Chapter 69: Get Closer to Me!

Just as Siano and the others were excitedly touring the ship's interior.

Northeast of Sherry Island, inside a rather secluded inn.

A tall figure draped in a black cloak sat coldly on the balcony, gazing at the setting sun gradually sinking into the sea in the distance.

"What a boring life..."

The man named Kuro of the Hundred Plans murmured softly to himself.

Having roamed these seas for some years now, as he entered middle age, the hot-blooded excitement of his youth had faded, and he was beginning to grow weary of such a life.

Especially in recent years.

Of all the pirates in the East Blue with bounties over ten million, except for Buggy who fled back to the Grand Line, nearly all had died at the hands of the man named Siano.

Only he remained as the sole survivor.

Standing out like a crane among chickens for a time, he became the target of everyone; those naval hounds and greedy bounty hunters pursued him more relentlessly than ever, forcing him into bitter battles time and again.

This stop at Sherry Island was precisely because they had been forced into a naval battle just a few days prior.

The ship's hull was severely damaged, forcing them to come here to find a professional shipbuilding company for repairs.

Perhaps it was time for him to devise a way to extricate himself from this situation.

Then find a scenic countryside estate and spend a few peaceful years living like a wealthy retired gentleman.

Just as he was pondering this, Kuro suddenly heard the hurried sound of footsteps—thump, thump, thump—coming from the stairway entrance.

"Why are you back so soon?"

Kuro didn't need to look to know who it was; he frowned. "Didn't I tell you two to visit more shipyards and compare prices?"

If the cost wasn't too high, it would be acceptable.

If the asking price didn't satisfy him, it wouldn't be too late to hold a gun to those shipwrights' foreheads and see if they still dared to ask for exorbitant sums.

"Boss! We found a fat sheep, a fat sheep!"

Unable to contain their excitement, Sham and Buchi trembled as they held up a photograph. "Look, just in case, I hid outside and secretly took this close-up shot!"

"A named blade?"

Kuro's eyes were immediately drawn to the Wado Ichimonji, shining with delight. "It should be a Good Grade Blade? It could even be a Great Grade Blade, estimated to sell for one hundred million Berries..."

Suddenly, as if noticing something, his expression changed drastically.

Before Sham and Buchi could react, their captain vanished without a trace; the next instant, cold claw-like blades pressed tightly against their throats.

"Let me ask..."

A ghostly, icy voice came from behind. "You two wouldn't have secretly approached a new captain, or perhaps are planning to strike out on your own and betray me, would you?"

"Blood! There's going to be blood, Boss!"

Sham screamed in terror, his face contorted in misery. "W-what are you talking about? We are utterly loyal to you; how could we possibly betray you?!"

"Y-yes, exactly." Buchi also swallowed hard, turning his head with a trembling, ingratiating smile. "You know us both; where would we get the guts for something like that..."

"It's precisely because I know you don't dare! Otherwise, I would have killed you outright!"

Kuro sneered coldly, suddenly pointing at the photograph. "I ask, are you two blind? Can't you see who that man is?"

That man?

Sham and Buchi stared blankly at the photo.

Because the lens was focused on the sword, the figures of the several people beside it were somewhat blurry, yet the facial outline of one man indeed looked somewhat familiar, as if seen somewhere before...

"It's Siano! That renowned strongest swordsman of the East Blue, Siano! You two eyeless fools!"

Siano?

Hearing that familiar name, Sham and Buchi gasped sharply, finally waking up to reality.

"The Siano who killed the entire Arlong Pirates crew several years ago?"

"And the Krieg Pirates! Just recently, they were also completely wiped out by his hands!"

The more the two thought about it, the more terrified they became, breaking out in a cold sweat, feeling very much like survivors of a disaster.

Fortunately, they hadn't rushed to make a move at the Giant Whale Company just now; otherwise, wouldn't they never even have seen Captain Kuro's face, instead becoming corpses on the street?

"Now you know fear?"

Kuro's cat claws suddenly crossed before the two men, ten streaks of cold light instantly shredding the photograph into fragments. "What are you still standing there for! Go tell Jango to gather all the brothers; we set sail immediately! We cannot stay on this Sherry Island; find another place to repair the ship!"

"Eh? But we've only just arrived not long ago."

Buchi pouted, somewhat unwilling. "Can't we just avoid provoking that guy? We haven't docked in almost a month; I was hoping to go to the Red Light District tonight..."

"Shut up quickly, you idiot!"

Seeing Kuro's expression growing increasingly gloomy, Sham hastily covered Buchi's mouth. "Better safe than sorry; don't you understand risk? What if that man notices us? Do you want our Black Cat Pirates to be wiped out too? Come on, hurry and come with me to rally the men!"

That's more like it.

Watching the two figures hastily disappear out the door, Kuro snorted coldly, the killing intent in his eyes gradually fading.

This bunch of subordinates who only drag him down were simply stupider than the next; hanging around with them for so long made him feel as if his own intelligence was declining.

"The strongest swordsman, Siano..."

Gazing at the photo fragments on the floor, Kuro still felt a vague sense of dread and unease in his heart, feeling as though something particularly bad was about to happen today.

This man was far too dangerous; he must stay away as quickly as possible, as far away as possible!

As for doing something as stupid as Krieg, going to provoke him to make his own bounty and reputation higher?

Ridiculous.

Considering the difference in strength between the two sides, the success rate was simply too low; he was Kuro of the Hundred Plans, famous for his intellect and surviving through prudence, so he would never do such a foolish thing.

Half an hour later.

The Black Cat Pirates' ship hurriedly put out to sea, with Kuro clinging to the railing, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on the neon sign of the Giant Whale Company in the distance.

Not until that signboard had shrunk into a tiny, barely visible speck in his vision, and no ship had followed closely in pursuit, did he finally look away.

Only then did he withdraw his gaze, feigning calm as he slowly reclined onto the sun lounger.

"Captain Kuro, your red wine."

First Mate Jango presented the wine glass; Kuro hummed in acknowledgment, accepting it casually, yet lacking the mood to drink, he set it aside for the moment.

"Captain, if you ask me, you've just been chased too tightly lately, your nerves a bit too stretched," Jango said with a grin. "How about I hypnotize you so you can relax properly?"

"No need."

Kuro frowned slightly, rejecting the offer outright.

Jango was the only subordinate he truly trusted, and his hypnotic abilities were indeed highly practical, yet he simply disliked that sensation of losing control.

"Captain!" the lookout suddenly shouted. "Ten o'clock! A small boat is heading our way!"

A small boat?

Kuro's pupils constricted, his spine stiffening instantly as he rose and barked harshly, "Look closely! How many people are on it? Is that Siano among them?"

"Just one person!"

The lookout replied, "This person looks unfamiliar; it's not Siano, nor any of the bounty hunters who chased us before. He's waving at us, seems to be seeking help. Tsk, that boat is far too small, like a coffin; one person fills it completely..."

Not Siano?

Kuro immediately breathed a sigh of relief, only for a wave of shame and anger to inexplicably surge up—some nameless nobody who had scared Laozi half to death, and he dares to come seeking help?

"An idiot with no sense of judgment..."

Too lazy to bother further, he sneered coldly and issued an order, "Steer toward him! Crush that fellow, boat and all, to pieces!"

"Aye, Captain!!!"

The pirates on deck responded with a thunderous roar.

On the sea surface not far away.

Watching the pirate ship charging at full speed for no apparent reason, Hawk Eyes paused briefly, then let out a soft sigh, his right hand reaching back toward the black blade on his back.

I merely didn't know the location of Cocoyasi Village and wanted to ask a local for directions.

Why must these fellows do such things...

(End of Chapter)