Chapter 34 The Black Cat Pirates

Upon hearing this, Nami’s eyes instantly lit up, and she even forgot about the strange taste in her mouth.

Excitedly, she tried manipulating the Barrier again, this time even shaping it into a semi-circular protective shield that enveloped both herself and Huiye.

“Is it really unbreakable?”

She asked, blinking her big eyes.

Huiye smiled, drew the onikiri from his waist, and forcefully slashed at the Barrier.

The moment the blade collided with the Barrier, blinding sparks erupted, but the Barrier remained completely unmoved, without even a single crack.

“Wow!”

Nami jumped up in pleasant surprise.

“This is amazing!”

Nojiko couldn’t help but lean in closer, reaching out to touch the transparent Barrier, exclaiming in awe.

“It feels like touching the hardest glass, but with a strange resilience.”

“Not only that.”

Huiye sheathed his sword and continued explaining.

“The Barrier-Barrier Fruit’s abilities have a lot of room for development.”

“You can try changing the Barrier’s shape, size, and even moving it.”

“At the peak of cultivation, you can even compress the Barrier into a weapon.”

Nami listened intently, already starting to conceive various tactics in her mind.

Suddenly remembering something, she turned to look at Huiye.

“What about my navigation skills?”

“After eating a Devil Fruit, you can’t swim anymore.”

Huiye patted her shoulder reassuringly.

“Don’t worry, I’m here.”

“Besides, now that you have Barrier abilities, even if you fall into the water, you can use the Barrier to create a floating platform.”

“Moreover, we still have a sea beast.”

“Phew~”

Only then did Nami breathe a sigh of relief, her face blooming into a bright smile again.

She playfully stuck out her tongue: “Looks like I’ll have to rely on you to take care of me more in the future!”

Just then, a commotion came from outside, and faintly, the roar of cannon fire could be heard.

“Lord Huiye!

Lord Huiye!”

“There are pirates and Marines fighting in the northeast direction.

Should we detour?”

A sailor came running to report.

Huiye frowned, quickly walking to the window to look outside.

In the distance, smoke filled the sea surface as two warships were fiercely exchanging fire with a pirate ship flying a skull flag.

“No need to detour.

Tell everyone to stop the ship first; we’ll assess the situation.”

Huiye put down the telescope, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

He recognized the identity of that pirate flag—it was the flag of the Black Cat Pirates.

He hadn’t expected that guy Kuro still hadn’t managed to successfully wash his hands and go ashore.

Nami and Nojiko also crowded to the window, seeing cannonballs flying across the sea surface and waves splashing everywhere.

The hull of the Black Cat Pirates’ ship was already damaged in multiple places, but it was still resisting stubbornly.

“I think I’ve seen that pirate flag somewhere before.”

“That’s the Black Cat Pirates.”

“The Black Cat Pirates…

I think I’ve heard of them.”

Nami frowned as she recalled.

“It’s said their Captain Kuro is a sinister and cunning guy who loves playing tricks and schemes the most.”

Huiye nodded.

“Exactly, and his strength is quite good—perfect for you two to practice on.”

He turned to look at Nami, a smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

Nami’s eyes lit up, immediately understanding.

“Should we go over now?”

“No rush.

Let them fight first; we’ll reap the benefits.”

“The boarding battle has begun.”

Black Cat Pirates—

“Captain, the Marines have taken the bait.

Should we go?”

Hyakuji Kuro adjusted his glasses, saying coldly: “You don’t need to go up; I’ll handle it myself.”

“I can’t control the attack targets of Shakushi, so you all stay on the ship.”

Before the words finished, Kuro’s figure vanished from the spot like a ghost, leaving only a few afterimages.

The next second, he appeared on the deck of the Marine warship, cold light flashing between his ten fingers as sharp cat claws instantly slit the throats of several Marines.

Blood splattered, and the Marine soldiers fell one after another before they could even react.

“It’s Kuro!

Open fire!”

A Marine officer shouted in terror, but the bullets only passed through Kuro’s afterimages.

His “Shakushi” footwork was so fast it was dazzling, impossible to capture.

“Devil!

Devil!”

The Marine soldiers retreated in fear, their rifles trembling uncontrollably.

Kuro’s figure flickered left and right on the deck, each flash accompanied by sprays of blood.

His signature cat claws gleamed coldly in the sunlight, each swing precisely harvesting lives.

“See that?

That’s our Captain!”

The crew of the Black Cat Pirates stood by the ship’s railing, their eyes gleaming with fanatical light.

A one-eyed sailor excitedly slapped the railing.

“Captain Kuro’s ‘Shakushi’ footwork, even Marineford is helpless against it!”

Jango adjusted his glasses, thinking of the plan Kuro had mentioned.

“I hope the Captain can restrain himself, at least leave a few survivors…”

The situation on the warship grew increasingly chaotic.

Kuro suddenly stopped, adjusted his slipping glasses, and curled his lips into a cruel smile.

He slowly raised his blood-stained cat claws, lightly licking the blood on them.

“Such boring prey.”

Kuro said softly, his voice carrying an eerie elegance.

The Marines on the other warship were already terrified out of their wits.

Just from the boarding battle, Kuro had slaughtered an entire warship—this was simply a devil.

“Retreat!

Retreat quickly!”

The Marine commander on the other warship, his face pale, tremblingly gave the retreat order.

But how would Kuro let them escape easily?

He adjusted his glasses, the lenses reflecting a cold light.

“Trying to escape?

Too late.”

Before the words finished, Kuro’s figure leaped like a ghost across the sea between the two ships, landing precisely on the warship’s deck.

The Marine soldiers raised their rifles in terror and fired, but the bullets only passed through afterimages.

Kuro’s “Silent Step” made him vanish directly on the deck.

“Squelch—”

Sharp cat claws slashed, and three Marines fell to the ground.

Kuro’s movements were elegant yet deadly, each strike precisely cutting the enemy’s throat or artery.

Blood spread across the deck, forming eerie patterns.

Morgan, scared out of his wits, hid in the cabin, not daring to make a sound; every scream outside made him tremble all over.

The slaughter on the deck continued, and the Black Cat Pirates, led by Jango, began looting the first warship.

Trying to find some survivors in the warship to complete the plan.

The Marine soldiers on the second warship’s deck had completely collapsed; some threw down their weapons and jumped into the sea, others knelt and begged for mercy.

Kuro stood in the center of the blood pool, adjusted his glasses, blood droplets splattered on the lenses sliding down the frames.

“Truly…

utterly boring.”

He shook the blood off his cat claws, then suddenly looked up toward the distance as if sensing something.

On the horizon, an unfamiliar ship was quietly anchored, its figurehead gleaming with metallic luster in the sunlight.

“Interesting.”

Kuro’s lips curled into a dangerous arc.

“It seems we have an audience.”

…