Wow! Captain Usopp? You must have an insane bounty! How much? 50 million? 100?"
Usopp's face paled before he coughed and puffed his chest. "Ahem! My bounty is—uh—too high to count! Even the Marines fear writing it down!"
Nami shot me a knowing glance. Why was she looking at me like that?
The Meeting with Kaya
After a round of bickering, we followed Usopp up the hill, toward a large, elegant mansion.
"My friend lives here," Usopp explained, suddenly serious. "She's kind, but… well, she's sick."
Kaya. A girl trapped in a gilded cage of weakness and loneliness.
At the gates, we met Klahadore, Kaya's butler. He greeted us with an air of politeness, but something in his gaze made my skin crawl.
"Pirates?" Klahadore's smile was sharp. "I see. And what brings you to Lady Kaya's residence?"
Luffy grinned. "We're looking for a ship!"
Klahadore's smile remained, but his eyes hardened. "A ship, you say? How interesting."
I was watching him carefully. Kuro, I know who you are.
Revealing the Truth: The Bounty Paper
That night, I accessed the System Store and purchased a Marine Bounty Paper (10 Berries).
[Name: Captain Kuro] [Wanted: Dead or Alive] [Bounty: 16,000,000 Berries]
The next day, when we visited Kaya again, I pulled out the paper and let my eyes widen in fake shock. "Wait a minute… Klahadore…?!"
Kaya tilted her head. "Huh? What's wrong?"
I slowly lifted the paper. "You look just like…" I turned it around, revealing Kuro's bounty.
The reaction was instant.
Klahadore's face twitched. His hands, once folded neatly, tightened. "What a ridiculous accusation," he murmured.
Kaya frowned. "That… that can't be true."
Usopp, however, wasn't laughing. "Wait a damn second… this is real?!"
Kuro sighed and adjusted his glasses. "Tch. How bothersome."
Then, like a viper striking, he moved. A flash of steel, a deadly intent.
I was already moving.
The Battle Against Kuro & The Black Cat Crew
Kuro's Silent Step was fast—but I was faster.
Sukuna Template: 15% Progressed.
As he aimed his claws at Kaya, I intercepted, slamming my foot into his stomach. The impact sent him crashing through the mansion doors.
Zoro grinned, drawing his swords. "Looks like it's a fight."
Outside, the Black Cat Pirates were already storming in. Luffy took one look and cracked his knuckles. "Let's go."
The battle was chaos.
Zoro cut through waves of enemies, his blades moving like a hurricane. Usopp, shaking but determined, fired slingshot rounds into the pirates' eyes. Nami, surprisingly swift, dodged and struck when needed.
And me? I tore through them with my bare hands.
Cleave.
A pirate rushed me with a cutlass. My hand glowed with cursed energy, and with a flick—his weapon was split in two.
Dismantle.
Kuro lunged again, his speed faster, his movements unpredictable. But this time—I saw everything.
"Too slow."
I sidestepped, grabbed his arm, and snapped it.
Kuro screamed.
His crew hesitated. Their invincible captain—the monster of a thousand plans—was on the ground, clutching his mangled limb.
"Y-You're… you're a demon…!" one pirate stammered.
I crouched beside Kuro, my voice a whisper. "A demon? No. I just don't like arrogant murderers."
Luffy, grinning, finished off the remaining pirates with a Gomu Gomu no Gatling.
A Farewell, A New Ship, and Nami's Confusion
Kaya, horrified yet grateful, looked at us with teary eyes. "I… I don't know how to thank you all."
Luffy grinned. "A ship would be nice!"
Kaya laughed softly and nodded. "Then… I'll give you one."
The Going Merry—no, a different vessel, but still ours—was gifted to us.
As we prepared to leave, Nami pulled me aside. "Hey… you're weird."
I blinked. "Gee, thanks."
She crossed her arms, frowning. "You… say things like you don't care, like life is just some joke to you. But when it matters, you fight like a devil. Why?"
I smirked. "Maybe I just enjoy watching people like Kuro suffer."
She rolled her eyes. "Ugh. You're impossible."
Yet… she glanced away, her face a bit pink.
Huh. Interesting.
Chat Group (Multiverse) Activated
As the night settled, I opened my system.
[New Function Activated: Chat Group (Multiverse)]
A list of legendary names appeared before me.
Gol D. Roger: "Hoho! A pirate in another world? Interesting!"
Jiraiya: "Oi, kid, got any good 'research material' in that system?"
Whitebeard: "Gurarara! Another wild sea, eh?"
Kakashi: "… I feel like I'm in the middle of a strange novel."
Itachi: "A multiverse… intriguing."
Ainz (Suzuki Satoru, Salaryman): "Pirates? Wait, this isn't a game?"
I chuckled. This was going to be fun.
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Please comment below with any additional characters you'd like to see in the chat group!