"Then what the hell are you doing?!" Rhett suddenly exploded. He punched the table beside him, and it instantly turned to dust. "Dragging someone else's husband and father all over the sea, and you actually think that's romantic?!"
Rouge heard the commotion and rushed over. She immediately grabbed Rhett's arm. "What's wrong? What happened?"
Rhett took a few deep breaths and barely managed to calm himself down. "Nothing, Rouge. Just... some people don't deserve to be fathers."
Yasopp suddenly rushed forward and dropped to his knees in front of Rhett. "Please, I beg you! Tell me about Banchina and Usopp! I'll give my life in exchange for their safety!"
Rhett looked at him coldly. "Now you're worried? It's too late. Your wife is already—"
"Little brother!" Rouge interrupted him sharply. "Stop joking around."
She walked over to Yasopp and gently helped him to his feet. "Don't worry. Your wife is still alive. Rhett told me about her. He just gets impatient. But her condition really is very serious... I believe my brother has a way to help her. Don't you, little brother?"
Rouge looked at Rhett, her eyes full of pleading.
Yasopp was crying uncontrollably. He kept bowing his head to Rhett. "Please! All of this is my fault. I'll give anything in return. Just please save my wife!"
"I've also been a terrible captain. Big Brother Rhett, please. Help your little brother."
Shanks was about to kneel as well. But if Shanks knelt, his entire crew would try to kneel too. Rhett's blood mist caught everyone except Yasopp before they could. He didn't let them kneel.
Yasopp kneeling was different. He had to. He was asking for something. Rhett could accept that. But Shanks didn't need to kneel. Why? Because Rhett was Shanks's big brother. If a little brother made a mistake, the big brother had to help clean it up.
Rhett let out a long sigh. "Fine."
Shanks patted Yasopp's shoulder. "We'll go together." He turned to his crew. "Change of plans. We're going to Syrup Village first."
Beckman picked up his fallen cigarette and relit it. "It's about time. I've been a terrible vice captain too."
Lucky Roux wiped his hands. "I'll get the ship ready."
Just then, Ace came bursting through the door. "I want to go too!"
Sabo and Ann followed close behind. Rouge frowned. "Ace! This isn't a game!"
"I know!" Ace clenched his fist. "But... Usopp doesn't have a father. I know that feeling better than anyone! I want to tell him that you can still become strong without a father!"
Shanks and Rhett both froze.
Ace's words were gentler than Rhett's. But their impact was far stronger. So sincerity really was the ultimate weapon. Rhett had spent an entire chapter yelling and accomplished less than one sentence from Ace. Rhett was just terrible at this.
Rhett was silent for a long time. Finally, he sighed. "...Fine. Do what you want."
He walked up to Shanks and roughly ruffled his red hair. "Remember this lesson, little Shanks. No matter how important the pirate flag is, it will never be more important than your family's smiles."
Shanks nodded firmly. His eyes shone with determination. "I understand, Big Brother."
---
The next morning.
Yasopp stood at the bow of the ship. He had finally returned to this familiar yet unfamiliar island.
His legs suddenly felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead. Beckman patted his shoulder. "Go on."
"I..." Yasopp's throat tightened. "What should I say..."
"Just say 'I'm home,'" Ace said suddenly. He had his hands in his pockets, his expression steady. "My dad... I never met him. But Mom always said that was the first thing he said every time he came home."
Sabo added, "Then hold them tight."
Yasopp looked at the small house at the edge of the village. It was slightly shabby compared to the others. He had never felt this way while sailing the seas. But now, walking down this strange yet familiar path after Rhett had exposed the truth, the guilt was overwhelming him.
Yasopp stood outside the door. Just as he was about to knock, he heard Usopp's voice from inside.
"Mom, tell me again. What was Dad really like?"
There was a pause inside. Yasopp's heartbeat nearly stopped. He heard his wife's weak cough. Then her voice came, gentle enough to break your heart.
"Your father... he's a very kind person..."
Yasopp trembled. His forehead pressed against the doorframe.
"His aim is perfect, but he never hurts innocent people. He loves telling tall tales. He always made Mommy laugh..."
Usopp asked excitedly, "Really? Are his stories as good as mine?"
Banchina laughed softly. "Much better than your tall tales... but my Usopp is very brave too. Remember that time you said you would shoot down a star for me? The next day, you made a star-shaped wind chime..."
Yasopp bit his fist hard. Tears blurred his vision. He remembered that wind chime. It was made of bullet casings and fishing line. Crude and clumsy.
"Then why... why hasn't he come back?" Usopp's voice suddenly dropped.
Yasopp's heart felt like it was being crushed. He heard his wife take a deep breath.
"Because sometimes... the wind at sea can get in a person's eyes..."
"Your father must have been blown too far away by that wind... But he's a very brave warrior of the sea. Your whole family is proud of him. You should grow up to be a brave man just like your father."
Young Usopp didn't understand about wind or being blown away. All he heard was that his father was a brave warrior of the sea and that the whole family was proud of him.
"Then I want to be just like Dad! The bravest warrior of the sea!"
"My Usopp is the best."
Yasopp couldn't hold back any longer. He pushed the door open and rushed inside.
"Who are you?!" Usopp jumped up and aimed his slingshot at Yasopp. "Don't be scared, Mom! I'll chase him away!"
Yasopp didn't even notice the stones hitting him. He knelt by his wife's bed and looked at this woman who had once been so full of life, now thin and frail beyond recognition. A sob escaped his throat.
But Banchina smiled. Her thin, bony fingers touched his face. "See... the wind stopped. Look carefully, Usopp. This is your father. He came home."
Usopp stood there, frozen. Then he broke into a bright grin. "I knew it! Dad must be the greatest pirate in the world!"
Yasopp pulled his wife and son into his arms. He poured out all his guilt and regret. Then he suddenly remembered that Rhett was still outside. He rushed out the door and was about to kneel again. But this time, Rhett didn't let him. The reason was simple. Usopp was watching his father.
"I'll take care of your wife. Then I'm going back to sleep." Rhett walked inside. He looked at Usopp's mother. Her life force was nearly exhausted. Years of worry and overwork had worn her down. Her body had almost no resistance left. But to Rhett, this was a small problem.