....
"Captain Usopp!"
Usopp turned to see his three young followers Ninjin, Piiman, and Tamanegi rushing toward him, their faces alight with excitement.
"You guys… where did you run off to?" Usopp asked, crossing his arms.
Ignoring his question, the boys gushed, "Captain, you were amazing! You really beat those pirates!"
It turned out they had secretly followed Lucas's group after they left. By the time they arrived, the battle was already over—but they had heard Usopp's final, triumphant declaration.
For the first time, they realized: their captain wasn't just a liar.
Usopp blinked. "Huh? You saw that?"
"Captain, we should tell the whole village!" Ninjin insisted. "They'll finally believe you're a real warrior!"
Usopp hesitated, then shook his head with a small smile. "No… let's keep this quiet."
"Why?!" the trio protested.
Usopp gazed toward Syrup Village, his voice softening. "This place… it's peaceful. If word gets out that pirates attacked, it'll just bring more trouble. Let them think I'm still just a storyteller."
In that moment, the three boys saw their captain in a new light—not as a boastful liar, but as a silent protector.
Meanwhile, when Zoro returned to the villa carrying Lucas, Luffy's battle had already concluded. The straw-hatted captain lay sprawled on the ground, breathing heavily.
Nami knelt beside him. "Even you have limits," she observed. "You're completely exhausted, aren't you?"
Luffy didn't respond, his eyes fixed on the sky.
Nami pressed further. "Why were you so angry back there? Kuro was just being a pirate."
Luffy turned his head slightly. "Pirates don't betray their crew. What he did… was wrong."
Nami stiffened slightly.
"Hah! That's exactly what pirates do," she countered. "Kuro's methods make him a model pirate, don't they?"
Though she'd noticed this crew's differences, Nami still believed all pirates were scoundrels.
Luffy returned to staring at the clouds. Just then, Zoro arrived, Lucas's bloodied form slung over his shoulder.
Nami's eyes widened at the blood covering them. "Is Lucas...?!"
"He's fine," Zoro assured, setting Lucas down beside Luffy before sitting cross-legged. "Just exhausted. The guy's tougher than he looks."
Nami exhaled in relief.
"Looks like you had quite a fight over there?" Luffy asked.
Zoro stretched. "Lucas handled most of them. The townspeople are safe."
Nami's jaw dropped. "Wait, he actually fought them? And won?"
Zoro smirked. "Yeah. Surprised?"
Her shock quickly gave way to a more familiar greed. "So… did their ship have treasure?"
Zoro shrugged. "Didn't check. But a ship that size probably carried decent loot."
"Really?" Nami shot to her feet.
When Zoro nodded, she immediately dashed toward the harbor. Treasure always came first.
After she left, a slender figure emerged. "Excuse me... is Usopp alright?" Kaya asked timidly.
Zoro nodded. "He's fine. Probably bragging to those kids."
Relief washed over Kaya's face. Usopp the boy everyone dismissed had saved them all.
Just then, Luffy sat up abruptly. "Got any meat? I'm starving!"
Kaya jumped before smiling. "Of course! Please, come inside."
At the mention of food, Luffy sprang up miraculously rejuvenated.
Zoro hoisted Lucas onto his back again. "Some booze would be good too."
"We have everything," Kaya assured.
In the darkness, Lucas felt weightless, as if floating in an endless sea. Something coiled around him...tentacles?
"What the...?!"
The sensation wasn't painful, just… weirdly invasive. The tentacles slithered across his skin, probing, tickling. Then suddenly, it yanked him deeper. Water flooded his nose and mouth until...
Cough!
His eyes flew open to pure white skin.
"Wait... is that...?"
Looking up, he found Nami... washing him.
BZZZT!
Lucas's mind short-circuited as unstoppable system notifications bombarded him.
[SYSTEM ALERT: EMOTIONAL OVERLOAD]
Nami, unfazed, grinned down at him. "Oh good, you're awake. Consider this bath your 'service fee.'"
Lucas's face turned nuclear red.
When Lucas kept staring, she added casually, "Don't worry, you'll compensate me properly later." Standing from the tub, she reached for a towel.
Then—SPLASH—without her support, Lucas faceplanted into the water.
Cough! Cough!
"Don't forget my fee," Nami called over her shoulder as she left.
Lucas sat frozen, steam practically rising from his ears.
'What just happened?! Why can't I remember anything? Why did Nami of all people—am I even old enough for this?!'
"System! Explain!" he finally managed.
[Would you like to view replay?]
"Yes!"
[100 Emotion Points required. Proceed?]
"JUST TAKE THEM!"
A flood of recollections hit him, his berserker rage against the pirates.
'I fought like that?! Why can't I do that normally?'
The bodies left in his wake.
'I... killed people? Without hesitation? Do I have some hidden killer instinct?'
[EMOTIONAL POINTS +100]
Then—Nami's "bath service."
[EMOTIONAL POINTS +100]
She saw everything! EVERYTHING!
[SYSTEM NOTE: Host's mental fragility is… impressive.]
[EMOTIONAL POINTS +100]
Lucas groaned, covering his face. "I need a drink."
....