Chapter 138: Kuro Appears

Just as everyone stood there in a daze, a piercing, shrill voice suddenly rang out. It was none other than Usopp, who had vanished moments before.

"Everyone, don't be fooled! He must be a pirate! That pirate ship docked out there is all the proof you need! The pirates are here to raid our village!"

"..."

Countless expletives raced through Nami's mind; she had only just caught her breath, and now her eyes were practically spitting fire as she glared at Usopp.

Hearing Usopp’s cry, the villagers, who had just begun to lower their guard in hopes of a peaceful dialogue, suddenly tensed up again.

"Damn it! I’ve heard pirates are wicked, and it turns out to be true!"

"That’s right! We were almost tricked by this guy!"

"Syrup Village does not welcome you!"

...

Looking at the menacing cannons of the Swan-class ship in the distance, the villagers’ expressions turned grim. The weapons they had lowered were now leveled at the trio once more. More and more villagers began to gather, each one staring at them with intense hostility.

"Come here, Usopp. I promise I won't kill you."

Tang Shen’s mouth twitched as he beckoned to Usopp, who was hiding behind the crowd.

"I, the great Captain Usopp, won't fall for that!"

Usopp recoiled as if his tail had been stepped on, shrinking back in fear. Yet, suddenly, his eyes lit up. He scrambled to his feet and performed a complete about-face, bracing himself to walk toward Tang Shen.

"For the sake of the village, I, Usopp, shall not retreat!"

He puffed out his chest, striking a heroic pose. However, the villagers' attention was suddenly drawn elsewhere.

"Miss Kaya?! Why did you come out? Go back quickly, it’s not safe here!"

"Please leave, Miss Kaya! These damn pirates are not to be trifled with!"

"Watch out! Protect Miss Kaya!"

...

A stir rippled through the crowd. In the distance, a girl with shoulder-length, pale-gold hair and porcelain skin, dressed in a simple pleated floral dress, stood quietly in the breeze.

As the wind blew, her hair danced lightly. She looked tranquil and serene, like a delicate, pitiable lily.

Kaya’s face was deathly pale, and even her lips were a faint pink. Yet, her eyes were exceptionally clear, filled with a mix of confusion and resolve. She pushed through the crowd and stood at the front, gazing directly at Tang Shen.

"Are... are you truly just here to resupply at our village?"

As the wealthiest person in the village, Miss Kaya was famously kind-hearted. Ever since her father's time, the entire Syrup Village had benefited from the family’s generosity, earning her immense respect. However, since her father’s passing, her frail health had kept her confined to the distant mansion.

Beside her stood a group of young boys—the so-called "Usopp Pirates"—who had rushed to inform her that pirates had arrived and that Captain Usopp had been captured.

Tang Shen slowly released his grip on his long sword and offered a gentle, gentlemanly smile. The warmth of his expression, like the morning sun, left Kaya momentarily mesmerized.

"Of course, dear lady. We are merely travelers passing through. As for the pirate ship you speak of, it is our trophy."

His calm tone and pleasant voice were far from the ferocity one would expect from pirates. Moreover, Kaya could not see a trace of cruelty in the eyes of the three, which put her heart at ease. The clamoring villagers around them gradually quieted down.

"Is that so? Then our village welcomes you, guests from afar. If you don't mind, please be my guests at my home. And please, I beg you, do not make things difficult for them. My name is Kaya."

With an elegant and well-mannered curtsy, a soft smile bloomed on Kaya’s face.

The villagers around them, however, remained terrified; some even had beads of cold sweat on their foreheads. Usopp was the worst off. He tried to speak, but found his lips trembling so violently that he couldn't utter a word. He stared with wide eyes at the massive Swan in the distance.

"A ship... is... a trophy? Gulp..."

He forced a swallow. Looking at the three people before him—who seemed to be about his own age—Usopp felt the heroic image he had just built for himself crumble instantly.

"Don't kid yourself! Could you really defeat a whole pirate crew? You’re an even bigger braggart than I, the great Captain Usopp! Kaya, you mustn't be fooled!!"

Unwilling to give up, Usopp finally found his voice. In his mind, he had shouted it at the top of his lungs, but it came out as nothing more than a mosquito’s whine.

Hearing this, Kaya’s brows, which had finally relaxed, knit together once more. She looked at Usopp with a hint of doubt and hesitation for the first time.

"Long-nose! Our captain defeated the entire Alvida Pirates with his own hands! How could he be lying? I think you’re the one who loves to lie!"

Nami, who had been watching from the side, could take it no longer and snapped indignantly.

Nami’s feelings toward Tang Shen were complicated; she resented him, yet over this period, a strange sense of attachment had grown. She would not allow others to insult him, especially not in front of her.

Usopp was instantly choked for words. His guilty conscience made him appear flustered. Compared to the perpetually calm Tang Shen, it was obvious to everyone who was telling the truth and who was lying.

However, three people defeating an entire pirate crew was such a staggering feat that it left the villagers clutching their weapons with cold, sweaty palms.

"It is a great honor to receive an invitation from Miss Kaya. My name is Monkey D. Luffy."

Tang Shen introduced himself with grace. Miss Kaya possessed the tranquil, gentle quality of a young woman from the southern lands; it was truly difficult to be angry in front of such a person.

"I’m Nami!"

"And me, Coby!"

The two behind him introduced themselves with excitement. Nami, fearing Tang Shen might add "my slave" to her introduction, let out a long sigh of relief once she had finished.

"Miss Kaya..."

The villagers looked at her with worried eyes, still feeling uneasy about the newcomers.

"What are you all doing over there?"

Just as Miss Kaya was about to speak, a powerful, imposing voice rang out from the distance.

A series of crisp, rhythmic footsteps echoed, and the villagers’ faces immediately lit up with joy. Some even began to cheer excitedly.

"Mr. Klahadore is here!"

"Wow! Mr. Klahadore, now we can rest easy!"

"Yes, with Mr. Klahadore here, we have nothing to worry about!"

...

The villagers cheered as if a savior had arrived, and a look of tension involuntarily appeared on Miss Kaya’s face.

Stepping through the crowd, the man leading them was dressed in a sharp, black slim-fit suit. His hair was slicked back, and he wore gold-rimmed glasses, giving off an impression of meticulousness and extreme seriousness—Klahadore!

Behind him was a team of Kaya’s family bodyguards, all wearing crisp suits, muscular and imposing, with sunglasses. They immediately surrounded Tang Shen and his group.