OPTC Chapter 329 - Pirates Are Coming! Pirates Are Coming!
After thinking it over, the Amber finally stopped briefly at Orange Town. Zhang Da Ye returned to the ship hauling a full cart of pet food.
He met the adorable little white dog, Chouchou. It was smart enough not to bark at Tom and Carla, and even helped carry a bag of pet food with its mouth.
The problem was that while the dog behaved, Tom didn't. He strutted around Chouchou carrying several boxes, showing off how much he could lift. When Chouchou ignored him, he waited until no one was looking, made faces at the dog, and even tugged its tail.
Moments later, Tom was being chased down three streets by the furious little dog. Zhang Da Ye and the pet shop owner apologized to each other for their misbehaving pets.
Zhang Da Ye was more apologetic, secretly grateful that when Tom crashed through the door, he only left a cat-shaped hole and didn't destroy the whole shop.
He also remembered that Chouchou's owner would pass away about nine years from now, so he quietly brought Wendy to give the man a check-up. But there was no illness—just old age.
There was nothing they could do about that. They couldn't exactly have Ye Yan smash Brook's soul and feed the man a Revive-Revive Fruit just to prolong his life.
Before leaving, Zhang Da Ye patted Chouchou on the head. "You're a lucky little dog," he thought, "to have someone who truly loves you. But you're also unlucky—because he'll go before you do. Treasure your days with him."
Chouchou licked Zhang Da Ye's palm and barked softly as they departed.
"This one's bark is way nicer than that guy's," Perona muttered, still a little bitter about Tom.
"Alright, I'll leave all this to you guys," Zhang Da Ye said to Tom, Artoria, and Carla.
Tom and Artoria nodded instinctively. Carla crossed her arms. "I've told you, I'm not a pet. I'm not eating that."
Zhang Da Ye smirked. "What kind of cat doesn't eat cat food?"
Tom agreed enthusiastically and ripped open a bag. The scent inside was so tempting it almost formed a visible hand, teasing Carla's nose.
Carla turned away, eyes shut, but her twitching nose betrayed her. After a few seconds, she reached into the bag. "Just one bite…"
…
The Amber Travel Group didn't stay long in Orange Town. Under Shark Chili's navigation plan, they continued sailing.
Their days were filled with the usual—training, playing, eating, drinking. Along the way, they wiped out two so-called pirate crews. Calling them "crews" was generous—they were just groups of idiots who'd stuck pirate flags on fishing boats and called it a day.
Unfortunately for them, they decided to make the Amber their first target. Not the smartest move.
After knocking them out and tying them up, Zhang Da Ye sent their coordinates to the Marines and moved on. There wasn't much bounty to collect anyway, and their tiny boats weren't worth anything.
"Dragon's Fang!" Wendy shouted, her arm wrapped in sharp blades of wind like a dragon's claw, swiping at Zhang Da Ye.
"Tekk—wait, Soru!" He barely avoided her strike, resisting the reflex to harden his body and take it head-on.
He was helping Wendy train in close combat. As a Fairy Tail mage, no matter how powerful her magic was, weak close combat skills could get her beaten easily. She had to improve.
Ye Yan was a better sparring partner for her physically, but he flat-out refused. Winning against a little girl felt shameful, losing even worse. He'd rather spar with Zhang Da Ye and get beaten up himself.
Zhang Da Ye didn't mind. It gave him a chance to learn about magic while testing his willpower—to resist using Tekkai when he could simply dodge.
The training paid off well—mainly because Wendy's hits hurt like hell.
When he first learned Tekkai, he had Ye Yan test it with an axe and a saw. Neither hurt as much as Wendy's claw strikes. He didn't bleed, but he wasn't a masochist. After that, he swore he'd dodge whenever possible.
After sparring with Wendy, beating up Ye Yan, and then getting beaten up by Artoria, his day's physical training was complete.
Next came Observation Haki practice—blindfolded, dodging baseballs. Ye Yan and Perona loved this revenge session. Their throws were fast, hard, and cruelly precise—especially Ye Yan's. Having been trained from childhood in throwing techniques, he could hit Zhang Da Ye's nose perfectly every time.
Out of ten throws, Zhang Da Ye dodged maybe two. One was pure luck; the other, Perona missed.
Out of a hundred throws, he might occasionally sense one coming—like a flash of instinct—but it vanished too quickly to grasp. He sometimes wondered if it was just an illusion, like those moments before pulling a "guaranteed miracle" in a gacha game.
Four days later, the Amber Travel Group arrived at Syrup Village.
They landed on the northern shore. A slope led upward through a forest toward the village, cliffs flanking both sides. A perfect defensive position—no wonder Kuro had chosen this place to "retire" in the original story.
As they climbed the slope to restock supplies, a boy with a long nose jumped out from the bushes above. He glanced at their ship, then ran off shouting, "Pirates are coming! Pirates are coming! This time it's real!"
The kid looked ordinary aside from his long nose, but he ran fast—faster than most grown men.
Watching the boy's disappearing figure, Zhang Da Ye sighed. "As expected of Usopp. Born to run."
Usopp was only eight or nine years old at this time. His future three sidekicks probably couldn't even walk yet, so his lying career was a solo act for now.
"Pirates? Where? Where are they?" Wendy crouched slightly, shading her eyes with a hand to scan the sea.
Tom climbed up Zhang Da Ye's shoulder for a better view, then scrambled onto his head, striking a heroic pose like a ship's figurehead.
Perona, seasoned in spotting lies, didn't fall for it. "Fake for sure. Did you see his face? Not scared at all—he looked thrilled. Definitely a prank."
"Really?" Wendy blushed, embarrassed she'd been fooled so easily.
Zhang Da Ye began wondering how many times he'd fooled Perona in the past for her to be this cautious. Maybe he should teach Wendy some basic scam awareness too.
"Could it be that kid thought we were pirates?" Rui Meng Meng asked worriedly. "If the villagers believe him, won't they attack us?"
"Doubt it," Ye Yan said. "The kid looked way too practiced. You know the story of the boy who cried wolf?"
Rui Meng Meng nodded, but the others didn't, so Ye Yan explained it in detail.
"In short, if you lie too much, no one believes you anymore. He might even get scolded for this." Ye Yan looked confident, certain of the outcome.
Brook chuckled. "Yohohoho~ What a funny story. Luckily, I never lie."
Zhang Da Ye gave him a look. "Didn't you just lie to a lady in Melville to get a lap pillow last week?"
They continued up the slope through the trees—only to run into a group of villagers marching toward them, armed with kitchen knives, hoes, and pitchforks.
Ye Yan rubbed his face awkwardly. "Huh. Guess I was wrong."
But the villagers froze when they saw the group. Could it be? Was Usopp actually telling the truth this time?
No, impossible. Except for the guy in the skull mask and the shark hood, the rest looked harmless.
Finally, one brave villager holding a hoe asked, "Who are you people?"
"We're travelers," Zhang Da Ye said. "Passing through, just looking for a meal and some supplies. I think a kid might've mistaken us for pirates."
The villagers glanced at Wendy, Rui Meng Meng, and the two cats, then visibly relaxed. Usopp's tricks were well-known.
"Sorry about that," the man said. "That kid loves to make trouble. Come with me if you need food." He turned to the others. "Alright everyone, it's fine. If you see Usopp, tell him to come apologize properly!"
The villagers sighed in relief and dispersed. It was a good thing Usopp had lied again.
The man with the hoe introduced himself as Picas, a respected villager. He led them toward a small restaurant.
As they walked, he said, "There's not much to see here. Just a simple village. I guess the big mansion over there counts—Mr. Rochester likes his peace and quiet though, so he might not let you in."
Zhang Da Ye knew exactly who he meant—Kaya's family. Her parents were still alive now, meaning Kuro hadn't become her butler yet. He wondered if Kaya would still fall for Usopp this time.
Ye Yan, still bothered by his wrong prediction, asked, "So you all knew that kid was lying. Why rush out like that?"
Picas looked a little awkward. "Well… he lies a lot, sure. But what if this time he was telling the truth?"
Ye Yan wasn't convinced. If that were all, maybe a few would come check—not half the village.
Under Ye Yan's skeptical gaze, Picas sighed and added, "Usopp's had it rough. His mother passed away last year. He's been lonely, so he lies and plays pranks to get attention. Everyone knows, so we pretend to get angry and chase him—it's our way of showing he still matters."
The group fell silent. It wasn't the full truth, but it was enough to make Zhang Da Ye's chest tighten. He hadn't realized before how much Usopp's childhood resembled Naruto's—except he was luckier, surrounded by kind villagers who cared for him, even in odd ways.
Perona sniffled into a handkerchief. "So sad… and I was going to send a ghost after him."
Zhang Da Ye resisted the urge to say, "You never even met your parents; your life's sadder than his."
Brook dabbed at his eyes too. "Such kind souls! Picas, you and your people are truly compassionate!"
"Ah, it's nothing," Picas said modestly, a little embarrassed but clearly pleased.
Ye Yan still sensed something was being hidden but decided not to push it. Maybe it wasn't his business. He'd have Sui Feng'er investigate later.
To lighten the mood, Shark Chili tried to change the subject. "I heard there's a famous sniper in this village? One of the best in the East Blue?"
Zhang Da Ye sighed silently. That definitely didn't help.
Picas' face darkened. "He left long ago. If you're looking for him, you'll be wasting your time."
He didn't mention Yasopp's name or his connection to Usopp—no need to risk anything.
Shark Chili frowned. "Did I say something wrong? Maybe he's… a pirate?"
Zhang Da Ye quickly stepped in. "We're not here to look for anyone. Just supplies." He handed over a shopping list.
Picas unfolded it and blinked. "This much? There are only ten of you, counting the cats!"
As they entered the restaurant, Zhang Da Ye replied, "You'll understand once you see how we order."
Picas looked confused. Everyone else nodded knowingly.
The restaurant owner greeted Picas, then turned to the group. "What would you like to eat?"
Without glancing at the menu, Zhang Da Ye said, "One of everything."
"Alright." The owner turned calmly toward the kitchen.
Picas blinked. "That's… it? I don't get it."
Zhang Da Ye frowned too. Something was off. Neither the owner nor Picas reacted the way he expected. Surely not everyone in this village ordered like him?
Rui Meng Meng stifled a laugh and nudged him, handing over the menu. "There are only thirty dishes in total…"
Zhang Da Ye froze.
In this world, ten people ordering thirty dishes wasn't even unusual. Another failed attempt at looking cool.
[Powerstones plz...
patreon.com/GuessMyName33 for 50 chapters ahead
If you like this novel, check out my other novels in my profile!]