HUNTED!!

Chapter 36 title page. The chapter title is "HUNTED!!". The cover story illustration, titled "THE ADVENTURES OF BUGGY'S PIRATE FLEET VOL 2 'MOHJI AND CABAJI'", shows Mohji the beast tamer and Cabaji the acrobat riding a single unicycle together. Cabaji is pedaling while Mohji sits behind him. Mohji's pet lion, Richie, is running alongside them, looking exhausted with his tongue hanging out. They are passing by some wooden village houses.

In a dense forest, the three young boys of the Usopp Pirates are running frantically, guiding Kaya away from danger. The sound of their rapid footsteps, "TAP TAP TAP...", fills the air. One boy, carrying a wooden sword, looks back over his shoulder and asks, "IS THE HYPNOTIST STILL AFTER US?" Another boy, holding a frying pan and a wooden stick, replies, "NO, I DON'T SEE HIM! MAYBE WE'VE LOST HIM." The third boy, wearing a skull hat, turns to Kaya and reassures her, "DON'T WORRY, KAYA-SAN! WE'LL PROTECT YOU!!" He adds confidently, "HE MUST BE DREAMING IF HE THINKS HE CAN CATCH US IN THIS FOREST!" Kaya, looking exhausted and panting heavily with a "HUF HUF", smiles gently and says, "...THANK YOU... YES..." The boy with the wooden sword declares proudly, "THAT'S RIGHT! IN THE NAME OF THE USOPP PIRATE GROUP!!"

Suddenly, a rapid "SUPAPAPAPA" sound echoes through the woods as thick tree trunks are sliced cleanly in half and come crashing down around Kaya and the boys. They stop in their tracks, completely shocked. "AH?!" one boy yells. "WHAT?!" "WHA-" they exclaim as the massive trees fall around them. A sharp, circular chakram blade flies through the air, returning to the hand of Jango, the hypnotist, who is walking calmly through the newly created clearing. "NOT HERE..." Jango mutters as he catches his weapon with a "ZUZUU" sound.

Jango continues his destructive path, slicing through the forest with his chakram, creating a loud "GOOOO" sound as trees collapse. "BRATS! WHERE ARE YOU?!?!" he shouts angrily. The boys and Kaya hide behind a large fallen tree trunk, trembling in fear. "WHAT...?!! I THOUGHT HE WAS JUST A NORMAL HYPNOTIST...!!!" one boy cries out in panic. "HE'S COMING!!" Kaya says, looking terrified. Jango's face is shown in a close-up, his heart-shaped glasses reflecting the light as he yells, "DON'T THINK YOU CAN GET AWAY!!" He stands amidst the falling timber, declaring, "CLEAR THE WHOLE DAMN FOREST!! IF THAT'S THE CASE, I'LL JUST HAVE TO..."

Back at the rocky slope leading to the village, Usopp is lying on the ground, badly beaten and bleeding from his head. He hears the distant crashing sounds from the forest and thinks, "WHAT WAS THAT NOISE...?!!" Kuro stands calmly, looking towards the forest where his crew is gathered. "WELL, THAT'S PROBABLY JUST JANGO LOSING HIS TEMPER," Kuro says dismissively. He turns his head slightly to address the others. "YOU CAN SEE FOR YOURSELF, BUT YOU WILL PROBABLY BE TOO LATE..." Usopp grits his teeth in frustration, "DAMN....!!!" Kuro looks down at him mockingly, "CAN YOU?" Zoro, holding his swords and looking serious, says urgently, "WE'D BETTER HURRY."

Kuro continues his cold speech. "AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, KAYA IS JUST A PAWN IN MY PLAN. AND IF SHE DIES, I MIGHT ACTUALLY THANK HER..." Zoro glares at him, "DON'T YOU HAVE ANY FEELINGS FOR HER?!! YOU TWO HAVE STAYED TOGETHER FOR THREE YEARS!" Kuro simply replies, "NO." Luffy, standing nearby, looks furious, steam blowing from his nose. "I NEVER THOUGHT OF SAVING HIM!!" Luffy says angrily. Zoro agrees, "THIS GUY'S BEYOND SAVING!" Suddenly, the large, fat pirate Buchi, who was previously hypnotized, leaps up with a "DAA!!" sound. Kuro notices, "OH, YOU CAN STILL MOVE. IMPRESSIVE." Usopp, still badly hurt, thinks urgently, "I CAN'T LET YOU DO WHATEVER YOU WANT! MUST GO AND SAVE THEM! OTHERWISE, THEY'LL ALL BE KILLED!!" as Buchi moves again and Zoro prepares to intercept him.

Buchi leaps high into the air, his claws extended, shouting "SHHYAAAA!!" as he descends towards Zoro. Zoro quickly draws his swords, "DON'T GET IN THE WAY. WE'RE..." He swings his blades upward with a powerful "GUIII..." sound. Zoro strikes Buchi squarely in the chest with a devastating blow, "DOSUUUN...!!" The impact sends Buchi crashing down. Zoro stands over the defeated pirate, his swords still drawn and ready. "YOU'VE MESSED AROUND ENOUGH...!! IN A HURRY. I WON'T KILL YOU, IF YOU JUST LIE DOWN QUIETLY!!" Zoro warns him.

Buchi collapses heavily onto the ground with a "DOSA...!!" sound, defeated. Usopp is still struggling on the ground, trembling and unable to stand. "I CAN'T... MOVE MY BODY...!!" he thinks in despair. Luffy looks at him with concern, shouting, "USOPP!!" Usopp curses his own weakness, "DA... DAMN IT!!" Kuro looks down at Usopp and mocks him. "EVEN IF YOU CAN CATCH UP WITH JANGO, YOU'RE STILL NO MATCH FOR HIM. IT'S PROBABLY SAFER FOR YOU TO LIE DOWN HERE, ANYWAY." Kuro then bursts into cruel, mocking laughter, "HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH... YOU'RE A JOKE!!"

Usopp, tears streaming down his bruised and battered face, grits his teeth in sheer determination. "EVEN IF I'M NO MATCH FOR HIM... I'LL STILL PROTECT THEM...!!! I WILL PROTECT THEM!!!!" he vows internally. Luffy looks at Usopp with a serious, intense expression. Zoro also looks back at him, saying softly, "USOPP..." Kuro stops laughing and looks annoyed, "AH?" Suddenly, a loud "BAM!!" is heard. Sham, the skinny cat pirate, leaps towards Zoro from behind, claws extended, screaming "SHYAAA!!!" Zoro quickly turns, his swords clashing against Sham's claws with a sharp "GINN!!" sound. Sham yells "ARRGHH!!!" as he is repelled by Zoro's block.

Zoro easily knocks Sham away with a "ZUPANN!!" sound, sending the pirate flying backward. Usopp, still on his hands and knees, shouts defiantly, "I'M THE CAPTAIN OF USOPP PIRATE GROUP...!! I'M A BRAVE WARRIOR OF THE SEA!!! I WON'T LET YOU HURT THE VILLAGERS!!!" The Black Cat Pirates watching from the slope burst into uproarious laughter at his declaration. "GYAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA AHAHA!!" "SO PATHETIC!" "HEHEHEHE!! LOOK AT HIM, SHOUTING OUT LOUD IN A WEIRD STYLE LIKE THAT!!" they mock him. Usopp looks down, humiliated and frustrated, "OOWAH!!"

Luffy's face is shadowed by his straw hat, his expression dark with fury. "IF YOU DARE LAUGH AT USOPP AGAIN, I WILL... KILL YOU ALL!!" he threatens the pirate crew. The pirates recoil in fear, sweating. Meanwhile, Zoro is locked in combat with Sham. "SHHYAAAA...!!!" Sham hisses, attacking rapidly. Zoro blocks the strikes, "DON'T GET IN THE WAY. I THOUGHT I ALREADY WARNED YOU..." Zoro pushes back against Sham's assault, "YOU MORON... HEY! BUCHI NEKO."

Zoro unleashes a powerful, sweeping sword attack, shouting "OUTTA THE WAY!!!" The force of the blow sends Sham flying through the air, his body twisting from the impact. Sham's eyes widen in shock as he is defeated by Zoro's strike.

Sham crashes into the ground near the unconscious Buchi. "AHH...!!!" Sham cries out. A pirate observes in shock, "EVEN THE HYPNOTIZED BUCHI WAS..." Zoro sheathes one of his swords with a "CLINK" and turns to Luffy. "LUFFY, I'M GONNA TAKE USOPP AND GO AFTER THAT BASTARD HYPNOTIST!" Zoro declares. He quickly grabs Usopp by the back of his shirt, lifting him up with a "GABAA" sound. "DO YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH THAT?" Zoro asks. Luffy, adjusting his hat, replies confidently, "NOPE! GO QUICKLY!!"

Zoro carries Usopp under his arm. Usopp stammers, "S... SORRY. IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE FASTER IF I GO ALONE." Zoro replies, "BUT WE'RE GOING INTO THE WOODS... AND IF YOU DON'T GUIDE ME, I WON'T BE ABLE TO FIND THEM." Suddenly, Kuro appears in their path, his clawed gloves raised. "HEY, YOU! WHO SAID YOU COULD GET THROUGH ME?" Kuro demands. Before Kuro can strike, Luffy stretches his arm and intercepts him with a loud "HYAA...!!" Luffy shouts, "I DID!!!"

Luffy's stretched fist flies past Kuro's face, forcing him to dodge. "GO, ZORRO!! GO, USOPP!!!" Luffy yells. Zoro runs past them, carrying Usopp, their footsteps tapping rapidly. Kuro looks surprised as Luffy retracts his arm. "ANOTHER PUNCH!!" Luffy declares, throwing a second punch directly at Kuro's face.

Just as Luffy's punch is about to connect, Kuro vanishes with a "CHYARI..." sound. Luffy's fist hits empty air. "HE DISAPPEARED?!" Luffy exclaims, looking around. Suddenly, Kuro reappears right behind Luffy, his claws poised to strike. "UWOAH!!!" Luffy yells in surprise as he leans back to avoid the deadly blades sweeping over him.

Luffy quickly counters. He grabs Kuro's arm with a "PLAK" sound, stopping the attack. Kuro looks shocked. "GOMU GOMU..." Luffy begins, leaping high into the air above Kuro. He brings the soles of his feet together, aiming them straight down at Kuro. "...SPEAR!!!!" Luffy shouts, launching a powerful downward kick.

Kuro manages to dodge the attack, leaping backward. Luffy's feet smash into the ground, creating a large crater and kicking up dust. "DAMN... DISAPPEARED AGAIN," Luffy mutters, sitting in the crater. Kuro lands gracefully a short distance away. "NEVERMIND! THEY ALREADY GOT UP THE SLOPE...!" Luffy notes, seeing Zoro and Usopp are gone. The watching pirates are shocked that Usopp actually dared to challenge Captain Kuro. Kuro stands tall, adjusting his glasses, and says, "BEFORE WE FIGHT, I WANT TO ASK YOU ONE QUESTION..." He then asks Luffy, "YOU'RE A STRANGER HERE, WHY ARE YOU GETTING SO INVOLVED WITH THIS VILLAGE?!"

Luffy smiles broadly and answers simply, "I HAVE A FRIEND IN THIS VILLAGE... THAT I DON'T WANNA SEE DEAD!!!" Kuro looks at him, unimpressed. "WHAT A SIMPLE REASON... ARE YOU REALLY OKAY WITH IT? AFTER ALL, IT'LL BE YOUR REASON FOR DYING..." Meanwhile, in the forest, Zoro is running with Usopp. "EAST, EAST!! I TOLD YOU TO GO EAST!!" Usopp yells. Zoro argues back, "HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KNOW WHICH SIDE IS EAST! JUST SAY LEFT OR RIGHT!!" Usopp points frantically, "THEN TURN AROUND AND GO RIGHT!! YOU MEAN GO BACK?!" Back at the slope, Luffy cracks his knuckles. "THAT'S OKAY!! I'M NOT GONNA DIE ANYWAY!!"

In the forest, Jango continues his rampage, slicing down trees with his chakram. "WHERE'D THEY GO..." he wonders aloud. Kaya and the three boys are running desperately. Kaya is panting heavily, "HUF... I'M SORRY... YOU BOYS, KEEP GOING AHEAD." One of the boys protests, "WHAT ARE YOU SAYING!? WE ARE HERE TO PROTECT YOU, KAYA-SAN!!" Suddenly, Kaya collapses to the ground with a "DON!!" sound. "KAYA-SAN!!" the boys cry out in alarm. Kaya gasps for air, unable to continue.

The boys gather around the fallen Kaya. "OH NO!! SHE LOOKS REALLY SICK!!" one says. "WHAT?! HANG IN THERE, KAYA-SAN!!" says another. "WE MUST TAKE HER TO THE DOCTOR!!" "IDIOT, WE'RE RUNNING FOR OUR LIVES NOW!" "BUT IT'S TOO DANGEROUS TO LET HER GO ON!!" they argue frantically. The boy in the skull hat makes a decision. "ALL RIGHT, THEN... WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION, USOPP PIRATE GROUP!! WE'RE GONNA FIGHT..." he declares, holding up a shovel. Suddenly, a dark figure looms over them. "THERE YOU ARE," Jango says, standing right behind them. The boys turn around and scream in terror, "UWAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!"

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