"What a pity. I originally wanted you to die peacefully in blissful ignorance, sparing you any pain."
Kuro's gaze fell upon Kaya's deathly pale face, a cruel smile curling at the corners of his mouth. All traces of feigned respect had vanished from his tone.
"Urgh..." Kaya trembled violently, her vision darkening at the edges. The arm supporting her suddenly went weak, and she slumped from the windowsill, her back hitting the wall with a heavy thud. The books in her arms scattered across the floor.
Staring at Kuro's once-familiar yet now alien face, tears of despair streamed down her cheeks. Her voice trembled uncontrollably: "Why... why are you doing this..."
"Why?" Kuro sneered, his eyes overflowing with greed: "For this castle, of course! For all this wealth that's within easy reach!"
He abruptly turned his head, his sweeping gaze landing on Usopp, who was glaring at him with wide, furious eyes. "As for you, you little braggart—"
"I'll fight you to the death!" Usopp roared, charging forward with fists clenched so tight they turned white. Even though his legs were shaking, he kept his eyes locked fiercely on Kuro's face.
Yet Kuro didn't even grant the boy a sidelong glance. He simply turned sideways and lifted his foot, the sole of his boot whistling through the air as it slammed into Usopp's chest.
With a dull thud, Usopp was sent flying like a withered leaf caught in a gale. He crashed heavily against the old oak tree, then slid to the ground coughing up blood. Struggling to stand, he found he couldn't support his own weight.
"Usopp!" Kaya screamed, her voice filled with terror.
Ignoring their commotion, Kuro fixed his stare intently on Ryan.
He produced a pair of pitch-black Cat Claws from somewhere, clicking them into place on his right hand. The five sharp claw blades gleamed with a terrifying cold light under the sun.
"Try this on for size." Kuro's voice suddenly became elusive, slipping into their ears like a ghostly whisper.
In the next instant, his figure seemed to merge with the air and abruptly vanished! This wasn't mere high-speed movement—even his presence completely disappeared, as if he'd never been in the courtyard at all.
"Shhh— Shhh— Shhh—"
Five deep, bone-revealing claw marks materialized out of nowhere on the castle's stone walls. Rubble flew everywhere. The old oak tree in the center of the courtyard shook violently, five parallel gashes now clearly visible on its trunk. Sap oozed profusely from the wounds. Even the iron fence in the distance was cleanly severed at waist height, the cut as smooth as if made by a master bladesmith.
This was Kuro's proud technique, "Spoon"—using extreme speed to make his form disappear while delivering unpredictable attack trajectories with his Cat Claws. Each claw mark carried enough force to tear through steel.
Kaya felt an icy, bone-piercing chill wash over her—the shudder of being targeted by a venomous snake. She hadn't even seen Kuro move, instinctively squeezing her eyes shut.
Ryan's figure swayed slightly on the Flame Cloud.
In the next moment, he appeared beside Kaya, his arm sweeping across her waist as he moved her half a foot to the side.
"Clang!"
The sharp sound of metal collision was nearly deafening, especially piercing in the silent courtyard.
When Kaya opened her eyes, she found herself staring at Ryan's back as he shielded her. Peering over his broad shoulder, she clearly saw his two fingers firmly gripping Kuro's Cat Claws.
Kuro's figure materialized in mid-air, his ferocious expression frozen into one of stunned disbelief: "How is this possible..."
His "Spoon" technique had never failed before—even a Navy Captain from the East Blue would lose an arm to it. Yet this man before him had managed to react faster despite moving later, and even dared to catch the attack barehanded!
Ryan's fingertips tightened slightly, and with a sharp crack, the metal blades of the Cat Claws bent into a bizarre curve under his grip.
He released his fingers, letting the deformed Cat Claws hang limply at Kuro's side. The spot on his palm where the blades had scraped remained completely unharmed—not even a trace of redness.
No matter how sharp the Cat Claws were, how could they compare to Dragon Claws?
Those words struck Kuro like a heavy hammer. He stared at Ryan's unscathed hand, then at his own deformed weapon, and an unprecedented fear seized him.
This was no ordinary human physique!
"What kind of monster are you?!" he roared, his voice trembling on the verge of collapse. He could no longer maintain his prized Silent Step, his body swaying unsteadily.
Ryan gently pulled Kaya behind him. The Flame Cloud beneath his feet suddenly surged, spreading like a tide of faint red embers toward Kuro. The temperature in the air soared abruptly, as if even the sunlight had taken on a scorching hue.
The embers gathered at his fingertips, gradually shaping into several sharp Flame Blades, gleaming with a more terrifying sheen than the Cat Claws.
The Flame Blades abruptly expanded like crimson lightning bolts tearing through the air. Kuro only saw a flash of red before an icy, searing pain shot through his throat—he couldn't even manage a scream.
His eyes widened as he watched Ryan retract his hand, which bore not a single drop of blood, only a few wisps of smoke left behind by the dissipating Flame Blades.
The next moment, his body slumped softly onto the grass, the Cat Claws slipping from his lifeless fingers.
The courtyard fell silent, save for the rustling of leaves in the wind.
Kaya stood behind Ryan, her face even paler as she watched the corpse gradually lose its warmth on the ground.
She instinctively clenched her skirt, her knuckles turning white, but she didn't scream or look away. In her eyes, usually so gentle, complex emotions now swirled—fear, relief, and a hint of indescribable confusion.
The man who had deceived her for three years and tried to take everything from her had vanished just like that.
She took a soft breath, as if expelling the turbid air of betrayal and lingering fear from her chest, and her gaze slowly cleared.
Usopp struggled to his feet, clutching his still-aching chest, and limped over to Kuro's body.
He nudged the motionless hand with his foot, wrinkled his long nose, and suddenly spat on the ground. There was no sense of triumphant revenge as he'd imagined—only a weariness that came with closure.
He looked up at Ryan's back, the wariness in his eyes replaced by a complex mix of awe.
This guy's moves were too clean—so clean it felt unreal.
"Thank you," Kaya's voice was soft but clear, reaching Ryan's ears.
She lifted her head, her golden eyelashes casting faint shadows in the sunlight. In her eyes, which always held gentleness, now reflected frankness: "If it weren't for you…"
Ryan's gaze rested on Kaya's face. He had thought that, given the girl's kindness, she might show some reluctance or pity over Kuro's death.
After all, he had been her "butler" for three years. No matter how cruel the truth, human hearts always hold tender corners.
But at this moment, the clarity and relief in her eyes carried more power than any words could.
Facing the villain who had caused her parents' deaths, schemed for the family fortune, and even sought to end her life, hatred and resolve were the most genuine reactions. Kindness was not boundless indulgence; the ability to distinguish right from wrong and confront malice—this clarity was far more precious than blind compassion.
A trace of imperceptible admiration flickered in Ryan's eyes. Without speaking, he gave a slight nod in response to her gratitude.