Usopp and Luffy held their breath as they peered through the gaps in the bushes.
Ahead of them, Klahadore was meeting with several suspicious-looking men dressed as sailors.
Both of them recognized what they really were.
Pirates.
How could Klahadore possibly be associating with pirates?
Usopp's strength in the original story might not have been overwhelming, but he had always possessed an almost uncanny instinct. His hunches were frighteningly accurate.
He had to find out what they were planning.
"Cap..."
A burly man wearing heart-shaped glasses had barely opened his mouth before Klahadore shot him a vicious glare.
"Call me Butler Klahadore. Jango, if you can't keep that mouth of yours shut, I'll kill you."
Kuro adjusted his glasses and coldly swept his gaze over his own crew. Killing intent flashed through his eyes for a brief moment.
"Never forget who I am while I'm here."
"Y... Yes... Butler Klahadore."
Jango hurriedly corrected himself before his excitement returned.
"So when do we make our move, Captain?!"
"As soon as I shout 'One, two, three,' Jango, you'll turn everyone into fearless warriors! One, tw..."
The other pirates eagerly chimed in, rubbing their hands together in anticipation.
Klahadore raised a hand to stop them.
"No. The plan needs to change."
"After observing this village for the past few years, I've found one troublesome obstacle."
He paused, a trace of caution creeping into his voice.
"That boy named Usopp."
"He's not only Yasopp's son, but his skills and awareness far exceed those of an ordinary person. As long as he's here, a direct assault carries too much risk."
"And don't underestimate him. He's stronger than he looks."
"So what do we do?" one pirate asked.
"His strength isn't the problem."
Kuro smiled calmly.
"His weakness is his attachment to the people around him."
"We simply lure him away... or..."
A cruel smile spread across his face.
"I'll take Miss Kaya hostage."
"As long as she's in our hands, that lovestruck fool won't dare act recklessly."
"He may even become our sharpest weapon."
"He'll clear away every obstacle for us and help keep the villagers under control."
The truth was that ever since Kuro had begun fearing Usopp, he had spent years devising ways to eliminate him.
He had dozens of plans.
Not a single one resembled another.
Hidden in the bushes, Usopp's pupils shrank.
Rage exploded through his body.
They wanted to hurt Kaya.
Use Kaya.
No one was allowed to lay a finger on Kaya.
That was the final straw.
They actually intended to threaten him by using her.
His anger shattered every trace of restraint.
"Whoosh!"
A specially made projectile ripped through the air before detonating directly above Kuro's group.
BOOM!
The explosion didn't scatter.
Instead, the flames twisted together into the roaring head of a blazing dragon that charged straight toward Kuro with scorching heat.
Hidden nearby, Ritter watched with sparkling eyes.
Wow...
Kuro reacted instantly.
He leaped backward while crossing both arms in front of himself.
The flaming dragon smashed into the ground where he had been standing, leaving behind a charred crater.
As the smoke slowly cleared...
Usopp stood several meters away, slingshot in hand, his eyes as cold as ice.
Luffy stood beside him, curiously observing everything.
"Butler Klahadore..."
Usopp's voice was filled with suppressed fury.
"No."
"What should I call you?"
"Who exactly are you?"
"I think you owe me an explanation for everything I just heard."
Caught completely off guard by both the attack and the accusation, Klahadore instinctively took half a step backward.
But he quickly regained his composure.
This was exactly the situation he had hoped to avoid.
He looked directly at Usopp.
"Young Master Usopp, you've misunderstood."
"Since this is technically our first proper meeting..."
"Allow me to introduce myself."
"My name is Kuro."
"Captain of the Black Cat Pirates."
"I believe you've heard my name before."
"Ah, young lady..."
Kuro casually adjusted his glasses.
"So... you overheard everything."
"Very well."
"I'll be honest."
"We do intend to take the wealth belonging to Miss Kaya's family."
"I'm tired of life at sea."
"I want to live a life of comfort and respect."
"One final job, and I'll retire."
He smiled faintly before continuing.
"And you, Usopp."
"Think about your mother."
"Mrs. Banchina's health has never been good, has it?"
"With this fortune, she could receive the finest treatment."
"She could buy the most precious medicines."
"She would never have to worry about food, clothing, or money again."
"She could live a long and healthy life."
"So..."
"Why don't we work together?"
"It benefits both of us."
He deliberately targeted the person Usopp cared about most.
He knew exactly where Usopp's greatest weakness lay.
Usopp simply stared at him.
His face remained expressionless.
No anger.
No hesitation.
He simply watched Kuro quietly, almost curiously, as if wondering what ridiculous thing he would say next.
Mistaking that silence for hesitation, Kuro pressed on.
"Think carefully, Usopp."
"What has protecting this village ever earned you?"
"A few joking titles like 'Captain'..."
"And the shallow respect of a handful of ignorant villagers."
"Wealth."
"Power."
"Those are the only things that truly matter."
"Work with us."
"You'll save your mother."
"And you'll gain..."
He never finished the sentence.
Whoosh! BOOM!
Another flaming dragon projectile screamed through the air.
This time, it narrowly grazed Kuro's face.
The scorching heat burned his skin, while several strands of his hair were instantly singed away.
The dragon burst apart overhead, scattering sparks like the furious breath of a real dragon.
"Shut up."
Usopp's voice was icy and unwavering.
It completely cut off Kuro's attempt at temptation.
"When my mother was sick..."
"Aunt Wang ran all night to the neighboring village to bring back a doctor."
"When I was injured while hunting..."
"Uncle Li gave me the meat his family couldn't bear to eat so I could recover."
"The work in our fields..."
"My mother and I were never the only ones doing it."
With every sentence, his grip on the slingshot tightened.
"The kindness this village has shown my family..."
"How could someone like you, who only knows how to scheme in the shadows, ever understand it?"
Kuro's expression darkened.
Those words struck somewhere he didn't want to remember.
He had always believed himself to be kinder than Usopp.
More dependable.
More capable.
Yet somehow, no matter what he did, the villagers always trusted Usopp more than him.
It had to be because of Usopp.
Why?
He pushed up his glasses, trying to regain control of the conversation.
"How childish."
"What are those tiny acts of kindness worth compared to real wealth and power?"
"Trivial?" Usopp laughed.
"In my heart..."
"Those 'trivial' acts of kindness..."
"Are worth ten thousand times more than all the gold you're after."
"If you want to lay a hand on Kaya..."
"If you want to hurt anyone in this village..."
He drew back his slingshot.
The custom ammunition gleamed dangerously beneath the sunlight.
"You'll have to ask Captain Usopp's slingshot for permission first!"
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