With his mask ripped away, Kuro shrugged and spoke with a low, cold voice:
"Miss Kaya, life is full of surprises. The difference is… your illness can't be cured."
"But me?"
"I can still fix everything."
Kaya stared at him blankly, her heart sinking.
The noble, gentle butler she had trusted for years was gone.
In his place stood something cruel—predatory.
Thinking back on their three years together, a chill ran down her spine.
"My carefully crafted plan… ruined by some brat," Kuro muttered darkly, black veins creeping across his brow.
"But as long as I eliminate you all, I can still succeed."
Shing!
In a flash, gleaming white claws sprang from all ten fingers of his gloves.
His weapon—Ten Claws!
"Nami, Makino—watch over Kaya," Reno said calmly as he handed the trembling girl to them.
"Reno, don't let that bastard walk away!" Nami clenched her fists and glared at Kuro.
If she weren't outmatched, she'd have charged in herself.
Makino, ever the gentle older-sister type, carefully supported Kaya.
But even she couldn't hide her disgust.
"Captain… give him what he deserves."
Coming from soft-spoken Makino, that alone showed how furious she was.
Reno felt the same.
He had planned to just expose Kuro's scheme and quietly end him.
But to mock Kaya's illness—
To twist the knife?
Unforgivable.
"Heh… discipline me?"
"My Ten Claws haven't tasted blood in three years… today, they feast!"
"Silent Step!"
Kuro vanished without a sound.
The hall echoed with the sharp crack of steel.
Then—
In an instant, his prized Ten Claws shattered before his stunned eyes.
"...Pathetic." Reno lowered his arm, face blank.
Before Kuro could even blink, Reno grabbed his shoulder—
Whoosh!
Locked coordinate—Long-range teleport!
The very next moment, the two of them reappeared on a desolate island.
Surrounded by nothing familiar, Kuro's calm finally cracked.
He stared at Reno as if seeing a demon.
"H-How… How did you…?!"
This wasn't Syrup Village.
Not even the same sea region.
Reno didn't answer.
He just smiled.
A dark, merciless curve of the lips.
"I was going to give you a clean death…"
"But now?"
Run.
That was the only word Kuro's brain could muster.
He launched into Silent Step, maxed out.
But compared to Reno?
Laughable.
What came next—
The cracking of bones.
Shoulders. Collarbones. Fingers. Arms. Legs.
Every part that could break without killing was broken.
Bones dislocated. Limbs twisted. Muscles torn.
Kuro's screams echoed through the island like banshee wails,
scaring off every bird in the surrounding jungle.
Face distorted in agony, Kuro collapsed into a bloody heap.
Then—
Reno raised a hand. A long blade materialized in his palm.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
Dozens of sword slashes ripped through Kuro from different angles.
Moments later, his body spasmed.
He let out a guttural, inhuman shriek.
Reno had turned him into a crippled husk—a human swine.
He had kept his distance during the whole process, of course.
He didn't like getting blood on himself.
And neither did Nami or Makino.
"…Spend the rest of your life repenting here."
Reno gave the twitching mess of a man one final glance.
Then, he locked onto the coordinate he left back at Kaya's estate—
Whoosh!
…
"Where's Mr. Reno? Is he alright?" Kaya asked nervously.
Both Reno and Kuro had vanished in the blink of an eye.
If Kuro really was the captain of the Black Cat Pirates…
A bounty of 16 million in East Blue made him a big deal.
"Um…"
Nami and Makino exchanged glances, just as uncertain.
To be honest, even they didn't know how strong Reno really was.
They knew he was fast, sure.
But… this fast?
Just as worry filled the air—
Flash!
Reno reappeared in the hall, perfectly unharmed.
The three girls exhaled in unison.
Thank goodness.
"Mr. Reno… what about Kuro?" Kaya asked hesitantly.
Reno walked over and gently rested a hand on her forehead.
"Don't worry," he said warmly. "He's been sent somewhere he belongs."
"He won't hurt anyone again."
Kaya gave a small, quiet nod—
Then found herself staring at Reno.
They were strangers, and yet…
Was it possible?
Were there truly people this selfless?
She felt… touched.
"…Kaya," Reno said suddenly, "have you ever wanted to see the world? Sail the seas?"
Kaya blinked.
Then, without hesitation—
"I do."
But her excitement faded quickly.
"…But my body…"
Nami and Makino both widened their eyes.
Before they could respond, Reno casually reached out and pinched Kaya's cheek.
"You forgot?" he teased. "I didn't just come here to beat the bad guy."
"I came to heal you, remember?"
"You thought I was joking?"
"Wait… really? You can really cure me?!"
Oddly enough, Kaya didn't mind the gesture.
Not after what she'd been through.
Somehow… she trusted him.
"I can," Reno said firmly.
"But it won't be easy. You've been sick for a long time."
"More importantly… I can't be interrupted."
"How about we go to your room so I can give you a proper examination?"
"That's how real doctors operate, right?"
Kaya nodded without a shred of doubt.
Isn't that how rare diseases were always treated?
After instructing Merry to take good care of Nami and Makino, she led Reno toward her bedroom.
Watching them leave, Nami sighed and rubbed her temples.
Another flower crushed.
Makino just chuckled softly.
Ah…
So the captain used a different excuse every time.
She turned to Nami with a teasing smile.
"Nami, what excuse did he use to get you on board?"
Nami blushed.
Could she say it was for the money?
How embarrassing!
"A-Ahahaha, Makino-nee! You're so nosy! I'm starving. Let's go eat something."
Makino gave a gentle smile and let it go.