Kuro could feel himself changing the longer he stayed with Luffy.
Blowing on a dandelion, Kuro wondered if the change was better.
The world of one piece is a quite messed up.
There was good and there was bad, but without a doubt, Kuro had been seeing mostly the good stuff.
Reject humanity and return to monkey, Kuro felt that's what Luffy was like.
Thinking about it, does a monkey scheme, does a monkey says harsh words, and does a monkey like inflicting suffering?
The answer was no.
Luffy was like a ray of sunshine that Kuro could feel was slowly getting brighter and brighter.
Perhaps, the day Luffy becomes the brightest is when he'll awaken his devil fruit.
Save Vivi's country, take down the tyrant Doflamingo, and free the country Wano.
Each of those countries will be very important to Luffy's growth.
Kuina sat next to Kuro and blew the dandelion in his hand, "What are you thinking about Kuro?"
"Stuff," Kuro smiled.
Arriving at Baratie, they headed inside.
They sat at a table and ordered their food.
Sanji delivered their food and started flirting with Nami and Kuina.
Kuro smiled as he looked at Zoro.
"Why are you looking at me?" questioned Zoro as he drank.
Kuro seemed to smile more, "Oh, nothing, nothing at all."
Zoro narrowed his eyes, Kuro was definitely thinking something.
Stabbing a piece of food, Kuro fed it to Luffy.
Kuro didn't know how to describe it, but he liked watching Luffy eat.
Usopp found Kuro weird but his attention was elsewhere.
The cooks in Baratie were tough and he wondered who Luffy was going to recruit.
"Kuro, who do you think will join our crew," Usopp wondered.
The others looked at Kuro wondering what he thought.
Kuro shrugged, "I don't know, that up to Cap, but if I had to pick one, it would be that Sanji, I smell the blood of royalty on him."
"Blood of royalty?" They all questioned.
Kuro put a finger to his lips, "Don't tell him that."
Gin busted down the door demanding food, the crew watched as Gin was kicked out.
Following Luffy, they saw Sanji gave Gin food.
Luffy came up to Sanji with a smile, "Hey you, join my crew."
They watched as Luffy and Sanji bickered against each other.
In the end, Sanji refused to join.
Kuro pat Luffy on the back, "Don't worry Cap, he'll join us."
"You think so?" Luffy tilted.
Kuro nodded, "Without a doubt."
Gin brought back Krieg and they watched as Krieg attacked Sanji after being fed.
They watched as Zeff gave enough food for all of Krieg's men's.
Kuro whispered to Luffy, "Now might be your chance Cap, if you beat the Krieg Pirates then that cook might join us."
Seeing Krieg start attacking people after being fed, Luffy joined in with the sea chefs and attacked.
Krieg was quite tricky and gave Luffy trouble but Luffy soon adapted and whipped their whole crew.
Sanji took out pearl and everything seemed to have gone great.
Luffy was about to head back inside Baratie to recruit Sanji when he could see some worry and stress on Kuro, "What's wrong Kuro?"
Hearing Luffy, the crew towards Kuro.
They could see he had set up a small table with a chair on Baratie's dock to eat.
Perhaps he was watching Luffy whoop the Krieg Pirates.
Kuro smiled at them, "I sense something strong and sharp coming towards us. From how the Krieg Pirates ship was cut, I'd say is Mihawk."
Everyone except Luffy and Usopp eyes widened.
"Mihawk?" Luffy and Usopp tilted.
Kuro looked towards the sea, "He's the world greatest swordsman, someone Kuina and Zoro has to beat in order to claim his title, look over there."
They looked where he pointed and saw a swordsman with a giant sword on a coffin like boat.
Zoro and Kuina expression harden as everyone watched with awe.
Nami, Usopp, Luffy, and Kuro sat together and watched as Zoro first challenge Mihawk.
They watched as sparks flew around with every clash.
Kuina eyes were extremely sharp as she analyzed Zoro and Mihawk fighting.
She could see that Zoro's haki was weaker than Mihawk and Zoro could see that too:
She could see that Zoro was physically weaker than Mihawk and Zoro could see that too.
She could see that Zoro's swordsmanship was less than Mihawk and Zoro could see that too.
She could see that Mihawk was only defending while letting Zoro attack.
She could see that Zoro was using everything he could muster but Zoro could not seem to get pass Mihawk's defense.
Finally, Mihawk determined he had seen everything Zoro had to offer.
Least to say, Mihawk was indeed impressed.
With a slash of his sword, Zoro fell.
The crew mates shook and Luffy held himself back as he wanted to jump in.
The crew watched as Zoro took one slash from Mihawk facing foward.
The others couldn't understand but Kuro and Kuina did.
Usopp only felt that Zoro was very honorable.
Nami felt Zoro was a crazy idiot.
Luffy lunged his hand foward and pulled Zoro back.
Nami started cleaning Zoro's wound and applying bandages.
Kuina was about to step forward but she stopped for a moment.
Looking back to see the smiling Kuro, she knew he had her back.
Kuina didn't seem to impress Mihawk until she started attacking.
Mihawk grinned as he could see and feel how advance Kuina swordsmanship was.
Defending against Kuina who was breaking down his defense was not an option.
Mihawk countered back and could see that Kuina defended very well against his attack.
Her eyes were sharp, just like his.
But who's eyes was sharper was all that matter, and Mihawk knew his eyes were sharper.
Kuina clashed with Mihawk and could see that his attacks were getting sharper and sharper.
If she wanted to keep up, her attacks would have to be sharper.
As she made her attacks sharper and sharper, she could feel her armament and observation haki improving at incredible pace.
Suddenly she felt a wall, a very tall wall that she couldn't overcome with her armament.
She could not defend or strike back against Mihawk, but she still had her observation haki.
Pushing her observation haki to the limit, she couldn't see Kuro have a maddening grin.
Kuina overcome the wall with observation haki and unlocked future sight.
Immediately, Mihawk eyes widened with amazement as he adapted to Kuina crazy sword improvements.
The clashes of the two got more intense until Kuina body gave out for just a moment.
That was all Mihawk needed and he sliced Kuina's face.
Luffy yelled and attacked.
Kuro appeared by Kuina and brought her back to Baratie.
Mihawk deflected Luffy's attack and watched as Kuro placed Kuina down and Luffy hovered to Kuina.
Kuina smiled tiredly at Kuro, "I did good didn't I? Only got a cut on my face."
Kuro nodded with a smile, "Yeah you did good, that scar is going to make you look badass."
"Now then," Kuro turned to Mihawk with a mad grin, "Sorry to trouble you, I never thought of fighting you until I saw what just happened."
Mihawk didn't know if it was because he saw his sister awaken future sight or because he saw her get cut, but he nodded with a smile, "If you're anything like them, I'll enjoy it."
Kuro laughed, "Yeah."
Suddenly, Kuro's body stopped relaxing and tensed up for Rokushiki.
With haki, he was slightly weaker than time skip Luffy.
That wasn't enough for Mihawk though.
Kuro pulled out a sword from his body, with his sword skill, he was around emperor second commander level.
Kuro grabbed his chest and gave his heart a good squeeze, this was going to hurt like a bitch afterward, but mama didn't raise no bitch.
"Eighth gate," Kuro grimaced.
Feeling power rush through his body, Kuro felt he was slightly below emperor first commander level.
If he got haki emission from fighting Mihawk, then he determined he would reach emperor first commander level.
As for emperor level, Kuro didn't bother as you at least needed conqueror to get there easier, that's why he believed Zoro was more fitting as first mate.
As for Kuina, he hoped she was gifted with conqueror's too.
Since he didn't have conqueror, he would focus on improving his devil fruit, other two haki, and Rokushiki.
Something small, flexible, and strong started emerging and covering Kuro's body.
It was a strong fiber material that Kuro was possessing to strengthen his body, it was his hybrid form.
Mihawk smiled, this was going to be a fun fight for him.
Kuro disappeared and charged at Mihawk with his sword.
Kuro woke up in a bed coughing blood.
He tried to move his body and the nopest of nopes told him to nope nope.
Moving his finger towards a glass cup, he emitted haki and knocked it to the floor.
Kuro smiled, "Gottem."
Not feeling like getting off the bed, he just laid there staring at the ceiling.
Humming to himself, Kuro soon closed his eyes and fell asleep.
At Cocoyashi village, Nezumi tried to implement another pirate group to collect tax.
Unfortunately, Kuina wasn't having any of it and sliced him down along with the pirates.
