East Blue, Near Syrup Village
The sun was bright, and the sea breeze was gentle. A small warship was steadily anchored in the shallows, its hull like a sleeping cheetah, quietly standing on the shimmering sea surface. On the deck, Roy stood at the bow, wearing his Marine uniform, the wind making the hem of his clothes flutter loudly. His gaze was deep as he looked at the lush green island ahead.
Behind him, two boys were bickering in low voices.
"Hey, Luffy, did you just steal the snacks from the kitchen again?"
"No, I didn't! You were the one who took them first!"
"I only took one piece! You ate three whole layers!"
"Hehe~"
Ace looked at his completely innocent-looking brother, speechless, and flicked Luffy's forehead with a precise force that made him cry out "Ouch!" and squat down, holding his head.
Even while messing around, the changes in the two of them over the years were striking. A 15-year-old Ace, under the training of Garp and Roy, had long since shed his immaturity. He was already close to 1.85 meters tall, with a straight frame and well-defined muscles. Yet he still maintained his usual casual style, wearing his uniform open, his chest firm and his abs clear, glowing with a healthy bronze sheen in the sun.
A 12-year-old Luffy had also grown rapidly, already over 160 centimeters tall. His once thin and slender limbs were beginning to show the outline of strength. Although he was young, his physical fitness far surpassed that of his peers, and he was full of life as he jumped around.
Roy looked at the two brothers who had grown up bickering, a slight smile on his lips, a hint of relief in his eyes. "...These two brats, in a few more years, even I will probably have to be careful with them."
Just then, Ace suddenly stopped and looked up at him. "Big Brother Roy, what are we doing here?" his tone held a hint of curiosity. After all, they had been cleaning up the remnants of the East Blue on their way back to their hometown. Suddenly turning to this quiet village was indeed a bit puzzling.
Roy didn't answer immediately but slowly withdrew his gaze from the distance and looked at the tall maple tree in the center of the distant village, a glint in his eyes. "Just wanted to see if a certain person is worth it." His tone was flat but held a deep meaning.
Ace and Luffy exchanged a look. Although they didn't understand, they were already used to Roy's way of doing things, so they didn't ask any more questions.
In a blink of an eye, Luffy had already shot out like a small deer, shouting excitedly, "Let's go, let's go—I'm going to see if there's anything good to eat!"
"Hey! Don't run off again! Last time on Cocoyasi Island, you swiped the mayor's dried mangoes!!!" Ace roared as he chased after him.
"I was just helping to taste-test them!"
The figures of the two brothers gradually disappeared down the forest path amidst their bickering. Roy shook his head with a light laugh and slowly followed, his figure stretched long by the sun, disappearing into the faint light of the rustling leaves. The wind was still blowing, and in the distance, smoke curled up from the village, peaceful and serene.
Syrup Village, Village Center
The sun fell on the clean and tidy stone path, the air filled with the fresh scent of grass and laundry soap. In front of a few red-tiled, white-walled bungalows, an old tree provided a thick shade, and laughter could be heard from under it.
"—And then, I charged into Marine Headquarters all by myself!"
His goggles reflecting the sunlight, a 12-year-old Usopp stood in the center with his hands on his hips, his expression excited, his voice high-pitched, his curly afro trembling slightly, his entire being as if he were performing a one-man hero play. "Three hundred Marines charged at me, and I shouted—'Stand down!'" He suddenly waved his hand, his movements so exaggerated he almost kicked himself. "I took them down one by one with my fists!!! The scene, the entire sea was trembling!"
The three little ones below him—Piiman, Tamanegi, and Ninjin—had stars in their eyes.
"Wow—!!! Captain Usopp is invincible!"
"Did you also kick over a warship?"
"Are you stronger than the legendary great pirates?"
Usopp was proud. Just as he was about to add some more embellishments, his gaze inadvertently swept over to a village woman who was hanging out laundry in the distance, and his volume immediately increased by eight decibels. "That's right, that's right! I am the brave warrior of the sea, Usopp! And today is no different—I am working hard to protect the peace!!!" After speaking, he suddenly ran three laps, then fell to the ground with a "thud," clutching his chest and pretending to be exhausted.
The three little ones were so scared they ran around in circles. "Captain Usopp, don't die on us—!"
And not far away, under the shade of a tree, three figures silently watched this scene. "This guy..." Ace's mouth twitched, and he pointed to his head. "Is there... something wrong with him up here?"
"Hahahahaha!" Luffy was already bent over with laughter. "I used to tell grandma that I had defeated an entire gang of mountain bandits when I was a kid. This person is so interesting!!"
Roy didn't speak. His gaze fell on Usopp's face—that face that was trying hard to look proud, the corners of its mouth lifted. "So this is the 'King of Snipers,' Usopp..."
"The son of Yasopp of the Red-Haired Pirates."
"His father abandoned his mother and son to become a pirate. His mother died early from illness, and he grew up alone... a child who uses 'lies' every day to tell himself that he still has courage..."
Suddenly, Usopp, who was messing around with the three little ones, froze. He felt a massive shadow quietly covering him. "C-Captain... behind you..." Piiman's mouth was open, and he pointed a hand behind him.
"Wh-what's wrong? Why do you guys have such an exaggerated expression—" Usopp mechanically turned his head, his head slowly turning. And then he saw it—a tall man, with black military boots, wearing a Vice Admiral's Justice cape, his gaze calm, was standing behind him with his hands behind his back.
"A M-Ma... Marine?!!"
"Ahhhhhh!!!"
His face instantly turned pale, his legs went weak, his goggles slid off, his eyes were wide, and his jaw dropped with a "clack." "I was wrong—I'm not a pirate!!!" he wailed, collapsing to the ground and kowtowing, his survivalist screams echoing through the entire village. "I was just bragging! I was just bragging! I've never fought a Marine!!!"
Roy: "..."
Ace was shaking from trying to hold back his laughter and patted Luffy's shoulder. "Were you this pathetic when you were a kid?"
Luffy was already lying on the ground, laughing. "Wuhahahahaha—he's so much like me!!!"
Usopp was lying on the ground, crying his eyes out, snot and tears everywhere. Piiman and the others were also huddled together in fear, thinking the Marines had come to arrest "Lord Usopp." And just then, Roy slowly knelt down. Usopp was holding his head, waiting for the "fist of justice" to fall, but he heard a light laugh. "You're just a brave kid who hasn't learned how to 'tell the truth' yet."
Hearing this, Usopp was stunned, his snot still on his face, his face a mixture of terror and surprise. "I... I'm not a real pirate..." his voice trembled but held a hint of grievance.
Roy did not make a move but just quietly looked at him, the authority in his eyes gone, replaced by a hint of inquiry. "What's your name?" Roy asked, his tone flat.
"U-Usopp..." he answered, trembling.
"Is that so?" A glint appeared in Roy's eyes, and he repeated lightly, "Usopp... the 'brave warrior of the sea'?"
Usopp's eyes widened, and he looked at him in surprise. "You-you heard that?!"
Roy didn't answer but just lowered his gaze to his tightly clenched little fists. At some point, they had been soaked with sweat, his knuckles white, but he still hadn't let go. "Usopp, do you know what a real 'pirate' means?"
....
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