With Naruto's clones gone, the battlefield shifted. The pirates, though battered, still had numbers on their side, but Luffy and Zoro wasted no time throwing themselves into the fight.
Realizing the tide turning against them, Jango took action. He swung his pendulum, his voice ringing out as he hypnotized the Black Cat Pirates, pushing them beyond their limits. Unfortunately for him, Luffy got caught in it too. With a wild grin, Luffy charged in with even greater strength, tearing through the enemy like a storm. The pirates barely stood a chance, crumbling under his sheer power.
Jango, watching his own men get annihilated, panicked and quickly swung his pendulum again—this time putting Luffy to sleep.
Not wasting a second, he called for the Nyaban Brothers. The two leaped into action, their movements fast and coordinated. They circled Zoro, using deception and trickery to throw him off balance. In the chaos, they managed to separate him from two of his swords, putting him at a severe disadvantage. Forced to fight with only one blade, Zoro struggled against their combined assault. A misstep cost him, and soon, a well-placed attack cut through, leaving him wounded.
Nami, watching anxiously from the sidelines, saw her chance. Zoro was holding on, but he wouldn't last much longer without his swords. Taking a deep breath, she darted forward, weaving through the chaos. She reached the blades and snatched them up—but before she could escape, Jango was already on her.
A chase followed, with Nami desperately trying to get past him. Jango wasn't about to let her go so easily, but just as he thought he had her cornered, she made a last-second feint, slipping past him and tossing the swords back to Zoro.
Jango barely had time to recover before he realized Nami was already making a break for Luffy. With no time to chase her down, he made a split-second decision and hurled his chakram straight at her back.
Nami reached Luffy and wasted no time, slamming her foot into his face to wake him up. Luffy groggily stirred and stood—just in time to turn and see the spinning blade flying straight for his head.
Then, a sharp whistle cut through the air. A kunai shot forward, striking the chakram mid-flight and knocking it off course.
Naruto and Kaya had arrived.
Luffy and the others turned at the sudden interference. At first, Luffy's eyes widened in recognition, and a grin almost formed on his face. But then his gaze landed on Naruto's injury—the deep wound in his right chest, where Kuro's claws had pierced clean through. The fabric of his jacket was soaked in blood, and despite his attempt to stand firm, his posture wavered slightly.
Luffy's expression darkened. His jaw tightened, and his fists clenched at his sides.
"Naruto!" Luffy's voice rang across the battlefield, sharp with concern.
Nami gasped, her hands flying to her mouth, eyes wide in horror. "That wound…" she murmured.
Even Usopp, usually quick to overreact, was stunned into silence. His usual panic was absent, replaced by an expression of shock and guilt.
Zoro, still engaged with the Nyaban Brothers, stole a brief glance toward Naruto and Kaya. His brow furrowed slightly, but he refocused, gripping his sword tighter.
The Black Cat Pirates froze at the sight. They had fought Naruto before—but back then, it had only been his clones. Seeing him now, bloodied and standing, their confusion turned to shock.
"T-that's the real one…!" one of them stammered, eyes darting to the gaping wound in Naruto's chest.
"But how the hell is he still standing after taking a hit like that?!" another whispered.
Even Jango, who had been smirking moments ago, narrowed his eyes. "Tch… that brat's tougher than I thought," he muttered under his breath.
Without hesitation, Luffy, Nami, and Usopp sprinted toward Naruto and Kaya. The battle around them seemed to halt as they closed the distance.
As they neared, they saw Kaya trembling, her hands gripping Naruto's arm tightly as if afraid he might collapse. Tears streaked down her pale face, her body visibly shaking.
Luffy's steps slowed as he got closer, his usual carefree energy replaced by something very serious. Nami and Usopp exchanged worried glances, unsure of what to say.
Kaya's grip on Naruto tightened as Luffy, Nami, and Usopp reached them. Tears streamed down her face, her shoulders trembling with each breath. She barely seemed to notice the chaos of the battlefield around her, her world narrowed down to the boy who had shielded her at the cost of his own body.
"It's my fault…" Kaya choked out, her voice weak and strained. "Naruto got hurt because of me… He—he took the attack that was meant for me." Her fingers clenched around his sleeve as fresh tears spilled down her face. "Klahadore didn't even hesitate… He was going to kill me, and Naruto—he—" Her voice broke.
Usopp's eyes widened. He had been expecting fear, shock, maybe even confusion—but guilt? He had spent so long trying to warn her, desperate to get her to see the truth, and yet now, seeing her like this, all of that frustration melted away.
Kaya turned to him, her tear-filled eyes full of regret. "Usopp… I'm sorry. You were right about everything. I should have believed you."
Usopp swallowed hard. For a moment, he didn't know what to say. Then, with a deep breath, he gave a shaky smile. "You're safe now. That's what matters."
Naruto stirred, his breathing labored but steady. His face was pale, but the fire in his eyes remained unshaken. With effort, he lifted his head, his voice rough but firm.
"I made a promise…" Naruto said weakly, his lips curling into a faint smile. "To Usopp… and Luffy… that I'd protect you, Kaya." His body swayed, but his conviction held strong. "I never go back on my word… That's my ninja way."
Luffy, silent until now, took a step forward and placed a firm hand on Naruto's shoulder. Naruto blinked up at him, his blue eyes meeting Luffy's own.
"Luffy…?" Naruto murmured.
Luffy's grip was steady, his expression unreadable for a moment. Then, he gave a small smile—soft, yet carrying an unshakable weight. "Leave everything to me."
Naruto opened his mouth to protest, his stubbornness surfacing even in his weakened state. But before he could say anything, Luffy's smile widened just slightly, his voice carrying a quiet but undeniable certainty.
"Go to sleep, Naruto."
Naruto's breath hitched. There was something in Luffy's eyes—something firm, something unshakable, something that told him everything was going to be okay. The tension in his body slowly melted away.
And with that, his vision darkened, and he finally collapsed.
Kaya let out a quiet gasp as Naruto's weight suddenly pressed against her. She barely managed to hold him up before Nami rushed in to help, easing him gently onto the ground.
"He's out cold," Nami muttered, pressing her fingers against his neck. His pulse was faint but steady. "At least he's still breathing."
Kaya sniffled, tears brimming in her eyes. "This… this is my fault. He took that attack because of me…"
"Now's not the time for that," Nami said, quickly pressing a strip of cloth from Naruto's torn jacket against his wound. "Help me stop the bleeding."
Kaya swallowed hard and nodded, placing her hands over the cloth as she applied pressure. Her hands shook, but she forced herself to focus.
As they worked, a faint warmth began radiating from Naruto's body. It was subtle—barely noticeable at first—but the edges of his wound stopped bleeding. The healing was slow, almost undetectable, but steady.
Deep within, something stirred. A presence, ancient and powerful, grumbled in irritation.
Tch. That idiot. Always throwing himself into danger.
Usopp stood nearby, fists clenched. He wanted to help, to say something reassuring, but the sight of Naruto—so full of energy just moments ago—now lying motionless left him frozen.
Luffy exhaled sharply. His gaze lingered on Naruto for a moment before he turned to Nami and Kaya.
"Take care of him," he said.
Nami met his gaze and gave a firm nod. "Go."
Luffy turned toward the battlefield, muscles coiled, ready to launch forward—
Then, an eerie silence spread across the shore.
The groans of fallen pirates faded as a slow, deliberate set of footsteps echoed through the air. The Black Cat Pirates, battered and bruised, stiffened. Some, still on their feet, straightened immediately, as if forced to stand at attention. A few dared to glance toward the sound, their expressions shifting from exhaustion to unease.
The source of their fear emerged from the fog—Kuro had arrived.
His usually pristine clothes were in tatters, his once-glossy coat hanging in torn strips from his shoulders. His glasses were missing, and his exposed stomach bore a spiral-shaped wound, its edges burned and cracked as if the attack had twisted deep into his flesh. His breath came out in slow, controlled exhales, but his fists, still coated in blood, trembled at his sides.
The feared Captain Kuro, always composed, always in control—was livid.
Yet, as his remaining crew took in the sight, their first reaction was confusion.
"What... happened to him?" one pirate muttered.
Another swallowed hard. "Who could've done this?"
They had fought against that brat's clones—not the real one. And while the copies had been surprisingly strong and troublesome, none of them had shown enough power to leave Kuro in this state.
Their confusion deepened as their eyes drifted to Naruto, lying motionless on the battlefield. He was injured—badly. Blood stained his tattered orange jacket, and his chest rose and fell in shallow, ragged breaths. His last remaining clone had disappeared long ago.
Then their gazes flickered back to Kuro... and the blood still dripping from his claws.
The realization struck them all at once.
Kuro had fought the real brat.
And though he had won, he hadn't come out unscathed.
A heavy silence settled over them. Some of the weaker-willed pirates shifted uncomfortably. A few dared to think the unthinkable—if that kid had pushed Kuro this far, how strong was he really?
Then, breaking the tension, a scoff came from the back.
"Tch. Look at him," one pirate snickered under his breath. "All that talk about being untouchable, and now he looks like a mess."
A couple of others chuckled, barely holding back their amusement. The sight was absurd. Kuro—their captain, their legend—stood before them like a battered stray cat. It was the most undignified they had ever seen him.
Kuro's ear twitched.
Without hesitation, he lashed out.
Blood sprayed through the air as his claws carved through his own men. The ones unfortunate enough to laugh crumpled to the ground, lifeless before they could even register their mistake.
The battlefield was silent once more.
Kuro slowly lowered his bloodstained claws, his glowing yellow eyes sweeping across the field—until they landed on Naruto.
His fury ignited to its peak.
That brat—the one who humiliated him. The one who dared to damage him. Even now, the pain in his stomach burned like fire, a constant reminder of the disgrace he had suffered.
Something inside him snapped.
With a snarl, Kuro vanished—lunging straight for Naruto.
His bladed fingers gleamed in the dim light, aimed directly at the unconscious boy's heart.
Naruto's body refused to move.
His mind was hazy, weighed down by exhaustion, but a flicker of awareness stirred inside him. He could feel something approaching—fast, dangerous. His eyelids fluttered open, and through his blurry vision, he saw Kuro closing in, claws mere inches away.
He couldn't react.
His limbs were heavy, his muscles unresponsive. He wasn't going to make it.
Then—
A fist came out of nowhere.
A powerful Gomu Gomu no Pistol smashed into Kuro's face, sending him flying across the battlefield.
Naruto's fading vision caught a glimpse of Luffy standing over him.
His straw hat cast a shadow over his face, but when Naruto looked up, he saw Luffy's eyes—
And they were filled with fury.
"You did this to my nakama." Luffy's voice was low, steady—but it carried a weight that sent a chill through the air.
For the first time since Kuro arrived, the Black Cat Pirates felt something stronger than fear.
They felt dread.
Naruto's consciousness wavered. His vision blurred, and the last thing he saw was Luffy standing firm before everything faded to black.
Zoro, having reclaimed his swords, wasted no time in turning the tide against the Nyaban Brothers. Despite his wounds, his attacks were precise and relentless, cutting through their tricks and speed with sheer skill. In a matter of moments, he had them both lying unconscious on the ground, their once-confident smirks replaced by silent defeat.
Meanwhile, Usopp found himself face-to-face with Jango, who had abandoned the fight in favor of finishing his mission. The hypnotist, realizing Kuro was losing, made a desperate move toward Kaya. Panic surged through Usopp, but he gritted his teeth and pushed forward. Using his slingshot and quick thinking, he managed to outmaneuver Jango, landing a decisive shot that knocked him out cold. For the first time, Usopp truly felt like the hero he had always claimed to be.
At the center of it all, Kuro had reached his breaking point. His careful, calculated plans had crumbled before his eyes, and now, all that remained was rage. Abandoning all restraint, he unleashed his Shakushi, vanishing into a blur of slashing strikes. His claws tore through the battlefield indiscriminately, cutting down even his own men in a storm of lethal precision.
But Luffy stood firm. He endured the onslaught, letting Kuro's movements grow more erratic and desperate. Then, in a single moment of clarity, he struck. Gomu Gomu no Bell. The impact rocked Kuro's skull, halting his wild movements.
Kuro struggled to his feet, spitting blood. His glasses were cracked, and his once-flawless coat was torn and dirtied.
"This... this wasn't how it was supposed to go," he snarled, his claws shaking.
Luffy loomed over him, shadowed by the setting sun.
"You called them pawns," Luffy said quietly. "But even they don't want to follow you anymore."
Kuro's eyes flickered to his remaining crew. The Black Cat Pirates stood in silence. Some turned away. Others refused to meet his gaze.
Even his own men no longer feared him—they were ashamed.
Kuro let out a bitter laugh. "Pathetic."
Luffy's fist blurred.
A single, final punch sent Kuro skidding across the battlefield. He didn't get up.
The fight was over.
The Black Cat Pirates slunk away, dragging their unconscious captain with them. The battle-scarred field fell into silence.