Kuro, his mask fully shed, shrugged with a low, menacing tone. "Miss Kaya, life is full of surprises. The difference is, your illness can't be cured, but I can still salvage my plans."
Kaya stared at him, dazed. Gone was the familiar gentlemanly butler with aristocratic charm, replaced by a ruthless, ferocious predator. Thinking back on their three years together, a chill ran down her spine.
"My plan, years in the making, ruined by some kid…" Kuro paused, dark veins pulsing on his forehead. "But if I get rid of you, my plan can still succeed."
As he spoke, sharp white blades sprang from the fingers of his gloves. His weapon: the Ten Blades!
"Nami, Makino, take care of Kaya," Reno said, passing the trembling Kaya to the two women.
"Reno, don't let this filthy jerk get away!" Nami clenched her fists, glaring fiercely at Kuro. If she could fight, she'd have charged at him herself.
Makino, ever the gentle big sister, supported Kaya carefully, her face showing visceral disgust toward Kuro.
"Captain, teach him a lesson!" For the soft-spoken Makino to say such a thing showed just how furious she was.
Reno felt the same. He'd planned to expose Kuro's scheme and deal with him casually. But Kuro had the gall to rub salt in Kaya's wounds, mocking her illness. He was begging for death.
"Heh, teach me a lesson?!" "My Ten Blades haven't tasted blood in three years. Today, I'll use you to christen them." "Silent Step!"
In an instant, Kuro vanished without a sound. A flash of blades sliced through the air, followed by a crisp shattering sound echoing in the hall.
To Kuro's disbelief, his prized Ten Blades snapped in two.
"Trash," Reno said coldly, lowering his blackened arm.
Before Kuro could react, Reno grabbed his shoulder.
Whoosh! Pinpointing a coordinate, Reno teleported them across a vast distance.
In the next moment, they appeared on a deserted island.
Staring at the unfamiliar surroundings, Kuro's composure shattered. He looked at Reno as if he'd seen a ghost, his voice trembling. "You… How did you do that?!" This clearly wasn't Syrup Village—or even the same sea!
Reno ignored him, a cruel smirk curling his lips. "I was going to leave you in one piece, but now…"
Run! That was the only thought in Kuro's mind. He was no match for Reno. Pushing Silent Step to its limit, he tried to flee.
But how could his speed compare to Reno's?
What followed was brutal. Kuro's shoulder blades, collarbone, fingers, arms, legs—every bone that could be broken without killing him was shattered. His body twisted grotesquely out of alignment.
Blood-curdling screams echoed across the island for several minutes, scattering countless birds from the dense forest. The excruciating pain contorted Kuro's face.
Reno teleported a few meters away, a long blade appearing in his palm. With a casual swing, a dozen sword slashes tore through the air, striking Kuro's body in multiple places.
After a brief moment of numbness, Kuro's pupils dilated, and a guttural, demonic roar erupted from his throat. Reno had turned him into a human husk.
Why keep such a distance? To avoid getting blood on himself, of course. He didn't like the smell, and neither did Nami or Makino.
"Repent here," Reno said coldly, glancing at the bloodied figure on the ground. Pinpointing the coordinate left at Kaya's mansion, he teleported back.
Whoosh!
…
"Where did Mr. Reno go? Is he okay?!" Kaya asked with concern, seeing both men vanish suddenly. If Kuro was really the captain of the Black Cat Pirates, he must be strong. In the East Blue, a 16-million-Berry bounty made him a major pirate.
"Uh…" Nami and Makino exchanged glances, worry flickering in their eyes. Truth be told, they didn't know how strong Reno actually was. Fast, sure, but beyond that?
As the three women fretted, Reno's figure reappeared in the hall, safe and sound.
Thank goodness. The trio let out a collective sigh of relief.
"Mr. Reno, what about Kuro?" Kaya asked hesitantly after a moment.
Reno walked over to her, gently patting her forehead with his broad hand, his voice soft. "Don't worry. I've sent Kuro where he belongs. He'll never do harm again."
Kaya nodded obediently, her gaze lingering on Reno with a strange intensity. They'd only met today, yet here he was, selflessly helping her. There really were altruistic people in the world. She was touched.
"Kaya, do you want to see the world beyond this village?" Reno asked, abruptly changing the topic.
Kaya blinked, then nodded eagerly. "I do." But her expression dimmed. "But my health…"
Under Nami and Makino's astonished gazes, Reno casually pinched Kaya's cheek, grinning. "Did you forget? I came here to take down a villain and to cure your illness." "Did you think I was joking?"
"Really?! Can you actually cure me?!" Kaya's trust in Reno didn't make her shy away from his bold gesture. Especially after the Kuro ordeal, she inexplicably believed him.
"Of course it's true," Reno said, nodding confidently. But then he adopted a troubled expression. "Your illness has lingered for a long time, so it won't be easy to cure. Most importantly, we can't be disturbed during the process." "How about this? Let's go to your room, and I'll give you a thorough examination to prescribe the right treatment. Sound good?"
Kaya nodded immediately, without a shred of doubt. Wasn't that how complicated illnesses were treated?
After instructing Merry to take care of Nami and Makino, Kaya led Reno to her room.
Watching their backs, Nami facepalmed. Another beautiful flower about to be plucked.
Makino stifled a giggle. So, our captain uses a different excuse every time.
She turned to Nami, whispering, "Nami, how did the captain get you on board?"
Nami's face flushed with embarrassment. Could she admit it was for money?! How humiliating!
"Ugh, Makino-nee, why are you so nosy? Let's go eat something—I'm starving," Nami said, dodging the question.
Makino smiled gently, not pressing further.
…