Morning came slowly as the sun rose over Syrup Village with a calmness.
It wasn't loud like yesterday's battle, nor vibrant like last night's celebration. No. Morning came with stillness. A warm, golden calm that stretched across the rooftops of Syrup Village, across the scarred fields and the coastline still marked with signs of war.
Dew still clung to the blades of grass, the sea shimmered softly in the distance, and the scent of salt and woodsmoke hung in the air. It was peaceful but amidst the peace, Usopp felt none.
Sitting alone on the hillside, overlooking the sea that shimmered like glass, Usopp couldn't sleep despite the peace. His eyes were wide open. His heart was loud. It wasn't because of Kuro.
The Black Cat Pirates, still bound tightly inside the main barn, were under constant surveillance. The sheriff and several men rotated shifts throughout the night, not daring to blink too long.
No one would let Kuro or his crew get another breath of freedom, not after what almost happened to Kaya. The Marines had been contacted, expected in two days. That gave everyone time to prepare for the aftermath.
Usopp had come up here before the sun even peeked past the trees. The party had ended hours ago, and the village now rested, recovering. Only he was up, wrestling with thoughts too heavy for the night and too real for dreams.
Luffy had said it with that easy grin of his, back on the Going Merry, before the chaos began.
"If we beat him… you're joining my crew."
A blackmail masked as a joke. He'd pretended to hate the idea. He'd argued and denied. But Luffy didn't force him. It never felt like blackmail. It felt like… an invitation. And the seed had been planted, and it had grown like a weed through his chest.
And now? He was torn in two.
Usopp kicked a rock down the hill. It tumbled, hit a tree root, and skittered off into the grass.
"I could've done it," he muttered to himself. "I had a plan. Smoke bombs. Oil. Traps. I could've—"
His voice faltered.
"…I could've taken down Kuro."
But even he didn't believe it. Sure, he might have succeeded, but it was the potential consequences that made the situation sketchy.
Maybe he would've succeeded. But at what cost? Kaya's house in flames? Half the village dead? Him—bleeding out, missing a leg, or worse?
No.
He couldn't lie to himself.
He owed them. Luffy, Nami, Zoro—they didn't just help him expose Kuro, they made sure the village was safe. Without them, Usopp knew he would've fought Kuro alone and paid dearly for it, maybe with his life.
He would've been fine with losing his life if it was ONLY his life that is lost, but the world rarely was that nice.
Being in Luffy's dept wasn't the only reason the thought of leaving was eating at him. There had always been something inside him, even as a kid. A quiet, burning desire to see the world, to tell stories not of fantasy but of truth—truths he lived himself.
His daydreams, once told as lies to distract himself from loss and stagnation, were calling to him now with the force of reality. He could chase that dream. But doing so meant leaving everything.
"Still conflicted?" came a voice behind him.
Usopp turned slightly. It was Merry, his mentor, his teacher in tools, shipcraft, and patience. And of course, horns. Kaya was with him, hands clasped in front of her, a soft smile on her face. She said nothing, but her presence was calming. Supportive.
Usopp exhaled slowly, still staring at the sea. "I don't know what to do, Merry."
The old man sat down beside him with a quiet groan. "Yes, you do."
Usopp blinked.
Merry tilted his head. "You already packed the Going Merry with everything she needs to sail. I know—I helped. The crew is waiting. And your heart… your heart isn't in this village anymore."
"I built that ship with you," Usopp whispered. "It's been my life. My work. My mother's memory. And now…"
"You're not abandoning it, Usopp," Merry said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You're fulfilling its purpose. This ship was never meant to sit here forever. Just like you."
Usopp looked away. "Luffy's got a dream so big he doesn't even see how hard it'll be. Nami's a genius. Zoro's a damn monster. What do I bring?"
Merry gave a quiet chuckle. "Courage. Strategy. Loyalty. A sharp eye. A voice. And the heart of a man who's already been a warrior for his village. You're more than enough, Usopp."
"…I'll miss this place…"
"You should," Kaya added gently, stepping forward. "It's your home. And no matter how far you go, you'll always have one here."
He was quiet for a long time before she continued.
"Besides… the Going Merry deserves to see the world. And Luffy… he sees her the same way you do. That's rare."
Usopp looked down. Of course she was right. Of course he knew. But it didn't make it easier. Nothing ever did.
Before he could say more, the sound of clumsy footsteps interrupted the heavy air. Ninjin, Piiman, and Tamanegi came crashing through the bushes, dirt-smudged and teary-eyed.
"USOPP!" they cried in unison.
He blinked as they ran up and threw themselves at him. Kaya stepped back, allowing them their space.
Ninjin puffed out his chest. "We talked about it, and we're ready!"
Usopp blinked. "Ready for what?"
"To take over!" Piiman said, hands on hips. "You're always the one fixing things, hunting, solving people's problems—well now it's our turn!"
"I'll be the hunter and fisher!" Ninjin said proudly.
"And I'll be the carpenter! I'm going to learn to build things like houses and stuff!" Piiman added.
"And I'll… I'll be the healer! And maybe librarian! We'll keep the records!" Tamanegi shouted, though tears were already rolling down his cheeks.
Usopp was stunned. "You guys…"
"So GO!" Piiman shouted, trembling. "Go be a great warrior of the sea! Go become a legend! We'll take care of this place. You always said we could be anything, right? Well—we'll be the defenders of Syrup Village! It's warriors! Just like you!"
Tamanegi hiccuped. "Even if we'll miss you every day…"
Usopp stared at them, trembling. His nose burned. His throat clenched. And finally, he dropped to one knee and pulled all three into a hug, Kaya joining them. It was messy and loud and tear-soaked from the kids but Usopp took it in as it was also real.
A moment later, the emotion turned into clarity. Usopp's eyes lit with a new glint. Decision. Destiny.
An hour passed.
The Going Merry sailed gently through the small inlet, its sail rising proudly, freshly patched from the night before. It was gliding through calm waters as it made its way to the village port. Usopp stood tall at the helm, steering the vessel he helped build.
The Going Merry was stocked to the brim: ropes, food, herbs, spare weaponry, even salvaged gear from the defeated Black Cats. It was ready. He was also ready.
Dressed in his usual attire, now swapped for a seaworthy palette of blue and white—a subtle camouflage for life at sea—he wore his brimmed hat as always. His gun, knife, and tools were secured in place. His backpack, packed to the brim with materials, sat at his side, prepared for whatever lay ahead.
He had made his choice.
And though it was hard—unimaginably so—it also felt… right. Liberating. Like he was finally walking in step with a part of himself he had ignored for too long.
He stood at the helm, eyes on the shoreline, but his thoughts drifted far from the harbor.
Yasopp had once been here too—at the cusp of a dream, sailing away from everything he'd known and loved, leaving behind the woman who supported him without hesitation. Usopp remembered his mother's eyes when she spoke of his father. Not with bitterness. Not with hatred. But with faith.
She believed in him.
She loved him still.
Usopp's throat tightened. The thought hit him harder than expected.
He remembered the arguments. The tantrums. The bitterness he'd let fester in his heart for years. As a boy, he'd cursed his father for leaving, for abandoning him and his mother in a house that always felt too big and too quiet. It kept going until he gave up and tried to put himself in his dad's shoes.
He didn't understand. Not really. From a dreamer's point of view he did get it. What he told Luffy, Nami and Zoro that day at the tavern was genuine. But now…
Now he understood. He truly did.
His grip on the helm tightened slightly as his throat caught.
Yassop didn't leave because he didn't care. He left because he couldn't ignore what burned inside him, the same way Usopp couldn't anymore. That desire to see the world. To live a story worth telling. That call that echoed louder with every year he tried to pretend he didn't hear it.
And for Yassop… that moment had been final. It was the last time he'd seen the love of his life, Usopp's mother, Banchina. A goodbye that came with no do-overs. No letters. No updates. Just a silence that stretched over oceans and years.
Not even a note. Not even a word to say I'm alive, I'm still out there, I miss you.
But now, steering the same course, chasing the same sky…
He couldn't hate his father anymore. Not even a little. If anything, he felt something else.
Pity.
Because at least Usopp got to say goodbye.
He'd had Kaya's hug, the kids' tears, Merry's proud smile. He had memories to carry, faces to remember, a send-off that felt like a bridge instead of a cliff. But Yassop… he had none of that.
He left knowing he might never return, might never see the woman he loved again, and might never watch his son grow. And Usopp…
He'd judged that pain too harshly.
He swallowed hard, the salty breeze stinging his eyes as he stared at the nearing docks.
"I'm sorry, Dad," he murmured aloud, voice almost lost to the wind. "I didn't get it. Not until now."
He sniffed hard, dragging his sleeve across his face. "But I'm not gonna vanish like you did. I'll write. I'll remember. I'll make it better."
He adjusted the wheel slightly. The harbor was just ahead.
As the ship approached the port, Usopp blinked, then gasped, almost pulling the wheel too hard. The ship nearly swerved before he corrected it.
The whole village was there.
Everyone.
Old friends. Neighbors. Children. Elders. People who cared for him growing up after his mother's demise. People he'd helped and cared for. They were all there, shouting, cheering, waving. Some crying.
Tears glinted in their eyes even as they laughed. Usopp sniffled hard and muttered, "Stupid nose…"
He climbed down, stepping off the ship and was immediately tackled by the kids, then swarmed by the rest. The teens. Then the old folks. Everyone. A wave of warmth. Of thanks. Of pride.
Everyone gave him a pat, a hug, a shout of encouragement. He felt like he was being torn from a thousand places, but it was warm. Glorious. He could barely walk from the weight of the love.
Then he saw them—Luffy, Nami, Zoro, standing by the dock. Luffy was grinning like a kid on his birthday.
"Hey Usopp!" he called. "You brought Merry!"
"Nice clothes!" Nami said from the back. Zoro just stared, waiting.
Usopp looked at them. Then to Kaya, who gave him a gentle nod. He turned to Luffy with a smile and walked forward, stopping just a foot away from the Straw Hat captain.
"Is that marksman position still open?" he asked.
Luffy exploded with joy. "YEAH!!! WELCOME ABOARD! I GOT A NEW CREWMATE!!!"
He wrapped Usopp in a bear hug and lifted him off the ground, laughing like a kid on his birthday.
Zoro grinned and nodded, arms crossed. "'Bout time."
Nami smirked, flicking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Took you long enough."
The villagers cheered even louder. Kaya, the kids, and even Merry ran up and wrapped Usopp in another hug. Laughter mixed with cries. It was chaos and warmth and everything in between.
Merry stepped back, his hands on Usopp's shoulders. "I'm proud of you, Usopp. We all are. We've watched you grow since Banchina passed. You became a man. She would've been proud, like all of us."
Usopp, shaking, held back sobs and pulled him into a hug. "Thank you. For everything."
Merry smiled and said the final thing that sealed it. "Take care of the Merry Go, alright? She is yours as much as she is mine now. I'm trusting you with her young lamb."
"I'll take care of her," Usopp nodded furiously as he choked out. "I promise."
Merry smiled. "I know."
Too scared to open his mouth and let the dam break, he kept it shut.
With one last goodbye, he turned to Kaya and the three kids. Kaya gave him one final kiss on the cheek and whispered, "Write to us."
"I will," Usopp forced out. "I swear."
With one last glance at the place he'd protected his whole life, Usopp climbed aboard the Going Merry. Zoro and Usopp unfurled the sails. Nami took the helm. Luffy took his place on Merry's figurehead at the front, wind catching his straw hat.
As the ship pulled away from Syrup Village, Usopp stood at the stern, eyes never leaving the shore.
He raised a hand.
"See you later!"
The crowd erupted with one last cheer before the ship began to sail, slowly but surely.
Usopp stared back until the village was a blur. As they got further and further, Usopp could still hear the entire village. All of them. Cheering. Shouting.
"Oi, Usopp!" someone yelled. "'Bout damn time you left, ya freeloader!"
"You're eating all our fish!"
"We can finally go back to our jobs!"
"Don't forget to brush your teeth!"
"You better be famous next time we see ya!"
"Ignore that idiot! Just don't die kid!"
"You're gonna write, right?!"
Usopp gritted his teeth, trying to fight the trembling in his lips. Damn his nose.
There were tears in their eyes, but the laughter and celebration of his hometown were louder. Usopp stood at the stern, hand still raised, heart pounding. He raised a hand and shouted as loudly as his vocals would allow him and for a guy that trained his vocals?
"I'll write! I promise!" His voice ECHOED.
The villagers cheered from afar. He could see Kaya waving, probably smiling brightly through tears. He could hear the kids yelling his name.
He'd write. He'd remember. He wouldn't vanish!
The Going Merry sailed, with her new crew, into the morning sun. Into adventure. Cutting through the waves toward an uncertain, boundless future.
Usopp stood tall, the sea wind pushing against him.
He felt free. And with that, his new life began.