Ronan watched the scene, laughing inwardly. He knew these two were just having a bit of fun by scaring Usopp on purpose. But instead of exposing them, he decided to play along.
Ronan twirled the broken half of his wooden stick, creating several sharp gusts of wind. He looked at Usopp with a stern expression, his aura restrained yet dangerous. To Ronan, interacting with these famous characters was incredibly entertaining. Even though this world was real, it didn't change his personal enjoyment of the "plot."
Zoro half-opened one eye and looked coldly at Usopp, who was now drenched in cold sweat. "The ones standing before you... are real pirates!"
Luffy's crushing pressure, Zoro's murderous intent, and Ronan's restrained battle spirit—these three distinct but equally dangerous auras weighed down on Usopp like three massive mountains.
Usopp stared at these three formidable-looking men, his hand holding the slingshot trembling more violently by the second. Sweat poured down his face like a waterfall. After a few seconds of agonizing tension, his carefully constructed facade of "pride" finally shattered.
Clatter.
The slingshot slipped from his fingers and hit the ground. His legs gave out, and he slumped to the earth as if his very soul had departed his body. With the last of his strength, he looked up at the trio, his eyes shimmering with newfound awe.
"I... I knew it... the words and presence of real pirates... are on a whole different level! So... so cool!"
Seeing Usopp's exaggerated display of "reverence to the point of prostration," the serious expressions that Ronan, Luffy, and Zoro had been forcing finally cracked. They looked at each other and burst into deafening laughter.
"Hahahaha—!!"
Luffy laughed so hard he nearly doubled over. He pointed at the collapsed Usopp on the hillside and revealed the truth: "I was just repeating something I heard!"
"Eh?" Usopp looked up in shock.
Luffy stopped laughing, his face filled with pride and nostalgia. "Those words were spoken by a pirate I respect more than anyone—Shanks!"
"Sha... Shanks?!" Hearing that name hit Usopp harder than the intimidation had. He sprang up from the ground, stammering, "You... you mean Red-Haired Shanks?! That Great Pirate?!"
Luffy nodded happily. "Yeah!" He scrutinized Usopp's features for a moment and suddenly let out an "Ah!" as if remembering something. "Your dad is Yasopp, isn't he!"
"!!!"
The words struck Usopp like a bolt of lightning. His feet slipped, and he lost his balance, tumbling down the hillside in a cloud of dust until he landed clumsily at their feet.
"Yasopp... that is indeed my old man's name..." Ignoring the pain, Usopp looked at Luffy in shock. "But... how do you know that?!"
...
Through a brief conversation, the misunderstanding was cleared. Usopp realized that Ronan and the others weren't bad people. Under Usopp's lead, they arrived at Syrup Village's only restaurant.
Luffy immediately entered "feast mode," while Ronan and Zoro enjoyed food and drinks they hadn't had in quite a while. Usopp took a massive bite out of a piece of bread and said muffledly, "Good, isn't it?"
Between mouthfuls of meat, Luffy explained, "I saw your dad when I was a kid with Shanks. You look exactly like him—that's how I recognized you instantly!"
"My old man... he's actually on Shanks' ship!" Usopp put down his bread, his eyes sparkling with admiration. "I can't believe he's on such an incredible ship!"
Luffy nodded vigorously, swallowing his food. "Yeah! I don't know the details now, but they should still be together!" He recalled his childhood with a tone of praise. "By the way, your dad's marksmanship is incredible! Yasopp is a truly outstanding pirate."
Ronan sat nearby, listening quietly as he chewed a large piece of meat. When he heard about Yasopp abandoning his wife and child for his dreams, a flicker of disdain passed through his eyes. In Ronan's value system, he had nothing but contempt for such behavior.
Seeking a dream was one thing. But one should either provide for their family before leaving or simply never marry and have children in the first place. Yasopp was the textbook example of a man who wanted it both ways—leaving behind his responsibilities the moment he was done with them. Because of his selfishness, his wife died of illness, and his son became a "left-behind child" on the island. One could only imagine how miserable Usopp's childhood had been.
Ronan snorted inwardly. This distorted Great Pirate Era had birthed too many tragedies, and those living within it didn't even recognize them as such. Sure enough, Usopp remained ecstatic, completely unaware of any fault in his father's actions. Instead, he spoke with immense pride:
"That's right! An old man who risks his life to live on the sea, regardless of the consequences—I've always been incredibly proud of him!"
Nami had zero interest in this "manly romance." She sharply interrupted Usopp's emotional moment, dragging the conversation back to reality. She looked at him and asked, "I don't suppose we could find a navigator or a large ship in this village?"
Usopp snapped back to reality and sighed. "As you can see, this is just a small village. I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you."
Just as Nami's face fell, Zoro, who had been quietly drinking, suddenly glanced toward the distant hills. "There's a massive mansion up on that hill."
"A mansion?!" Nami was instantly revitalized. She turned to Usopp with a dazzling smile, her voice sweet enough to be sickening. "Usopp~ is that where your friend lives? Do you think... maybe he could help us out with some funds?"
At the mention of the "mansion," Usopp jumped like a cat that had its tail stepped on. He waved his hands frantically. "No! Not there! Anywhere but there!"
Seeing the scrutinizing looks from Ronan and the others, he gave an awkward smile that looked more like a sob and pushed his chair back. "I just remembered I have urgent business! I'm close with the owner here, so eat and drink as much as you want! I—I'm leaving!"
Ronan saw him practically fleeing and quickly reached out to grab him. "Wait, Usopp! Is there a blacksmith in this town?"
"Y-yes, there is, but he only makes farm tools! Turn right outside the restaurant and you'll see it!" With that, Usopp ran out without looking back, disappearing around the corner.