"Okay, I promise you."
"I'll definitely beat that bastard Arlong to a pulp!"
When Luffy heard Nami's desperate plea, he agreed without hesitation. He didn't care whether Arlong was terrifying or not — all he saw was his friend in need.
Nami fell silent at Luffy's words. In truth, she hadn't wanted Luffy's help — she had wanted Buggy's.
She didn't know whether Luffy could actually defeat Arlong, but she was certain that Buggy could.
"Buggy, you and Nami should go to Cocoyasi Village," Kaoru Tsubasa said calmly.
Nami blinked in surprise. "You… know my name?"
She didn't remember telling them.
"Of course," Kaoru replied with a light smile. "You're our navigator."
It was half a joke, but his tone carried a strange confidence that left Nami momentarily speechless. She glanced at Buggy, unsure if he would actually agree to go with her.
"No problem. Leave this to me."
Buggy puffed out his chest proudly. He owed Kaoru far too much to refuse, and besides — if Luffy was his younger brother now, then Nami, as Luffy's navigator, was his responsibility too.
"Hey! Kaoru, I'm helping Nami too!" Luffy protested instantly. "She's my navigator! How can I not help her?"
Kaoru sighed and glanced at him. "If you follow her to Cocoyasi Village right now, you'll lose the chance to meet your next companions. But if you keep sailing, you'll find more people waiting for you ahead."
He didn't bother explaining that he already knew the future. Still, he added lightly, "My predictions don't always come true, though."
"More companions?" Zoro muttered from where he was bandaged and resting. "Tch, I've got a bad feeling about that. Sounds like someone annoying."
Kaoru chuckled quietly — his mind flashing to a blonde cook with a sharp tongue and a cigarette.
After a short discussion, Buggy finally set sail with Nami toward Cocoyasi Village to help her deal with the Arlong Pirates. Kaoru handed him a piece of his life paper before they parted ways. In return, Buggy gave Luffy and the others a larger ship.
Originally, Buggy had intended to give Luffy an ordinary sailboat, but Kaoru stopped him. He didn't want to change fate and risk losing the Going Merry.
Not long after Kaoru and Buggy left Orange Town, a dog-headed warship appeared at the port.
When Vice Admiral Garp learned that Luffy had just departed, he immediately ordered his men to pursue him.
Meanwhile, Kaoru and his small crew sailed toward the next destination — Syrup Village.
Since the distance between the islands was short, it didn't take them long to reach the surrounding waters.
"Captain! Captain Usopp!"
A boy with hair covering his eyes and a red skull cap came running toward a long-nosed young man.
"What's wrong, Carrot Head? Why are you yelling like that?" Usopp asked, looking confused.
"Pirates! Real pirates are coming!"
Usopp blinked. "That's a good lie. Not bad!"
Carrot Head shook his head frantically. "No, it's true! Real pirates are sailing toward Syrup Village!"
"Nani—what!?"
Usopp's eyes widened. His usual partners, Onion and Green Pepper, froze in disbelief.
"Pirates? The kind that burn and kill people?"
All three gulped nervously before running to the village.
"Listen!" Usopp ordered. "Go warn everyone to hide!"
"Pirates are coming!" the three boys screamed as they ran through the streets.
"Have you brats caused enough trouble!?" an old villager shouted, brandishing a hoe.
The villagers ignored them — after all, those four lied so often that no one ever believed them anymore. Defeated, the trio trudged back to Usopp, who sighed heavily.
"Well… guess I'll just have to scare the pirates off myself," he muttered, trying to sound braver than he felt.
"Oh! Kaoru, look — an island ahead!"
Luffy ran to him, gripping his shoulders and shaking him excitedly.
"Yes, yes, I see it. Stop shaking me, Luffy."
Kaoru's head spun. Luffy quickly released him — still afraid of Kaoru's dreaded "Iron Fist of Love."
Soon, their ship reached the shores of Syrup Village.
"There's a village ahead," Zoro said, scanning the area. "Looks small."
"Village? Meat! Meat!" Luffy cheered.
Kaoru exhaled slowly. Luffy's appetite truly had no limit.
"Careful," Zoro warned, narrowing his eyes toward a nearby hillside. "Someone's watching us."
"Where?" Luffy spun around.
"Wind Art — Assist: Wind Shield!" Kaoru chanted. A shimmering barrier of air appeared around them just as a flurry of stones flew from the hillside.
Then, several makeshift pirate flags rose above the bushes.
"Whoa! That's so cool!" Luffy grinned in awe.
"Is this really the time to admire them?" Zoro muttered, exasperated.
Kaoru knew exactly who was behind the ambush — Usopp and his little "crew."
"Ha ha ha ha! I am Usopp, captain of the mighty pirate crew that rules this island! People fear me and call me Captain Usopp!"
He waved his flag dramatically, voice cracking with effort.
Kaoru couldn't help but smile. Right now, Usopp was bluffing — but one day, those words would no longer be lies.
"If you plan to attack this village, I advise you to turn back!" Usopp continued, spreading his arms wide. "My eighty million subordinates won't let you escape alive!"
"Eighty million!? Amazing!" Luffy's eyes sparkled with admiration.
Kaoru and Zoro both sighed and quietly stepped to the side.
"Obviously a lie," Zoro muttered.
"Yeah," Kaoru agreed.
"Ah, I've been found out!" Usopp yelped immediately.
Kaoru almost facepalmed. If you're going to lie, at least stick to it!
"See? He said it himself," Zoro said dryly.
"I didn't mean to! It just slipped out!" Usopp stammered, twisting awkwardly.
Zoro studied him for a moment, then looked at Luffy.
…These two idiots were exactly the same.
"Nani!? That was a lie!?" Luffy looked genuinely shocked.
Kaoru took a small step away from him.
"Fine, maybe eighty million was an exaggeration," Usopp said quickly, "but I do have some excellent subordinates!"
The bushes rustled nervously — his three "crewmen" were sweating bullets, ready to flee.
"There are only three of them," Zoro said flatly.
"Yeah, three," Kaoru confirmed.
"What!? Only three!?" Luffy blinked in disbelief.
The three kids instantly leapt up from the bushes, panicking. "Run away!"
They bolted, dropping their pirate flag.
"Hey! Don't abandon your captain!" Usopp cried after them, terrified. Then he turned to face the trio on the slope — Luffy, Zoro, and Kaoru — and froze.
"Hahahahaha! You're funny!" Luffy burst out laughing.
Usopp didn't know what to do. These weren't scared villagers — these were real pirates.
"Don't underestimate me!" he said shakily, pulling out a slingshot. "I'm a man with pride! They call me the Great Usopp — the Arrogant Sniper!"
He fired.
Luffy adjusted his straw hat. "Once you draw your weapon," he said, repeating the words of a certain red-haired pirate, "you'd better be ready to stake your life."
Kaoru raised an eyebrow. So he's copying Shanks now…
Even Zoro smirked slightly — Luffy was naive, but there was strength behind those words.
Usopp froze in fear. "I-I didn't mean it like that!"
"This isn't a toy, huh?" Luffy teased, feigning ignorance.
Kaoru sighed. It's literally a slingshot.
Zoro chuckled, slightly unsheathing one sword. "The man standing before you is a real pirate."
Kaoru also drew his blade, playing along.
Usopp trembled, then collapsed to his knees. "A-amazing… the aura of real pirates is terrifying!"
"Bwahahahahaha!"
The three laughed heartily, putting their weapons away.
Later, as they relaxed, Luffy told Usopp about his dream and his connection to Shanks.
When Usopp heard that, he was stunned — especially when Luffy mentioned knowing his father, Yasopp.
Pride welled up inside him. His father wasn't just a pirate — he was part of Shanks' crew!
Usopp invited them to dine in the village restaurant.
"It's delicious!" Luffy said through a mouth full of food.
Usopp grinned proudly. "Of course! This is my hometown!"
"I remember seeing your dad on Shanks' ship," Luffy said suddenly.
"My dad… was on Shanks' ship!?" Usopp's eyes went wide.
"Red-Haired Shanks?" Kaoru interjected with a small chuckle. "That brat?"
"Hey! Don't call him that!" Luffy grabbed Kaoru by the collar. "Shanks is amazing!"
Usopp also frowned. "Yeah! He's a great pirate!"
Kaoru gently pushed Luffy's hand away. "Relax. I only said that because I'm older than him. Don't let my looks fool you — I'm already over fifty."
"Fifty!?" Luffy and Usopp shouted in unison.
Even Zoro raised an eyebrow. He knew Kaoru was powerful — but hearing his real age was a shock.