.....
The salty breeze of Syrup Village carried the weight of a farewell.
"Captain Usopp, have you really decided?"
Usopp and the three children stood in their so-called secret base. His face was on the verge of losing composure, and the children's eyes welled up with tears—not of sadness, but of unwillingness.
"Yes, I've made up my mind. I truly want to become a pirate. I want to embark on a real adventure, and there's only one reason for it—the pirate flag is calling to me! I will become a brave warrior of the sea!" Usopp declared with fiery determination.
His little crew burst into fresh sobs, but Usopp wiped his own eyes roughly. "No crying! This isn't goodbye forever! One day, I'll come back with stories so wild, you won't believe 'em—except they'll all be true!"
With one last dramatic flourish of his slingshot, Usopp turned and marched away, his oversized backpack wobbling behind him.
Meanwhile, at the Restaurant.
Luffy's rubbery arms stretched across the table, vacuuming up the last scraps of food. Zoro leaned back with a sigh, sheathing his swords. "Alright, we're done here. Time to move out."
Nami nodded, tucking a map into her bag. "The log pose is set. We'll head for the next island at high tide."
Lucas propped his chin on his hand, eyes flicking toward the door. 'Kaya should be here any minute now.'
Right on cue, the restaurant door swung open.
Dressed in a flowing white dress, Kaya stepped inside, her gentle smile lighting up the room. "There you are."
"Miss Kaya!" Luffy waved, rice still stuck to his cheek.
"You're already up and about? Shouldn't you still be resting?" Nami asked, surprised by Kaya's formal attire.
Kaya smiled gently. "My illness was caused by grief after losing my parents. But thanks to Usopp's encouragement over the past year, I've recovered. I can't keep lying around like a child anymore." She bowed slightly. "Thank you all for your help. I'm truly grateful."
Lucas smiled. "Don't mention it."
Kaya continued, "I've prepared a gift for you—as both an apology and a token of my appreciation. Please accept it."
'The Going Merry is coming', Lucas thought, excitement bubbling inside him.
"A gift?" Luffy tilted his head, intrigued.
Kaya nodded. "Follow me."
They left the restaurant—their meals already paid for by Kaya's generosity—and made their way to the coast.
where a magnificent ship waited, its golden figurehead gleaming in the sunlight.
Luffy's jaw hit the deck. "WHOA! A SHIP! FOR US?!"
Merry, the family butler, stepped forward to explain. "Though its design may seem old-fashioned, I crafted this ship myself. It's a lightweight, high-speed sloop equipped with a jib sail on the mizzenmast and a central rudder at the stern. Its name is the Going Merry."
Nami ran a hand along the railing, eyes sparkling. "She's perfect."
Lucas approached the figurehead, pressing his palm to the wood. 'This is it. The ship that'll carry us through the Grand Line.' A thrill shot through him.
"System, do you have a camera?"
[Yes. This system has everything.]
The system's shop appeared before him, displaying cameras of various prices.
'They're so cheap!'
[Non-world-altering items are priced accordingly.]
The most expensive option was only 300 Emotion Points. Without hesitation, Lucas claimed it.
But when he checked the description, he froze.
[22nd Century Smartphone – Equipped with Ultra-HD Camera (Tens of Billions of Pixels)]
'What the—a phone?!'
He hadn't paid attention earlier, but this wasn't just a camera, it was a full-fledged smartphone!
[By the 22nd century, cameras and phones were integrated. This is the most advanced model available.]
Lucas sighed. 'Fine.'
Then, a thought struck him. System, if you really have everything… can I get an aircraft carrier?
[Ding. Searching for 'aircraft carrier'…]
A grayed-out image appeared in the shop.
"Why's it gray? Can't I buy it?"
[Host and system permissions are insufficient. World's Will interference detected. The Card Shop is fully accessible, but the Multiverse Shop is restricted to items under 300 Emotion Points.]
'Pathetic system. Blaming the host for its own limitations.'
Shaking his head, Lucas turned his attention back to the smartphone.
I'll be the Straw Hat's photographer. I'll document every step of their journey—and my own adventures in this world.
He opened the camera app and took his first photo: the Going Merry in all its glory.
Nami noticed and hurried over. "What's that?"
Lucas showed her the screen. "A camera. I plan to record every moment of our journey—every island, every battle, every memory. If possible, I want to capture the entire world."
He snapped a few more photos of Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Kaya, and himself.
"Lucas, take more of me! How does this make me look so good?" Nami gushed, striking poses.
"Sure."
Lucas indulged her, snapping away. 'No woman can resist a beauty filter—not even the already stunning Nami.'
Luffy and Zoro soon joined in, eyes sparkling.
"Whoa! That's amazing! Take some of me too!" Luffy cheered.
Just as Lucas raised the phone, a loud yell interrupted them.
"AAAAH! HELP!"
Usopp tumbled down the slope toward the shore, his massive backpack flailing behind him.
"Usopp!" Kaya gasped, covering her mouth.
Zoro and Luffy stepped forward.
"We gotta stop him, or he'll crash into our ship," Zoro said.
Luffy nodded. Both raised a foot.
THUD! SNAP!
Usopp's face met their soles at the same time. Lucas captured the moment perfectly, Usopp's face smooshed against two sandals, eyes crossed in disbelief.
Usopp groaned, rubbing his face as he looked around. His eyes landed on the Going Merry—and the enormous bag strapped to his back.
He sprang up, rubbing his nose. "I...I wasn't crying! Just… dust in my eyes!"
"Usopp… you're really going to be a pirate?" Kaya asked.
Usopp met her gaze and nodded. "Yeah. Before my resolve weakens, I'm setting sail. Don't try to stop me, or I might hesitate."
Kaya shook her head. "I won't."
Meanwhile, Nami finished learning the basics of sailing from Merry, and the crew gathered on the ship.
To Luffy and Zoro, Usopp joining was already a given.
"Kaya, when I return, I'll tell you stories of my adventures—not lies, but my real experiences. Take care of yourself," Usopp said.
Kaya smiled. "I will."
Usopp turned to the others. "You guys take care too."
Luffy tilted his head. "Huh? Why?"
Usopp wiped sweat from his brow, forcing a serious expression. "Because I'll be sailing as a pirate soon too! We'll meet again on the seas!"
Deep down, he was waiting, hoping. But Usopp's pride kept him from asking outright.
Luffy blinked. "What're you talking about? Aren't we already crewmates?"
Usopp's eyes widened.
Lucas grinned. "Usopp, what're you waiting for? Get on board, we're setting sail!"
The crew smiled at him.
Usopp's face split into a tearful grin as he leaped into the air. "CAPTAIN!"
Then, his usual bravado took over.
"Actually, I should be captain!"
.....