I combined the two raw chapters into one so it's easier to enjoy the story. Plus, this way the translation won't end up dragging past 1000 chapters.
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East Blue — Waters Under the 153rd Branch's Jurisdiction
A battleship floated on the stormy sea, swaying under the assault of fierce winds and waves.
"Chief Petty Officer Kuro, pirate ship spotted ahead!"
Inside the cabin, a bearded Marine reported to the man before him.
The man—dressed in a standard Navy uniform—wore no hat, his black hair clearly visible, with bangs parted at the forehead. His eyes were lazy and indifferent. Judging by appearance, he looked around twenty-three or twenty-four years old.
Kuro scratched his head, put down the newspaper in his hand, extinguished his cigarette, and said seriously, "Sergeant Cass, how many times do I have to tell you? When you spot a pirate ship, first scout the bounty. If it's over three million, we don't engage—no, scratch that—we treat it with extreme caution. If it's under three million, fire the cannons. Avoid boarding battles at all costs. Our goal is to sink the ship."
"Yes, sir!"
Sergeant Cass saluted and turned to leave.
This bearded guy was great in every way—except that he was too by-the-book. He insisted on reporting everything to Kuro, no matter how many times he'd been told otherwise.
Boom boom boom!
Cannon fire echoed from outside.
Kuro let out a helpless sigh.
"Why… why was I born into the world of One Piece?"
This was the world of One Piece—right in the middle of the Great Pirate Era.
A time of turbulent seas and fierce battles between mighty warriors. It was just...
Too exhausting.
I am Luciru Kuro, twenty-four years old, and my greatest dream—
Is to live a safe and peaceful life.
This world… the One Piece world, where people can use "Life Return," where getting injured and resting for two days will have you bouncing back full of energy… Everyone has absurdly strong vitality.
Who the hell would be excited to live here?
Kuro sure isn't.
Having transmigrated into this world over twenty years ago, he'd learned one thing very clearly: Without enough strength, you'll never survive out there.
Fortunately, he had a cheat—he was born with a technique from Samurai Deeper Kyo: the "Mumyo Jinpuu Ryu." After more than two decades of dedicated training, he had completely mastered this sword style.
(Samurai Deeper Kyo is a 1999 to 2006 Shonen manga)
Even more so than Kyoshiro Mibu himself.
But is that enough in this world?
Admirals, Yonko, Warlords of the Sea, and the monsters from the World Government…
Probably not.
So, he had to be cautious.
That's why he joined the Marines.
Become a pirate in this world?
He didn't have the talent.
A bounty hunter? Too much action, too easy to become a target.
After careful consideration, being a Marine was the safest route.
Besides, this was the East Blue—the weakest of the seas. Devil Fruit users were practically legends here, and the average bounty was only three million. Very safe.
Kuro had joined the Marines at age fourteen. After ten cautious years, he'd finally become a Chief Petty Officer.
But even in the East Blue, he never let his guard down. He didn't want to reveal his strength either—he might attract the attention of powerful people.
He was a swordsman. That made him an obvious target for the world's strongest swordsman—Dracule Mihawk. If he got famous and Mihawk noticed him? Game over.
So Kuro had one principle: Don't go after pirates with bounties over three million.
Once it's above the average line, who knows what strange abilities or tricks those pirates might have? What if he gets killed?
Boom boom boom!
The cannons kept roaring. Kuro held a cigarette in his mouth and struck a match.
Cigarettes and cigars were a Marine essential. How could he not smoke?
His body, being from this world, was full of vitality—he could smoke as much as he wanted without concern.
Bang!
The cabin shook, and the match fell from his hand.
"Charge!!"
Suddenly, a thunderous battle cry erupted.
"Did things go south?"
Kuro's expression changed. He picked up his standard-issue saber and quickly stepped out of the cabin.
Whoooshhhh—
The storm poured down. The warship rocked violently in the wind and rain.
Right next to the battleship, a battered pirate ship was nearly touching sides. On the deck, a bunch of ragtag pirates were engaged in a chaotic melee with the Marines.
"Chief!"
Sergeant Cass shouted, wielding a saber in his left hand and a pistol in his right, shooting a pirate dead. "It's the Giant Axe Pirates!"
Even someone half-blind could see that.
Among the pirates was a massive man at least 2.5 meters tall, wielding a double-edged axe nearly 2 meters long. He easily knocked over a group of Marines with one swing—anyone could see it.
"Kill them all! Take their ship!"
The giant man roared as he sent a group of Marines flying with his axe.
That was Colmo, captain of the Giant Axe Pirates, with a bounty of six million Berries.
Double Kuro's limit.
Kuro glanced up at the sky and cursed, "Damn, I'm fuck."
Their ship must've been wrecked in a battle and driven into the storm, now falling apart—desperate enough to attack a Navy ship. Otherwise, normally, unless they were absolutely brutal, a couple of warning shots would've sent them running.
"It's not time for me to act yet. Their numbers are fewer than ours. If our men can handle it, I won't have to do anything."
He rested his elbow on his sword hilt, thinking to himself.
He, Luciru Kuro, walked this world with one motto—
It's not cowardice—it's caution.
Bang bang bang!
The Marines kept firing their pistols at Colmo.
Frankly, unless someone had talent, neither pirates nor Marines had good aim.
Their bullets missed wildly.
The few that came close were deflected by Colmo's axe.
Also, how were flintlock pistols still firing in the pouring rain?
Did Newton never exist in this world?
"Die, all of you!"
Colmo, like a raging bull, used his massive axe as a shield and charged through the gunfire.
Kuro's eye twitched. Colmo's presence boosted the pirates' morale, and now the Marines were being overwhelmed.
"Chief, watch out!"
Cass's voice rang out.
Thud thud thud!
Colmo charged straight at Kuro, raising his giant axe high for a downward swing.
No choice. Time to act—for appearance's sake.
Kuro put on a determined face, drew his sword, and shouted, "Justice will prevail!" as he charged forward.
But perhaps because the deck was slick from the rain, Kuro slipped at just the right moment, 'accidentally' dodging Colmo's strike.
Bang!
Colmo's punch hit Kuro instead, sending him flying. But he flew a bit too far and—oh so coincidentally—crashed into a pirate, his sword stabbing straight into the man's chest.
Cough cough. "So strong… but as a Marine, I won't yield!"
Kuro didn't even glance at the fallen pirate. He coughed a few times, gripped his sword, and charged at Colmo again.
"Hahaha! What a loser!"
Colmo laughed maniacally. This surprise attack was totally worth it. These Marines were trash—no match for Colmo the Giant Axe.
He raised his axe to strike down the foolish Marine.
But just as he swung, Kuro once again 'slipped' by coincidence and dodged the attack—landing a sword strike on Colmo in return.
With years of combat experience, Colmo didn't panic. When his axe missed, he kicked Kuro away. Kuro flew again, crashing into another pirate. This time, the impact knocked his sword into the air. It spun midair and—just his luck—stabbed straight into another pirate.
Squelch!
"Justice will prevail!"
Kuro pulled his sword free and charged forward again—for the third time.
Colmo raised his axe again, but once more, Kuro "slipped," getting sent flying—and, naturally, his blade ended up embedded in the body of another pirate.
Round and round it went—Kuro kept charging forward.
Colmo was furious. This Navy brat's luck was just too damn good. Three times in a row, Kuro had evaded his attacks.
"This time, I'm gonna chop you in half!"
He changed his trajectory. Instead of a vertical strike, he swung the axe horizontally with full force.
Kuro's eyes narrowed, a sharp glint flashing in his pupils.
"Red Eye."
Colmo's entire body froze, hands instinctively clutching his chest. At that moment, an icy chill ran through his entire being. His legs buckled, and the axe flew from his hands—the handle smacking Kuro squarely.
Kuro was sent flying again.
"Ahhh!"
Another pirate collapsed, clutching his chest.
Kuro pulled his saber from the body with a serious expression. "I won't surrender to pirates!"
"Damn it!"
Colmo scrambled to his feet, face twisted with rage.
He didn't even bother picking up his axe this time. Arms wide, he charged at Kuro.
And once again, Kuro was sent flying—very coincidentally taking down another pirate.
Colmo was going crazy. No matter how he tried to deal with this Navy brat, the result was always the same—Kuro went flying.
Even when he clearly landed a hit, that same deathly chill would strike—like a sword stabbing into his heart—and he'd fall, while the brat kept getting tossed around.
Again and again, what should have been an overwhelming advantage had already turned into most of the pirates lying unconscious on the ground.
Kuro climbed to his feet once more, pale-faced and gasping, pulling his saber from another pirate's corpse.
"Chief Petty Officer!"
Sergeant Cass looked at Kuro with deep concern. Even though there were few visible wounds or blood, Kuro's trembling body and occasional cough made it clear—he had serious internal injuries.
Even so—even so—
The Navy would never surrender to pirates!
"Justice will prevail! We won't surrender to pirates! Aaaaah!"
Tears in his eyes, Cass roared and charged a pirate, slicing him down with a single stroke.
"Attack!!!"
The Navy's morale visibly surged. Since every time Kuro "tragically" crashed into a pirate, his weapon would "coincidentally" stab into one, the remaining pirates began to waver. Soon, the tide turned. The Navy pressed their advantage, forcing the pirates into a panicked retreat.
"Damn it, damn it!"
Colmo trembled with rage. From the moment he started fighting this Navy brat, everything had gone wrong—completely wrong!
At first, using the axe, he hadn't noticed anything strange. But later—it all felt off. Every strike should've hit, yet felt like it sliced air. And still, Kuro went flying, seemingly gravely wounded.
It was awkward. Strange.
Kuro wore a grief-stricken expression, but secretly laughed to himself:
Perfect. I should win an Oscar with this acting. Next, the Navy will work together to take down the infamous pirate Colmo in a grand battle lasting three hundred rounds. I won't be singled out—it'll be a group effort. Happens all the time. No one will notice me.
"I'm really pissed off now."
Just as Kuro was about to command the Navy to attack together, Colmo's voice deepened. He hunched slightly, back arching, eyes turning into golden vertical slits.
"I'll tear you all apart!"
Colmo's body expanded, layers of scales sprouting from his back. His hands morphed into sharp claws, the top half of his head elongating.
He had transformed into a lizardman.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Bullets struck Colmo's back, sparking as they bounced off.
"Mo-monster!"
Some Navy soldiers screamed in terror.
This time, Kuro's expression truly darkened.
A Devil Fruit user?
What the hell?! Why?!
What is the Navy's evaluation team doing?! This guy's bounty is only six million?! The World Government isn't broke—give him sixty million and toss him into the Grand Line to die or something! Kuro roared in his mind.
"Hehehehe…"
Colmo grinned maniacally. "I ate the Toka Toka no Mi (Lizard-Lizard Fruit) and became a lizardman. I didn't want to use this ability, but you've pushed me too far. Especially you!"
He pointed at Kuro. "I'm going to tear you limb from limb!"
"I won't let you have your way! Chief Petty Officer Kuro, rest assured—I'll protect you with my life!"
Sergeant Cass stepped in front of Kuro, yelling boldly.
I don't need this big bearded guy protecting me. Give me a pretty lady instead.
Kuro twitched his mouth.
"Then you'll be the first to die!"
Whoosh!
Colmo's figure blurred as he charged through the Navy, claws reaching for Cass with inhuman speed. A normal person couldn't have reacted.
By the time Cass moved, the claws were already in front of his face—one solid hit and his head would be gone.
Bang!
At that moment, Cass felt a massive force from the side.
Kuro had kicked Cass away and stepped in to face Colmo's claws. With two fingers forming a sword shape, he swiftly ran them across his blade, whispering softly:
"Mumyo Jinpuu Ryu."
Shing!
Kuro sidestepped, his blade lightly tracing Colmo's waist, ending up behind him.
"Shin."
In the stormy downpour, Colmo felt a faint breeze pass over him. Instinctively, he reached for his waist—nothing seemed wrong. He turned and grinned viciously.
"Lucky dodge again? Let's see you escape this time!"
"Protect the Chief Petty Officer!"
Cass, who had been kicked away, got up with his saber and leaped at Colmo, slashing at the arm reaching for Kuro.
"Useless!"
Slash!
Just as the words left his mouth, Colmo's arm burst into blood, splattering onto the deck, washed away by the rain.
Colmo stared at his arm in shock, then looked at Cass, who was just as dumbfounded.
"You…"
"Attack!!"
The remaining Navy soldiers charged. One stabbed Colmo in the back, and the supposedly bulletproof skin erupted in blood. The force made Colmo stagger forward.
Another slashed—more blood sprayed.
The monster was bleeding now—they could kill him!
Realizing this, the Navy's attacks became even fiercer.
Colmo, towering above them, looked like a candle in the wind. Surrounded by Navy soldiers half his size, blood burst from his body—not from their slashes, but as if it were exploding from within.
He was unraveling. He didn't understand.
This was the first time he'd transformed in front of the Navy. The first time their weapons didn't bounce off. The first time he felt their fear.
This should have been a euphoric moment—his power doubled, ripe for slaughter and seizing ships.
Why—why did it turn out like this?!
That guy!
In his chaos, a spark of clarity flashed—he remembered the blade that swept past his waist.
He turned to Kuro—who was slowly sheathing his saber, a faint smile on his lips. Surrounded by Navy soldiers, Kuro softly spoke.
His voice was low, almost inaudible, but Colmo understood.
"You saw it too, didn't you?"
Bang!
A gunshot rang out.
The bullet tore through the air toward Colmo's head.
Boom!!!
A hole burst open in Colmo's skull, and his massive body fell like a felled tree onto the deck, head turned toward Kuro, eyes fading into lifelessness.
"True Mizuchi."
The sword—sheathed.
(*****)
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