One Piece: Luffy's Vice Captain wants to be a Marine

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Captain Kuro's words immediately made Luffy and Zoro tense, their sharp instincts kicking in.

Ikki smiled faintly and taunted, "What's the matter? Ashamed and angry?"

"No... you won't make me angry!" Kuro replied coldly. The moment those words left his mouth, he repeatedly stomped his feet against the ground, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished.

Zoro and Luffy exchanged confused glances. What was this guy playing at? One moment he was ready to fight, and the next, he was gone.

Just as the crew started to doubt his intentions, Kuro reappeared. His stance was unmistakably that of a predator about to strike.

This time, Kuro wore gloves equipped with long, menacing blades on each finger. His voice dripped with malice.

"All right... you can die now."

Upstairs, Kaya sat by the window, staring at Klahadore in disbelief. The man she had trusted as a loyal caretaker—someone she had seen as family—now revealed his true self. But this wasn't Klahadore anymore. This was Kuro, and the murderous intent in his eyes was overwhelming. It left her struggling to reconcile the person she once admired with the monster before her.

Kuro, however, paid no mind to Kaya's thoughts. His focus was singular: kill everyone present and use Jango's hypnotic powers to cover up the massacre as a robbery gone wrong. He'd played his part for far too long, and now it was time to finish the job.

As Kuro charged, Zoro drew his swords, while Luffy instinctively activated his Nen, a thin aura emanating around his body.

"Zoro, Luffy, just protect the others! Leave him to me!" Ikki shouted, stepping forward to meet Kuro's attack head-on.

Kuro wasn't just infamous for his cunning; his strength and speed had earned him a fearsome reputation in the East Blue. His self-created Stealth Foot technique rivaled the Marines' Shave in speed and precision. The primary difference? Kuro's control over the technique was flawed. If he pushed himself too far, he would enter an uncontrollable frenzy, wildly slashing at anything and anyone.

For now, Kuro refrained from using it. He didn't think it would be necessary.

Kuro lunged at Ikki, aiming for a decisive blow with his razor-sharp finger blades. Ikki sidestepped, dodging low to the ground. Just as Kuro's blades whizzed past, Ikki unleashed a controlled burst of energy from his hands, targeting Kuro's knees.

Kuro, whose speed was his greatest weapon, stumbled slightly as his legs faltered. But he recovered quickly, taking a few steps back while keeping up a relentless assault with his finger blades.

Still, something strange was happening. As Kuro's blades neared Ikki, an invisible force seemed to redirect their path. A sudden gust of wind rippled across Ikki's body, deflecting the attack. A sickening crack echoed as Kuro's knees gave out under the pressure.

With a grunt of pain, Kuro collapsed backward. His legs were useless now—his speed, his pride, stripped from him.

"You... how did you hit me?" Kuro growled, his voice strained from the pain.

Only then did he notice the wooden sword in Ikki's hand. It was the Toyako Bokuto, seemingly pulled from nowhere. Kuro's eyes narrowed. He hadn't seen Ikki wielding it earlier—he had been wearing nothing but shorts and a short-sleeve shirt. How had that weapon appeared?

"The wooden sword… How could a wooden sword break my legs…" Kuro muttered, his voice laced with disbelief.

Hearing this, Ikki calmly wrapped the wind around the Toyako Bokuto and struck it against a nearby stone half a meter wide. The rock shattered into countless fragments with a resounding crack. The sight left Kuro stunned. The swirling air around the wooden sword confirmed his suspicions—the man before him was undoubtedly a Devil Fruit user.

Only now did Kuro fully grasp what had happened earlier. The force that deflected his ten-finger blades wasn't an illusion. It was real.

Just after Kuro had been subdued, Kaya appeared in the yard, supported by her maid, Merry. Her gaze fell on Kuro, his knees still bleeding, and her eyes welled up with tears.

Kuro gave a weak, bitter smile. "Kaya… I'm sorry I deceived you… but I had no other choice."

He paused, his tone softening. "From now on, you must take your medicine on time. And if you can, avoid getting involved with pirate brats like Usopp. I know the nature of pirates better than anyone."

He sighed heavily. "I can't protect you anymore… Take care of yourself."

Kaya's tears began to fall as she looked at the man she had once trusted. She turned to Ikki and Luffy, her voice trembling. "Please… can you leave Klahadore to me? I'll take care of him."

Hearing her plea, Kuro felt a fleeting sense of triumph. He was confident that Kaya's kindheartedness would protect him. Once his former crew arrived, he could make a comeback and eliminate everyone who stood in his way.

But Ikki's expression darkened. He spoke bluntly, "Miss Kaya, your kindness is misplaced."

Pointing to Kuro, Ikki continued, "If I'm not mistaken, he's already contacted his former crew. It won't be long before a swarm of pirates invades Syrup Village to burn, loot, and kill."

Kaya's face turned pale at Ikki's words. Meanwhile, Kuro mentally cursed Jango for his incompetence. He believed Ikki knew about his plan because Jango had let something slip.

In the end, Kaya reluctantly handed Kuro over to Ikki, a private Marine. Defeated and immobilized, Kuro no longer had the will to resist.

The Next Day

Through interrogating Jango, Ikki discovered the route the Black Cat Pirates planned to use to attack the village. He led Luffy, Zoro, and Usopp to intercept them early.

"Usopp, I'm impressed you actually came to face the pirates with us," Zoro said with a grin, sipping from his gourd as he watched Usopp's trembling legs.

"Heh… heh…heh…" Usopp forced a laugh, trying to mask his fear. "I'm the great Captain Usopp! There's no way I'd be afraid of some lowly Black Cat Pirates!"

Despite his words, Usopp glanced nervously over his shoulder. Kaya stood among the trees nearby, her worried eyes fixed on him.

Minutes passed, each one feeling like an eternity. Finally, a massive pirate ship loomed into view.

"They're here," Zoro said, hanging his gourd at his side. He drew three swords with a fluid motion and turned to Ikki. "You handled Kuro. Leave the rest of the crew to me!"

"Understood. I'll leave it to you!" Ikki replied.

As private Marines, Zoro and Luffy earned justice points for every act of righteousness they performed. It was their way of upholding their code.

No sooner had Ikki spoken than the shouts of pirates echoed from the distance. Zoro and Luffy rushed forward, their movements swift and decisive.

What followed was a crushing, one-sided battle. The Black Cat Pirates' underlings were no match for Zoro and Luffy's combined strength. Within moments, the pirates were left sprawled on the ground, defeated.

Usopp didn't stand idly by, either. Using the traps he had set in advance and the slingshot in his hand, he managed to take down several enemies on his own.