As the sun rose over the horizon, dawn broke. A sailship approached the island, perfectly timed with the light piercing the sky. Usopp, peering through a telescope, spotted the enemy.
"They're here," he whispered, scanning his crew. They nodded, crouched, and hid without a word. Usopp slipped into the forest.
The north coast's terrain was unique—a narrow path, twenty meters wide, flanked by high cliffs, ideal for an ambush but not for invasion. Would the pirates notice?
The ship slowed near the shore, stopping short of the shallows. A loud war cry erupted as over fifty pirates disembarked, rowing small boats to avoid fatigue. For a small village, their numbers and battle-hardened experience were overwhelming. Villagers posed no threat.
Led by Jango, captain of the Black Cat Pirates, they charged up the path, his heart-shaped sunglasses glinting. Unlike his excited crew, he moved calmly. But before they reached the top, Usopp leapt from the forest, blocking their path.
"Stop right there!" he shouted.
Startled, the pirates halted. Their plan was to raid an unprepared village, not face a lone boy. His weak appearance eased their tension; some sneered, others laughed. Jango pushed forward, eyeing Usopp, who glared back through goggles, clutching a slingshot, suppressing his fear.
"Who're you?" Jango demanded.
"Listen up! I'm Captain Usopp, ruler of this village! No one touches it! Flee now, or my eight thousand men will make you regret it!" Usopp bellowed.
"Eight thousand!?" Jango gasped, recoiling.
"Run, or you'll wish you had!" Usopp warned.
Sweating, Usopp saw Jango's shock, but the crew scoffed, unconvinced. "Captain, it's obviously a lie," one said.
"No way this kid's a pirate with an army," another mocked.
"Gah, they saw through it!?" Usopp blurted.
"See? He admitted it," a pirate said.
"Idiot, who confesses that?" another groaned.
Jango's face darkened, his naive demeanor replaced by menace. "You lied to me," he growled.
"Eep!" Usopp yelped.
"No mercy! Crush him and the village!" Jango roared.
The pirates charged, their presence overwhelming. Usopp, fighting fear, grabbed handfuls of caltrops from his bag and scattered them. "Take this—caltrop hell!"
The spikes littered the path. The pirates, unable to stop their momentum, stepped on them, piercing their soles. Screams filled the air as they hopped in pain. Usopp fled, passing Luffy. "It's on you!" he called.
"Got it!" Luffy replied.
The pirates, furious at another boy, charged. "Another kid? Kill him and hit the village!" they shouted.
Luffy sprinted forward, eyes sharp. His stretching rubber arms baffled them. "Gomu Gomu no… Gatling!" he yelled, unleashing a barrage of punches. Dozens of pirates flew, unable to react. The rest froze, stunned.
On the cliffs, Kiri, Nami, Zoro, and Silk watched. "Let's move," Silk said. "Zoro, ready?"
"Waste of time. I'd rather cut them down directly," Zoro grumbled, lifting barrels with Kiri. They tossed them toward the empty shore behind the pirates.
"Silk," Kiri called.
"On it!" she replied, drawing her sword.
A sharp wind blade—kamaitachi—sliced the barrels, spilling oil across the shore, blocking the pirates' retreat. Silk smiled, satisfied; her training had paid off. The wind obeyed her.
Usopp returned, holding a pellet. "Ready," he said.
"Go! Hissatsu… Fire Star!" Kiri shouted.
Usopp's shot, a specially crafted incendiary, ignited midair, hitting the oil. Flames roared, black smoke rising. The pirates, already disorganized by Luffy, turned to see a wall of fire, trapping them between cliffs, flames, and a monstrously strong boy.
Panic set in. "We're trapped!" one cried.
"Who are these freaks!?" another shouted.
"That straw hat's too strong!" a third wailed.
"They're gonna kill us!" another screamed.
"Captain Jango, what do we do!?" they begged.
Jango, glaring at Luffy's confident stance, cursed. "Damn brats… Fine, full force! Nyaban Brothers, move!"
Two figures leapt from the ship, landing beyond the flames—a burly man, Buchi, and a lean one, Sham. Their aura screamed elite. Zoro, grinning, slid down the cliff, dual swords drawn. "These guys are mine," he said.
"Fine, I'll back everyone up," Kiri replied.
The Nyaban Brothers, licking claw-like gloves, mocked their crew. "Stopped by kids? Pathetic," Sham sneered.
"You're a disgrace to the Black Cats," Buchi added.
Zoro's presence unnerved them, but they stood firm. Nami, eyeing the enemy ship, moved. Kiri noticed. "Need a hand down? Not as easy as Zoro," he offered.
"Maybe. How?" Nami asked.
"Easy. Shikigami… Falcon," Kiri said, folding paper into a large bird.
Nami sighed, marveling at Devil Fruit powers. "Take me to their ship. Saves time," she said.
"Can't. My ability has limits—too far, and it'll collapse unless I'm there," Kiri explained.
"Then come with me. We need to move fast," Nami urged.
"Leave this fight for treasure?" Kiri teased.
Nami scanned the battle—Straw Hats dominating. "Looks like a win. You needed?"
"Not yet, but things could change," Kiri said.
"Fine, I'll go alone," Nami huffed, riding the paper bird down.
Kiri retrieved the paper, watching Jango, who raised a chakram on a string, swaying it. "Look at this!" Jango shouted.
Kiri sensed danger. "Don't look!" he yelled.
Silk and Usopp averted their eyes, but Luffy, curious, stared. Jango lowered his hat, shouting, "One, two… Jango!" Luffy collapsed, asleep, overcome by irresistible drowsiness.
"Luffy!?" Silk gasped.
"He's asleep? Now!?" Usopp exclaimed.
"That's the hypnosis for the will," Kiri realized.
Jango's hypnosis, rivaling Devil Fruit powers, had felled Luffy instantly. The pirates cheered. "Nice, Captain! He's down!" they roared, charging toward the village.
Silk leapt down beside Luffy, sword ready. "Get out of the way, girl!" a pirate yelled.
Unfazed, she swung her sword, unleashing a kamaitachi that carved the ground, halting the pirates. "Don't cross that line. I can cut you from here," she warned, her blade gleaming with confidence.
The pirates froze, recognizing her power. Jango groaned. "What's with you lot? They're just kids!"
"But they're freaks! Devil Fruit users!" a pirate protested.
"No way we can win!" another cried.
"Pathetic. I'll hypnotize your fear away," Jango said, swaying his chakram again.
A pirate glanced up, spotting a figure at the path's top—black hair, butler attire, glasses, and clawed gloves. "Captain Jango, look!" he stammered.
"What? I'm trying to focus!" Jango snapped, turning.
Klahadore—Captain Kuro—stood, his cold eyes chilling the crew. "I told you, that name's gone. I'm Klahadore now," he said, adjusting his glasses with a clawed hand, exuding menace.
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