Kuro of Hundred Plans!

Night blanketed the sea.

The Hundred Measures Brac Ship, belonging to the notorious pirate Kuro, bobbed gently on the waves off the coast of Syrup Village. Most of the crew were already snoring soundly in their hammocks, lost in dreams of treasure and adventure.

In the captain's dimly lit cabin, Kuro sat hunched over a book. He seemed engrossed, but he was really waiting. Once the normal sounds of the ship died down and were replaced by the rhythmic snores of his men, Kuro finally stood up.

Like a shadow, he moved silently, careful not to wake anyone.

Under the soft glow of the moon, Kuro rowed a small boat towards the nearby island. The water rippled gently as he pushed against it. Before my plan unfolds, I won't reveal my purpose to these fools. Later, I'll silence them all, ensuring that 'Kuro' truly vanishes.

Caution was his guiding principle! Every step had to be carefully calculated.

However, unknown to him, his every move had been noticed by the watchful eyes of the 153rd Branch of the Marines.

Syrup Family Manor...

Inside a strange space called "The World," the sounds of fierce combat echoed. A dozen pirate figures, brandishing swords, surrounded Roya, attacking relentlessly.

Oddly, Roya didn't fight back. Instead, he focused solely on dodging and blocking the blades that came at him from every direction. Sweat streamed down his face as he weaved and parried.

His strong body was already covered in cuts and bruises.

"Ha... ha..."

Roya gasped for air, his katana meeting a pirate's blade head-on. He had no time to think. A searing pain shot through his back, and blood splattered.

The intense pain and the rapid loss of blood made his mind go blank. Helplessly, he watched as several swords pierced his body.

Time seemed to freeze at that moment.

When Roya regained consciousness, he was back in the real world. All the wounds on his body were gone, as if they had never been there. But the gnawing hunger in his stomach told him he had been killed by pirates once again.

In the combat training within "The World," a fatal injury would immediately halt the simulation. After restoring his strength and healing his wounds, the system would eject him back into reality.

"Not enough."

Roya went to a nearby table, grabbed a large piece of meat he had prepared, and devoured it hungrily, trying to recover his energy as quickly as possible.

He was training his survival instincts.

Based on his memories and the information gathered by the Branch, Kuro's deadliest technique was called "Silent Step"--a movement so fast it allowed him to kill without a sound.

At his current skill level, Roya struggled to even beat Monka. Taking on Kuro seemed impossible. So, his only option was to improve his reaction time, to become more aware of danger.

"Bang!"

The door burst open with a crash!

Fullbody stormed in, his eyes wide with panic.

"Roya, the Kuro is here!"

"Good!"

Roya's eyes narrowed. He grabbed his equipment. The moment had arrived. There was no turning back now.

He had set this plan in motion, and he couldn't retreat now, not even if he wanted to.

"Let's go!"

Syrup Village, in the southern forest...

The coast had two possible landing points, but either way, anyone approaching the village would have to pass through this dense forest.

Time ticked slowly, and the forest was eerily silent. Even the usual chirping of insects was gone.

"Tap... tap..."

The sound of leather shoes on the ground was faint, but in the oppressive silence, it carried far, as if stepping directly on the hearts of every Marine hidden in ambush.

He's here!

Under the faint moonlight, a slender figure emerged from the darkness.

"Tap... tap..."

The figure stopped. The moonlight glinted off two circular lenses.

"Too quiet."

Kuro raised a hand and adjusted his glasses. A feeling of unease, one he hadn't felt in a long time, washed over him. The silence was too deep, too unnatural.

Go back!

Kuro spun around instantly.

"Bang! Bang! Bang bang bang!"

Marines from the 153rd Branch poured out of the forest, surrounding Kuro. Dozens of searchlights flickered on, blinding him as they focused their beams on him.

An ambush!

Almost a hundred rifles were trained on Kuro, with several cannons positioned behind the lines.

Without hesitation, the officers gave the order to attack the moment Kuro was identified.

"Fire!"

The Marines squeezed their triggers!

"Bang bang bang bang bang bang!"

A storm of bullets and cannonballs slammed into Kuro!

"Boom!!!"

Flames erupted into the sky!

"Don't let your guard down until we confirm Kuro is dead!"

An officer roared, his voice tight with tension.

They had faced Kuro before. They knew how dangerous he was. This raid had been designed to give him no chance to react.

The officers knew that once Kuro "moved," it would be almost impossible to track him.

That was the "shadow" Kuro had cast over them.

The Marines held their rifles steady, aiming into the heart of the inferno. The officers sweated, their nerves stretched to the breaking point.

The smoke slowly began to clear.

Every eye widened.

The center of the explosion was empty!

Where was Kuro?

"Drip... drip..."

Blood trickled down.

"Above!"

The searchlights swung upwards, following the trail of blood to Kuro, standing high in the branches of a tree. The Marines raised their rifles again.

"Swish!"

Before they could fire, Kuro vanished from the tree trunk, appearing in the center of their formation.

Under the watchful gaze of all the Marines, Kuro calmly adjusted his cat-shaped claws, pushed up his glasses, and fixed them with a cold, angry glare.

Someone had betrayed him!

He had reacted quickly, but the sheer volume of fire had still hit him hard. Nearly a dozen bullets were lodged in his body.

Who could it be?!

For the first time in his life, Kuro felt like his brain wasn't working fast enough.

He had shared his plans with no one, and he had been extremely cautious tonight, taking great care not to arouse suspicion.

So, who had betrayed him?

And how had the Marines known his plans, setting up an ambush as if they knew he would fall for it?

Where did the Marines get their confidence?

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.

He was being played by the enemy, and he hadn't realized anything was wrong until the attack. He felt like an idiot.

The pain in his body was nothing compared to the frustration of being outsmarted.

He was Kuro of "Hundred Plans", after all!

"Kuro!"

Colonel Rhodes appeared from the direction of the coast, with Roya and Fullbody flanking him, blocking any chance of escape.

"You have nowhere to run!"

"Run?"

Kuro lowered his head, a chilling smile spreading across his face. At the same time, his body began to sway slightly from side to side.

"Don't get carried away, you mere Marines."

"I don't need to run."

"Tonight, you will all die here!"

Terror flashed across the officers' faces. Even Colonel Rhodes looked shaken.

"That stance... could it be!"

Six months ago, during their last encounter, he had used this terrible technique to slaughter almost half of the Marines in the 153rd Branch!

In that state, nothing could stop him. All they could do was wait for death.

Even with their preparations, fear still gripped the 153rd Branch. Nobody knew if they would survive.

"Everyone, defensive formation!"

Colonel Rhodes and the officers roared at the top of their lungs.

The next second...

Kuro disappeared!

"Death by Scoop!"