A few days earlier.
Three days before the Marines issued their wanted posters, in Syrup Village.
"Bad news, bad news! Captain Usopp, Miss Kaya has been kidnapped!"
A dazed-looking carrot-haired kid with a runny nose came running over, shouting.
"Huh? Kidnapped? No way. Didn't Kuro already die?" Usopp jumped down from the treetop, completely baffled.
The boy with the green pepper head said, "Kuro is dead, but the one who took Sister Kaya isn't him… it's a new pirate!"
"A new pirate?" Usopp's eyes went wide, as if he had just realized something.
"It's that big brother with the straw hat. Captain, you were even with them before," added the onion-headed kid.
Oh crap!
Usopp's last shred of hope was crushed. There was no way his three crewmates were lying to him.
Miss Kaya really had been taken!?
Usopp's eyes bulged, and the moment he snapped out of it, he took off running.
"Where are they now?!"
"They've already gone to the shore!"
Usopp bolted at full speed toward the beach, his face full of panic.
"It's over, it's over! I thought since they dealt with Kuro they were good people… I forgot they're pirates too!"
"Kaya's in danger! Ahhh, this is all my fault! I'm such an idiot!!"
…
But when Usopp reached the coast, he was stunned by what he saw.
The goddess of his heart—Kaya—was standing on the shore with her butler Merry, chatting and laughing with Luffy.
Behind Luffy stood Zoro, Buggy, and Nami from that day.
"Kaya!!"
Blood rushing to his head, Usopp charged forward.
From a distance, he raised his slingshot and aimed it toward Luffy.
His legs trembled, but he clenched his teeth and forced himself to stand firm as he shouted, "Luffy, I was wrong about you! Let Miss Kaya go!"
He practically used every ounce of courage he had just to say that.
There was no helping it—the monsters in front of him were terrifying.
They were way beyond what he could handle.
"Huh? Usopp, what are you doing?" Luffy looked at him in confusion.
Beside him, Kaya—wearing a pale yellow dress and a light brown shawl—also looked puzzled.
But she quickly realized what had happened and smiled.
"You misunderstood, Usopp.
"I wasn't taken by Mr. Luffy. I went with him of my own will.
"Maybe… maybe the way Mr. Luffy invited me was a little too 'mischievous,' so everyone thought the wrong thing…"
After Kuro was killed, Luffy had spoken with her about coming along.
He said there was a doctor in Drum Island who could cure her, and that he wanted to take her there for treatment.
How could Kaya possibly refuse that?
She immediately told Merry she was going, and Merry fully supported her.
The only problem was that Luffy was way too naughty.
After she had packed and brought her money, he suddenly scooped her up and ran through the village.
He even shouted, "I'm kidnapping Kaya!"
The villagers were furious, and he didn't explain a thing—just carried her all the way to the ship.
What an outrageous joke!
Though Kaya felt helpless about it, she still found Luffy's boyish personality oddly amusing.
Somehow… it even felt a little like eloping.
She glanced at Luffy's wide grin, her face flushing faintly before she looked away.
Once Usopp heard the full explanation, he finally relaxed.
He looked at Luffy and said irritably, "Luffy, that was going too far. You scared the villagers half to death."
"So what?" Luffy said carelessly, then turned to Usopp with a grin. "But hey, you—want to be my First Division crewmate?"
"Come sail the seas with Zoro and become a brave warrior of the ocean. Be my most reliable sniper. How about it?"
Usopp was tempted.
He wanted to be a brave sea warrior like his father.
But wanting it didn't mean it was easy to leave.
He still couldn't bring himself to abandon the village.
For a moment, he looked at Kaya standing quietly beside Luffy, torn with hesitation.
After spending these few days together, he had noticed something.
The bond between Luffy and Kaya had grown startlingly fast.
Sometimes, Kaya would even stare at Luffy absentmindedly.
The goddess in his heart… might already have fallen for that guy.
But after thinking it over, he felt oddly at peace.
Maybe only someone like Luffy was worthy of her.
As for himself…
As long as Kaya was happy, he'd even push her toward him from behind!
Still, giving up on Kaya didn't mean giving up on his dream.
The sea was the goal he chased.
And at the same time, he wanted to protect the villagers.
Just as Luffy quietly watched him, waiting for an answer—
"Nami-san~ Lord Luffy, the ship is here."
Everyone turned to look.
Several of Kaya's family's servants were approaching from the other side of the coast… on a small sailboat.
The ship wasn't very big. To Nami, it was nothing special.
But to Luffy, it was nostalgic beyond words.
The Going Merry—my Merry!
In his previous life, he had watched One Piece.
He would never forget the day this ship was burned.
It was all because those idiots in that world sailed her through heaven and hell without care, leaving her so damaged she couldn't go on.
Now that she was in his hands, he would keep her safe—no matter what.
If she couldn't reach the One Piece…
Then he would leave her gently somewhere in the first half of the Grand Line.
But no matter what, this treasure that had saved the Straw Hats countless times… would not be burned.
"Mr. Luffy."
Merry spoke beside him.
"I designed this ship myself. I heard you needed one, so I'd like you to have it as a gift. I hope you won't think it's too humble."
"No, no, not at all. I love it," Luffy said, waving his hands.
Then he looked toward Zoro and called out, "Zoro! My old ship is yours now—you're officially the First Division! You've got your own ship!"
"Got it!" Zoro replied.
Sitting on a tree stump with a bottle of booze, he glanced at the ship—about the same size as the Merry—and grinned.
"The starting ship of the First Division, huh? Not bad at all."
Kaya chuckled softly. "We have three ships now, but not many people."
"That's fine. There'll be more and more later," Luffy replied casually.
Then his arms suddenly stretched out.
One wrapped around Nami's waist, the other lifted Kaya onto his shoulder.
With both girls shouting in surprise, he leapt straight onto the deck of the Merry.
After that, he didn't forget to bring up Kaya's wheelchair too.
"Nami, take care of Kaya. And keep an eye on her luggage."
Nami beamed like she'd just found a treasure chest, looking at Kaya as if she were Buggy's greatest hoard.
"Don't worry, Kaya. I'll take good care of you."
"Thank you, Miss Nami."
"Relax~ If Luffy says there's someone in Drum Island who can cure you, then there definitely is!"
"Yes!"
Kaya nodded happily.
She was sick and tired of living like a fragile glass doll, hoping one day she could run and play in the sun again.
"All right, since everything's ready, let's set sail."
Luffy stood on deck and waved at Merry on shore.
Just then, after disappearing earlier, Usopp suddenly came tumbling down the slope with a huge backpack on his back.
He scrambled up and ran over, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Luffy! I'll be your First Division sniper! Take me with you!"
"Hahaha! Zoro, your crewmate's here—go get him!" Luffy laughed.
"Alright!"
Zoro jumped off the ship, hoisted the overexcited Usopp onto his shoulder, and returned to the deck in a blink using raw agility.
[System Notification: Successfully forced recruitment of a crewmate. Successfully identified storyline beauty: the sickly beauty, Kaya!]
[Congratulations! You've obtained: Multiverse Grand Gacha x1. Would you like to draw now?]
As the system chime echoed—
The red ship carried Zoro and Usopp.
The clown ship carried Buggy and his men.
The Going Merry carried Luffy, Nami, and Kaya.
Three ships slowly sailed farther and farther away.
The villagers who rushed over finally dropped their "weapons" after Merry explained everything.
Shouting from the shore, half annoyed and half grateful:
"Straw Hat boy! Pull something like that again and we'll beat you senseless!"
"Thank you, Straw Hat!"
"Please take good care of Miss Kaya and Usopp!"
"Usopp, don't catch a cold!!!"
In an instant, Usopp burst into tears.
(Sanji: ???)
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T/N:
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