A Wealthy Household

"Take it or leave it."

Rubick said, "Forget it. Let's go straight to that rich family's house. I'm in a hurry."

"No need. We're here!"

A voice called from outside the door. From the sound of it, the visitors hadn't come to make friends.

Rubick opened the door. Twenty or thirty people stood outside: villagers in ordinary clothes, guards and hired muscle in black suits, and a potbellied, blond middle-aged man at the front.

"I'm Powell Anderson. I speak for this island. Stranger, if you need something, tell me directly. Don't trouble anyone else here."

Rubick had never heard of Powell, but if the man spoke for the island, he was probably the wealthy man Usopp had mentioned.

Rubick smiled. "Looks like there's been a misunderstanding. Usopp joked that he was a Pirate, so I joked that I was a Bounty Hunter."

"Ahaha!"

Powell laughed heartily. "So that's what happened. The boy's had a hard life. He has his reasons for doing what he does, but he isn't a Pirate. If you can, please don't scare him again."

Powell added, "What brings you to Syrup Village, my friend? I have some influence here. If I can help, I will."

As soon as he finished speaking, Powell covered his mouth and began coughing. It took him a while to recover.

Rubick said, "It's nothing serious. I'm on my way to take down a band of Pirates, but rowing by myself is too slow. I wanted to ask whether any merchant ships passing through could take me to Baratie."

Baratie wasn't far from Cocoyasi Village. Rubick could get there in half a day even if he rowed himself.

"Cough, cough. No problem. I'll arrange a ship for you. You'll reach Baratie tomorrow morning."

Powell wiped the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief, and Rubick caught a faint trace of blood. The man seemed seriously ill and looked terribly weak.

Powell went on, "Would you care to visit my humble home tonight? I'd like to make a friend."

Rubick was a little surprised. "I'm just a drifter at sea. A man of your standing wants to be friends with me?"

"Haha! I make friends based on how I feel, not who they are. If we get along, there's no question of anyone lowering himself. Ordinary people like us envy the freedom of men like you, making your way at sea."

Rubick didn't hesitate any longer. He smiled. "I like your style. Just call me Rubick."

Powell glanced at his watch. "Then I'll be ready to welcome you at seven tonight."

"Thank you for the invitation."

Powell smiled at the villagers around him. "Everyone, go on home. It's all right. It was a misunderstanding."

Then he turned to Rubick. "I'll be on my way, Rubick."

"Take care!"

Only after everyone had left did Usopp breathe a sigh of relief. He had genuinely feared Rubick might chop off his head for a bounty.

Rubick pointed at the three little boys sprinting away. "Those three care about you. They went to get help to save you."

"Of course they do! I'm Captain Usopp, and they're my crew!"

"You're a captain?"

"Ahem. I'm joking, I'm joking."

Usopp backed down at once and quickly changed the subject. "Mister, it's still a long time until tonight. What are you going to do now?"

Wherever you're going, hurry up and go. Just don't stay at my house.

Rubick stretched. "Well, I'm going to sleep for a while. I haven't eaten, so I'm tired and out of energy."

Rubick pushed open the bedroom door and walked in as if he owned the place. Usopp hurried after him.

Inside, there was only a wardrobe, a desk and a stool beside the bed. On the desk lay some paper, a pen, a slingshot and two photographs.

"Huh. I know this man."

Usopp looked startled. "You know my dad?"

"He's your dad? Then you've got something to brag about. You can tell everyone how incredible your father is."

Usopp immediately pressed him. "Mister, tell me about my dad. My mom had only just gotten pregnant with me when he sailed off with his captain. I've never even met him."

Usopp looked deeply dejected, and there was probably some resentment in his heart too. After all, a man who left his newly pregnant wife to go to sea and become a Pirate, without even meeting his child, had hardly fulfilled his duty as a father.

"Your dad's Yasopp, right? He's the top sniper under Red-Haired Shanks, one of the Four Emperors. He's exceptionally strong."

Rubick patted Usopp on the shoulder. "So believe in yourself. If your dad can do it, you can too."

Usopp's jaw nearly hit the floor. He stared in disbelief. "My dad works for Red-Haired Shanks? And he's the top sniper? Seriously?"

Rubick continued encouraging him. "So don't sell yourself short. You can become a brave warrior of the sea. Then, like your father, you can stand beside one of the strongest men alive and become his left-hand man."

Usopp was practically drooling as he imagined his glorious future, but Rubick's last words brought him back to earth. "Wait. Why do I have to stand beside the strongest and be his right-hand man? Why can't I be the captain myself?"

"Are you strong enough? No. So you can't."

Usopp immediately sank back into his old gloom. "Right. I can't do anything. I'm just a poor guy without even a ship that'll take me in."

Rubick covered his face. How had the boy lost all his confidence so quickly?

"How about this, Usopp? I'll teach you a song. Once you learn it, you'll have boundless courage."

Hope flared in Usopp's eyes again. "Teach me! I want to become a brave warrior of the sea!"

"Ahem. Sing after me."

"Believe in yourself! Whoa-oh-oh-oh! You'll win the day and make miracles happen!"

Usopp stared blankly for a long while before saying, "Mister, can you say something I can understand?"

Rubick kept a straight face. "It's a spell from my homeland, filled with mysterious power from the East. Sing it, and your courage will soar. You don't have to understand it. That's how spells work."

"But apart from the 'whoa-oh-oh-oh,' I can't remember any of it. And what kind of spell is that? It's so weird!"

"If you don't trust yourself, don't you at least trust me?"

Usopp thought it over and realized Rubick had a point. "Then keep teaching me, mister. I'll learn it for sure."