Gin vs Nami, Usopp?, Krieg’s death

Nami and her sister hovered above Syrup Village on her cloud construct. The black cat pirates on the shore trembled in fear, their morale shattered after seeing Jacob's arrival. Gin stood at the shore, watching Krieg's ship still nowhere in sight.

Nami narrowed her eyes at the scene, noticing the defeated Nyaban Brothers groaning on the ground. "Seems like someone already cleaned up for us."

Nojiko glanced at Nami, who was standing beside her, with curiosity. "You said you wanted to train your power?"

Nami smirked. "Yeah. Let's see how well I can use the Cloud-Cloud Fruit in a real fight." She extended her hands, gathering moisture from the air, and the clouds beneath her swirled, darkening. The remaining Black Cat Pirates below looked up in horror.

Nojiko stepped forward, her hands glowing with green energy. "I'll stay with you. We should clear this place before the others finish at the mansion."

Nami nodded, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Let's make this quick."

Meanwhile, Kuina and Carina sprinted through the village. They didn't have to go far before encountering Jango and a dozen black cat pirates.

Jango flicked his chakram hypnotically, his expression tense. "So, you're the ones ruining everything, huh?"

Kuina unsheathed her sword, her stance steady. "You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into."

Carina smirked and tapped her throat. "Why don't you all just... sleep?" Her voice carried through the air in an unnatural, hypnotic wave. Some of the weaker pirates instantly slumped to the ground, snoring.

Jango gritted his teeth. "Tch—cheap tricks!" He lunged forward, his chakram spinning.

Kuina intercepted him with a flying slash, slicing through his weapon and sending him crashing into a crate. Carina watched impassively as he groaned, half-conscious.

"Too easy," Kuina muttered.

"No need to waste time," Carina added. "Jacob's ahead."

They rushed toward the mansion and found Jacob standing outside, cradling a crying Kaya.

Jacob's mask was gone, and his clothes burned, revealing the exhaustion etched on his face. Kaya clung to him, her tears staining his chest.

Kuina's eyes flicked over him, taking in the mansion's state. "Kuro?"

"Burned to nothing," Jacob muttered. His voice was heavy, not with regret. "But it came at a cost."

Carina kneeled beside Kaya, who was trembling. "She needs rest," Carina said, her voice softer than usual. "She's been through too much."

Jacob nodded and sighed. "I know. And I'm the reason Kuro acted sooner than he would have."

Kuina placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "Then make it right."

Jacob looked down at Kaya, her sobs quieting as she clung to his warmth. He silently vowed to protect her, just as Usopp promised in the anime.

***

The Black Cat Pirates' ship burned like a funeral pyre, the flames licking the sky as Nami hovered above the coastline, her Cloud-Cloud Fruit abilities letting her ride the storm. Below, Nojiko stood among the wreckage, she buried the remaining pirates beneath thick, twisted roots.

Amidst the destruction, Gin remained standing, his expression unreadable as he watched Nami descend toward him.

"Your crew is finished," Nami declared, her voice sharp. "Give up."

Gin didn't move. His grip tightened around his twin tonfa, his body tense. "I was never part of the Black Cat Pirates, Woman," he said. "You're wasting your time."

Nami's eyes narrowed. "Then why are you still here?"

Gin exhaled through his nose, his stance unwavering. "Because Krieg is coming. And if you waste your energy fighting me, you won't be ready when he arrives."

Nojiko stepped closer, her hands still glowing faintly. "Then why are you stalling? If Krieg is coming, shouldn't you be warning your crew?"

Gin's jaw clenched. "Her lightning jammed my signals."

Nami scoffed, "Why are you blaming me?"

She raised her hand, and the air above them twisted. The storm clouds she had summoned before condensed into a single, darkened mass pulsing with electrical energy.

Gin shifted his stance, tonfa ready. "Tch… fine."

Lightning crashed toward Gin, but he dodged, barely avoiding the strike. He surged forward, his tonfa swinging in a brutal arc—Nami barely twisted out of the way, the wind pressure from his attack sending shivers down her spine.

He's fast, she realized. Faster than she expected.

Nami leaped backward, floating effortlessly on a thin layer of cloud. With a flick of her wrist, dozens of small cloud spheres shot forward like bullets.

Gin blocked them with his tonfa, but the moment they touched his weapons—BOOM!

The clouds erupted like tiny explosions, sending him skidding back.

"Tch… what the hell?" he muttered.

Nojiko whistled from the sidelines. "She's been getting creative with her fruit."

Gin didn't hesitate this time. He lunged forward, weaving through Nami's cloud bombardment, his tonfa moving in a blur. When he closed the distance, he swung—fast and precise.

Nami barely dodged, feeling the shockwave of his attack pass right by her face. But before Gin could capitalize, a burst of wind sent him stumbling.

She had manipulated the very air pressure around her.

Gin gritted his teeth, frustration flickering in his eyes. "I hate Devil Fruit user …"

Nami smirked, lightning dancing at her fingertips.

She raised her hand and the storm above twisted violently—preparing for her next big attack.

Gin braced himself.

***

Gin coughed up blood, his body battered, his tonfa barely held in his trembling hands. The ground beneath him was scorched and soaked, remnants of Nami's storm-powered attacks still crackling with electricity. He had been knocked down repeatedly, yet he forced himself back up every time.

His legs wobbled, and he dropped to one knee, panting. His clothes were torn, burns and bruises covering his body.

Nami, hovering above him on a thin layer of clouds, gritted her teeth in frustration.

"Why don't you just stay down?!" she snapped, lightning flickering between her fingers.

Gin didn't answer immediately. He spat out blood, his breaths ragged, then looked up at her with determined eyes.

"...I won't quit," he muttered, forcing himself to his feet again.

Nami clenched her fists. "Are you an idiot?! You can't even stand properly!"

Gin swayed, his body barely holding together, but still, he didn't collapse.

Before Nami could attack again, Nojiko stepped before her, raising a hand.

"That's enough," Nojiko said firmly.

Nami whirled on her sister, fuming. "He won't stay down, Nojiko! If I don't knock him out completely, he'll just—"

"He can't fight anymore," Nojiko interrupted, glancing at Gin with a neutral expression. "Look at him. He's barely conscious."

Nami turned back to Gin, who was breathing heavily, still trying to keep his balance.

Nami stared at him for a moment, her frustration warring with something else. She had fought many people before, but no one like Gin—someone who was clearly outmatched yet refused to fall entirely.

Slowly, Nami sighed, crossing her arms. "You're ridiculous, you know that?"

Gin only looked at her.

Before anyone could say more, a massive shadow loomed over the coastline.

Nami and Nojiko turned toward the horizon, where a galleon was approaching. The Krieg Pirates' flagship.

Gin's battered body tensed immediately.

Nami narrowed her eyes. "Looks like your captain finally decided to show up."

Gin didn't answer, his fists tightening.

***

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting an orange hue over Syrup Village, three familiar figures—Ninjin, Piiman, and Tamanegi—arrived at the remnants of Kaya's once-grand mansion. The mansion lay in ruins, scorch marks evident from recent fires. Amidst the debris stood a figure cradling a frail, crying woman, surrounded by two striking women—one with dark blue hair and the other with light purple locks.

Ninjin's eyes widened in disbelief. "Is that... Captain Usopp?" he whispered, his voice trembling.

Piiman rubbed his eyes, ensuring he wasn't hallucinating. "It can't be... The Fire King is our long-lost captain?"

Tamanegi took a cautious step forward. "Captain Usopp! Is that really you?"

The man looked up, his expression a mix of confusion and recognition. "What are you doing here?"

The trio rushed forward, tears streaming down their faces. "We've been waiting for you, Captain! All these years, we never lost hope!"

The dark blue-haired woman observed the reunion with a soft smile. "It seems you were quite popular with children, Jacob. Do you want to make any?"

The light purple-haired woman chuckled.

The Fire King looked down at the trembling Kaya in his arms. "I've made many mistakes," he admitted, his voice heavy with regret. "But abandoning my friends wasn't one of them."

Kaya's tear-filled eyes met his. "Usopp... is it really you?"

He nodded, gently brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Yes, Kaya. I'm here now."

Ninjin stepped forward, his youthful face set with determination. "Captain, we've kept the Usopp Pirates alive in your absence. We've trained every day, awaiting your return."

Pitman nodded vigorously. "We've defended the village, told your stories, and kept your spirit alive."

Tamanegi wiped his tears, smiling brightly. "And now that you're back, we can finally set sail together, just like we always dreamed!"

Jacob looked at the three children with confusion and guilt.

Kuina placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "The past is the past. What matters now is what you choose to do with the present."

Carina winked playfully. "And it seems you've got quite the crew ready to follow you."

Jacob's body tensed as a sharp pulse sent a warning through his mind. A familiar, arrogant aura loomed near the shore—one that he recognized immediately.

"Don Krieg… That bastard actually showed up."

Before he could react, Kuina tapped his shoulder, her gaze sharp and determined.

"I'll handle it," she said calmly, before turning away and heading towards the shore.

Jacob exhaled slowly, watching her go. He knew Kuina's confidence wasn't misplaced—she was a monster with the blade. If Krieg thought he still had a chance after losing his fleet, he was in for a rude awakening.

Meanwhile, Kaya, Ninjin, Piiman, and Tamanegi were still looking at Jacob with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"Usopp—" Kaya began, her voice weak but desperate.

Jacob sighed and shook his head. "I used to be Usopp… but now, I go by Jacob."

The three boys exchanged confused glances, while Kaya's grip on his sleeve tightened.

"But… why? Why abandon your name?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Jacob hesitated. The memories of his past life, his reincarnation, his journey of strength—how could he possibly explain all of that? Instead, he placed his hand over Kaya's gently and smiled.

"I haven't abandoned who I was, Kaya," he said. "I've just… changed. The person you see now isn't the same cowardly liar who left Syrup Village."

Piiman scratched his head. "But you're still our captain, right?"

Jacob chuckled. "If you still want me to be."

Tamanegi clenched his fists. "We never stopped!"

Before Jacob could reply, a deafening explosion echoed from the shoreline. The sky lit up orange from the blast, and the air carried the scent of burning wood and gunpowder.

Jacob's Haki sharpened.

"Kuina's already engaging Krieg."

He glanced at Kaya and the boys. "Stay here. I need to finish this."

Then, without hesitation, he shot into the sky, flames propelling him toward the battlefield.

---

At the Shoreline

Krieg stood amidst the wreckage of his own ship, his golden armor scorched, his men either dead or too scared to fight.

"Damn you, Huntress!!" he snarled, pulling out a massive golden cannon from his back. "I AM DON KRIEG, THE STRONGEST MAN IN EAST BLUE! YOU THINK YOU CAN HUMILIATE ME AND GET AWAY WITH IT?!"

Kuina stood before him, her katana drawn, her stance relaxed.

"You lost before you even arrived," she stated coolly. "Your fleet is gone. Your men are broken. What do you even have left?"

Krieg's face twisted with rage. "MY ARSENAL!"

He fired a dozen explosive rounds at Kuina in rapid succession.

She didn't move.

Instead, she vanished.

The next second, she was behind Krieg, her blade glowing with sharp blue light as she delivered a devastating Ittoryu strike across his shoulder.

"GAAAH!!" Krieg stumbled forward, blood spraying from the deep cut.

Just as he turned to retaliate, a shadow loomed above him.

Jacob descended from the sky, flames swirling around him.

Krieg's eyes widened in horror.

Jacob cocked his fist back, his flames condensing into a blazing sphere of blue fire—hotter than anything Krieg had ever seen.

"This is for all the people you've terrorized," Jacob growled. "Blue Fire Hiken!!"

His flaming punch collided with Krieg's chest.

The explosion that followed obliterated the battlefield. The sea itself split apart from the sheer force, and Krieg's armored body was sent hurtling into the ocean, disappearing beneath the waves.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Kuina sheathed her sword. "Overkill, don't you think?" she teased.

Jacob exhaled, watching the bubbles rise from the water where Krieg had vanished.

"I just wanted to make sure he never comes back," he said simply.

As the smoke cleared, the people of Syrup Village stood at the edge of the town, watching in stunned silence.

Their boy who cried wolf returned.