Chapter 21 The whole world owes you an Oscar
As Usopp finished speaking from the bushes, the air suddenly froze.
On the beach, Luffy blinked and tilted his head to look at V: "Eighty million subordinates? Really?"
Zoro's lips twitched. "Idiot, it's obvious that's impossible!"
Eighty million people could flatten this small island.
V raised an eyebrow with interest. "Usopp? That saves me the trouble of looking for you."
"Luffy, have you forgotten?" He turned his head and smiled at Luffy. "Didn't Yasopp say he had a son named Usopp?"
"That's right!"
Luffy suddenly slapped his palm, completely oblivious to why V knew all this.
He immediately looked into the depths of the jungle, "Come to think of it, this seems to be the hometown of Yasopp."
"You know my old man?"
rustling—
The edge of the distant jungle suddenly stopped, and then the branches and leaves were violently pushed aside.
Usopp sprang to his feet, his eyes wide open.
"Captain Usopp..." The three little ones clung tightly to Usopp's legs, trembling.
"You...you just said...Yaspa?"
Usopp's voice trembled as he practically tumbled out of his hiding place, forgetting to put down the slingshot he was holding.
"You know my dad?!"
"Of course I know him!"
Luffy grinned, his eyes sparkling beneath his straw hat: "Yasop is the best sniper on Shanks' ship! Super-strong!"
"Shanks?! You mean...Red-haired Shanks!?"
"My dad's on such a powerful ship!?"
Usopp was completely dumbfounded.
He never dreamed that his father, who had gone to sea years ago, would be such a famous guy.
"Don't you usually read the newspaper?!" V raised an eyebrow, his tone tinged with doubt.
As a high-ranking member of the Red-Haired Pirates, Yasopp should theoretically appear in the newspapers once or twice occasionally.
"Uh, this..." Usopp subconsciously wiped the bridge of his nose.
Can he say that he doesn't like reading books and newspapers, and that his favorite books are children's magazines?
"Hahaha..."
Usopp quickly laughed it off to avoid embarrassment.
"Since you are my father's friends and have come to my territory, let me treat you to a good meal!"
Despite Usopp's cowardly and frail appearance in the anime, his physical abilities are actually among the best in the eyes of ordinary people.
He earns a good income by doing odd jobs for the villagers on a regular basis.
"Have a meal!?"
Luffy, like a puppy smelling meat, immediately became interested.
"Okay, okay!"
But V suddenly interrupted:
"Let's skip the meal for now."
Ignoring Luffy's dejected expression, V stepped forward and inquired:
"We still have some things to take care of."
"Usopp, do you know if there's a rich girl named Kaya on this island? Where does she live?"
"Kaya!?"
Usopp was suddenly stunned, and the smile on his face froze instantly.
"Miss Kaya..."
Among the three little ones, Apple Head subconsciously looked in one direction on the island.
But just then, Usopp covered Apple Head's mouth, then looked up and gave V and the others an embarrassed smile:
"Kaya? A rich heiress?"
"How could someone like that appear on such a barren island as ours? You must have come to the wrong place."
As he spoke, he subtly pushed the three little ones with his arm, trying to steer them toward the village, while also moving his feet to create some distance.
"Since you're all busy, I won't bother you any longer."
"I'll treat you to a meal after you're done with your work. Let's keep in touch."
After saying that, he grabbed the three little ones and turned to run back into the village.
"ah..."
Seeing that a delicious meal was gone just like that, Luffy immediately cried out in despair.
Only after Usopp's figure completely disappeared into the forest did he hang his head helplessly.
"What should we do, V?"
"It seems we've come to the wrong place."
"idiot!"
Zoro glanced at Luffy speechlessly.
Nami spread her hands, silently shaking her head and sighing.
Only someone like Luffy would fall for such a simple lie.
Let's go.
At this moment, V smiled slightly, and blue light flowed in his eyes.
In his line of sight, a figure marked with a high saturation was running rapidly toward the interior of the island.
The figure was none other than Usopp, whom he had just met once.
"With Usopp leading the way, we don't need to ask around anymore."
With that, V waved his hand and led the bewildered Luffy, Zoro, and Nami toward Kaya's manor.
...
...
On the hillside behind Xiluobu Village, a magnificent European-style manor stands.
It offers a tranquil escape from the village's hustle and bustle, while also boasting a stunning panoramic view overlooking the entire village and coastline.
The manor is guarded by no fewer than ten bodyguards, who protect it very well.
However, at that moment—
"Tap, tap."
A few pebbles tapped gently on a second-floor glass window, making a crisp and rhythmic sound.
Inside the room, Kaya, who was leaning against the window in a daze, was slightly startled, and then a look of joy quickly appeared in her eyes.
She quickly got up, walked briskly to the window, and pushed open the exquisite carved glass window.
"Usopp!"
Outside the window, afternoon sunlight filters through the leaves, casting dappled patterns of light.
Usopp was standing there, looking anxious.
The beads of sweat on his long nose were particularly noticeable in the sunlight.
"Kaya, something terrible has happened!"
Before Kaya's call could even fade, Usopp shouted urgently:
"Pirates! A group of pirates has come to our island!"
"They're trying to find out about you everywhere, probably because they're after your family's wealth."
"ah?"
Kaya froze, her face turning pale.
"Pirates? Really?"
"I'll have Krabatel contact the Navy right away."
Krabatel was the alias that Baiji Kro used to infiltrate the Kaya family.
"Don't pin your hopes on the navy. Just have someone help you escape from another port on the island!"
Usopp urged impatiently.
Suddenly, a cold and sinister voice rang out:
"Who are you!?"
"What are you going to do to Miss Kaya!?"
Suddenly, a well-dressed, refined man appeared at Kaya's door.
The newcomer was tall and thin, dressed in an impeccably tailored black butler's uniform, wearing a pair of reflective round-framed glasses, and carrying a silver tea tray.
Upon seeing Usopp, he immediately began to yell at him.
"Butler Krabatel…" Kaya tried to explain in a flustered manner, "Usopp was just reminding me…"
"Miss Koya, please step back."
Kro bowed slightly, his tone respectful yet carrying an undeniable air of authority.
"I know this guy; he's the notorious liar of Xirob Village."
"You absolutely must not have too much contact with this kind of bastard who spouts nonsense."
As he spoke, Kro stepped forward, his icy gaze fixed on Usopp.
In fact, he heard every single word Usopp said.
But Kuro thought that Usopp had met the Black Cat Pirates, who hadn't arrived on time.
He wasn't the only butler who had influence in this manor.
In order to successfully acquire the Kaya family's wealth, he must drive Usopp away before anyone else arrives.
"You bastard, get out of here right now!"
"Otherwise, I'll call for help!"
"Wait... Krabatel..."
Usopp was about to say something more, but Kuro slammed the silver plate in his hand down on him.
"Ugh—!"
Caught off guard, Usopp was thrown backward by the impact, slipped, and fell from the nearly two-story-high tree to the ground.
"Usopp!" Kaya's exclamation was cut off by the sound of the wind.
At this critical moment—
"Rubber, rubber—rescue rope!"
An arm suddenly shot out from outside the manor wall, grabbing Usopp's long nose with incredible speed and length, and then pulling him towards the manor's perimeter.
Almost simultaneously, several muffled thuds and exclamations from the bodyguards came from the direction of the manor's ornate iron gate.
Zoro easily knocked down two bodyguards who tried to stop him with the back of his sword, and strode in with V and Nami.
V even had the leisure to nod to the fallen bodyguard: "Sorry to bother you, we're in a hurry."
By the second-floor window, Chloe—or rather, the butler Krabatel—suddenly contracted his pupils behind his glasses, but his gentle, slightly panicked expression remained flawless.
He shouted sternly, "Who are you? How dare you trespass on a private estate! Miss Koya, please step back immediately, these people are dangerous!"
V, however, looked up directly at the second-floor window, a playful smile curving his lips.
"Excellent acting, Captain Crowe." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly to everyone's ears, carrying undisguised teasing and an all-knowing understanding.
"If there were an Oscars, I would definitely award you one."
"You're welcome, you deserve it!"
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