Chapter 10

Ussop ran like a madman, his mind consumed by the previous conversation.

"Impossible, Kaya... Kaya is in danger!!!"

Soon, the huge mansion came into clear sight. Ussop, quite familiar with the route, hurriedly found the secret passage he had dug himself in the bushes.

"Kaya... Kaya..."

Shouting loudly, he grabbed small stones, climbing the tall tree beside the mansion. He repeatedly struck the window glass with those small stones.

Clack... clack...

The window was soon opened, revealing a pale blond-haired girl. Despite her sickly body making her movements slow and stiff, her eyes were shining with anticipation and curiosity.

"Ussop, you finally came!" Kaya exclaimed with joy upon seeing Ussop.

Though relieved to see her safe, Ussop remained silent, unsure of what to say.

Kaya looked at Ussop with concern and worry. "Ussop, what's wrong? Your face looks terrible... Are you sick?"

Ussop swallowed hard, taking her hand. "Kaya... we need to leave here. We have to run away."

Kaya was taken aback by Ussop's unusual behavior. "What do you mean, Ussop? Leave? Run away?"

Ussop's trembling intensified as he continued to pull Kaya. "We don't have much time... Kalhadore, the butler, he's a pirate! He wants to kill you and steal your inheritance. We need to leave now!"

However, Kaya's expression shifted from surprise to disbelief.

"Ussop, you're being ridiculous!"

Ussop was on the verge of tears.

"Please, Kaya, you have to believe me! I'm not lying!"

But Kaya, who had never heard a truthful word from him, couldn't bring herself to trust him. She was even a little disgusted. "Although Kalhadore doesn't like you and told me not to associate with you because you're a liar, you don't need to slander him!"

In Kaya's eyes, Kalhadore was far more trustworthy than Ussop, who she saw as nothing more than an entertaining liar and not even a close friend.

Maybe one day, she would be moved by his bravery and fall in love with him, but for now, he was just a funny acquaintance.

As Seph, Nami, Zoro, and Luffy approached the mansion accompanied by Ussop's three little subordinates, they already had a clear understanding of the relationship between Kaya and Ussop. They admired Ussop's gentleness in alleviating Kaya's depression. Seph couldn't help but entertain a malicious thought that Ussop might just be aiming for a wealthy wife and taking a shortcut in life, but he found it amusing and didn't take it seriously.

As they approached the mansion door, their path was interrupted by a loud shout.

"Kaya!! Please believe me!! I'm not lying!! This guy is a pirate and wants to kill you!! Please, just this once, believe me!!"

Nami suddenly interjected, her voice tinged with concern.

"Is that Ussop's voice?"

Zoro nodded in agreement.

"It seems like she doesn't believe him..."

Luffy expressed his surprise.

"Why not? Aren't they friends? Friends should trust each other..."

The three little boys looked visibly shaken. They had never heard their captain Ussop sound so distressed before.

Seph let out a sigh of understanding.

"It's to be expected. After all, Ussop is known for his tall tales. And to Kaya, the butler likely appears more trustworthy than a wild liar like him... Even though Ussop has been kind and helped Kaya feel better, she's never taken his words seriously. Everything he says is treated as a joke. Now that he's saying something about her entourage and even slandering them, it's only natural it would repulse her."

Nami nodded in sympathy.

"Poor Ussop..."

The three little boys were bewildered.

"But why would she keep inviting him to her mansion if she doesn't believe him?"

Zoro sighed, his hand resting on his sword hilt, poised for action.

"Because it's entertaining..."

Luffy looked at the group, unable to grasp the meaning behind their conversation.

Seph explained to Luffy on the side.

"It means Ussop and even the young lady Kaya are now in danger. Because of Ussop's outspokenness, Kuro is emitting killing intent. Did you feel it, Zoro?"

Zoro nodded solemnly.

"I don't know about killing intent, but I sense deep malice emanating from the mansion."

Luffy's eyes widened in shock.

"What are we waiting for then? Let's save him!"

With that, he darted towards the mansion door, ready to take action.

Inside the mansion, in the backyard where Ussop continued to plead with Kaya to believe him, a tall young man in a butler uniform suddenly appeared.

His eyes behind the glasses gleamed menacingly, though he concealed it well.

"You, the liar out there... What are you trying to do to Miss Kaya?"

Ussop's body trembled with fear, his hands releasing Kaya in panic.

He looked into Kaya's eyes, which were filled with distrust, but he persisted.

"Kaya, please believe me. Close the window and hide yourself. I'm not lying, please!"

Kaya was a little shaken by Ussop's fervent plea. Though she didn't know much about him, his persistent 'lies' despite her disdainful treatment made her feel uneasy.

'Is what he's saying true? How does he know about this?'

She glanced down at the butler, Kalahadore, and suddenly felt a chill down her spine. His eyes seemed unnervingly intense and scary...

A loud cacophony of footsteps approached as a large number of butlers seemed to be drawn by Ussop's ruckus.

Among them, the butler Merry, who resembled a sheep head, wore a worried expression. He had already heard Ussop's speech and was more shocked than Kaya, as he had harbored suspicions about Kalhadore. He hadn't expected him to be a pirate; he had only thought that Kalhadore was hiding his true intentions.

"Kaya-sama, are you alright?" Merry asked, his voice calm as he inquired about Kaya's safety.

Before Kaya could respond, a loud interruption sounded.

"Whooooooaaaahhh!!!"

Boom... Boom...

Luffy, using the mansion door as a trampoline, along with Zoro, who was attempting to stop him, were sent flying. By some stroke of luck, they landed right in the center of the tense environment.

"Yosha!! we arrived!!" Luffy exclaimed triumphantly.

Zoro, trailing behind, shouted in anger, "You lunatic captain!! We almost died!!"

Luffy nonchalantly patted the dust off his body, replying, "I won't die... I'm made of rubber, after all..."

"Damn it!! You're rubber!! I'm not!!" Zoro retorted, exasperated.

"Shishishishsi!! Huh, what's wrong with you guys? Why are there a lot of people in black suits here?" Luffy inquired, noticing the numerous butlers gathered around.

Ussop hurriedly climbed down the tree, seeking refuge behind Luffy.

"Luffy!! Thank God you came!! It's him, the guy in glasses is the villain Kuro!!"

Luffy and Zoro directed their attention towards Kuro, as did the other butlers and even Kaya, who seemed to sense that Ussop might not be lying as she initially thought.

Kuro pushed up his glasses with his palm, responding calmly, "You liar, are you trying to slander me because I look down on your pirate lineage?"

However, neither Zoro nor Luffy paid attention to his words.

Luffy's expression turned disdainful. "You are a disgrace to us pirates. A pirate hiding to evade the Navy's pursuit, aiming to steal from a vulnerable girl. I will definitely crush you today."

Zoro unsheathed his swords, his glare fixed intensely on Kuro. "Hold your 'Cat Claws', or you will meet a miserable end."

As the scene spiraled out of control, Kaya, confused and fearful, heard a calming voice amidst the chaos.

"Don't worry... nothing will happen to you."

Turning her head, she noticed a very handsome man with silver long hair, dressed in a black tuxedo, embracing a young orange-haired woman.

His charm was palpable, so much so that Kaya found herself blushing, her heart racing.

Caught in a moment of embarrassment, Kaya struggled to maintain her composure. Nami, irritated, expressed her disapproval by hitting Seph's ribs.

"You damn playboy... are you teasing innocent and cute girls again?"

Kaya felt even more embarrassed.

Seph had learned to control his charm to a human limit degree, just a little worse than Sweet-sweet fruit.

While his charm had its own constraints and limits, if unleashed fully, even a seasoned veteran like Tsuru might betray the Marines for him. Hence, he wasn't surprised by Kaya's overwhelmed reaction.

"Young lady Kaya, Ussop wasn't lying. It was me who told him this. When we were in the nearby waters, we encountered pirates planning to attack your village, and I dealt with them. From their mouths, I learned about Kalhadore's true identity."

With a mere thought, a black shadow ninja materialized in a certain navy base. After rummaging through, he retrieved an old wanted poster of Kuro. Instantly, he vanished into the shadows, and the wanted poster magically appeared in Seph's spatial storage.

He retrieved it and handed it to Kaya. She took it dazedly, glancing at it, her face turning pale.

"K...u...r...o, it's actually true?!"

Kaya's face turned white with fear, but Seph's hand rested gently on her head, comforting her.

"Don't be afraid... We are here to take care of him."

Nami rolled her eyes but didn't dismantle him. She had heard from Seph that this young lady was their future sponsor, so she tolerated her.

Kaya closed her eyes, enjoying Seph's touch. Meanwhile, sign-in prompts kept appearing.

[Sign-in successful]

[Congratulations to the host for unlocking: Super Brain (Kuro)]

[Congratulations to the host for acquiring: ApexGen Boost Serum (Kaya), AllFamousBoatmenMasters Knowledge (past, present, future) (Butler Merry)]

Super Brain:

Advanced beyond that of a normal human, allowing the user to process information at incredibly high speeds and solve complex problems rapidly, surpassing even that of a supercomputer.

Can recall vast amounts of information with perfect clarity, retaining memories and knowledge from experiences.

Perceives the world at a level beyond that of normal humans.

Assimilates knowledge almost instantly.

Possesses a strong force of will, allowing resistance to mental manipulation and maintaining control over thoughts and emotions.

The ApexGen Boost Serum:

This is a highly potent substance with remarkable capabilities. Even a single drop of this serum, when diluted in a tank, can trigger a transformative process within an individual. Its effects include:

Unlocking Full Potential: The serum has the ability to unlock the full potential of an individual, enabling them to access capabilities and talents that were previously dormant or underdeveloped.

Enhanced Physical Fitness: It enhances physical fitness, strength, agility, and endurance, allowing individuals to perform at levels far beyond their previous capabilities and future results.

Talent Optimization: The serum can optimize an individual's innate talents and abilities, enabling them to excel in various domains such as athletics, intellect, creativity, and leadership.

Genetic Reorganization: One of its most remarkable features is its ability to reorganize the genetic makeup of an individual to a perfect shape. This implies that it can correct genetic abnormalities, enhance desirable traits, and potentially eliminate predispositions to certain diseases or conditions.

AllFamousBoatmenMasters Knowledge (past, present, future):

This repository of knowledge encompasses all types of boats, from ancient canoes to the most advanced spaceships.

The breadth of this knowledge surpasses even the Will Arts previously acquired by Seph.

With the Super Brain now unlocked, this vast repository of knowledge, which would have taken years and even decades for even a peerless genius to digest, is assimilated instantly.

While Seph's previous intellect already surpassed even Vegapunk, it was still limited. Now, with the Super Brain, Vegapunk pales in comparison to Seph's intellectual capabilities and can't even be put as same species.

While Kaya enjoyed the warmth of Seph's palm under Nami's resentful glare, the fight below grew increasingly intense.

Kuro, no longer hiding himself, unleashed his Stealth Foot (Mini-Soru) technique along with his ten full-sized blades simultaneously, resembling a wolf among sheep. With his abnormal speed and razor-sharp blades, he inflicted injuries upon the surrounding butlers and even Luffy, turning the entire backyard into chaos. His blades tore through the ground, walls, and trees, leaving destruction in their wake.

Amongst the chaos, only Zoro seemed able to barely predict Kuro's attacks. Seph watched Zoro with wonder, realizing that Zoro's talent wasn't as peerless as his initial estimation.

With the assistance of his super brain, Seph analyzed the situation and recognized the impact of his unconscious charm.

Through this charm, he shared his understanding and talents (Kendo) with his comrades, leading to Zoro's rapid improvement. However, despite Zoro's excellence by worldly standards, Seph still considered him lacking.

"Luffy, do you truly aspire to become the Pirate King with your current abilities?"

Seph questioned, feeling the need to refine their skills in the future.

He found it disconcerting that they struggled against a foe like Kuro, despite being taken aback by his speed.

Luffy's response was not immediate; his body seemed to freeze momentarily, as if processing Seph's words and the gravity of the situation.

Although Seph didn't explicitly single him out, Zoro's face reddened in response to the implicit criticism.

"Zoro, focus on feeling the breath. Disregard your eyes and concentrate solely on your sword," Seph instructed, enveloping Zoro in his charm field while sharing his Kendo talent with him.

Zoro experienced a newfound clarity and enlightenment, akin to his recent experiences this past days.

Meanwhile, Luffy experienced a heightened sense of control over his body, courtesy of Seph's guidance. This newfound control enabled him to anticipate Kuro's movements more effectively, and his attacks grew stronger than ever before.

On the sidelines, Ussop diligently assisted the butlers, aiding them in navigating through the chaos of battle.

Nami exclaimed, "Why do I feel like Zoro and Luffy are getting faster and stronger? Or that Kuro's endurance is finally showing signs of weakening?"

Seph smiled knowingly as he responded, "I just helped them a little."

Nami looked at him eyes full of surprise, while Kaya, though unaware of the specifics, gazed at him with admiration.

Seph thought to himself, 'Sorry, Ussop, I'm such a sinful man!'

The outcome was, of course, easy to predict. Under Seph's guidance, Kuro lost all his edge and was soon beaten and cut in a combo between Zoro and Luffy.

Zoro finally mastered the Iron-Cutting Realm, and Luffy could finally use his body control to start exploring the next gear.

Of course, this was all calculated by his brain, while Zoro and Luffy just thought that they were stronger!

They all looked at Seph as if waiting for praise.

Seph nodded approvingly as he applauded, along with Nami and Kaya, and kept praising them.

Even Zoro blushed with shame.

Next, Kaya invited them as guests and even promised them a boat.

Of course, Seph joined Butler Merry.

[Congratulations to the host for acquiring: Ship Girl.]

Ship Girl (Concept): The boat equipped with the Ship Girl feature will definitely grow a ship spirit girl. The boat can upgrade by ingesting superalloys, metals, and even precious woods.

The Merry-go was already built, and Butler Merry could only do some modifications. Seph, who already possessed a vast amount of knowledge along with the Ship Girl reward, already felt at ease.

He used an energy core to create 'Material Creation,' and with this, he fabricated the strongest and lightest alloy on the planet from his trove of memories, along with the purest form of seastones. A variety of different metals and alloys were prepared, and after he bound the Ship Girl with Merry-go, he started throwing all those materials on the ship, only to be swallowed magically.

The ship didn't change much because he didn't know much about the crew's tastes, but the defense, speed, and sturdiness of this ship were far beyond understanding. There was even a certain field on the ship where devil fruits were completely banned.

Even if all the Emperors of the Sea, along with the Marines, attacked this ship, it would still remain undamaged.

A very cute Loli with white hair and purple eyes suddenly appeared on board in a blue military-style cute uniform.

She grasped the cap above her head, speaking in a milky tone.

"Master creator! Merry-chan is awaiting your orders."

Seph looked at his masterpiece with joy, embracing the spirit girl as he kept patting her head, which Merry seemed to enjoy quite a lot.

"Welcome on board, Merry..."