The commandeered Marine vessel was crude, functional, and utterly devoid of the refinement Ellias Vane preferred. While the Marines had been neutralized and left tied up onshore, the smell of gunpowder and stale sea rations hung in the air.
Kuro took to the wheel immediately. He was a natural captain, navigating the stolen ship with efficient, economic movements. "It seems our transport is secured, Captain Vane," Kuro said, his voice crisp. "I have set a course for the nearest major population center, Syrup Village. It is approximately two days' journey at this ship's maximum efficiency."
Ellias stood near the railings, leaning on his Blackthorn Cane Sword. He could feel the rhythm of the waves and the subtle shifts in the ship's angle through the soles of his boots. He took a moment to adjust the collar of his coat, restoring his immaculate appearance.
"Excellent, Mr. Kuro. A dedicated navigator is a cornerstone of any truly elegant voyage," Ellias replied. He paused, letting the wind fill the silence before posing his first question. "Now that we are underway, perhaps you could satisfy my curiosity. I found you alone on a secluded island, far from your former crew, the Black Cat Pirates. Why were you there?"
Kuro kept his eyes on the horizon, but his measured response was immediate. "I was finalizing my exit, Captain. I had intended to fake my own death." He paused for a moment, letting the weight of the statement settle. "My plan was intricate. I waited for my former crew's hypnotist, Jango, to arrive in two days. He was to hypnotize a low-ranking Marine soldier and a look-alike crew member to stage a scene where I was captured, defeated, and then killed."
Ellias merely hummed, a low, appreciative sound. "A theatrical, if slightly baroque, escape. And what exactly was the grand objective of this deception?"
Kuro turned his head slightly, his eyes glinting behind the circular lenses. "The objective was peace, Captain. And luxury. I desired a life where I could enjoy my intellect without constantly moving and hiding from the Marines. The life of a pirate on the run became tiresome. I sought an end to the chase, an uninterrupted life of refined leisure."
The motivation was simple, ruthless, and entirely in character for the calculating pirate. Ellias took a slow, deep breath of the salty air.
"A respectable ambition," Ellias conceded. "However, this brings us to the crux of my curiosity, Mr. Kuro. You were mere days from achieving your goal: anonymity, wealth, and the peace you desired. You traded that near-certainty for the immense risk of joining my crew—a crew whose ambition is to become the strongest in the world. Why, sir, did you agree to abandon your life of luxury for a life of endless peril?"
Kuro pushed his glasses up his nose, a sharp, defining gesture. A rare, genuine smile touched his lips, revealing a dangerous glint in his eye.
"The answer, Captain Vane, is a simple equation," Kuro stated. "I quit being a pirate not because I hated the planning, but because I was bored with the opposition. My opponents were predictable, my plans were flawless, and the result was always the same. There was no challenge, merely routine."
He shifted his weight and leaned against the helm. "Then you arrived. A blind man who sees the universe in light, who anticipates movement before it begins, and who speaks with the vocabulary of a monarch. You offer not merely risk, but the one thing I truly value above gold or safety: the opportunity for a truly complex and unparalleled challenge."
Kuro's gaze was direct and serious. "Your vision, Captain, extends far beyond the human eye. You have promised to build the strongest crew—which means navigating the unpredictable chaos of this world with absolute precision. I see no greater game to play than that of being the grand strategist for the man who is already seeing the end of the board."
Ellias Vane smiled broadly, a genuine, delighted expression that transformed his handsome features. He tapped his cane lightly on the deck.
"Splendid, Mr. Kuro. It seems our ambitions are perfectly aligned after all. Welcome aboard, my first, and perhaps most valuable, asset."
The motivations are now clear: Kuro joined Ellias not for money, but because the challenge of working with a true genius was a greater prize than safe luxury.