11 The Winter Soldiers

After Miles finished his sentence, he pulled out a large stack of wanted posters and started speaking again.

"For the next few years, these will be our targets. First up is 'Bear Paw' Pete with a bounty of 1 million. He ate a zoan-type devil fruit called the bear-bear fruit, hence the nickname 'Bear Paw'. He was last sighted at Eagle island one week ago and he should still be there. Nami plots us a course, Nojiko takes the wheel.

""Yes captain!"" They replied with vigour as Nami pulled out a map and compass while Nojiko took the helm.

Eagle Island was named this because the shape of the island looks like an eagle with its wings spread. Two days later the crew was just off the coast of eagle island. Miles then gathered his crew and told them the plan.

"Alright everyone here's the plan. Once we get to the island, we'll split into pairs and search for info on the target. If you find the target, radio in and wait for the rest of us to arrive before you do anything else. If the target attacks you first, then you are clear to engage. Got it?"

They all nodded their heads, complying with what Miles said.

"Good. Get ready we'll arrive at the island in a few minutes" Miles told them as he put on his half mask, changed his hair from its midnight purple to white, and made his left arm metal. The rest of the crew did the same, taking the pills that made their hair white and equipping their half masks.

10 minutes later, they were on the island. Once they arrived, Miles gave them each of them a personally made, indestructible walkie talkies that could be used anywhere in the world, he then split them into pairs. The pairs were; Nojiko/Nami, Kuina/Zoro, and Miles/Erza. After that, they split up to find 'Bear Paw Pete'.

----

<We found them, they're at a bar called Moxie's. It's on the east side of the island.>

A few hours later, Nojiko and Nami contacted the crew with The target's location.

<Stay put, we're on our way. Kuina, make sure Zoro doesn't get lost on the way there.>Miles replied through the radio and warned Kuina to watch Zoro.

<Got it.> She said.

<HEY!> Zoro yelled into his walkie talkie.

20 minutes later, The Winter Soldiers arrived in front of Moxie's bar with Kuina and Zoro arriving last, for obvious reasons.

"Okay remember, the wanted poster for 'Bear Paw' Pete said alive only, so we can't kill him," Miles told them.

"What about his crew?" Zoro asked.

"Any pirate without an official bounty issued by the marines can be turned in for 10,000 berries," Miles explained.

The crew nodded in acknowledgement, then walked towards the bar door.

Inside the bar, sounds of drunken pirates, shouting a laughing could be heard. *Bam* Suddenly the door of the bar was slammed open and The Winter Soldiers walked inside. The sounds of the bar immediately silenced, as the 6 Soldiers zeroed in on one man who was sitting in the back, holding a comically large mug, this man was 'Bear Paw' Pete.

Before any of the pirates could react, the soldier with the metal disappeared before their eyes and appeared beside Pete, then proceeded to punch Pete in the face, knocking him out instantly. After that happened, the other soldiers started knocking out the rest of Pete's crew.

"Well that was anticlimactic, I didn't even need to draw my sword," Zoro said in a disappointed tone.

"Don't worry Zoro, there are a lot more bounties to hunt later," Nami said, trying to cheer up the swordsman.

*Sigh* "Okay..." He replied to her with a sigh, still a bit discouraged.

"You should really listen to her Zoro. The bounties we are going to hunt, don't stop at just the East blue. We will also be travelling to the South blue. Now cuff those pirates, then we'll head to the next target." Miles said as he put a pair of sea prison stone shackles on Pete. Once they were done arresting the pirates, Erza and Miles started teleporting them to the holding cell on the Siberian. Afterwards, they moved onto their next bounty.

----

On Gecko Islands, in the Syrup Village, there stood a slim tan-skinned teenager with medium-length black woolly hair, prominent lips and a long nose. This teenager's name is Usopp. Usopp was presently standing atop a hill overlooking the ocean, he was about to do his daily routine of running through the village while screaming about pirates attacking Syrup, but that was until he saw a ship on the horizon.

At first, Usopp thought that pirates were actually coming to attack the village, and he was about to run and tell the residents. But as the ship got closer, Usopp was able to make out what the logo on the sail and flag were, and when he did, Usopp was too shocked to move.

"The Winter Soldiers..." He said under his breath.

The Winter Soldiers were the most famous, efficient and ruthless bounty hunters in the East and South blues. In the 2 years that they have been active, The Winter Soldiers have captured over 25,000 pirates and almost wiped out all piracy in these two oceans. All the pirates that still remained in these two seas knew, that if The Winter Soldiers found them, it was either death or incarceration.

If a pirate ever witnessed the ship with a red star on its sail and flag, that pirate would know, it was the end of their journey. There was no escape, there was no negotiation. If a pirate surrendered peacefully, that pirate would not be harmed, but if that pirate tried to escape before or after being put in cuffs, then only pain awaited.

The marines had tried had to recruit The Winter Soldiers many times, but nothing ever worked. They even attempted to find their identities, so they could use blackmail to get them to join, but even that didn't work. The reason for this was because every time The Winter Soldiers turned in a bounty after the reward was given, they would teleport away.

Even the Neo marines had demonstrated a willingness to have The Winter Soldiers join them.

To civilians, The Winter Soldiers were angels. To pirates, they were demons. To the marines, they were ghosts. Nothing and nobody could stop them.

All of this was running through Usopp's head as he stood catatonic and watched the ship known to the world as the Siberian, pull into port. Once anchored, The Winter Soldiers disembarked from their ship and immediately noticed Usopp atop the hill.

"Hey you, come here!" Erza yelled to Usopp, atop the hill.

"Y-YES MA'AM! Usopp said with panic in his voice as he snapped out of his stunned state and took a step forward. Unfortunately, he must have forgotten that he was standing on a hill with a steep slope on the other side. Usopp tumbled down the hill and landed in a scorpion position, then quickly got up and brushed the dirt off his clothes.

"How can I help you..." Usopp asked, still intimidated by them.

While Miles and the girls tried their hardest to hold in their laughs, Zoro was unfazed by Usopp's clumsy display. He pulled out a wanted poster of 'Kuro of a Hundred Plans' and showed it to Usopp.

"Have you ever seen this man?," Zoro asked as he pointed to the man in the picture. When Usopp saw the poster his eyes widened in horror.

"OH MY GOD!" Usopp screamed as he turned around and started sprinting to the mansion on the other side of the village.

Zoro moved to grab Usopp so he could prevent him from leaving, thinking Usopp had some type of connection to Kuro of a Hundred Plans. Miles blocked Zoro with his hand and said: "We'll follow him, out of sight. He might lead us right to Kuro." The others nodded, then they all followed Usopp.

As soon as Usopp reached the mansion, he hopped the tall fence and ran over to a window on the side. He then vigorously started knocking on the window, trying to get whoever was inside's attention. Soon a slim and pale-skinned, sickly girl with blonde hair opened the window. This girl's name was Kaya, she was Usopp's best friend.

"What's wrong Usopp, why are you in such a panic?" She asked.

"Kaya! Hurry! You have to escape! Your butler is a pirate!" He said with fear written on his face.

"Wait... what are you talking about?" Kaya asked. Like the rest of the village, she knew Usopp was a lier. But whenever he told her lies, it was always about a grand adventure he went on, not this.

"Klahadore is a pirate! I saw his wanted poster!" Usopp quickly explained.

Before Kaya could ask any more questions, a new voice was heard.

"I told you, never to come back here!" It was Kuro of the Hundred plans, A.K.A 'Klahadore'

Kuro is a tall and slim man with glasses and slicked black hair. He wore a black suit with two golden markings on it over a white shirt with a curious collar.

"Pirate!" Usopp said as pointed at Kuro and backed away.

"What on earth are you talking about?" Kuro said, completely feigning ignorance to Usopp's accusation of being a pirate.

"You know exactly what he's talking about." Another new voice was heard, this time it was Kuina's. Suddenly, The Winter Soldiers arrived and cut off all of Kuro's escape routes.

"Well... shit," Kuro said under his breath as he scanned the new arrivals, trying to determine which one was the weak link that he could breakthrough.

Kuina then started to speak. "Kuro of a Hundred Plans, four years ago, you told your first mate Jango, that you wanted to give up being captain of the Black Cat Pirates. Since you knew the marines would not stop chasing you until you were either captured or dead, you made Jango the captain of the Black Cat Pirates and faked your death. A few days ago we captured the remaining Black Cat Pirates, and after some 'interrogation' they gave up your location. Your bounty is 16 million berries dead or alive. Surrender now and you will not be harmed, if not, we will kill you."

Kuro reached into his jacket and pulled out a pair of weapons called "Cat claws". These cat claws are furred gloves with full-length katana blades at the end of each finger.

*Sigh* "Well...It looks like I have been found out." Kuro said as he equipped his cat claws, then pushed his glasses up with the palm of his hand.

"Klahadore, why!" Kaya asked.

Kuro did not get the chance to answer, as Kuina did in his place.

"It was for your money. He planed to manipulate you into signing over your inheritance in your will. After that, the Black Cat Pirates were meant to attack the village, killing you in the incursion." She said as she stepped forward pulling her sword out.

"If you think I would surrender then you're wrong!" Kuro said as he ran at Kuina, trying to slash at her waist. She blocked his claws with the sword in her right hand, then punched Kuro in the face with her left.

"Fuck!" Kuro said. The punch broke Kuro's nose and glasses, making him stumble back a few steps. The other soldiers stepped back and did not get involved with their fight nor did they need to. The only thing they did is make sure there were no escape routes for Kuro.

Kuina rushed Kuro, lifting her sword overhead to give a downward slash. Kuro raised his claws in an attempt to block the attack, but as soon as Kuina's sword connected with Kuro's claws. Her sword cut through the claws, like a hot knife through butter, following through; giving Kuro a large cut on his chest.

"Ahh" Kuro fell to the ground unconscious, with his claws broken and a deep wound on his chest. She then cuffed Kuro after pulling the broken cat claws off him. The fight only lasted a few seconds, and when it was finished, Miles walked over, pulled out a small bottle of blue liquid, pulled off the cap, then poured in on Kuro's wounds.

What Miles used as a basic healing potion, that would stop the bleeding and close his wounds. Miles wasn't going to use [Perfect Heal] on enemies, so he bought these healing potions for pirates that were wanted alive only, or for ones they just didn't feel like killing.

"Alright let's take him back to the ship and put him in the cell with the rest of his crew," Miles said to Kuina.

She nodded, then grabbed onto the back of Kuro's collar and started dragging him back to the ship with the other soldiers following behind.

Before Miles left he turned to Usopp and started speaking.

"You led us to Kuro of a Hundred Plans, for that you deserve a reward." He said as he pulled a silver devil fruit from his inventory, then tossed it to Usopp.

"Eat it," Miles said to Usopp. Usopp knew what the fruit was so he did as he was told and ate it, but as soon as he bit into it he almost spits it out. Usopp forced himself to swallow the fruit, and right after he did his skin turned to metal. Miles then used [All Curse breaker] on Usopp, afterwards, he walked to his ship and left the island with his crew.

The reason the Winter Soldiers came here was not just for Kuro. They were also here because if they didn't come, Usopp, Kaya and the rest of this village would most likely have been slaughtered in one year's time. This was because, without Luffy meeting Zoro and Nami in the future, the events leading them to orange town, and then here to defeat Kuro would never happen. Even if the Black Cat Pirates were gone, Kuro would have just found some other crew to do his bidding. This was all he could do for now.

After the bounty for Kuro was collected The Winter Soldiers would disappear and not be heard from again until they became the Black Heart Pirates.

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