Ritter's small speedboat was hidden behind a reef not far from the coast of Syrup Village.
He watched the movements on the island with great interest.
He wasn't in a hurry to go ashore.
He had more or less managed to catch up with the main storyline.
Although, because of his existence, the main storyline no longer seemed to hold quite as much authority as it once had.
Ritter wanted to see how the story would naturally unfold in a world he had influenced, even if only to varying degrees.
Naturally, he also wanted to see what Usopp had become after growing up with both a father and a mother.
Put simply...
Ritter's entertainment-loving nature had awakened.
Before, he had become a wind that influenced the world.
Now, he wanted to see exactly how much the wind he had created had changed the world.
His Observation Haki spread out like an invisible web, gently covering the outer edges of the island and sensing the flow of life within it.
Luffy's little boat had yet to reach the shore.
Life on the island continued as normal.
But Luffy's pirate ship had already been spotted.
...
At the edge of a dense forest, a figure emerged with nimble steps.
A fat wild boar was slung over his shoulder.
His skin was a healthy wheat-brown, and the muscles in his arms and chest were clearly defined.
Compared to the lanky, skinny liar from the original story, this Usopp was obviously much stronger and sturdier.
It was Usopp.
He hummed a terribly off-key tune as he walked cheerfully toward the village.
"Usopp! Back from hunting already?"
A middle-aged man working in the fields straightened his back and greeted him with a smile.
"Yep! I had a pretty good haul today!"
Usopp shifted the wild boar on his shoulder and grinned brightly.
"Look at you, Usopp! Banchina really did raise herself an impressive son."
"It's nothing, Auntie Wang."
"Oh, Usopp! Are you rushing over to Kaya's house to deliver the meat?"
A passing woman winked at him teasingly.
Usopp's face instantly turned bright red.
He looked like a ripe tomato.
"N... No! I'm going home first!"
"It just happens to be on the way!"
"That's all!"
"Hahahaha! I wonder who used to climb that tree beside Kaya's house every single day just to peek at her bedroom window!"
Another villager joined in the teasing.
"Usopp is usually such an honest boy."
"But the moment Kaya is involved, he suddenly becomes so shy~"
Kind laughter echoed through the air.
Usopp's ears turned red.
He stammered and tried to argue back, but he couldn't find the right words.
In the end, he could only quicken his pace and hurry home.
The villagers burst into another round of friendly laughter.
This atmosphere, where the entire village teased him with nothing but kindness, was completely different from the original story.
There, Usopp had often been treated like nothing more than a loudmouthed liar.
Just then, his three little followers, Onion, Carrot, and Pepper, came running over breathlessly.
Their faces were filled with panic.
"C... Captain!"
"Something's wrong!"
"There is a pirate ship!"
"It's heading toward our village!"
The embarrassment instantly vanished from Usopp's face.
His eyes became sharp.
Unlike the original story, he did not panic.
Instead, he quickly calmed himself and gave a serious order.
"I know!"
"You three, get back to the village immediately!"
"Tell everyone not to go near the coast for now."
"But don't make a big scene. We don't want to cause a panic."
"Just say that I'm testing some new gunpowder."
"Then go tell the village chief that pirates are coming."
"Chief Merry will know what to do."
"I'll go take a look at the situation first!"
"Yes, Captain!"
The three little boys trusted Usopp completely.
They immediately turned around and ran back toward the village.
Usopp, meanwhile, spun around and sprinted toward his own home.
He burst through the door.
With practiced movements, he dragged a wooden chest out from beneath his bed.
Inside was his carefully crafted giant slingshot, Kuro Kabuto, along with several rows of specially made ammunition filled with various powders and sharp iron nails.
"Usopp, what happened?"
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
His mother, Banchina, who was in far better health than in the original story, poked her head out of the kitchen and asked worriedly.
Her complexion was still a little pale.
But her eyes were bright.
With Yasopp returning regularly and Usopp taking such careful care of her, her body had been well-nourished over the years.
It wasn't that Ritter's medical skills had failed.
Banchina's body had simply been incredibly frail from the beginning.
Ritter had repaired the cracked bottle.
But he had never been able to pour an endless amount of life force into something so fragile.
When Ritter's life force had been present, Banchina's complexion had naturally been rosy.
As that life force gradually faded, she had returned to her current condition.
But for a family that had once been on the verge of being completely broken apart...
This was undoubtedly a minor problem.
Usopp instantly switched to a smile.
He gave his mother an incredibly bright grin.
"It's nothing, Mom!"
"I just saw what looked like a really huge fish near the coast!"
"I'm going to go catch it and bring it back!"
"I'll make you a nice soup tonight to help you build up your strength!"
He even exaggeratedly gestured with his hands.
"It was this big!"
"There'll be enough for us to eat for several days!"
"Really?"
Banchina's eyes lit up.
"That sounds wonderful!"
"Our Usopp is the greatest hunter in the village now!"
"Mom will wait for your good news."
"But be careful and come home early, alright?"
She reached out and gently straightened Usopp's slightly messy curls.
That familiar, affectionate gesture immediately calmed his heart.
"I know! Don't worry, Mom!"
Usopp nodded firmly.
Feeling his mother's unconditional trust, his sense of responsibility grew even stronger.
At the same time, a greater courage surged through him.
He no longer hesitated.
Usopp grabbed his equipment, threw it over his back, and strode out of the house.
Banchina watched her son's hurried yet determined back disappear through the doorway.
The warm smile on her face slowly faded.
She walked over to the window.
Her eyes turned toward the coastline.
Her fingers unconsciously tightened around her apron.
Of course she knew it couldn't possibly be a big fish.
The panicked expressions of Onion, Carrot, and Pepper...
And the seriousness Usopp had tried to hide but had still allowed to show...
Everything pointed to an unexpected visitor.
Most likely...
Pirates.
It was always like this.
Either it was a big fish...
Or he was testing some new gunpowder.
Her silly son had always thought he was doing a perfect job of hiding things.
Banchina's heart tightened.
As the wife of a pirate, she understood all too well how cruel and dangerous the sea could be.
But she had also watched her son grow with her own eyes.
Under his father's occasional guidance and the love of the villagers, Usopp had slowly changed.
He had gone from a little boy who loved to brag...
Into a brave, responsible young man whom everyone trusted.
Yasopp had once placed a hand on Usopp's head.
He had looked at Banchina proudly and said:
"Our son has a warrior's blood in his veins."
"He'll grow into an incredible man."
Banchina let out a soft sigh.
"He can do it..."
She murmured quietly, as if trying to convince herself.
"My Usopp has grown up."
"He's going to protect this village."
"He's going to protect the people he cares about."
----------------------------------
Hooked already? Let me know what grabbed you leave a review and fuel the journey forward! and if we hit every 250 Power Stones, a bonus chapter drops!
Things are just heating up. Read ahead in Unbound Evolution and stay ahead of the crowd.
[email protected]/_tey
Change @ to a.