Running through deserted streets, brushing wet hair from her face, Silk felt uneasy about the silence. No ambushes should be good, but the absence of enemies was unnerving. They were vastly outnumbered, so why was no one here?
Maybe the enemy had overcommitted to the plaza. But another possibility lingered, especially after seeing the scheming Captain Kuro.
"No enemies," Silk noted.
"Boring. Could've used more resistance," Zoro replied, trailing behind.
He seemed restless, the urgency of saving Luffy replaced by boredom. His new swords, untested, itched for action. The lack of enemies frustrated him.
"They came for revenge but didn't even block our escape," Zoro sighed, exasperated.
Silk, undeterred by the pounding rain, spotted a shadow ahead. "Yeah… but that's about to change."
"Finally showing up, huh?" Zoro grinned.
They slowed, then stopped. The Black Cat Pirates, led by Captain Kuro, blocked the road. Kuro stood at the front, his crew behind him, glaring coldly.
He'd anticipated their escape and cut them off. Their earlier rooftop encirclement had failed due to the marines' interference and Usopp's smokescreen, letting the Straw Hats slip away. This time, Kuro wouldn't let them pass.
Silk and Zoro drew their swords silently, sensing his resolve.
"That butler guy, huh? Scary glare. Silk, let me handle him. Wanna test my new blades," Zoro said.
"Sure? He's fast," Silk warned.
"If I lose to this, I'm done. I'm aiming higher," Zoro replied.
"I get it, but I'm not backing down either. Been training during our break," Silk added.
Both readied their weapons, neither yielding. Kuro, adjusting his glasses, smirked. "Think I came unprepared? Numbers don't work on you, so I'll handle you both myself."
"Countermeasures? That's it?" Zoro scoffed.
"Roronoa Zoro, you can't match my speed. Think you can hit me when I dodge bullets after they're fired? And you, the girl who cut me before, you sense the wind from my movements, right? How about now?" Kuro taunted.
Silk frowned. The storm's fierce winds overwhelmed her Devil Fruit-enhanced wind detection. She couldn't pinpoint Kuro's movements this time. Her expression betrayed her, and Kuro's cruel grin widened as he raised his cat claws.
"In this storm, you can't track me. The weather wasn't planned, but it seems the heavens favor me. I'll eliminate you both now."
"Keep talking. Words are cheap," Zoro shot back.
Kuro's face twitched, but he stayed composed, crouching low, muscles tensing.
In that tense moment, a figure leaped from a nearby rooftop, splashing into the pooled water. A young man in a black cloak and hood, face hidden, landed facing Kuro, back to Zoro and Silk.
Amid the shock, he charged wordlessly. Kuro, spotting him, vanished with his silent high-speed technique. The young man, unfazed, ignored Kuro and attacked his crew.
He swung an iron pipe into Buchi's face, one of the Nyaban Brothers, spinning the giant's body. "Buchi?!" Shamu roared, but a pipe cracked his skull, dazing him. A swift kick sent both brothers flying, unconscious before hitting the ground.
The Black Cat Pirates panicked, screams overlapping as the young man's relentless assault continued. His skill was inhuman, terrifying—minimal movements felling enemies like leaves.
Zoro and Silk watched, stunned, as if witnessing something unreal.
Kuro, enraged at his crew's defeat, charged the young man. "What are you doing?!"
The young man turned, but Kuro vanished again, his pipe swing missing. Kuro reappeared behind him, claws gleaming, ready to strike.
But the young man, as if anticipating it, twisted without looking, grabbing Kuro's neck with his right hand. Kuro froze, immobilized.
His hand was odd—index and middle fingers fused, ring and little fingers joined, resembling a dragon's claw. The grip choked Kuro, his mind unraveling under the pressure.
Struggling was futile. Kuro couldn't swing his claws or escape. The young man, still not facing him, muttered, "No matter how fast, if I know where you're coming from, reacting's easy."
"Guh… gah…!" Kuro gasped.
"Just stay still. I was told to protect them," the young man said.
He hoisted Kuro overhead, tossing him. Freed, Kuro gulped air, his mind clearing. But airborne, his mobility was useless. Realizing this, his eyes widened.
"Dragon Claw Fist—'Dragon's Talon'!"
In a blink, he vanished. Even Zoro and Silk couldn't track him. His dragon-like hand tore into Kuro's abdomen, sending him crashing through a stone wall into a building.
The air shifted. The Black Cat Pirates' strongest was defeated effortlessly. His crew, cowed, looked too terrified to continue. The young man glanced at them, smirking gently. "Still wanna go?"
"N-No way!" they shrieked, grabbing Kuro and the Nyaban Brothers, stumbling in their haste to flee.
As the dust settled, the young man turned. His hooded face was partially visible—unfamiliar to Zoro and Silk. With his strength, they'd remember him. A stranger, met today.
He smiled softly in the empty street. "You're fine now. My job's done."
"Who are you?" Silk asked.
"Not an enemy. But not quite a friend either," he replied.
"Wanna fight us too?" Zoro pressed.
"Nah, that's not in my orders. I'm just here to let you escape," he said, shrugging with a grin.
Zoro, still wary, questioned him. "What's your goal? Who are you?"
"Wanna tell you, but can't. I'm a wanted man myself. Don't worry, I won't screw you over."
"That speed—how'd you track him?" Zoro asked.
"Haha, that's some beastly aura you've got," the young man laughed.
"Answer. Or should we test it in a fight?"
"No need. I just read his moves. Not a rare skill," he said.
His hood blew off, revealing golden hair and a burn scar near his left eye. His face felt familiar, though not identical to anyone specific. A strange sense of recognition hit them.
"You'll understand in the Grand Line. This power—anyone can learn it with training," he said.
"Even me?" Zoro asked.
"You've got potential. I'd bet on it. Not that you'd trust a stranger," he grinned.
Silk gasped softly, realizing he reminded her of Luffy. The resemblance was uncanny, though she couldn't pinpoint why. No answers came as their parting approached.
--+--
T/N: Although I'm an inexperienced Editor, I do have a Patreon account! Although it seems like I don't have many supporters right now, my webnovel will be released in full every day, and the advanced chapters will be uploaded to Patreon.
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