Duel

The Unforgiven in Shinigami, Chapter 54: Duel - A gentle sea breeze caresses the scene.

For the first time, Usopp showed no weakness on his face, looking at Luffy with a serious expression Luffy, "Of course, bring it on, I'll make you pay the price. I've already figured out how to deal with you."

Don't compare me to those people who didn't know your true abilities, Luffy. We've been together for a long time, and I know your capabilities inside and out.

On the ship, everyone came to the deck to watch the duel.

Chopper asked worriedly, "Is it really impossible to stop him? Usopp is seriously injured."

Zoro had wanted to stop him, but Usopp wasn't the type to speak on a whim; he genuinely wanted to leave.

There's nothing to say about a man with such awareness.

He replied, "If you're too scared to look, go back to your room!"

On the shore, Usopp continued, "Don't be surprised to hear that, Luffy, I have eight thousand men!"

If you want to live, surrender!

Chopper exclaimed in surprise, "Huh?! Eight thousand subordinates!"

Zoro looked at Chopper speechlessly and said, "You should go back to your room!"

On the shore Luffy shouted, "You think I don't know you don't have those subordinates?!"

Usopp Spell!

[ The Blades Stuck Between All the Teeth!]

Chopper cried out in pain, "Ouch! That hurts!"

"You should go back to your room!"

Gum-Gum!

Luffy was about to raise his arm to strike Usopp, he saw Usopp suddenly cough violently, spitting blood and kneeling on the ground.

Ultimate Killer: Tomato Sauce Star!

"What are you doing? Are you showing sympathy for your opponent?"

Usopp spoke, he took a Flash Dial out of his pocket.

The white light flashing from the Flash Dial illuminated the world before Luffy's eyes.

Usopp seized the opportunity to run to a distance, retrieved his slingshot, and shouted, "Deadly Kill - Egg Star!"

Egg Star!

A few eggs hit Luffy's face. Luffy shoveled the egg yolks away with his hands and said, "Ugh, it stinks!"

It's a rotten egg!

"Hateful!

Get serious, you idiot!

"Do you think I'm joking? I'm very serious, Luffy. This is my fighting style. Be careful not to get burned by opening your mouth so wide!"

Ultimate Killer: Chili Star!

A super spicy bullet, made with chili oil and other ingredients, was shot into Luffy's mouth.

Oops!

So spicy!

" Luffy's mouth was so hot it was practically breathing fire."

Losing his balance, Luffy fell to the ground.

The ground was already covered with thumbtacks scattered by Usopp, as Luffy is most afraid of these sharp things.

" Luffy, I will defeat you and take back the Going Merry!"

I will stop at nothing to achieve my goals!

Luffy stood up, covered his mouth, and said, "Ugh... cough cough, damn it... it smells and tastes spicy!"

"I've already said, I won't launch an attack that's ineffective against you. I won't give you any chance to take advantage. Ultimate move: Shuriken Meteor Shower!"

!"

Usopp fired a long string of shurikens from his slingshot at Luffy, Luffy managed to dodge the barrage.

Having finally dodged the attack, Luffy suddenly found himself enveloped in thick smoke.

"It's Breath Dial! You didn't notice because of the smell of rotten eggs, did you? There's gas all around you!"

Sorry! I've already finished eating!

Fire Star!

Usopp showed no mercy, Luffy Fire Star directly at Luffy.

As it approached Luffy, the Fire Star reacted with the gas filling the air.

With a loud bang, a huge explosion occurred.

The wind generated by the explosion whipped up waves on the sea surface, and the Going Merry was swept into the waves, its hull being pounded by the sea.

When the smoke cleared, the wind and waves subsided.

Luffy lay motionless on the ground, his eyes wide open.

Shiraishi looked at Merry, seawater was pouring down on Merry's head, and from her eyes it looked as if she was crying.

Watching the two fight, Merry also shed tears.

Usopp leaned against a rock, panting, and looked at Luffy.

Both of them were reminiscing about the past.

The wonderful and joyful memories are still vivid in my mind as if they happened yesterday. Just this morning, we were riding our Bull together in the city, laughing and joking.

But in less than a day, with just a few words exchanged, it has turned into this state.

"I hate this," Nami said sadly.

"Huff... huff..."

Usopp stood up again, picked up his slingshot, and said, "These aren't enough to kill you... I know that, Luffy!"

Just then, Luffy, no longer confused, stood up, stretched out his arms, and shouted, " Gum-Gum Gatling!"

Usopp, however, was prepared and raised his slingshot, unleashing a powerful attack. "Explosive Cactus Star!"

Usopp used his slingshot to launch countless cactus thorns.

Then immediately following, " Triple Gunpowder Star!"

But Luffy dodged them all, and then Luffy punched Usopp directly in the face, sending Usopp flying.

That wasn't all. Luffy pressed his advantage, stretching out his arms, " Gum-Gum Bazooka!"

But this time it didn't hurt Usopp.

"It's Impact Dial! I'll accept your impact!"

Then Usopp raised his arm and unleashed the impact he had just received at Luffy's attack.

"Beat!"

Luffy was knocked away by the impact, bleeding from his mouth and nose.

Usopp also suffered a muscle tear in his arm due to the recoil from the Impact Dial.

But neither of them fell down; they remained standing opposite each other, their faces dark, glaring fiercely at one another.

But Usopp had already used up all his tricks.

Luffy looked at Usopp and recalled the past, when he first met Usopp.

" Gum-Gum Bullet!"

As Luffy reminisced about his time with Usopp, he stretched out his arm and slammed Usopp to the ground.

Usopp coughed up blood and knelt on the ground.

Luffy looked at Usopp, panting heavily, then knelt down and shouted, "You idiot... how could you... possibly beat me!"

Luffy up, picked up his straw hat that had fallen to the ground during the battle, put it on, and said, " Going Merry... do whatever you want with it, we'll buy a new ship... and keep sailing."

Memories flooded back, Luffy felt his wounds were a hundred times more painful than Sand Crocodile's poison. "Goodbye, Usopp... I was so happy being with you."

Chopper cried and tried to run over to treat Usopp, but Sanji stopped him.

Sanji shouted, "Think about it carefully. To lose a duel and then have to endure pity—as a man, there's nothing more humiliating than that!"

Luffy to the side of the ship and said, "I feel so heavy-hearted!"

"This is the captain. Don't be confused. If you're indecisive, who else can we trust?"

Zoro frowned.

"Move everything out; we're not going back to this ship!"

Despite having booked rooms at the inn, none of the Straw Hat Pirates wanted to go in and sleep.

"Is the wind on the rooftop really that strong?"

Shiraishi looked at them, a helpless smile on his face, and said, "Not sleeping well isn't good for your health."

" Usopp's situation must have been a huge blow to you."

Luffy looked up, recalling Usopp's words. "Monsters, ordinary people, can't keep up in the fight."

"Whether it's Sand Crocodile or a thunderbolt with long ears, they are both creatures I'm determined to fight."

Luffy's voice was low and deep. His eyes swept around and saw that Nami and Chopper's eyes were red, clearly from crying. There was a pile of cigarette butts in the ashtray next to Sanji. Zoro held his sword and stared into the distance, in the direction of the Going Merry.

"If my actions have caused any difficulty for anyone, I apologize."

As Luffy took off his straw hat and bowed his head, the Straw Hat Pirates members all turned to look at him.

Zoro immediately retorted, "You're the captain, after all."

" Luffy, don't do this." Nami quickly waved her hand; she had never seen Luffy apologize for his willfulness.

I'm not used to it at all; I hope he can go back to being the Luffy he used to be.

"But,"

After putting on the straw hat, Luffy looked at everyone seriously.

"I don't regret my decision. Perhaps I will make more and stronger enemies in the future. I just want to know, will you still support me?"

"Puff,"

Nami was the first to laugh, "Of course."

"Without us, you can't even get the ship off the dock!"

"That's right,"

Zoro nodded seriously. "If no one gave you any advice, I can imagine you eating in every enemy prison."

"We ate all the food on the first day at sea,"

Sanji a cigarette, gave a disdainful look to the refrigerator destroyer, and said, "And then spend the rest of the days starving. What a terrible pirate king."

"Hehe,"

Retsu Unohana let out an amused laugh.

Luffy,

Chopper wiped away his tears and looked at the man who had forcibly taken him out to sea.

"But what about Usopp and Robin? I'm so worried about their safety."

"Of course,"

Luffy turned around and looked at Shiraishi with a serious expression.

" Shiraishi, you think of a solution."

"I need to figure something out?" Shiraishi looked completely bewildered.

Luffy's thinking was simple, "You look young, but you're actually an older person. You should have some experience with things like this."

"I..."

Looking at the expectant and trusting eyes in the room, Shiraishi couldn't bring himself to admit that he had never dealt with such a situation before, and shrugged helplessly.

"Okay, okay."

"I've been keeping an eye on Usopp. His breathing is stable, and he's not in any danger."

As soon as Shiraishi finished speaking, a collective sigh of relief rippled across the rooftop, including from Luffy.

It's clear they haven't truly let go of Usopp.

Otherwise, those pharmaceuticals, nautical charts, Belly and the like...

"Actually, the most crucial point in this incident is that Usopp felt it would be a burden to us."

Sanji spoke up, asking, "Is there no way for Soul Society to make him stronger?"

"I have indeed considered a solution, but Usopp's physical abilities..."

Shiraishi didn't know how to put it. If you said Usopp was useless, then why was he so incredibly resilient?

To say it's strong... well, it wouldn't be accurate.

Unlike Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji, who were trained by famous teachers from a young age, Usopp was just an ordinary person before he met the Straw Hat Pirates. He had never had any proper training, let alone any guidance from famous teachers.

It's not easy to catch up in more than ten years. Rather, it's unrealistic to expect to catch up with someone else's ten years of hard work after only a short period of training.

"Of course, Usopp actually has great potential. If he perseveres, he can also stand on his own."

Shiraishi smiled and said, "I believe he will realize his mistake and come back to this ship."

"There's no need to discuss this anymore."

Luffy patted his straw hat, feeling that the hope was too slim. He didn't want to hold onto any hope, lest he be disappointed. "Whatever Usopp chooses, I will respect his decision, because we are partners for life!"

Whether on the ship or not, Luffy will not kick Usopp out of the Straw Hat Pirates.

the next day.

Shipyard, Dock No. 1.

Who is the murderer?

Who was the first to discover the scene?

How is Mr. Iceburg doing now?

Amidst the crackling of camera flashes, reporters bombarded the media with questions.

The dock foreman was completely dumbfounded.

"Extra number, extra number!"

"Mr. Iceburg has been shot five times and is unconscious!"

"The assassins' clutches have reached for the heroes of City of Water 7!"

"Is it for money, for power, or for hatred?"

Overnight, the entire City of Water 7 was plunged into panic and chaos. As the mayor of City of Water 7 and the owner of Galley-La Company, the man named Iceburg was definitely the pillar of this city.

If he were assassinated, the city's idyllic situation would immediately crumble.

The adults here still remember the tragic situation twenty years ago when this city was on the verge of bankruptcy and could only wait to die. First, Mr. Tom built the Sea Train, and then Mr. Iceburg stepped forward to integrate the city's chaotic shipyard and led everyone through the crisis to where we are today.

How dare someone assassinate the city's hero these days?

Never forgive!

" Iceburg Uncle?"

On the top floor of a building, Nami looked at the densely packed, angry crowds in the city, like ants, and then at the newspaper in her hand.

"Isn't this the person that Kokoro from the sea station recommended we find?"

"Yes,"

Luffy nearby, took the newspaper and nodded, replying, "It's this uncle. Yesterday he kindly found someone to help us inspect the Going Merry, but..."

The Straw Hat Pirates immediately started arguing.

Thinking about what happened yesterday, Luffy up vanished.

Usopp is really gone, and so is the Going Merry; it can no longer sail with him.

They had been to the Sky Island together, conquered countless waves, and in the most dangerous times, they were able to lead each other out of despair.

Having sailed this far, Luffy really wanted to continue sailing with the Going Merry, but Iceburg was right. They couldn't keep pushing the Going Merry like that, nor could they risk the lives of their crew.

"That's really bad news."

Shiraishi took the newspaper and sighed, "Actually, there's even worse news for you all: you're all probably going to become wanted criminals."

"The enemy of the entire City of Water 7."