'The Butler is Bad!? The Weirdest man in the world, Jango the hypnotist!'

"Klahadore. Sorry. I can explain," Kaya said softly, her voice laced with guilt.

The tall, sharp-eyed butler adjusted his glasses with a cold gleam.

"That's not necessary, Miss Kaya. It doesn't matter anymore anyway."

His tone was composed, but every word was heavy with finality.

"Now," he continued, shifting his gaze toward the Straw Hats and their unexpected company, "I ask that you all leave. Unless… you have some kind of business here?"

"Yeah! We came to ask for a ship—" Luffy began, full of his usual cheer.

But Klahadore cut him off instantly.

"There's nothing like that here," he said, icily.

The crew was slightly taken aback. Even Luffy blinked, unsure how to respond to someone this blunt. Nami narrowed her eyes. Zoro's hand hovered over his sword just a little more than before.

Then Klahadore's sharp eyes turned, drifting toward the large tree in the yard.

"Usopp."

A beat passed.

From behind the tree, Usopp slowly peeked his head out, sheepishly revealing himself. He rubbed the back of his head.

"Heh… Hey there…"

Klahadore stared at him with unblinking precision.

"I've heard a lot about you lately," he said. "Apparently, you've visited countless countries. Quite an accomplishment for someone your age."

Usopp tried to keep his cool, puffing out his chest slightly.

"T-Thanks. You can call me Captain Usopp! Since you're my fan or something!"

"Captain?" Klahadore repeated, with a hint of dry disdain in his voice.

"I've heard a lot from your father too."

"W-What?!" Usopp stiffened, his breath catching in his throat. It wasn't just surprise—it was fear. A familiar, gut-deep fear of hearing something he'd never wanted to admit.

Klahadore took a step forward, the glint of his glasses hiding the sharp disdain in his gaze.

"Klahadore, stop!" Kaya cried from behind, a pleading look on her face.

But the butler didn't. His voice turned colder, more venomous.

"I suppose I can understand your actions, Usopp. After all, when you live in the shadow of abandonment, you chase attention however you can. But let me be clear—you and Miss Kaya live in different worlds. Don't pollute her pure, kind heart with your childish lies and pirate fantasies."

"D-Don't talk about my father like that!" Usopp snapped, his voice trembling. He clenched his fists, stepping forward, eyes filled with barely restrained anger.

Kaya reached out from her window, her voice cracking. "Please stop! Apologize to Usopp!"

Klahadore didn't flinch. He merely tilted his head slightly, a smirk curling onto his lips as he delivered the next blow.

"I admit, I almost feel sorry for you. You must hate your father so much. The trash who abandoned you and left your poor mother to die of illness so he could sail with other trash. And yet… still, you come here. Day after day. What is it you want from this house, Usopp?"

The butler's words struck like arrows dipped in poison.

"Money?" he sneered. "Pity? Or maybe… a little recognition? After all, you're the son of a trash pirate."

"S–Shut up!" Usopp shouted, storming toward Klahadore with shaking fists and watery eyes.

The butler didn't move, his voice calm and cruel. "Why so angry? Don't you want to hear the truth? Or are you going to tell another one of your little tales? What was it again? That your father was a humble farm—"

SMACK.

Usopp's fist connected hard with Klahadore's cheek, knocking his glasses slightly off-center. The sound echoed like thunder in the still garden.

Kaya gasped from the window, her hand covering her mouth. "Usopp!"

Klahadore slowly straightened himself, brushing invisible dust from his shoulder. Then he looked at Usopp with a chilling composure.

"See? When they're confronted with the truth, they resort to violence," he said coldly. "It's just like they say... like father, like s—"

"SHUT UP!!" Usopp roared, his voice cracking with fury and pride, stopping Klahadore mid-sentence.

"My father is a brave warrior of the sea! He's a great pirate—and I'm proud of him for that! That's why I dream of becoming a brave warrior of the sea too! I am the son of a pirate!"

"How laughable," Klahadore said, calmly straightening his glasses. "I was hoping you'd have found some clarity within yourself. But it seems that trash of a father has completely poisoned your mind. No matter who you pretend to be... you're still an inferior being from birth."

Usopp's face twisted in rage. "W–What did you say, you bastard?!"

He lunged forward and grabbed Klahadore by the collar, pulling him down eye to eye.

But before things could escalate further—

"STOP IT, YOU TWO!!" Kaya's voice rang out, sharp and panicked, from the window.

Both men froze. The rest of the group turned toward her as she clutched the windowsill with trembling hands.

"K-Kaya..." Usopp said, his grip loosening slightly.

"Klahadore... you have no right to judge Mister Usopp or his family for who they are," she said, voice firm despite the crack of emotion. "And Mister Usopp..." she turned her eyes toward him gently, "Klahadore isn't a bad man. He's just... he's always been too worried about me. He overreacted."

Out of respect for his friend, Usopp slowly released Klahadore's collar.

"Get out of this property," Klahadore said coldly, brushing his suit.

"Got it," Usopp muttered, turning away. "No need to remind me... I'm never coming back here."

He walked off, back straight, fists clenched—but his eyes hid a storm of pain.

"Mister Usopp..." Kaya whispered, sorrow washing over her face as she watched him go.

Suddenly, the three boys—Carrot, Pepper, and Onion—rushed out from the side of the mansion and stood in front of Klahadore with fierce expressions.

"The Captain is nothing like what you said, okay!?" Carrot barked.

"Yeah! He's a brave warrior of the sea! And way cooler than you, IDIOT!" Pepper shouted.

"Yeah! IDIOT!" Onion chimed in.

"IDIOT!" Luffy added from behind them with a grin.

Zoro immediately backhanded Luffy in the head—not hard enough to hurt, but enough to make him wobble like a bobblehead. "Stay out of it."

Klahadore narrowed his eyes at the group. "What's your business here?"

His cold stare was enough to make the three kids squeal and hide behind Nami, who sighed and rolled her eyes.

Luffy, however, was visibly shaking with fury

"Don't," Zoro said, calmly holding Luffy back with one arm.

Klahadore adjusted his glasses and hissed, "I had forgotten about you. All of you. Get off this property."

Seryu's eyes slowly fluttered open as the haze in her mind began to clear.

"Ugh... Where am I...?"

She looked around, confused, until her gaze landed on a familiar face—her loyal companion, Koro.

"Bwooo!" Koro let out a joyful growl and leapt onto the bed, wagging his tail and nuzzling against her.

"K-Koro... you're okay..." Seryu smiled weakly, placing a hand on his fur. "I'm... okay too."

Koro gave a happy bark in response.

???

on a strange, fertile island—one covered in oversized vegetables. Giant tomatoes like beach balls, carrots taller than trees, and potatoes the size of boulders littered the land.

Seryu wiped sweat off her brow, standing atop a hill with Koro beside her. She had swapped her military uniform for a more rugged, makeshift outfit fit for scavenging.

"Well, Koro," she said, scanning the horizon, "we've got no idea where we are… but if we want to get off this island, we're going to need a boat."

"Bwooo!" Koro barked in agreement, puffing up with pride.

They were surrounded by massive vegetable stalks and strange hybrid flora. Seryu stepped forward and grinned.

"Let's start collecting materials. If we're lucky, maybe one of these ridiculous cabbages can be hollowed out."

Koro took off like a rocket, chewing on a massive cucumber stem.

"Koro," she said between bites, "we've got a food source... but still no sign of people. Or even animals. It's weird. This whole island is like one big... salad."

Koro let out a low "Bwooo" and nuzzled up beside her, clearly tired from scouting. But Seryu's eyes glinted with determination.

"There's no way I can climb that..."

She turned to Koro, who was happily gnawing on the base of a vine.

"Koro… ENLARGE!"

With a low growl and sudden transformation, Koro's small body contorted and expanded. His fur darkened. His paws turned to claws. His mouth split open into rows of serrated fangs, and massive, muscular arms erupted from his sides.

Where once stood a cute little pet now stood a grotesque, hulking beast, nearly two stories tall.

Seryu didn't even flinch. She crossed her arms with confidence.

"Grab that carrot."

Koro let out a guttural roar before leaping into the air. His claws dug into the side of the carrot, and with one mighty heave, he ripped it clean off the stalk—roots and all.

He landed heavily beside Seryu with a crash, presenting her the giant vegetable like a prized treasure.

"Good boy," she said with a grin. "That should feed us for a while."

After what felt like weeks of scavenging, cutting, hammering, and arguing over the shape of the rudder, Seryu and Koro stood proudly atop a patchwork wooden boat. It was a bit crooked, mostly flat, and clearly held together with vine ropes and hope—but it floated.

"Justice... has built her own path," Seryu declared dramatically, one hand raised high. "Let's sail, Koro!"

Koro barked in agreement, tail wagging as he leapt aboard with a comical thunk, almost tipping the boat.

A FEW DAYS LATER

The water was calm. The sky was clear. But Seryu, sitting against a barrel, was beginning to feel... off.

She blinked slowly, a light sheen of sweat on her brow.

"Huh... maybe it's the still air? Haven't moved much in days."

Koro lay curled beside her, occasionally peeking up at her with concern. She waved it off with a weak smile.

"I'm fine... really. Just need to stretch later…"

Koro looked up, giving a low, uncertain whimper.

"…It started back then," she murmured. "On the boat."

Just then, Shana stepped back into the room.

"Oh, you're awake now. You look better," she said.

"I am. Thank you…"

"Anyway. I know you've just woken up. But I'm gonna go straight into business. You're not from here, are you?"

"Huh?"

Seryu blinked in confusion. "Wait… You're not from here either?"

Shana nodded calmly. "That's right. And don't worry—I'm not planning to tell anyone."

Seryu's eyes widened slightly, then softened. She looked down at Koro, who was watching Shana cautiously.

"…Does that mean we're not the only ones?"

Shana leaned back, arms crossed. "Who knows? But it seems more than one of us has been dragged into this world. How was the process for you? How did you get here?"

Seryu looked distant for a moment, gathering her thoughts. Then she began to speak.

"I died… back in my world. I'm not sure how long I was gone. But then—something revived me. A voice, or maybe a person. I couldn't see his face, but he spoke clearly."

She clenched her fist lightly.

"He said this world was being corrupted. That it's rotting from the inside—and that I had to fight back against it. The heart of that corruption... is the World Government."

Shana's expression turned thoughtful.

"He told me to find someone. A person called… 'Monkey D. Luffy.'"

At that name, Shana's eyes narrowed. "Luffy…"

'It's different from how we got here. I see no mention of that black creature'

"Actually," Shana said, standing straight and folding her arms, "my name is Shana. I'm part of Luffy's crew."

Seryu blinked in surprise. "What…? You're with him?"

"I was sent here by someone too… and I've been looking for a way back ever since."

She looked out the nearby window, the light casting sharp red glints in her hair.

"We found you drifting at sea with your mutt—dehydrated, barely conscious. You're lucky we were nearby."

Koro gave a soft growl half offended, half grateful.

Seryu looked down at her partner and gave a small nod, the pieces clicking into place in her head. "So that's what happened…"

She turned her gaze back to Shana. "Then maybe it was fate that brought me here. If you're already with Monkey D. Luffy, then this might go a lot smoother."

Shana smirked slightly. "Smoother? You clearly haven't been around Luffy long."

"That guy kinda pisses me off," said Shana, arms still crossed, a little vein popping on her forehead. "But… he's okay, I guess."

Seryu stood up, wobbling only slightly before catching herself. "Can you show me where Luffy-san is?"

Shana raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you still tired?"

"Don't worry about me!" Seryu said, placing a firm hand over her chest with conviction. "I need to know if this person truly is a Warrior of Justice!"

"…Do what you like." Shana sighed, picking up her sword from beside the bed. "I was about to meet them anyway."

Nami sat with her arms crossed, sighing. "Tch. I really thought we had a chance at getting a ship there."

Zoro leaned back lazily against the fence. "Hmph. That butler's got a stick way too far up his ass."

The two kids were still visibly upset, little fists clenched. "That guy doesn't know anything about Usopp!" Carrot huffed.

"Yeah! He doesn't get how cool he really is!" Pepper added.

Zoro glanced at them, then looked around. "Speaking of… where did your 'captain' run off to?"

"He went to the coast," Carrot said. "He always goes there when he's bummed or needs to think."

"…Huh." Zoro looked off in that direction. "Makes sense."

Nami blinked, suddenly looking around as well. "Wait. Where's Luffy?"

The group looked around and quickly realized he wasn't anywhere nearby.

"Eh, he probably wandered off or fell asleep somewhere," Zoro said, not seeming worried at all. "He'll show up when it matters."

"Wait. "Where's the other boy? Aren't there three of you?" Nami asked, glancing around.

"Are you talking about Onion?" Carrot said. "He keeps getting separated all the time."

"Yeah," Pepper added. "He'll come back screaming in a little while. Talking about him—"

Suddenly, frantic footsteps pounded the grass. Onion came sprinting toward them, eyes wide and face pale.

"This is bad! We're lost!" he yelled.

Zoro raised an eyebrow. "What now?"

"Huff… huff… there's a weirdo here! The man walking behind!!"

The other boys gave him skeptical stares.

"LIAR!!!" they yelled in unison.

"I-It's true!" Onion insisted, pointing back with a trembling hand. "Look at him coming!"

Everyone turned their heads.

Sure enough, sauntering down the path with oddly slow steps and an eerie rhythm was a man with a tall frame, a hypnotic stare, and a pair of heart-shaped sunglasses. His outfit was eccentric, his movements strange.

"…Who the heck is that guy?" Nami muttered, narrowing her eyes.

"Who's calling me weird? I'm not weird," the man said, his voice dragging with a strange rhythm.

"Yes you are," Onion shot back bluntly.

"Nonsense. I'm a hypnotist," the man said, striking a dramatic pose.

"Hypnotist? Cool, do a trick!" the boys chirped excitedly.

"Don't make me laugh," he scoffed, turning away with a smirk. "Do you really think I'm going to do a trick for people I don't even kn—"

He spun back around, flipping a shiny ring from his sleeve. "Attention! Look at this chakram!"

Zoro blinked. "Wait, is he really going to do it?"

"When I say one, two, Jango, you guys will sleep!" the hypnotist declared, swinging the chakram back and forth.

"ONE. TWO. JANGO!"

The boys' eyes spiraled and they dropped like sacks of potatoes—fast asleep.

"Whoa… it worked," Nami said, surprised.

Zoro stared. "The idiot put himself to sleep too?!"

Jango lay flat on the ground, snoring loudly with his legs twitching.

Usopp sat alone on a grassy cliff, knees up, arms resting lazily across them as he gazed at the sea below.

Suddenly—"GAH!"

Luffy's head dangled upside-down in front of him from a tree branch above.

"You can't come normally, can you?!" Usopp said, startled.

"What do you want?"

"Nothing," Luffy answered nonchalantly—then fell out of the tree like a wet noodle, limbs flopping awkwardly as he hit the ground.

"Ouch…"

"That damn butler. How dare he talk about my father like that," Usopp muttered, fists clenched.

"Yeah. I didn't like him either," Luffy said. "But that doesn't matter. Yasopp is a great pirate!"

"I know right!" Usopp's eyes lit up. "He allied himself with piracy, and I'm very proud of him for that. And that idiot butler keeps talking about things he doesn't even know. I'll never forgive him."

"Are you really not going to see that girl anymore?" Luffy asked casually.

Usopp flinched, caught off guard. "M-Maybe... I don't know. Maybe if that butler begs me, I'll come back."

"Are you talking about that one over there?" Luffy suddenly pointed to the ground.

"Huh?"

"What are they doing there?" Usopp muttered as he leaned closer to the cliff's edge.

Klahadore began walking along the beach with the weird man from earlier—Jango. The butler scolded him with irritation. "Sleeping in the middle of the village like some homeless fool. You're going to get us caught."

Jango rubbed the back of his head lazily. "Hey, hey, no big deal. Nobody suspects a hypnotist just passing through~"

Usopp's eyes narrowed as he strained to listen. But then—

"Is the plan ready?" Klahadore asked suddenly.

That single question made Usopp's blood run cold.

"Yes," Jango said with a sinister grin. "Very soon, Tomorrow, we will be able to begin the invasion... and the plan to murder the girl Kaya!"

"W-What!?" Usopp gasped, hand over his mouth.

"Don't say that word," Klahadore snapped, his voice sharp with irritation. "We won't kill her. We'll make it look like it was an accident, remember?"

Jango plopped down lazily on a nearby rock, twirling his hypnotic ring between his fingers. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're going to give us the signal to attack the village, and then we can kill her, right? That way you can go after her fortune."

"Idiot!" Klahadore spat, spinning around to glare at him. "It's not that easy! I'm not a member of the family—I have no right to the fortune."

He turned his back again, folding his arms behind him with a calculating look. "Listen. This is the most important part. When you get to the mansion, I need you to hypnotize her. Make her write a paper passing all her fortune to the loyal butler... Klahadore."

"This will be my first big step toward finally achieving my life of eternal peace. It's perfect," Klahadore said with a sinister grin. "For three long years, I spent gaining the trust of everyone in the village, so that when the 'accident' happens... no one will suspect me."

Jango let out a low chuckle, amused by the deviousness of it all. "I see... so that was your intention playing butler, Captain Kuro. In those three years, you momentarily left us and were quote-unquote executed—when in fact, you just put someone else in your place. What a great plan!"

"Not exactly," Klahadore replied coldly, eyes narrowing. "The girl's parents passed away—in natural ways. But that doesn't matter now. It just worked out in my favor."

"We'll give the signal when it's ready," Jango said with a lazy stretch. "The ship's been prepped since last week, and the men... well, they're thirsty for blood."

"N-No way!" Usopp muttered, hands trembling.

"Hey, what's going on?" Luffy asked, tilting his head with curiosity.

Usopp gritted his teeth. "Captain Kuro of the Foolproof Plans... He was known as a cunning and cruel pirate. A few years ago, his execution was announced—but it was all a farce! He was the butler this whole time... and now..." He clenched his fists. "Now they want to attack the village!"

His voice shook with fear and fury. The image of Kaya, his closest friend, pale and lifeless, flashed through his mind like a nightmare he couldn't shake.

Luffy, now serious, stood up without a word.

"I-Idiot! They're going to see you!" Usopp whispered harshly.

Too late.

"HEY, YOU GUYS!! LEAVE USOPP'S FRIEND ALONE!!!" Luffy yelled at the top of his lungs, arms cupped around his mouth.

"Hmm?" Kuro turned slowly, his gaze falling on the two figures standing just above the beach.

"Idiot! They heard you! Let's run away!" Usopp hissed in a panic.

Kuro adjusted his glasses with a cold expression. "Usopp. Did you hear anything just now?"

"W-What? No! O-Of course not, I just got here!" Usopp stammered, laughing nervously.

"We heard everything," Luffy said bluntly, arms crossed and eyes narrowed.

Usopp collapsed dramatically onto the ground. "WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT!?"

Kuro sighed and gestured toward Jango. "Sigh What a pain in the neck... Hey, you kids."

Jango stepped forward, pulling out his shiny ring chakram and twirling it between his fingers.

"Look here... when I say 'One, two, Jango'... you'll fall asleep."

"Hey, don't look! You moron, we gotta run!" Usopp cried, trying to push Luffy's face away. But Luffy stood firm, eyes locked on Jango.

Giving up, Usopp dove face-first into the dirt and squeezed his eyes shut.

"ONE. TWO. JANGO!"

Jango immediately collapsed backward—right on top of Kuro.

"Ugh..." Kuro muttered, visibly annoyed.

Seconds later, Luffy's body swayed... and then dropped off the cliff.

Thud.

He landed flat on the beach, sand puffing up around him. Thanks to his rubber body, he wasn't harmed—but from above, it looked like he was completely knocked out.

"Oops," Jango muttered, still half-laying on Kuro. "I didn't mean to kill him. That was a pretty long fall… no way he survived that."

"Damn it!" Usopp shouted. "They killed him!"

Kuro brushed Jango off and adjusted his glasses coolly. "Let's go."

"What about the other boy?" Jango asked, pointing lazily at Usopp.

"Leave him be," Kuro replied, already walking away. "No one will believe him anyway."

Usopp stood frozen, shaking.

"That's right, Usopp," Kuro said without turning around, his voice low and cruel. "No matter what you do... you won't be able to stop my plan."

He smirked darkly over his shoulder.

Usopp's eyes widened in horror—and then he turned and bolted, crashing into the woods as fast as his legs could carry him.

"Damn, damn, damn!" Usopp shouted, crashing through branches and stumbling over roots as he ran. "We're doomed! Those guys are going to invade the island tomorrow—and they're going to kill Kaya... and everyone I love!!"

Tears streamed down his face, mixing with the dirt and sweat.

The group blinked in surprise at the unexpected meetup.

"It's almost dusk," Nami muttered, arms crossed and clearly annoyed, "and still no sign of Luffy."

"Not even from the captain," Zoro said, his hand resting lazily on one of his swords. He glanced toward the horizon, as if expecting the rubber man to fall out of the sky any second.

The three kids looked equally frustrated, though they immediately perked up at the sight of the newcomers.

"Huh? Who are they?" Pepper asked, pointing at Seryu and Shana.

"They look kind of cool!" Carrot said, eyes sparkling.

"Its Shana. Hi Shana. Sorry we left without you so suddenly," Nami said.

Shana just gave a small shrug. "It's not important right now. Anyway—where's Luffy?"

Zoro let out a quiet grunt and replied, "We don't know. He and Usopp disappeared a long time ago and haven't come back yet."

"So, Luffy-san isn't here?" Seryu asked, her eyes narrowing slightly in concern.

That's when it clicked for the others.

"Oh! Are you awake already?" Nami asked, surprised. "That was fast."

"Yeah. It was pretty quick, I admit," Shana said, arms folded as she looked Seryu over.

"Y-Yes! First, I'd like to thank you for saving my life!" Seryu suddenly bowed deeply, catching everyone a bit off guard.

Seryu held her bow for a moment longer before rising with a bright, respectful smile.

"My name is Seryu Ubiquitous! I'm a soldier of justice!" she said, puffing her chest with pride.

Shana, standing beside her, gave her a brief side glancs. A quiet reminder.

Seryu caught it instantly and slightly adjusted her posture. "I, uh… used to serve under a great commander. But lately, I've been traveling with Koro here."

Koro gave another cheerful bark, striking a pose that matched Seryu's energy.

The others didn't seem to notice anything off.

Shana, arms crossed and eyes calmly scanning the horizon, nodded subtly to herself. 'Good… she remembered.'

Zoro gave a curious look between the two girls but didn't press it. "Well, if you're strong enough to walk, we might need every able hand soon."

"Why?" Seryu tilted her head.

"That's the thing," Nami said. "We were just talking about how Luffy and Usopp are missing. And something feels… off."

...

...

...

"Go get it, Dog!" one of the boys said, picking up a stick and tossing it a few feet away. Koro stared at the stick, completely uninterested.

"This dog is kind of dumb," the Carrot muttered.

"N-No, it's not that," Seryu quickly defended, stepping protectively beside her companion. "It's just that Koro can only obey me."

"Speaking of which," Nami said, raising an eyebrow, "how did you teach this thing to walk on two legs?"

"Huh? he's always been like that? Why?" Seryu blinked innocently.

"...Nothing," Nami muttered, turning away. "Anyway, we'll have to look for those two eventually."

"Does this dog have a good sense of smell?" Zoro asked, arms crossed.

"Of course!" Seryu grinned, placing a hand on her hip. "Koro's justice detector is unbeatable!"

"Okay, then in that case…" Zoro looked toward the horizon. "Where did you say the captain went again?"

"To the coast, for sure!" one of the boys piped up. "He always goes there."

W-Wait, guys!" Onion called out, waving his arms.

"What is it, Onion?" Pepper asked.

"Isn't that the captain passing by?" he pointed urgently.

Everyone turned—and sure enough, Usopp dashed right past them, heading toward the village at full speed.

"Hey, is Luffy wi-"

FWOOSH*

"He didn't even look over here." Nami blinked. "Is he still mad about what the butler said about his father?"

"No," Carrot muttered, his eyes narrowed. "The captain's gaze was much more intense than before."

"Luffy-san wasn't with him," Seryu added, watching the trail Usopp had left behind. "And… he looked sad..."

Zoro stepped forward, serious. "There's something very wrong here. You three—take us to this coast."

But instead of answering directly, the boys suddenly huddled together.

"Something smells bad. And it's time for the Usopp pirates to strike!"

"Yeah!"

"TURN HERE, DAMN KIDS!!"

The group made their way down the narrow forest path, finally reaching the open coastline. The waves lapped gently against the shore as the sun began to dip closer toward the horizon.

"Look!" Onion pointed ahead. "Over there!"

Everyone stared.

Sure enough, there was a figure buried head-first in the sand, with nothing sticking out but his legs and his butt—wobbling slightly in the sea breeze.

"Is that Luffy-san?" Seryu asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"That's why the captain ran away!" Pepper cried. "They killed that guy!"

"Hold up," Zoro said calmly, stepping forward and squinting at the scene. His instincts flared for just a moment. "He's not dead."

Luffy's arms twitched.

Zoro smirked. "That little rascal."

Suddenly, Luffy pushed off the sand with a fwomp and flipped onto his back, spitting out a mouthful of grit. "Pfffft—bleh! That tasted terrible!"

"LUFFY!!" Nami, Shana, and the others shouted at once.

"Huh? Oh hey, guys," Luffy grinned, dusting sand off his face. "Did I fall asleep?"

"WHAAAAT!? THEY WANT TO KILL MISS KAYA!? IS IT TRUE THAT THEY'LL ATTACK THE VILLAGE TOMORROW?!" the boys screamed in unison, practically jumping out of their shoes.

"Yeah. That's what they said, I'm sure," Luffy replied, his voice grim.

"So, from what I understood... a butler of that mansion was a pirate," Shana noted calmly, arms folded.

"How despicable!" Seryu shouted, clenching her fists. "To use the trust built by the citizens in order to manipulate them—this filthy criminal must be brought to Justice!!"

"Okay, but why were you sleeping?" Zoro asked. "I don't know. The last thing I remembered was being on top of the cliff."

"Well, if the villagers know about this they'll be able to run away. What stupid villains." Nami said.

Meanwhile, the three boys huddled together in dramatic fashion. "Mrs. Kaya is in danger, and the butler was really mean. That's why he was so weird! And that's why the captain came here running with a funeral face. Usopp's Pirates can't just stand by. Quickly! Grab everything valuable in our houses!"

And just like that, they bolted off in the opposite direction.

"Huh? What are you going to do?" Nami blinked, confused.

"Oh yeah, right!!... We should go get some meat before the butcher runs away!" Luffy suddenly cheered and spun on his heel—only for Zoro to chop him on the head, knocking him face-first into the sand again.

"That's not the issue here..." Zoro sighed.

"Yes! Justice is speaking louder!" Seryu declared, puffing her chest out. "We must find where these scoundrels are hiding and destroy anything in sight! Koro, let—"

"Hold up," Shana interrupted, grabbing her cape. "Don't just walk straight into a landmine. Besides, we don't even know where they are."

...

...

Luffy turned. "Huh? You're that girl who got sick," Luffy suddenly said, squinting at Seryu.

"Oh, Yes!" Seryu stood tall, hands on her hips. "My name is Seryu Ubiquitous, a proud soldier of Justice! And this—" she gestured with dramatic flair, "—is my loyal companion, Koro, Devourer of Evil! It is an honor to meet you, Luffy-san. I heard that you are the one who will end all corruption in the world. I must follow such a noble cause."

Luffy looked confused. Not sure what this girl was talking about. "W-Well, I don't know anything about that but your dog is really cool!" Luffy said.

Koro gave a loud, cheerful bark and wagged his tail.

"That girl is full of energy, huh?" Nami muttered, sweatdropping a little as she watched the overly intense girl beam with pride.

The moon hung high over the dark waters surrounding Syrup Village. A large, eerie ship gently rocked with the tide, anchored just off the coast. On its deck, torchlight flickered across the faces of grinning pirates—each one armed and eager, the smell of bloodlust heavy in the salty air.

Kuro stood at the center, arms behind his back, his sharp glasses reflecting the moonlight.

"The time has come," he said coldly, his voice calm and chilling. "Three long years… and now, everything falls into place."

The pirates around him cheered wildly.

"YEAHHH!! Let's gut this village!!"

"Finally! A real fight!"

"That little rich girl won't know what hit her!"

Jango spun his chakram rings lazily by the mast, laughing. "Tomorrow, we show the world what happens when you cross the Black Cat Pirates!"

Kuro's eyes narrowed behind his lenses. "No mistakes. No hesitation. By sunrise, Syrup Village will belong to us."

The cheering continued, echoing into the night like a dark omen.

TO BE CONTINUED.