Chapter 9: Kuro of a Hundred Plans
Kuro is a tall and slim man with glasses and slicked black hair, he wore a black suit with two golden markings on it over a white shirt with a curious collar, with spiral-like protrusions on the edges, and a standard black tie.
"I think you've got the wrong person. My name is Klahadore," Kuro said, his expression unchanged.
"Kuro of a Hundred Plans, right? A 16 million belly's bountys?" Toshiro responded, ignoring Kuro's denial.
"Sixteen million?" Nami echoed, her face a picture of shock.
"If you have no business here, leave," Kuro said tersely, attempting to close the door.
Suddenly, goosebumps ran through Kuro's body as he instinctively dodged a punch that came within a millimeter of crushing his face.
"See, it's impossible for a normal servant to see my punch, let alone dodge it," Toshiro said, tucking his hand back into his pocket.
"I think you're smart enough to know it's pointless to pretend now," Toshiro continued, his tone cold and confident.
Kuro straightened, his demeanor shifting subtly from the calm servant to the calculating pirate. He glanced around, ensuring no one else was within earshot before addressing Toshiro.
"Alright, you've got my attention. What do you want?" Kuro asked, his voice low and dangerous.
"I need a new sla—I mean crew, and you seem capable enough," Toshiro stated bluntly
Nami, still reeling from the revelation, looked between the two men. "You're recruiting him? Are you insane?" she whispered urgently to Toshiro.
"Don't make me laugh," Kuro said with complete disdain.
"As I thought," Toshiro smiled. "Are you playing hard to get?" he added.
"You're just a trash pirate. Do you think I'd join you?" Kuro scoffed.
"But you're a pirate yourself, aren't you?" Toshiro asked.
"How did he know you was a pirate?" Nami asked, confused.
"It's because I said the word 'crew'. It's easy to conclude what's after," Toshiro responded to Nami.
"I quit being a pirate long ago," Kuro responded with a disgusted face.
"Let me tell you what exactly is going to happen next," Toshiro said with a smirk. "I'll beat you so hard you might cry. Basically, you're cooked."
"Ugh, why do I have to deal with these idiots—" Kuro started to say, but his words were cut off as he struggled against Toshiro's grip.
Kuro barely had time to react before Toshiro's hand grabbed his face and slammed his body into the ground with a resounding crash. The impact left a small crater, and the force of the blow stunned Kuro momentarily.
Nami's eyes widened in shock, her mind struggling to process the sheer speed and power Toshiro had just displayed. She had seen him fight before, but this was different. This was brutal and efficient.
Toshiro looked at Kuro, who was struggling to move away, and said, "Finished already?" He lifted his leg and stomped Kuro hard enough to crack the ground again.
Kuro coughed up blood and felt many of his bones break. Gritting his teeth, he tolerated the pain and quickly got up, grabbing Toshiro's hand. With his cat claws, he tried to cut Toshiro's hand.
Toshiro raised an eyebrow and smiled, grabbing Kuro's hand instead and dismantling it with a swift motion.
"Even a smart man like you will need an arm, right?" Toshiro said, his smile cold as he held Kuro's arm in his hand.
"Like I said," Toshiro repeated calmly, "You're cooked."
Kuro was breathing heavily, trying to stop the blood loss from his missing hand. He looked around, desperately searching for a way to survive this situation until his eyes landed on Nami. An idea formed in his mind.
In an instant, Kuro used his signature technique, Nukiashi, and launched himself at Nami, aiming to cut her throat. Nami, who had been watching the one-sided brutal battle, suddenly widened her eyes in terror as she saw Kuro's attack coming towards her. She thought she would die.
"Is this my end?" Nami whispered as tears formed in her eyes.
Toshiro, who also saw Kuro move, sighed and said, "What a little problem." In a blur of motion, Toshiro appeared at the last second, tanking the attack.
*swish* *swish* *stab* *stab*
...…..
After a few tense moments, Toshiro's nonchalant demeanor returned as he turned to Nami. "Are you okay?" he asked casually, as if nothing had happened.
?????????
Nami blinked, her breath catching. "I'm alive?" she asked with a sigh of relief, looking at Toshiro with complicated eyes.
"Toshiro, your arm!" Nami shouted as she realized his condition.
"Do you care about me now, Nami? I'm shocked," Toshiro said mockingly, a smirk playing on his lips.
"It's not like that!" Nami blushed, her cheeks burning. "I'm in danger in the first place because of you."
Toshiro chuckled, ignoring the pain in his arm."you can confess you're feeling for me later, I'm busy now"
"Confess my feelings for you? Don't flatter yourself, scumbag," she retorted, her irritation evident in her voice.
Toshiro feigned a hurt expression, placing a hand over his heart dramatically. "Ouch, that stings," he said with mock seriousness. "But don't worry, I'll give you some time to come to terms with your feelings for me. I know I'm irresistible," he added with a smirk, his playful tone cutting through the tension.
Nami rolled her eyes, resisting the urge to punch him in the arm.
Kuro smiled, realizing he had at least landed a hit on his opponent. He quickly understood that fighting Toshiro or attempting to escape was a losing game, resigning himself to whatever fate awaited him.
Toshiro glanced at Kuro, a thin stream of smoke curling from his injury. With a tone of genuine appreciation and a smile, he remarked, "I really underestimated you, Kuro. Well played."
"Shall we start round 2 then?" Toshiro said with a smile, a white aura covering his hand as he reached out to touch Kuro, beginning the process of healing him.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone