One for One

Fluffy white clouds lazily drifted across the clear blue sky. A gentle breeze, carrying a hint of fragrance, rustled the shadows of the trees, dispelling the heat.

Golden sunlight filtered through the gaps in the green leaves, dappling the ground. Father and son sat in the shade of a tree, engaging in casual conversation.

At times they spoke loudly and cheerfully, at other times they fell into silence.

"Dad, have you heard anything about Mom?"

"Mm, I have."

Yasopp's expression was complex. Leaning back against the tree trunk, he gazed silently at the moss-covered ruins before him, falling into silence.

A while after he left the village, his wife fell gravely ill and was bedridden. Not long after, she passed away from her illness.

From then on, a young Usopp began his life alone. He would spend his days traversing the forest and return to their solitary little wooden cabin at night.

This was news he had heard while at sea.

Later, they had returned to the East Blue.

Usopp was still too young then; taking him out to sea would have been too dangerous.

But if Usopp wasn't doing well in the village, he would have begged Shanks to take Usopp with him, or even quit the pirate crew to stay and look after Usopp.

That was what he thought, so he made a solo trip to Syrup Village.

There, he learned that Usopp had started hanging out with three other children, causing mischief around the village every day. He seemed to have made friends and was starting a new life.

Knowing that Usopp was fine, he quietly left without revealing himself.

He couldn't quite recall his feelings at the time. Thinking back now, perhaps it was his youthful self, feeling ashamed to appear before Usopp. Or perhaps he didn't want to disturb the life that had just begun to improve.

After all, not everyone yearned for the outside world. The sea wasn't just about adventure and freedom; it was a cruel place.

Living a peaceful life in a quiet village might not be so bad. Even if Usopp wanted to go out to sea, he should at least wait until he was older and make the decision himself, rather than being forced out to sea by him.

So Yasopp left and never returned.

It wasn't until two years ago, when Usopp had just turned sixteen, that a bounty poster appeared in his hands in the New World.

After the Alabasta incident, Usopp had appeared on a bounty poster. It was then that he learned his son had been taken onto Luffy's ship.

"Usopp, do you hate me?"

"Wha-! How could I…"

Usopp's voice of denial gradually faded. He lowered his head, pursing his lips, unsure how to respond.

To say he never hated him would be a lie; he had.

No matter how much he denied it, no matter how much he told himself he actually admired his father, the seed of resentment hidden deep within his heart would quietly sprout.

At the very least, when his mother passed away, he had truly resented the selfish father who abandoned her and him.

"Thinking back now, all that talk about freedom and adventure before I set sail, all those words about admiring Dad and wanting to become a brave sea warrior like you, seem like I was just lying to myself."

"Maybe it's just because Mom said that before she died. She said she was very proud to have married you and hoped I would become a brave person like you someday."

As he spoke, Usopp's eyes gradually dimmed.

Sometimes he doubted himself. Had he ever truly admired his father, or was it just his mother's wish that made him keep lying to himself, wanting to be that kind of person?

After all, he was just a coward.

Unlike Luffy, who was full of passion, fearless, able to face and challenge everything bravely, and he didn't have his strength either.

He had lied his whole life. Perhaps the biggest lie was deceiving himself into admiring this father who abandoned his wife and child, as if his mother in heaven wouldn't be at peace otherwise.

"But, I don't think that way anymore, not after sailing out here."

A faint light gradually appeared in Usopp's eyes, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up.

"The adventures on the sea are truly wonderful. Currents that flow upstream, whales as big as islands, dinosaurs, giants, cherry blossoms blooming in snowy lands, kingdoms surviving in the desert, islands floating in the sky ten thousand meters high…"

"While I still find it unforgivable, I'm slowly starting to understand your longing for the sea."

"Now, I genuinely love adventure. From the bottom of my heart, I hope to become a brave person like you."

Usopp said with his eyes full of hope.

"Is that so?"

Yasopp gazed at Usopp before him and suddenly felt that, in some ways, he had been far surpassed by his son.

"I'm very happy to see you like this, Usopp. You are a man who takes responsibility."

Yasopp smiled with relief and said to him:

"I'm proud to have a son like you."

"R-really?"

Usopp stared blankly at Yasopp, his eyes seeming to hold a hint of disbelief, yet also a flicker of excitement from being recognized.

"But why… when I'm so weak, and I lose so easily?"

"Even those with the strongest power will encounter things beyond their reach. In this world, no one can truly overcome all difficulties."

Yasopp placed two fingers on Usopp's chest and chuckled softly.

"When facing these painful situations, the only strength that can help you out of the trough is here."

"Whether my choice back then was right or wrong, I still can't give myself an answer to this day. Compared to me, you have far surpassed me, Usopp."

What had been hidden deep in his heart for over a decade, something he dared not reveal to others, or even to himself, was finally laid bare on this day.

Both Yasopp and Usopp, father and son, had chosen to reconcile with their past selves.

Meanwhile, battles were still raging in several other locations. Some were fiercely contested, while others showed a clear advantage for one side.

Lina sat cross-legged on the highest dome of the castle, taking in the scenes of battle from various grounds below.

He had only summoned a few undead to join the fray, tying up some of the Cross Guild members and preventing his companions from being surrounded and overwhelmed.

He himself was content to observe the entire situation, adding more undead to the field only when support was needed. Of course, there were some battles he chose not to interfere with at all.

He had also seen the fight between Usopp and Yasopp, but that was a matter for the father and son, and he felt it inappropriate to intervene, regardless of the outcome.

After all, Yasopp wasn't going to kill Usopp, was he?

Then there were Shanks and Luffy, Zoro and Hawk Eyes.

These were battles he deemed unsuitable for his involvement. As for the other opponents, Lina had lost interest, and he simply decided to watch the show.

Beckman sat beside him, smoking a cigarette, and watched the battles together.

He knew his participation would be meaningless, merely drawing Lina into the fight. The current situation was quite good.

After all, the initial purpose of this battle was Shanks' final test for Luffy and his crew. Lina was clearly not part of that.

At least in terms of combat power, no one could suppress him.

He had initially thought that if Lina joined the battle, he and Hawk Eyes would team up to intercept him. But the moment Lina saw Roronoa, the two of them immediately ran off to the side.

Fortunately, it seemed the other party had no intention of making a move, otherwise, this test would have been meaningless.

The two of them watched the battles below. The fighting, which had started in one area, gradually spread out to various locations, with some even reaching the edge of the Giant Village outside the ruins.

Sanji's opponents were Lucky Roo and Snake, who were the chef and navigator of the Red-Haired Pirates, respectively.

Lucky Roo, of course, was someone Lina was quite familiar with. A fatty in green striped clothing, always holding a bone-in steak, either talking, eating, or talking while eating. His mouth never stopped.

As for Snake, he was a man with long gray hair, a red dragon tattoo on his arm that extended to his face. He wielded two long swords and appeared to be skilled in kick techniques.

If it were a one-on-one fight, it might be different, but their coordinated teamwork, especially Lucky Roo's strong Armament Haki combined with his innate shock-absorbing physique, allowed them to fight on par even against Sanji, who possessed the Tremor-Tremor power.

Franky's opponent was Roaring Gab, a large man with wild, lion-like hair and muscles like cast iron. He possessed immense strength and Armament Haki, and could unleash a roar from his mouth that had a tearing effect.

Chopper's opponent was Hongo, his counterpart as ship doctor. Hongo was not only skilled in medicine but also proficient with various weapons. What Lina remembered most about him was his apparent talent for information gathering.

Robin and Brook fought together against the musical duo – Banchi and Monster.

This pair of humans and a monkey worked together with great synergy. Monster's agility was no less than Brook's, while Banchi possessed terrifying brute strength that matched his fierce appearance. The man and monkey displayed very strong physical combat abilities.

Finally, Nami was demonstrating overwhelming dominance with a huge advantage. Her opponent was named Limejuice, a combatant of the Red-Haired Pirates who wore a black bandana over his smooth, long blonde hair. His weapon was a long staff that crackled with lightning.

And lightning against Nami...

It could only be said that he was extremely unlucky to run into her. His lightning attacks were directly immune to her, while he couldn't withstand her lightning.

Although he had an advantage in Haki and fighting techniques, he couldn't utilize them at all. Nami, after elementalizing, moved through the air at speeds almost invisible to the naked eye. Once she created distance, she suppressed him with ranged attacks.

Limejuice was suffering greatly. Just dodging required all his effort, and he couldn't find any way to counter.

There was no other way. The Lightning-Lightning Fruit was simply that powerful. Its stats were high, its abilities were comprehensive, it was a combination of offense, defense, and speed, and it excelled in both ranged and close-quarters combat.

Anyone who ate it, as long as they mastered it, could instantly become one of the strongest on the sea.

Moreover, Nami, with her good combat IQ, cautious and calm demeanor, and steady style, was destined to rarely suffer disadvantages in battle.

Lina could only lament that Enel's "intelligence-lowering aura" was still increasing in value.

Before long, Moria flew up to the rooftop under the bat wings formed by his shadow. The shadow dissipated, and he waddled over to Lina, his belly protruding.

"Kshshshsh, long time no see, Black Snake Lina. I heard you caused quite a scene in Egghead. How did it go? Was it really as bad as the Navy reported, where you were beaten black and blue?"

"The Navy's reports weren't as exaggerated as you say. What, are you still holding a grudge about the past? If you want a beating, I can oblige you."

Lina said nonchalantly, without turning his head.

"Kshshshsh, forget it, forget it. I'm no longer interested in those old matters."

Moria grinned, revealing his sharp teeth, and looked at Lina before continuing:

"As for you, you actually defeated Kaido shortly after entering the New World. I was so excited when I heard the news."

"Kaido..."

Lina recalled that Moria had also challenged Kaido back then, but all his subordinates were killed, leaving only himself to escape Wano Country with Ryuma's corpse and his sword.

The immense blow of losing his companions, and the desire to never experience the pain of loss again, led him to place his hope in zombies, who could not die, and he hid on Thriller Bark for so many years.

What a pitiful fellow.

But in reality, it was probably that cruel. Brook's experience was a testament to that.

"Another one is about to be decided."

Beckman suddenly spoke in a deep voice, his gaze fixed on the battlefield between Nami and Limejuice.

After a prolonged struggle, Limejuice, weary from dodging and resisting, was nearly depleted. He had managed to hold on until now by using his electric staff as a lightning rod, but his weapon was finally knocked from his grasp by a thunderous strike.

In that very instant, Nami seized the opportunity and unleashed her full power. Her Weather Stick, entwined with lightning, split into three sections and flew out at high speed, spinning.

As it passed over Limejuice's head, the lightning on the Weather Stick attracted and intertwined, forming a net. With a delicate shout, a curtain of lightning descended from the sky, engulfing him entirely!

"200 Million Volts · Wild Thunder!!"

Crackle—crackle—!!

"Ughhhhh!!"

The lightning flashed, emitting a blinding light. Within it, a shadowy figure, electrocuted into a skeleton, flickered faintly. His screams were utterly tragic.

As the electrical discharge gradually faded and the sounds subsided, Limejuice, his body charred black and his hair a wild explosion, let out a hiccup. A puff of white smoke emerged from his mouth, and he toppled forward onto the ground.

Pulled by electromagnetic force, the three sections of the Weather Stick spun back, rejoining to form the staff once more.

"That was truly a thrilling battle."

Thump.

Nami gripped her Weather Stick and stomped it on the floor. Placing one hand on her slender waist, as smooth and radiant as congealed cream, she playfully stuck out her tongue.

"Thank you for the match."

"Nicely done. That makes it one-one."

Lina chuckled softly, etching the score onto the castle's domed floor with his finger. Bored, he began to admire the fairness and beauty of his absolute judgment.