REWRITE!!
—————
The Village That Was Too Quiet Part
I arrived at the village in the late afternoon, when the sunlight began to soften.
Syrup Village did not greet me with gates or shouting sailors. There was no strong smell of the sea like in Orange Town. The air here was calmer. Too calm. The scent of damp wood and fresh grass mixed with the sound of insects hiding among the leaves.
I stopped at the edge of the dirt road and observed.
Wooden houses stood neatly in rows. Windows were half closed. There were no screams of panic. No armed guards. This village lived in the same routine every day. Wake up in the morning. Work. Close the doors at dusk.
Peace like this should have been comforting.
But Shadow Sense pulsed faintly the moment my feet stepped forward.
It was not a clear threat. Not killing intent burning bright. It felt more like something out of rhythm. Movements slightly delayed. Breathing patterns too even. The villagers moved as if they fully believed tomorrow would be the same as today.
That kind of certainty was fragile.
I walked into the village at an unhurried pace. Not rushing. Not drawing attention. Simple clothes. Shoulders slightly lowered. The shadows from the trees along the road were enough to blur my presence.
No one noticed me.
I was already used to that.
Children ran past me laughing. An old woman swept her yard without looking up. A man carrying a basket of fruit nearly bumped into me, then shifted aside without surprise or apology.
My existence was accepted as something not worth questioning.
The system appeared quietly.
—
[Main Quest Updated]
Title: A Village of False Peace
Description:
Observe and ensure the Syrup Village canon events proceed without major deviation
Status: Active
—
I gave a small nod.
So this was it.
No order to fight. No rescue mission. Just observation. But experience had taught me that the quietest missions often carried the greatest danger.
I continued toward the center of the village.
That was when I heard it.
"Pirates are coming"
The shout was loud. Too loud for a village this calm. The voice belonged to a young man with curly hair running through the street, panic mixed with strange confidence on his face.
Usopp.
I stopped beneath the shadow of a tree and watched from afar.
Usopp ran while gasping for breath. His arms flailed wildly. His breathing was uneven, but his eyes burned with something else. Not pure fear. More like stubborn determination.
The villagers glanced at him, then sighed.
"Not again"
"Usopp you are being a nuisance"
"Are you not tired of this"
Soft laughter followed. Not cruel laughter. Tired laughter. They were not angry. They simply did not believe him.
Usopp stopped in the middle of the road and stood there for a moment. His shoulders rose and fell. I could see the disappointment, but he did not give up.
He shouted again.
And again.
Something tightened in my chest.
Usopp was not shouting to deceive.
He was shouting to protect.
But the world only heard lies.
I lowered my gaze slightly.
The irony was too close.
I moved again and positioned myself near the large mansion at the edge of the village. The building was different from the others. Larger. Better maintained. The windows were shut tight even though the sun had not yet set.
Shadow Sense pulsed stronger.
I stopped.
Something was there.
Not from the building itself, but from the man exiting through the side door.
He was tall. Hair neatly combed. Round glasses perfectly set on his face. His clothes were plain yet spotless. His steps were measured. Too measured for a simple servant in a quiet village.
Klahadore.
I did not know him personally, but my instincts screamed.
His footsteps were silent. His breathing controlled. His heartbeat steady even as Usopp kept shouting in the distance.
He glanced briefly toward the noise, then continued walking without irritation.
Shadow Sense sent a clear signal.
Hostility was being suppressed.
I did not follow him immediately.
I let him walk away, then took a longer route. Maintaining distance. Observing from another angle.
He stopped at a small shop and spoke briefly with the owner. His tone was polite. His smile thin. Too perfect.
The shop owner looked calm. Even respectful.
Nothing looked suspicious on the surface.
But everything felt wrong.
The system appeared again.
—
[Threat Assessment Updated]
Target: Klahadore
Status: Suppressed hostility detected
Recommendation: Maintain observation
—
I exhaled slowly.
Fine.
I would observe.
I left the village center and climbed a narrow path up a low hill. From there, I could see most of Syrup Village without being seen.
Usopp kept shouting. The villagers kept ignoring him. Daily life continued as if his voice was nothing more than the wind.
And beneath it all was a carefully built false calm.
I sat on a large rock and stared at the village.
This place felt like a stage waiting for the curtain to rise.
And I was behind the scenes.
The system gave no additional missions. No Side Quest. No Hidden Quest.
Not yet.
I knew this was only the beginning.
Something would break.
And when it did, the system would demand a choice.
I took a deep breath.
The afternoon shifted toward dusk.
Shadows grew longer.
And the village that was too quiet prepared for a night that would never be the same.
—————
Night fell slowly over Syrup Village.
Small lamps were lit one by one. Soft yellow light spilled from wooden windows. Voices faded. Doors closed earlier than usual.
I was still on the low hill.
Alone.
I stared at the village from afar and spoke to myself silently.
"So quiet."
I breathed out.
"If I were an ordinary man, I would think this is a good place to live."
I rested my elbows on my knees.
"But peace that is too neat always hides something."
Shadow Sense pulsed lightly.
I stood up.
It was time to move.
I descended the hill through a side path. My steps made no sound on the damp soil. Each movement was measured to leave no clear trace. I circled around Kaya's mansion from the darker side.
That was when I felt it.
Someone moving among the trees.
I stopped instantly and held my breath.
Shadow Sense locked on.
Clear malicious intent.
Not strong. Not overwhelming. But unmistakable.
I whispered inside my head.
"An underling."
I adjusted my position slightly and deliberately stepped on a small branch.
Crack.
The sound was enough.
A man emerged from the shadows. Dark clothes. A short knife in his hand. Rough face. Nervous eyes.
Not a main fighter.
But dangerous enough if ignored.
He spotted me and grinned.
"Hey. Who are you"
I did not answer immediately.
I stepped out of the shadows calmly.
"I should be asking you that."
He frowned.
"You are not from this village."
"Correct."
"And you are not a servant of that house."
His grip on the knife tightened.
"Who are you spying for"
I exhaled softly.
"Relax. I work for no one."
That was half true.
He laughed quietly.
"Lies. You do not come here at night for a walk."
I looked straight into his eyes.
"Neither do you."
He hesitated.
That was enough.
I continued in a low voice.
"How many of you are around the village."
He sneered.
"If you think I will tell you that easily, you are stupid."
I nodded.
"Maybe."
I stepped closer.
"Then let us make this quick."
He attacked without warning.
The knife thrust straight toward my stomach. Not elegant. But fast.
I twisted my body aside.
The blade brushed past my clothes by a narrow margin.
I caught his wrist with my left hand and twisted outward.
He cried out as the joint was forced.
He tried to punch with his right hand.
I ducked and drove my elbow into his ribs.
Not a full strike. Just enough to steal his breath.
He staggered.
I did not give him space.
My leg swept his ankle from the side.
He fell flat on his back.
The knife slipped from his hand.
I stepped on his wrist before he could reach for it.
He let out a strangled scream.
I crouched beside him.
"Now we talk."
His breathing was ragged. His eyes wide. Not just from pain, but from realizing I was not normal.
"What do you want" he gasped.
I looked at him without emotion.
"Who is your target."
He laughed weakly.
"You already know."
"Kaya."
He froze.
I pressed down harder on his wrist.
He groaned.
"How many."
"Too many for a small village like this" he answered quickly.
I stared at him.
"Name your leader."
He swallowed.
"Kuro."
The name came out heavy.
I nodded.
"And you are bait."
He gave a bitter laugh.
"We are all bait."
I stood and stepped back.
He looked at me in panic.
"Wait. Are you going to kill me"
I shook my head.
"No."
I struck the side of his neck with my palm.
His body went limp.
I checked his breathing, then dragged him into the bushes and bound him with a thin rope from my pouch.
The system appeared.
—
[Side Quest Completed]
Title: Eyes in the Night
Reward:
Random Item obtained
Minor attribute increase
—
I took a long breath.
I looked once more at Kaya's mansion.
"All right."
I spoke quietly to myself.
"Now I know."
I left before another patrol could appear.
This village was no longer simply quiet.
It was waiting to be slaughtered.
And I stood between the blade and its throat.
But I could not be a hero.
I was only a shadow.
A shadow that had begun to move faster than before.