Usopp had been ambushed—and with him, the 200 million Berries were stolen.
It happened in just a moment of distraction.
Since Luffy was far too careless, Nami had entrusted the moneybag to Usopp. And while Usopp was carrying the massive fortune and wandering around the shipyard, he was suddenly attacked by the Franky Family.
When news of the incident spread, Luffy immediately rushed out to find him. But the first to stumble across Usopp was Nami.
"Usopp! Are you okay? Say something!"
Nami's heart sank as she saw him, battered, bruised, and unconscious.
No matter how she called out, Usopp did not respond. His clothes were torn, his nose and mouth bleeding—signs of a one-sided beating.
Although he bore a bounty of 10 million Berries, that was only because he had fought alongside Luffy and Zoro. In truth, his physical strength was little better than that of a somewhat trained civilian.
"Usopp! Usopp!"
Even as a crowd of onlookers gathered, Nami shouted desperately.
Then, a voice came from the crowd.
"Hey, are you guys… pirates?"
"What are you staring at!? Someone's hurt—don't just stand there!" Nami snapped furiously at the bystanders, who merely watched instead of helping.
Still, one of them replied coldly, "The Navy's here in town right now. If you're pirates, we'll report you."
Navy…?
The word made Nami's blood run cold. She tried to haul Usopp onto the sea horse to flee, but then—
"Na… Nami… Leave me. I'll find a place to hide. I can't drag everyone down any further. You… you need to get back to Merry…"
"Usopp…"
"Tch… we finally had enough to repair her. We finally had a chance to set sail again… but because I was too weak… I lost it all. I can't face them… I don't deserve to…"
Tears streaked Usopp's face as he blamed himself. Nami's heart ached, but his stubborn refusal left her with no choice.
"Rest here, Usopp! I'll bring everyone back to you!"
Climbing onto the sea horse, she sped away toward the Going Merry.
Left behind, Usopp struggled to his feet.
Thud!
He collided with a passerby and collapsed.
"Well, well… isn't this the long-nosed boy?"
The man was none other than Vice Admiral Rengoku.
"A Ma… Marine officer…?" Usopp murmured weakly, before losing consciousness again.
...
"Ungh… where am I…?"
When Usopp's eyes fluttered open, he found himself in a private hospital room.
"He only suffered bruises. A period of rest should be enough," a doctor said outside.
"I see. Much appreciated," came a familiar voice.
The door opened.
"Long-nosed boy! Awake at last?"
"Y-You're… a Marine Vice Admiral!? Why…?"
"You collapsed in the street, so I carried you here."
"A… hospital? Wait—how long was I out!?"
"Over an hour, at least."
"No… that's too long! I have to get back to the crew—no, I need to find where the Franky Family is first—"
But as Usopp tried to force himself out of bed, Rengoku stopped him firmly.
"Though they may look like simple bruises, your injuries are far more serious than you think. You should rest and recover," Rengoku said firmly.
"N-No, I can't! Ah—! You're a Marine, aren't you? Please, help me! The Franky Family stole our money—two hundred million Berries!"
Usopp clung to a sliver of hope as he begged Rengoku. From the first time they had met back in Syrup Village, everything Usopp had seen told him this man was someone he could rely on. Surely, he would help.
But Rengoku's response was cold and immediate.
"That is impossible."
"Eh? W-Why!? You're a Marine, aren't you!?"
"By law, extorting money from pirates is not considered a crime. On the contrary, the Franky Family are civilians who dismantle ships. I cannot help you."
The resolute denial crushed Usopp's last shred of hope.
"You may have played at being a pirate back in Syrup Village, but now you bear a bounty. You set sail as a pirate, and yet you never prepared yourself for this kind of consequence?"
"I-I…"
Rengoku's words were harsh—too harsh. And yet, deep down, Usopp knew they were true.
The only reason he wasn't already in chains was because this Marine officer was willing to speak instead of capture him outright. Any other Marine would have dragged him away on the spot. To fall into the Navy's hands was, for a pirate, no different from death.
"There are many ways to sail the seas. Form an adventurer's guild, become a bounty hunter, or take work as an escort for merchant ships," Rengoku said, patting Usopp's shoulder.
"But the moment you chose to become a pirate, you abandoned the protection of the law. Don't expect otherwise. Rest here. Once you recover, I'll have questions about the Straw Hats."
With that, Rengoku left the room.
But Usopp was not the kind of man to give up so easily.
The moment he confirmed his body could still move, he scrambled to the window, slipped outside, and ran into the streets.
His battered frame stumbled forward, step after step, dragging his weary body toward the Franky House.
By the time he arrived, gasping for breath, the place was already a ruin—shattered and torn apart.
Hack! Cough!
His lungs burned, his body trembling with exhaustion.
But when Usopp saw the destruction, a surge of relief and excitement overtook him. Surely this was Luffy's doing. Surely his captain had come.
"Of course… it has to be him," Usopp muttered, tears welling up in his eyes.
Yes, it had to be Luffy!
Their captain must have crushed the Franky Family and reclaimed the 200 million Berries for the Going Merry.
To hell with the Marines and their so-called laws.
His captain—their captain—had done what they needed most.
"Luffy…! You really are… the captain I believe in!"
Usopp's heart surged with pride.
No matter how broken his body felt, excitement drowned out the pain. Limping, staggering, he rushed toward the Going Merry.
And then—
There she was.
The Merry.
His eyes blurred with tears as the familiar ship came into view. Step by step, he forced himself forward.
And in the distance, that unmistakable figure—his captain, wearing his trademark straw hat.
"Luffy…! I knew it! You really are the captain of the Going Merry!"
At last, Usopp believed everything would be alright.
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