OP: The Flame Pillar Of Justice

Chapter 9: [9] The Coordinated Attack of Luffy's Crew



Tashigi stood in front of Usopp's house, perplexed.

She prided herself on getting an early start, but even so, she found herself moving slower than the group of young adventurers.

"What could they have been doing to leave so early? Did they stay up all night?"

"Ah! Found you! Hey, officer lady!!"

While Tashigi was still puzzled, the old man she had met yesterday came running toward her, looking terrified.

"Officer lady! You're here! Please help me—no, help us!"

The old man's eyes were wide with fear, and his entire body was trembling.

"Eh? Eh?"

The sudden situation momentarily left Tashigi frozen, but she quickly regained her composure and asked him,

"What happened? Did pirates attack the village?"

"No, no, no..."

The old man shook his head, tears welling up in his eyes.

"It's not pirates... It's Klahadore... Klahadore is killing the villagers!"

"Klahadore?!"

"Yes! Miss Kaya's butler! We thought he was a good man for the past three years, but now... he's attacking villagers left and right with blades strapped to his fingers!"

The old man spoke through his tears.

"I tried talking to him, but he won't listen! At this rate, we're all going to die! You're a police officer, aren't you? Even though this isn't Chirolo Island, please help us!"

"Three years? Blades on his fingers? Klahadore... Klahadore... Kuro!"

Catching onto the key points in the old man's words, Tashigi grabbed him by the shoulders and urgently asked,

"Where is he? I'll head there immediately to provide support!"

"Over to the east! Please, stop him!"

Without hesitation, Tashigi turned toward the direction the old man pointed and used Soru to dash off at high speed.

"Officer lady! You forgot your transponder snail!"

The old man picked up the transponder snail Tashigi had dropped and called out to her, but she had already vanished.

...

"Aaaaah!!"

"S-Save me!!"

"Ugh!"

Kuro, consumed by madness, unleashed a relentless and indiscriminate assault. Every villager within his reach fell victim to his rampage.

"Die! Die! Die! I can't hold back! Everyone must die!"

Pure madness.

"I'll slaughter the entire village! Every last one of you, perish!!!"

His rage-filled roar echoed, and his attacks transformed the peaceful village into a living hell.

The green grass and clear skies that once defined Syrup Village were now drenched in blood-red hues.

"Please... please... Mr. Klahadore..."

A man knelt before Kuro, begging for mercy.

Seeing this, Kuro's lips curled into a mocking grin.

"Know your place! Trash like you deserves nothing but death!"

"Ahhh!!"

As Kuro raised his hand to strike down the man, something flew in from a distance.

"Gomu Gomu no---Slingshot!"

"Huh? Ugh!"

A sudden impact hit Kuro in the abdomen, sending him tumbling backward.

"Don't think you've won just because you caught us off guard, you stupid cat!"

"Damn, you've made quite a mess of things."

"Why am I getting dragged into this too...?"

It was Luffy and his crew, Usopp included.

"Uncle Thomas... Aunt Rika... everyone... Kuro!!!! You bastard!!! I won't forgive you!!!!!"

Usopp, seething with rage, glared at Kuro, who adjusted his glasses and sneered.

"Forgiveness? Who are you to utter such a word, you pathetic worm! I never cared about the villagers! All I ever wanted was to stash away some money and live a peaceful life!"

Kuro's face twisted into a demonic expression.

"But now it's all ruined! My crew has been captured by the Marines! The thought of forming a new group and starting over? I can't take it anymore!"

"Don't take out your failed plan on the villagers!" Usopp roared.

"You're nothing but a cowardly piece of trash! And I, the brave warrior of the sea, Captain Usopp, will defeat you!"

Though his legs trembled, Usopp steadied himself and pulled out a slingshot and something else from his bag.

"He's right! I don't like you either, you lousy cat!" Luffy added.

"Just because your plan failed doesn't mean you can kill innocent people. You've already lost to us. And by the way, that's not how you use a sword, idiot..." Zoro said, gripping his two swords in his hands and holding his third, Wado Ichimonji, in his mouth.

"Ugh, so he doesn't even have any treasure? What a waste of time," Nami muttered, holding a small frying pan she must have picked up along the way.

The four of them—Usopp, Luffy, Zoro, and Nami—stood ready for battle, facing Kuro.

Kuro scoffed, looking at them with disdain.

"On any other day, you wouldn't stand a chance against me... No, even on a good day, you'd still be worthless nobodies. And now, with my power enhanced, you think you can take me on? Pathetic! Laughable!"

"All of you, DIE!!"

"Shakushi!"

"He... he's gone?"

"No, he's moving so fast we can't even track him!"

"Just one hit! I only need one hit! Where is that guy?!"

Slash!

Slash!

Slash!

In the blink of an eye, Luffy was slashed three times.

"Luffy!"

"Usopp! Calm down! These wounds are nothing!"

"That secret weapon you prepared yesterday—are you sure it works?"

"Of course! I only have one shot, but it's my greatest creation yet!"

"Good! Then I'll leave it to you!"

Luffy stepped forward, stretching his right arm far back.

"Zoro! If you manage to catch that cat bastard, break his sword for me!"

"Leave it to me, Captain!"

"Gomu Gomu no---"

"Hah! Ridiculous! Do you really think you can catch me?"

"Pistol!"

With a powerful punch propelled by the elasticity of rubber, Luffy's attack shot through the air.

"Ugh! Khh!"

The blow landed squarely on Kuro's abdomen.

"W-why...?"

"Zoro!"

"On it!"

At the captain's command, Zoro adjusted his stance and charged straight at Kuro.

"Santoryu..."

"Oni..."

"Giri!!!"

Clang!

With an intense metallic sound, Kuro's ten clawed blades, which had been shielding his face, shattered into pieces under Zoro's strike.

"No...!"

"This is how you use a sword, idiot."

"Usopp!"

By now, Luffy had retracted his arm and stood back with a smirk, watching the battle unfold.

Usopp, steadying his trembling hands, stretched his slingshot and aimed directly at Kuro's face.

"Klahadore! No, pirate Kuro! You're a bastard who deserves to die a hundred times over!"

"Super Special Move! Triple Fire Star!!"

Whoosh!

The explosive projectile fired from Usopp's slingshot flew straight into Kuro's face, detonating in a massive explosion.

"Woohoo~!! That's just a homemade bomb, isn't it?"

"That Usopp... he must've stayed up all night working with gunpowder to make that thing."

"Is he dead? His bounty was 16 million Berries, though..."

...

At the same time...

Bzzzz. Bzzzz.

"Huh?"

The transponder snail started ringing, and the old man, startled, scrambled to answer it.

Click!

"Uh... hello?"

"Hm? You're not Tashigi, are you?"

"Oh... are you perhaps the officer we met yesterday?"

"Ah! Are you the elder who showed us the way to Miss Kaya's mansion yesterday?"

"Oh, yes! It is you, Officer! Actually..."

The old man explained through the transponder snail about Klahadore's massacre in the village.

"Such a thing happened during the early hours of the morning!"

"Yes... one of your colleagues went to provide support just now. I just hope she's safe..."

"Don't worry! She's strong! However, just in case, may I ask a favor of you?"

"W-What is it?"

"There are two red buttons on either side of the transponder snail's shell."

"Yes, yes, I see them."

"Please press both buttons simultaneously right now and then hang up the call!"

The old man followed the instructions relayed through the transponder snail exactly as directed.

"Good! Signal received. I'll head there immediately, so make sure you stay hidden!"

...

Click.

"Vice Admiral, the coordinates have been confirmed via the transponder snail!"

"Excellent!"

Rengoku immediately activated the broadcast transponder snail to issue his orders.

"Attention! A violent individual is currently attacking the villagers of Syrup Village indiscriminately! Everyone, arm yourselves and stand by! The warship will depart immediately!"

"Upon docking at the coast, leave a minimal defense force behind, and the rest of the crew will mobilize. Treating and protecting the injured villagers is the top priority, so the medical unit must follow the five-minute standby rule and board small boats to lead the landing operation!"

"I am heading to the village right now. That is all!"

After delivering his orders, Rengoku dashed out onto the deck and began to leap skyward.

Sky Running!

If Soru is the rapid footwork technique for dashing, and Geppo is the explosive leg strength technique for stepping on the air to fly, then Sky Running combines the speed of Soru with the aerial capabilities of Geppo, allowing for flight at incredible velocity!

The only drawback is the immense stamina drain caused by executing Geppo's kicks at Soru's speed, making it difficult even for high-ranking Marine officers to maintain the technique for more than a minute.

But in this critical, time-sensitive situation, Rengoku had no time to worry about such limitations.

...

"Phew... is it over?"

Zoro asked, sheathing the sword he held in his mouth.

At that moment, Nami smacked the back of his head in irritation.

"Don't jinx it, you idiot!"

"Luffy, how did you figure out where this guy was moving?"

Usopp, sprawled out on the ground, asked while catching his breath. Luffy nonchalantly picked his nose and answered,

"Instinct."

"Huh? You guessed with instinct? That's amazing..."

"Shishishi! Your special move was amazing too! That bomb's power was incredible!"

"Of course! That was a special weapon I stayed up all night making to save this village!"

As Luffy and Usopp praised each other, Nami couldn't help but relax and feel relieved.

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