Stowed away in a large pirate ship that was disguised with a Marine flag, a group of men could be seen enjoying themselves, clashing their cups together.
"Hooowee!! Boss! Did'ya see how much loot we made in one night!?" A drunken man asked, eagerly chugging down on a pint of beer.
"And that's just a fraction of what we'll be earning, wait 'til tomorrow. We'll be rich. Hey, you."
Kuro, the Captain of the pirate crew, raised his voice, calling out to a man who was hardly even interacting with any of the rest of his crewmates.
"How confident are you about this incognito mode?" He asked.
"I'm not a God, but if I had to guess: No one, not even the Navy, will be able to access that website. This computer is especially built to hack into other electronic devices linked to every person known to mankind. Meaning that we could hack them, but they can't hack us."
Vergo, an ex Marine Officer, explained to the other man, giving out sensitive information that could be used against the government association that he once worked for.
"Splendid. That makes my job a lot easier."
The dark haired man grinned, folding his hands together.
"Do you have any traces on the man I told you about?" He responded to Kuro.
"No. Nothing yet, so far. But one of my guys is sure to track him down in the submarine, of that I'm sure."
The man's words were sincere, but Vergo's patience was running thin.
"Let me get a better understanding of this... I'm counting on a group of amateurs to capture a notorious Surgeon who's best known for his abilities to rob people blind of their hearts? You do realize how ridiculous that is, don't you?"
He discussed, staring back at Kuro who didn't seem phased by the disappointment in the man's voice.
"Call it what you will, Sir. But don't take my pals lightly: They aren't just any regular stray cats, these men will find their way to anyone, leaving no stone unturned."
The dark haired man stated, sounding proud of his crewmates.
"That better be a confirmation and not a speculation from you, Kuro. I have high expectations from a man with the power to manipulate men like Dragon and Vinsmoke Judge's sons."
The man's speech made Kuro chuckle through a serious facial expression.
For a while, the sound of his sinister laughter echoed through his ship, in spite of his face not matching the happy sounding cackle.
"How can you sleep at night after raping someone so cold-bloodedly?"
Vergo's question piqued Kuro's interest, causing a grin to trace his lips as he took a sip of an alcoholic beverage, sitting down beside the man.
"Simply by closing my eyes, of course. The sound of their screaming helps me sleep rather comfortably."
"You really are a freak. If I were still a Marine Officer, you'd be standing up on a podium with your head over a guillotine."
Kuro chuckled darkly at Vergo's intimidating statement, offering the man a drink.
"Be honest with me... Regardless of your previous duty as a Marine Officer, we're both men, right?" Raising an eyebrow at Kuro, the muscular man nodded.
"So, how did you feel while we were doing it to them?"
"..."
Yearning for an answer from Vergo, the creepy Captain continued to pester him with inappropriate questions.
"C'mon, lighten up. You're a free man, now. You're gonna really look at that and tell me you aren't bewitched by so much beauty?"
His mindset was so corrupted and deranged that to be classified as disturbing would be an understatement, for a man as sadistic and perverted as him.
"I have no opinion on that, other than to say that your perception of beauty is very rotten."
The muscular man replied, never once maintaining eye contact with Kuro. Just by looking at him, Vergo felt sick to his stomach.
"The man you've been after ain't so bad looking either. But you're in luck, because he's not my type. If not, my men and I would've given him a proper welcoming, once he boarded this ship."
The man ran his claws against Law's "Wanted" poster, then he readjusted his glasses, looking away from it.
"Captain Kuro-San!! Captain Kuro-San!!"
A baffled subordinate shouted, searching for Kuro with a terror-stricken gaze dragged across his face.
"Look at this!"
He spoke, cutting in between Kuro and Vergo to display an important piece of evidence that was crucial to both of them, at the moment.
Scanning a computer screen with their pupils, The Black Cat pirates were all shocked at an article that was published on the internet, a few weeks ago.
"Straw Hat Luffy: Heroic Savior or Dangerous Assassin? A few months ago, Monkey D. Luffy, the Captain of an infamous pirate group got into a heated fight against Orpheus Morel, or Orpheus Magus, as he referred to himself as. A dark magician, notoriously known for his abilities to cast magic spells on his victims and use them to his advantage.
The cause of the fight is unknown, but according to the townspeople that witnessed it from afar, all sources indicate that Luffy started the fight to bring justice for every child that Orpheus was accused of abducting and abusing.
Their battle was shortly lived with the courageous Straw Hat man having the upper hand against his opponent.
Though being a self-proclaimed expert in combat, the Magician's powers vanished into thin air, much like a magic trick, when his body was found dismembered by a fleet of Marine soldiers. They wanted to report it as a first degree murder, but unfortunately for them, the residents and former parents of the children that were victims of the rapist, defended the Straw Hat man until the very end, and chased the Marines away from Prism Paradise.
The murder case remains closed, with no charges against Luffy, for the time being."
Staring blankly at the screen after going through the article, some of Kuro's crewmates were grinning while others were surprised to hear the outcome that Orpheus had, during his fight.
"Is this article talking about the same man you sexually assaulted, a few hours ago?"
Vergo nonchalantly questioned, appearing to be unaffected by what was stated in the article.
"THIS IS BAD! B-boss! Those are his true colors." One of Kuro's comrades shrieked.
"Even if they are, those colors won't ever shine the same again. It's just a matter of time before he shuts down." Kuro spoke, standing up from a bar stool.
"He won't survive the mutilation, not for long. It would take a miracle for him to make it to tomorrow."
The men all stood behind their Captain, cheering him on, and praising him for his sickening behavior.
"If he dies, then it'll make everything easier for me. But if he lives, it won't matter... He'll just have to keep on amusing me until he eventually gives out. Only then will I be able to finally move onto phase two. For now, we wait."
~~~
