- The Reincarnation World Where Only I Know the Storyline
- RWWOKS Chapter 45
Chapter 45: The Return of Captain Kuro
“I am the great captain with tens of thousands of pirates under my command!”
From a great distance, Usopp’s boastful voice could be heard loud and clear.
Looking at the long-nosed man, Ryuno’s eyes showed a hint of curiosity. It was rare to find someone who could brag to this extent.
“What a strange guy,” she thought to herself.
After glancing at him for a few moments, she turned away, unaware that this long-nosed man could trigger another hidden mission.
“What a shame,” Fang Bo sighed inwardly, feeling like a pile of rewards had just slipped through his fingers.
But he had no choice. Time was limited, and for now, he had to prioritize the tasks that suited him best.
After finding Captain Kuro, the next step was to head straight to the port where the Kraig Pirate was stationed. There was no time to mess around with Usopp.
Soon, the trio reached the hillside of Cocoa Village, where they spotted Kuro, the butler, overseeing workers tending to the lawn.
As soon as Kuro saw them, the kind smile on his face vanished, replaced by the ruthless expression of a pirate.
The nearby workers suddenly shivered, glancing nervously at the sky as they buttoned up their coats.
After giving a few brief instructions to the workers, Kuro walked alone to a corner of the estate, and the trio quickly followed.
As they turned a corner, avoiding everyone’s view, Captain Kuro silently appeared behind them.
With a fine pen in hand, he pressed the tip against Ryuno’s throat and spoke in a cold voice, “If I recall, I told you I didn’t want anyone knowing about my existence. It seems you’ve forgotten my warning.”
Feeling her life in danger, Ryuno instinctively gripped a talisman. Only now did she fully realize the terrifying power of Kuro’s Silent Step.
If he had chosen the path of an assassin rather than direct confrontation, Kuro’s threat level would have been several notches higher.
For someone like Ryuno, a summoner, assassins like Kuro were her worst nightmare. Despite being caught off guard, she didn’t even have the strength to retaliate.
Noticing Ryuno’s anxious gaze, Fang Bo signaled her to stay calm and then quickly explained the entire situation to Kuro.
“…So, our two pirate crews have merged. We still have several hundred million in funds, and if you wish, you can distribute it as you like.”
After a brief silence, Kuro finally lowered his pen.
There was no doubt his emotions were complex at that moment. He hadn’t expected that right after he left, his crew would pull off such a big score.
He had worked tirelessly as a butler for a rich family, all for the sake of a few million in wealth. And now, Fang Bo was telling him that if he returned, he could have it all instantly?
He should have felt happy, but instead, Kuro felt a twinge of bitterness.
After a long pause, he turned to Ryuno and asked, “I’d like to know, what gives you the confidence to challenge Krieg?”
This was clearly a test. To convince Kuro, who had experienced failure before, to risk everything again, he needed to see a real chance of victory.
Both Fang Bo and Jango were old crew members, so Kuro decided to test the newcomer—Ryuno.
Wiping her teary eyes, Ryuno understood that this was a necessary part of entering Kuro’s revenge story. Only by passing his test could she receive the hidden mission that Fang Bo had mentioned.
However, this meant she would have to summon her Ubume again. The thought of spending another 60 plot points made her heart ache.
As expected, her talismans had no effect on Kuro, whose speed was too fast to counter. Noticing his impatience, she gritted her teeth and summoned her spirit familiar, Ubume.
When the Ubume appeared, pointing its umbrella-sword at Kuro, the pirate captain finally grew serious.
“Not bad,” he said, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished.
Ubume, also skilled in high-speed movement, immediately followed, and the two became nothing more than blurred shadows, their clashes only audible as crisp, sharp sounds.
Watching the battle, Fang Bo couldn’t help but ask himself how he would deal with such a fast opponent.
With his current marksmanship, hitting an enemy moving at such high speeds seemed impossible. The giant trio of his summon was far too slow to stand a chance.
He thought about it for a while and realized he didn’t have an effective way to counter a speed-based enemy.
Ignoring Ryuno’s annoyed look, Fang Bo voiced his doubts, hoping to hear the opinion of a more experienced summoner.
Sighing, Ryuno withdrew her gaze from the battle and explained, “No matter which path you choose, you’ll eventually encounter enemies that counter your strengths. For a summoner like me, assassins with high agility are the biggest threat.”
“As for how to deal with them, there are two viable options.”
“First, find a summoned creature that can counter agility-based enemies.”
“Second, reserve a skill slot for an ability that can effectively repel assassins.”
For instance, learning a defensive skill. Assassins fear tanky opponents the most—the kind that no matter how hard they stab, won’t go down.
Hearing this, Fang Bo suddenly had a realization. For most reincarnators, it was impossible to guard against every threat. Instead of worrying endlessly, it was better to fully develop one’s strengths.
The two methods Ryuno mentioned were certainly viable, but Fang Bo saw a third option for himself.
He could turn himself into an agility-based fighter, gaining the same speed as his enemies. Then, he wouldn’t need to fear assassins at all.
“That makes sense. Very reasonable,” Fang Bo said, feeling reassured. He continued to watch the two speedsters battle.
With his perception ability, he could easily track their movements. Overall, Kuro held a slight advantage.
“Tsk, just wait until my Ubume fully awakens. Then I’ll let you fight with one leg tied behind your back,” Ryuno muttered to herself.
After ten minutes, Ubume’s time limit expired, and it vanished in a flash of blue light.
Kuro stopped moving, calmly taking out a handkerchief to wipe the bloodstains from his clothes.
“Not bad,” he said with a simple nod of approval.
As soon as he finished speaking, both Fang Bo and Ryuno received a system notification in their minds.
[Player 14552 has triggered the hidden mission: Ruler of East Blue.]
[Mission Description: You have successfully convinced Captain Kuro to return. The Black Cat Pirates have declared war on the Krieg Pirates.]
[Mission Objective: Defeat the Krieg Pirates and become the ruler of East Blue.]
[Hint: You might find your target in Loguetown.]
With his disguise fully discarded, Kuro resumed his role as the captain of the Black Cat Pirates. Jango and Fang Bo were appointed as his first and second mates, with Fang Bo taking command of the *Fearless* as captain of a squad.
Thanks to Kuro’s approval, Fang Bo could now officially call himself a pirate captain.
[Achievement Unlocked: Pirate Captain]
Pirate Captain: Significantly increases the value of looted items, speeds up reputation gains within the pirate faction, and boosts bounty rewards.
In the blink of an eye, Fang Bo had climbed from an unknown underling to a pirate captain.
Unfortunately, for now, he was still under the Black Cat Pirates and didn’t yet have the power to create his own crew.
To take the next step, he would need to break away from his current organization, just as Shanks had done after leaving Roger’s crew to form his own.
Only then would the sea truly acknowledge him, and he would have the chance to compete with the top pirates.
Of course, this would bring new dangers, but that would depend on the path he chose.
[Pirate IV Achievement Unlocked: Become a pirate with a hundred subordinates.]
The next achievement was within reach, and with enough money, it wouldn’t be hard to achieve. But Kuro wouldn’t give him the opportunity to expand his forces.
Beyond adventure and freedom, pirates were often associated with betrayal. Kuro, being as shrewd as he was, would never let his subordinates grow beyond his control.
So it was unlikely Fang Bo would complete this achievement during this storyline.
Standing at the bow of the *Fearless*, Fang Bo gazed out at the horizon. To his left stood the cyborg Jack, and to his right, Paul, polishing his demon sword.
Although his current crew was small, it didn’t matter. The foundation for his pirate empire was already in place.
Before leaving this world, he would make sure his two loyal subordinates were well positioned, ensuring that the next time he returned to the Pirate World, they would be much stronger.
Watching Fang Bo from the sidelines, Ryuno’s mind raced with various thoughts.
She admitted that this was the first time she had met a reincarnator like Jason. His deep understanding of the story world allowed him to uncover many hidden missions.
This was a rare talent—one that wouldn’t appear in anyone’s stats or records. With this ability, Jason was bound to rise to the top of the reincarnation world, provided he didn’t fall along the way.
So, Ryuno wondered if she could recruit him into her team.
She wasn’t alone; she had already joined a team in the Onmyoji world. They were in the process of completing a team creation mission, and she had just barely gathered enough merit to participate.
Not wanting to wait any longer,
Ryuno had decided to enter this story world early, where she happened to meet Jason.
What had started as a simple mission had become much more exciting, and she had directly obtained two hidden missions.
If her teammates found out, they would be green with envy and probably welcome Jason with open arms.
As for the earlier claim that they didn’t need a man, that was nonsense. In the face of real benefits, principles could easily be discarded.
Her only concern now was that Jason might not want to join. After all, their group was just a small, unremarkable team. With his skills, Jason could easily join one of the top-tier forces.
“I’ll have to come up with a better plan,” she thought.
Finally, Ryuno came to a rather impractical conclusion: she would use her beauty to try and win him over.
It probably wouldn’t work, but that didn’t matter. Her team had a stunning beauty who could even charm other women. If she stepped in, Jason would surely apply to join their team.
Lost in her daydreams, Ryuno barely noticed as the fleet arrived at a small island next to Loguetown.
(End of Chapter)