[25] : [BONUS] - Syrup Village, Usopp!

~ Thank you, We've hit 100 Powerstones. This is the Bonus Chapter~

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Syrup Village, outer coast.

The Straw Hat Pirates slowly made landfall.

"Finally ashore!" Zoro stretched, loosening his stiff muscles. After so many days cramped on those small boats, his limbs felt numb.

"I actually felt fine," Rowen commented nearby with a knowing smile.

Swimming freely in the ocean, enhancing his Conqueror's Haki, was a wonderful process. And having acquired the Born of the Sea (Apex Gold) Trait, becoming the sea's favored child, even sailing on somewhat cramped small boats didn't feel uncomfortable at all.

"Who swims as well as you do?!" Zoro shot Rowen an exasperated look.

Zoro had seen Rowen swimming effortlessly and had even tried challenging him to a race in the water, only to be utterly defeated.

A significant portion of their journey here had involved Rowen simply swimming alongside the boats.

"Up this way is the village," Nami said, pointing towards the slope ahead, consulting the chart.

"Does that mean we can eat meat?! Meat!" Luffy excitedly rushed over to Nami's side.

"Can you think about something other than meat for five seconds?!" Nami dodged Luffy, who had started drooling at the mere thought of meat.

"There should be a bar too. We can finally have a proper drink," Zoro added with a grin.

"You guys are unbelievable..." Nami's eye twitched.

"You've worked hard, Nami," Rowen said with a smile, looking at her.

"Rowen!" Nami felt a surge of gratitude.

Look at Luffy and Zoro—one only thought about meat, the other only about booze.

Only Rowen appreciated her navigation skills.

"However... it seems getting to that village won't be quite so straightforward," Rowen commented calmly, glancing towards the bushes on the slope.

"Hm? Definitely someone there," Zoro murmured, his eyes narrowing as his hand instinctively went to Wado Ichimonji, slightly drawing the blade.

"Where? Where?" Luffy looked around wildly, searching for figures.

"Danger!" Zoro suddenly yelled.

A shower of marbles rained down at Luffy's feet, forcing him to dodge frantically.

Rustle! Rustle! Then, numerous small pirate flags emblazoned with skull-and-crossbones symbols rose from the bushes.

"Eh? So cool!" Luffy stared excitedly at the flags. Though small, the skull designs looked fierce.

Luffy had always wanted his own Jolly Roger.

"Is this really the time to admire someone else's flag?!" Nami deadpanned, looking at Luffy.

"Hahaha! I am Usopp, captain of the great pirate crew that rules this village! People praise me highly, calling me 'Captain Usopp'!" A long-nosed young man stood beneath the tallest flag, pointing proudly at his own long nose and shouting.

Usopp had just finished his daily routine of running through Syrup Village, falsely warning the villagers that pirates were coming.

Right after completing this 'task', his 'subordinate', Tamanegi, brought news of spotting actual pirate ships.

Upon learning the pirate crew only consisted of four people, Usopp, determined to protect Syrup Village from invasion, gathered his 'crew'—Piiman, Ninjin, and Tamanegi—and set up an ambush here.

Hearing the words 'pirate crew', Luffy's earlier excitement vanished instantly. His mouth turned down as he looked up at Usopp.

"If you're thinking of attacking this village, I suggest you give up! Because my eighty million subordinates won't let you get away with it!" Usopp continued boasting.

Rustle! As Usopp finished his bluff, even more pirate flags popped up from the bushes.

"SUGEEEEEE!!!" Luffy, who tended to believe whatever people told him, yelled out in awe.

Seeing the guy below fall for it so easily, Usopp felt rather pleased with himself.

"That's a lie, isn't it?" But the next moment, Nami's light chuckle shattered Usopp's smugness.

"Crap! They saw through it!" Usopp yelled, clutching his head in panic.

"You didn't actually think anyone would believe the 'eighty million subordinates' line, did you?" Rowen asked Usopp, amused.

How many people even live in the entire East Blue?

"Damn it! The enemy has someone like a strategist!" Usopp yelled, looking at Rowen and clutching his head.

"Eighty million might be an exaggeration, but I still have capable subordinates!" Usopp quickly regained his composure, pointing towards the bushes behind him.

The pirate flags waved up and down, manipulated by Piiman, Ninjin, and Tamanegi, creating the illusion of a larger force.

"It's just three kids," Nami pointed out with a mischievous smile.

"They saw through it!"

"Run away!" Piiman, Ninjin, and Tamanegi instantly panicked, scrambled out of the bushes, and bolted.

"Hey! Don't run away!" Usopp yelled in dismay.

"Hahaha! You're pretty funny!" Luffy burst out laughing, looking at Usopp.

"Don't underestimate me, you jerk! I'm a man with immense bravery! That's why people call me 'Brave Usopp'!" Hearing Luffy's laughter, Usopp grew flustered and angry. He pulled out a slingshot and aimed it at Luffy.

Seeing Usopp draw a weapon, Luffy's smile vanished. He lowered the brim of his straw hat.

"You saw earlier! My slingshot skills are way better than most pistols!" Usopp still hoped to scare off these 'pirates' with words.

"Now that you've drawn your weapon... be prepared to bet your life on it," Luffy said quietly, tilting his head up slightly. Beneath the shadow of his hat, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

"Eh?!" Usopp was genuinely startled.

"I mean, this isn't just a toy for bluffing. Since you drew it, you have to stake your life," Luffy stated, revealing his classic 'serious business' expression.

Rowen subtly nodded at Zoro.

"Hmph." Zoro understood immediately. He placed his hand on Wado Ichimonji, exposing the gleaming edge of the blade as he looked intently at Usopp.

"You're standing before real pirates now," Zoro added, adopting a similarly intimidating expression.

"Are you prepared... to bet your life?" Rowen finished, his own expression turning serious, a hint of domineering presence emanating from him.

Now possessing the aura of a true powerhouse, Rowen's mere presence could make even pirates of Buggy's caliber feel unnerved.

"!!!" An overwhelming sense of pressure instantly washed over Usopp.

Clink. The pellet fell from Usopp's slingshot, landing at his feet.

"Wow... Real pirates really do have a different kind of presence and intensity when they talk... Scary..." Usopp thought, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

"Ha... hahaha!" But to Usopp's confusion, the next moment, Rowen and the others looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"Just kidding! I was just repeating something I heard from Shanks, a pirate I respect!" Luffy explained, adjusting his hat with a wide grin.

"Shanks?! You know the great pirate Shanks?!" Usopp stared, utterly shocked.

"Yep! And your dad is Yasopp, right?" Luffy continued, still smiling.

"EH?!" Usopp was so shocked he tumbled down the hill.

Rowen watched with a strange smile. 'Usopp looks so much like Yasopp... Looks like even Luffy remembers faces clearly when they're connected to his network. Classic One Piece world procedure.'

Rowen then focused his gaze on Usopp.

Does Usopp have any Traits I need?

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