Under a moonlit sky, the Straw Hat Pirates' ship rested on the beach.
Beside their vessel, another ship flew the pirate flag.
"Roronoa...Captain Cro won't let this go...!"
"Who are they?"
About thirty people lay bleeding on the beach, weapons scattered around.
Roronoa Zoro, the only one still standing there, sat on a flat rock, his entire body soaked in blood, and answered the one who had spoken.
Then something swooped down from the sky toward them, fast.
"There you are, Zoro."
"Where have you been, Luffy?"
"That's for me to say. More importantly, what's going on here?"
"I saw a few of them hanging around, so I came, and they attacked me first."
"Then one of them suddenly fired some flame into the sky, and his comrades hauled a ship over and attacked all at once."
"I see."
Those were clearly Cro's men. I came here to handle them myself, but Zoro had already taken care of everything.
Monkey D. Luffy explained to Roronoa Zoro the events from the other side of the island, telling him that the Klehas were pirates led by Cro, and that the men sprawled on the ground were Cro's henchmen sent to raid the village.
"The butler turned out to be a pirate..."
"Zoro, was it that hard to follow behind?"
"...But I handled the pirates, didn't I?"
"Are you hurt?"
"I'm not badly hurt."
"That's a relief. But there's one thing that bugs me."
"What bugs you?"
Monkey D. Luffy strode past Roronoa Zoro toward the pirate who had been writhing, the one Zoro had mentioned earlier.
The pirate suddenly looked up at Monkey D. Luffy as he approached.
wham!
Monkey D. Luffy swung his leg and smashed the man's head.
The shattered skull exploded into unrecognizable fragments, and blood spattered onto Luffy's face.
"Hey, Luffy...!"
"You killed them all in Orange Town, so why spare them here?"
"...Do we have to kill people who can't fight or have surrendered?"
"It depends on who they are. But these are pirates."
"Are you sure someone you let live won't come after you again? That..."
"They might be too scared to attack you, but have you considered they might spread word and threaten the people back in your hometown?"
Roronoa Zoro recalled his childhood friends he had trained with, swords in hand.
A man with long hair pulled back and glasses had stood before them, smiling.
Beside him, Kuina had smiled at Zoro.
"Shake it off, Zoro. These are pirates."
"They came to kill the villagers and steal their money until just now."
"Are you really okay with letting them live?"
"...I understand."
Roronoa Zoro picked up a sword lying on the ground.
He swung his arm back and hurled it toward the sea.
ugh...!
The blade embedded itself in the back of the pirate farthest away.
"Zoro, let's go clean up and get some food."
"Can I have a drink?"
"Let's have a drink together."
"A drink? Ha, with you drinking it'll be a whole cask."
"Fair enough. If Nami joins, would it be two casks?"
They climbed the path between the cliffs and headed back to the village.
*****
At a house in Syrup Village, a middle-aged man opened his door and spoke:
"What the...? Why hasn't Usopp come back even after the sun rose?"
"He didn't come back today. Our son even woke up earlier than you."
"That freckle-faced brat...did I yell at him too loudly yesterday morning?"
"Mother, will Brother Usopp stop lying in the mornings now?"
"Well..."
Just then, the door opened and someone entered:
"Ah, you're back, Mother?"
"Mom, you went to the restaurant this morning?"
"Yes."
It was the old lady who ran the restaurant the Straw Hat Pirates had visited.
"Grandma, have you seen Brother Usopp?"
"Yes, I saw him."
After sitting on a bench at the kitchen table, she looked out the window and said:
"The village is going to be pretty boring for a while."
Meanwhile, on the edge of the forest just outside Syrup Village, Monkey D. Luffy sat on a tree stump overlooking the sea and said to Usopp, who sat on another stump beside him:
"Is it okay to keep everything that happened yesterday a secret from the villagers?"
"It's over and done with. I don't want to scare the villagers by talking about it."
"Turning truth into a lie—that's something a liar like me can and should do."
Behind them, Roronoa Zoro leaned against a tree trunk, and Nami rested her upper body on a thick branch as she spoke:
"Luffy, you really held back yesterday, didn't you?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"I'm talking about when Cro charged at me and Lady Kaya!"
"It's fine. I could have stopped him at that distance anytime."
"And Usopp was right next to him and took care of it, right, Usopp?"
"...Yeah."
"Luffy, I think life is like solving a math problem."
"Hard problems are tough to solve, and there's a time limit. So we have to make our choice before it's too late."
"That's right. After yesterday, I made a decision."
"I'm going out to sea too, just like you guys, before it gets too late."
Usopp stood up, looked down at Monkey D. Luffy, and said:
"Everyone, let's go. I want to show you something."
Hearing Usopp, Luffy got to his feet, and Nami and Zoro followed suit.
They arrived at the beach and saw Kaya, Mary, and...
"Hey, young lady, are you really sure it's okay to accept this ship?"
"Yes, Mr. Zoro."
"For free?!"
"That's right, Miss Nami."
Before them lay a ship about thirty meters long beached on the shore.
The bow was painted to resemble a horned ram's head, and there was one cannon port at the front and two on each side.
"By the way, are you alright?"
"I'm fine, Miss Nami. I was unwell because losing my mother left me depressed, and it took a toll on me physically."
"But after what happened yesterday and learning that Usopp plans to set sail, I actually feel stronger."
"I think it's thanks to realizing I couldn't just stay idle."
"You offered us the ship we came on, but to offer this new ship for free..."
"That's surprising, Nami. I thought you'd be thrilled to save money."
"Ah, no, Luffy! That depends on the situation and the cost!"
"I'm not teasing you. I just like that about you."
"...What is he saying?"
Mary stepped forward and said:
"It's okay, Miss Nami. If we sell the ship you brought and the pirate ships Zoro defeated yesterday, we'll still come out ahead."
"Oh, then that's a relief."
"My poor judgment put you in danger yesterday, milady. And I was so out of it, hypnotized, that I just stayed asleep."
"Thank you all once again."
"It's okay. Besides, Usopp finished things off anyway."
"Oh, Usopp, while you were teaching me shipbuilding, I learned many techniques thanks to you."
"I'll take over the work you did in the village, so please head to sea without worry."
"I'm delighted that the ship we built together will be sailed by your benefactors and you."
"Thank you, Mary."
Passing Mary, Kaya stepped up to Usopp and said:
"Usopp."
"Kaya...someday I'll come back here..."
"It's okay, Usopp. You're a brave sailor."
"A woman like me isn't..."
"Usopp!"
Usopp called out to her and leaned closer, but...
"Ah...!"
His long nose bumped between Kaya's eyes, putting distance between their faces.
"Ah, no, this isn't...!"
"It's okay."
At that moment, Kaya turned her face to the side and kissed Usopp.
Monkey D. Luffy smiled blissfully, while Roronoa Zoro remained expressionless.
Nami watched between her fingers, and Mary wore a bittersweet smile.
"You'll come back, right?"
"Yes...When I return, I'll tell you an adventure more unbelievable than any lie."
"I'll be waiting, Usopp."
After saying this, Usopp turned to Monkey D. Luffy and said:
"Luffy."
"Yes, Usopp? While we were talking about what happened yesterday, we wondered...the Red Hair Pirates..."
"Huh?"
"Those people, and...my father doesn't go pillaging, right?"
After a moment of silence, Monkey D. Luffy replied:
"That's right. They don't pillage, and of course Yasopp doesn't either."
"Thank goodness...really thank goodness."
Usopp shed tears and continued:
"Pirates mainly pillage...that means they hurt people."
"Honestly, until yesterday, I couldn't proudly say I was the son of a pirate."
"The villagers told me my father was a good man, so it was okay, but I was scared he might be someone who killed innocent people and stole their money."
"...Was that how you felt?"
"Yes, but thanks to you yesterday, for the first time I could proudly say I was the son of a pirate father."
"I can truly love the person my mother loved!"
Usopp's words brought back childhood memories.
As a child, he had run to his mother in bed, a wet towel on his head, and said:
"Mom! Dad came on a pirate ship!"
"He said when you get better, we'll all go to sea together...so...!"
"Usopp...your father won't come."
"But I was happy to marry your father. You must become a brave warrior of the sea like him."
"Don't talk like you're going to die right away!"
"There's a legendary cure somewhere in the sea that can heal any illness...!"
"You silly boy...your dream is too big."
"Mom..."
"Usopp, if anything happens to me, tell the villagers..."
"It doesn't matter if I'm foolish! I don't want to hear things people say as they die!"
Usopp cried as he spoke:
"Dreaming is freedom, like a pirate father...!"
Kaya wiped away her tears as she watched Usopp cry, and Mary dabbed her own eyes with a handkerchief.
And once again, Usopp, just like his younger self, continued to speak through tears:
"Thank you so much, Luffy! If we ever meet again on the sea...!"
"Usopp, weren't you going with Mr. Luffy?"
"Then why have you been packing that huge bag since this morning...?"
Mary pointed to a massive bag that could fit three people.
"Mary...that's not my decision..."
"Hey! You're not coming aboard?!"
"Huh?"
Looking at Monkey D. Luffy calling from the ship, Nami said:
"Didn't you ask Usopp to join the crew, Luffy?"
"I just did, but since he looks like he doesn't want to go, let's just leave."
"W-wait a mi-i-inute!!!"
Usopp strapped the oversized bag to his back and ran off, leaving the smiling Kaya and Mary behind.
"Luffy! I'm the first mate, right?!"
"Can I slice that guy up, Luffy?"
"If you lose, I'll make you first mate."
"Alright, what're you gonna do, freckle-face?"
screech! "I'm sorry! Just let me on the ship!!!"