Our small boat slid onto the beach with a soft scrape, the hull meeting sand under the clear morning sun. With Nami guiding us, the journey had gone surprisingly well. No detours. No arguing about direction. No Luffy randomly steering us toward sea monsters. Just a peaceful, quiet sail.
It was… suspiciously smooth.
I was about to step off when a sudden thwack hit Luffy square in the face.
"What the—?"
More marbles came flying through the air, pelting him one after another.
"Ow! Hey, cut it out!" Luffy shouted as he ducked, arms flailing.
Then came the loud, theatrical voice from the nearby slope.
"I am the Great Pirate Fleet Leader, Captain Usopp!" The voice rang with false pride and overwhelming confidence.
I turned to see a lanky young man standing proudly with his chest puffed out, nose pointed to the sky like a royal decree had been issued. A slingshot dangled from his belt, and behind him peeked three younger kids who were clearly his 'crew.'
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I stared at him quietly for a moment, my thoughts wandering.
In response, a couple more marbles sailed toward him, but he held his ground. Watching him, a thought occurred to me: this kid might just be the most human of the lot. He was cowardly, yes, but feebly brave—he lied, he joked, and he dreamed. He cared about his crew, his ship… and most of all, about Merry, the ship gifted to him by Kaya. His loyalty wasn't forced; it was genuine.
"Alex… Mossi-Mossi, Alex-kun! We're going to the restaurant!" Nami's hand came down on my shoulder, startling me out of my thoughts.
"Huh?" I blinked. "Sorry. Got caught up in his face."
I leaned closer to Luffy and whispered, "Doesn't his face remind you of someone?"
Luffy tilted his head. "Yassop?"
"Exactly."
"You know my pops too?" Usopp narrowed his eyes, now suspicious.
I laughed lightly. "So he is your father. Makes sense now. The resemblance is uncanny."
Luffy quickly took over the conversation, talking animatedly about how he met Yassop on Shanks's crew. Usopp's guarded expression melted into one of childlike wonder and excitement as the two fell into easy chatter.
Before long, Usopp excused himself. "Gotta go visit Kaya. I stop by every day. She's sick, and I help keep her spirits up."
We nodded, watching him jog down the path out of view.
Moments later, the sound of small feet came marching up the slope. Usopp's three juniors stood in a line, fists balled and faces serious.
"Hey! Pirates!" One of them yelled. "What did you do to our captain?!"
Zoro glanced at Luffy, who had just finished stuffing his mouth with grilled fish. With a smirk, Zoro said, "We ate him."
"Yum!" Luffy added cheerfully, licking his fingers.
The three kids screamed in terror. "MONSTERS!"
Nami facepalmed. "You two are hopeless."
Zoro and I burst out laughing, and even Nami couldn't help the corner of her lips tugging upward.
After things cooled down, three juniors finally took them to Kaya's house.
"Luffy, I think I will go back to the boat. I will come back during the evening." I turned around and left, which surprised them.
I was actively trying to avoid these scenarios because each of them is interconnected to finally have the battle with Captain Kuro. Because if I actively help them with this beginner mob, then I would waste their growth and potential.
"Hey, why is he returning to the boat? Don't tell me he is after the treasure?" Nami shouted as she covered her head with her hands.
"Calm down, Nami! He is just like this. Besides, he won't take your treasures and run away." Zoro stopped her and shook his head. At this moment, Luffy was already stretching himself to enter Kaya's house.
I silently returned to the boat.
•••
I leaned against the mast, arms folded as I watched the village from the deck. The faint breeze carried laughter and the distant echo of Usopp's theatrical storytelling. I couldn't help but smile. These moments—they're the kind that shape people.
But as my smile faded, I turned my gaze to the horizon. The Grand Line.
For now, the Straw Hats are safe. The enemies in East Blue are loud and dangerous in their own ways, but nothing beyond what these three—soon four—can handle.
But beyond that? Beyond Reverse Mountain?
The New World will eat them alive.
They won't just face pirates with cutlasses and bad attitudes. There are warlords with monsters at their command. Devil Fruits that rewrite the rules of combat. Admirals that bend nature itself. Yonko who could wage war against entire nations and win.
And my crew… They have heart, they have drive—but no one's taught them Haki. They don't even know it exists.
Should I teach them?
If I teach them that, then the plot will diverge to something I can't control.
Control, huh? Maybe it might be enjoyable to see something I can't control.
~~~
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