One Piece pirates salty life

Whoosh!

Sharp claws sliced through the air with a chilling screech.

Krabatel's figure vanished in an instant, and the peculiar bundle that had been tossed at him was torn apart by the Cat Brothers' claws—leaving behind only some fluttering rags.

"You tell me... Who are you trying to kill?" Krabatel's voice echoed behind them, dripping with murderous intent.

He had reappeared like a phantom. From his hands extended long, glistening claws that looked more like instruments of torture than weapons. Nami and the others gasped, unnerved by the sight.

"What... what kind of weapon is that?" Zoro muttered in surprise, gripping his swords tightly. He'd never seen such bizarre gear before.

The Cat Brothers spun around to face Krabatel, but his speed was simply beyond them. Every movement he made was a deception. A blur. A trap.

Thud!

Krabatel placed both hands heavily on the Cat Brothers' shoulders. The sheer force of it locked them in place. They grunted in pain, unable to move an inch.

"You're right," Krabatel said calmly. "My body doesn't feel as nimble as it once did. But don't mistake that for weakness."

He paused, eyes cold. "I've had three years of rest. My temper's improved. I'll give you five minutes. If you can't deal with them in that time—I'll kill you myself."

A chilling silence swept across the pirates watching. Krabatel's brutal reputation had faded over the past three years, but now, it all returned in full force. His reign of terror wasn't forgotten. It had simply been sleeping.

The Cat Brothers, though shaken, quickly nodded. Krabatel let them go, stepping aside with a quiet contempt.

Did they really think he was soft now?

Zoro watched them closely, a calm smile forming on his lips. Slowly, he drew his swords—two in hand and one held between his teeth—assuming his iconic Three-Sword Style stance.

"There he is!! Get him!"

"Right! He's the one who held us back earlier!"

"If we take him down, Krabatel won't kill us!"

The Cat Brothers glanced at each other, wild light flashing in their eyes. They lunged at Zoro like beasts.

Zoro, completely composed, removed two swords from his stance and held them behind his back. His eyes narrowed.

"You don't get it," he said coolly. "There's a difference between using three swords... and the Three Sword Style."

"Tiger Hunting!"

His figure dashed past them like a tiger on the prowl. In the blink of an eye, blood sprayed in arcs across the slope. Deep, claw-like gashes appeared across the Cat Brothers' bodies as they were thrown backward with crushing force.

Everyone nearby froze.

"Haha, interesting..." Krabatel said, pushing his glasses up with his clawed hand. "I didn't expect that useless liar Usopp could have a friend like you."

Zoro turned his blade and pointed it directly at Krabatel. "Do we really need five minutes? I could kill all of you right now."

"You can try," Krabatel replied, his voice laced with scorn. "You're just a bounty hunter who got lucky. Do you have any idea how many like you I've killed?"

He stepped forward. "I'm Captain Kuro of the Black Cat Pirates. Even the colonel of the 153rd Marine Branch got promoted because of my plan."

"Krabatel! That's enough!!"

A strong, feminine voice cut through the tension.

Everyone turned.

At the top of the slope stood Kaya—no longer frail, no longer trembling. She leaned on a staff, but her posture was firm. Her eyes were filled with fury.

Krabatel froze.

She had never looked like this before.

"Miss Kaya... How—how did you get here?" Krabatel stammered.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing. The girl he'd known for three years—the weak, sickly heiress—was standing tall before him.

Kaya stepped forward. "Merry told me everything."

"...So that man is still alive?" Krabatel muttered with disappointment.

Kaya ignored him. She turned to Usopp, tears welling in her eyes. "Usopp... I'm sorry. Maybe you'll never forgive me. But I couldn't believe it back then. I couldn't believe Krabatel was a pirate."

"Stop!" Usopp shouted. "Didn't I tell you to run away?! Why are you here?!"

"Aren't you fighting too?!" Kaya yelled back.

"Even though we mistreated you—even though you were hurt—you're still fighting for us! How can I just stand back?"

Then she turned back to Krabatel. Her voice cracked with pain and determination.

"Why, Krabatel? Why are you doing this?"

"If it's money you want, I'll give it to you. Take everything—just leave this village!"

Krabatel sighed and smiled faintly.

"You misunderstand. I want more than just money."

He stepped forward, his tone eerily calm.

"For three years, I worked to earn the trust of the villagers. Their treatment of me was... pleasant. Comforting, even."

He paused, voice growing darker.

"That's why I need this little 'pirate attack' to go smoothly. You'll leave a suicide note. The villagers will mourn. I'll inherit everything."

He raised a hand, slowly rubbing his eyes with his palm. When he opened them again, they burned with murderous light.

The gentleman's mask had shattered.

The true face of a monster had emerged.

"So that's it..." Kaya muttered, lowering her head.

Click!

She pulled a pistol from her dress and pointed it directly at Krabatel.

"Leave this village, Krabatel."

"You shouldn't have hurt Merry. You've already lost the right to call this place your home."

Everyone froze again.

Even Usopp was stunned. He had never seen Kaya like this.

"You've changed," Krabatel said softly. "You've grown stronger."

"But it won't help you."

Before anyone could react, Krabatel vanished—blurring through the air like a ghost.

He reappeared behind Kaya.

The claws on his hand, [Espada], opened with a faint metallic hiss, ready to slice her down from behind.

Ding!

A glowing light burst from the staff in Kaya's hand, forming a radiant shield that deflected Krabatel's claws mid-air.

The impact forced Krabatel back.

"What—what was that?!" Zangao exclaimed in disbelief from afar. "That shield actually blocked Captain Kuro's attack?!"

Nami, who had made her way to Luffy's side, gasped when she saw the staff clearly.

"That... that looks like Leo's cane!"

Leo.

The mysterious magician who had reforged her Clima-Tact and joined the crew not long ago.

Only he could have crafted such a thing.

Kaya stood tall once again, her grip on the glowing staff unwavering. In one hand, she held the pistol. In the other, the cane pulsed with protective energy.

"Krabatel, you're not the man I knew," she said firmly. "You've lied for three years. But you won't lie your way out of this."

"You've shared my home. You've shared my kindness. So I'm giving you one chance..."

"Leave. Before I do something you'll regret."

Krabatel stared at her.

No fear.

Only fury.

"You think you can scare me with a stick and a little speech?"

His claws flexed again.

Kaya didn't blink.

Around her, the pirates—shaken by her strength—began to hesitate.

Zoro stepped beside her. "She's not alone."

Luffy, who had been silently watching from the sideline, cracked his knuckles.

"Hey, Leo!" he shouted up the hill. "You're missing all the fun!"

A gust of wind blew past them as Leo appeared, cloak fluttering, a strange glint in his eye.

"I was waiting for the right moment," he said with a smile. "Looks like I found it."

Krabatel's eyes narrowed.

"You again..."

Leo pointed his staff toward Krabatel, and a ring of light emerged from the tip. With a flick of his wrist, he shot the energy at the captain. Krabatel barely dodged, but it cut a deep gash in the earth behind him.

"You've been hiding your true self behind a mask for too long," Leo said. "Now it's time to remove it—for good."

Krabatel bared his claws, rage overtaking him.

"You're all fools if you think this changes anything!"

But he was no longer facing a defenseless girl.

He was facing a swordsman, a magician, a crew of pirates—and the lady of the house, who no longer needed protecting.

The battlefield had shifted.

And Krabatel's illusion of control was falling apart.