Pfft~
Hahahaha!
Rolan and Zoro burst into laughter at the same moment, unable to hold themselves back. Lina froze for a second, finally realizing the two of them had done it on purpose. With a small glare, she nudged Rolan's arm in annoyance.
The sound of their laughter drifted across the quiet village trail, startling a flock of resting birds into flight. Usopp stood stiffly, still processing the situation, while Lina—face slightly flushed—tried to regain her composure. The early morning sun warmed the path, but the awkwardness around them made the air feel strangely chilly to her.
Then, cheeks slightly warm with embarrassment, she told Usopp, "We really are Pirates, but not the kind you imagine. We chase freedom and adventure, not treasure and robbery."
Usopp finally lifted his head, his eyes refocusing little by little. "This really is Syrup Village. Are you truly here just for sightseeing?"
"Sightseeing is part of it. But the main reason is that I'm searching for someone. He's my brother."
Usopp's breath hitched. The mention of a lost relative struck a chord in him. Despite his tendency to exaggerate, he knew the hollow ache of missing someone. For a moment, he felt a tiny spark of sympathy toward these unfamiliar Pirates.
Usopp stood up shakily. "Who is he? I know almost everyone in this village. Tell me his name."
"His name is Kuro. He used to be a Pirate. I heard he came to this island a year ago, so I'm here to look for him." Rolan casually chewed a piece of foxtail grass he had plucked from who knows where.
"Kuro?" Usopp frowned deeply, digging through his memory. After a long silence, he shook his head.
Rolan watched him closely, noting the moment Usopp's pupils flickered. Even if the boy didn't know the full truth, he definitely knew something. But Rolan didn't press. There was a time and place for that.
"We should go to the biggest restaurant in the village and ask around. Lots of people gather there, so we might hear something about your brother."
Rolan nodded slowly. "Alright. We can try the local food too."
---
Inside the restaurant.
Gulp, gulp~
Ahh~
Burp~
Zoro finished a large swig of alcohol, thumped the glass onto the table, and pointed out the window toward the villa sitting on the mountaintop.
The restaurant was warm and bustling, filled with chatter, clinking dishes, and the scent of coastal spices. Lina had her face buried deep into a plate of grilled fish, while Zoro had already emptied three bottles like they were water. Rolan sat with a relaxed posture, observing the people around them with mild curiosity.
"We didn't find anything here, but a wealthy family lives up there. They might know something about Kuro."
At the mention of the mountaintop villa, Usopp's eyes darted nervously. He stammered, "Ah haha, that family almost never comes down here. They probably wouldn't know anything. Anyway, I already paid, so I'll head home first."
And with that, he slipped out of the restaurant like a startled cat.
Lina blinked. "Does he always run like that?"
Zoro let out a low grunt. "Pretty suspicious timing."
Rolan simply smirked as he stood, already expecting this outcome. Usopp's reactions were practically screaming the truth.
Zoro stared at Usopp's fleeing back. "Rolan, that kid's hiding something. Right?"
Rolan finished the last piece of beef, wiped his mouth, and stood up. "Obviously. But forget him. Let's go. We're checking that villa."
---
Mountaintop — Kaya's Villa
The villa's courtyard was quiet, the air filled with the faint scent of fresh herbs drifting from the garden. Birds hopped across the stone fence, and the gentle breeze gave the place an elegant, peaceful aura. But the serenity lasted only a moment.
"What… why are you here?" Usopp stared in disbelief as Rolan, Zoro, and Lina walked into the courtyard.
"Did we interrupt your date?" Rolan teased, glancing at the blond, frail girl leaning against the second-floor window.
"You… stop talking nonsense!" Usopp turned bright red instantly. Kaya's expression also tightened with embarrassment.
Kaya tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her eyes showing both shyness and curiosity. She rarely saw visitors, especially odd ones like this trio. Even so, she stepped forward slightly, wanting to understand what was happening before panic set in.
"Um, sirs, may I ask who you are…?"
Usopp awkwardly scratched his head. "Kaya, they're my crewmates. They came to look for me and—"
Before he finished, a terrified shout echoed across the courtyard.
"Miss Kaya, run! They're Pirates, and one of them is a Great Pirate with a bounty of two hundred million berries!"
A man with ram-shaped horns and curly white hair rushed out.
"Merry? What did you say? They're Pirates?" Kaya's pale face went even paler.
The peaceful courtyard immediately filled with tension as Merry positioned himself protectively in front of Kaya. The shaking in his knees was obvious, but so was the determination in his expression. Lina blinked, surprised by how quickly he reacted despite being terrified.
"Oh, so your village isn't completely isolated." Rolan nodded politely. "I am indeed a Pirate."
"What are you doing here!" Merry pulled out a pistol and pointed it at Rolan, but his shaking hand made the gun wobble dangerously.
The idea of facing a Great Pirate worth two hundred million berries nearly paralyzed him.
Rolan let out a short breath, raised his right hand, and activated his Electromagnetic Fruit. The pistol jerked free from Merry's grip and floated into Rolan's hand as if alive.
Rolan spun it lightly. "This might work for scaring kids, but don't aim it at me."
Merry collapsed onto the ground in terror, shouting toward Kaya's window, "Miss Kaya, run!"
Footsteps echoed from the shadows.
"Hey now, what is all this noise? Pirate Rolan, why come here?"
A calm, almost gentle voice drifted in as a man in a suit stepped out.
Rolan's eyes glanced at him.
"Kuro"
Kuro's steps were slow and controlled, his shoulders relaxed, his expression unreadable. But beneath the polished exterior, a faint tension lingered in the air — something only those with sharp instincts could detect.
The man adjusted his slicked-back hair and pushed up his glasses with the heel of his palm. "Kuro? I am the butler here, Kaya sama's loyal servant, Klahadore."
Lina studied the bespectacled man, then glanced at Rolan. With curiosity bubbling inside her, she whispered, "Rolan, are you sure this is your brother? You two don't look alike at all."
Rolan examined Klahadore closely. He looked exactly the same as the infamous Captain Kuro from the manga of Rolan's previous life.
He replied solemnly, "Lina, you don't understand. He is my biological brother from a different father and mother."
Lina blinked. "That… isn't that just not a brother? You two really—"
Zoro's face was already red from trying not to laugh. If not for his training, he would have collapsed on the ground.
Even Kaya, confused as she was, couldn't help staring blankly at Rolan, wondering if she had misheard something incredibly strange.
Kuro didn't understand Rolan's behavior. But he knew one thing: someone like Rolan didn't waste his time with pointless tricks.
Rolan used his Electromagnetic Fruit again, forming a focused electromagnetic message.
[Kuro, I know who you are. Come to the northern coast tonight.]
Kuro twitched slightly, hearing the mysterious message in his ear.
Rolan turned toward the exhausted Kaya and gave her an apologetic nod. "Seems my brother isn't here. Sorry for disturbing you, Kaya San."
With that, he walked out of the courtyard.
Zoro and Lina followed him without a word.
---
Northern Coast of Syrup Village
The sunset painted the sea with gold. Clouds glowed with soft blush colors, drifting lazily across the sky. The waves crashed rhythmically against the rocky shore, each one carrying the scent of the distant horizon. A lonely seabird circled above before disappearing into the glowing dusk.
Kuro stepped onto the rocky shore, his expression dark but composed. "Pirate Rolan, what is it that you want?"
Rolan sat on a large rock, back facing him. His voice drifted out calmly. "Kuro, I know everything about you. I came to find you specifically."
A cold breeze brushed past them, brushing Kuro's coat as if urging him to keep his guard raised. Rolan's presence, despite remaining seated, felt like an unyielding wall of pressure. It reminded Kuro of why he had abandoned Piracy in the first place — the constant dance with danger.
The truth was simple. Rolan had come to Syrup Village for one reason: Kuro.
Back in his previous life on Earth, he had read enough of One Piece to know that Kuro was a genius strategist, cold and calculating, yet surprisingly restrained. The Marine slander had twisted his reputation, but the man himself wasn't as cruel as the world made him out to be.
He was dangerous, yes, but not monstrous.
The waves crashed louder as tension settled in the air. Kuro's glasses glinted faintly in the fading sunlight, masking his eyes. Even he couldn't entirely hide the shock of being confronted so openly.
"What business do you have with me?" Kuro asked. A Great Pirate worth two hundred million berries coming personally to see him meant trouble he couldn't ignore.
If Rolan wanted him dead, he would already be dead.
Rolan finally turned around.
"Join me," he said, extending a hand toward him.
Kuro stared at him. "Why? Why me?"
He had confidence, but even he didn't believe a Great Pirate would seek him out intentionally.
"Kuro, former Captain of the Black Cat Pirates…"
Rolan recited every detail about him with calm certainty.
With those words, Kuro's expression grew tighter, more shaken.
His fingers tensed at his sides. Memories he had buried — blood, betrayal, frustration — clawed back to the surface. Rolan's voice cut through them like a blade.
If this wasn't their first meeting, he would've believed Rolan was his twin.
Rolan looked up at him with a sharp grin. "So, what do you say?"
_______
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