On the Going Merry, Vivi stood at the railing, staring back toward the coastline with a worried expression. The island was already getting smaller in the distance as the Super-Express Speedy Shrimp carried them toward Upper Yard.
"Is it really okay to just abandon Usopp like that?"
Marcus waved off her worries dismissively. "Everyone on this ship has to grow up eventually, in both strength and mindset. Yeah, Usopp ate a Devil Fruit, but you've felt it too, right? Ever since Clucky outdid him, he's been pretty discouraged."
After his explanation, the others on deck found themselves reflecting on the sniper's recent behavior. Now that he mentioned it...
"You're right," Nami said slowly. "He has been kind of down lately."
The competitive atmosphere aboard the ship had become pretty intense over the past few months. The women's group all maintained their morning training routines without fail. The guys, not wanting to be shown up, had started matching their dedication, creating this cycle of constant improvement.
But there was one exception: Usopp.
At first, he'd been trying just as hard as everyone else. He'd wake up early, practice his aim, work on his stamina. But after witnessing the explosive power of Clucky's Exploding Egg B-1, something had changed.
After that day, he'd seemed to deflate. His training sessions became sporadic, then practically nonexistent. Instead, he spent his days tinkering with small gadgets, eating snacks, and generally avoiding the competitive atmosphere that had taken over the ship.
If the competitive environment hadn't been so intense, maybe nobody would have minded. After all, everyone had their own path to strength. Not everyone needed to follow the same training regimen.
But Usopp's abilities were directly tied to his physical condition. His accuracy, his range, and his stamina for extended battles, all of it depended on his body being in peak condition. And lately, that condition had been lacking.
Zoro glanced at the Shichiseiken hanging at Marcus' waist, then looked away and picked up his newly modified barbell. He resumed his training without comment.
Among everyone present, he worked the hardest. Yet the person improving the fastest wasn't him, it was people like Luffy, who seemed to grow stronger just by existing, or Marcus with his weird powers that kept evolving.
He understood what Usopp was feeling, probably better than anyone else on the ship. After all, he knew what it was like to work your ass off and still watch others surpass you. But he had never believed in talent as an excuse. For him, there was only effort, only the grind. So he could keep his mindset steady, keep pushing forward no matter what.
Usopp though... He didn't have that same mentality. Not yet, anyway.
"Usopp's actually really amazing though," Luffy said suddenly, his usual grin in place.
The others, especially the women, looked skeptical. Amazing at what, exactly? Making excuses?
But Kira nodded in agreement. "He has been working hard all along, just in his own way. You guys haven't noticed?"
"Really?" Marcus raised an eyebrow.
He remembered something he'd once read online back in his old world: Luffy thrives in favorable conditions, Zoro shines in adversity, and Usopp rises in desperation.
Whether it was Perona on Thriller Bark or Sugar with her Hobby-Hobby Fruit in Dressrosa, there was always this sense that fate itself was forcing Usopp into these critical roles. Some people found it forced, but Marcus had always appreciated it.
After all, whether you looked at One Piece, Naruto, or Bleach, none of them could really escape the "power of bloodlines" trope in the end.
In Naruto, the most famous examples were Dōjutsu, like Sharingan, Byakugan, all tied to bloodlines. Even destiny itself was determined by chakra reincarnation.
In Bleach, it was the same. Quincy, and Shinigami, all expressions of lineage.
At first, One Piece had seemed different. It started as a story about an ordinary boy from a fishing village who set sail for freedom and dreams, gathering crewmates and seeking adventure.
But then the truth came out.
Luffy's lineage, the Will of D, grandson of the Marine Hero Garp, son of Revolutionary Dragon.
Zoro, descendant of the legendary swordsman Shimotsuki Ryuma.
Sanji, prince of the Germa Kingdom's Vinsmoke family.
They'd all seemed ordinary at first, but in truth, they were second-generation elites just playing pirate.
And Usopp?
Initially, people thought he might be a thief's son or something equally unremarkable.
But compared to the others, his background and bloodline advantages were practically nonexistent. His father was just a regular pirate who'd abandoned him. No legendary lineage, hidden royal blood, or ancient prophecy. He really was just ordinary.
That was part of why he liked Usopp. Unfortunately, whether in the anime or the manga, the things that "Sniper King Usopp" actually got to showcase were disappointingly few.
In terms of sniping feats, there was shooting the key to Robin at Enies Lobby, and the shocking Sugar knockout in Dressrosa. Impressive moments, sure, but limited in scope.
He never showed Armament Haki-infused shots. That incredible Observation Haki range he'd demonstrated never made another appearance. Eventually, he'd been reduced to comic relief, so marginalized that even readers started wishing he'd just leave the crew.
"So he really is getting stronger through his own efforts," Marcus murmured thoughtfully.
With Usopp's creativity and ingenuity, combined with Goliath's Munch-Munch Fruit and all the resources available on the ship, there was a lot of potential there.
Maybe he really would invent something incredible.
But for now, with the Straw Hats' numbers steadily increasing and the competitive atmosphere intensifying, Usopp's apparent "lack of effort" was becoming more and more noticeable to everyone.
Marcus looked at his minimap to check on their sniper. He could see Usopp's marker surrounded by many Angel Island residents, all gathered in what looked like a crowd formation.
At least things seem fine on that end.
Just then, the Super-Express Speedy Shrimp reached its destination, and the massive crustacean set them down at the edge of the forbidden land, the Upper Yard.
"So this is the City of Gold?" Nami's eyes were sparkling with berry signs.
Even though the Straw Hats weren't exactly hurting for money, nobody ever complained about having more treasure.
Robin looked equally intrigued, though for different reasons. "There should be historical records here. Possibly even Poneglyphs, according to the texts I've studied."
Alvida stared up at the massive trees towering over the island, their trunks wider than houses. "How do trees grow this big when the air's so thin up here? Shouldn't they be stunted or something?"
The question sparked curiosity among the others. It was a good point, the atmospheric conditions at this altitude should make plant growth difficult, not easier.
"Maybe it's something in the soil?" Vivi suggested.
"Or the clouds themselves," Robin added. "The composition of Island Clouds might contain nutrients we don't understand."
Their scientific discussion was interrupted by Chopper's terrified shriek.
"AHHH! What's that?!" The reindeer was hanging off the ship's railing, staring down into the sea of clouds where a massive shadow was moving.
Before anyone could answer, an eel, over ten meters long and thick as a barrel, burst from the cloud-sea below, its mouth full of sharp teeth.
"MONSTER!" he screamed, scrambling backward.
But instead of fear, Luffy's eyes lit up with hunger. "That thing would taste amazing grilled with some salt!"
Sanji nodded. "An eel has very few bones, and the meat's got a firm texture. Marinate it properly first, and the flavor would be even better. Good protein content too."
"Want it in one piece?" Zoro asked casually, already drawing Wado Ichimonji.
Alvida, having heard Sanji's culinary assessment, was now gripping her mace without even realizing it. Her tongue slowly slid across her lips. "I'm actually pretty hungry."
The eel, still flying through the air toward what it thought was prey, suddenly realized something was very, very wrong.
Fists, blade flashes, kicks, and mace strikes descended on the poor creature simultaneously.
Within seconds, the eel was floating peacefully unconscious in the cloud-sea, probably wondering what the hell had just happened to its life.
Sanji immediately got to work, hauling the massive creature aboard with Zoro's help. His knives flashed as he began the butchering process.
"As I suspected, just like other skyfish, there are large air cavities inside the body. Makes the meat a bit looser than sea fish, but that means it'll absorb marinades better."
Skypiean creatures came in two varieties: either very flat and light, or absurdly oversized. The former had springy, chewy meat. The latter, while edible, tended to have softer, less dense flesh.
But marinated properly, they could be incredibly flavorful. Cooking in the sky wasn't quite like cooking at sea level, it had its own unique challenges and opportunities.
Within thirty minutes, under Sanji's swift and skilled preparation, the eel had been cleaned, marinated in a mixture of Skypiean spices they'd acquired earlier, smoked over aromatic wood, and finally roasted to perfection.
"This is delicious!" Luffy declared through a huge mouthful of smoky grilled eel, grease running down his chin.
"It's a shame we didn't have more time," Sanji said as he watched everyone eat. "If we'd gotten our hands on more Skypiean aromatics and seasonings, I could've made an even better dish. This is just scratching the surface."
Alvida savored her portion, then glanced down at the Super-Express Speedy Shrimp that was still carrying their ship. The massive crustacean looked nervous, as if sensing her gaze.
"I bet that shrimp would taste great too. Steamed, maybe. With some butter sauce."
The Super-Express Speedy Shrimp's eyestalks shot up in alarm.
Suddenly finding a burst of speed it didn't know it possessed, the terrified crustacean accelerated dramatically. Within five minutes, it had completed its delivery mission, depositing the Going Merry at the sacrificial altar before shooting away.
It didn't want to stick around one second longer than necessary. Not when these crazy Blue Sea people were eyeing it like it was the next meal.
"Aw, it ran away," Alvida said, sounding disappointed.