411-415

Chapter 411: Rescuing Luffy and Zoro 

Kazama was truly incredible and powerful. 

At this point, Buggy the Clown, seeing himself firmly held in Kazama's grasp, fainted from sheer terror. 

Meanwhile, Buggy's numerous subordinates, upon witnessing Kazama's astonishing power, immediately dropped to their knees, begging and kowtowing for mercy. 

Kazama then gave these pirates a cold smile. 

He then ordered all of them to surrender themselves to Marine Headquarters. 

Although Kazama urgently needed allies to face the progenitor of the Otsutsuki main family, he wouldn't just accept anyone. 

Furthermore, these pirates were notoriously evil. Even if Kazama didn't keep them as comrades, he couldn't let them continue to roam free. 

So, naturally, he sent them to surrender at Marine Headquarters. 

These pirates usually dreaded the Marines. 

They knew that if they truly surrendered at Marine Headquarters, decades of imprisonment awaited them. 

However, they also knew that compared to imprisonment, they were even less willing to defy Kazama. 

After all, they had already experienced Kazama's terrifying strength firsthand. 

If they displeased Kazama, they would likely be killed in an instant. 

Therefore, when their lives were at stake, they were naturally willing to sacrifice their freedom and voluntarily surrender to Marine Headquarters. 

Meanwhile, Luffy and Zoro were overjoyed and full of admiration for Kazama, seeing him defeat all those pirates by himself. 

Since both of them had been severely wounded by Buggy earlier, they were now unable to move easily. They realized they probably wouldn't be able to continue on the Grand Line with Kazama. 

So, Luffy and Zoro, looking embarrassed, immediately said to Kazama: "Kazama-bro, we are truly sorry. We wanted to be your comrades and travel with you on the Grand Line to find the One Piece treasure. But now we're heavily injured; if we continue, we won't just be useless, we'll only drag you down. So, we can't go with you anymore!" 

"What are you two talking about?" 

Seeing Luffy and Zoro thinking their lives were nearing their end, Kazama just smiled and shook his head at them. 

Then, before Zoro could even react, Kazama infused his Three Thousand Blazing Flames into both Luffy and Zoro's bodies. 

These Three Thousand Blazing Flames were said to be able to completely heal even if someone was reduced to a pulp. 

So, even though Luffy and Zoro's injuries were severe, they were still much lighter than being turned into a pulp. 

Therefore, under the healing power of the Three Thousand Blazing Flames, Luffy and Zoro fully recovered in just a few breaths. 

Luffy and Zoro were utterly astonished. 

They had never expected Kazama to not only possess such formidable combat power but also such incredible medical abilities. 

This greatly exceeded all their expectations. 

"Kazama-bro, you've saved us time and time again! We are truly grateful to you!" 

Completely healed, Luffy and Zoro immediately bowed and thanked Kazama profusely, filled with joy. 

Chapter 412: Recruiting Nami 

"Hey, Kazama-aniki , now that we've beaten Buggy the Clown and even got his pirate ship, why don't we just keep sailing on his ship? I mean, Buggy's ship is way cooler and stronger than that pirate queen's ship we got before!" 

"Hehe, of course, that's the plan!" 

Kazama happily nodded, agreeing with Zoro and Luffy's suggestion. After all, the bigger the pirate ship, the faster and more awesome it is! 

Just as Zoro and Luffy were getting ready to set sail, they suddenly heard a commotion coming from the ship's cabin. This startled all three of them. 

Luffy then whispered, "Could there still be enemies here?" As he spoke, he immediately used his Gum-Gum powers again. In a flash, he pulled someone out of the cabin. 

But the person who appeared wasn't some fearsome pirate; it was a young woman. When Kazama saw her, he just smiled. Turns out, it was Nami, the "Cat Burglar" of the pirates! This Nami was a navigator, and a pretty strong one at that. 

Kazama knew that in the manga, Nami was also one of Luffy's future crewmates. Since that's the case, Kazama naturally wanted to bring Nami into his own pirate crew. 

So, Kazama immediately spoke to Nami, "This ship belongs to us now, but you were caught stealing on our ship. By all rights, we should cut off your hands and feet. However, if you're willing to join our crew, perhaps I can spare your life!" 

"Well, about that...?" 

Nami was about to resist Kazama's words, but since she had just witnessed Kazama's power firsthand inside the cabin, she naturally didn't dare to fight him. So, even though she was pretty annoyed by Kazama wanting her to become his crewmate and follow his orders, she honestly didn't have the guts to refuse. She could only give in and nod. 

At that moment, Nami also felt that even though Kazama was incredibly strong, he didn't seem like someone who enjoyed needless killing. "If I follow him, maybe I can defeat even more pirates in the future and snatch even more gold and jewels!" Thinking this, Nami immediately agreed to Kazama's demand. 

Seeing a new companion join their crew, Luffy and Zoro were absolutely thrilled! With Nami's help, Kazama, Luffy, and the others set sail once more. Thanks to Nami's skills as a navigator and her knowledge of the sea routes, Kazama and the others were practically traveling a thousand ri (approximately 2,440 miles) a day. 

After sailing for three days and three nights, they immediately docked at a small island they passed. Even though Kazama and his crew were powerful, they were still human. They needed to eat, drink, and resupply their provisions. So, every time they passed a town, they had to stock up before continuing their journey. 

However, since Kazama and his crew were using a pirate ship with a pirate flag on it, a young man on the island named Usopp immediately broke out in a cold sweat when he saw their pirate ship appear. 

Chapter 413: Beating Down Usopp 

So, Usopp immediately darted into the town and shouted to the many residents that pirates were coming, urging them to quickly find shelter. 

However, because this Usopp was famously known as a big blowhard in his daily life, no one was willing to believe him. This, of course, made Usopp's heart pound with urgency. 

Usopp then secretly thought to himself, "Even though I love to exaggerate normally, at the end of the day, I was born and raised in this town. If these pirates dare to land now, then I'll definitely have to fight them for three thousand rounds! I must defeat them all to protect the residents of this town!" 

As soon as that thought crossed his mind, Usopp immediately grabbed his trusty slingshot and charged towards Kazama and the others. 

At this moment, Luffy, Zoro, and Nami didn't recognize Usopp yet. But Kazama was very familiar with Usopp, after all, Usopp was also a member of the Straw Hat crew. 

You see, even though Usopp's strength wasn't at a "monster level," he was exceptionally skilled at using strategies to deal with his enemies. So, you could say Usopp was a truly intelligent person. Because of this, Kazama had long wanted to bring Usopp under his wing. 

Therefore, upon seeing Usopp actively charging at him, Kazama simply let out a cold smirk. 

"Usopp, please calm yourself. We aren't pirates; we just came to this town to resupply our necessities." 

"What?! How do you know my name?!" 

Usopp immediately scrutinized Kazama from head to toe. He was certain he had never met Kazama before. So why could Kazama call out his name now? This naturally left Usopp utterly astonished. 

Just then, Luffy, Zoro, and Nami, who were behind Kazama, chimed in, "Hey, listen up! Our Kazama-nii already told you, didn't he? We're not here to burn, kill, or plunder! Even though we are pirates, we're the good kind of pirates! So, we hope you don't misunderstand us!" 

"Don't give me that bullsh—!" 

The moment Usopp heard Luffy claim they were pirates, his heart leaped with alarm. In Usopp's mind, pirates were nothing but dog-scum and bastards; there was no such thing as 'good' or 'bad' pirates. 

So, in the blink of an eye, Usopp immediately attacked Kazama and his companions, looking like he intended to tear them limb from limb and scatter their ashes to the wind. 

But at this moment, Usopp had no idea that Kazama merely waved his hand lightly and easily blocked the marble Usopp had shot. Usopp's marbles were usually always on target! He never expected one to be so easily caught by Kazama. This instantly filled Usopp's heart with shock. 

Then, Usopp's eyes darted around, and he secretly muttered, "Since regular brute force won't work against this little punk, then I might as well use strategy to deal with these guys!" 

As soon as Usopp thought of this, he immediately pulled out a massive iron hammer from his cloak. He proudly declared to Kazama and the others, "Let me tell you, this weapon of mine, this Five-Ton Hammer, is incredibly awesome and powerful! It can smash you to smithereens in an instant!" 

"What?! A five-ton hammer!" 

Chapter 414: Subduing Usopp 

At this moment, Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and the others were unaware of Usopp's trickery. 

So, when they saw the enormous iron hammer in Usopp's hands and heard his threatening words, they were immediately taken aback. 

Nami was the first to speak, turning to Kazama and saying, "Kazama-aniki, maybe we should just retreat now and look for supplies in another town. That five-ton hammer is not something ordinary people like us can withstand!" 

"Yeah, yeah!" 

Even Luffy and Zoro, who were usually fearless, were genuinely worried at this point. 

It wasn't that they were afraid of dying, but rather that they were afraid of Kazama being defeated by Usopp. 

If that happened, they would have truly lost both the bait and the hook. 

After all, they were all following Kazama's lead now. 

If Kazama were injured or killed, how would they continue their grand voyage on the Grand Line? 

"Everyone, you're overthinking this!" 

Hearing the concerns of Luffy, Nami, and Zoro, Kazama immediately burst into laughter. 

"You're giving too much credit to this Usopp. From what I know, Usopp's so-called five-ton iron hammer is just a fake made of a wooden stick, a large frying pan, and a paper-mâché hammerhead. I doubt it even weighs a kilogram!" 

"What! You!" 

Seeing that Kazama had exposed his trick in an instant, Usopp was immediately shocked. 

He immediately prepared to run away. 

But in that same instant, Kazama blocked Usopp's path. 

Then, he spoke to Usopp again, "Didn't I tell you earlier? I have no intention of killing you. I'm just here to resupply, and I also want to ask you to join our crew." 

"What?" 

Usopp was completely unprepared for this. Not only had Kazama not tried to kill him, but he even wanted him to join their group. 

This utterly astonished Usopp. 

So, Usopp spoke to Kazama again, "Listen here, kid! Even though you spared my life just now, and I appreciate that, there's no way I'm going to become your nakama, a pirate! You see, I absolutely refuse to associate with you pirates!" 

"Heh heh heh, Usopp, I'm afraid you're mistaken!" 

"What do you mean by that?" 

Upon hearing Kazama's words, Usopp was even more confused. 

"It's simple. Because, as far as I know, your father, Yasopp, is also a member of a pirate crew." 

"What? That's impossible!" 

The moment Usopp heard Kazama's words, he was immediately shocked. 

Because the Yasopp that Kazama mentioned was indeed his father. 

However, his father had left his side when he was very young. 

So, he didn't know what his father was doing. 

Still, he regarded his father as a hero and greatly hoped to meet him someday. 

Therefore, hearing Kazama say that his father was a pirate was a huge shock to Usopp. 

At this point, Kazama spoke to Usopp again, "Let me tell you, Usopp. From what I know, your father is the sniper of the Red Hair Pirates. He's incredibly strong and awesome. But they are righteous pirates. They never pillage or kill innocent people. They only deal with evil pirates, and they are only seeking the treasure on the Grand Line. So, our goals are the same as his. We, like your father, are righteous pirates. So, I hope you don't misunderstand!" 

Chapter 415: The Terrifying Captain Kuro 

"This... really?" 

Hearing Kazama's smooth persuasion, Usopp nodded with genuine earnestness. After all, Kazama's words truly felt sincere, and Usopp couldn't help but believe him. 

Following that, Usopp eagerly played host to Kazama and his companions. Kazama's crew then used the gold and jewels they'd snatched from the female pirate and Buggy the Clown to buy a mountain of supplies. After all, Kazama and his comrades were seriously rich now, so they could afford anything they wanted; mere provisions were nothing to them. 

Just as Kazama and his crew finished their shopping and were about to depart, Usopp awkwardly spoke up, "Hey, Kazama-nii, even though I can leave with you now, you know I, Usopp, have lived on this island for a really long time. Plus, before I go, I really want to say goodbye to Miss Kaya, the one I admire!" 

"You got it!" 

Hearing Usopp's request, Kazama immediately grinned and nodded. "Even if we're in a hurry, this isn't the moment to rush. Go on!" 

"Really?! Thank you so, so much!" 

Seeing Kazama agree to his request instantly made Usopp's heart swell with joy. He then swiftly made his way to the mansion, intending to bid farewell to Miss Kaya. 

However, what Usopp hadn't expected was that the moment he arrived at the mansion, he saw Miss Kaya's butler, Kuro, secretly attempting to murder Miss Kaya! And not only that, he was planning to forge Miss Kaya's will to seize all of her family's wealth! 

This sight instantly filled Usopp's heart with fury. After all, Miss Kaya was Usopp's dream girl, his princess! How could Usopp possibly allow the person he cherished to be harmed by this evil butler?! 

So, in a flash, Usopp charged at the butler. But what Usopp hadn't anticipated was that Kuro, who appeared to be a harmless butler, was actually a truly ruthless and cold-hearted individual. This Kuro was none other than the infamous Captain Kuro, who had vanished long ago! 

And Captain Kuro's strength was incredibly formidable, seriously terrifying. So, when he saw that Usopp had discovered his plan, he simply sneered. Then, with a mere wave of his hand, he sent Usopp flying and tumbling to the ground. He then commanded his subordinate, Jango, the self-proclaimed strongest hypnotist in history, to eliminate Usopp. 

"Make that Usopp sleep forever right now! Don't let that idiot ruin my plan!" 

"Understood, Captain, no problem!" 

At that moment, the hypnotist Jango, in a blink, pulled out his hypnotic weapon, ready to put Usopp into a trance. 

But just as things hung by a thread, Kazama and his comrades burst into the mansion and stood protectively in front of Usopp. 

Meanwhile, Captain Kuro had never expected that besides Usopp, there would be others daring to meddle in his affairs. This instantly infuriated Captain Kuro. He then coldly smirked at Kazama and his group. "You little brats! It seems you've chosen to walk the path to hell when there's a clear road to heaven!" 

"Shut your damn mouth! Don't talk to me about heaven or hell! As far as I, Luffy, am concerned, all of you are nothing but notorious dog-scum and bastards!"