Early the next morning.
As the blazing sun rose once again, just as it had for billions of years, its warm rays spilled across the earth, tearing through the night's quiet and breathing new life into the world.
"Mm～..."
Usopp slowly stirred from his dreams, blinking groggily as he rubbed his throbbing head. Still half-asleep, he squinted around, trying to make sense of his surroundings.
"Wha… where is this…?"
He stared at the ship's railing and the wooden planks beneath him, the unfamiliar environment completely different from what he remembered, filling him with confusion.
"You're awake, Mr. Usopp!"
Koby, who had been scrubbing the deck, stopped his work and smiled, lifting his mop in greeting.
"Ah… it's you, Koby…"
Usopp glanced around once more, still puzzled.
"Wait, did we… already set sail?"
"Of course not! Hahaha…"
Seeing Usopp's dazed expression, Koby couldn't help recalling his ridiculous antics from yesterday.
He accidentally burst into laughter, then quickly forced it down, clearing his throat before explaining.
"We're still at the harbor near Syrup Village. This ship was a gift from Miss Kaya."
"It's called the Going Merry!"
"Kaya?"
Usopp looked at Koby in surprise, then turned his gaze toward the ship's ram-shaped figurehead.
Just then, a familiar voice called out.
"You're awake, Usopp!"
Luffy emerged from the cabin and spotted Koby talking with Usopp. He grinned and walked over.
Before Usopp could respond, Luffy asked Koby,
"How's everything going, Koby?"
Koby immediately stood at attention like a soldier reporting to his superior.
"The seventh round of cleaning is complete, Captain Luffy! We're ready to set sail at any time!"
"Good work, Koby."
"It's nothing, Luffy-sama…"
Blushing at the praise, Koby scratched the back of his neck and looked down shyly.
"Alright, alright… you've already done plenty for everyone. You don't have to be so shy about it. You deserve everyone's thanks.
You really should try fixing that habit."
Luffy sighed helplessly at Koby's bashfulness, which still hadn't changed despite all their time together.
Then he turned to Usopp, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Koby, go call everyone over. We're holding the new crewmate initiation ceremony!"
"Huh? You mean that, Captain Luffy?"
"That's right! That one!"
"Y-yes, right away!"
With that, Koby dashed off in a flash to gather the others scattered across the port.
Only Luffy and Usopp remained, staring at each other in silence.
The quiet stretched on.
Finally, Usopp couldn't hold back his curiosity any longer.
"Uh… Luffy… this 'initiation ceremony' you're talking about, what is it exactly?"
Luffy gave a mischievous smile, refusing to explain.
"You'll find out soon enough…"
========
"Here, Luffy? You're holding it here?"
Zoro glanced around the area near the Going Merry, scanning the coast.
Nami, on the other hand, was practically bouncing with excitement.
"Anywhere's fine! Let's just get started already!"
From the look on her face, one might have thought she was the one being celebrated.
Ever since Nami saw Koby's "Heroic Mop" ability, she'd been looking forward to this moment.
And since, in her eyes, Usopp was even more ridiculous than Koby…
She was dying to see what kind of "gift" Luffy would give him.
Just the thought of it made her grin.
========
Now surrounded by everyone in a loose circle, Usopp blinked in confusion, not understanding what was happening. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore.
"Uh… Luffy, what's going on here?"
Wasn't this supposed to be an initiation ceremony? Why were they just standing around him like this?
Don't tell me… the Starry Sky Pirates' initiation ritual is just everyone surrounding you and judging you?
What a terrifying ceremony!
Luffy smiled faintly and said,
"It's nothing strange. Every member of the Starry Sky Pirates receives a special gift when they join.
And now… it's time to give you yours."
He stepped forward, meeting Usopp's eyes directly.
Under everyone's gaze, Luffy reached into his system's inventory and drew out Usopp's unique item,
A strange, glowing blue sphere.
"Here… it's yours now."
For once, Luffy's voice was calm and serious.
Because the moment the orb containing the power of the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception appeared, the entire world seemed to shift.
The surroundings suddenly fell silent.
Not just the crew, everything.
It was as if all of existence was holding its breath, half in fear, half in reverence, and half in something else entirely.
Time felt like it was flowing, yet it also seemed to have stopped.
The wind froze.
The clouds sank.
Even the weeds and stones seemed to retreat, hiding themselves away as if they were afraid to lose something precious.
And yet… the faint pulse of life could still be felt everywhere.
That eerie sensation pressed down on everyone's hearts.
In that instant, they all realized, whatever Luffy had brought out this time… was different.
"Usopp, place it between your eyebrows."
Luffy's voice rang out clearly, but even so, the air around them remained eerily still, untouched by his words.
Usopp, beads of cold sweat running down his forehead, accepted the energy sphere with trembling hands.
Even someone as inexperienced as him could feel the terrifying power within it.
Let alone Robin and the others, whose Observation Haki was already quite advanced, each of them could sense the oppressive force radiating from the orb.
Even Luffy himself had worn an unusually serious expression when he took it out.
There was no mistaking it, this was something far from ordinary.
Slowly, Usopp lifted the orb and pressed it between his brows.
A flash of light, so quiet it seemed to silence the world itself, burst forth.
And then, just as suddenly, everything returned to normal.
The wind blew. The clouds rolled. The trees and grass swayed once more.
Everyone's tense hearts finally eased.
Even Luffy exhaled softly in relief.
So that was the causal-law energy… released by the weapon.
He thought to himself, remembering the strange sensation from just moments ago.
========
Usopp, however, stood there motionless.
His head tilted slightly upward, eyes blank and lifeless, arms hanging limply by his sides, like a puppet whose strings had been cut.
Had they not known this was a normal side effect of using a unique item, everyone would've thought he'd suffered some kind of unbearable mental attack.
At that very moment, a group of newcomers arrived.
"Usopp!!!"
"Captain Usopp!!!"
Kaya and the three little kids from Usopp's Pirate Crew came running up from the distance.
When they saw Luffy and the others gathered around Usopp, they quickened their pace, curiosity turning to alarm the instant they saw his vacant expression.
"Usopp!! What happened to you?!"