Chapter 8
Morning light spilled across the deck. Thanks to the crew's efforts, last night's mess was mostly cleaned up. The four lined the rail, brushing teeth and washing faces in unison.
After freshening up, Sol tied on an apron and got busy in the galley. Eggs sizzled in the pan, the aroma of ham mingling with rich coffee throughout the cabin.
Nami sat at the bow, sea chart spread across her lap, slender fingers tracing current lines. "Hmm... we should be around here..." She glanced at the sky, then toward the galley. "Hey, Sol! Double sugar in my coffee—"
"Got it, princess," Sol called back without turning, smacking Luffy's sneaking rubber hand away from the food. "No stealing."
"Ow! Caught again!"
Meanwhile, Zoro grimly mopped the deck while Luffy raced around with a cleaning rag as a cape. "I'm Cleaning Superman! Whoosh—whoosh!"
"Idiot! You're just making it dirtier!" Zoro's roar scattered a flock of seagulls.
Nami sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Is that guy an actual moron?"
After breakfast, the four stepped onto the sandy beach to explore the forest ahead. "Any village up there, Nami?" Zoro asked casually.
Nami nodded. "Yeah, I checked the chart. There's one further in—let's go see."
"Stop right there! Who are you people? If you're pirates, don't even think about attacking this village—my 8,000 fearless men won't let you get away with it!" A thick-lipped young man with black curly hair and a distinctly long nose blocked their path.
"Who's this guy? You know him?" Zoro yawned, digging in his ear.
Nami answered instantly. "Nope. Never seen him."
"Whoa—awesome!" Luffy's eyes sparkled. His rubber arm shot out, grabbing the stranger's shoulder and shaking him wildly. "You're a pirate too? 8,000 crew members—that's incredible!"
Usopp's world spun. "Y-Yeah! I'm the world-famous Captain Usopp... of the Usopp Pirates... sort of..." His voice shrank.
"Wait—you're pirates too?!" Usopp's legs started trembling.
Sol stepped forward and patted his shoulder. "That's right, Long-Nose. Hurry and call out those 8,000 men. Are they hiding in the woods back there?"
Usopp's face went ghost-white.
Suddenly, three kids burst from the bushes, yelling for Sol to let go of their "Captain Usopp." Only then did the crew learn the long-nosed guy's name.
"8,000 men? If they're all potatoes like these three, that's pretty terrifying," Zoro burst out laughing at the sight of the children.
Nami and the others joined in. Usopp, mortified that his lie was exposed, shook with fear but still raised his slingshot defiantly.
"If you're here to pillage and burn, you'll have to step over my dead body!" He tossed a smoke bomb and fled with the kids.
Cough! Cough! "That bastard... he mixed chili powder in it!" Zoro's eyes watered; he nearly dropped his swords.
Nami covered her mouth and nose, eyes red. "He is so paying for this..."
"Sky Dragon's—Roar!"
Sol inhaled deeply and unleashed a violent gust that cleared the smoke instantly—only for a swarm of steel pellets to whistle toward them like angry bees!
"Gum-Gum Balloon!"
Luffy puffed up his belly into a giant ball. The pellets pinged off his rubber skin and ricocheted wildly.
Usopp stared at the pellets embedded in trees, sweating bullets. "Monsters... One breathes hurricane winds, the other inflates like a balloon..."
Luffy waved from a safe distance. "That guy's a sniper? He hit us from that far with just a slingshot?"
Sol was puzzled too. "What's wrong with this guy? We barely said hello and he's already shooting at us." He leaped forward in a single bound.
By the time Usopp noticed one person missing, he turned—to find Sol grinning right behind him, fist raised.
"Owww!" Usopp clutched the fresh lump on his forehead.
Sol blew on his knuckles. "Seriously, you've been talking to yourself this whole time. What's the deal?"
Sol explained they'd only come to the island hoping to resupply in the village—nothing more.
Usopp relaxed, realizing it was a misunderstanding. "Sorry... I thought you worked for Crowe."
"'Hundred Plans' Crowe?" Nami flipped through her bounty booklet. "1600 million beri bounty. Didn't he die three years ago during a Marine raid?"
"No way!" Usopp grew agitated. "I saw him with my own eyes two days ago—walking with Zangy from the Black Cat Pirates! That hypnotist even called him Captain Crowe!"
His voice dropped. "But after that day... Crowe disappeared. Miss Kaya says he went to buy supplies..."
The three kids chimed in, spilling all of Usopp's secrets.
Onion-head: "Too bad Captain Usopp cries 'pirates!' every day—now nobody believes him!"
Pepper-head: "This time he said Miss Kaya's butler is a pirate... the villagers who owe the butler favors nearly beat him to death."
Carrot-head: "So Captain Usopp's been guarding every landing spot with just us—trying to protect the village alone. It's so moving!"
Luffy stared at Usopp. "You're actually a pretty decent guy. And you look familiar... Do you know Jesus Bu?"
"Huh? You know my dad?!" Usopp lit up.
"Thought so! Haha—he's the sniper on Shanks' crew. Deadly accurate—never misses," Luffy said fondly.
Soon Luffy and Usopp were best buddies, arms around each other's shoulders, cheering.
"Once I expose Crowe's plot, I'll join your crew—as captain!" Usopp struck a cool pose.
"I'm the captain," Luffy shot down instantly.
"Vice captain, then?"
"Beat me first, Long-Nose," Sol teased, flames flickering around his fist.
"N-No thanks! I'll stick to sniper!" Usopp waved his hands frantically. That guy looked way too strong—better keep his life.
Just then, a pirate ship appeared on the horizon and anchored offshore. Captain Crowe led the Black Cat Pirates ashore in force.
Crowe adjusted his glasses and spoke to his officer Zangy. "Remember the plan. I'll head back first. You bring the crew, kill everyone on the island, then hypnotize Kaya into writing a will that leaves everything to me."
"Understood, Captain Crowe." Zangy paused. "There's a few people up ahead."
"If anyone's in the way, kill them. Why tell me? You're the 'captain' of the Black Cat Pirates, remember?" Crowe pushed his glasses up coldly.
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