Chapter 133: Confidence? Never Had Any
Chapter 133: Confidence? Never Had Any
Hawkins’ card, the Upright Emperor, symbolized ambition and confidence—the kind that could make someone formidable.
But his Devil Fruit was the Straw-Straw Fruit, its power being "curse." Once activated, it always flipped to Reversed.
The Reversed Emperor stripped a person of confidence. Without that confidence, one’s strength plummeted dramatically.
A purple aura of energy unraveled from the card.
Effect—activated!
Kuro suddenly felt his nose tingle mid-air. Rubbing it, he glanced at the giant Straw Man Illusion behind him, puzzled.
“What’s that thing even for? It doesn’t attack or move. Is it just set decoration for this fight?” Kuro scoffed.
“I’ll test it!”
Seeing Kuro twitch, Scratchmen Apoo grinned, slammed his head, and roared, “Scratch Plate Slash!”
A Sound Wave Slash slashed toward Kuro’s neck—but was blocked by Armored Haki.
“What?!”
Kuro tilted his head, eyes narrowing at the ground-level Scratchmen Apoo.
“Why didn’t that work? Try again—Scratch Plate Blast!”
Scratchmen Apoo obliged.
Boom!
An explosion erupted on Kuro’s chest—but was again neutralized by Armored Haki.
“Annoying.”
Kuro stomped the air thrice, his figure dissolving into an afterimage. In a flash, he reappeared behind Scratchmen Apoo, cleaving downward.
Thud!
One slash split Scratchmen Apoo’s back wide open. Eyes rolling, he collapsed, gasping, “But—didn’t you lose your confidence?!”
Hawkins turned his head away, silent.
The atmosphere turned awkward.
“Lost confidence? What does that even mean?” Kuro muttered, confused.
“Room!”
Suddenly, Law seized the chance. Activating his Room, he swapped Scratchmen Apoo with Urouge. The hulking Urouge lunged forward with a punch—
Kuro’s eyes narrowed. “One Sword Style.”
Urouge’s fist hadn’t fully descended before a wisp of light sliced up his arm to his chest.
Slash!!!
Urouge’s torso split from arm to chest, blood geysering. Shrinking back to normal size, he collapsed, gasping beside Scratchmen Apoo.
This time, the slash used Armored Haki—its power was incomparable. Just one strike sufficed.
Kuro sheathed his blade, flicking blood off its edge. “Lay still—it’ll hurt less. Why won’t you listen?”
“Hawkins!” Law snapped, his voice rising.
“This can’t be!” Hawkins’ eyes widened, stunned. “My curse never fails!”
“Your curse?”
Kuro materialized behind him, blade glinting.
Hawkins remained expressionless—his face had always been deadpan, incapable of dramatic expressions.
Though right now, he was scared.
“The Reversed Emperor strips ambition and confidence. Why aren’t you affected?!”
Kuro’s blade slashed downward, pinning Hawkins to the ground. The colossal Straw Man Illusion in the sky faded.
“Because,” Kuro said, facing the others, “I never had ambition or confidence to begin with.”
“Huh?” Jewelry Bonney tilted her head, staring blankly.
“Surprised?”
Kuro vanished, reappearing before Bonney. A kick infused with Armored Haki sent her flying into distant structures, collapsing them.
“I’ve always been like this—”
He reappeared beside Killer, slashing diagonally. Blood sprayed.
“I never needed—”
Zipping upward, he landed atop the center of the giant castle formation. Blade sheathed, he assumed an Iaijutsu stance.
Slash!!!
The castle split down its core, collapsing. Capone Bege’s massive gut bore a gaping wound as he transformed back into his squat, dwarfish form.
Kuro landed lightly, concluding, “No ambition. No confidence.”
Ambition? His ‘ambition’ was staying alive. Was that even an ambition? He’d hidden in the East Blue for a decade, only to end up dragged out anyway.
Confidence?
Did he think he could slice the Red Line? Cut the Four Seas into eight?
Without such power, how could he claim confidence in himself?
Besides, he had no confidence in Devil Fruit users either.
Even when facing four foes earlier, he’d relied on speed to strike them down. When had he ever fought head-on?
Now fighting nine, he still used Armored Haki and speed, never daring a direct clash. Devil Fruit users were dangerous—what if someone had a technique that bypassed Haki?
He wouldn’t gamble on that probability.
So no—he’d never had confidence.
“String!”
Eustass Kid charged with his metal arm.
“Room!”
Law flicked his palm. The wounded Super Novas’ wounds closed, their auras steadying.
“You’re really annoying.”
Kuro dodged Kid’s attack easily, charging Law with his blade. But though fast, Law’s teleportation was faster. The moment Kuro’s blade swung, Law swapped places with a nearby rock, leaving Kuro to slash nothing.
“They’d be better off staying down. I’m not lying,” Kuro hinted, hand on his sword.
He didn’t want to capture them—but couldn’t let them go freely. If they each took a slash and stayed down until he left, wouldn’t that solve everything?
The Surgery Fruit was truly a nuisance.
Law ignored him, raising his hand again. “Room!”
Eustass Kid reappeared behind Kuro, his metal palm slamming down—
Bang!
Kuro blocked the strike, curious. “Why keep at it? Shouldn’t you flee instead?”
Eustass Kid grinned savagely. “Because I’m gonna kill you! Your blade’s been hit twice by my Magnetic Human!”
Clink! Clink!
The Huazhou trembled violently.
Kuro frowned, shifting stance—only to find himself surrounded by the healed Super Novas (excluding X Drake).
“Moonstep!”
Kuro leapt skyward, treading the air as he glanced down.
“Enough nonsense!”
“Moonstep!”
X Drake’s voice echoed. Retaining his Dragon-Human Form, he appeared level with Kuro, fist blazing with Armored Haki.
He’d been waiting for this!
“Hmm?”
Kuro instinctively narrowed his eyes, slicing downward—
“Room—Electric Shock!”
Kuro’s body jolted as lightning surged through him. Though Haki resisted the current, his exposed chest and face weren’t protected.
For a split second, he froze.
“Magnetic Attraction!”
Eustass Kid’s metal arm extended toward Kuro, vibrating his blade violently.
And this was what Law waited for—
“Room—Swap!”
Kuro’s blade—and scabbard—vanished. In their place: a limp, leafy stalk.
Plan D—executed.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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