The four of them were violently flung high into the air. Then, amid Nami's and the children's terrified screams, they fell freely like meteors and slammed hard into the ground beside a large tree in the mansion's backyard!
Luffy climbed out of the shallow crater they had made, dusted himself off, and shouted without the slightest self-awareness, "A perfect landing!"
Nami groaned in pain as she climbed to her feet, dirt covering her head and her hair in disarray. "Yeah, right! That hurt like hell!"
Ronan sprang lightly to his feet and smiled knowingly. "What a strange adventure."
Kaya, who had been listening to Usopp boast from the second-floor window, saw them suddenly fall from the sky and went pale with fright. "A-Are you all right?"
Usopp, perched in the tree, recognized Luffy and the others and hurriedly explained to Kaya,
"N-No, they're fine! They came all the way here after hearing of my exploits! New members of the Usopp Pirates!"
Luffy got to his feet and interrupted Usopp's clumsy lie.
He looked at Kaya with a serious expression.
"No, I'm not a new member!"
"I came because I need your help!"
Kaya looked at Luffy in confusion. "Help? Me?"
Luffy got straight to the point without any hesitation. "Yeah! We need a ship!"
Just then, a man in a crisp suit approached, his expression calm and composed.
Ronan took a closer look and immediately became wary—this was Kuro, the early-stage boss, the pirate who had tried to "wash his hands of it all" and lost his ambition.
Kuro pushed up the round-framed glasses on his nose, a trace of displeasure flashing through his eyes.
"Everyone, this is quite troublesome. You entered the estate without permission. What are you doing here?"
Luffy looked at him curiously and asked bluntly, "Who's that guy?"
Kaya looked toward Kuro from the window, her eyes revealing a touch of unease and anxiety. "W-Well... these people are..."
Kuro's movements were refined, yet carried an unquestionable command.
He adjusted his glasses again. "There is no need to say any more right now. I will listen to your explanation later. For now, please leave!"
Luffy ignored his attempt to drive them out and repeated his purpose directly. "I said, we want a ship!"
Kuro's expression did not change. His tone was cold and arrogant. "No!"
He turned his gaze toward Usopp, who was hiding in the tree, a sinister smile curling across his lips.
"Usopp, I've heard the rumors about you. You're quite famous in this village, aren't you?"
Hearing himself praised, Usopp immediately became smug.
"Really? You can call me Captain Usopp too!"
Kuro's face darkened as he gave two contemptuous snorts.
"Captain?" Then his tone suddenly turned chillingly harsh. "I've heard about your father too."
Usopp's face went pale at once, freezing stiffly. "What?"
Kaya looked urgently at Kuro from the window, trying to stop him. "Please don't say any more!"
Kuro ignored her completely. His voice was filled with humiliation and mockery as he struck directly at Usopp's weak point.
"You're merely the son of a filthy pirate. No matter what you do, I wouldn't be surprised. But could you please stop approaching my young mistress?"
Kuro's cutting words made Usopp's face turn exceptionally ugly. He clenched his fists and demanded furiously, "Who are you calling filthy?"
Kuro completely ignored his anger. Adjusting his glasses, he spoke with the condescending air of someone handing out charity.
"You and the young mistress belong to entirely different worlds. Is money your goal? Go on, how much do you want?"
Kaya finally could not endure it any longer and glared angrily at Kuro. "You've gone too far! Apologize to Usopp now!"
"Why should I apologize to such a savage man, young mistress?"
Kuro paid Kaya's anger no heed whatsoever, his voice as cold as if he were merely stating facts.
"I only spoke the truth! I truly pity you, Usopp. You must hate him, don't you?
"That bastard father of yours who abandoned his wife and child, left the village, and valued treasure more than his own family!"
Watching Kuro's righteous speech, then looking at Usopp's enraged gaze, Ronan actually felt that Kuro had a point.
From the perspective of conventional morality, every word Kuro said was true.
Yasopp had indeed abandoned his wife and child, and Usopp really was the pitiful one left behind.
Kuro had merely used the cruelest words to dig out the pain that might have existed deep in Usopp's subconscious.
But Usopp clearly could not stand hearing anyone criticize his father like that. Yasopp was his only pride and spiritual support.
He roared furiously, "Don't you dare say another bad word about my dad!"
With that roar, Usopp leaped down from the tree, landed steadily, and glared viciously at Kuro.
Seeing Usopp consumed by anger and stripped of reason, Kuro instead wore a teasing expression, as though everything was under his control.
"Why are you getting so worked up? At a time like this, shouldn't you be using that specialty of yours—lying?"
He spoke slowly in a sarcastic tone.
"For example, you could claim your father was some merchant traveling the world, or simply say you aren't related to him by blood..."
At those words, Usopp's dignity shattered completely. He could no longer bear it. Shouting, "Shut up!" he swung his fist in fury and smashed it hard into Kuro's face!
Kuro was knocked to the ground. Blood stained the corner of his mouth, but rather than getting angry, he let out a cold, mocking laugh.
"See? Resorting to violence right away. Like father, like son!"
Usopp glared down at Kuro, whom he had knocked to the ground with one punch, and roared with reddened eyes.
"Shut up! I've always been proud that my dad is a pirate! Proud that he's a Brave Sea Warrior!
"You're right, I love to brag, but I carry pirate blood in my veins!
"Only this pride has never contained even the slightest falsehood! I am the son of a pirate!"
Kuro, lying on the ground and supporting himself with one hand, had blood flowing from the corner of his mouth, yet let out an even more biting sneer.
"Pirates are Brave Sea Warriors? What a ridiculous argument. Still, it seems you truly did inherit that savage bloodline."
He stared coldly at Usopp, his tone full of contempt.
"Either you run around lying whenever you please, or you resort to violence the moment you get angry. And in the end—you even approached the young mistress for her property!"
Seeing Kuro maliciously slander him like this, rage burned in Usopp's heart as he argued, "You're talking nonsense! I..."
Kuro did not give him any chance to defend himself and cut him off. "The fact that your father is a pirate is reason enough to explain why you're plotting something so improper!"
Usopp could no longer endure it. He lunged forward again, grabbed Kuro by the collar, and raised his fist furiously. "Are you done yet?!"
Before you continue