"Hahaha! You're so interesting."
Faced with Luffy's meaningful smile, Usopp suddenly felt a wave of humiliated rage.
"Hey! You brat, don't look down on me! I am the proud Captain Usopp!" As he spoke, he violently pulled back the band of his slingshot, the rubber stretched taut, aiming directly at Luffy below.
"You saw it just now, right? My slingshot is more accurate than a pistol! If you take one more step, I won't be polite!"
Usopp's hands trembled slightly as he made a show of being ready to fire. However, facing the black void of the slingshot's aim, Luffy didn't show the slightest intention of dodging.
He simply raised his hand and pressed down on the straw hat atop his head. The shadow cast by the brim obscured his eyes, making his expression unreadable.
But the aura around him changed in an instant.
"Since you've drawn your weapon, you'd better be ready to bet your life on it..." Luffy's voice was low and calm, but it carried a bone-chilling coldness.
Usopp's face turned pale at the sudden pressure. He instinctively took a half-step back. "What... what are you talking about... what life..."
Luffy slowly raised his head. Those large eyes, usually filled with laughter, now flickered with an intimidating light. "I'm saying, this thing isn't a toy for scaring people."
"Hmph."
Beside him, Zoro immediately caught on to Luffy's intent. He let out a predatory smirk and pushed his thumb against his sword hilt. Wado Ichimonji slid out an inch, its cold steel gleaming sharply. "That's right, kid. The people standing in front of you are real pirates."
The killing intent radiating from Zoro pressed against the cliff like something physical. "Since you've raised your weapon, does that mean you're challenging us?"
Viktor also stood with his hands in his pockets, looking at the sweat-drenched Usopp with a playful smile. "Oh my, how interesting. Is the war starting?"
"Ugh... ah..." Usopp was sweating bullets. His hand holding the slingshot began to shake uncontrollably, his teeth chattering.
These three guys... they were completely different from the thugs he'd seen before! This was the scent of people who had truly survived slaughter! This was the aura of real pirates!
Nami, watching from behind, let out a helpless sigh and rubbed her forehead. "One after another... what are they even doing?"
Finally, clack.
Usopp couldn't withstand the terrifying pressure emanating from the trio. The slingshot fell to the ground, and he sank to his knees at the edge of the cliff, cold sweat soaking his back. "R-really... the aura of real pirates is something else..."
Seeing Usopp scared out of his wits, Luffy's stern face finally broke.
"Shishishishi!!" Luffy instantly lost his cool, clutching his stomach and pointing at Usopp while laughing hysterically.
Zoro also retracted his killing intent, leaning against a rock and laughing along. Viktor, watching this classic scene from the original story, offered a nostalgic smile.
"Eh?" Usopp's expression of despair froze. He stared blankly at the three men laughing in a pile below. "W-what?"
"I was just using what I learned!" Luffy wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. "Those are the exact words of the pirate I respect most—Shanks!"
"Sh-Shanks?!" Usopp's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "You said Shanks? You know the Great Pirate, Red-Haired Shanks?!"
"Of course I do!" Luffy puffed out his chest proudly. "Oh, that's right, looking at your face reminded me—is your dad Yasopp?"
"WHAAAT?!!"
The shock was too much. Usopp's foot slipped, and he shrieked as he tumbled right off the cliff.
Thud!
Luckily, it was sandy below. Usopp landed face-first, but he ignored the pain, scrambling on all fours to get right in Luffy's face.
While Luffy and Usopp were having their family reunion, Nami leaned over to Viktor and nudged him with her elbow. "Hey, Viktor. That name 'Shanks' sounds familiar. Is he famous?"
Viktor glanced at her, saying nonchalantly, "He's alright. He's one of the four emperors standing at the peak of the Grand Line. They call him 'Red-Haired' Shanks."
"The... THE FOUR EMPERORS OF THE GRAND LINE?!!" Nami's mouth hung open. That idiot Luffy actually knew someone of that caliber? "Is... is that Shanks really that strong?"
Viktor rubbed his chin, talking absolute nonsense with a straight face. "Eh, he's probably just a little bit weaker than me."
"..." Nami's face went dark, a vein popping on her forehead. "What kind of rubbish are you saying now!!"
She took a deep breath, deciding not to argue with this narcissist, and held her hand out in front of him. "Viktor! Give me the keys to the ship's hold! You guys go reminisce, I'm going back to the ship to get some Berries and head to town for supplies!"
Viktor looked at the fair hand and smirked. "Mm. No."
"Huh?!" Nami was about to blow up, but even as he said "no," Viktor pulled out a ring of keys and tossed them in an arc to her.
"Make sure to get plenty. We have a lot to buy." Viktor turned and waved his hand dismissively.
Nami caught the keys, her expression faltering. She looked at the heavy keys in her hand, then at Viktor's back. Her gaze became complicated.
This guy... he knows I only stayed for the money, yet he hands me the keys to the treasure vault so easily? Is he really that stupid, or...
"Fine, I got it," Nami muttered, clutching the keys tightly.
Viktor looked at the group chatting happily ahead and clapped his hands. "Hey, Luffy, stop talking. It's almost dark. Let's go to the village to eat."
Luffy's ears perked up, and he immediately jumped for joy. "Ah! I almost forgot about the meat! I want meat!!" With that, he bolted toward the village, leaving a trail of dust.
"Hey! You don't even know the way!!" Usopp yelled in shock, scrambling up to chase him. "Wait for me! Hey! That's someone's house!"
"Ah! Luffy, don't run so fast!" Zoro could only yell helplessly and follow.
Half an hour later, in a small restaurant in Syrup Village.
Munch munch... "So good! This meat is amazing!" Luffy gripped a giant bone with meat on it, his mouth stuffed full and dripping with grease.
Usopp sat beside him, asking excitedly, "Really?! My old man is really on Shanks' ship!"
"Yeah, definitely," Luffy swallowed. "You look exactly like him, so I guessed it the moment I saw you."
"Really? That's great! My dad... he's actually on such an incredible ship!" Usopp's face was flushed red, his eyes shining with pride. For years, he'd endured the village's cold shoulders because his father left to be a pirate. But knowing his father was a truly great pirate finally lifted the weight off his chest.
"Mmm..." Zoro let out a satisfied sigh after a large gulp of beer. "Pah! Good ale! Drinking on land really is the best."
Nami sat next to Viktor, eating happily. Despite the things on her mind, she couldn't resist the food. Hearing Luffy's words, she looked up and studied Usopp's face curiously. "Look exactly alike? Does... does that Yasopp have a nose just as long?"
Luffy reached for the last piece of meat on Zoro's plate and nodded. "Ah, yeah. Well, Yasopp's nose wasn't quite this long... but his dad's marksmanship is truly incredible, shishishi."
"Hey! That meat is mine!" Zoro smacked Luffy's hand with a chopstick. "Ow, that hurt." "Then let go, you bastard!"
Nami watched the rowdy scene and couldn't help but let out a relaxed smile. This group, though they seemed unreliable, was certainly fun.
"Ah, it's so oily. Hey, Viktor, that apple in front of you looks good..." Nami wanted to ask Viktor to pass the fruit to refresh her palate. However, before she could finish...
"Here."
Viktor's hand was a blur. He grabbed the bright red apple and, with lightning speed, stuffed it directly into Nami's open mouth.
"MMMPH—!!!"
Nami's eyes widened to the size of saucers. Her mouth was completely blocked by the apple, allowing only muffled protests.
"You're welcome, Miss Navigator. Eating more fruit is good for your skin." Viktor retracted his hand with a smile, hiding his glory and fame.
"MM-PH!! YOU BASTARD VIKTOR!!"
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