Luffy stood at the bow, tilting his head in confusion.
"Why?"
"Huh?"
Usopp froze, then immediately waved his hands in frustration.
"You're really cold, you know that? What I mean is—starting now, I'm like you guys too, a pirate sailing the seas!"
"Even though we're parting ways, as fellow pirates we might run into each other someday on the ocean…"
His voice grew quieter and quieter, because he finally noticed that everyone on the ship was staring at him like he was an idiot.
Zoro crossed his arms, raised an eyebrow, and pointed at the deck beneath his feet, his tone impatient.
"What kind of nonsense are you talking about? Get on the ship already."
"Huh?"
Usopp's mind went completely blank. "G-Get on… the ship?"
Luffy leaned over the railing, pressed down the brim of his straw hat, and flashed a smile so bright it wiped away all distance between them.
He reached out his hand toward the long-nosed friend on shore.
"We're already comrades, aren't we?"
Boom!
Those words hit Usopp like a bolt of lightning, shattering every bit of bravado and pretense he had built up.
He stared at Ronan, who had the black iron spear slung across his back and nodded gently at him.
He looked at Nami, who shrugged helplessly, a smile on her face.
He looked at Zoro, who wore his usual fierce expression, but had already stepped aside to clear a path onto the ship.
He looked at Luffy—at that outstretched hand, unwavering and sincere.
So… I wasn't left behind.
So… I was already one of them.
Usopp's eyes instantly reddened, tears welling up as he struggled not to let them fall.
"Y-You idiots!"
He suddenly jumped up, using the motion to hide his overwhelming emotion.
Shouting at the top of his lungs, he leapt onto the Going Merry's deck like a monkey, planted his hands on his hips, lifted his nose high, and instantly reverted to the arrogant swagger of "Captain Usopp."
"Since you're sincerely inviting me, I suppose I'll reluctantly join!"
He pointed at Luffy and declared loudly,
"But let me say this first! The captain should obviously be me!!"
"What?!"
Luffy instantly exploded, jumping up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "Don't say stupid things! I'm the captain!!"
"I was a captain before you—my seniority's higher!"
"I'm the man who's going to become Pirate King, so of course I'm the captain!"
Watching the two idiots roll around on the deck fighting over the "captain's seat," Ronan, Zoro, and Nami exchanged glances—then burst out laughing.
"Hahahahaha—!!"
Their laughter carried on the sea breeze, drifting back to shore and out toward the open ocean.
"Hoist the sails! Set sail!"
At Luffy's shout, the white triangular sails snapped open with a loud bang, filling with wind.
The sheep-headed prow cut through the waves as the Going Merry slowly left Syrup Village's harbor behind, carrying five young pirates toward the sea.
Ronan stood at the stern, resting a hand on the cold iron spear as he looked back at the shrinking island.
"Goodbye, Syrup Village."
…
The sea breeze was gentle, carrying the coolness of dusk.
The deck of the Going Merry was filled with laughter.
After defeating the Black Cat Pirates and gaining a ship of their own, the Straw Hat Pirates' spirits were at their absolute peak.
"Cheers—!!"
Five wooden cups clashed together in midair with a crisp clack.
Amber-colored liquor splashed out, wetting their hands and sprinkling the brand-new deck.
"Hah—! This stuff's great!"
Luffy sat cross-legged in the middle of the deck, meat in one hand and a cup in the other, his face glowing with a smile that seemed capable of infecting the entire world.
Behind him, atop the main mast, a brand-new pirate flag fluttered proudly in the wind.
It was Usopp's handiwork.
Half an hour earlier, Luffy had tried to draw his "skull," producing an abstract masterpiece that left everyone speechless.
In the end, Usopp—blessed with genuine artistic talent—stepped in and perfectly recreated the Straw Hat skull on the canvas.
The grinning skull wearing a straw hat symbolized freedom and adventure.
"Well? Isn't my artwork flawless?!"
Usopp's long nose tilted skyward as he pointed proudly at the flag.
"This represents the great Captain Usopp, commander of eighty million subordinates—uh, I mean, our pirate crew's flag!"
"It's awesome, Usopp!" Luffy praised without hesitation.
Nami leaned against the railing, gazing at the flag, a gentle look in her eyes.
"I hate to admit it, but it really is well done. Now we actually look like a proper pirate crew."
Ronan sat beside Luffy, swirling the wine in his cup.
He looked at the flag, emotions surging in his chest.
This is where the legend begins.
After several rounds of drinks, the sky darkened.
Only half the sun remained above the horizon, painting the heavens in brilliant shades of purple and red.
The rhythm of the waves against the hull softened, and the crew's excitement faded into relaxed conversation.
Zoro, who had been drinking alone against the mast, suddenly set his cup down.
His gaze cut through the hazy air like twin blades, locking onto Ronan.
"Hey, Ronan."
Zoro's low, rough voice broke the peaceful mood.
Everyone turned to look.
"That thing you used back when we fought the Black Cat Pirates…"
His hand unconsciously brushed the hilt of Wado Ichimonji, his eyes burning with curiosity.
"That ability to predict an enemy's attacks—Observation Haki. What exactly is it?"
The question had been lingering in everyone's minds.
Luffy stopped chewing, cheeks puffed out.
Nami set down her charts. Usopp stopped bragging.
They had all seen it with their own eyes—Ronan strolling calmly through dense attacks, emerging unscathed even under Kuro's near-invisible high-speed slashes.
That godlike composure felt like a father effortlessly disciplining a child.
"Observation Haki."
Ronan didn't dodge the question. He smiled gently and drained his cup.
"Zoro, you're a warrior too. You should know the state of 'hearing the breath of all things,' right?"
"The breath of all things?" Zoro repeated, frowning deeply.
Ronan nodded, set his cup aside, and sat upright.
His expression grew serious—because he knew what he was about to say would shape the crew's future.
"On this sea—especially on the Grand Line we're heading toward—Devil Fruit users are everywhere, and strange abilities appear endlessly."
"And the power that can oppose them, even surpass them, is—Haki."
"There are three main types of Haki."
Ronan raised three fingers.
"Observation Haki."
"Armament Haki."
"And…"
His voice dropped slightly.
"Conqueror's Haki."
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