Chapter 17: Syrup Village
Several days later, the sun shone bright without a single cloud in the wide sky. The sea breeze whispered, carrying two small ships sailing close together.
Since there was no large ship they could buy or use in Orange Town, they had sailed on to the next island.
Luffy sat at the ship's bow wearing the straw hat Nami had repaired, eating an apple. Staring straight ahead.
Before long, an island with a distinctive shape came into Luffy's view. The island had steep cliffs lining nearly the entire coastline where it met the sea.
Luffy turned around. "Hey everyone! I can see an island over there!" he said, pointing, the joy and excitement clear in his voice.
After days of sailing at sea, Luffy was terribly bored. Because the ship had inadequate space, he couldn't even train. Zoro had also asked him to teach the technique he used to move quickly during the fight with Buggy, and the technique he used to walk in the air, but that teaching had to be postponed due to the ship's limited space.
He was so bored that to pass the time Luffy had even been reading a navigation book that Nami brought along, since Nami was the ship's navigator. Luffy also took the opportunity to ask Nami to teach him about navigation at sea.
After studying under Nami's guidance, Luffy realized something — that he and Zoro had even made it to Orange Town was something of a miracle — and he felt grateful to have gotten a navigator there.
Though he sometimes felt that Nami had something weighing on her mind, and perhaps because of that she was so fixated on money.
Finally their ship reached the shore. Luffy jumped down from the ship happily.
"There should be a village up ahead. It's fairly small," Nami read from the map and stepped down alongside Zoro.
"Ahh! It feels great to be on land again," Zoro stretched his legs and body while looking around. On the other side, Luffy ran off toward the hill.
The next instant, metal pellets were fired at Luffy's feet, which he didn't bother moving.
The bushes on top of the hill moved. A long-nosed teenager with black curly hair that reached his shoulders, prominent lips, and brown skin emerged from the bushes.
"Stop right there!"
A shout drew the group's attention.
Immediately, pirate flags began appearing around the hill in an instant. The teenager looked at them proudly while holding a slingshot.
"This island has been conquered by the great pirate captain, Usopp!"
"Everyone praises me and calls me the great pirate, Captain Usopp! This island is under my protection, and I have 80 million subordinates. Think twice before attacking this island!"
Usopp declared proudly, puffing his chest forward.
"Do you think anyone would believe there are 80 million people on this island?" Nami looked unimpressed, while Luffy studied Usopp closely — he reminded him of Yassop.
"Oh no! She saw through me," Usopp panicked.
Usopp steadied himself. "Even if 80 million sounds excessive, I really do have many strong people under my command!"
As if on cue, six pirate flags began to move simultaneously.
"Is that so!" Zoro chimed in, gripping his swords. "Looks like they'd make decent sparring opponents."
Usopp started sweating at Zoro's fierce expression.
"It's just three people, isn't it?" Nami said slyly.
"AHHH! Sh-she saw us!" the three small children who emerged from the bushes shouted before running off and leaving Usopp behind, who gaped at them in shock. "Hey! Wait, where are you going?!"
"Shishishi, you're funny!"
"You damn woman!" Usopp cursed at Nami first before pointing at Luffy. "And you! Don't laugh at me! I'm a man with great pride!" He aimed his slingshot at them. "My slingshot skills are even better than a pistol, as you saw before! Leave now or I'll attack you!"
Luffy ignored Usopp's threat and walked forward. "You're Yassop's kid, aren't you?"
"Eh?!" Usopp lowered his slingshot. "You... do you know my father?!"
"Yeah, Yassop was always talking about you when I was small."
Usopp was both surprised and delighted. "Really?!"
"I think he's still on Shanks' ship now."
"You mean Red-Haired Shanks?!"
"Yeah."
The group talked while walking, with Luffy continually telling stories about Yassop along the way.
When Luffy was small, Shanks' crew had stayed in Foosha Village for a while, and Luffy had often listened to Lucky Roux and Yassop boasting.
Now, unexpectedly, he was repeating those same boastful stories back to Usopp.
Before long, all four of them reached the center of the village and stopped briefly at a restaurant they happened to find.
"You really admire Yassop a lot, don't you?"
"Of course!"
Usopp stood from his chair and climbed onto the table, declaring boldly, "My dream is to become like him, a brave warrior of the sea!"
"Then this will be easier."
Nami cut in, setting down her utensils. "We're actually looking for a ship. Is there anyone in this village who can build a ship, or a large ship?"
"...a ship, huh?"
Usopp sat back in his chair and rubbed his chin. "Hmm... no, as you can see, this village is small. There's no one who can do what you're asking."
"Up on the mountain..."
Hearing that, Usopp's shoulder twitched.
Zoro looked out the window. "I can see a large mansion."
"Hey Usopp, do you know the person who lives there? Maybe I could ask them for a donation," Nami asked.
"You can't go there," Usopp said in a panic, his voice rising. The sound of a clock suddenly rang out, and the three of them turned. Realizing he had overreacted, Usopp laughed awkwardly then changed the subject. "A... I remember there's something I have to do."
"I know the owner of this restaurant well, order whatever you like, my treat." He stood from his chair and waved. "Well then, I'll be going." Usopp then ran off.
"What was that about?" Nami tilted her head in confusion.
"No idea," Luffy answered while eating his meat.
Not long after, once all three of them had finished their food, three small children walked over to them carrying wooden swords in their hands.
"Hey pirates! What have you done with Captain Usopp?!"
"Ah, that was good meat!" Luffy patted his stomach.
Zoro propped his arm on the table, resting his cheek against it. Grinning, "your captain... we ate him!"
They looked toward Nami and shouted, "AHHH! DEMON HAG!"
"Why are you looking at me when you say that?!"
Nami who had been chuckling until a moment ago snapped at them, sending all three children tumbling to the floor.
Zoro and Luffy laughed at that. Nami turned around. "This is your fault for saying something stupid."
After the three children got up and were told it was only a joke, their attitude turned friendly.
"So, where's our captain?"
"He said he had some business," said Luffy, finishing the drink in his glass.
"He left in a hurry earlier," Nami added.
After hearing that, the three children thought for a moment, seeming to realize something. "Ah! He probably went there!"
"Where?" asked Nami.
"He probably went to Miss Kaya's house."
"Kaya?"
"Come with us, we'll take you there."
The three children then led them to the large mansion Zoro had spotted earlier. Along the way the children introduced themselves — Tamanegi, Ninjin, and Piiman — then told them everything about Kaya and how Usopp told her lies to make her happy.
"So has Kaya gotten better after hearing his made-up stories?" Nami asked when they finished.
"Yes, she has been getting better!"
They finally arrived at the large house. They then approached the two gate guards and asked to be let in, but perhaps because of seeing the three children who often followed Usopp around, they were not permitted to enter.
On the other side of the house.
"I told you, didn't I?" said Tamanegi, the one with the onion-shaped head. The two children behind him nodded in agreement.
"Then we'll force our way in!" A grin spread across Luffy's face. He grabbed Zoro by the collar and threw him over the fence without any warning whatsoever.
Laughing, he turned to look at Nami, who immediately raised a fist at him.
With an awkward laugh. "Obviously I'm not going to throw you."
Nami only snorted.
Luffy then carried her in a princess carry. Nami spontaneously wrapped her arms around Luffy's neck. Luffy then looked at the three children.
"Hold on to me!" Luffy said before jumping over the fence.
Then landing steadily on the ground, setting Nami down as she nodded approvingly. "Good!"
The moment Luffy set Nami down, Zoro grabbed Luffy by the vest. "You bastard! Don't go throwing people around like that!"
"Ahaha, sorry Zoro, you looked tough so I thought..."
"Don't treat people like they're made of rubber either."
"Um... hello? Are you all alright?" a sweet, soft voice cut through their argument. All three Straw Hat members looked up at a second-floor window and found a girl with blonde hair and pale skin gazing at them with curiosity. Beside her, Usopp was sitting on a tree branch.
"Ah, don't worry Kaya, they've heard of my reputation and came all this way to meet me and join Captain Usopp's pirate crew!"
"No, you've got it wrong," Luffy contradicted him before turning to Kaya. "We have a request."
"A request? For me?"
"Yeah! We want a really big ship..."
"What is going on here?!" Luffy's words were cut off by a man in butler's clothing wearing glasses.
"Klahadore!"
"Breaking in, were you..." Klahadore adjusted his glasses. "And even making a commotion here."
After seeing Klahadore, Luffy felt a slight unease.
"Who is this person?"
"Klahadore, these people—"
Before Kaya could finish, she was cut off by Klahadore. "I'll hear your explanation later."
Klahadore walked toward Luffy's group. "Now then, all of you leave this place immediately — or is there something you want to say?"
In an energetic voice. "Yes, we want a ship..."
Klahadore cut Luffy off while adjusting his glasses. "Absolutely not!"
Luffy's enthusiasm immediately deflated. Zoro patted Luffy's shoulder to encourage him.
Klahadore looked up at the tree branch where Usopp had been sitting. "Usopp-kun!"
Usopp who had been climbing down from the tree froze immediately.
"I've heard quite a lot about you."
Usopp climbed back up to the branch and stood on it, leaning one hand against the trunk, then said proudly. "Did you hear about my greatness and decided to join Captain Usopp's pirate crew?"
"No, I heard stories about your father."
"What?!" Usopp was startled.
"Klahadore, that's enough, stop!" Kaya tried to stop Klahadore.
But Klahadore didn't listen and continued. "You are the child of a lowly pirate! I have no interest in what you do."
"But stop bothering Miss Kaya!"
"A lowly pirate, you say?!" Usopp clenched his fist.
"Ah, don't misunderstand, I even feel sympathy for you." Even though Klahadore said this, there was not a trace of sympathy in his tone, in fact it sounded slightly mocking.
"Your heart must be filled with resentment toward your father, who abandoned you and your mother to go chasing treasure."
"You?!" The vein in Usopp's forehead throbbed. He came down from the tree using a grappling hook, and upon landing he moved to walk toward Klahadore.
But Luffy stopped him immediately. Usopp struggled.
"Let go! I'm going to beat him up, he talked badly about my father!"
"Calm down, Usopp, you should know your father isn't the lowly pirate he's making him out to be," Luffy tried to calm Usopp. Seeing Usopp had settled a little, he loosened his grip on him slightly.
"What's the matter? Isn't what I said the truth?" said Klahadore, adjusting his glasses and looking at Usopp.
"You should be saying the kind of lies you usually tell in the village."
"You could say that you're only his adopted son and have no blood connection to him whatsoever."
Hearing that, Usopp's anger which had settled somewhat erupted again like a volcano. He broke free from Luffy's restraining hand, ran toward Klahadore, and punched him as hard as he could in the face until he fell to the ground.
Klahadore used his hands as support to lift himself up and adjusted his glasses.
"Look at that... immediately resorting to violence."
"Father and son are no different."
"Shut your mouth!" Usopp shouted in fury, raising his voice. "I am proud of my father who is a pirate! He became a brave warrior of the sea, I am very proud of him!"
"Even if I'm a great liar, the blood of a pirate runs in my body, and not everyone has pride like that!"
"I am the son of a pirate!"
"A warrior of the sea is the same as a pirate? What foolishness!" Klahadore rose from the ground and while brushing off his clothes said, "but your crude behavior is unmistakable — the behavior of someone with the wild blood of a pirate."
"You enjoy lying and acting violently when you are angry."
"Your true goal is Miss Kaya's fortune, and that is why you have been getting close to her!"
"What are you saying? I..."
Klahadore cut him off. "Whether or not you have a hidden agenda, at the very least your pirate father has proven everything!"
Usopp grabbed Klahadore's collar and was about to swing his fist. "Damn you! You still keep saying that!"
But Kaya stopped him, crying out. "Please stop, Usopp-san! Don't use violence!"
"Klahadore actually isn't a bad person, he's a good person."
"He only did this for me... he just went too far with it."
Hearing that, Usopp gritted his teeth and loosened his grip on Klahadore's collar.
Klahadore slapped Usopp's hand away from his collar. "Get out of here now, and never set foot here again!"
"I understand! Even without you telling me I'd leave this place!" Usopp walked away. "And I'll never come back here either!"
Klahadore then turned to Luffy's group. "You all leave here immediately as well!"
They began walking away. As Luffy passed Klahadore, he glanced at him. The unease that had risen in his heart grew stronger — he felt that this person was trying to distance everyone from Kaya under the guise of protection.
In the distance, Luffy stopped and stared at the butler's back.
Nami, noticing Luffy had stopped, immediately called for him to hurry along.
"Hey, Luffy! What are you doing, we need to leave."
"Yeah," said Luffy before taking one last look in Klahadore's direction and going to catch up with Nami and the others.
End of Chapter 17