The morning sun rose over Orange Town as the crew prepared to depart. Villagers lined the docks, waving and calling out thanks. Buggy, still tied up but conscious, watched from his position against a wall, his expression unreadable.
Luffy waved enthusiastically at everyone. "Thanks for the food! It was great!"
Boodle, the village chief, clasped his hands together. "Thank you for saving our town. May the seas be kind to you."
Shiro pushed one of the boats into the water, his movements efficient. But his awareness—his psychic net—was different now.
Before, he'd let it relax when they weren't in danger.
Now, it stayed open. Constant. Vigilant.
The bird incident had taught him something crucial: he couldn't predict everything. Canon had momentum, and fate had a way of correcting deviations. If he wanted to keep this crew alive, he needed to be ready for anything.
Always watching. Always sensing. No more surprises.
Zoro noticed the change immediately. "You're tense."
Shiro glanced at him as he climbed into the boat. "Just being careful."
Zoro studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Good. Careful keeps you alive."
They split into the same groups as before—Luffy and Zoro in one boat, Nami and Shiro in the other. The two boats pushed off from the dock, sails catching the morning wind.
Orange Town shrank behind them, and the open sea stretched ahead once more.
An hour into the journey, Luffy sprawled across the front of his boat, one arm dangling in the water, humming a tuneless song.
Zoro sat with his back against the mast, arms crossed, eyes half-closed but alert. "You're in a good mood."
Luffy grinned. "We got a new crewmate soon! I can feel it!"
Zoro raised an eyebrow. "We just got me and the thief. You're already thinking about more?"
Luffy sat up, his expression unusually serious. "We need a full crew! A big crew! With lots of strong people!"
In the other boat, Nami glanced over at them. "What's he yelling about now?"
Shiro smiled faintly. "Crew composition. He's thinking ahead."
Luffy cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted across the water. "OI! SHIRO! HOW MANY PEOPLE DO WE NEED?!"
Shiro raised his voice to carry across the gap between boats. "Depends on what roles you want filled!"
Luffy's eyes lit up. "ROLES?!"
Shiro nodded, leaning back comfortably. "Every good pirate crew has specific positions. Captain—that's you. First Mate or Combatant—that's Zoro. Navigator—that's Nami, even if she won't admit she's staying yet."
Nami's eye twitched. "I said temporarily!"
Shiro ignored her and continued. "We'll need a cook—someone who can keep Luffy fed without letting him eat all our supplies in one day."
Luffy nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! A good cook!"
"A doctor," Shiro added. "Someone who can patch us up after fights."
Zoro grunted. "Smart. We'll get hurt a lot in the Grand Line."
"A shipwright," Shiro continued. "Someone who can repair and maintain the ship during long voyages."
Nami perked up at that. "That's actually important. Ships don't fix themselves."
Shiro held up another finger. "An archaeologist—someone who can read history, decipher ancient languages, maybe help us understand the mysteries of the world."
Luffy tilted his head. "What's an ark... arke..."
"Archaeologist," Zoro corrected flatly. "Someone who studies old stuff."
"Oh! That sounds cool!" Luffy declared.
Shiro smiled. "And finally—"
"A MUSICIAN!" Luffy shouted, jumping to his feet so fast the boat rocked wildly.
Zoro grabbed the side. "Sit down, you idiot! You're going to capsize us!"
But Luffy was already bouncing with excitement. "We NEED a musician! Pirates have to sing! And dance! And party!"
Shiro chuckled. "You're not wrong. A musician keeps morale up. Makes the journey feel less lonely."
Luffy pointed dramatically at the sky. "Then we're getting all of them! Cook, doctor, shipwright, ark-guy, and MUSICIAN!"
Zoro smirked. "Ambitious. Think you can actually convince that many people to follow you?"
Luffy's grin was blinding. "Of course! Because I'm gonna be Pirate King!"
Nami shook her head, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "He's completely insane."
Shiro's expression softened. "Yeah. But that's why it'll work."
They sailed in comfortable silence for a while, the sun warming their backs, the sea calm and forgiving.
Then Luffy spoke again, his voice quieter this time. "Shiro. Do you think we'll find good people?"
Shiro looked across the water at his captain—this strange, reckless, impossibly optimistic boy who'd somehow pulled them all into his orbit.
"I don't think," Shiro said. "I know."
Luffy's grin returned, and he lay back down, content.
Zoro glanced at Shiro across the gap between boats. "You sound pretty sure."
Shiro met his gaze evenly. "I am."
Because he'd seen it. Not in this life, but in another. A crew of dreamers and misfits who'd sail to the end of the world together.
He wouldn't let that future break.
By midday, the coastline of another island came into view—lush green hills, white cliffs, and a small village nestled along the shore.
Syrup Village.
Shiro's awareness swept forward, mapping the layout instinctively. Quiet streets, peaceful villagers, a large mansion on the hill overlooking the town.
And near the cliffs—
A presence. Young. Nervous. But carrying something... a weapon.
Shiro's eyes narrowed. Usopp.
They guided the boats toward the shore, finding a natural inlet to dock. As they climbed out, Luffy stretched his arms high and yawned. "This place looks nice!"
Zoro scanned the area. "Quiet. Maybe too quiet."
Nami secured her boat's rope. "Or maybe it's just peaceful. Not every town has pirates terrorizing it."
Shiro's awareness prickled. "Don't speak too soon."
Before anyone could respond, a voice rang out from above.
"HALT, PIRATES!"
They looked up.
Standing at the top of the cliff, silhouetted against the sun, was a young man with a long nose, curly hair, and a slingshot drawn back, aimed directly at them.
Three small children stood behind him, trying to look intimidating.
Luffy tilted his head. "Who's that?"
The young man puffed out his chest. "I am the great Captain Usopp! Leader of the Usopp Pirates! This island is under my protection, and I have eight thousand fierce warriors ready to strike at my command!"
One of the kids whispered, "We're only three..."
Usopp elbowed him. "Quiet, Piiman!"
Shiro smiled despite himself. Always the same entrance.
Luffy grinned. "Eight thousand? That's so cool!"
Zoro deadpanned. "He's lying."
Nami sighed. "Obviously."
Usopp's slingshot trembled slightly, but his voice stayed confident. "If you've come to attack this village, you'll have to get through me first!"
Luffy laughed. "We're not attacking! We just wanted to stop and get food!"
Usopp blinked. "Food?"
"Yeah! And maybe a ship!" Luffy added cheerfully.
Usopp's stance relaxed slightly, though he kept the slingshot drawn. "A... ship?"
Shiro stepped forward, his hands in his pockets, his tone calm and non-threatening. "We're just passing through. We don't want trouble."
Usopp studied them carefully, his sharp eyes assessing each of them in turn. His gaze lingered on Shiro for a moment—something in the white-haired man's calm demeanor unsettling him.
Then he looked at Luffy, who was still grinning like an idiot.
Usopp wavered but still kept the slingshot drawn. "You... you really aren't here to attack?"
Luffy shook his head hard. "Nope! We're pirates, but we're good pirates!"
Zoro muttered, "That's not how it works."
Nami elbowed him. "Let him talk."
Usopp's shoulders sagged with visible relief. "Oh, thank god. I was running out of ways to stall."
One of the kids—a chubby boy with a bandana—looked up at him. "Captain Usopp, should we still attack?"
Usopp waved them off. "No, no. Stand down, men. These pirates are... uh... friendly."
The three kids relaxed, and one of them—a small boy with glasses—whispered, "I'm glad. I was scared."
Usopp climbed down the cliff with surprising agility, the three kids scrambling after him. Up close, he looked younger than Shiro expected—maybe seventeen or eighteen, with bright eyes that darted nervously between the crew members.
Luffy stepped forward, still grinning. "I'm Monkey D. Luffy! I'm gonna be King of the Pirates!"
Usopp's jaw dropped. "K-King of the Pirates?!"
Luffy nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! And these are my crew! That's Zoro, he's a swordsman! That's Nami, she's a navigator! And that's Shiro, he's... uh..." Luffy paused. "What do we call you?"
Shiro smiled faintly. "Strategist works."
Usopp stared at them, his mind clearly racing. "You're serious. You're actually serious about the Grand Line."
Luffy's expression turned firm. "Super serious."
Usopp swallowed hard. "That's... that's insane. The Grand Line is a deathtrap."
Shiro's eyes glinted. "Only if you're not ready."
Usopp met his gaze, and for a moment, something passed between them—recognition, maybe. Understanding.
Shiro had always liked Usopp in the story. The normal guy in a crew of monsters. The coward who fought anyway. The liar who told the truest stories.
He reminded Shiro of what it meant to be human in a world of legends.
And Shiro was determined to make sure Usopp never doubted his place in this crew.
Luffy suddenly pointed at Usopp's slingshot. "That's a cool weapon! Are you a fighter?"
Usopp puffed out his chest again, his confidence returning. "Of course! I'm the best sniper in the East Blue! I can hit a target from a hundred meters away with my eyes closed!"
Zoro raised an eyebrow. "Prove it."
Usopp's confidence wavered. "W-well, not right now, obviously. I'd need to warm up first."
Nami smiled despite herself. "You're a terrible liar."
Usopp's face turned red. "I'm not lying! I'm just... strategically exaggerating!"
Shiro chuckled softly. "We're not here to test you. We just want to know if there's a place in this village where we can get food and information about ships."
Usopp's eyes widened. "Ships? You need a ship?"
Luffy nodded. "Our boats are too small. We need something bigger for the Grand Line!"
Usopp hesitated, his expression conflicted. "There... there might be someone who can help. But—"
Before he could finish, Luffy's hand shot out and grabbed Usopp's wrist—not roughly, but firmly.
Usopp froze.
Luffy's expression was serious now, his usual grin replaced by something heavier. "If you're pointing a weapon at someone, you'd better be ready to stake your life on it."
The air grew still.
Usopp's breath caught, his eyes wide.
Luffy's grip tightened just slightly. "Guns, slingshots, swords—doesn't matter. Once you draw a weapon, it means you're ready to fight. Ready to die. So don't point it at people unless you mean it."
Shiro watched quietly. That line. Shanks taught him that.
Luffy held Usopp's gaze for another moment, then released his wrist and smiled—bright, warm, like the serious moment had never happened. "But I like you! You've got guts!"
Usopp stumbled back, clutching his wrist, his mind reeling. "Wh-what was that?!"
Zoro smirked. "That's the captain. He's an idiot most of the time, but sometimes he says things that matter."
Nami nodded. "You get used to it."
Usopp stared at Luffy, something shifting in his expression. "You... you're serious about this pirate thing."
Luffy's grin returned. "I told you! I'm gonna be King of the Pirates!"
One of the kids—a small boy with a runny nose—tugged on Usopp's sleeve. "Captain, are they dangerous?"
Usopp glanced down at the three kids, then back at the crew. His expression softened. "No. They're... different."
He turned to the kids. "Ninjin, Piiman, Tamanegi—go home. I'll handle this."
The three kids hesitated. "But Captain—"
"Go," Usopp said firmly. "I'll be fine."
The kids exchanged glances, then nodded and ran off toward the village, their small voices echoing as they disappeared.
Usopp turned back to the crew, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "Sorry about that. I was trying to scare you off."
Luffy laughed. "You did a good job!"
Usopp blinked. "Really?"
"No," Zoro said flatly.
Usopp deflated.
Shiro stepped forward. "You mentioned someone who might help with a ship. Who?"
Usopp hesitated again, his fingers fidgeting with his slingshot. "There's a girl in the village. Her name's Kaya. She's... she's rich. Her family owns a lot of land, including a shipyard. If anyone could help you, it'd be her."
Nami's eyes lit up. "Rich?"
Zoro's eye twitched. "Here we go."
Shiro ignored Nami's sudden interest and focused on Usopp. "And you know her?"
Usopp's face turned red. "Y-yeah. We're... friends. I visit her sometimes. Tell her stories."
Luffy grinned. "Then let's go meet her!"
Usopp's eyes widened. "Wait, now?! I didn't mean—"
But Luffy was already walking toward the village. "Come on! I'm hungry anyway!"
Zoro followed without question.
Nami fell into step beside them, already calculating potential profits.
Shiro paused beside Usopp, who stood frozen, clearly panicking.
"Don't worry," Shiro said quietly. "We're not going to cause trouble. And..." He met Usopp's eyes. "I think you're going to fit in with this crew just fine."
Usopp stared at him. "Fit in? I never said I was joining!"
Shiro smiled knowingly. "Not yet."
He walked after the others, leaving Usopp standing alone on the cliff path.
Usopp watched them go, his mind spinning.
What just happened?
Then, because he didn't know what else to do, he ran after them.
They walked through Syrup Village, Usopp pointing out landmarks nervously while Luffy bounded ahead like an overgrown puppy.
"That's the general store," Usopp said, pointing. "And over there's the tavern—though it's not very good. And that's—"
"HEY!" Luffy suddenly stopped, spinning around. "What's your name again?"
Usopp blinked. "Uh... Usopp."
Luffy's eyes widened. "USOPP?! Like Yasopp?!"
Usopp froze. "You... you know my dad?"
Luffy's grin exploded across his face. "Yeah! He's part of Shanks' crew! He's super cool!"
Usopp's legs nearly gave out. "You've met my dad?!"
Luffy nodded enthusiastically. "Not met exactly, but Shanks told me about him! He's an amazing sniper! He can shoot the antennae off an ant from a hundred meters away!"
Usopp's eyes filled with tears he tried desperately to hide. "That's... that's my dad. He left when I was little to sail with Red-Haired Shanks."
Luffy's expression softened. "He talks about you, you know. Shanks said Yasopp always brags about his son back home."
Usopp looked away, his voice thick. "I... I didn't know."
Zoro, who'd been listening quietly, glanced at Shiro. "Red-Haired Shanks. You know him?"
Shiro nodded. "One of the Four Emperors. One of the strongest pirates alive."
Nami's eyes went wide. "Wait. THE Red-Haired Shanks? The Emperor?"
Luffy nodded proudly. "Yep! He's the one who gave me this hat!" He touched his straw hat reverently. "He saved my life when I was a kid. Told me to return it when I become a great pirate."
The group fell silent.
Zoro stared at Luffy with new understanding. "An Emperor gave you that hat."
Luffy grinned. "Yeah! Cool, right?"
Shiro's expression was thoughtful. "Shanks' crew is legendary. Ben Beckman, his first mate, is one of the smartest and strongest fighters in the world. Yasopp is their sniper—his accuracy is inhuman. Lucky Roux is their cook, but he's also a powerhouse in combat."
Nami looked at Shiro, impressed despite herself. "You know a lot about them."
Shiro shrugged. "Information is survival."
Usopp wiped his eyes, trying to regain his composure. "My dad... he's really that amazing?"
Luffy clapped him on the shoulder. "The best! And you're his son, so you're gonna be amazing too!"
Usopp's chest swelled with pride despite himself. "Y-yeah! Of course! I'm Captain Usopp, after all!"
Zoro smirked. "There's the confidence."
They continued walking, the atmosphere lighter now.
Luffy chattered on about Shanks—about the year he spent in Luffy's village, the stories he told, the way he laughed, the way he fought.
And Shiro watched Usopp's face carefully.
The longing. The pride. The doubt.
This is the moment, Shiro thought. This is where Usopp starts believing he can be more than just a liar in a small village.
I'll make sure he never forgets it.