The cresent moon rose higher into the sky, casting long silver rays across the now-silent garden. A day ago, this place had been a picture of peaceful nobility. Today? It bore the scars of conflict.
Flower beds crushed underfoot, hedges sliced by stray claws, and at the very center of the damage—Kuro, trussed up like a caught boar.
The once-feared captain of the Black Cats lay bound from head to toe with reinforced rope, reinforced again just for the hell of it. He wasn't getting out of that anytime soon.
His claws? Gone. His glasses? Askew. His pride? Likely buried somewhere back in the dirt where Luffy's headbutt sent him flying.
Zoro stood with arms crossed, one foot propped on a tree stump, eyes trained on the unmoving form. Luffy sat criss-cross on the grass, casually poking Kuro's forehead with a stick.
Nami leaned against the gate with a hand on her hip. Beside her stood Kaya, pale-faced but upright, a faint tremble in her shoulders. Merry hovered near her, ever the loyal servant, trying his best to offer a comforting word or two.
"It's over," Merry said gently.
Kaya didn't cry anymore. She'd done enough of that when she heard the truth.
Now, her tears had dried, replaced with a quiet strength. She wasn't whole yet, no one would be after something like this.
"I really thought he cared," she said softly, staring at the man she once called caretaker.
"You're safe now," Nami said gently, her tone lighter than usual. "That man won't lay another finger on you."
Kaya nodded slowly. Lips trembling.
"Its all because of you. I thank you for the bottom of my heart for saving Miss Kaya. I wouldn't have forgiven myself if anything happened to her." Merry said, voice full of gratitude.
"Merry." Kaya hugged the most beloved butler in her household. Feeling something she hadn't felt since the day her father and mother died.
"No problem, plus you really need to thank Usopp for all of this," Nami said, casting a smirk toward Luffy. "And that idiot who took it upon himself to take Kuro on solo."
Luffy raised a hand with a grin, eyes closed. "I hit him real hard."
"You looked like you were getting diced halfway through," Nami muttered.
Luffy just shrugged. "Still won."
Kaya, despite the weight in her chest, gave a small laugh. It wasn't much—but it was something.
Then came a voice.
"YO! ANYONE DEAD?! I SWEAR IF YOU'RE DEAD I'M GONNA LOSE IT!"
Everyone's head snapped toward the garden gate as a familiar figure burst through.
"Usopp!" Kaya cried, voice rising in disbelief and relief all at once.
Usopp. No longer Jango. Just himself again.
Usopp, filthy and scraped, staggered toward them — not out of breath, but clearly having been through hell. His forest-camo pants and sleeveless shirt were dirtied. His tactical belt still clinked with empty pouches and shells. The flintlock on his hip hadn't been used — not needed. His knife was sheathed, unused. He hadn't needed those either.
But his slingshot? That thing had earned its paycheck today.
His chest rose and fell with quick, sharp breaths, but he wasn't out of breath. He skidded to a stop when he saw Kuro lying trussed like a pig on the garden grass. His jaw dropped.
"…You guys actually took him down?!"
Before he could react further, Kaya let out a joyful sob and launched forward at him and jumped. He barely had time to say her name before she tackled him, arms wrapped tightly around his chest. He staggered a little, but caught her easily. Her face buried in his chest, trembling.
"YOU'RE OKAY!"
The sniper caught her with a startled stumble, arms wrapping around her tightly.
"Of course I'm okay! You thought I wouldn't make it?" He grinned, even if his voice cracked. "I'm Usopp! The greatest sniper in the world! This whole thing was Just a little pest control!"
"Don't make me cry again," she mumbled into his shoulder.
"Then stop making me feel things!"
Merry sighed in relief. Nami smiled and gave a subtle nod. Even Zoro offered a faint grunt of approval.
"Tch. Hey Usopp." Zoro called, breaking the moment like a blade on silence. "You done playing reunion? Good. Lead us to the rest of the crew. Job's not done."
Luffy nodded beside him.
Usopp blinked. "Huh?"
Luffy stood, brushing grass off his shorts. His face was serious. "We gotta clean up."
The sniper looked up from Kaya, raising a brow before tilting his head. "Clean up what?"
"...The Black Cat Pirates," Nami added.
"Oh. That." Usopp blinked again. "Uh. Sure. Follow me."
Four minutes later — give or take — they were standing in the middle of Syrup Village's square.
Only now, instead of chaos and destruction, the scene was a bizarre sight to behold.
The entire Black Cat Pirates crew, every last one of them, sat or knelt in a massive messy huddle. Tied like roast pigs, ropes crossing in elaborate knots. Some were gagged. All of them looked exhausted and humiliated.
Their weapons had been tossed into a heap. Villagers stood guard, each one armed with what were previously pirate swords, clubs, and spears.
Leading the town's defense? The Sheriff. Pipe in his mouth. Arms crossed. Expression cold.
"Wha—" Nami blinked.
"Whaaaa?!" Luffy gasped. "YOU ALREADY GOT 'EM?!"
"I mean… yeah?" Usopp said with a shrug. "Took me a while to drag 'em all out, but I figured once I got a few down, it'd be easier to bag the rest. Then I had the villagers help move 'em here. Easier than expected honestly. These guys are dumb as bricks."
Kaya looked dumbfounded. Merry clapped. Nami looked like her brain was stalling.
"You WHAT?!" she shouted.
"I told you!" Usopp said, throwing his arms wide. "I've been preparing that part of the forest for months in case of emergencies! Caves, tunnels, net traps, trip wires, spike pits, smoke bombs! I've been stocking it!"
Luffy gave a hearty belly laugh. "That's so cool!"
"You're amazing," Kaya said, beaming.
Then…
Zoro grabbed Usopp by the collar so fast, it looked like a blur. "WHAT. THE. HELL. IS THIS?!"
"W-Woah! Hey! What—!"
The swordsman's face was twitching. "No seriously, what the hell, man?! This wasn't the plan! You were supposed to stall them! Sabotage! Keep 'em distracted! You weren't supposed to take them ALL DOWN YOURSELF!!"
"I mean… I did distract them."
"YOU DEFEATED THEM!"
Usopp blinked. "Huh? I mean—sure, yeah, I figured it'd be faster this way. I just handled it."
"YOU STOLE MY FIGHT!!"
"Wait…hold up! THAT'S what you're mad about?!"
Zoro's veins bulged. "I'VE GOT ALL THIS ENERGY BUT I DIDN'T FIGHT A SINGLE PERSON! NOT ONE! NOTHING"
Usopp stared, unable to believe his ears. "…Are you seriously mad because you didn't get to fight anyone?"
"YES!" Zoro yelled louder as his eyes bulged. "I spent the whole day doing NOTHING! No fight! No warm-up! Not even a workout! Just walking around!! I wanted to swing my sword at least once!! I was useless today!!"
Usopp's jaw couldn't drop any further as they stared at each other across the square—villagers surrounding, captive pirates tied, Kaya teary, Nami scowling but amused, Luffy cracking up.
Usopp then grabbed Zoro by the collar, pulling him in close until their faces were nose-to-nose—literally, with Usopp's nose poking Zoro square in the forehead.
Zoro cringed as long nose touched him.
"You're MAD because I didn't leave you any scraps?! You wanted to fight TODDLERS with SWORDS?! That's the dumbest thing I've heard all day! NAH SCREW THAT! This is THE dumbest crap I ever heard period!!"
Zoro leaning in, glare so intense he might have set the ground ablaze.
"SAY THAT AGAIN!"
"You could've fought Kuro, genius!!"
Zoro shouted, "LUFFY CALLED DIBS!!"
Luffy, standing nearby, raised a hand with a peace sign. "Yo."
"That's not the point!!" Zoro barked.
"You serious right now?!! You KNEW the Nyaban Brothers weren't gonna be a match for you! I told you that back at the Merry remember?! You think I'm the problem here?!"
"YES! THAT WASN'T THE PLAN!"
"PLANS CHANGE WHEN YOU'RE BEING CHASED BY FIFTY IDIOTS WITH SWORDS!"
"I COULD'VE HANDLED THEM!"
"I did handle them! Perfectly! What were you gonna learn fighting those clowns in the first place?! At least I got fieldwork experience—real tactical coordination, trap layouts, luring enemies, subduing live targets—what would you have gotten?! Sore arms from swinging at idiots?!"
"They were MY idiots and you didn't leave me ANYTHING!"
"YOU THINK I CARE?! THIS IS MY ISLAND!"
"YOU LONG-NOSED FREAK!"
"YOU SEAWEED-HEADED MEATHEAD!"
The two of them yelled louder and louder, headbutting each other every other sentence, neither backing down. They were nose to nose — or, well, Zoro's forehead to Usopp's nose. Shouting. Spitting. Red-faced. It was a moment of sheer chaos.
Meanwhile…
Nami tried not to laugh. She failed.
Luffy fell onto his back, arms behind his head, laughing so hard tears welled in his eyes.
Merry chuckled quietly, adjusting his glasses.
Kaya? She laughed. Really laughed. A healthy, real laugh. One hand over her mouth, eyes crinkled in joy.
The villagers burst into applause and cheers, roaring with laughter as they watched two idiots bark and squawk like rival seagulls.
Zoro and Usopp kept screaming.
"I swear if you EVER do that again—!"
"IF YOU WANNA FIGHT SO BAD JUST PUNCH A TREE!"
"IT'S NOT THE SAME!"
"GET OVER YOURSELF!"
"I'LL SHOW YOU 'GET OVER YOURSELF!'"
"I'LL TIE YOU UP NEXT!"
"THEN I'LL—"
Suddenly—
WHACK!
Nami slammed her staff between them with a force that cracked the earth.
"SHUT. UP. BOTH OF YOU!"
The boys froze. Usopp was still holding Zoro's collar. Zoro had his fists half-drawn. Both flinched like schoolkids caught talking in class.
"For god sake there's a celebration happening here, you idiots!" Nami exclaimed, her staff readily available. Zoro and Usopp still growled at one another.
Then...
"…Ok."
"…Fine."
Although lightning was exhanging between them. The glare said everything: This wasn't over!
Luffy snorted again from the ground. "Heehee…"
Usopp dusted himself off and glanced around the village square.
The night stary sky was beautiful. The moon, casting its light over a peaceful town that no longer had a pirate threat looming over it. Kuro was done. His crew humiliated. His plan shattered.
And Syrup Village? Safe.
Usopp looked to Kaya, who stood tall beside Merry, smiling. Then to Luffy, who had his hands behind his head and a grin wider than the East Blue.
He did it. THEY did it.