Chapter 321 - 4-19

Who are you trying to catch by hanging out with this guy? Ah! Coby!"

The fat woman's entrance was certainly imposing, but it only intimidated Coby. Luffy and Lake remained calm as they watched the scene unfold.

Alvida also noticed the two, and after a quick glance, remarked, "Hmph! Looks like it's not the pirate hunter Zoro."

Luffy repeated the name Zoro upon hearing it, and Lake couldn't help but marvel at the power of fate.

After confirming that the two weren't bounty hunters, Alvida prepared to continue training Coby. However, before she could even speak, Luffy turned to Lake and asked, "Who's this rude old lady?"

A deathly silence fell over the entire area. Everyone was stunned, and the underlings on deck were sweating profusely. Lake, oblivious to the surrounding situation, replied, "This ugly fat woman seems to be called Alvida. She's a pirate."

While Luffy's previous statement was somewhat blunt, Lake's was a blatant insult. Alvida immediately went berserk, charging towards the two with her spiked club.

Lake leaped onto the deck, and Luffy followed with Coby. Instantly, a large group of pirates surrounded them.

Seeing this, Lake calmly said, "Half for each of us."

Luffy nodded knowingly, and the two simultaneously charged forward with perfect coordination. What followed was a scene of wolves among sheep on the ship.

"Gum-Gum Whip!"

"Gum-Gum Scythe!"

"Wow! I never thought of that! I'll try it too, Gum-Gum Scythe!"

"Hehe, watch this, Luffy! Gum-Gum Fireworks!"

"Hahaha! Lake, you're hilarious! I'll try it too, Gum-Gum Fireworks!"

...

Lake's copied Luffy abilities used techniques that Luffy had later developed, so Luffy learned them after just one look.

The entire ship's crew was quickly wiped out by the two of them for their amusement. Through this battle, Lake realized his weakness:

His stamina. While Hollow Vision could perfectly mimic anyone's moves and abilities, it was all based on Lake's stamina.

After clearing out the ship's minions, Lake was already panting, but Luffy, on the other hand, remained expressionless with a constant smile.

This was merely copying Luffy's ability. If Lake were to copy the abilities of the world's top-tier fighters, he'd likely die from exhaustion before even unleashing a single attack.

It seems that the Hollow Vision technique in this world does have some limitations, but it's not a major issue. After all, Lake doesn't want to be a five-second wonder; a real man lasts!

When Alvida returned to the deck and saw it empty, she was stunned. Regaining her senses, she was once again blinded by rage and charged directly at Lake, who was closest.

She kept shouting, "You brats, die!"

Lake sighed helplessly and said, "Since you're in such a hurry, I'll send you on your way."

"Gum-Gum Pistol!"

Lake stretched out his arm and punched Alvida, sending her flying. This was a task Luffy should have done, but it was a minor matter.

Luffy quickly went over and praised Lake profusely, but now was not the time for idle chatter. Lake instructed Luffy to find a larger boat.

He himself hurried to the captain's cabin. Just moments before, the system had alerted him that there was a treasure map on the ship—a crucial matter that Lake couldn't afford to delay.

Unfortunately, Lake searched the entire captain's cabin but found no trace of the treasure map. The continuous cannon fire outside indicated that Lake didn't have time to continue searching.

Reluctantly, Lake had to abandon the treasure map search. He went outside and, sure enough, the Marines had arrived, firing and closing in.

Without hesitation, Lake jumped off the ship, landing precisely on Luffy and Coby's small boat. Luffy, seeing Lake return, didn't ask any questions and immediately prepared to set sail.

Although Lake was somewhat disappointed, the current situation prevented him from continuing the search. However, the next second, Lake spotted a familiar figure.

At the stern of the pirate ship, a small boat about their size was attempting to slip away unnoticed amidst the chaotic cannon fire. Lake immediately recognized the orange-haired girl on board.

With the rolled-up blueprint in the girl's hand, Lake finally understood what was going on. He then instructed Luffy and Koby to approach the small boat.

Nami, the pirate thief, was no stranger to stealing treasures in the chaos. She was preparing to leave with practiced ease, but when she noticed someone approaching, she immediately became alert.

When Nami saw it was Lake and Luffy, her face turned pale with fright. Because Lake and Luffy had been playing around so wildly, Nami had witnessed the entire battle on the ship.

Knowing she couldn't escape these two monstrous individuals, Nami resigned herself to waiting for them instead of running away.

Soon, Lake and his companions' small boat arrived beside Nami. Lake, unaware of Nami's inner thoughts, spoke directly:

"Beautiful lady, I really need that treasure map you have. I can trade it for it."

As he spoke, Lake took out a teardrop-shaped blue gem from his spatial ring. Its crystal-clear appearance instantly captivated Nami.

Even her previous fear vanished, and she accepted the gem without hesitation, then handed the treasure map to Lake.

Before Nami could say anything, an even more intense barrage of artillery fire erupted around them. Lake knew he couldn't linger any longer; they would meet again sooner or later anyway.

So Lake bid farewell to Nami, saying, "Well then, farewell, Nami."

Without noticing the surprised expression on Nami's face, the three of them, each with a paddle, sped away from the scene. Nami, regaining her composure, no longer dwelled on why her partner knew her name and quickly left with a bag of treasure.

Wow! What a beautiful day!" Luffy exclaimed cheerfully from the bow of the ship.

Sitting beside him, Coby smiled and said, "If we keep going this way, we'll reach the Marine base soon."

Luffy praised, "You're amazing, Coby! Will we really get there this way?"

Coby replied with a touch of pride, "Of course! It's basic navigation!"

Lake, who wasn't participating in their conversation, clearly understood the importance of having a navigator.

Coby then began introducing the man, the famous pirate hunter, Roronoa Zoro.

He described him as a bloodthirsty beast, a ferocious monster, a specialist in reaping pirate heads, known as a monster in disguise—all sorts of exaggerated descriptions.

Lake felt a pang of embarrassment. Knowing Zoro as he did, he was certain Zoro hadn't done any of those things; it was all just hearsay.

Lake, ignoring the two, focused intently on studying the treasure map in his hands. According to the system's hints, the treasure map he received from Nami pointed to a deserted island called Kashi Pump.

Since they had no navigator and were completely lost, they could put that aside for now. The more important thing right now was the treasure map for Shells Town.

They were almost at their destination. After studying it for a while and relying on his memory, Lake quickly pinpointed the treasure's location. Just then, they saw the island.

...

Luffy and Lake walked ahead on the street, while Coby followed behind, trying to persuade them.

"Mr. Luffy, Mr. Lake, you can't have a crew with a scary guy like that."

"I haven't decided yet. I'll only invite him on board if he's a good person."

"It's because bad guys get arrested by the Marines, right?"

"That's not necessarily true, Coby. Not everyone in the Marines is righteous."

"Huh? Mr. Lake, don't joke around. How could the Marines be unjust?"

"Well~ just kidding, don't mind it."

...

The three of them chatted as they walked to the entrance of the Marine base. Because Zoro's name was mentioned, the people around them kept their distance in fear.

However, what puzzled Coby was that when he mentioned the name of Marine Commander Morgan, the people around reacted even more strongly.

Upon arriving at the Marine base, Coby burst into tears and began to say goodbye to Luffy, but Luffy ignored him and climbed onto the wall.

Seeing this, Coby quickly went to stop him, but neither of them noticed that Lake had already left.

Luffy's abilities allowed Lake to easily navigate the base, which looked nothing like a typical naval base.

Everywhere was lavishly decorated, with countless ornaments in each room. It was clear this was the work of the insane Morgan.

Without much thought, Lake began searching using the treasure map. After a while, he arrived at a room and pushed the door open without hesitation.

The room was decorated in a distinctly girly style, but the thought of its owner sent a chill down Lake's spine. His eyes were immediately drawn to three swords placed beside the bed.

Lake immediately knew where he was. He first went forward and stored the three swords into his spatial ring, then rummaged under the bed to find his target.

"Treasure Found! Grade Confirmed... Lucky Partner +1 Boost... Congratulations, Host, you're blessed with incredible luck! Treasure grade upgraded to gold!"

The scene was familiar, but this time the light was golden. This was the true golden legend. Although it wasn't red, Lake believed the system's products wouldn't disappoint.

After the golden light faded, the most eye-catching thing was the various kinds of gold: gold jewelry, gold objects, and pure gold blocks, etc.

All of them, large and small, totaled over a hundred million Berries. Lake had also figured out some patterns in the gold, and suddenly he felt his future pirate life was going to be much richer.

After smiling as he put away the gold, only one item remained in the treasure chest, but to Lake's surprise, it was a sword.

The white scabbard and the very simple blade immediately led Lake to dismiss the idea that this sword could be a Great Grade Sword. However, the system notification that followed filled him with delight.

"Congratulations, host, you have obtained Asauchi: an unnamed Zanpakuto, in its unreleased state."

"Congratulations, host, you have obtained a golden exclusive treasure, the magic power 'Sun': Your physique will change with the time of day."

The fact that the sword in his hand was in its unreleased state was already a huge win for Lake, but he hadn't expected the golden exclusive treasure to be so powerful.

Although the system's introduction was rather brief, Lake knew that this was a monstrous ability from Escanor, the Sin of Pride among the Seven Deadly Sins!

However, like Hollowfication, it had changed upon arriving in this world, but some of its original drawbacks had also been eliminated.

Lake's solar magic power would only change the strength of his physique over time, not his appearance or personality.

This alone was enough to make Lake grin from ear to ear. Just imagining that scene made Lake want to shout, "I am the only one who reigns supreme in the heavens and the earth!"

After digesting the good food, Lake slung the asaka around his waist and turned to leave the room. But just as he stepped outside...

*Thump!*

Lake felt something bump into him. Looking up, he realized it was Luffy.

Luffy, carrying Helmeppo by his chin, was looking for Zoro's sword when he bumped into Lake.

To Lake's surprise, it was Luffy who flew out. However, he quickly looked at the bright sun outside and understood why.

Luffy was still a little dizzy and confused, but he excitedly shouted when he saw Lake.

"Lake, so you're here. I told you, Zoro's a good guy. I've decided to get him to join."

Lake had anticipated this, so he smiled and took three swords from his spatial ring, saying to Luffy, "You'll definitely need these. I just found them in this guy's room."

Seeing Lake already had Zoro's swords, Luffy immediately hugged them and jumped out the window. Lake glanced at the unconscious Helmeppo, ignoring him with disdain, and then leisurely walked down the stairs.

Meanwhile, the execution ground outside was bustling with activity.

"That's enough! Because you've committed treason, I'm now executing you on the spot! Fire!"

"I can't die in a place like this!"

"Mr. Luffy!"

Luffy descended from the sky to save the day, shielding everyone with his body from the bullets.

"It's no use!"

The Marines shouted in disbelief as they watched the bullets bounce off and fly everywhere.

"What?! The bullet bounced back!"

Luffy laughed loudly, "Hahahaha! Didn't I tell you before? I'm very strong!"

Zoro, who was still bound, looked at Luffy with newfound respect and asked, "Just who are you?"

Luffy gave his classic self-introduction again and then began to try and win Zoro over.

"I am Monkey D. Luffy, the man who will become the Pirate King!"

"Pirate King? You actually said that outright? Do you even know what those three words mean?"

"The Pirate King is the Pirate King. Here, this is something another crew member found for you, but I don't know which sword it is."

"All three are mine. I'm a three-sword style user."

"Hmm~? You'll accept it, right? If you fight alongside me here, you'll become a villain, or you'll just get killed by the Marines. Which do you think is better?"

"Are you some kind of devil's child...? Fine, I'd rather become a pirate than die here!"

"Great! You're willing to become my crewmate! Awesome! Yo-ho!"

"If you understand, hurry up and untie the ropes!"

And so, Zoro was coerced and lured onto the ship by Luffy, but what Luffy did next was completely baffling.

A man strong enough to easily smash through a wall couldn't untie a small rope. At this moment, the Marines, who had been intimidated earlier, launched another attack under Morgan's orders.

This time, everyone drew their swords. Zoro and Coby panicked, while Luffy just scratched his head, seemingly unconcerned.

"This is strange, it's getting tighter."

Zoro quickly called for Luffy to give him the sword, but just then, a somewhat suppressed voice rang out.

"Yo Luffy~ Need help?"

Luffy recognized the voice and immediately smiled at him, saying, "Like, you're here! I've found another crewmate, this is the guy."

Before Lake could respond, Morgan, seeing another person appear, knew Luffy was not someone to mess with, so he immediately turned his attention to Lake.

In an instant, all the Marines rushed towards Lake. Seeing this, Zoro asked worriedly, "Is that guy okay?"

Luffy, naturally, replied without any concern, "Of course he's fine, Lake is very strong, he's just as strong as me!"

This description left Zoro puzzled, but Zoro noticed the sword at Lake's waist and assumed Lake was also a swordsman.

Seeing so many people rushing towards him, Lake seemed somewhat excited, perhaps influenced by the sun.

At this moment, Lake felt the power within him becoming uncontrollable. It was nearly noon, and the sheer strength of Lake's physique was unimaginable.

"Coming for me... Phew~ Perfect, let me get used to this new power!"

The instant he finished speaking, Lake charged into the sea of ​​Marines, like a tiger among kittens and puppies.

Every Marine who even slightly touched Lake was sent flying as if struck by a heavy blow. Those who attacked Lake with swords...

The blades shattered instantly upon contact with Lake's body, an exaggerated display that astonished everyone.

Zoro, stunned, exclaimed, "What kind of monstrous physique is this! Is that guy even human?"

Luffy, his eyes shining, excitedly shouted, "Amazing! Looks like Lake found some new treasure. I wonder if there's a robot among them."

Seeing that Lake was about to finish off everyone and head straight for Morgan, Zoro frowned and immediately told Luffy to hand him the sword.

After dealing with the marines, Lake seemed somewhat unsatisfied, so he went straight to Morgan.

Although Lake exuded a terrifying aura, his height was no match for the 2.85-meter-tall Morgan, which didn't deter the crazed Morgan from backing down.

Sweating profusely, Morgan shouted at Lake, "No matter what kind of monster you are, your meager strength is nothing before absolute power! I am Axe-Hand Morgan!"

As he spoke, Morgan raised his axe and swung it at Lake, but reality is often cruel.

Lake simply grabbed Morgan's axe with one hand, a smile playing on his lips, and said, "This little bit of strength... I'll give you one more chance to form your words, you little bug!"

Just as Morgan was about to continue his verbal barrage, Lake's body began to grow rapidly, transforming into a four-meter-tall giant in the blink of an eye.

With a casual squeeze, he crushed Morgan's axe to pieces. At this moment, Morgan truly looked like a tiny insect in front of Lake.

The terrifying pressure brought Morgan to the brink of mental collapse, but just as Lake was about to crush him, Zoro's voice rang out.

"Excuse me, could I handle that guy? I haven't repaid for all the suffering I've endured lately, and consider this my pledge of allegiance to your crew."

Hearing Zoro's words, Lake calmed himself, took a deep breath, and slowly regained his original size.

Then, Lake ignored Morgan and walked towards Luffy and the others, lightly patting Zoro on the shoulder as he passed.

"It's yours."

"Don't worry, dealing with this kind of guy is a piece of cake."

Zorro had already reached Morgan. Morgan was still reeling from the pressure Lake had exerted, but seeing Zoro approach, he still spoke.

"Roronoa…"

Zoro didn't bother with further words. He took his three swords and assumed a fighting stance, saying, "It's really unpleasant to fight someone like you."

"Three-Sword Style: Demon Slash!"

Even as he spoke, he moved, finishing off Morgan in one move. The crisscrossing bloodstains on Morgan's chest were the best proof.

Now that they were all done, there was no need to linger. The Marines lay scattered on the ground.

Lake had shown restraint. These guys were only acting under Morgan's oppression; they were essentially righteous Marines serving the people, so Lake didn't kill them outright.

Afterwards, the three went to the small tavern where Zoro had initially intervened. The proprietress, Lily, and her daughter, Rika, warmly welcomed them.

The people of Shells Town, upon hearing the news of Morgan's defeat, came to thank Lake and his companions. Even the Marines who had been beaten up by Lake earlier showed up to express their gratitude.

However, out of concern for the town's safety, even though they were terrified of Lake, the leading naval officer still told them to leave.

Although this drew criticism from the surrounding residents, the naval officer remained steadfast in his stance, and Lake couldn't help but think more highly of them.

To avoid putting others in a difficult position, they packed some simple food and set off. Coby directly told the Marine leader about his desire to join the Marines.

Initially, some Marines wanted to voice their objections and question Coby's identity, but a single glance from Lake silenced them all.

This perfectly avoided the scene in the original story where Luffy cooperated with Coby in an act. With everything settled, the three of them boarded their small boat and prepared to depart.

The residents and Marines all lined the shore to see them off. It was hard to imagine that in an era rife with pirates, people would bid farewell to a group of pirates in such a manner.

Before leaving, Lake glanced at another small boat nearby, but didn't do anything about it and set off.

After the three of them had left, on the small boat that Lake had specifically looked at, the familiar figure of a young girl reappeared.

Nami looked at the fake sea chart in her hand that read, "The Grand Line chart was taken by my lord Buggy!" She glanced in the direction Lake and the others had left, a slight smile playing on her lips.

On the small boat, Luffy excitedly declared that the adventure was about to continue, and Zoro echoed his anticipation.

Lake looked at the two of them and smiled genuinely. And so, the Straw Hat Pirates, now a trio, set sail once more on the high seas.

Once the voyage began, Luffy kept pestering Lake to tell him what treasure they had found, saying that Lake must take him along next time.

This naturally piqued Zoro's interest, so Lake explained his identity as a treasure hunter and his special abilities to Zoro.

Zoro, still quite intelligent, understood what Lake meant and couldn't help but retort, "I really can't imagine what kind of terrifying treasure you'll find next. I'm kind of looking forward to it too."

Luffy chimed in, "Hehehehe! Right, Zoro? With Lake around, we can find incredible treasures! He also has an incredible ring!"

Seeing Zoro looking at him curiously again, Lake could only explain the ring's ability once more, earning another "freakish" from Zoro.

Bright sunshine, a cool sea breeze, an endless ocean, an ordinary little boat, and three teenagers with dreams.

The voyage these past few days has been the same as always. Without a navigator, the three can only drift with the current; after all, expecting one with a terrible sense of direction and the other with an idiot to know the way is practically impossible.

Lake himself isn't much better off. After all, this is his first time adrift at sea in both his lives, and he's completely clueless about navigation.

Adding to the problem is Luffy's astonishing appetite, and Lake's food reserves in his spatial ring are almost empty again. The culprit, Luffy, always seems carefree, so Lake can't really say anything.

Zoro spends more than half his time sleeping every day. These are things Lake has to worry about, and thinking about this, Lake feels his future is bleak.

Just then, Luffy's voice interrupts his thoughts.

"Huh? Lake, Zoro, look! There seem to be two people over there?"

Zoro merely opened one eye and said, "They're probably shipwrecked people. We're just wandering around ourselves, let's not meddle."

Lake's expression stiffened upon hearing Zoro's words, but a smile crept across his face. He thought, "Haha... so you do know we're wandering around!"

Soon, the small boat approached the two men. Lake recognized these two minor characters; though not important, they were their saviors.

The two minor characters unceremoniously climbed onto the small boat, immediately introducing themselves as members of the great pirate Buggy the Clown, demanding they hand over the boat if they didn't want to die.

Their arrogant shouting, coupled with their proximity to Zoro, unsurprisingly earned them a beating, after which they immediately became obedient.

They recounted everything in detail. It turned out the two had originally planned to return to Buggy with the looted treasure, but they encountered an orange-haired girl on the way who tricked them, stealing both their ship and treasure.

Luffy mercilessly mocked them after hearing this, while Lake's focus was on their journey to Buggy's location.

So Lake immediately ordered the two to temporarily become laborers on the small boat, heading at full speed towards Orange Town where Buggy was.

The two extras naturally didn't refuse; they were planning to call for revenge upon their return, so they didn't slack off at all.

Soon, with the help of the two kind people, Lake and his companions successfully landed on Orange Town, but unsurprisingly, an accident occurred as soon as they stepped ashore.

"Stop, you filthy woman!"

"Give back the sea chart, you damn thief!"

"And the treasure map!"

"Stop! Don't even think about escaping!"

The crowd looked in the direction of the commotion and saw a group of menacing-looking thugs chasing an orange-haired girl.

Lake's gaze immediately locked onto the orange-haired girl; after all, who wouldn't be mesmerized by Nami's beauty? Coincidentally, Nami's eyes met Lake's.

Then, Nami grinned mischievously and shouted at Lake, "Boss! You're finally here! I've got the sea chart and the treasure map!"

Luffy and Zoro both tilted their heads to look at Lake. Lake smiled helplessly, knowing he was being used as a shield, but he didn't care.

Nami ran straight behind Lake and hid, whispering, "I have a treasure map. Help me and I'll give it to you."

Lake nodded subtly, then turned to Zoro and said, "Zoro, lend me your two swords for a moment."

Zoro, though somewhat puzzled, handed over his two swords. At that moment, the two extras who had led the way quietly returned to the main group.

They started shouting at Lake and his group from the crowd. Lake ignored them completely, holding his asaka in his mouth and assuming a fighting stance with Zoro's two swords.

"Hmm…it feels a little strange. It's hard to talk normally with something in your mouth, right…"

"Three-Sword Style: Tornado!"

The moment Lake struck, it was as if a dragon had ascended into the sky, blowing all the enemies in front of him into the air. The powerful sword pressure created a tornado-like gust of wind.

This scene left Zoro speechless with shock, while Luffy remained nonchalant, exclaiming how amazing it was. Even Nami, a seemingly normal person, was startled.

Afterwards, Lake returned Zoro's sword, saying, "I must say, that move was quite effective, with a pretty wide range."

Zoro stared at the sword back in his hand, lost in thought. He recalled a question he'd asked Lake earlier on the ship.

"Lake, are you even a swordsman?"

"Me? Well, how should I put it? When I'm facing a swordsman, I am a swordsman."

"Huh? What does that mean?"

"Well, it's a bit complicated to explain, but you'll find out later."

Combined with Lake's earlier mention of his Hollow Vision, Zoro finally understood just how terrifying this boy, roughly his own age, truly was.

Recovering from her daze, Nami handed the treasure map to Lake without hesitation. She had already hidden the sea chart in a secret location.

After receiving the treasure map, Lake said to Nami, "We meet again."

Nami, still reeling from Lake's earlier display of power, was momentarily stunned by his gentle tone and smiling demeanor.

After a brief pause, Nami regained her composure and smiled at Lake, saying, "Yes, what a coincidence, my wealthy young man."

Lake, having already guessed Nami's thoughts from her words, immediately played along.

"I heard that Buggy has quite a bit of treasure. You take us to him, and I'll give you a share after we've succeeded."

Nami's eyes lit up at the mention of treasure, and without hesitation, she replied, "I want two shares!"

Chapter 9 The Man Torn Apart? Is He a Monster?"Captain Buggy! Something's happened!"

"What is it?"

"That clown just came back with his men!"

"What?! A mere thief dares to come back?!"

"Captain Buggy, one of the three men that thief brought is a famous bounty hunter, Roronoa Zoro."

"Oh~ a famous bounty hunter, hahaha, perfect timing! If I kill that guy, I'll be famous throughout the seas! Men! Prepare the Buggy bombs!"

"Okay!"

Soon, guided by Nami, the four arrived in front of Buggy's crew. Although Lake had already dealt with many of them, a considerable number of pirates had still gathered there.

Buggy, now fully prepared, stood behind a cannon and shouted, "Hahahaha! You reckless thief, bringing a bunch of brats to their deaths?!"

Innocent Luffy, picking his nose, pointed at Buggy and asked, "Who's that big red-nosed guy?"

Alvida's iconic moment reappeared as Lake chuckled and said to Luffy, "That guy's our target. Go, Luffy, take him out and we'll go find the treasure!"

Hearing about finding treasure, Luffy instantly became excited, striking a pose and shouting excitedly, "Alright! Watch me!"

Completely ignored and mocked, Buggy was now furious and fired directly at the three of them.

Boom!

With a loud bang, Buggy's cannon flew towards Lake and the others, but the instant Buggy fired, Lake saw Zoro move.

Sizzle!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

As Zoro attacked, Buggy's bullet was sliced ​​into three pieces and exploded around them. The four men were unharmed, but many of Buggy's own subordinates were caught in the blast.

Seeing Zoro's attack, Buggy's expression turned sinister. "You're Roronoa, right? Here to take my head?"

Zorro calmly sheathed his sword and said, "I'm no longer a pirate hunter. Now I'm a pirate, too."

Upon hearing this, Buggy's expression became even more sinister. "Oh, really? But I'm still very interested in you. Killing you will make me famous."

A cold glint flashed in Zoro's eyes as he said icily, "Forget it, you'll die."

However, this didn't faze Buggy at all. Instead, Buggy directly attacked Zoro, provoking him. Zoro, of course, wouldn't let him get away with it.

"Three-Sword Style: Demon Slash!"

*Sizzle!*

With a flash of light, Buggy's body was sliced ​​into several pieces. Zoro, afterward, nonchalantly sheathed his sword and remarked, "This guy is so weak."

Luffy, seeing this, also lost interest and said, "Wow~ This guy is so weak~"

However, the two idiots hadn't yet realized what had happened, and Buggy's henchmen around them were all grinning maliciously.

Clang!

The next moment, Lake suddenly appeared behind Zoro, his sword half-drawn, blocking a hand that was about to launch a sneak attack.

This scene stunned Zoro and Nami. Buggy, undeterred by his failed sneak attack, became even more arrogant, assuming Lake was also a swordsman because he saw he wielded a sword.

His body pieces gradually reassembled, quickly returning to their original form, and then he spoke with extreme arrogance.

"The Chop-Chop Fruit! That's the power of the Devil Fruit I ate! There's no way I could possibly kill a Chop-Chop Man! Hahahaha!"

At this moment, Luffy exclaimed in surprise, "Chop-Chop Man? Is that guy a monster?"

Lake, upon hearing this, twitched his lips and couldn't help but retort, "You, a rubber man, have the nerve to call someone a monster."

Lake's words caught Buggy's attention, and he finally took a closer look at Luffy, but his focus wasn't on the rubber man.

It was on the straw hat that infuriated him. Buggy approached Luffy and said menacingly,

"Kid! You ate a Devil Fruit too, huh?"

"Yeah, I'm a rubber man who ate the Gum-Gum Fruit." Luffy even stretched out his mouth to demonstrate.

Seeing this, Buggy scoffed, "Rubber...what's the use of that! And that hat of yours is infuriating."

Upon hearing Buggy mention his hat, Luffy immediately replied, "You know this hat? Shanks gave it to me."

Luffy's tone changed at the mention of the straw hat and Shanks, as if recalling something pleasant, but Buggy couldn't contain his anger.

He angrily recounted how Shanks had caused him to swallow a Devil Fruit and miss out on treasure, but Luffy only grasped one key point: Shanks had saved Buggy, assuming they had a good relationship.

Unexpectedly, Buggy attacked Luffy directly. At this moment, Luffy's straw hat was only on his head, and although Luffy dodged Buggy's attack,

his straw hat flew into the air. Buggy showed no mercy, piercing the straw hat with a dagger, and arrogantly provoked Luffy.

Lake knew that Bucky was finished, so he stopped paying attention to that situation and started making arrangements for the remaining two.

Zoro, that acrobat and that lion-like guy are the Buggy Pirates' officers. They're yours to handle."

Zoro's gaze quickly locked onto the two, and he drew his sword, replying, "Understood. I'll finish this in three minutes."

Then, Lake turned to Nami, handing her the treasure map she'd given him earlier, saying, "Nami, go find the treasure, but don't open it after you find it. Wait until we're done, then I'll open it myself."

Nami couldn't hide her joy at receiving the treasure map, completely ignoring Lake's warning not to open it.

However, Lake had anticipated this. As the treasure map was handed over, a smile played on his lips, but a terrifying aura emanated from him.

"Disobeying will have serious consequences."

The moment Lake finished speaking, Nami, whether frightened or eager to find the treasure, vanished without a trace.

After Nami left, Lake stretched his body. His task was to eliminate the remaining henchmen, but this time he didn't plan to use his Hollow Vision; instead, he wanted to further develop his solar magic.

So, Lake, rubbing his hands together, silently charged into Buggy's group of henchmen. Nearly a hundred of them instantly surrounded him.

Although it wasn't noon, it was still morning. Lake felt the increasing power of the solar magic flowing through his body and began to feel excited.

However, this time, Lake's physique only underwent very slight changes because he was experimenting with something entirely new.

Lake converted the solar magic's enhancement to his physique into an enhancement to his physical strength—an attempt to compensate for his weakness.

Meanwhile, on Zoro's side, thanks to Lake's earlier intervention, the uninjured Zoro faced the two without any pressure.

"Die, Roronoa!"

"Acrobatics - Steam Murder Case!"

Clang!

"Boring tricks."

"It's not over yet!"

"Acrobatics - Kamikaze Hundred-Top Theater!"

"Three-Sword Style - Demon Slash!"

*Sizzle!*

"Kabagi! I didn't expect you to take Kabagi down so easily. But you can't win against me, go, Riki!"

"Not bad size, but... what happens when a lion faces a tiger that's even fiercer?"

"Three-Sword Style - Tiger Hunt!"

*Sizzle!*

Roar!

"Riki!!! Damn it... Roronoa, I'll fight you to the death!"

"Beast Whip Frenzy!"

"If that's all you've got, don't come here to die."

*Thud!*

With a final muffled thud, Zoro had taken down all the Buggy Pirates' officers. After dealing with them, Zoro went straight to Lake, who was nearby.

He saw that Lake still had a lot of pirates gathered around him, and that this guy was taking them down one by one, seemingly enjoying it.

Out of curiosity, Zoro called out to Lake, "Hey! What are you still doing? I've got nothing else to do."

Hearing Zoro's words, Buggy's henchmen who were attacking Lake all looked towards the distance and saw that their subordinates were all lying down neatly.

Everyone was terrified, and for a moment, no one dared to attack Lake. Seeing this, Lake helplessly spoke up.

"I was going to try again, but I've pretty much figured it out. So, to thank you for your help, I'll send you all on your way!"

"Gum-Gum Battle Axe!"

Bang!

After a loud crash, all the pirates around Lake were thrown to the ground by the immense impact of the attack, some already foaming at the mouth.

Although Zoro already knew Lake's abilities, seeing it with his own eyes again still made him curse him as a monster.

Just then, Nami returned from finding the treasure. Having witnessed Lake's power once more, Nami dared not make any further moves.

She obediently returned the treasure map to Lake and reported the treasure's location. Lake, of course, praised Nami without reservation.

Then he led everyone to find Luffy. Once Luffy's battle was over, Lake could take them to dig for the treasure and open the chests.

Luffy's fight with Buggy had a lot of comedic elements, since neither of them are exactly serious. First, Buggy was hit by Luffy's explosive kick, then Buggy split into a bunch of parts, only to reassemble with missing body parts. In short, Luffy easily sent Buggy flying.

After the four reunited, they arrived at the location of Nami's treasure. Luffy once again became the hard laborer, tirelessly digging up the buried treasure chest.

However, Nami, a professional thief, lost interest after one glance, saying, "Another treasure left by an old pauper. This kind of treasure chest is weathered, so the treasure inside must have weathered too."

Zoro, though not understanding, found Nami's analysis reasonable; after all, this chest didn't look like it contained anything valuable.

But Luffy, having witnessed Lake's amazing abilities, was still quite excited, rubbing his hands together as he spoke to Lake.

"Quick, quick! Lake, I want to see what happens!"

Nami and Zoro both looked puzzled by Luffy's words. Lake didn't explain anything to them, because actions speak louder than words.

"Treasure discovered! Grade confirmed... Lucky Partner +3 bonus in progress... Regrettably informing you that you're unlucky; the treasure's grade is the lowest, white. The luck bonus guarantees a minimum upgrade to blue."

Hearing the system's notification, Lake's face darkened. This was an opportunity he specifically sought out to showcase his abilities in public, and he'd been unlucky again.

If he hadn't brought a large group this time, and upgraded the grade by one level, he might have really embarrassed himself.

Chapter 11 Blue Guarantee, Navy Six StylesAccording to the system's previous explanation, the treasures Lake unearths are divided into five levels: white, blue, purple, gold, and red.

Currently, considering the luck bonus, Lake needs three companions to guarantee a blue treasure. The rest will require further testing.

Now, focusing on the weathered, tattered treasure chest, as the system notification ended, the chest flashed with a dazzling blue light.

Then, to everyone's astonishment, the weathered, tattered chest transformed into a magnificent, sea-blue treasure chest, with a gem identical to the one Lake had given Nami embedded in its center.

Nami was incredibly excited at this sight, because even without considering the contents, the chest itself could fetch a considerable sum.

However, just as Nami excitedly tried to open it, she found it locked and couldn't be opened. She asked Lake if she needed a key.

Lake shook his head, indicating that it wasn't locked and didn't need a key, but only he could open it.

This piqued Zoro's interest. Always one to fight back, he immediately stepped forward, attempting to pry open the treasure chest with all his might.

However, even with the veins bulging in Zoro's arms, the chest remained unchanged. Luffy, curious, also tried, but still couldn't open it.

After teasing them for a while, Lake stopped dawdling and stepped forward, gently pushing the chest open with remarkable ease.

This scene once again gave Zoro a significant shock, but they were quickly captivated by what they saw.

The chest, half full, seemed to still shimmer with a faint blue light. In this world, the most valuable precious metal people could access was gold.

Gemstones were less valuable than gold, and the sapphires before them were one of those, but even this half-chest of sapphires was quite valuable.

Nami's eyes practically lit up with greed, and she slumped onto the chest without any regard for her image. Seeing this, Lake reluctantly lifted her up.

Lake knew these were just bonuses; the real treasures were always the special items. He quickly rummaged through the pile of sapphires and found them.

"Congratulations, host, you have obtained a skill scroll, Flying Finger Pistol: An extension of the Finger Pistol technique from the Six Styles of the Navy. You will learn it instantly upon reciting the command."

"Congratulations, host, you have obtained an exclusive blue-grade treasure, Basic Version of the Six Styles of the Navy: Includes Shave, Moon Walk, Iron Body, Paper Drawing, Finger Pistol, and Tempest Kick. It cannot be extended."

Lake looked at the blank skill scroll shimmering with blue light in his hand. After a moment's thought, he decided to give it to Nami.

On one hand, his current strength was already considerable, and he had acquired all the techniques of the Six Styles of the Navy. Although he only knew the basic version, it had significantly improved Lake's combat level. This single extension of the Finger Pistol technique was practically useless to him.

However, giving it to Nami was completely different. Lake knew that although Nami wasn't officially a partner yet, it was only a matter of time. This ability, similar to an air pistol, would give Nami a very good means of attack.

On the other hand, Lake was also laying the groundwork for persuading Nami later. After all, he didn't want Nami to experience the hardships she went through in Cocoyasi Village in the original story.

While Lake was pondering these things, Luffy and Zoro had already gathered around, curiously looking at the blank scroll in Lake's hand.

Only Nami was still clutching the box of sapphires, completely captivated. Seeing this, Lake simply waved his hand, storing all the sapphires into his spatial ring.

The treasure chest disappeared as soon as it was opened, a scene that almost made Nami go berserk. After regaining some composure, she remembered her promise to Lake.

Nami mustered her courage and looked at Lake pitifully, saying, "You promised to share it with me... You can't go back on your word..."

Nami knew that the three people in front of her were like monsters; if they really didn't want to share the treasure with her, there was nothing she could do.

Thinking about this, Nami became increasingly aggrieved and burst into tears, a scene that completely stunned the three grown men present.

Luffy and Zoro silently took a step back; after all, she was crying because of Lake, so it was best for the person involved to step in.

Lake coughed helplessly twice, stepped forward, and gently patted Nami's head, comforting her, "I didn't say I wouldn't give it to you, don't cry."

Nami's expression instantly changed upon hearing Lake's words, flashing a bright smile as she hugged Lake's hand, shaking it and saying, "Really? That's great!"

Zoro, watching Nami's change of expression, muttered under his breath, "Such a scheming woman."

However, Lake didn't think so, because he knew that while Nami's current behavior was an act, it also revealed her most vulnerable side.

Afterwards, to reassure Nami, Lake directly gave her half of the sapphire. Having witnessed Lake's methods, Nami's gaze never left his injured ring.

She even subtly inquired about Lake's savings, to which Lake cleverly replied, "I haven't calculated it, but it should be more than enough to buy a village."

This statement stunned Nami. After recovering, Nami vowed to find a way to steal Lake's ring.

After their adventure in Orange Town, Nami was hired by Lake as the Straw Hat crew's temporary navigator and set sail with them.

The small boat they had been using was replaced with a larger vessel with a smaller cabin, scavenged from Buggy's crew. The four of them weren't cramped.

On the way, Luffy and Zoro both asked Lake about the scroll. Lake was quite frustrated; he had originally planned to give it to Nami directly.

That way, he wouldn't have to explain, and it would also strengthen his relationship with Nami, potentially changing her mind. However, the system had a rule:

"The host cannot use any grade of treasure on someone who is not a crewmate."

This restriction effectively thwarted Lake's plan. He had no choice but to put the scroll away for now, waiting for the right opportunity to persuade Nami to join the crew.

After much thought, Lake came up with an opportunity: the last treasure map he possessed—the one Nami had stolen from Alvida's ship.

If they weren't unlucky enough to find a treasure higher than the blue-grade one from the last one, Lake might be able to use it to change Nami's mind and make her trust them.

Decided to act, their original target was Syrup Village, the village where 'God' Usopp lived, but now they needed to take a detour.

Although the captain wasn't the brightest, Lake still symbolically discussed it with Luffy, who readily agreed to go treasure hunting.

Although Lake hadn't found anything particularly special from the treasures they'd found before, Luffy was still incredibly excited, because for him, treasure hunting was an adventure.

After Luffy agreed, Lake went straight to the cabin to discuss it with Nami, who naturally agreed as well.

She had been to that area before, so she knew the location, and she also understood Lake's abilities as a treasure hunter.

Nami was now itching to kidnap Lake. In her eyes, Lake was an inexhaustible gold mine. If she weren't too weak, she would have tied him up and sneaked away.

With a navigator, their speed increased significantly. Under Nami's command, they found their destination in just two days.

This treasure hunt was also exceptionally easy. The uninhabited island called Kashipon wasn't large, and there weren't even any wild animals.

Even so, Luffy was incredibly excited the whole way, and Nami shared his feelings, though she was excited about the many gems they were about to find.

The four of them quickly found the location. Luffy, as expected, was there. This time, the treasure chest wasn't too bad, suggesting it hadn't been buried long.

Just as Nami was excitedly preparing to open it, Lake quickly stopped her, saying, "Opening this chest now will ruin it."

Hearing this, Luffy, who was still planning to sneak in, froze, awkwardly scratching his head and offering an unwitting explanation.

"Treasure discovered! Grade confirmed... Chosen One companion +3 bonus in progress... Host's luck is decent, treasure grade upgraded to purple!"

This was already a third-tier treasure, and Lake was thrilled, as his plan could finally begin.

A flash of purple light appeared, and a magnificent amethyst-encased treasure chest replaced the original one. Lake opened it without hesitation.

"Congratulations, host, you have obtained a Group Observation Haki Scroll: After use, up to three people can directly master basic Observation Haki; the host is not included."

"Congratulations, host, you have obtained an exclusive purple-grade treasure: Three Types of Haki: Observation Haki, Armament Haki, and Conqueror's Haki. You have achieved initial mastery of all three types of Haki."

Feeling the changes in his body, Lake couldn't help but smile. After all, who wouldn't enjoy this feeling of becoming stronger with a cheat code?

Nami, however, was no longer as excited as before; she was now deep in thought. Last time it was a sapphire; this time it was an even more valuable amethyst.

Nami also learned from Luffy that Lake had previously obtained a chest of gold. Thinking of this, Nami gritted her teeth and made a decision.

Ignoring what everyone was doing, Nami spoke directly to them, "Everyone... Lake, I want to ask you for a favor..."

Finally, Nami mustered her courage and began to recount the events of her village, revealing a tattoo on her left arm.

Every time Nami saw this tattoo, her body trembled with anger, though she only recounted the crucial parts.

However, the three men could sense the immense suffering Nami had endured, especially Lake, who knew everything.

Seeing Nami like this pained him deeply. Lake stepped forward and gently embraced her. Nami didn't resist, but nestled against Lake's chest and burst into tears.

Even the usually carefree Luffy shouted angrily, "That guy named Arlong, I'll definitely go back and beat him to a pulp! How dare he make my navigator cry! I'll never let him get away with this!"

Zoro, equally unyielding, said, "I haven't even slain a fish-man yet, I hope those guys aren't too weak."

Hearing Luffy and Zoro's words, Nami immediately broke free from Lake's embrace and cried out anxiously.

"No! I just need you to lend me some money, that's enough. As long as I buy back the village, I'll go with you. Don't go looking for trouble with Arlong... you'll die..."

Nami's fear of fish-men was something she'd accumulated since childhood, and this fear couldn't be eliminated immediately, so Lake had to find another way.

Lake came to Nami's side and gently wiped away her tears, saying, "Nami, all I need now is an answer from you: are you truly willing to become our partner?"

Looking into Lake's resolute gaze, Nami nodded heavily, tears welling in her eyes. Lake, having received Nami's answer, smiled with relief.

"Since we're partners, you have to trust us. It's just Arlong, right? Nami, today I'll show you just how powerful your trusted partners really are!"

Chapter 13: Everyone Gets a Level Up – That's the Allure of a Treasure Trove"Everyone close your eyes! Open them only when I say 'open'! Luffy, no peeking!"

Although everyone was a little confused, they did as Lake said. Seeing everyone close their eyes, Lake took out a group Observation Haki scroll.

He tossed it into the air, and the scroll's purple light instantly enveloped Luffy and his companions. The light quickly dissipated, and the scroll vanished into thin air.

Lake smiled and said, "Let's test its effect."

With that, Lake picked up three small pebbles and threw them at the three of them, without telling them to open their eyes.

Everyone kept their eyes closed, but a miraculous thing happened: all three of them dodged the pebbles Lake threw.

After doing this as if it were instinct, the three realized what had just happened and opened their eyes, all of them utterly astonished.

Zoro kept closing his eyes, repeatedly trying to grasp the feeling, while Nami chattered around Lake, asking all sorts of questions. Only Luffy scratched his head, still a little confused.

However, precisely because of Luffy's carefree nature, his understanding was the deepest, even if he didn't quite grasp everything.

Thinking of this, Lake threw a handful of small stones at Zoro, who was still trying to feel it with his eyes closed. Naturally, Zoro dodged them all.

This served as a demonstration for Luffy, who looked on with an "aha!" expression. As for whether he actually understood, nobody believed that.

After the three of them got used to it, Lake began explaining the basics of Haki like a teacher. Haki is…

Because Lake explained it in such detail, Luffy almost fell asleep, while Zoro listened intently. Nami even pulled out a small notebook from somewhere and started taking notes.

Lake was essentially giving his crew a power-up in advance, a feeling that was honestly more enjoyable than him giving himself a power-up—it felt like nurturing a child.

After the educational segment, Lake took out a blue skill scroll he hadn't used before—the Finger Pistol.

He handed it to Nami in front of everyone. Following Lake's instructions, Nami silently recited the command, and the scroll emitted a blue light that enveloped her.

It disappeared after a moment, and a new technique appeared in Nami's mind—it felt like she'd known it since childhood.

Thinking about it, Nami quickly decided to try it out. She spotted Luffy, who was still fast asleep with bubbles coming out of his nose, and raised her hand in a pistol-like stance.

"Phiw!"

Nami even provided a very cute sound effect, though the sound was undeniably adorable, the power of the attack was anything but cute.

One second Luffy was sound asleep, and the next he was sent flying. A bewildered Luffy woke up scratching his head, completely clueless about what had happened.

Nami, her face beaming with excitement, prepared to try again. Zoro, seeing this, glanced at Lake again, then swallowed hard, thinking to himself,

"A mere scroll can grant someone such terrifying techniques; such methods are simply unbelievable. Lake… just how many secrets do you hold?"

Lake, of course, had no idea what Zoro was thinking. He was currently thinking about the power of Nami's Finger Pistol, and also about how his Observation Haki had awakened.

Therefore, it was possible to clearly perceive the specific power of Nami's attack. Although Luffy was sent flying, he was completely unharmed.

This means that Nami's finger-throwing gun attack currently only utilizes the impact of air to inflict damage; it cannot shape the air into a specific form to damage the enemy.

So it seems these skill scrolls don't allow you to perfectly master a move immediately; you still need to discover it gradually. But that's enough, though.

Afterwards, Nami demonstrated her finger gun technique in front of Luffy, firing bullets with the power of a gun using only her hands.

This scene completely captivated Luffy, who immediately hugged Lake's head and begged Lake to teach him the same move.

However, Lake was currently out of resources, so he could only comfort Luffy by saying that they would encounter even more amazing and powerful treasures in the future, but all of this depended on finding treasure.

Hearing Lake's words, Luffy became incredibly excited, as if his mind was on fire.

Before, he was always talking about adventure, but now it was all about treasure. Anyone who didn't know better would think Nami had possessed him, but this suited Lake's wishes perfectly.

After all, Luffy was the captain of this pirate crew, and only the captain could decide the future course; even the navigator couldn't directly decide the course.

Lake had previously worried about what would happen if they found a treasure map that led to a roundabout route, but Luffy refused to go. Now, it seemed there was no need to worry about that anymore.

Thus, the crew resolved their anxieties, each having gained something, and happily left the island. Before leaving, Lake, of course, didn't forget to collect the bonus treasure.

So Lake's spatial ring gained another bunch of purple gems. His spatial ring still had enough space, provided that Luffy's food wasn't put in it.

tears."Pirates are here! Everyone run! Pirates are here! Something terrible has happened!"

Symptoms suddenly echoed through the peaceful town of Symp Village. Normally, this would have caused panic, with villagers scattering in all directions. But here, a different scene unfolded.

"You liar! I'll teach you a lesson today!"

"Stop right there! Don't move! I'm going to teach you a lesson today!"

"Don't even think about escaping! Grab him!"

"Stop, you brat!"

...

That's right, the pirates were a hoax. The villagers seemed quite used to it, and the instigator of it all was in a very good mood.

After this little farce, Usopp lay comfortably on a tree branch. Usopp, the notorious liar of Symp Village, was accompanied by three little brats who called themselves the Usopp Pirates.

However, today one of his three henchmen brought big news: pirates really had appeared.

Usopp, who was initially planning to escape, immediately felt confident and set off with his crew upon hearing that the other side consisted of only four people.

That's right, these four were Lake and his crew, who had already arrived at Syrup Village. They were mistaken for pirates because of their small boat.

The boat still bore Buggy the Clown's pirate flag, but no one had mentioned it, so Lake hadn't paid it any mind.

After landing, Lake, Luffy, and Zoro stretched in unison, prompting Nami to roll her eyes at them.

"Aren't you guys being a little too relaxed? I'm the only one doing all the work on the ship all day! If you keep this up, I'm going to start charging you."

Luffy scratched his head and said, "Really? Didn't Lake make the food?"

*Thump!*

The next moment, Nami flashed behind Luffy and punched him on the head, giving him a bump. She angrily shouted, "You're the most laid-back captain!"

Zoro was amused by this scene. Just as Nami was about to say something, Lake suddenly appeared in front of her. The next moment...

Clang! Clang! Clang...

A barrage of pebbles rained down on Lake, making him look like he'd hit a steel block. Nami obediently hid behind Lake.

After the attack ended, a long-nosed boy stood up proudly and began his 'no exaggeration' self-introduction.

"I am Captain Usopp, the great pirate who leads this village! People always praise me! If you want to attack this place, you'd better give up now, because my 80 million subordinates won't let you get away with it..."

Before Usopp could finish speaking, Nami appeared from behind Lake and said, "You're kidding, right?"

Lake immediately added, "Attacking the weakest-looking girl right off the bat, that's not very gentlemanly at all."

Luffy, looking bewildered, asked Lake and Nami, "What? It was a lie?"

Zoro closed his eyes, using his Observation Haki to sense the situation, and then said, "You dare come looking for us with three brats? Do you understand? The people standing in front of you are real pirates."

As soon as Zoro spoke, the three brats who had been acting as a makeshift support group immediately ran away without looking back, leaving Usopp utterly terrified.

But Luffy still took out his slingshot, aimed it at Lake and his group, and said, "Don't underestimate me! I'm a man with a strong sense of pride!"

Luffy, seeing this, immediately channeled his inner actor, looking so cool that Lake began to wonder if the Luffy he usually saw was just an act.

"Since we've already drawn our guns, we have to risk our lives, understand? That's not a toy to scare people."

Zoro, seeing Luffy's expression, immediately understood, lightly flicking out a knife with his thumb, his expression turning grim.

How could Lake be absent at a time like this? And when it comes to showing off, who can beat him! Lake looked up at the sky and then smiled.

He slowly stepped forward and stood beside Luffy and Zoro. Seeing someone approach, Usopp immediately aimed his slingshot at Lake.

But the next second, he was so frightened his legs went weak. Luffy and Zoro's appearance had already made Usopp somewhat hesitant, but the moment he saw Lake...

The terrifying pressure and sun-like aura made his legs go weak, and he collapsed to the ground, panting heavily.

Seeing this, Zoro couldn't help but feel embarrassed and said, "Hey, hey~ don't go too far. Even I'm wary of you looking like this."

Luffy, however, didn't care at all. Seeing Usopp's fright, he immediately burst into laughter: "Hahahaha!"

After laughing, Luffy went straight to Usopp, reached out, and helped him up, saying, "I recognize you. Your father is Yasopp, right?"

Hearing his father's name, Usopp quickly stood up and asked. Luffy then began to tell Usopp about his past.

They chatted all the way to a restaurant, eating and talking until their conversation ended, at which point Nami finally asked about the important matter.

"We need a bigger new ship, but I don't know where we can find one?"

"As you can see, this is just a small village. I'm sorry you'll be disappointed."

"But I saw a huge villa on the mountaintop when I came here!"

"Eh! You definitely can't do that! Ah! Right, I suddenly remembered I have something to do. I know the owner here well, so please enjoy your food and drinks. I'm off!"

Usopp then dashed off. Nami smiled and said, "As expected, that guy definitely has something to do with the owner of that villa."

Zoro took a swig of his drink and said, "But it seems Usopp doesn't want us to have any contact with the people at the villa."

Lake picked up a pastry from the table and popped it into his mouth, saying, "Of course! We're pirates after all. So sweet!"

Luffy, his mouth full of meat, still tried to join the conversation, saying, "What...connection...just go find them..."

Lake found this scene truly unbearable. He simply stuffed a sweet into Luffy's mouth, and Luffy exclaimed "So sweet!" before continuing to focus on his meal.

Outside the villa atop the mountain, a tall tree stood right next to the window of one of the rooms, where Usopp, who had been in a hurry to leave earlier, was.

He was chatting with a young lady inside the villa. However, this lady was so pale it was obvious she suffered from some kind of illness, but it was clear she enjoyed Usopp's boasting and stories, laughing heartily throughout their conversation.

This atmosphere was quickly broken when a tall, thin man in a black suit and glasses appeared and directly chased Usopp away. Usopp didn't seem to mind, as this was always the case when he visited.

The villa's owner was named Kaya, indeed a very wealthy young lady. The man was the housekeeper, using the alias Krabatel.

However, this time the butler clearly wasn't going to let Usopp off easily, openly insulting him and constantly belittling pirates.

This enraged Usopp, who rushed forward and punched the butler. Not satisfied, he was about to continue when the crying Kaya stopped him, and the meeting ended unhappily.

Watching Usopp walk away, Kaya felt a pang of sadness. Just then, Lake and Nami arrived at the villa, having just missed Usopp's scene.

This was all part of Lake's plan. The reason he didn't bring Luffy and Zoro was mainly to prevent the two idiots from witnessing the scene and impulsively disrupting the plan.

Without revealing their identities, Lake and Nami entered the villa as merchants conducting business. Kaya, as the hostess, naturally greeted them.

Although she had tried to adjust, Lake could still see the girl's dejected mood and her unwell appearance.

Thinking of this, Lake glanced at the butler, whispered something to Nami, and then walked directly towards the butler.

Nami, following Lake's instruction, got up and went to Kaya's side, chatting with her like a close friend about girly topics.

Although Kaya was initially taken aback by Nami's sudden enthusiasm, her refined upbringing allowed her to quickly adapt, and she began chatting with Nami.

Lake naturally recognized the butler before him: Kuro, the captain of the Black Cat Pirates, the one Oda himself acknowledged as second only to Beckman in intelligence.

However, judging from Kuro's behavior, Lake truly didn't find anything remarkable about him. Three years spent just to seize power and collect a sum of money?

Kuro, seeing Lake approach, looked at him with disdain, habitually raising his eyes and saying,

"Although I don't know your identities, please leave as soon as possible. Next time, bring goods instead of lying about being merchants."

Lake was amused and annoyed. So, he thinks he's looking down on me? Fine, he just wants goods, huh? Perfect, let him see them and then I'll move on.

Lake didn't say anything more, pretending to take a bag from his clothes—actually, he had pre-sorted it in his spatial ring.

After taking it out, he opened it directly in front of Kuro, saying, "These are my goods. I wonder if the butler is satisfied?"

Kro was slightly shocked to see the bag of sapphires; they were indeed priceless, but he wanted much more.

So Kro put away his previous disdain and said in a friendly tone, "Of course, if you wish to trade these gems with us, we will certainly offer you a satisfactory price."

Lake didn't directly respond to Kro, but instead calmly took out two more bags and opened them in front of Kro, revealing a bag of amethyst and a bag of gold!

While Kro was still in shock, Lake added fuel to the fire, saying, "This is only part of it. I have many more on my ship. I wonder if you can handle them all?"

Lake's words were loaded with meaning, but Kro didn't catch it at all. Seeing these, he almost couldn't resist making a move.

However, when he heard Lake say there were many more, he restrained himself. Kro had already abandoned his plan to assassinate the young lady and inherit her fortune; now he only wanted to quickly obtain Lake's wealth.

Seeing Kro's shocked expression, Lake knew he had achieved his goal, so he casually placed the two bags of gems on the table in front of Kaya.

"We'd like to use these gems to trade for a larger ship with Miss Kaya. Is that possible?"

Kaya was surprised to see the two bags of gems, but she was relieved when she heard that Lake wanted a ship.

After a brief chat with Lake about his ship ideas, he naturally mentioned the Going Merry, which reassured Kaya considerably.

The deal was struck, and Lake and Nami were told to come back the next day. The other butler, Going Merry, would take them to see the ship then.

Lake left the villa with Nami, while Kuro glanced at the two bags of gems on the table and then silently disappeared.

While Lake and Nami were at the villa, Luffy and Zoro sat idly at a crossroads in the village.

Zoro was carefree, sleeping wherever he went, his sleep quality was excellent. Luffy, on the other hand, was incredibly bored.

He kept complaining about why Lake wouldn't let him come along, why he only took Nami, and so on.

However, they happened to run into Usopp, who had just been kicked out of the mansion. Still angry, Usopp ignored them and headed straight for the coast.

Luffy immediately followed, while Zoro only glanced at them before going back to sleep. Both of them then triggered their respective mission events.

Zoro encountered a self-proclaimed hypnotist named Django, intending to try it out, but ended up falling asleep first. Django assumed Zoro had hypnotized him.

Later, Luffy followed Usopp to the edge of a cliff and saw Kuro meeting with Django. From their conversation, Luffy learned their identities and plans.

The original plan was for the pirates to storm the village the next day, kill Kaya, and force her to transfer all her inheritance to him before she died.

Upon hearing this, Usopp almost gave himself away, but then, upon learning that their plan had changed, he breathed a sigh of relief.

However, Luffy couldn't sit still and immediately stood up, shouting, "We won't give you our treasure! You stinky butler!"

Luffy's action immediately exposed the two, and Django used hypnosis on him. Caught off guard, Luffy was instantly hypnotized and slammed down.

Usopp narrowly escaped but was released by Kuro, who knew that his words were a joke in this village and no one would listen to him.

When Lake and Nami found Zoro, the sun had already set. Just as they were about to go find Luffy, they bumped into a panicked Usopp.

The others asked where Luffy was, but Usopp had no time for them, rushing towards the village.

Seeing this, Lake sighed and grabbed Usopp. Usopp immediately shouted anxiously,

"What are you doing! There's no time! Pirates are coming! Kaya is in danger! Everyone in the village is in danger! I have to hurry..."

Lake didn't tolerate Usopp's behavior and yelled at him, "Are you telling those villagers to go and die?"

Usopp was stunned, then immediately retorted, "How could I! I'm just notifying everyone so they can hide in a safe place!"

At this point, Usopp was still too naive. For their future, Lake could only try to reason with Usopp in advance.

"Do you think pirates only raid villages after landing on an island? If they come and find the village deserted, wouldn't they search for it?

And do you think the villagers would believe a liar like you who shouts 'Pirates are here' all the time? Usopp, shouldn't you calm down and think about what you can do in this situation?

Instead of recklessly starting a riot, if you're this bad, I think even your father, Yasopp, would be very disappointed in you!"

Like's merciless words stunned Usopp, who sat down on the ground, questioning his existence, because he couldn't refute a single word Lake had said.

Even if he could refute, those rebuttals would only be self-deception; the truth would definitely be the same as what Lake predicted.

Seeing Usopp's state, Nami felt a pang of pity and said to Lake, "Like, I..."

At this moment, Zoro, standing nearby, gestured for Nami to be quiet. It must be said that Zoro is always very reliable in situations like this.

After a while, Usopp finally understood and stood up, saying,

"Thank you. I understand what I need to do now. I won't let my dad down. I'll protect this village myself!"

Seeing that Usopp had finally come to his senses, Lake patted him on the shoulder and said, "Don't forget about us. Tell me, what did you hear?"

Usopp immediately realized what had happened and excitedly said, "I'm sorry! Your captain is dead. I couldn't save him and he escaped!"

Nami was shocked, Zoro frowned, but Lake calmly said, "Don't worry, there's no one here who can kill Luffy."

Usopp thought Lake was unwilling to accept reality and quickly continued, "It's true. I saw him fall off the cliff on the coast, headfirst."

They thought Lake and the others would accept this news, but unexpectedly, they all seemed relieved.

Nami, who had been surprised earlier, waved her hand and said, "Don't worry, that guy isn't that easy to kill. Let's go find Luffy."

Lake nodded. Indeed, this was something they needed to discuss with the captain, though they knew they probably wouldn't come to any conclusions.

Led by Usopp, the group quickly found Luffy, who was sleeping soundly in a strange position. Nami suddenly fired a shot.

*Biu!*

"Ah! What are you doing, Nami?!"

This scene stunned Usopp. Lake called out to Luffy, "Luffy, come here! We need to discuss our plan."

Luffy, without waiting for a response, immediately came over, listening intently, almost falling asleep again.

By the time they finished discussing, it was already dark. Lake and the others had learned of Kuro's new plan from Usopp.

They still planned to have the pirates attack the area first thing the next morning, but this time the target would be Lake and Nami, making things easier.

Originally, Usopp said they just needed to guard this coastline, but then Lake mentioned that they hadn't thought this was the place when they arrived.

This suddenly reminded Usopp that there was another coastline on the other side of the village, and the group eventually split into two teams.

Lake took Nami and Usopp to defend the other side, while Luffy and Zoro, worried they might get lost, left them behind.

After finalizing the plan, the group spent the night outdoors until the next day…

"Lake, Lake! Wake up!"

Thump!

"Ah! Is it dawn already?"

Lake ignored the bump on his head, stretched, and complained, "Sleeping on the streets is really uncomfortable! Have they arrived yet?"

Nami shrugged and shook her head.

Usopp said anxiously, "It's already this late! It looks like they're with Luffy and the others. We need to hurry!"

Lake, however, remained calm, saying, "It's alright. If they're with Luffy and the others, they should have taken care of it by now. We can just walk over."

Usopp looked at Lake in surprise and said, "How could that be! That's the Black Cat Pirates, and Kuro will definitely be there too."

Lake remained calm, as if he hadn't fully woken up. He was just about to get up and walk to the other side when suddenly his foot slipped.

"Shave!"

Lake almost landed face-first, but luckily he used Shave to escape at the last second. Upon closer inspection, he realized the coastal slope was covered in a layer of oil.

It was clearly Usopp's doing. Lake yelled at him, "You bastard! You almost ruined my handsome face! Were you trying to ambush me?!"

Usopp scratched his head sheepishly, while Nami stared intently at Lake, more concerned about the attack he had just used.

However, they needed to get to Luffy's crew quickly, so there was no time for small talk; they set off immediately.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the coast…

"We are the Cat-Man Brothers!"

"Oh? Did you lose something? I didn't see it."

"Such a pathetic performance. Did you think taking my sword would be useful? One is enough to deal with you."

"Is that so? Then let me show you the true strength of the Cat-Man Brothers! Take this!"

"One-Sword Style: Raven!"

Sizzle! Sizzle!

"Just mastering the most basic Observation Haki and you can do this? The world feels so much bigger now."

On Luffy and Zoro's side, due to the hypnotist Django using enhanced hypnosis on his subordinates, the naive Luffy was also hypnotized.

He single-handedly cleared out all the enemies, even managing to remove the prow of their ship. Just as Luffy was about to smash the prow down on them...

Django used hypnosis again, and Luffy fell asleep under the weight of the massive ship prow. Then, the cat-men appeared.

They pretended to be weak but stole two of Zoro's swords, only to be easily defeated by the now-powerful Zoro. And so, the real culprits appeared.

Too slow... I didn't expect you guys to be stopped by a few brats. It seems the Black Cat Pirates have fallen too... Django!"

Kuro immediately began belittling Django and his crew upon his appearance. Django was furious but dared not speak.

However, there were still some who dared to speak up. The cat-man brothers, whom Zoro had just defeated in one move, immediately got up after hearing Kuro's words.

They directly retorted that Kuro, who had been pampered for three years, was no match for them, and without another word, they charged at him.

But the difference in strength was immense. Kuro suddenly vanished from his spot, subduing the cat-man brothers in an instant, his blade already pressed against their faces.

Seeing this, Django switched to commentary mode, muttering to himself.

"It's here... Silent Step! That man's silent movement technique could kill fifty assassins without a sound. This man, even after three years, hasn't forgotten how to fight."

Just as Django finished speaking, someone interrupted him, saying, "Silent Step? I heard it quite loud. Did you get the name wrong?"

Django turned around sharply and saw a smiling boy, and the long-nosed guy he'd met before. Nami had gone to wake Luffy.

Zoro greeted Lake, calling out, "Lake, you guys are really late. Did you get lost?"

Lake, hearing Zoro's words, felt a bit embarrassed and retorted, "I can't stand you saying that to me!"

Kro, seeing Lake appear, immediately focused his gaze on him and then spoke to the cat-man brothers.

"You're right, these past three years have indeed softened me considerably. I'll give you one more chance. Kill that guy.

His treasure is enough for me to complete my plan. Five minutes. If you don't finish him off within five minutes, I'll wipe you all out…with my own hands!"

Zango shouted nervously, drenched in sweat, "Five minutes! Five minutes is enough! Cat-man brothers! Look here!"

As he spoke, Zango began his hypnosis. Soon, the cat-man brothers were under Zango's seemingly stronger hypnosis, and their sizes increased many times over.

Zoro was already in a fighting stance, but Lake walked over and said as he passed Zoro, "Since their target is me, then I'll handle it."

Zoro immediately sheathed his sword and said, "Don't go too far."

Lake looked at the cat-man brothers charging menacingly at him, a smile playing on his lips, and said loudly,

"I heard you know something called Silent Step. I wonder how it compares to mine."

Shave!

The moment Lake finished speaking, he vanished from his spot, even more absurdly than Kro's earlier disappearance. The cat-man brothers, already reeling from this series of blows, were on the verge of collapse.

However, under Zango's hypnosis, the two continued their charge towards the suddenly reappearing Lake. This time, Lake stood motionless, rooted to the spot.

But no matter how the cat-man brothers attacked, they couldn't land a hit on Lake. At this moment, Lake's body was like paper, nimbly dodging their attacks.

Unable to hit Lake, and with the five minutes almost up, the cat-men brothers grew desperate and were about to bite him.

Suddenly, Lake extended two fingers and placed them on the cat-men's heads. Before they could react, the next second...

"Finger Gun!"

*Pfft!*

With two streaks of blood spraying into the air, the cat-men brothers fell. At that moment, the five minutes that Kro had mentioned earlier were up.

He stood up and looked at Lake, saying, "With strength like that, you're probably not a businessman anymore. All of this is to deal with me, isn't it?"

Lake didn't deny it, replying, "That's right. Since you know, why don't you just surrender? That would save us the trouble."

"Hmph~ Surrender? Kid, I'm Kuro of the Black Cat Pirates. You want me to surrender? That's the funniest joke I've ever heard."

Lake shrugged indifferently, saying, "Looks like you're just a little smart, but your vision is still lacking."

Kuro stopped talking to Lake and suddenly vanished from his spot, unaware that his disappearance technique was extremely obvious to Lake.

Thinking Lake hadn't noticed his movement, Kuro appeared behind Lake, preparing to attack, when suddenly...

Bang!

Luffy, awakened by Nami in the distance, punched Kuro without a word, sending him flying. Then, Luffy withdrew his fist and shouted.

"You stinky butler! Now you know how powerful I am! Lake, are you alright?!"

Kroo couldn't possibly hurt Lake, but Luffy's innocent gesture warmed Lake's heart.

Lake turned to Luffy and said, "I'm fine, Luffy. That guy's yours. Once we've taken care of him, we'll go find the treasure!"

Luffy smiled and nodded emphatically, then charged towards Kuroo. The rest of the fight was irrelevant to Lake.

He began studying the treasure map. This map was one Nami had traded a beautiful gem with Kaya when they went to the villa.

Since she knew Lake's abilities, the treasure map was now her biggest concern. Seeing Lake studying it, Nami immediately came over.

Zoro was about to join in when Lake shoved him away with a look of disgust, saying, "You don't understand anyway, so don't get involved. There are still enemies to deal with, go on, go on!"

Zorro, pushed away by Lake, yelled, "What did you say, Lake! You make me sound like I have no sense of direction! You jerk!"

Lake, hearing Zoro's words, sighed helplessly, thinking, "I was so tactful, and you still admitted it~"

Furious, Zoro could only vent his anger on poor Django. Django, who already had little fighting ability, was completely overwhelmed by Zoro, his hypnosis ring shattered.

Then it was Luffy's turn. Having already mastered basic Observation Haki, Luffy was completely unaffected by Kuro's special move, 'Slipper Death.'

Without any surprises, Luffy was defeated instantly, his weapon completely shattered, his glasses smashed, and he lay on the ground, seemingly lifeless.

Chapter 18: The Golden Legend Reappears, Clay is OverjoyedEveryone was now crowded around Lake, staring at the treasure map, except for Usopp, who was still reeling from the shock.

He hadn't expected the Black Cat Pirates, the 16 million Berry bounty holder, Kuro, to be defeated so easily? And so utterly crushed?

Looking at this group of guys around his age, Usopp made a decision: he too would set sail!

Usopp, curious, also came over, and upon seeing the treasure map, he exclaimed loudly.

"This! Where did this treasure map come from?"

Nami, not understanding why Usopp was so excited, simply replied that it was traded from Kaya. Upon receiving this answer, Usopp gave an awkward smile.

He then scratched his head sheepishly and said, "Sorry, you don't need to look for this treasure. I buried it myself; there's nothing there, it was just a hoax."

"What?!"

Everyone exclaimed in surprise. Lake was about to tear up the treasure map in anger when the system's voice suddenly appeared.

"Host, don't forget the system's ability. As long as it's a treasure, it's valid. So what you get depends entirely on your luck."

"So, according to you, I can bury treasure myself and then dig it up?"

"Host, you're overthinking it. The condition for a treasure to be valid is that the system doesn't know about you. If the information is known, it's invalid."

"Okay, I thought we'd found a bug, but it's good this way, at least the treasure isn't wasted."

After Lake finished talking to the system, Nami was already venting her anger by grabbing Usopp by the neck. She'd traded a gem for it, and now Nami was furious.

Lake stepped forward and persuaded Nami to put Usopp down, then said, "Friends, don't forget my abilities. This is a treasure, after all. Let's go, how will we know if we don't try?"

Luffy, who couldn't contain himself any longer, cheered, "Yay! Let's go! Let's find the treasure!"

Hearing this, Nami, clinging to a sliver of hope, took the treasure map from Lake and gave it to Usopp to lead the way.

Although Usopp didn't understand, what could he do when these guys had just saved the village? So he resolutely led the way.

Because Usopp had buried it himself, he knew the location, and soon the group found the treasure chest on a small hill on the island.

Usopp hadn't buried it very deep; after all, it wasn't real treasure. He simply peeled back a layer of soil and pulled out the chest.

However, it was hard to call it a treasure chest at all, as it was basically a dilapidated little storage box. You could even see a pile of junk inside.

Usopp was quite embarrassed, scratching his head and explaining that he'd buried just useless junk, and that he'd only made the treasure map as a prank.

Seeing this, Nami's last hope was dashed, but Lake wasn't worried at all. Since the system had spoken, it was bound to work.

Sure enough, the system's voice appeared the next moment.

"Treasure Found! Grade Confirmed... Lucky Partner +3 Boost... Congratulations, Host, you're incredibly lucky! Treasure grade upgraded to Gold!"

After the system notification, the tattered storage box emitted a dazzling golden light, leaving Usopp speechless with shock.

Luffy and Nami's eyes lit up, while Zoro watched expectantly. As the golden light faded, Lake easily opened the treasure chest, revealing its contents.

"Congratulations, host, for finding the fifth treasure, achieving a milestone. The spatial ring has been partially unsealed, increasing its internal space to one hundred cubic meters."

"Congratulations, host, for obtaining the Sniper Rifle Barrett Destruction: Currently in an unawakened state, it possesses basic Observation Haki, which continuously improves based on the user's proficiency. It has unlimited ammunition."

"Congratulations, host, for obtaining the Inheritance Scroll, Gale Swordsman: After use, you will enter the Inheritance Space and receive the power inherited from the Gale Swordsman."

"Congratulations, host, for obtaining the Golden Exclusive Treasure, Ebony and Ivory: Dual pistols possessing demonic power. These two guns can fire different types of bullets, and their power grows with the host's."

This golden treasure chest is incredibly generous! Lake is almost as excited as Luffy, but his excitement has left his crewmates bewildered.

After all, only Lake knows what good stuff the chest can contain, except for Nami, whose eyes are now practically glowing with greed, her face beaming with happiness.

Lake effortlessly stored everything in his spatial ring with a wave of his hand. This magic-like feat dealt another heavy blow to Usopp's young heart.

Everyone was watching Lake, but he wasn't in a hurry to explain. He himself was still processing what was happening, so he suggested they go back first.

On the way, Zoro noticed two guns suddenly appearing at Lake's waist, but he didn't ask directly; he was simply very curious.

And so, in a cheerful mood, Lake and his companions headed towards Kaya's villa.

Chapter 19 The Going Merry, Usopp boards the ship."Mr. Lake, you've arrived! The ship is ready... and thank you for saving the village."

As soon as the group arrived at Kaya's villa, Kaya greeted them at the door and thanked them, though her eyes were almost entirely on Usopp.

Usopp, naturally, took the opportunity to boast about his heroic deeds, but in reality, the battle was much easier due to the increased strength of his companions.

Not to mention Usopp, even Nami easily thwarted Kuro's plot without lifting a finger. But what can you do when Usopp has a childhood friend?

At this moment, no one would be so tactless as to expose Usopp's boasting. Compared to Usopp's bragging, everyone was more interested in what Kaya had just mentioned about the ship.

Luffy and Zoro were completely unaware of anything, because Lake had only brought Nami with him when he came to find Kaya, and they were excited to see everyone.

Kaya immediately had her butler, Merry, lead the way to the bay. This butler, Merry, had also had her fate changed from almost being killed by Kuro because of Lake's previous actions.

The distance wasn't far; the new ship was located right where Lake and his crew had first landed, their old small boat still moored there.

"Wow!!!"

Nami: "A light sailing ship!"

Luffy: "Can we really take this?"

Lake: "Luffy, we've already paid for it."

Luffy: "Huh? Really? That's great!"

Butler Merry: "Although the design is a bit old-fashioned, this is a ship I designed. I also reinforced the keel and completely refurbished it according to Mr. Lake's requirements. Its name is the Going Merry!"

Luffy: "So cool!"

Luffy was so excited that he didn't even hear what Butler Merry was saying next; she was about to explain how to operate the ship.

Perfect timing! Lake pushed Nami in front of Merry, saying, "Study hard! You're our navigator; this ship will depend on you from now on."

Nami was also taken aback, but hearing Lake's words warmed her heart. She then focused on listening to Butler Merry explain how to operate the Going Merry.

Luffy, excitedly hugging Merry's goat head, shouted, "This is my special spot from now on! Hehehehe~"

Kaya then approached Lake and said, "The basic supplies needed for the voyage, as well as plenty of food, have been loaded onto the ship."

Lake smiled and said, "Thanks, Ms. Kaya."

Kaya politely replied, "You're welcome. We shouldn't accept this money since you helped us..."

Before Kaya could finish, Lake interrupted her, saying, "One thing at a time. Don't forget we're pirates, not heroes."

Kaya laughed happily and said, "I think you're the heroes, Mr. Lake."

Just as Lake and Kaya were chatting, Usopp's scream came from the hillside. Everyone looked in the direction of the sound.

They saw a huge backpack carrying a person tumbling down the hillside. Seeing this, Lake couldn't help but think to himself, "What a sight!"

"This is only possible in this world; in reality, I'd be dead by now."

Usopp quickly caught Zoro's foot brake and brought the ship to a stop. Then it was time for Usopp to say goodbye to his childhood friend, and Lake naturally didn't disturb him.

He leisurely strolled onto the ship. Although he was very familiar with it from his previous life, Lake still felt incredibly excited to be on the Going Merry in person.

He explored the ship inside and out, feeling much happier. After a while, Usopp finished chatting with Kaya.

However, Usopp's next move was to prepare to say goodbye to Lake and his crew as well. Although this was the normal progression of the story, Lake sensed something was amiss.

Sure enough, when Luffy said, "Aren't we already crewmates?" Usopp didn't respond. Instead, after a moment of contemplation, he said,

"I'm sorry, although I appreciate your recognition, but... but I know... with my abilities, I'm simply not good enough to board your ship... so..."

Hearing Usopp's words, Lake understood what was going on. Unfortunately, things had changed because of Lake's presence, so Lake had to bring the story back on track.

"I didn't expect you to have such awareness, Usopp. But... what a pity about this treasure I just unearthed. Such a cool sniper rifle can only go to Luffy."

As he spoke, Lake took out the Destroyer from his spatial ring. Its jet-black, imposing design was practically every boy's dream weapon.

Completely oblivious to the implication in Lake's words, Luffy excitedly snatched the Destroyer from Lake's hand, his eyes shining as he shouted, "So cool!!!"

This scene completely stunned Usopp. Looking at the cool Destroyer, he naturally wanted it too, but he had already...

Seeing Usopp's expression, Lake knew he was still missing a spark, so he gave Zoro a wink. Zoro instantly understood and spoke up.

"What are you standing there for? We're about to set sail, or we'll leave you behind!"

Nami quickly chimed in, "Idiot, we've been comrades since you decided to protect the village alone."

Usopp finally broke down, tears of emotion streaming down his face as he excitedly ran towards the Going Merry, shouting, "That gun is still mine, right?!"

Luffy immediately objected, yelling, "What are you talking about! Lake just said he'd give it to me!"

Everyone around them burst into laughter; after all, this was the best ending.