... Syrup Village...

...

"Aaah! Everyone! Run for your lives! Pirates are coming! The Pirates are coming!"

In the morning skies, a young boy with a long nose cried out as he ran across the village. Repeating his yells, calling out to the villagers to rally. Thus, he stopped once he took a slight break until he laughed out.

"Hahaha~! The Pirates... is just a lie! Hahaha-*BONK!* Ouch!"

Out of the blue, a pot was thrown at him and bounced off. While rubbing in pain, he saw the villagers coming out of their houses. Armed with ropes, brooms and pans while sending as they glared at him. The Long-Nosed Boy felt excited to see them being agitated to fall for his false alarm.

"You damn brat! Riling us up for nothing!"

"Get him!"

"Hehehe! Here they come~!"

The boy with the long nose then ran away and laughed as the angry began chasing him down into the woods.

"Hahaha! Try catching me, you dimwits! Haha!"

...

Chapter 7: The Captain of Lies, Usopp!

...

"Seriously, heading straight for the Grand Line is no easy feat if you're unprepared."

Everybody looks at Nami curiously while Luff was busy eating an apple.

"Yeah, having some meat matters." Luffy then munched the entire apple while looking down at the remaining food ration. "Eating nothing but fruits is no good."

"Is meat really that important?" Elt raised his brow, giving him some concern. "What she actually meant is more than that!"

"Meh... For me, I'd rather like to have some booze!" Zoro chuckled until Nami threw an apple into his face and bounced off into the air. "Ow! Hey!"

"What are you idiots talking about!?" Nami complained as Luffy caught the apple from falling and ate it whole. "The Grand Line is the most dangerous place in the world! On top of that, it's crawling with stronger pirates who were looking for the One Piece!"

"Huh... Then how strong can a pirate get?" Wilmarina asked curiously while grabbing an apple from a barrel. "They couldn't be that stronger than that madman we know, like Buggy the Clown."

"Pirates in the Grand Line are no joke! While they have a strong crew and powerful ships..." Nami then felt shivers through her skin. "There are rumours of powerful pirates that one is strong enough who could hold off an entire army or an entire fleet of ships."

At this moment, Wilmarina almost choked while trying to swallow the apple she was chewing. "K-Kuh!... *GULP!*... Hah... That's absolutely ridiculous!"

"I know... that's what I heard from the rumours," Nami answered worryingly. "That place isn't called the "Pirate's Graveyard" for nothing."

"D-Damn... If Morgan's claims about Pirates having Devil Fruits... then finding our way home will be more difficult than I thought," Elt muttered anxiously as sweat ran down his face. "And I thought finding the mysterious Pirate King's treasure will be an easy-going adventure."

"Then we need to train ourselves to become strong enough to fight," Wilmarina spoke with a heavy sigh while looking down at her own trembling hands. "Even though I was chosen to be the Chief God's Champion through her blessings... my strength isn't enough..."

Wilmarina reflected on her past days since her first encounters with powerful individuals who could take on a hero at her level and simply sailing through the Grand Line will be no easy feat. It could mean many things that she wouldn't survive when traversing the 'Pirate's Graveyard' and then encountering powerful foes with devil fruits. As for Elt, this adventure will be taking more risks than expected. Therefore, he should count his lucky stars.

'I need to get stronger...' Wilmarina clenched her fists. 'Or else... we won't be returning home.'

"Whoo~! I'm getting riled up to beat their asses!" Luffy cheered as he raised his fists. "I can't wait to meet them!"

"Heh~? No sweat, I'm going to be the strongest swordsman when I'm going to fight stronger opponents in that place!" Zoro smirked in confidence. "Yo Elt, Wilmarina, I hope you two were ready while heading for the Grand Line. It's your dream to become strong. Am I right?"

"Huh?... Y-Yeah! You can count on us!" Elt smiled while raising his fist in confidence, as his sense of anxiousness fades away from his head. "To become the strongest knight! That's what I want!"

"Getting yourself more confident, huh," Wilmarina mumbled, feeling jealous that Elt could muster more encouragement than her. "Hah~ We need to be more prepared than this mere boat we have."

"That's right! Not just we lacked some people..." Nami explained with a nod. "The lack of the equipment on this boat. There's no way we could survive."

Luffy munched down his apple. "Yeah, we just only need a cook and a musician!"

"Hahaha! A musician!?" Zoro laughed. "You want some guy who can sing on board?"

"Maybe having a musician can help to ease our mood!" Elt chuckled while waving his hand in agreement. "After all, who else needs a morale boost?"

"Ugh... you guys are such dorks!" Nami complained as Wilmarina agreed with a nod. Thus the thief brought up her map and unfolds it. "So anyway, a little more to the south lies an island with people living in a village."

"Then what's the village called?" Wilmarina questioned curiously.

"It's called Syrup Village," Nami said while folding the map back into her pocket. "At least there's a chance that we can get a ship if we're lucky enough."

"Really~!? It's about time~! I've been waiting to get our own ship! Can't you imagine how we're being desperate while stuck here on this small boat without rooms~?! It's a miracle that we're having one~!" Wilmarina speaks up merrily with a glittering expression and Nami couldn't help but contain her laughter after seeing her adorable reaction. "Huh?... What are you laughing about?"

"Oh, sorry Wil! My bad!" Nami speaks up with a mischievous smile as she waved her hand in dismissal. "You're truly doing something adorable~!... Like a puffball!"

"Eh?... Hey! What's with this "Puffball" nickname that everyone's giving me!?" Wilmarina fumed in agitation. "And besides, what's a "puffball" anyway!?"

"Well, since you and your friend Elt were not from around here..." Zoro then spoke up while lying on his back. "Do you know what it is?"

Wilmarina stood in silence for a while and nods to hear his answer, then the swordsman gave out a chuckle.

"A Puffball... is an indoor baby toy. A ball with fluff which has the same colour as your hair."

Wilmarina then imagined a ball of fluff with the same colour as her hair while being toyed with by some random baby in her mind. She couldn't help but feel embarrassed as her cheeks flushed from earning that nickname. Elt then came up to comfort her.

"H-Hey Mary! It's not that insulting or anything!" Elt sputtered out, trying to calm her down. "I think it's cute when they call you a puffball."

"NO, IT'S NOT!" Wilmarina yelled back as steam escaped from her ears, and her face turns redder than usual. "And I hate it when someone calls me that!"

"Hehehe~! Puffball!" Luffy giggled until Wilmarina threw an apple against his head and bounced off. "Ow!"

The straw hat bow looks up and extends his arm to catch the apple from falling into the water... and ate it.

"Well then... other than nicknames." Luffy munched down his food and raised his arms in relief. "Aah~! And there's an island in sight! I can't wait to eat meat!"

...

Gecko Islands Archipelago.

...

Once they'd made landfall on the shores, Zoro yawned while stretching out his arms as Elt made headfirst into the sands and the seawater washing over his boots. Soon, the rest of the gang followed suit and looked around. Only to see a path leading towards a nearby settlement.

"I hope this place isn't teeming with pirates around here," Elt muttered as he stepped forth. "We're lucky that no one sees our boats!"

"Oh boy! I can't wait to eat meat!" Luffy jumped down from the boat and ran across the beach. "Meat, here I come!"

"W-Wait, Luffy!" Wilmarina spoke up, warning her captain. "Don't run so carelessly!"

As the gang took another step, Luffy felt something wasn't right until he sensed multiple projectiles coming right at him. The straw hat boy jumped away from the bullets while Elt, Wilmarina and Zoro prepared their swords until they were startled by the flags emerging behind the bushes and trees. Then a voice called out from nowhere.

"Haha! Fear the might of the Ussop Pirates!"

"Eh?... Ussop? That sounds like-Waah!"

Without warning, Luffy sensed incoming projectiles and hit the sands. The straw hat boy dances his feet as more bullet-like projectiles missed their marks before stopping.

"Luffy! Are you alright!?" Elt called out to Luffy in worry and spotted a young man standing on top of a hill "What the-!? Who're you?!"

"I am Captain Ussop! Leader of the Ussop Pirates!" Ussop stood on top of a rock and boasts himself with pride. "I have eighty million subordinates behind my back to protect this island and surrender! There won't be any mercy!"

"WHOAA~!" Luffy cheered in excitement. Elt and Zoro stared at their captain in bewilderment. "That's awesome~!"

"... Wait, isn't this all a fluke?" Wilmarina then questions while lowering her sword, noticing the flags waving at the same patterns and then whispering to Nami. "Psst! This guy is trying to scare us."

"Yeah, I noticed," Nami replied, raising her brow in realisation. "Say, "Captain" Ussop! I guess you're lying~!"

Upon Nami calling out his facade, the long-nosed village boy reeled back in dismay. Realising the newcomers, except the boy with the straw hat, have seen through his trick.

"Y-Yikes! They've seen it!" Ussop stuttered out.

Nami smirked, and Wilmarina sighed in relief. "Well, he admitted it."

"Ah~! I've admitted to it!" The two girls fell speechless once Ussop cried out in defeat.

"Wait... he's lying!?" Luffy asked, turning his glance to Elt.

"Well of course!" Elt replied, giving Luffy a scolding tone. "Can't you see the patterns of those flags they're waving!?"

"W-Well, eighty million is an exaggeration..." Ussop then tries to come up with another lie and smirks. "But I have great men under my command!"

Meanwhile, behind the hedgerows. Three kids were still waving their pirate flags, expressing dread that they'd been found out. Wilmarina sheathed her sword and called out from making his second attempt to set up a facade.

"Or what?" Wilmarina smiled confidently and stepped forth. "Are you sending three kids to fight us?"

As they heard through their hiding spots, three kids screamed in terror as they emerged from the treelines and fled.

"They've seen us! Run away!"

Ussop bulged his eyes out in disbelief to see his "crewmates" run away as they dropped the flags. Only he was left behind and sweats in trepidation to confront the pirates.

"H-HEY! YOU GUYS! DON'T LEAVE ME OUT HERE!"

Nami picked up a steel ball from the ground and blew off the sand. "How cute~! I've never heard of pirates using slingshots before."

Luffy laughed out loud as Elt and Zoro dismissed their weapons, seeing the long-nosed village boy was left all alone. Ussop growled. Never in his life he has been through humiliation.

"Hey, you! Don't mock me!" Thus, he brought up his slingshot and took aim towards the straw hat boy. "I'm a very proud man! And the people on this island gave me a nickname... called me "Proud Ussop"! You saw it yourself right now!"

Luffy gave Ussop a blank stare and brought the tip of his hat down. While Ussop still held his slingshot firmly and does not back down. Zoro yawned while Elt gave out a deep sigh, knowing the village boy is at a great disadvantage.

"I will show you how my slingshot skills are far greater than an average pistol!"

Luffy then smiled behind his hat. "Now that you've drawn your weapon... then put your life on the line."

"H-Huh!? What do you mean by th-that!?" Ussop stuttered out, feeling the sweat coursing through his face.

"What I mean those aren't meant for threatening people," Luffy said blankly.

Once they heard his words, Zoro smiled once he pressed his katana from the sheath and Wilmarina gave out an eerie cough, straightening herself up in confidence.

"Oi!... What's the hesitation?" Elt grinned, making his act up in pride. "Looks like if you had any balls left!"

"That's right... you're looking at real pirates here." Zoro then spoke up, preparing his swords. "Then make sure your life counts."

Ussop stood shaken while aiming his slingshot, and after another few moments passed, he still didn't let the sling loose. Thus, he released it. But the shot was a fluke and the steel pellet fell to the ground. The long-nosed sniper then fell to his knees and breathed heavily.

"D-Damnit! Pirates do come in ways to pack a punch behind their words..." Ussop then admitted in defeat. "I-I wish I was that awesome as them..."

Luffy stared at Ussop for a while and smiled. Elt, Zoro and Wilmarina shared their looks and they laughed out loud.

"Actually, we stole those lines!" Luffy said enthusiastically

Ussop raised his brows in surprise. "... Eh?"

"It's from Shanks!" Luffy replied, causing the Long-Nosed marksman to widen his eyes in disbelief. "He's a pirate whom I respected!"

"Wait... Sh-Shanks!?" Ussop sputtered out in bewilderment. "You know Red-Haired Shanks, the Great Pirate!?"

'Hold on... That Shanks guy who gave Luffy the straw hat is a great pirate?' Elt raised his brow in concern. 'Seriously, he must've met someone big... However, I heard there were stories of a great pirate back in our world.'

Elt mulled over his thoughts about that story he remembered when Sasha's mother was still around. A Great Pirate who goes by the name Matori, a noble merchant who joined Piracy. He was also known for being a clean freak and to enforce discipline for his crewmates. Yet that story was centuries old and the rumoured island was already a demon realm.

'Well, I can't compare him to this Shanks guy.' Elt sighed and crossed his arms. 'As far as I can tell. Pirates in this world... are absolutely different.'

"Yeah! I know him!" Luffy smiled, answering Ussop. "Your dad's Yassop, right?"

"Eh?... WHAT~!?"

Ussop leaned forth until he accidentally went over the rock and dropped to the ground, groaning in pain. Then he sat up and gave Luffy an anxious look.

"Y-Yeah... He's my old man... So, how did you know all that?"

...

Syrup Village, Meshi Restaurant.

...

"MMAMPF~!"

Luffy took a huge chunk once he bit a whole roasted mean as everyone enjoyed their meals. Wilmarina was overjoyed to eat proper food once more after a couple of days of travelling through the seas and their exhausting fight against the Buggy Pirates. For Elt, he couldn't be much happier as he dined in to eat fried rice with grilled steak. In Lescatie, food like these were of exotic origins and extremely rare to find that only richer merchantmen who venture to the east can afford them.

"Whoa~! It's so good~!" Elt said merrily as he chewed. "I've never tasted food like this before!"

"This world has much access to different treats like these!" Wilmarina giggled while biting a barbecue stick. "Mmmh~!... I think everyone back at home will be probably jealous of us~!"

"It's actually good, not gonna lie." Zoro smiled as he placed his beer mug on the dining table before wiping off his lips. "Ahh~! Thank goodness for having a good 'ol beer!"

"So Ussop... we let Yassop in when I was a kid!" Luffy said while munching.

"Then my pop is on Shanks' ship, right?" Ussop asked, and Luffy replied with a nod. "So cool~! Man, I wished to see him one day!"

"Not gonna lie. You looked like him!" Luffy then spoke up. "I was wondering when I first saw you."

"Does he have a long nose like you?" Wilmarina wondered while taking another bite of her barbecue stick. "Not gonna lie... I've never seen anyone who has longer noses."

"Hah! Then I'm the first guy you've ever met!" Ussop stated proudly while pointing his thumb to himself. "Now bow to my exotic, majestic nose!"

"Actually... I find it really weird." Wilmarina said and Ussop froze, out of embarrassment. "Are long-nosed people a common sight?"

Nami and Zoro shared their looks while Luffy gave Wilmarina a confusing look and tilts his head.

"I... have no clue." Nami sighed as she placed her fingers on her forehead in distress. "So anyways, we just met some guy here who turns out to be a pirate's son."

"Man, I talk about noses," Elt asked Luffy curiously while munching down his food. "What else do you know about his dad?"

"Yassop is a good sharpshooter, and he talks a lot about Ussop that it makes my ears sore," Luffy explained while putting down his meat back on the plate. "He's a great pirate on Shanks crew!"

"Whoa~! Really!? I remember hearing my dad telling this... "I'm proud of my old man, who leap onto these possible endless seas"..." Ussop recited these words and then looked up to a painting depicting an unknown ship. "... to live with his life on the line!"

"How inspirational," Wilmarina muttered while chewing on her food. "So by the way... is there anything this place can offer us?"

"Oh yeah! We just need a ship and fresh supplies!" Nami snipped her fingers in realisation. "Say, Ussop. Do you know where?"

"Eh?... W-Well, this place is a tiny village!" Ussop chuckled nervously while waving his hand in dismissal. "There's nothing else that we could afford things and we don't have a proper harbour. But not to mention, I have a lot of influence here!"

"Ah... that's a real shame," Elt said while looking down. "So that means we have to sail for the next island, right?"

"Hmm... But what about that mansion on top of the hill?" Zoro asked curiously, causing Ussop to sweat. "I guess there's someone who can help us."

"We might ask those guys if they can afford a ship for us." Nami snapped her fingers as a lightbulb within her head, blinking with an idea. "We can pay it for once!"

"Eh!? Y-You can't go there!" Ussop said outspokenly, causing everyone to get his attention. Thus he turns his glance away with a nervous demeanour. "Uh... I-I hafta go~! Eat and drink whatever you like! See ya~!"

Once he left the restaurant, Wilmarina raised some suspicions and stood up from her seat as Nami raised her brow in confusion.

"Why is he in a rush?"

"That's what would I like to find out."

"Ohh~? Are we going to sneak in?" Luffy smiled. "Sounds exciting!"

"I don't think exciting is the right word when we're invading someone's home," Elt spoke up nervously while raising his hand in objection.

"Tch! Well, I don't mind about that." Zoro groaned as he placed his beer mug on the table. "However... I have some nary feeling about this place."

...

Syrup Village, Manor.

...

"Kiana, the maids need your help because of the laundry work."

"Yes, mister Khaladore. I'm on the way... oh, is Kaya feeling well?"

Khaladore fixes his glasses and stared at the kikimora with a calm expression. "She's feeling well, although her illness hasn't been healed yet."

"Oh... the poor girl." Kiana lowered her ears in sadness. "I heard Kaya is inviting Ussop as a proper guest... perhaps that might help her depression-"

"Absolutely not," Kuro replied firmly as he gives off a glare towards the maid. "Under master's order. We shouldn't let that boy touching Kaya."

"He's right. The young lad is a troublemaker." Kiana then spun around and see Merry approaching the two servants. Thus, giving off a sigh. "I understand Kaya is fond of him. But he'll be a negative influence on our dear mistress."

"... I understand. I apologise and take my leave." Kiana nods and left the living room without another word.

Once Kiana went straight for the laundry room, a lamia in a maid outfit came around the corner and greeted the kikimora with a cold, calculating demeanour. Kiana stopped and expressed her distrustful look to her fellow "colleague".

"Oh. Good afternoon, Kiana." The lamia then gives the kikimora a mocking smile. "Let me guess, having some troubles with Khaladore and Merry again?"

"... It's nothing of importance, Maya." Kiana cleared her throat while not trying to make eye contact with the lamia. "It's our worries about Kaya's illness, nothing more."

"Are you trying to bring that boy to sneak into the manor?" Maya gives off a sinister giggle as Kiana glares towards the Lamia. "Oh, don't give me that look~! It was just a tease~!"

"Just leave," Kiana responded coldly as she passes through Maya. "I have no intention of listening for such grim jokes."

"You cared much about that boy, hm~?" Maya smiled even wider, which caused the maid to freeze on her feet. "Just be careful and try not to get fired~!"

As the lamia left, Kiana looked down in heartfelt worry for the mistress of the manor. Not just Kaya's sickness, but her depression.

'Kaya... I hope you're well...'

...

Inside a certain bedroom, Kaya was feeling down and hugged her pillow. Waiting for someone until someone threw a pebble and heard a single tick. She smiled once she turned to the window and opened up to see Ussop sitting on the tree branch.

"Ussop! It's good to see you!"

"Heya! I see you're down as ever!" Ussop smiled.

"I've tried to tell everyone in the mansion that I was going to invite you as a proper guest," Kaya said as her shoulders slumped in dejection. "Unfortunately, they refuse it, even Khaladore. But they're not bad people!"

"Hah! No sweat! After all, I'm a brave warrior of the seas!" Ussop stated himself pridefully. "I feel cramped back home and experience many adventures I've come across! Hahaha!"

Kaya smiled as she clasped her hands together, expressing her excitement with a smile. "So what kind of adventures you're about to tell me, Ussop?"

"Hmm... Well. Oh yeah! I have one!" Ussop spoke up. "This is a story of when I fought a giant goldfish on the South Pole... when I was five!"

"A... Giant Goldfish?"

"Yeah! It was huge! The first thing it shocked me was when I stepped into an immense size of its poop!" Ussop explained his tale, brimming with joy. "I thought it was a land in the first place because of its sheer size. I barely noticed it!

Both Kaya and Ussop laughed at the made-up tale. Unbeknownst to the two, Kiana spied on the laughing couple from the laundry place around the corner of the manor's backdoor area. She smiled to see her mistress and felt her happiness with the long-nosed boy before she went off to continue her duty.

...

Syrup Village, Meshi Restaurant.

...

"Jeez! What's taking you so long to eat!?"

Wilmarina tapped her finger impatiently on the table as Luffy was about to finish his last meal. Nami and Elt were already finished eating while Zoro was on his last mug of ale.

"Seriously... I get that you're a rubber man but..." Elt then spoke up incredulously while twitching his brow. "This is getting ridiculous."

"I question about our captain's unusual habit of eating too much food," Wilmarina muttered, casting an annoyed glare towards the straw hat boy.

"That's what I would like to know." Nami sighed. "At least he's going to cause starvation if we don't check the food supplies once we get a new ship."

*BAM~!*

"...Hm?" Zoro spun his glance around and saw three young boys carrying their wooden swords. "Huh. Aren't those the kids we've seen earlier?"

"Oh, that's right!" Elt perked up in realisation. "What's with all the wooden swords they're carrying?

" H-Hey, you pirates!" One boy called out as they try to threaten them. "We-Where's Captain Ussop!?"

"Yeah!"

"Where is he!?"

Luffy finished drinking his ale and rubbed his belly as he laid his back, breathing out to relax. "Ah~! That felt great! The meat is tasty after all!"

"W-Wait! M-Meat!?"

"D-Don't tell me..."

"He must've ate Ussop!"

At this moment, the kids were shocked. Believing the claims that the straw hat boy did something horrible, thus Wilmarina chuckled with a smirk.

"Hehehe~! Unfortunately for you three, it's too late that you weren't able to save him~!" Wilmarina spoke up in a malicious tone, thus Nami giggled. "Do you want to know what happens to him?"

"Wh-What do you mean by that!?" The boys reeled back with their frightened expressions as Zoro leans forward with a scary look. "What did you do to him!?"

"What did we do, eh~?" The three boys then looked up to the bounty hunter. "If you're trying to find your captain, we... ate him alive!"

"AAAAAHHH~!" Then they turned to Nami, screaming in unison. "She's also a hag as well!"

"WHAT ARE YOU CALLING ME HAG, HUH!?"

A commotion broke up and the old restaurant owner turns around, curious to see the three boys of the Ussop pirates were back to the floor, breathing in unison from shock.

"You three just said something stupid!"

"Hahaha! I can't believe they called you that!"

"Oh shut it, you puffball!"

"Ahahaha-... HUH!? Wh-Who you're calling a puffball haah~!?"

Nami and Wilmarina exchanged their glares after insulting each other while Elt, Luffy and Zoro were even laughing out loud. Thus, Elt coughed before asking the boys.

"Say... you three, do you know where Ussop is heading to?"

"Ah!... Wait, you mean you didn't eat him!?" Tamenagi then stood up quickly and Elt smiled. "W-Well... he must be at the manor right now."

The young knight then raised his brow in concern. "He's... at the manor?"

...

Syrup Village, Kaya's Manor.

...

"Here it is!"

"Wow! It's so big!" Luffy whistled as he looked over the mansion. "There is definitely a rich person who lives here!"

As they approached the residence, Wilmarina was having troubling thoughts as she takes the first look. The mansion itself reminded her of her home greatly, her memories were filled with nostalgia and a tragedy which had happened in her past life since childhood. Once she looks up at the steel bars, she felt that painful sensation from the past. A separation between her and Elt when her father cast out his family from the Noscrim Estate.

"Wilmarina? Are you alright?" Wilmarina was jerked up and spun around to see Nami, casting her concern. "What's wrong? You felt off in a sudden."

"I-... I-It's nothing..." the heroine muttered as she looks away. "It's just something personal."

"Huh... You probably have troubles when you looked at the mansion." Zoro said and crossed his arms. "But I don't question it. Better to keep that personal."

Elt sighed. Realising Wilmarina almost brought up their troubling thoughts from the past, which might have caused her some emotional pain. But luckily, they were fortunate enough to see each other reunite... and experienced an outworldly adventure in this brand-new world. He didn't expect fate to have plans for their lives, or were their lives destined for something greater?

The young knight mulled over before tilting his head at such thoughts. They are stuck in a world full of the unknown and death is certain when they don't place their cards right.

"Our captain visits this manor around this hour to meet his friend!"

"So, what's he doing here for?" Luffy wondered.

"To lie!" Ninjin replied.

"Isn't that a bad thing to do?" Nami raised her concern.

"What? No! He isn't a bad person!" Piiman defended. "He's actually great! Isn't that right?"

"That's right!" Tamenagi agreed.

"Wait, how does his lying work like that?" Zoro questioned and the three youngsters look up at him. "I mean, what's he lying about?"

...

"Well... there was a young girl named Kaya who lives in this mansion. She's sick and has depression..."

Meanwhile, Ussop explained ecstatically about his exaggerated story and Kaya listened.

"So we stopped a ship near the Goldfish and on it was a pirate ship! Bigger than a mountain! I've seen their captain, who has a funny face!"

"Ever since her parents died, she was left alone with a big sum of money... yet that made her sad."

Kaya laughed out uncontrollably once Ussop made his funny acts to make her happy. Meanwhile, in the backyard, Kiana was hanging some wet clothes while hearing her mistress laugh, which made her smile.

"The servants were trying their best to make her happy... So our captain uses his special made-up stories to make her laugh! That's why Captain Ussop is great... for telling lies!"

"Hahaha! I've never seen a pirate captain with that face like that! Have you!?"

...

"Oh, so he's great after all!" Luffy stated as the three boys nods in unison.

"Yeah! That's why I liked our captain's meddling side!"

"Me too! Even when he's bossy!"

"I as well! I like how he exaggerates stories to make her feel better!"

'Wow... I never thought of that. Just sneaking his way in to make his childhood friend happy.' Elt's thoughts spoke out loud and sighed with a sad smile and slowly turns to Wilmarina, who also shared the same reaction as him. 'I wished I could've been a person like Ussop to see Wilmarina again and make her happy... she must've been lonely as Kaya.'

Elt then spoke up. "... Mary? You're dozing off again."

"...Oh!.. Ah, i-it's nothing!... R-really!" Wilmarina flustered as her cheeks turned red. "A-Actually... I felt that this was some romance story I'm experiencing."

"Teehee~! You two sound so sweet~" Nami teased Wilmarina, only for the hero to look away in embarrassment. Thus, the thief leaned down to question Tamenagi. "So he's lying to make her a little better."

"It made her even better!" Piiman replied with pride as he raised his fist.

"That's great! Then that means we'll ask her for a ship!" Luffy raised his fist merrily.

"Yeah. Now we know Ussop is making her feel better, but the problem is..." Zoro then raised his finger towards two security guards on duty, standing between the main gate. "We must get past them first."

"Uh... getting through there is impossible!" Tamenagi explained with worry. "Especially, there are stronger guards at the main gate!"

"I see... then we'll send a proper message for an appointment first," Wilmarina spoke up until she noticed someone went missing. Thus her asking shivered, knowing that something is about to happen. "H-Huh?!... Hold on... WH-WHERE'S LUFFY!?"

At this moment, Elt was shaken in fear. "D-Don't tell me he's going to do something stupid!"

Everyone looked around until they heard a clang. They spun their glances and dropped their jaws in disbelief to see Luffy climbing up the steel fence.

"I'll go there and ask!" Luffy said with a smile on his face before bending backwards. "Yosh! Here we go!... Gum-Gum!"

"HIIEK~! EVERYONE! STOP HIM!" Wilmarina yelled out in trepidation as she bulged her eyes out once Luffy stretched back his arms, causing the three boys of the Ussop Pirates to scream out in terror to witness something unusual. "DON'T LET HIM DO SOMETHING STUPID-"

"Pardon for the...!" Everyone then immediately grabbed a hold of Luffy in their attempts to stop him until he slings forth, bringing everyone with him into the skies. "INTRUSION~~!"

"YOU BUFFFOOOOOOooooonnn~!" Wilmarina screamed along with everyone as they fly up.

...

...

"And so we escaped into the skies atop an enormous slingshot ball! Hahahaha!"

Once Ussop raised his fist up high as he finished his story, Kaya noticed several glittering objects appearing in the skies.

"Huh?" Kaya then points up her finger. "What's that?"

"... Eh?"

Ussop looks down to see where she was pointing and he spun his glance up to see the same Straw Hat boy and the gang falling down from above.

"YAHHOOOOooo~!"

"Uh?... WH-WHAT THE HELL!?"

Luffy and everyone crashed into the ground, creating smoke and dust flinging into the air. Ussop felt his sweat run down in bewilderment to see them still alive.

"Th-... That actually worked!" Luffy uttered.

"It did not! / You're the worst!" Both Nami and Wilmarina yelled out, casting their anger towards Luffy.

"A-... Are you alright!?" Kaya then spoke up, catching the attention of the Straw Hats.

"Ah! Yeah! They're okay! They're okay!" Ussop nervously waved his hands. "Th-they're the new recruits who heard all about me and came from afar!... T-To join the Ussop Pirates!"

"Huh? No, not me! We're not here to join." Luffy groaned once he stood up, turning his gaze towards Kaya. "We're here to ask a favour!"

"A favour?" She asked curiously. "From me?"

Luffy nods. "Yeah, we wanted a big ship so we can-"

"You there!"

Of a sudden, someone interrupted before everyone turned their attention around to see Khaladore stepping in along with Maya, who held a broom as a weapon. Thus, Kiana came along and she was shocked to see intruders have just crushed down the gardens. Elt and Wilmarina were then cautious once they saw a pair of mamono coming alongside the male butler.

"Klahadore..." Kaya gulped to see the servants arriving. "Maya and Kiana..."

"What is the meaning of this?" Khaladore glared towards the Straw Hats and fixed his glasses. "You were not permitted to enter this estate! Mind telling me what's your intentions? I don't appreciate people who intrude in this place!"

Ussop tensed, catching the suspicions of the butler before Luffy spoke up.

"... Who's this guy?"

...

Meanwhile, on the streets of Syrup Village.

...

A group of villagers spotted a strange-looking man with a fedora hat and heart glasses who danced down the dirty path with a moonwalk before he turns his attention to the manor standing on top of a hill.

"... Well, then. Kuro, what brings the news?" He chuckled in a sinister tone. "Our crew is growing impatient for that money. Hehehe~!"

...

Chapter 7: Ends.

Edit: Sorry for the inconvenience. There was little error that I didn't noticed.