Kuro's eyes flickered when he caught the cold, resolute look in Zino's eyes. He realized that the confrontation had already begun. With a sharp motion, he pulled on his gloves—those special gloves with hidden blades that had served him in countless clandestine battles.
"Let's see if you're really as good as you claim yourself to be." Kuro growled, sliding his fingers into the gloves. The metal snapped into place, and thin blades extended, glinting in the dappled sunlight. "Shakushi!"
Zino's expression didn't waver. He responded instantly with calm confidence: "Tekkai!"
A metallic *clang* reverberated through the clearing.
Ten razor-sharp blades flew forward in unison, targeting Zino's torso and limbs. Yet when they struck, nothing happened. The blades were repelled as though bouncing off steel plating—their points failing even to scar his skin. In fact, the force of Zino's hardened technique forced all ten blades clean off Kuro's gloves, sending them spinning into the undergrowth.
For Kuro, the shock was staggering—not just that his attack had failed, but more wounding was the realization of what he was up against.
"Rokushiki!?" he whispered hoarsely, eyes wide with dread and realization.
Zino allowed a slow, confident smirk to cross his lips. "So, you do know of it," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "You wear the name 'Captain Kuro,' yet you underestimate your opponent."
Kuro's face turned tight with panic. He looked around, as if calculating escape routes, but his fear had already tethered his limbs.
"Shakushi!" he spat again, attempting to vanish into movement. He twisted, seeking to retreat into the forest's shadows as fast as he could.
But Zino was a split-second faster. Without hesitation, he called out, "Soru!"
A gust of wind seemed to follow as Zino lunged forward in a blur. The world tilted, and in a fraction of a second, he closed the distance.
Kuro barely had time to cry out: "Ah!"
Before he could complete his escape, a heavy hand extended and swiftly caught him by the head. In one fluid motion, Zino pulled him down.
Bam!
Kuro's face slapped against the forest floor, and the impact echoed like a gunshot. Dirt flew, leaves rustled, and Kuro's world spun. However, he tenaciously persisted, not falling unconscious.
Kuro gritted his teeth and, with a sudden twist of his body, forcefully tore himself away from Zino's grasp. The moment he broke free, he launched himself forward in a blur, once again using his signature movement technique.
"Shakushi!"
His form flickered and vanished among the trees.
Zino stood still for a moment, letting out a sigh. "Tch. You're really persistent, aren't you?" he muttered, his tone a mix of annoyance and admiration. "Why can't you just stay down and let me arrest you like a normal criminal?"
Without wasting another second, Zino activated his own movement technique. "Soru!"
With a sharp burst of speed, he disappeared in a blur and reappeared just behind Kuro, who had barely made it a few meters away. Before Kuro could even register his presence, Zino struck.
"Shigan: Gekiren (Fierce Barrage)!"
Zino's fingers extended like piercing bullets. He jabbed Kuro's legs several times in rapid succession, targeting pressure points and muscles. Kuro let out a cry of pain as his knees buckled. A final jab to his back sent him collapsing forward, groaning, his body refusing to obey him.
Gasping, Kuro tried to push himself up, but the damage was already done. He couldn't run anymore. His limbs trembled uncontrollably, and he could feel the sharp pain where the strikes had landed.
"Wh–Why? Who are you?" Kuro growled through clenched teeth, fury and disbelief contorting his face. "Are you… a Cipher Pol agent?"
Zino raised an eyebrow at the question. "Cipher Pol? Nah," he said casually. "I'm just a regular marine."
"Don't mess with me!" Kuro spat. "Only CP agents know how to use Rokushiki. Either you're lying, or you're one of those elite brats being groomed for some cushy admiral position!"
Zino chuckled and waved a hand dismissively. "I think you're giving me too much credit. I'm no prodigy, no agent, no big deal. I'm just me."
He crouched beside the defeated Kuro and continued, "Besides, all that really matters is that I'm here to stop you. You tried to run, you dug your own grave—literally—and now you're going back to the marine base, in cuffs."
"You think you can just—Let me go, you son of a—!"
Thud!
A clean, heavy kick landed squarely on Kuro's face, snapping his head to the side. The force of the blow instantly knocked him out cold. He slumped to the ground, unmoving.
Zino straightened, brushing some dirt from his pants. "Jeez. Loudmouth until the end," he muttered. Then, with a faint smirk, he added, "And for the record, you're the son of a B."
With Kuro lying unconscious on the forest floor, bleeding heavily from the nose, Zino calmly took out a rope—seemingly from nowhere—and began tying the former pirate captain with practiced ease. His movements were swift but methodical, making sure the knots were tight and escape-proof. Once he was done, he exhaled lightly and turned toward Kaya.
"It's done," he said, brushing the dirt off his hands. "Shall we head to your mansion now?"
Kaya, Ussop, Nami, and Alvida were still frozen in place, eyes wide and mouths slightly agape. The entire confrontation had lasted less than a minute, but in that short time, they had witnessed something far beyond what they expected. Kuro's speed and stealth had once terrorized the village. Yet Zino had not only matched it—he completely overwhelmed it.
"…That was insane," Ussop finally muttered. "I didn't even see when he moved."
"The technique… Soru, was it?" Alvida said, her voice filled with awe as she stepped closer to Zino, her earlier arrogance replaced with genuine interest. "It can be that fast?"
Zino gave a small smile. "It can go even faster, depending on the user's training."
Alvida's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Then I want to learn that. Teach me Soru first."
Zino raised an eyebrow, surprised by her sudden enthusiasm. "I thought you were more interested in Tekkai. Your Smooth Smooth fruit ability complements it perfectly—it would make you even harder to damage."
"I changed my mind," Alvida said confidently, placing a hand on her hip. "Tekkai can come later. For now, I want that crazy speed. Please teach me Soru first."
He studied her for a moment, gauging her sincerity. She was definitely serious. He gave a small nod. "Alright. I'll teach you. But keep in mind, the training is brutal. It requires repetition, endurance, and precision. No shortcuts."
"I don't mind." Alvida smiled, already imagining herself zipping across the battlefield like Zino had just done. "I'm ready for it."
Zino gave a small chuckle, then turned back to the rest of the group. "Let's not stand around. We should get moving first."
The group then made their way down the path toward Syrup Village, with Zino casually slinging the unconscious and tightly bound Kuro over his shoulder. Though the pirate captain was still out cold, Zino had taken extra care to confiscate and store all of Kuro's clawed gloves and hidden weapons. You never knew when a spare blade—or ten—might come in handy.
As they approached the village outskirts, the familiar cobblestone streets and small homes nestled among the trees came into view. For Kaya and Ussop, returning after such chaos stirred mixed feelings. But that tension was quickly replaced by another kind of trouble.
"H-Hold it right there!" a woman's voice rang out from the roadside. An older villager, one of the local aunties, spotted the man slung over Zino's shoulder—and her eyes widened in horror. "What have you done to Krahadle!?"
Zino stopped walking. "Krahadle?"
"Yes, Krahadle! The butler of the mansion! How dare you parade him around like this!" she shrieked, then turned to the nearby houses. "Everyone! Someone's attacked Krahadle! Call the others!"
Within moments, a crowd of villagers spilled out into the street, their faces twisting in confusion and outrage as they took in the scene. Kuro, once known to them as the calm and gentle butler Krahadle, looked worse for wear—bloodied, bound, and unconscious. The sight of him slung over a stranger's shoulder only made things worse.
"What's the meaning of this!?"
"Who are these people!?"
Then, a villager recognized Kaya and pointed accusingly. "You! You're that noble girl, Kaya! The one who ran away from home and abandoned the butler who cared for her!"
"How dare you come back now, bringing strangers with you?" another barked. "And pirates, no less!"
Nami scowled. "Excuse me?"
Kaya stepped forward, trying to explain. "Please, listen. It's not what you think—I didn't run away. I was—"
"Lies!" one man snapped, cutting her off. "We trusted you. And now look! Krahadle's been beaten and tied like some criminal!"
"Look who she's with!" a woman pointed at Ussop. "That boy always causing trouble with his stories. No wonder Kaya turned out this way!"
"The Kaya we knew would never do something like this. She's been corrupted!"
Ussop tried to speak up. "Hold on a second! You don't know the truth—!"
"Silence, liar!" a villager snapped at him, throwing a disapproving glare. "We should've known better than to trust the village prankster!"
One after another, the voices grew louder, angrier, until it felt like the whole village was turning against them. Kaya's voice trembled, her hands clenched in frustration as she tried to reason, but no one was listening.
Zino, still calm, glanced sideways at the growing crowd. His grip on Kuro didn't loosen, but his eyes narrowed slightly.
"They don't know the truth," Nami muttered under her breath. "This might get ugly."
Alvida cracked her knuckles, already losing patience. "Want me to scare them off?"
"No," Zino said, his tone measured. "Let's try something else first."
He stepped forward, deciding to resolve it himself.
"SILENCE!"
Zino's voice erupted like a thunderclap, laced with power and precision. It wasn't just a loud shout—it was enhanced with his control over air, a compressed burst of wind-infused force that rippled through the village square. Windows rattled, dust swirled up from the ground, and the loud commotion of angry voices immediately ceased.
Everyone stopped.
Some covered their ears, startled. Others just stared, stunned into silence by the sheer force of his presence.
Zino didn't waste the moment.
With a calm breath, he reached into his satchel and pulled out a folded white cloak—his Marine-issue uniform. With a fluid motion, he flung it over his shoulders, letting it flutter in the breeze like a commander stepping onto a battlefield. Then he held up his official Marine badge for all to see, letting the sunlight reflect off its polished surface.
"I am Monkey D. Zino," he declared, his voice clear and unwavering. "Ensign of the Marine Headquarters. I have come to this village to arrest a dangerous criminal: Captain Kuro—also known to you as the man posing as your kind butler, Krahadle."
The villagers gasped, eyes darting to the unconscious Kuro over Zino's shoulder.
"He's not who you think he is," Zino continued. "Years ago, he betrayed the Marines, slaughtered his own subordinates, and disappeared. He resurfaced here, under a new name and identity, and began planning his return as the captain of the Black Cat Pirates."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd, their suspicion slowly giving way to confusion—and fear.
Zino's gaze swept over the gathering.
"Do you remember the recent attack on Syrup Village? The Black Cat Pirates stormed your coast. That was no coincidence. It was orchestrated by Kuro himself. His goal? To eliminate Lady Kaya and seize her inheritance. He would have gotten away with it too, if not for her narrow escape—thanks to Ussop."
Kaya stepped forward at that moment, confirming his words with a solemn nod.
"I saw it with my own eyes," she said softly. "He tried to kill me. Merry… Merry tried to stop him but…"
She choked up, her voice faltering. Ussop gently placed a hand on her shoulder, his face grim.
Now the villagers looked shaken. Several glanced toward Kuro's body, their expressions shifting from hostility to disbelief.
"Krahadle… is a pirate…?" one of the aunties whispered.
"He was working with the same pirates who attacked us?" another said, horrified.
But still, one man stepped forward, brows furrowed. "Wait. How do we know this isn't a trick? How can you prove he meant to kill Lady Kaya?"
"And how do we know you're a real Marine?" another villager added, crossing his arms.
Zino's jaw tightened. He stepped forward again—and this time, the air around him seemed to ripple.
"I said... SILENCE!"
Another burst of compressed air surged from his voice, not just loud but forceful. The villagers staggered slightly, some shielding their ears, while others dropped to one knee under the weight of it. It was as if the air itself had scolded them into silence.
When the wind settled, Zino's eyes narrowed.
"I don't expect blind trust," he said. "But I do demand your attention. The truth will come whether you want it or not."