"Sanji!"
Everyone looked up in shock to see Sanji already standing high up the clock tower.
Usopp blinked and pointed, astonished. "Why are you up there?!"
With a cigarette dangling from his lips, Sanji smirked. "Saw someone scribbled 'bomb in the clock tower' under the flare mark. Figured I'd check it out."
Vivi's face tightened with urgency. "No, Sanji! It's not that level—the bomb's on the very top floor!"
Sanji tilted his head back, eyes narrowing at the looming structure above. "The very top? That's a bit out of reach. I can't get up there with just Soru. Haven't mastered Moonwalk yet…"
Suddenly, two stories above him, Zoro appeared—arms crossed, standing with ease like he'd been there all along.
"Hey. You guys are slow. I've been waiting."
"Zoro!"
Everyone lit up at the sight of him.
"Zoro! The bomb's up there!"
"There might be a gunner up there ready to launch it! You've got to stop them!"
Vivi bit her lip. "But the tower has a separate internal staircase. Neither of them can reach the top floor from where they are. Where's Pell? He's the only one who can fly!"
Zoro looked up, drawing one of his swords, his gaze sharp.
"So the enemy's up there, huh? Then I'll just slice the whole tower down."
"No! Don't do that!" Vivi waved her hands desperately. "If the clock tower collapses, the bomb will detonate instantly!"
Then Zoro pointed his blade toward the city wall, now being devoured by the encroaching sandstorm.
"We've got bigger problems! The sandstorm's breached the outer wall!"
Sanji's brows furrowed as well, eyes locked on the massive, swirling sand and black tornadoes heading for the capital. "He's right. That storm might cause more damage than any cannon ever could."
Vivi turned, staring at the apocalyptic wall of sand drawing closer. Her voice trembled.
"Shirogai… please…"
She had noticed the storm long ago, but she'd believed that as long as Shirogai was involved, nothing could truly threaten them.
Now, with both Sanji and Zoro worried, even she began to panic.
Could it be… even Shirogai couldn't stop this?
She never imagined—he was the one who summoned it.
"Bang!"
A single shot rang out.
High above, through the haze, a figure with wings fell from the sky, crashing into a building.
Vivi's heart dropped.
"It's Pell! Pell's been shot down!"
The heavy clock face slowly creaked open.
Vivi's hunch was correct—inside was a massive cannon, its barrel aimed directly at the palace square, where battle still raged.
Two figures emerged beside the cannon.
A woman in a ridiculous frog costume laughed maniacally, smoke drifting from the barrel of her rifle.
"See that, Mr. 7? I took out a flying bird! That had to be Pell, the so-called strongest warrior!"
Beside her stood a squat man in a purple suit marked with a bold number seven.
He laughed with a bizarre rhythm. "Ohoho! That's right, Father's Day. Countdown begins! Thirty seconds!"
The fuse on the cannon was already burning.
The explosive radius: five kilometers.
If it fired, the entire square would be erased.
Vivi's expression darkened.
"Those are Mr. 7 and Miss Father's Day. Elite sharpshooters."
Nami looked like she was about to lose it. "We know who they are! But how the hell are we getting anyone up there?!"
Then, Usopp's eyes gleamed with sudden clarity.
"Sanji! Be ready to catch Vivi! Chopper—launch her! Sanji will boost her toward Zoro, and he'll throw her the rest of the way!"
"Got it!"
Everyone moved immediately, trusting the plan without hesitation.
Usopp sprinted away.
"Hey!" Nami yelled. "Where are you going?!"
"I'm doing what only I can do!"
He ran until he found the perfect spot, pulling back his slingshot with a deep breath.
"Usopp, you're the crew's sniper. That role matters."
Shirogai's words echoed in his head—spoken casually during one of their late-night hammock chats.
"Snipers shape battles without being seen. That's something only you can do."
"Waaah… Shirogai…"
Then Luffy's voice interrupted the moment:
"Yeah! Usopp's great at lying! No one lies better!"
"Luffy! You just ruined the whole vibe! Eat this! Sure-Kill Attack: Pillow Star!"
"Waaah!"
Luffy toppled off the hammock, pillow spinning off his head.
Everyone had laughed.
Until Nami's fist slammed the cabin wall.
"It's late! Shut up and sleep!"
Silence fell.
…That night stayed with him.
Even if Shirogai had said it half-heartedly, Usopp had believed it completely.
"I matter."
He wasn't strong.
But he had something only he could do.
And now, he would do it.
He was the crew's sniper.
Their final hope.
"I am… Sniper King Usopp!"
He locked eyes on the clock tower, stretched the slingshot to its limit, and whispered:
"Sure-Kill Attack: Meteor Flame Star!"
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