One Piece: Scourge of the Seas

Before Usopp could even glimpse his shadow, the man suddenly appeared right in front of him.

A ghost?

What else could it be?

But in broad daylight...?

No time to think!

Countless thoughts raced through Usopp's mind.

Then.

He collapsed straight to the ground, hands clasped over his chest, eyes shut tight, not even a twitch from his brows.

And just like that, he "fainted" in an eerily serene manner.

This abrupt reaction made Maude chuckle softly.

He could see right through Usopp's act.

Even though he'd anticipated it, witnessing it in person was far more amusing than he'd expected.

On the village path dozens of meters away, the villagers who had been chasing Usopp slowed their steps, casting wary glances at Maude.

After all, they were from the same village. These villagers, who moments earlier had been eager to teach Usopp a lesson, now found themselves worried about his condition.

Maude turned his head to look at them.

Feeling Maude's gaze, the villagers exchanged glances, then cautiously continued to approach.

Despite Maude's young age and his handsome, kind demeanor, the villagers couldn't let the situation slide without clarification.

After all, Usopp was lying there stiff as a board, completely motionless.

Sure, he might be pretending again, but what if something serious really happened?

Maude nodded politely at the approaching villagers, offering a warm smile.

His smile made the villagers pause instinctively.

Ignoring them, Maude crouched down and whispered softly into Usopp's ear:

"I know Yasopp."

At the mention of that name, Usopp's eyes shot open. He stared blankly at Maude, whose face bore a gentle smile.

"You… know my dad?"

"If you want to know more, follow me."

Leaving those words behind, Maude turned and walked toward the distant forest.

Usopp sprang to his feet, eyes wide, watching Maude's retreating figure.

"Wait for me!"

After only a moment's hesitation, Usopp chased after him, leaving the bewildered villagers behind.

Maude led Usopp into the forest, casually picking a low tree stump to sit on.

Standing to the side, Usopp fidgeted nervously.

If it weren't for his father's name, he'd never have followed a stranger into the forest.

Maude observed Usopp, easily sensing his unease. He could also tell Usopp didn't harbor any resentment toward Yasopp.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have reacted this way to hearing about him.

"Yasopp saved my life. Strictly speaking, he's something of a mentor to me," Maude began, getting straight to the point.

"Huh?"

Usopp was stunned. He couldn't help but ask, "Then… are you a pirate too?"

"Yes."

Maude nodded.

He had never been one to care much about titles or labels.

Since the Navy had put a bounty on his head, he might as well embrace the pirate identity to navigate the seas.

Although, if given a choice, he'd have preferred being a bounty hunter.

Reaching into his coat, Maude pulled out a wanted poster and handed it to Usopp.

For pirates, a wanted poster was as good as a calling card.

Usopp took the poster and began to examine it.

"Eh? This is…?"

As Usopp looked at the photo on the poster, his eyes bulged wider and wider.

"This can't be real!!!"

He quickly looked up at Maude, then back down at the poster.

Again and again, he compared the two, his head bouncing up and down like a seesaw.

Finally, utterly bewildered, he muttered, "The person in this poster… looks nothing like you. In fact, he looks just like Klahadore, who came to our village a year ago!"

Usopp turned the poster to show Maude, whose eyes lit up when he saw it.

It was Captain Kuro's wanted poster.

"Oops, wrong one."

"???"

Usopp blinked in confusion.

Maude casually took the poster back, then retrieved another one from his coat.

"This one's mine."

"Oh, oh!"

Usopp took the new poster, glanced at it, and began counting the zeros aloud.

"One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand…"

He froze for a moment.

"One, ten, hundred, thousand… huh?!"

Usopp's head snapped up, his expression mechanical as he looked at Maude.

The photo on the poster matched Maude perfectly.

But…

One hundred million?!

Usopp instinctively stumbled back, staring at Maude with wide eyes.

"You, you…!"

"It's just a hundred million, no need to be so surprised," Maude said, smiling faintly at Usopp's exaggerated reaction.

"Your dad, Yasopp, probably has a bounty much higher than mine. At least a billion, I'd wager."

"A billion?!"

Usopp was incredulous, but his eyes sparkled with excitement.

Maude nodded. "Yes, your dad is incredible—one of the world's top-tier snipers."

"Really…?"

"Absolutely."

Maude's tone was resolute.

Usopp paused, then burst into laughter.

"So Dad's really amazing. No, I've always known that! Hahaha!"

"Usopp, it seems like you don't resent Yasopp at all."

The laughter gradually subsided into silence.

"I used to," Usopp said quietly, lowering his head. "When Mom was sick, I prayed every day, hoping to see Dad's pirate ship on the northern or southern shores. But…"

"Mom passed away, and he never came. Still, Mom was so proud of him, and because of that, I can't bring myself to hate him."

"I see…"

Maude gazed at Usopp, smiling gently before changing the subject.

"Had breakfast yet?"

"Not yet," Usopp replied, grinning again.

He could sense the genuine admiration Maude held for Yasopp, and knowing how amazing his father was filled him with pride.

Maude picked up a small stone at his feet.

"Then let me treat you to roasted rabbit."

"Roasted rabbit? But…"

"Look, there's one over there."

Maude pointed toward a distant bush.

Usopp followed his gaze, squinting hard.

He couldn't see a rabbit. In fact, there wasn't even any movement.

"I don't see anything."

Usopp turned to Maude, confused.

With a swift motion, Maude flicked the stone.

Whoosh!

The sharp sound of it cutting through the air left Usopp gaping.

The stone struck the bush, and a plump, gray rabbit tumbled out.

Usopp stared at the rabbit in shock.

There was a rabbit?!

This guy not only knew his dad but was also… amazing!

Maude noticed Usopp's astonishment and explained, "This is a skill called Observation Haki. It heightens your senses to an extraordinary level. Once you master it, you'll be able to detect even the smallest details—like a rabbit hiding in a bush or even an ant crawling by."

"Observation Haki… That's incredible!"

Usopp's eyes sparkled with wonder as he gazed at Maude.

Maude smiled.

"Want to learn?"

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