Chapter 143: Are You Kidding Me? [Seeking Monthly Votes]

"Klahadore?!"

"Mr. Klahadore! You've finally arrived!"

"Wonderful! Mr. Klahadore is finally here!!"

...

When the villagers of Syrup Village clearly recognized that the newcomer was Kaya's butler Klahadore, they broke into cheers one by one. Clearly, this fellow had almost become synonymous with a savior here.

Moreover, Kaya excitedly hurried over alongside a group of bodyguards.

"Are they all dead?"

Standing before Tang Shen and looking at the corpses on the ground, Klahadore remained expressionless.

"You're late! Mr. Klahadore, thanks to Mr. Roger, our village was saved!"

"That's right! Mr. Klahadore, you have no idea how incredible Mr. Roger was just now!"

"Truly amazing, he just swept them all away and..."

...

A few excited villagers stepped forward, gesturing wildly as they explained. Everyone at this moment was incomparably thrilled and joyful; the damned pirates had finally been driven away, which was simply exhilarating!

Splat!

The expressions of the villagers in the middle of their explanations suddenly froze, and their voices abruptly cut off.

Every single villager, including Kaya and Usopp, stared at Klahadore in utter astonishment, mouths agape, completely unable to comprehend what was happening.

Slowly drawing his cold, sharp cat claws out from the villagers' bodies, Klahadore then adjusted his glasses with an elegant gesture. There was neither sorrow nor joy on his face as the villagers collapsed heavily to the ground.

"I'm not too late."

He uttered these chilling and baffling words in a flat tone.

"Klahadore?"

Tang Shen looked straight into the eyes of the fellow before him, a playful smile curling at the corner of his mouth. "Or should I call you the marine-bounty pirate, Captain of the Black Cat Pirates, Klahadest the Hundred Plans?"

"..."

Instant silence.

This so-called butler Klahadore, alias Captain Kuro, cast a surprised glance at Tang Shen, then revealed a proud, sneering smile. "I didn't expect there to be someone who sees through it."

"Yeah, I suppose the whole village was kept in the dark by you. But I'm terribly sorry, I didn't get the chance to notify you before I turned you into a commander with no troops left. My apologies."

Tang Shen offered a "sincere apology."

"Kept in the dark?"

The villagers present were utterly bewildered, and Kaya looked with confusion at Klahadore, the man who was usually so cultured and infinitely kind.

They simply could not understand why the deeply respected Lord Klahadore had suddenly slaughtered these villagers.

And... that weapon of his? Were those cat claws?!

"Heh, them?"

Kuro cast a mocking glance at the corpses beneath his feet, the chill in his eyes intensifying. He sneered, "These useless creatures deserved to die; they were nothing more than pawns."

"Klahadore?! What is the meaning of this? You... tell me!"

Kaya suddenly cried out.

The other villagers snapped out of their daze and began questioning him in succession.

"Mr. Klahadore! Why... why did you kill them?"

"Tell us, Mr. Klahadore!"

"Could it be... that what Mr. Roger said is true?!"

...

Looking at the bewildered villagers before him, the smile on Kuro's lips grew wider and wider, finally erupting into a head-tilted burst of laughter.

"Hahahaha~~~ Of course, everything he said is correct! I am the pirate with a bounty from the Marines, Captain of the Black Cat Pirates, Klahadest the Hundred Plans!"

As his laughter subsided, Kuro spoke as if reciting it to himself.

"Three years ago, I began laying my plans. To acquire your fortune, Kaya, I spent three whole years blending in with you humble villagers, earning your trust! Then, through wave after wave of pirate attacks, I pushed my reputation as Klahadore to its absolute peak!

According to the original plan, this pirate raid would have thoroughly plundered the entire village, and I, Klahadore, would have stepped forward as a legitimate, ordinary citizen to inherit all your wealth, Miss Kaya, and live out a peaceful, tranquil life as a wealthy aristocrat..."

Hearing Kuro's words, the villagers subconsciously dropped their jaws, unable to believe or accept any of it!

The widely adored Mr. Kuro was actually a heinous bounty pirate?!!

It completely shattered the villagers' capacity to comprehend, and Kaya listened in helpless bewilderment and utter despair!

"...Hahahaha! I've kept this secret for three years. Do you know why I'm telling you now? Because... you are going to be the only people in the world who know my secret, and next, you will help me guard these secrets.

In hell."

His loud laughter gradually warped into a ferocious grin. Kuro slowly pulled his other hand out from his pocket. The sharp, terrifying cat claws were a shocking sight, yet he adjusted his glasses with the same elegant, eerie palm gesture.

Even after three years without battle, Kuro had maintained this habit, solely to prevent those sharp cat claws from scratching his cheeks when pushing up his spectacles.

"Klahadore... tell me, this... isn't true? You're still the kind-hearted Mr. Klahadore who cared for everyone in the village!"

Kaya's beautiful eyes welled up with tears, clearly having reached the depths of despair. In her memory, Klahadore was merely a stray wanderer who happened to collapse at the gates of her estate.

And her father, happening to pass by, had saved the young wanderer. Through three years of companionship, Klahadore had tended to the estate with meticulous care and frequently helped everyone in the village who needed assistance. He was absolutely not some unforgivable, heinous bounty pirate—Klahadest the Hundred Plans!

"Kaya, my foolish Miss Kaya, you are as sincere and kind as your father. I forgot to tell you... the previous butler was also killed by me."

Kuro smiled like a gentleman toward the tear-soaked Miss Kaya.

"..."

Kaya stood frozen in place, her eyes filled with heart-breaking despair. The gazes that the villagers directed toward Kuro shifted from initial shock and excitement to a gradually freezing coldness, brimming with the fury and hatred of betrayal.

"Klahadore! You bastard, you actually deceived us!"

"So you're the captain of the Black Cat Pirates! Damn you, Kuro!"

"Unforgivable!"

...

The villagers of Syrup Village were consumed by rage. To think that the great benefactor they had constantly praised was actually the most hypocritical bastard and the mastermind behind all the village's suffering over the years!

"To be able to eliminate my useless subordinates—your strength isn't bad. If you agree to become my subordinate, I might consider sparing your life."

Ignorant to the despair of Kaya and the villagers, Kuro looked at Tang Shen with a faint smile, completely unfazed.

"Become your subordinate?"

Tang Shen paused for a moment. This Kuro...

"Hm? Naturally. You are far more useful than those good-for-nothings. Furthermore, if you agree, I might even let these innocent villagers go, along with that innocent and kind Miss Kaya."

Kuro chuckled.

"What a wonderful reason. It almost made me believe it."

Tang Shen grinned, revealing his brightest smile as he looked earnestly at Kuro. "Are you joking?"