"N-no way." Usopp said in a quiet and horrified voice. He couldn't believe what he heard. He also couldn't believe that Luffy had appeared down there next to them when he was at the top of the cliff next to him a moment ago.
"Hey." Luffy said, getting both Kuro and Jango's attention.
"Wha? Who are you?" Jango asked.
"You're that straw hat kid from before." Kuro said as he adjusted his glasses. "What are you doing here?"
"Leave Kaya alone!" Luffy said in a serious tone. Kuro just narrowed his eyes.
"So, you heard our conversation?" he asked before looking at Jango. "Jango."
"Right." Jango said as he pulled out a ring and started to wave it back and forth in front of Luffy. "Watch the ring kid. When I count 1, 2, Jango, you'll walk into the ocean and drown. One...Two...Jan-guh!" was all he said before he fell on his back, foaming at the mouth and unconcious.
"What?!" Kuro said in a surprised voice before he felt a chill run up his spine. He looked back at Luffy, but noticed he was gone. He looked around more before he adjusted his glasses again, hoping to calm his nerves. He failed to notice Luffy was back at the top of the hill before Luffy turned and walked off to find his friends.
()()()()
After some walking, Luffy met up Zoro, Nami, and the three kids.
"Luffy! Where'd you go earlier?" Nami demanded. Luffy then told them all about what he heard back at the cliffs with Usopp.
"WHAAAAT?!" screamed the kids. They couldn't believe what they had heard.
"So that butler is an ex Pirate Captain huh?" Zoro asked in a bored tone.
"And he's scheming to kill Kaya and take her fortune?" Nami asked.
"That's what they said."
"This is terrible!" one of the kids screamed.
"We gotta tell the village!"
"Look! It's Captain Usopp!"
All of them looked down the road to see Usopp's back to them as he stared at the village.
"CAPTAIN!" the kids screamed. Usopp jerked up a bit before he looked back at them smiling.
"Hey guys. What's going on?" he asked as he walked towards them.
"Captain! We heard everything!" screamed Pepper.
"That butler is gonna Kill Kaya!" yelled Carrot.
"We gotta warn everyone in the village." hollered Onion. Usopp had his head down the whole time before looking back up and laughing.
"Oh that? That was all lies." he said. The kids just stared as he continued. "I was just upset about that butler insulting my father, so I decided to get back at him by making all those lies up." he said with a laugh, which was joined in with the kids as they walked away. They didn't get far before they turned to Usopp and stated how disappointed they were in him and how they thought he was better than that before leaving. Usopp just watched with a sad expression before Nami noticed his arm bleeding.
()()()()
The four of them were at the shore where Kuro and Jango were talking earlier as Nami applied first aid to Usopp's arm. After she finished, Luffy asked why he lied to them, knowing what he was going to say. And like last time, Usopp told them it was because all he did was lie. Everyone knew him as a liar, so no one believed him when he said pirates were coming as tears formed in his eyes. He then told them that it started off as to help someone he cared about years ago and he didn't stop since then, and how no one, not even Kaya believed him, and that one of her butlers shot at him.
"All I've ever done is lie. Why should they start believing me now?" he asked as tears rolled down his face.
"Because it's the truth." Zoro said. Luffy watched as a new resolve appeared in Usopp's eyes as he stated that this was his home. That even though they chased him and shot at him, he still loved this village, and that he would protect it. Zoro grinned at this. "Brave of you to send your men off while you fight alone."
"Just letting you all know, I call dibs on their treasure. Got it?" Nami said as Usopp looked at the three of them while Luffy cracked his knuckles, asking if Usopp wanted some help.
"Wha? You'll help me?" Usopp asked. "Why?"
"Because you said they're bad guys." Luffy said.
"And you look ready to piss yourself in fear." Zoro said with a smirk.
"Hey! I'm a brave warrior of the sea you know!" Usopp screamed as his legs shook. He hit his legs before admitting he was scared. "They're Kuro's men. Why wouldn't I be scared. Go away if you're helping out of pity!"
"We're not helping out of pity." Zoro said. "We're helping because your a man of honor."
"We're not gonna stick our necks out because of pity." Luffy said.
"You guys..." Usopp said as he rubbed his tears away with his arm. "Alright. We have to get ready. They'll attack at dawn, so we have until they to prepare some traps." They all then walked back up the slope as Usopp said that they would attack from this shore. Luffy kept quiet about the other shore as Usopp spoke, asking what they were good at.
"Slicing."
"Stretching."
"Stealing."
"Hiding."
"YOU'RE FIGHTING TOO, YOU ASSHOLE!" Zoro and Nami screamed at Usopp, who wheezed out that it was a joke.
'That's Usopp for ya." Luffy thought with a grin. They came back a bit later with barrels of oil, which they dumped down the slope.
"I get it." Nami said. "Since this slope is narrow, they'll have a hard time getting through with this oil trap."
"Of course. As long as we can funnel them, taking them out will be easy." Usopp said, feeling pride at his idea. "Now all we have to do is wait."
"Before they get here, there's something I need to ask you Luffy." Zoro said, getting everyone's attention. "How'd you survive that cannonball and that Axe?"
"Cannonball?" Usopp asked.
"Axe?" Nami asked.
"I saw it both times. Right before you got hit, something black covered your body. What exactly was that?" he asked in a serious tone. Luffy put his hand to his chin and looked up in thought.
"Hmm. How should I explain this?
That's it for this chapter. The fighting will be next chapter
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