One Piece: The Strongest Trait System novel Chapter 30

Chapter 30 - [30] : [BONUS] - Usopp's Resolve! Traits Updated!

~ Thank you, We've hit 400 Powerstones. This is the Bonus Chapter~

~ Long Chapter~

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"Don't kill me! I have information! We can trade!" Kuro, his earlier composure completely shattered, pleaded, his face contorted with terror.

Only someone who had truly experienced having their power utterly plundered by Rowen could understand that level of despair.

Years of effort, years of training and battle forging his strength—all stolen in an instant.

All that remained was a broken shell, a body now struggling even to stand.

And for a pirate, being stripped of power meant being stripped of everything!

Monster!

Kuro, unable to even stand properly due to the sudden loss of strength, sat paralyzed on the ground, staring up at Rowen in utter horror, not even daring to meet his eyes.

He had been a notorious pirate in the East Blue, yet he had never encountered such a monster.

Whether it was the moment earlier when the man's mere gaze sent an irresistible force washing over him, knocking him unconscious, or now, having everything stolen by some unknown means...

Kuro felt like an ant before this man, someone who could be crushed at any moment.

He didn't even have the right to look this man in the eye.

Now, completely terrified, Kuro only wanted to survive.

"Information?" Rowen's lips curved slightly.

"Y-Yes! I'm the former captain of the Black Cat Pirates! But I can still actually command them! Tomorrow! Tomorrow, the Black Cat Pirates are coming to attack this village! Even if you're strong, preventing any damage to the village during that kind of chaos is impossible, right?! Spare my life, and I can help you take out all those guys!"

"Hey! Usopp! You're friends with them, right?! You don't want the villagers to get hurt, do you?! Tell them to let me go!" Kuro babbled desperately, then immediately turned his pleading gaze towards Usopp.

"What?!" Usopp's face turned pale instantly.

Kaya covered her mouth, unable to believe this was the true face of Klahadore, the butler she had trusted for three years.

"So, why did you infiltrate this place as a butler? And why arrange for the Black Cat Pirates to attack?" Rowen asked calmly, his expression unchanged.

Knowing the plot, Rowen already knew the reasons, but having Kuro confess himself would completely shatter any remaining illusions Kaya might hold.

"I..." Kuro's throat felt dry. He hesitated, unable to speak for a long moment.

"Not talking? Then... die," Rowen stated coldly, his eyes narrowing.

"I-I'll talk! I infiltrated here for this family's fortune! I was sick and tired of the Marines chasing me because my bounty kept getting higher! So I faked my death to hide! Then I spent three years earning the villagers' trust! Tomorrow, after the Black Cat Pirates kill Miss Kaya and force her to write a will leaving everything to me, I can legally claim the fortune and live peacefully!" Terrified beyond reason by Rowen, Kuro spilled everything immediately.

As for why he didn't lie? Under such extreme fear, Kuro's mind had already crumbled; lying was beyond him.

"Klahadore..." Kaya whispered, covering her mouth, staring at Kuro in disbelief.

The butler her family had taken in, treated like one of their own... intended to murder them all.

"Let me go! I'll tell you where those Black Cat bastards are! I won't be a pirate anymore! Just spare my life!" Kuro begged, completely disregarding Kaya's feelings, focused solely on survival.

WHAM! An elongated fist slammed heavily into Kuro's face, the force so great it distorted his features.

"Trading your crewmates' lives for your own... scum like you don't even deserve to be called pirates! Comrades aren't meant to be used like that!" Luffy roared, looking down furiously at the now silent Kuro on the ground.

Zoro smirked faintly.

Rowen glanced at Nami, who pressed her lips together, understanding his unspoken meaning.

Rowen's earlier words about risking his life to help her echoed in her mind, along with the memory of him carrying her. Waves of complex emotion washed over Nami again.

"Hey, Luffy! You didn't even ask where those pirates are!" Usopp yelled, clutching his head, then rushed over to Kuro, shaking him desperately, trying to wake him up.

"Hey! Wake up, you jerk! Where are those pirates?!" Usopp shook Kuro frantically, sweat dripping down his forehead.

But Kuro, completely stripped of his power by Rowen, now possessed the constitution of an ordinary villager.

After taking a full-force angry punch from Luffy, there was no way he could wake up now.

"Damn it!" Realizing Kuro was truly unresponsive, Usopp slammed his fist onto the ground in frustration.

"Just go tell the villagers pirates are coming tomorrow. Have them evacuate," Zoro suggested, arms crossed.

"They won't believe me! I've always lied to them about pirates coming!" Usopp cried out, anguish etched on his face.

"Usopp... I can tell them," Kaya offered weakly, coughing slightly.

"No! Who knows if that Kuro guy hid anything else?! Like maybe the pirates won't attack without his signal! If you tell everyone, Kaya, but the pirates don't show up tomorrow, then people won't trust you either! By the time the pirates do attack for real, it'll be too late!" Usopp's inherent pessimism and cowardice immediately conjured the worst-case scenario.