THE SILENT MAN

Kuro stands with his back partially turned, speaking to a man in a striped shirt and hat who has cat-like ears. “THE KURO NEKO PIRATE FLEET HAS BEEN REDUCED TO A TRULY SAD STATE…” A distant figure in a suit stands further down the path. The striped man replies, “I DIDN'T EXPECT YOU TO BE HELD UP BY THESE KIDS…” Suddenly the view shifts behind a man in a wide hat and long coat as he points forward. Massive onomatopoeia “ゴロォッ!!!” explodes across the road with impact lines. “ISN'T THAT RIGHT, JANGOI!I” he shouts as swords lie scattered on the ground.

Jango sweats heavily, heart-shaped sunglasses visible, protesting, “CAUSE' HE COULDN'T AFFECT OUR PLANS!! BUT… BUT… THAT DAY, YOU SAID THAT WE COULD LET THAT KID GO…” Kuro answers coldly from the side, “YES, I DID SAY THAT…” then snaps, “I JUST DIDN'T EXPECT YOUR USELESSNESS! I DON'T WANT ANY MORE EXCUSES! SO WHATI! HE INDEED STILL CANNOT AFFECT OUR PLANS I EXPECTED THAT HE WOULD COME AFTER US…” In the next panel a black-capped man glares while Buchi and a clawed woman react in shock. “DON'T LOOK DOWN ON US, CAPTAIN KURO… YOU SAID WE'RE USELESS…I!

Kuro glares and shouts, “HEY! SHUT UP, BUCHI!! SHAM!!” He continues, “WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAYI” A close-up shows a clawed foot digging into the ground with the narration “INDEED, YOU WERE VERY POWERFUL. BUT THAT'S IN THE PAST…” Buchi and the clawed woman argue back, “WE'VE ATTACKED QUITE A LOT OF VILLAGES… AND SANK MANY SHIPS…!! THAT WAS THREE YEARS AGO…!!! YOU'VE BEEN PAMPERING YOURSELF IN THIS VILLAGE! BUT WE'VE NEVER STOPPED OUR ATTACKS!!” Kaya watches from the side with a sweat drop while Usopp sweats in panic. “INTERNAL CONFLICT…I!

The two Nyaban Brothers, masked like black cats, snarl in rage. "YOU'VE BEEN INACTIVE FOR THREE YEARS! DO YOU THINK YOU CAN STILL BEAT US, THE 'NYABAN BROTHERS'I!" one roars. The other shouts, "WE WON'T ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE KILLED... FOR A STUPID REASON LIKE A FAILED PLAN!!" Kuro, standing calmly with glasses, adjusts them with a soft "SRET..." The brothers and their crew discuss in fear: "IT'S A FACT THAT THEY ARE OUR STRONGEST TEAM... IF THOSE TWO GANG UP, EVEN CAPTAIN JANGO CAN'T BEAT THEM... THAT'S TRUE..." Suddenly Kuro vanishes. In a massive splash panel he appears behind them with extended claw blades, slashing violently. "INSTEAD OF BEING KILLED BY YOU SILENTLY, WE MIGHT AS WELL KILL YOU FIRST!!" The brothers are hurled back amid heavy impact lines and the huge SFX "ズドゥッ". One screams, "YOU'RE NO LONGER OUR CAPTAIN!"

Kuro's claws tear across the brothers in a blur of motion lines and the massive SFX "ズバババ". "SHAAAAA....!!" one brother yells as they are sent flying. The brothers land in shock. From behind them Kuro stands with arms extended, blades gleaming. "YOU WERE GOING TO KILLI" he asks coldly. "WHO DID YOU SAY..." the other stammers. One brother sweats heavily, thinking "!I" while the other stares in disbelief. In the next row a close-up shows Kuro's face in profile as he remarks, "WHAT A WEIRD LOOKING WEAPON..." The brothers gape in terror. "AH... IT'S.. IT'S THE 'SILENT STEP'!!" one cries. The other panics, "...WHEN DID HE GET BEHIND THEM...I!"

The Nyaban Brothers whirl around in panic. "HE'S BEHIND USI!" one shouts as Kuro's striped sleeve flashes past. In the next panel both brothers stare at empty space. "DIS...DISAPPEARED!I" one gasps while the other blurts "HUHI" Kuro reappears instantly and strikes. The brothers are slammed down amid heavy impact SFX "どん！" and motion lines. Kuro looms over them, blades out, declaring "I REALLY DON'T FEEL TOO ACTIVE". The brothers cry out in pain: "WAH!!" "AH!!" One brother weakly agrees, "YOU'RE RIGHT..."

Kuro holds his blades to the Nyaban Brothers' throats in a tight close-up. "I AM ONLY THE 'CLIENT' IN THIS PLAN!! A CLIENT WHO WILL KILL IF THE PLAN FAILS!!" he states. The brothers sweat and tremble. "YOU'RE ALSO RIGHT, THAT I'M NO LONGER YOUR CAPTAIN..." Kuro continues. One brother stammers, "SO... SO FAST...!!" In the next panels Jango watches with heart-shaped glasses, asking "WHAT ARE YOU STILL HOPING FOR...I" A young observer sweats and thinks, "...EVEN THOUGH HE DOES HAVE SWORDS ON HIS HANDS, THE NYABAN BROTHERS WHO CAN TAKE ON ZORO ARE JUST LIKE BABIES IN HIS HANDS...!!! THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I SEE THE NYABAN BROTHERS GET CAUGHT...!!!" Jango concludes, "EVEN IF HE FACES SO ASSASSINS, HE CAN STILL KILL THEM ALL SILENTLY... WE CAN'T ESCAPE FROM HIS PLANS. HIS 'SILENT STEP'... IS A SOUNDLESS MOVING TECHNIQUE."

Klahadore pushes his glasses up with one finger. A voice notes, "HE PICKED UP THAT HABIT OF PUSHING HIS GLASSES UP..." Another adds, "THIS PROVES THAT HE HASN'T FORGOTTEN HOW TO FIGHT...!" Jango, wearing heart-shaped sunglasses, recalls, "PLUS... WHEN I MET UP WITH HIM, HE SENT A SHIVER DOWN MY SPINE WHEN I SAW THAT HE STILL KEPT THAT 'HABIT'." He continues, "IN ORDER TO AVOID SCRATCHING HIMSELF WITH HIS 'CAT'S CLAWS'..." A large panel shows Klahadore drawing his blade across Jango's chest. Klahadore says, "IT SEEMS THAT I'VE BECOME MORE GENEROUS..." Jango cries out in pain, "OUCH!!" Klahadore declares, "IF YOU CAN'T SETTLE THIS IN FIVE MINUTES... I GIVE YOU FIVE MINUTES."

From the clifftop path, Kuro shouts, "I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU!" and "NONE WILL ESCAPE MY WRATH..." His silhouette stands with arms outstretched as the Usopp Pirates and villagers watch from the slopes. Below, Buchi and Sham carry the unconscious Merry. In close-ups, Jango sweats, "UGH..." The cat-masked pirates panic, "FIVE MINUTES..." and scream, "I DON'T WANNA DIE...!!!"

Kaya stands tense, whispering "SU..." Jango yells, "WITH FIVE MINUTES, WE CAN SETTLE THIS!!" A wide-eyed pirate shouts, "DAMN IT!! WE ACTUALLY LET THIS GUY STAY IN OUR VILLAGE FOR THREE YEARS...I!" On the path Usopp grips his slingshot and calls, "WE CAN GET UP THE SLOPE!!" The pirates charge, "HIM!!! WE CAN FINISH HIM OFF...!!" Buchi and Sham lunge forward, "NO PROBLEM!! WE CAN TAKE CARE OF HIM IN FIVE SECONDS!!" and "THAT'S RIGHT! HE WAS NO MATCH FOR US JUST NOW!!"

Kaya kicks Jango's heart-shaped sunglasses off his face. "AH!!" Jango yells, "YOUR KATANAS!!" The impact SFX reads "カキィーン!!" Kaya shouts, "ZORO!!" Zoro appears, blades drawn, asking, "SO HOW ARE YOU GOING TO REPAY MEI" Jango snarls, "HOW DARE YOU KICK MY KATANAS...!!!" and "STUPID GIRL..." Usopp catches the swords, "THANKS!!" and cries, "I'M SAVED...!!" as Zoro lands in a ready stance. The final panel shows Zoro gripping both blades amid motion lines.

On a wooden bridge, Roronoa Zoro stands ready with three swords as the Nyaban Brothers attack from both sides. "STOP DREAMING! EVEN WITH THREE SWORDS, YOU'RE STILL NO MATCH FOR US!!" one brother yells while the other shrieks "SHYAAAAAAA!!!" with a massive claw strike. In the next panels the brothers taunt him: "FINISH THEM OFF WITHIN THESE 5 MINUTES!!" "NYABAN BROTHERS! WE'RE COUNTING ON YOU!!!" One brother leans in close, biting his own sword, and sneers, "BETWEEN 'USING THREE SWORDS' AND 'USING THREE SWORDS STYLE' YOU DON'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE..." Zoro draws his blades with a sharp "ズゥ...！" and mutters "TORA..." as the brothers roar "SYAAAAAA......!!!"

Zoro lunges forward in a blinding slash. The Nyaban Brothers are hurled backward, eyes wide in shock as debris and impact lines explode around them. Large bold text declares "KILLING SWORDS!" while the brothers scream in pain and surprise.

Reactions ripple across the battlefield. Klahadore's eyes bulge behind his glasses as he gasps "AH..." Kaya stares in shock. Jango stands with his back turned, a speech bubble of "!!!I" A wide panel shows Luffy gaping in disbelief while the defeated Nyaban Brothers lie sprawled. Zoro's opponent stares coldly. The final wide shot captures the aftermath of the devastating strike with bodies and debris scattered.

Zoro stands alone on the bridge, swords crossed, the defeated Nyaban Brothers motionless behind him. A small inset shows him from behind as narration states "THE NYABAN BROTHERS ARE..." The wide panel reveals the fallen brothers as text proclaims "WITH... WITH ONLY ONE SLASH...!!!" Close-up on Zoro's bloodied torso, he growls "KILL ALL OF YOU!! WITH NO EXCEPTIONS!" while a voice from the side answers "DON'T WORRY... WITHIN FIVE MINUTES, I'LL..." with the sound effect "オオオ..." echoing.

Kuro stares coldly and challenges, "LET'S SEE YOU TRY IT." Jango, wearing his signature hat, drops to his knees and begs desperately, "HYPNOTIZE ME!! CAP... CAPTAIN!! CAPTAIN JANGO!" Nearby pirates watch in shock, one growling, "DAMN HIM... I... I WILL KILL HIM!" while another pants, "HAH... HAH... THAT GUY..." A close-up reveals a wide, terrified eye. The blonde girl gripping her sword remarks, "MUST BE BECAUSE HIS BLUBBER IS TOO THICK..." as the fat pirate lies motionless on the ground. Another voice calls out, "HE'S STILL ALIVE! YOU WERE TOO NICE..."

The fat pirate suddenly powers up with a massive roar, arms spread wide as he screams, "UWAAA-AH...!!!" The blonde girl sweats and asks, "WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER HE'S POWERED UPI!" The black-haired swordsman realizes in alarm, "THIS GUY IS TROUBLESOME...!!! HE COULD CRACK THE GROUND SO EASILY BEFORE..." and questions, "IT'S... IT'S HYPNOTISM AGAINI" She swings her weapon while shouting, "REALLY! HOW CAN HE STILL BE SLEEPING WHEN WE'RE IN GRAVE DANGER!! THIS IS MY CHANCE! I HAVE TO GO AND WAKE HIM UP!" Jango, now facing her, mutters curiously, "HMMMI!"

Jango swings wildly and yells, "DIE!!" while taunting the blonde girl, "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, SLY LITTLE GIRL!!" She leaps into action with a fierce strike, shouting, "WAKE UP....!!" as the black-haired swordsman cries out in the background, "EVERYONE IS FIGHTING WITH WOUNDS AND THIS GUY JUST SLEEPS!!" The fat pirate continues snoring loudly with "ZZZ..." The blonde girl is suddenly struck hard, crying "AH" as a massive impact sends her flying. The black-haired swordsman yells in panic, "NAMI! LOOK OUT! DUCK!!"

This is an SBS page featuring Eiichiro Oda answering fan questions. Oda confirms his real name and birth details, explains he decided to become a manga artist around age four, lists his past assistant work on titles like "Mizu no Tomodachi Kappaman," and answers a question about Devil Fruits by noting there are over 100 with special abilities found "at that place."

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