“So, how do you plan to deal with the Black Cat Pirates?” Seeing that Usopp had regained his spirits, Dazai asked calmly.
The question immediately energized Usopp.
“I’ve already thought of a strategy!” He excitedly grabbed a few stones from the ground and began arranging them into a map.
“There are two roads leading into the village.” “If we block this one…” he said, pointing at the makeshift map, “…we can stop the pirates before they reach the village and save everyone!” “Not bad.” Nami bent down to examine the layout.
Compared to the alternatives, it seemed like a reasonable plan.
Luffy had no objections whatsoever.
He simply stretched his shoulders, eager for the fight.
Zoro folded his arms over his swords, silently acknowledging Usopp as the strategist.
Dazai: “…” A headache began forming.
Are everyone’s plans in this world this straightforward?
Just like Chuuya…
If brute force solves everything, then why bother thinking?
Watching everyone agree after only a few sentences and prepare to rest until tomorrow’s battle…
Dazai instinctively touched his forehead.
No fever.
So am I the crazy one…
or is this entire world?
“…Don’t any of you think this plan has a problem?” He finally interrupted.
Usopp immediately glared at him, unhappy that his brilliant strategy had been criticized.
However…
The moment their eyes met, Dazai’s dark, oppressive aura made him instinctively shiver.
He quietly looked away.
“I already know where their ship is.” Dazai turned toward Luffy.
“Luffy.” “Don’t we have a ship too?” “…Oh!” Luffy scratched his cheek before suddenly understanding.
Nami immediately caught on as well.
“You mean…” “We should eliminate the problem at its source?” Dazai nodded.
“Why wait until tomorrow?” “Let’s wipe them out tonight.” “Besides…” “Your plans are all equally simple anyway.” His proposal wasn’t complicated.
If it became too complex…
Luffy’s brain would stop working halfway through the explanation.
And from everything Dazai had learned about this world…
The simplest solution was usually the correct one.
Strength solved almost everything.
“So…” “A surprise attack.” Zoro immediately understood.
Luffy, meanwhile, had no interest in strategy.
Those kinds of things belonged to his crewmates.
As captain…
He only needed to charge straight ahead.
Everything else was automatically filtered out of his brain.
Usopp hesitated.
“There are only four of us…” “Charging directly into a pirate crew’s headquarters…” “Isn’t that a little reckless?” Dazai hadn’t reached this conclusion carelessly.
Although he’d only been in this world for a short time, he’d spent the past week gathering information through newspapers and subtle conversations with Luffy, Nami, and Zoro.
He already had a reasonable understanding of the world’s fighting power.
The Black Cat Pirates possessed only a handful of real threats.
The rest were little more than cannon fodder.
Either Luffy or Zoro could deal with them effortlessly.
The only troublesome opponent was Jango.
His hypnosis worked exceptionally well on Luffy.
Fortunately…
After experimenting with Luffy earlier that day, Dazai had already planted a mental suggestion that should greatly reduce hypnosis’s effectiveness.
As for Kuro …
He was the key.
Even after disappearing for three years, the crew still obeyed him absolutely.
That proved how overwhelming his authority was.
Judging from everything Dazai had learned, Kuro ruled through fear and violence—not charisma.
Separate the captain from the crew…
And the entire organization would collapse.
For Dazai, reaching those conclusions wasn’t difficult.
Filtering useful information from countless scattered details came as naturally to him as eating or sleeping.
He never stopped thinking.
That same brilliance…
His ability to see through people so completely…
Was also why he found the world unbearably disappointing.
To him…
Death remained the most beautiful destination.
Without explaining any of that, Dazai simply looked at Luffy.
Luffy trusted his friends completely.
He adjusted his straw hat.
“Then we’ll do it Dazai’s way.” Usopp opened his mouth several times.
In the end…
He said nothing.
Thus began Dazai’s first operation in this new world.
Around three in the morning…
The pirate ship drifted quietly offshore.
Most of the pirates had already gone to sleep.
Only a handful remained on watch, their heavy dark circles making it obvious they were exhausted.
Using the ship captured from the Buggy Pirates, Luffy’s group quietly approached.
“So that’s their ship…” Usopp stared at the enormous vessel in amazement.
It’s huge…
He still couldn’t imagine how only four people were supposed to defeat an entire pirate crew.
Nearby, Luffy stretched enthusiastically.
Zoro silently prepared his swords.
Nami stared at the pirate ship with sparkling eyes.
In her imagination…
Everything had already turned into Berries.
“…Aren’t any of you worried?” Usopp asked.
Nami smiled confidently.
“Dazai’s plans don’t fail.” After everything she’d experienced…
She trusted his schemes more than anyone.
After all…
She had spent years stealing from pirates.
Dazai was the first person ever to outplay Cat Burglar Nami so thoroughly.
She glanced toward Luffy and Zoro.
“And those two?” “They’ll handle the fighting just fine.” Despite all the brave words he’d spoken earlier, Usopp’s entire body trembled.
“And Dazai isn’t even here!” “Doesn’t that bother you?” Indeed…
Only Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and Usopp had come.
After explaining the plan…
Dazai had vanished.
“Luffy?” Usopp asked.
“Where’s Dazai?” Luffy continued stretching his legs.
“Dazai has his own things to do.” “All we have to do…” “…is trust him.” Zoro nodded.
“He acts unreliable most of the time.” “But when it matters…” “He never lets us down.” Watching the absolute faith they placed in their crewmate…
Usopp couldn’t help feeling envious.
“Let’s go!” Luffy suddenly shouted.
His arms shot forward— Seeing what was about to happen, both Zoro and Nami immediately paled.
Only Usopp remained confused.
A moment later…
He understood.
“…Blegh!” The instant they landed aboard the pirate ship, Usopp staggered to the railing with a green face.
“I think I’m going to puke…” Zoro stood up with a dark expression.
“Luffy…” “I’m going to kill you.” For the first time in his life…
Mutiny sounded increasingly appealing.
Nami solved the issue more directly.
Smack!
She punched Luffy squarely on the head.
Luffy rubbed the lump in confusion.
“…What did I do?” “Enemy attack!” The lookout finally noticed them and immediately rang the alarm bell.
Pirates rushed onto the deck.
Within seconds…
Every single one of them was lying unconscious.
Earlier that evening…
Dazai’s briefing had been astonishingly brief.
“Luffy.” “At two o’clock tonight, sail here.” He drew a simple map.
“At three…” “Board their ship.” “Then start fighting.” That…
Was the entire plan.
Usopp had stared blankly.
“…That’s it?” Luffy and Zoro, however, grinned happily.
“Got it.” Luffy answered without another question.
Back in the present…
Jango finally appeared on deck wearing his pajamas, accompanied by more pirates.
Looking at the four intruders…
His face darkened.
“…Are you looking down on me?” He produced his hypnotic ring.
Beside him, the Nyaban Brothers drew their weapons and charged.
Clang!
Zoro intercepted both of them.
With one powerful shove, he knocked the brothers backward.
Earlier…
Dazai had already assigned everyone’s opponents.
“Zoro.” “Those two are yours.” He sketched two crude figures.
“One fat.” “One skinny.” “They shouldn’t give you much trouble.” Zoro silently memorized them.
Then Dazai turned to Luffy.
“Luffy.” “Take care of the guy with the heart-shaped glasses.” “Your opponent’s me!” Luffy stepped directly into Jango’s path.
Jango recognized him immediately.
That idiot from earlier?
He survived that fall?
And now he wants to challenge my hypnosis?
What an arrogant fool.
“One…” “Two…” “Look into my eyes!” Jango swung the hypnotic ring.
A few seconds later— Thud.
Luffy collapsed onto the deck, sound asleep.
“Luffy!” Nami and Usopp cried out in shock.
“What do we do?!” Usopp panicked.
“Zoro!” “Luffy’s asleep!” Still exchanging blows with the Nyaban Brothers , Zoro only spared them a glance.
“Trust Luffy.” Then he returned to fighting.
Jango sighed in disappointment.
Walking toward the sleeping Luffy with sword in hand, he smirked.
“You had the courage to challenge me.” “That’s commendable.” The blade descended.
Ping!
A slingshot pellet struck Jango squarely in the cheek.
He turned.
Usopp stood there trembling, slingshot shaking in his hands.
Earlier…
Dazai had simply smiled at him.
“Usopp.” “Adapt to the situation.” “You’re good with a slingshot, aren’t you?” Then he looked at Nami.
“Nami.” “If you do exactly one thing…” “Every bit of treasure will be yours.” Her eyes had immediately sparkled.
Then Dazai quietly whispered the details into her ear.
Jango’s patience snapped.
Even these insignificant nobodies dared interfere.
With a flick of his wrist, he hurled the hypnotic ring toward Usopp.
Usopp barely avoided it by stumbling backward into an awkward limbo.
Just as Jango prepared another attack— “…Meat…” A hand suddenly grabbed his ankle.
Looking down…
He found Luffy clinging to his leg, drooling as he tried to bite it.
“…What?” My hypnosis…
didn’t work?
“Meat!!” Luffy’s eyes glowed.
To him…
Jango had become one giant piece of meat.
Jango hastily dodged as Luffy lunged again.
Completely consumed by hunger, Luffy relentlessly pursued him.
Stretching both arms, he repeatedly tried to grab his “meal.” Nami stared in disbelief.
Luffy had recovered exactly as Dazai predicted.
Before long…
Jango was completely overwhelmed.
Luffy’s attention then shifted toward the surrounding pirates.
His eyes glowed red.
Like a starving wolf charging into a flock of sheep— He pounced.
“Luffy!” Nami shouted.
She immediately pulled out a pocket watch and began swinging it.
Hearing his name, Luffy turned.
In his hypnotized state…
The pocket watch looked exactly like another delicious piece of meat.
He leaped.
“Three…” “Two…” “One!” Following Dazai’s instructions to the letter, Nami counted down despite the cold sweat running down her forehead.
Thud.
Luffy crashed into her…
And instantly fell asleep.
“You’re so heavy…” Nami groaned as she pushed him aside and slowly sat up.
“How’d it go?” Zoro walked over, resting a sword on his shoulder before offering her a hand.
Nami accepted it and stood.
Looking around at the pirates sprawled unconscious across the deck…
She smiled faintly.
Dazai…
You really predicted everything.
The first light of dawn appeared on the horizon.
Their dangerous night was over.
But…
What was Dazai doing at that very moment?