The green light at Ulquiorra's fingertip flickered once, twice, then dispersed.
His hand lowered to his side.
Usopp's knees buckled as he slouched down to the ground.
Never thought I'd be grateful to see Klahadore.
"Miss Kaya."
Usopp's head whipped around. Behind him, Klahadore stood twenty meters back. The butler's gaze swept past Ulquiorra and Usopp without pause, settling on the window above them.
"I must insist that you return inside immediately, Miss Kaya." Klahadore's voice carried the precision of a man accustomed to authority. "The physician advised against this"—he gestured vaguely at the scene—"This hardly qualifies as restful."
"But Klahadore, he's—"
"One liar and a stranger." Klahadore's expression remained perfectly neutral. "And you." His attention shifted to Usopp. "I trust you can see yourself off the property without further incidents."
Usopp opened his mouth, probably to argue, maybe to defend himself, but Ulquiorra had already turned away.
He walked toward the mansion's gate with the same purposeful stride that had brought him here.
"Miss Kaya, please." Klahadore's attention snapped back to her, though his gaze tracked Ulquiorra's departure. "Head inside. Now."
Kaya's fingers gripped the windowsill before releasing her grip and finally heading inside.
Ulquiorra passed through the gate without slowing.
Usopp stared after him, then at the retreating Kaya, then back at the gate.
Fantastic.
His feet started moving, following the pale figure down the hill at a safe distance, or what he hoped qualified as safe. Twenty meters felt reasonable. Maybe thirty would be better. He slowed down to create more space.
Just... just keep a safe distance and don't do anything stupid, simple enough for a great captain like myself...
"Do you know someone else who might possess it."
Usopp yelped, stumbling over absolutely nothing. "I—what—you—"
"The heart." His voice carried back with perfect clarity despite the distance. "The girl could not show it to me. Perhaps another human can."
"How can someone be so dense…" Usopp caught himself, swallowing hard.
The last word strangled itself in his throat. The memory of green energy crackling at that fingertip flashed behind his eyes.
Shut up shut up shut up—
Ulquiorra stopped walking.
Usopp froze mid-step, one foot hovering off the ground.
Silence stretched between them, broken only by the sound of distant birds.
Then Ulquiorra's head turned slightly towards him. "Dense."
"I didn't—I mean—" Usopp's hands moved in frantic, useless gestures. "It's not an insult! Well, technically it is, but what I meant was—"
"You believe I lack understanding."
The flat statement somehow felt worse than anger.
"Everyone lacks understanding of something!" The words tumbled out of Usopp. "I don't understand navigation. Ninjin doesn't understand long division. That doesn't make us—" He caught himself again. "Look, the heart isn't a thing you can just... find. It's not a buried treasure."
Ulquiorra turned fully, his gaze locking onto Usopp.
Usopp's bravado evaporated. "I mean. Uh. What I'm trying to say is—"
"You followed me."
"I—yeah. Yes. I did." Usopp's shoulders hunched. "Making sure you actually leave."
"I am leaving."
"Great! Good! Fantastic decision!" Usopp took a step back. "I'll just... head back now..."
Neither of them moved.
A full minute passed.
"Why are you still here," Ulquiorra asked.
"Why are you still here?" Usopp shot back, then immediately regretted it. "Not that I'm questioning you…"
Ulquiorra's head tilted fractionally. "Circular logic."
"You started it!"
The words hung in the air between them, simultaneously absurd and sincere.
Usopp clamped both hands over his mouth. His eyes squeezed shut. I'm dead. I'm so dead. This is how the great captain Usopp dies—killed by his own stupid mouth.
When several seconds passed without disintegration, he cracked one eye open.
Ulquiorra studied him as if he was a particularly confusing specimen.
"You are afraid," Ulquiorra stated.
"Terrified!" Usopp's hands dropped. "Absolutely, completely, one hundred percent terrified!"
"And yet you followed."
"I—" The observation landed with unexpected weight. "I don't know! Maybe the Great Usopp has finally lost his mind!"
Ulquiorra's expression didn't change. "The Great Usopp."
"That's—forget I said that." Heat crept up Usopp's neck. "Look, you wanted to know about the heart, right? Kaya tried to explain it, but..." He trailed off, searching for words that wouldn't get him killed. "Maybe you need a different explanation."
"She said it cannot be seen."
"Right. Because it's..." Usopp's hands moved again, grasping at concepts he'd never had to articulate. "It's like when I tell Kaya stories. I know they're not true, but I tell them anyway because they make her smile. That's... that's kind of what the heart is. Doing things that don't make sense because you care about someone."
He paused for breath, chest heaving.
"So, did you eat one of those legendary Devil Fruits everyone talks about?" Usopp's eyes widened as the thought took root. "That's it, isn't it? You're one of those Devil Fruit users! That would explain—well, most of it. Maybe. Sort of."
Ulquiorra blinked once.
"Devil Fruit?"
"Yeah! Devil Fruit!" Usopp nodded vigorously. "A legendary fruit that gives you crazy powers but makes you unable to swim!" He paused. "Wait. You haven't heard about them?"
"No."
Usopp's jaw dropped. His mouth gaped so wide it looked physically impossible, eyes bulging like they might launch from his skull. His entire face contorted into disbelief.
"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT A DEVIL FRUIT IS?!"
The shout echoed across the island.
Ulquiorra blinked.
"EVERYONE knows about Devil Fruits!" Usopp's arms windmilled. "Kids know! Grandmas know! My three followers know, and they're eight years old!" He grabbed his own head with both hands.
"I do not remember."
That stopped Usopp mid-rant. His hands fell to his sides. "You... what?"
"I possess no memories prior to waking up couple hours ago."
Silence stretched between them.
Usopp's eye twitched. Once. Twice.
Then his entire posture deflated like a punctured balloon. His shoulders sagged. His head dropped forward. One hand rose to pinch the bridge of his nose.
Then he looked up at the sky as if seeking divine intervention.
"The Great Usopp's legendary luck strikes again! Of course, the mysterious scary guy doesn't have basic common knowledge."
Ulquiorra watched him spiral with the same detached observation he'd given everything else.
"You are distressed."
"I'm DISTRESSED?!"
Usopp's voice climbed several octaves. "You just wanted to 'end my pitiful existence'!" He mimicked Ulquiorra's flat tone with surprising accuracy, then jabbed a finger at him. "Those were your exact words! If Klahadore hadn't shown up, I don't know if I'd still be breathing!"
Ulquiorra's gaze shifted back to Usopp. "I simply changed my mind."
"What?"
"I lost interest."
Usopp's face cycled through several expressions.
"So Klahadore showing up had nothing to do with it?"
"No."
"Unbelievable." Usopp muttered. Then louder: "Fine. FINE. What do you want to know?"
"Everything."
"Everything." Usopp's eye twitched again. "Right. Sure. Let me just explain the entire world in five minutes."
"Okay." Usopp exhaled slowly. "First things first. This is East Blue. One of four seas that make up most of the world. There's North Blue, South Blue, West Blue, and us."
Ulquiorra absorbed this. Four seas. A larger world than the small island suggested but he would still have to see them to confirm their existence.
"Each sea is separated by the Grand Line and the Red Line." Usopp's hands moved as he spoke, sketching invisible shapes in the air. "The Red Line is this massive continent that goes all the way around the world. And the Grand Line..." He hesitated. "Well, I've only heard stories. Supposedly it's the most dangerous ocean route. Pirates go there searching for treasure and glory."
"Pirates."
"Criminals." Usopp kicked a small rock off the path. "People who sail under pirate flags, raid villages, steal stuff. The Marines hunt them down and lock them up or execute them."
"Marines."
"Like... ocean soldiers? They work for the World Government." Another pause. "Which is the big ruling body that controls most everything. They have bases all over, including a small one near here."
The path wound downward, as Usopp's voice filled the space between them, explaining berries and how much things cost, how merchants traveled between islands, how some villages had their own customs.
Ulquiorra walked three steps behind. The words entered his awareness without weight or attachment. Currency required value systems he didn't possess. Trade implied need. Government suggested hierarchy worth caring about.
None of it connected to anything.
The village emerged ahead. Small buildings clustered together, smoke rising from chimneys. People moved between structures, carrying baskets or pulling carts. Normal. Mundane. Existing without his observation or participation.
Usopp's explanation continued, something about bounties and wanted posters and how dangerous pirates had prices on their heads.
When they reached the village proper. Usopp finally stopped talking, shoulders sagging.
"So... that's the short version of it."
Then he fell silent.
Usopp had no idea when his life had veered off a cliff. He'd been thinking about breakfast, just breakfast, and somehow ended up strolling beside a man who wanted to kill him. Brilliant, Usopp. Really brilliant. Chatting with the guy who tried to kill you. Who could still kill you. But sure, keep walking like this is normal. Why run? Why scream? Why use common sense now?Fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. The Great Usopp, master of survival, has decided survival is optional today.
"Where is this town of beginning you mentioned located."
Usopp's internal spiral stopped.
"Loguetown?" He blinked. "That's... why do you want to know about Loguetown?"
Ulquiorra waited.
"Right. Okay." Usopp shifted his weight. "Come on."
He led the way through narrow streets. Villagers glanced at them but didn't approach. Usopp's house sat at the edge of town, small and worn. The door creaked when he pushed it open.
Inside smelled like wood and dust. Usopp rummaged through papers scattered across a table until he found a rough map, corners curled and ink faded.
"Here." He spread it flat, finger jabbing at a point. "Loguetown's that direction, more or less. It's the last stop before the Grand Line." His finger traced an invisible line across the paper. "If you want to get there, wait for merchants. They come through every few weeks. Pay them and they'll give you passage. Without a navigator, you'll get lost at sea."
"There is no need."
The air rippled.
Usopp blinked at empty space.
"…show-off," he muttered. He sagged over the table, rubbing his face. "Didn't even tell me his name."