Chapter 374: Usopp's Final Choice
"That shot..."
Yasopp spoke instinctively. His tone lacked the usual warmth of a father; instead, it carried the professional weight of one master sniper evaluating another.
His voice was low and raspy, yet it held an undeniable trace of respect. "...It was precise."
"The Marines taught me more than just regulations," Usopp replied coldly.
He maintained his aiming stance, the bowstring of his focus taut in the wind. Though his muzzle dipped slightly, no longer pointed directly at Yasopp's heart, the pressure remained.
"They taught me how to stop a crime before it even begins."
The air suddenly went still, as if even the howling sea breeze had paused to listen. A unique tension vibrated between the father and son. This was no longer a simple family dispute; it was a dialogue between two legendary marksmen—silent, yet as sharp as a blade's edge.
Their gazes locked, clashing like two bullets crossing paths in mid-air. Yasopp's breathing was heavy, his chest heaving, until he finally took a long, steadying breath.
His son's strength far exceeded his wildest imagination. This pressure was heavier than any enemy he had faced on the battlefield. They understood each other perfectly, yet they stood on opposite sides of a razor-thin line.
However, beneath the crushing weight of his guilt, a corner of Yasopp's heart—a place that had long been dormant—reignited. It wasn't just battle intent; it was a desperate, primal urge to communicate. He realized that words were hollow now. The rift between them couldn't be mended with a few apologies.
Perhaps only their common language—the language of the sniper—could bridge the final gap.
Yasopp slowly lifted his head, his eyes complex, and squeezed out a single raspy sentence: "Can you give me a chance? To just... talk?"
Outside Syrup Village · The Sea-Facing Cliff
The wind howled, kicking up a salty mist that battered against the rocky walls. It felt as if heaven and earth were holding their breath for this final confrontation.
Yasopp stood at the edge of the cliff, staring out at the endless horizon of the sea. His eyes still held the shadows of pain, guilt, and failure, but deep within, the spark of freedom still flickered stubbornly.
He turned to face Usopp, a complex yet unnervingly calm smile touching his lips.
"Usopp."
His voice was no longer trembling. Instead, it carried a sense of liberation that comes from accepting one's fate. "As a father, I've failed utterly. You've become truly strong—stronger than I ever dreamed."
He took a deep breath of the briny air, letting the wind rattle in his chest.
"The Marines' 'Justice' might have actually given you the strength and direction you needed. Every word you said was true. I wasn't a good husband, and I certainly wasn't a good father."
Then, his gaze sharpened instantly, returning to the peak of the world's greatest sniper in a heartbeat.
"But before I accept your 'proposal,' or any punishment the Marines see fit—"
He slowly raised his hand, pointing toward the churning waves in the distance.
"Face me in one final duel."
"Not as a Marine and a pirate, or even as father and son. Just as two snipers."
"Let's bet... the very last thread of connection we have left!"
Usopp's brow knit tight as he leveled his flintlock once more. "What's the point? The outcome won't change!"
"IT HAS A POINT!!!"
Yasopp's voice rose, carrying a near-fanatical obsession that made the waves seem to roar in response.
"Let me see just how high my son can fly!"
"Let me see if you can uphold your 'Justice' while still keeping the most important thing a sniper needs—a heart of freedom, and the courage to believe in miracles!"
He pointed to a tiny piece of driftwood that was appearing and disappearing amidst the violent surf. It was tossed up and down by the tide, a target so small it was almost impossible to track.
"Hit that!" Yasopp growled, his eyes burning like fire.
"If you win, I, Yasopp, swear upon my final shred of pride—I will stay here. I will spend the rest of my life in this village atoning for my sins. I won't resist, and I won't run, until you believe justice has been served."
"But—"
He stared dead into Usopp's eyes, as if trying to read his very soul.
"If your heart is so shackled by hatred and dogma that you can't even make this shot... then it proves that while the Marines gave you power, they've imprisoned your potential."
—This wasn't just a challenge. it was a father's final "lesson."
Usopp fell silent. He watched the driftwood as it tumbled through the cresting waves. The wind was chaotic, the target minuscule. To hit it required more than just technique; it required foresight, absolute conviction, and a courage that bordered on the miraculous.
He slowly closed his eyes. His mother's gentle face appeared—not with a look of resentment, but with a smile. The echoes of his childhood lies, told in a desperate attempt to be happy, rang in his ears.
The faces of his comrades flashed by—Luffy, Nami, Kaya... Their trust and companionship had been the lighthouse guiding him through the dark.
Usopp's breathing became rhythmic and steady, but his heart hammered like a war drum. When he opened his eyes again, his pupils were no longer filled with rage or obsession. They held the totality of his past and his future—clear and unwavering.
—This shot would be his answer.
He leveled his gun—and fired!
The bullet whistled through the air, but it didn't travel in a rigid, straight line. Following the current of the wind, it traced a beautiful, elegant arc, looking as if it were endowed with a life of its own as it wove through the barrier of the waves.
Almost simultaneously, the crack of Yasopp's rifle echoed.
CRACK!
A crisp sound rang out. Usopp's lead pellet was embedded firmly in the dead center of the driftwood!
Yasopp's bullet, however, was half a beat slow. It grazed the edge of the wood, kicking up a brief spray of water.
In that moment, he could have been faster. But when he saw the miracle in his son's shot, he had chosen to be "late."
Yasopp lowered his smoking rifle and suddenly burst into a boisterous laugh. It was a rough, gravelly sound, but it was filled with genuine relief and liberation. There were even tears shimmering in the corners of his eyes.
"Hahaha! Did you see that, Banchina?! Did you see?!"
"Our son... he did it! He has the power, and he never lost that free heart! He's gone further than I ever could have imagined!"
He turned around, looking at Usopp with a clear and honest gaze. "I lost. I'm completely beaten."
With that, he spread his arms wide to the howling sea breeze, as if trying to become one with the ocean itself.
"I will keep my promise. This village, the place where your mother rests, will be my 'prison.' I will atone here, but I choose the method—I will protect this place. Not because of a Marine order, but because this is my final 'adventure,' my final freedom."
He looked back, his smile as carefree as the day he left. "As for you, Captain, your journey is just beginning."
"Go. Don't look back. If there ever comes a day where you think this old man is an obstacle to your Justice, come back and do your duty—I won't hide."
Usopp stood in silence, watching his father's silhouette as it merged with the wind and the waves. The hatred in his heart hadn't vanished completely, but the thick ice had finally cracked.
He understood now—Yasopp would never be the "ideal father" he had once dreamed of. But he had seen the depths of his father's soul, a place where a wild freedom lived that no one could ever chain.
In his own broken way, Yasopp had given him his final recognition and love.
Usopp took a deep breath and slowly turned away, walking toward Kaya and his comrades who were waiting for him. His Marine uniform was still crisp and straight, but his gaze was deeper and more resolute than ever before.
His "Justice" had found a new meaning in this emotional storm.
—Protect the order, but understand humanity. Believe in justice, but embrace the complexity of the world.
In this moment, Usopp finally untied the knot in his heart and stepped onto a path that was truly his own.
♧♧♧
-> SUPPORT ME WITH POWER STONE
-> FOR EVERY 200 PS = BOUNS CHAPTER
♧♧♧
-> 30 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.patreon.com/c/Segais
(Just remove the hyphen to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you