KURO, THE PIRATE WITH 100 PLANS

The battle begins on the sloping path. In the top panel, Kuro stands menacingly with his bladed 'Cat Claws' raised, emitting a dark aura with the sound effect 'OOOOOOO'. Monkey D. Luffy stands opposite him, stretching both of his arms far back behind him. Luffy yells, 'NO WAY!!' while Kuro coldly states, 'DIE'. In the bottom panel, Kuro suddenly bursts forward with incredible speed, leaving speed lines in his wake. The sound effect 'GAGA!!' accompanies his dash. In the foreground, Jango and the Black Cat Pirates watch in shock, with one pirate exclaiming, 'THEY STARTED!!'.

Kuro swings his deadly claws horizontally at Luffy. The sound effect 'SWING!!' marks the attack. However, Luffy leaps high into the air to dodge, his arms still stretched far back and anchored to the ground. Kuro's claws slice through the empty air where Luffy just stood, accompanied by a 'SWISH!!' sound. Kuro grunts, 'UGH...!!', realizing he missed. Mid-air, Luffy looks down at Kuro and says, 'AH?!'. In the final panel, Luffy's stretched arms violently snap forward like rubber bands, creating loud 'SNAP! SNAP!' sound effects as he propels himself toward Kuro.

Kuro looks up calmly as Luffy flies directly at him, propelled by the tension of his snapping arms. Luffy winds up a punch, yelling, 'GOMU GOMU-'. Before Luffy can land the blow, Kuro swiftly ducks low to the ground and executes a spinning kick. He calls out, 'LEG SWEEPER!!!' as his leg sweeps through the air with a 'SWISH!!'. Luffy is sent tumbling over Kuro's head, missing his attack. Luffy lands on his hands and immediately stretches one of his legs far back, preparing another strike, saying, 'AND...'. Kuro stands back up, looking over his shoulder at Luffy with a calm 'FUU...'.

Luffy unleashes his stretched leg, snapping it forward like a whip. He yells, 'PISTOL!!!' as the attack flies toward Kuro with a 'WHOOSH!!'. Kuro casually leans his upper body backward, effortlessly dodging the high-speed kick. The Black Cat Pirates watch the exchange with wide eyes and gaping mouths, exclaiming 'AH!!!' and '!?'. Luffy's foot slams violently into the ground where Kuro was standing, creating a loud 'BAM!!' and kicking up dust. Luffy looks surprised, uttering 'AH!', as Kuro suddenly appears standing right next to him, calmly adjusting his glasses with the heel of his palm. A small 'SRET' sound accompanies Kuro's movement.

Kuro stands casually right next to Luffy, who is still frozen in his extended kicking pose. Kuro sighs, 'THIS IS SO BORING, I'M BEGINNING TO FEEL SLEEPY...'. The Black Cat Pirates are astounded by Kuro's speed and agility. They yell, 'HE... HE DODGED IT AND...!!!' and 'HE'S STANDING ON HIS STRETCHED ARM!!!'. Indeed, Kuro has stepped onto Luffy's extended arm. In the bottom panel, Kuro raises his bladed claws, preparing to strike down at Luffy. Luffy looks up at him with an angry expression, gritting his teeth and growling, '...YOU BASTARD!!!'.

Kuro slashes downward with his deadly claws, the blades cutting through the air with a sharp 'SWISH...'. Luffy yells 'UWAA...' and desperately twists his body backward to avoid the lethal strike. A large, dynamic panel shows the near miss: Luffy falls backward, his straw hat flying off his head. Kuro's claws slice through the space just inches from Luffy's face, accompanied by a loud 'SLASH!!' sound effect. The attack is so close that it appears to clip the edge of Luffy's hair or hat brim, sending a few fragments flying.

Kuro lands gracefully on the rocky path, uttering a soft 'NU...'. Behind him, Luffy tumbles across the ground, groaning 'OUCH OUCH'. Luffy sits up, spitting out some dirt with a 'PUH!'. He glares angrily at Kuro, a small cut bleeding on his cheek. Luffy says, 'YOU MADE ME BLEED...'. The Black Cat Pirates, watching from a distance, erupt into cheers. They yell, 'THAT'S OUR CAPTAIN KURO...!!!' and 'THAT STRAW-HAT KID WAS SO SCARY AND STRONG...!!'. Kuro stands tall, adjusting his glasses again. The crew continues to chant enthusiastically, 'CAPTAIN KURO!!', 'GO CAPTAIN KURO!!', and 'KILL HIM!!'.

The cheering abruptly stops as Kuro suddenly turns his head and screams at his crew, his face contorted in absolute rage. He roars, 'DON'T CALL ME USING THAT NAME!!!'. The Black Cat Pirates recoil in sheer terror, sweating and trembling as they cry out, 'HIII...!!!'. Kuro then calms down slightly, turning his attention back to the situation. He says, 'THE REAL PURPOSE OF THIS PLAN...'. Luffy watches him, a question mark above his head, confused by the sudden outburst. Kuro continues, '...IS TO ELIMINATE THE NAME "CAPTAIN KURO" FOREVER!!'. He looks back at his terrified crew, which includes Jango, Sham, and Buchi, and asks, 'YOU STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND?'.

Kuro continues his explanation, looking disdainful. 'I'M SICK AND TIRED... MAKING PLANS FOR YOU RECKLESS MORONS...'. He elaborates on his past, saying, 'AS MY NAME BECAME MORE AND MORE NOTORIOUS, THE GOVERNMENT'S MARINES AND PROFESSIONAL BOUNTY HUNTERS KEPT COMING AFTER ME, THAT REALLY STARTED TO ANNOY ME...'. Luffy sits on the ground, listening intently. Kuro adds, 'THAT'S WHY ON THAT DAY, THREE YEARS AGO, I DECIDED TO KILL MYSELF...'. The scene transitions into a flashback. A pirate's voice stammers, 'THA... THAT DAY... IT'S THAT... THAT INCIDENT...!!'. Another pirate yells, 'FIRST-MATE JANGO! WHAT IS IT? CAPTAIN KURO IS LOOKING FOR YOU!'. Jango is shown looking shocked.

A flashback begins, indicated by a caption: 'THE 100 PLANS KURO (3 YEARS AGO)'. Kuro is sitting in his captain's cabin, looking out the window. He says, 'JANGO... I WANT TO LEAVE THE SHIP...'. Jango, wearing his heart-shaped glasses, is completely taken aback. He exclaims, 'HUH...?! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! BUT THIS IS YOUR SHIP! AND YOU'RE THE CAPTAIN!'. Suddenly, a panicked pirate bursts through the cabin door, yelling, 'CAPTAIN KURO!! CAPTAIN KURO!! A MARINE SHIP IS SPOTTED TO THE NORTH!! AGAIN!? THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS WEEK!!'. Kuro stands up from his chair, calmly telling Jango, 'YOU CAN BE THE NEXT CAPTAIN. I DON'T THINK I'M SUITED FOR A PIRATE'S LIFE. I'M SICK OF THIS CHAOTIC LIFESTYLE'.

The pirate ship is rocked by a cannonball impact, accompanied by a loud 'BOOM!!'. Jango panics, yelling, 'WHAA... THEY'RE FIRING AT US! SEE! THEY'VE COME AGAIN. WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE. WE'RE DOING THINGS THAT GET US HUNTED. BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU'VE BECOME NOTORIOUS.' Kuro looks resolute, his glasses glinting. 'YES... IT'S THE NAME THAT DRAWS THEM HERE. THAT'S WHY I DECIDED NOT TO BE CAPTAIN KURO ANYMORE.' Jango argues back, 'STOP KIDDING YOURSELF! YOU'LL BE HUNTED DOWN BY THE GOVERNMENT ALL YOUR LIFE UNTIL YOU'RE DEAD.' Kuro replies coldly, 'THEN I WILL DIE AND MAKE MYSELF DISAPPEAR FROM THE FACE OF THE EARTH.' Confused by the ongoing attack, Jango asks, 'CAPTAIN KURO, WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT THE MARINES? SHOULD WE BLAST THEM WITH THE CANNONS?!'. Kuro simply orders, 'NO, GET ME A SMALL BOAT.' Jango is bewildered: 'HUH? A BOAT!?'.

The flashback continues. A small rowboat carrying Kuro heads alone toward a large Marine battleship under the moonlight. The Black Cat Pirates watch from their ship. One asks, 'THE CAPTAIN LEFT ALL BY HIMSELF. WHAT IS HE DOING?'. Another wonders, 'HE'S HEADING TO THE MARINES ALONE... IS HE TRYING TO TURN HIMSELF IN?'. Time passes, and the crew grows anxious. 'THEY'VE STOPPED ATTACKING, AND THERE'S BEEN NO MOVEMENT OVER THERE. MAYBE THEY KILLED THE CAPTAIN!!'. Jango, taking charge, draws his sword and commands, 'STEER THE BOAT OVER! MAN THE CANNONS! EVERYONE, PREPARE FOR BATTLE!!'. Suddenly, the crew notices something on the Marine ship, reacting with shock: '!!?' and 'AH...'.

A grim scene is revealed on the deck of the Marine battleship. The entire crew of Marines lies defeated and bloodied across the wooden planks. Kuro sits calmly on the ship's railing amidst the carnage. A voice from the pirate crew stammers, 'ALL... ALL THE MARINES... ARE DEAD!!'. Kuro looks back over his shoulder at his approaching crew and says, '..... OKAY... LET'S START THE PLAN...'. Back on the pirate ship, the crew is terrified by the display of power. One pirate says, 'EVEN- THOUGH HE'S OUR CAPTAIN... HIS POWER STILL BRINGS SHIVERS DOWN MY SPINE.' Another agrees, sweating, 'YEAH... THE OPPONENTS WERE WELL-TRAINED MARINES...'.

Kuro walks among the fallen Marines and stops over one who is severely injured but still conscious. It is a younger Captain Morgan, before he acquired his metal jaw and axe hand. Kuro looks down and says, '..... UH... OH... YOU'RE NOT DEAD YET...'. Morgan glares up defiantly, his face bloodied. He growls, 'I WON'T BEG FOR MY LIFE. IF YOU WANT TO KILL ME, THEN DO IT NOW!'. Kuro smiles sinisterly, adjusting his glasses. 'YOU'VE GOT QUITE A NICE FACE...... YOUR JAW IS BROKEN... YET YOU STILL CAN SAY SUCH CRAP. I'M IMPRESSED. I SHALL REWARD YOU WITH THE HEAD OF "THE 100 PLANS KURO".'

Kuro sets his plan in motion. He instructs Jango, who is holding his pendulum in front of the injured Marine Morgan. Kuro says, 'YOUR NAME IS CAPTAIN KURO. THIS TRAGEDY WAS CAUSED BY YOU.' Jango swings the pendulum, chanting, 'TWO... ONE... JANGO!!'. Next to them is a captured pirate, Nugire Yainu, who bears a strong resemblance to Kuro. Under hypnosis, the fake Kuro repeats, 'I AM CAPTAIN KURO. THIS TRAGEDY WAS CAUSED BY ME. I AM CAPTAIN KURO...'. Kuro then tells the hypnotized Morgan, '...AND, YOU'RE THE MAN WHO CAPTURED CAPTAIN KURO!! TAKE HIM BACK TO YOUR BASE AND HAVE HIM EXECUTED. ONE, TWO, JANGO!!'. In the next flashback panel, Morgan repeats, 'I'M THE MAN WHO CAPTURED CAPTAIN KURO!!', while a pirate comments, 'THE FIRST MATE'S HYPNOTIZED HIMSELF AGAIN.' Back in the present, Kuro concludes, 'THIS IS A PERFECT PLAN. ONCE THE FAKE ONE IS EXECUTED, CAPTAIN KURO WILL DISAPPEAR FROM THIS WORLD...!! WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY HAS BEEN ESSENTIAL FOR TODAY'S PLAN TO BE SUCCESFUL... MY PLAN CAN ONLY BE COMPLETE WHEN I HAVE OBTAINED WEALTH AND PEACE'.

Back in the present, Kuro stands on the path facing Luffy. He asks, 'DO YOU UNDERSTAND, NOW, KID...? I'VE SPENT THREE YEARS DOING THIS PLAN, IT CANNOT FAIL!!'. Without warning, Kuro lunges forward, his deadly claws extended, aiming a vicious strike at Luffy. He yells, 'I CAN'T LET YOU... DISRUPT MY PLANS!!'. Luffy stands his ground, his expression hardening with determination. He shouts back, 'HEEYAAA...!!!', preparing to counter the incoming attack.

Luffy suddenly grabs a massive boulder from the ground and hoists it high above his head, yelling 'HUUAH!!!'. Kuro halts his charge, surprised by the display of raw strength. Kuro remarks, 'SO, IT SEEMS YOU CAN DO MORE THAN JUST STRETCH.' Luffy glares at him from under the rock and replies, 'THAT'S RIGHT! I'VE BEEN TRAINING... TO BECOME A PIRATE!!'. With a fierce shout of 'HEEYAH!!', Luffy hurls the giant boulder directly down onto Kuro. Kuro raises his arms, using his bladed claws to block the massive stone, grunting 'UGH!!!' from the heavy impact.

The massive boulder shatters against Kuro's defense, but the force of the impact takes a toll. The Black Cat Pirates scream in shock, 'WHOA!! THE "CAT'S CLAWS" ARE BROKEN!!!'. Indeed, several of the long blades on Kuro's gloves have snapped off. Luffy presses his advantage, yelling, 'YOU SAID THAT YOU'RE SICK AND TIRED? IF YOU'RE AFRAID OF YOUR NAME BEING KNOWN...'. In a powerful follow-up attack, Luffy lunges forward and delivers a brutal headbutt directly to Kuro's face. The impact is marked by a loud 'BAM!!!'. Luffy shouts, '...THEN HOW CAN YOU BE A PIRATE?! MY DREAMS ARE FAR GREATER THAN YOUR PLANS!!!'. Kuro is sent flying backward from the force of the blow.

No description for this page.