Outside the ornate gates of a luxurious mansion in Syrup Village—

"Hello! Can we borrow a ship?"

Luffy called out from beyond the iron gate.

Alex leaned toward Nami and asked quietly, "You're not here to steal money, are you?"

"Don't be stupid. I'm a thief with dignity and standards," Nami replied, jabbing Alex in the cheek. "Even if the owner here is wealthy, her parents are gone, and she's left all alone. No matter how rich or extravagant she is, that's a kind of misfortune too. The money was left to her by her parents. I'd never steal it."

"...I see."

Alex noticed a hint of sadness in Nami's tone—something rare for her.

Just then, he spotted a gap in the shrubs lining the fence. It was barely noticeable but just big enough for a person to slip through.

"Hey, Luffy. Look over there," he said, tugging Luffy's arm.

But Luffy was already springing into action. He stretched his arms, grabbed the top of the gate, squatted down, and yelled:

"Stretchy-stretchy rubber trouble!"

"Stop!"

"Don't do anything stupid!"

Zoro and Nami rushed to grab him—but it was too late. Still clinging to Luffy, all three were flung into the air like slingshot stones, Alex included.

Onion, Carrot, and Pepper—the three local kids—watched, mouths agape, as the four of them soared through the sky.

"You idiot, Luffy!"

"You always have to mess around!"

"I swear I'll cut you up one day!"

As they plummeted from the sky, Alex, Nami, and Zoro shouted angrily at Luffy, who was laughing gleefully mid-fall.

Just before hitting the ground, Alex spotted a large tree nearby—with someone sitting in it, chatting with a girl leaning out of a second-story window. The girl's laughter echoed, indicating the two were having a good time.

Kicking off the trunk, Alex spun three times midair, but the force of his kick caused the tree to tremble violently. The boy in the tree—Usopp—lost his balance and fell.

Meanwhile, Luffy shouted:

"Rubber Balloon!"

He inhaled deeply, puffing his belly out into a cushiony sphere.

Alex and Zoro were about to land—until they were abruptly bounced away by Luffy's inflated stomach.

Alex was flung toward the still-airborne Nami.

WHAM!

Before he could react, Alex slammed sideways into Nami, their bodies colliding midair.

And then—smack!

His lips accidentally pressed against Nami's soft, pale cheek.

Nami's face turned beet red.

Ugh, not again!

Both of them thought in horror, silently grateful it wasn't a kiss on the lips.

As they hit the ground, Alex flipped to shield Nami and they landed, sliding several meters, kicking up dust.

Nami ended up straddling Alex, panting heavily, her cheeks still flushed. She glanced at him, closed her eyes, and slumped to the side.

At least she's not blowing up. I'm gonna pretend this never happened.

Alex shut his eyes too, not ready to move.

"Who did that?! I fell out of the tree!"

Usopp stood up, nursing his bruised nose.

Before he could even inspect it, Zoro—catapulted by Luffy—crashed into him.

"NOOO!"

Usopp's scream was cut short as he and Zoro smashed into a stone wall, leaving cracks in the masonry before sliding to the ground in a heap.

Luffy, of course, landed perfectly.

"Hahaha! That went great!"

Seeing the others sprawled on the ground, he asked, confused:

"Why are you all lying down? Practicing comedy?"

"How can you say that?!"

Alex and the others stood up and beat Luffy senseless.

BAM! WHACK! SMACK!

"Sorry... I shouldn't have mocked your pratfalls..."

Luffy raised a battered hand in surrender, though clearly unaware of his true mistake.

"Are you all okay?"

From the window above, a concerned voice called out—it was Kaya.

"We're fine!" Usopp responded quickly. "These people came from far away just to join my legendary pirate crew!"

"That's not true!"

Luffy dusted himself off and immediately denied Usopp's claim.

"Is that one okay? He looks badly injured."

Kaya pointed at Alex, who was still covered in bandages.

"Oh, him? He's the guy I told you about—the one who challenged me from across the seas. I beat him, and now he respects me so much he insists on calling me Captain Usopp!"

Usopp threw his arm over Alex's shoulder and kept bragging.

Alex was about to expose him when a voice interrupted:

"Who allowed you to trespass?"

They turned to see a man in glasses and a suit approaching.

"Who's that?" Alex asked.

"That's Klahadore, the butler," Usopp muttered with clear disdain.

"Klahadore, they're—"

Kaya began to explain, but Klahadore silenced her with a hand.

"No need. Tell me later."

He approached. "Please leave at once. Or state your business."

"We want a ship," Luffy said bluntly.

"No."

Klahadore refused immediately.

Luffy slumped in defeat. Zoro patted him on the shoulder.

"You're Usopp, aren't you?"

Klahadore stared at him. "I've heard about you—especially what the villagers say."

"Thanks! You can call me Captain Usopp. Everyone in the village does."

"You really know how to praise yourself. I've heard of your father too. A worthless pirate. I'm not surprised by your behavior. But stay away from the young lady."

"You called my father worthless?!"

Usopp's fists clenched.

Alex remembered Usopp's pride when talking about his father at the restaurant. Hearing him insulted like this would hurt anyone.

"You're not worthy of the young lady. You just want her money, right? Say it—how much?"

Klahadore adjusted his glasses in a weird way—with an open palm and fingers spread upright. It looked almost... wrong.

"He's shady," Alex whispered to Nami.

"You're the thief—see anything suspicious?"

"A butler who's a thief? That'd be dumb. Who hires a thief as their butler?"

She flicked his forehead.

"Still... if he's not a thief, he might be something worse," Alex muttered, serious.

"You think he's a pirate? Are you nuts?"

Back in the conversation, Klahadore continued:

"I pity you, really. A father who abandoned his family for treasure. You must hate him."

"Stop it, Klahadore!"

Kaya shouted from above, genuinely angry now.

Alex glanced up at her pale face and blonde hair. Even through her illness, she looked graceful.

Still, something was off—Klahadore's dominance, despite being a servant, made Alex suspicious.

"You don't get to insult my father!"

Usopp's fists were clenched so tightly that blood dripped between his fingers.

"You're so dumb," Klahadore sneered. "This is when you should lie—say your dad's a merchant, or that you're not related."

"Shut up!"

Usopp finally snapped and punched Klahadore in the face, knocking him down.

Kaya gasped in shock.

But no one else was surprised.

"There it is—violence. Like father, like son."

Klahadore wiped blood from his lip and sneered.

"You don't understand anything! I'm proud to be the son of a pirate! He's a brave warrior of the sea!"

Usopp shouted. "Yeah, I lie—but I'm proud of my bloodline! That will never change!"

"I'm the son of a pirate!"

He screamed the words with everything he had.

"A brave warrior? That's absurd," Klahadore muttered, pushing up his glasses. "You're just a liar with violent blood, chasing after money."

There it was again—money.

Alex's suspicion deepened.

"Hey, Nami," he said, pulling her aside. "Are you sure he's not like us?"

"No way he's a thief! Who hires a pirate for a butler?"

Alex was about to explain his theory when Klahadore shouted again:

"Your father being a pirate is reason enough—I won't let you near the young lady!"

He wasn't just insulting Usopp's father—he was slandering all pirates.

"See? He hates pirates. He can't be one himself," Nami said.

Alex frowned. Was he wrong? Was Klahadore just an overzealous servant?

"Usopp, don't be violent," Kaya pleaded, crying. "He's not a bad person—he's just protective of me. He doesn't mean it."

Usopp lowered his fist, anger still on his face—but he didn't strike again.

"Get out. You don't belong here," Klahadore shouted. "And don't come back."

"I know. I won't return."

Usopp glared at Kaya for a moment—then turned and walked away.

"You jerk! He's not like that!"

"You're the real scumbag!"

"You big dummy!"

Onion, Carrot, and Pepper, who had been hiding nearby, leapt out, hurling insults at Klahadore as Usopp left.

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