Bardock nodded slowly, not needing to elaborate further. Usopp undeniably possessed the innate talent required for the path of a sniper.
He stepped forward, gently patted Usopp's shoulder, and handed him a small, worn leather-bound booklet. "Here. Take this."
It was a highly simplified, foundational manual for awakening and training Observation Haki, which Bardock had meticulously written specifically with Usopp in mind. Notably, he had completely omitted any instructions regarding Armament Haki.
The physical toll and massive caloric intake required to successfully manifest and train Armament Haki were far too extreme for a malnourished child living entirely on his own. Furthermore, Bardock intentionally didn't give him a massive stack of Belly, either. Dropping a small fortune into the lap of a defenseless orphan was practically a death sentence; it would inevitably attract greedy, violent thugs who would seriously harm him for the money. Knowledge was a far safer, far more valuable gift.
"The absolute greatest snipers navigating the Grand Line must definitively master the specific techniques detailed in that book," Bardock explained gently. "You can study and practice it on your own time. Keep at it. When the day finally comes that you stand before your father, you'll be able to look him in the eye as a true warrior."
Bardock had effectively painted a massive, highly motivating target on Yasopp's back for the young boy to aim for.
Usopp accepted the booklet with both hands, trembling slightly with excitement. He immediately opened it and eagerly began flipping through the pages. However, he quickly looked up at Bardock, his eyes completely glazed over with confusion. The advanced spiritual concepts detailed within were clearly far beyond his current level of comprehension.
"Take it slow. There's no rush," Bardock chuckled. "Now, we need to purchase a massive amount of supplies to restock our ship. Do you know exactly where we can buy wholesale goods in this village?"
"Hmm..." Usopp scratched his chin thoughtfully. "If you guys need a really massive amount, you should probably ask the rich family that lives in the giant mansion right in the center of the village. Otherwise, you'd have to go door-to-door buying out every single tiny mom-and-pop shop we have."
Usopp honestly didn't know much about large-scale commerce, seeing as he was just a kid. However, everyone in the village knew that the family in the massive mansion ran an incredibly wealthy merchant empire and possessed immense authority in the area.
Bardock nodded. "Alright. We'll pay them a visit, then."
"I'll show you the way!" Usopp volunteered eagerly, stepping out in front.
With Usopp happily leading the way, Bardock selected a few of the more friendly-looking crew members (specifically leaving Kid, Killer, and Daz Bonez behind to avoid terrifying the locals) and headed into the heart of the village. The rest of the crew dispersed to explore the island freely.
As they walked through the village, the locals finally began to notice them. Fortunately, because Bardock and his chosen escorts didn't immediately look like bloodthirsty pirates, their presence didn't trigger a massive panic.
It was an incredibly peaceful, idyllic little town. The villagers appeared to live comfortable, quiet lives. There were a decent number of small shops lining the streets, but as Usopp had warned, their individual inventories were far too small to adequately supply a massive galleon like the White Dragon.
Following the winding road, they eventually arrived in front of a sprawling, luxurious estate. This was Kaya's home.
Standing rigidly by the massive iron gates was the butler, Merry, flanked by several armed estate guards. They had spotted Bardock's group casually strolling up the hill from a distance and had taken precautionary positions.
As Bardock approached, Merry stepped forward, maintaining a polite but firm demeanor. "Greetings. May I ask what business you have here? I am Merry, the head butler of this estate. The young Miss is currently unwell and is unfortunately unable to receive guests."
Bardock didn't waste time with pleasantries. He immediately handed Merry a highly detailed procurement list. "Hello, Mr. Merry. My name is Bardock. We are looking to purchase a very large quantity of specific supplies, and we were informed that your estate's merchant company might be able to fulfill the order. We are prepared to pay well above market price."
"This..." Merry took the list, his eyes quickly scanning the requested items. He paused thoughtfully, mentally calculating their warehouse inventory. Realizing it was a highly lucrative and easily fulfilled order, he nodded politely. "This shouldn't be a problem at all, Mr. Bardock. I will immediately dispatch our personnel to begin gathering and loading the supplies."
"Excellent. Thank you," Bardock smiled warmly. "By the way, you mentioned that your young Miss is currently unwell. Would you perhaps require some medical assistance? We happen to employ an incredibly gifted ship doctor, Mansherry. Her medical expertise was honed on the Grand Line."
Bardock intentionally offered the help, genuinely wanting to cure Kaya and save her from years of suffering.
Hearing the words 'Grand Line', Merry's eyes instantly lit up with desperate hope. Over the years, he and Kaya's parents had hired countless renowned doctors from across the East Blue, but none of them had been able to permanently cure her condition. But if this doctor possessed advanced medical knowledge from the Grand Line... perhaps there was a chance.
"Please, wait here for just a moment. I must inform the young Miss," Merry said, bowing quickly.
Although Kaya's parents were away and Kaya herself was still a child, meaning Merry effectively held absolute authority over the household's affairs, he firmly refused to overstep his boundaries. He would offer Kaya his strongest recommendation, but he would never make such a personal medical decision on her behalf.
A few minutes later, Merry practically sprinted back out, his face flushed with excitement. "Mr. Bardock, Dr. Mansherry, please! Follow me!"
Led by the anxious butler, the group entered the mansion and was escorted directly to Kaya's bedroom. And just like that, years ahead of schedule, Usopp found himself standing face-to-face with the girl who would become his absolute moonlight.
"Cough, cough."
Kaya sat up slightly in her large bed, coughing weakly into a handkerchief. When her gentle eyes landed on Mansherry and Leo, they instantly lit up with profound wonder.
"Dr. Mansherry, I'm deeply sorry to trouble you," Kaya smiled weakly, her voice incredibly soft. "I've been sick for so long that I'm quite used to it by now. Even if you can't cure me, please don't feel bad. Actually... would you mind just telling me a few stories about your adventures on the Grand Line?"
Kaya knew exactly how stubborn and seemingly incurable her illness was. The primary reason she had even agreed to the consultation was because she had heard they were Grand Line explorers; she desperately wanted to hear stories about the vast, outside world she was too sick to see.
She had never expected the doctor to be a literal fairy from legends! It was an incredible surprise.
"Of course I'll tell you stories! But only after I've completely cured you," Mansherry declared confidently, placing her hands on her hips.
With a small leap, Mansherry landed gently on the edge of Kaya's bed. She rapidly performed a series of thorough medical checks. She quickly concluded that Kaya's illness wasn't a complex virus or a terminal disease; it was simply a severe case of congenital weakness and a chronically frail constitution.
For the miraculous power of the Heal-Heal Fruit, curing this was as easy as breathing. However, Mansherry noted that even after she completely revitalized Kaya's body, the girl would absolutely need to start exercising regularly to build up her baseline physical stamina, otherwise her frailty might slowly return over time.
"Healing Tear!"
A single, glowing teardrop materialized at the corner of Mansherry's eye. She gently guided it to fall directly onto Kaya's hand. Currently, Mansherry's mastery over her Devil Fruit was absolutely flawless.
A warm, gentle halo of light briefly pulsed around Kaya's entire body.
Within seconds, she felt an incredible, immediate transformation. The chronic, suffocating tightness in her chest completely vanished. Her perpetually scratchy throat cleared instantly. Her limbs, which usually felt as heavy as lead, suddenly surged with vibrant, boundless energy.
"I... I feel completely fine!" Kaya gasped in absolute disbelief, throwing off her blankets and easily swinging her legs out of bed.
"EHHH?!"
Merry and the surrounding maids stared with their jaws practically unhinged. Was this the miraculous power of Grand Line medicine?! It was utterly incomprehensible!
Mansherry quickly sat Kaya down and began cheerfully listing off a series of dietary and exercise recommendations to ensure her long-term health.
Overwhelmed with profound gratitude, Kaya firmly insisted that Bardock and his crew stay for a massive, celebratory banquet.