The butler left after provoking Usopp.
"I'm sorry… it was because I insisted on coming to the beach that you followed me. If it weren't for me, Luffy wouldn't have been killed." Usopp knelt in front of Lock and apologized.
"Although I'm very sorry, I still have to tell everyone in the village about Kuro's conspiracy first. So… if I can survive later, I'll make it up to you all."
"Actually—"
Before Lock could say that Luffy wasn't dead yet, Usopp was already sprinting toward the village.
Lock didn't follow. Instead, he looked down at Luffy lying below and muttered,
"What an idiot… had to look the enemy in the eye when told to."
Then again, maybe he just enjoyed watching Luffy's "performance art." Thinking that way, Lock almost felt bad for him.
"Float!"
Lock stretched out his hand toward Luffy and used magic to lift him from the cliffside.
"Luffy, wake up!"
"Hoolululul"
"…Looks like I'll have to use unusual means."
Lock grabbed Luffy's collar and slapped him twice in the face.
Pop! Pop!
"Luffy, wake up. I'm already feeding you your favorite—slaps. Wake up!"
Two bright palm marks bloomed on Luffy's cheeks, but he still didn't stir.
Lock sighed, then cast one of his creations—the Instant Fan Gale Technique. Back on the Western Fantasy Continent, this magic had been his favorite way to "show off and then literally slap someone." It was fast. Very fast.
As soon as the magic took hold, a steady rhythm of smacks landed across Luffy's face.
Snap-snap-snap! Snap-snap-snap! Snap-snap-snap!
"Still not awake?!" Lock's hands ached, and Luffy's face was now red enough to give even Guan Yu competition.
Then Lock remembered something. "Luffy! I brought you a ton of meat!"
Like a switch had been flipped, Luffy sprang up. "A ton of meat?! Where?!"
"I lied." Lock folded his arms.
"What?! You lied to me?!"
Bang!
"Hoolulu"
Luffy collapsed again, snoring.
"You've got to be kidding me…" Lock scowled.
"The waves surge!"
With a lazy flick, he summoned a sphere of water above Luffy's head and dumped it.
"Huh… rululul—cough, cough!" Luffy sputtered upright—
Bang!
—only to slam his forehead into Lock's.
"Lock, you bastard! You tryin' to drown me?!"
Bang!
"Huh? I'm the bastard? If you weren't an idiot who fell asleep again after being woken up, I wouldn't have had to!" Lock shot back, reinforcing his forehead with magic for good measure.
The result? Luffy ended up with a fresh lump. "Ow… sorry."
"Next time, don't do whatever your enemy tells you to do. Got it?" Lock rapped him on the head.
"I get it… But that guy's ability was weird. Knocked me out instantly. I haven't slept that well in ages. Don't know why my face and head hurt though."
"Probably 'cause your face and head hit the ground at the same time," Lock said it with a perfectly straight face.
And somehow, Luffy bought it.
"Oh! That explains it! No wonder both hurt—it's 'cause they hit the ground together!"
"Exactly. And it's all that hypnotist's fault. I'll get revenge for you, Luffy." Lock clenched his fists like a man on a mission.
"You're mad for me? Thanks, Lock!" Luffy grinned, flashing his teeth.
If Jango were here, he'd be screaming: "Slander! The Straw Hat's face had nothing to do with me!"
Lock looked away, scratching his cheek. …He believed me. Ah, well, no reason to ruin it now.
"Let's head back. We've been out too long—don't want those two worrying."
"Okay!" Luffy followed.
"Captain Usopp is so slow!" The three kids paced anxiously.
Zoro leaned against the railing, arms crossed. "Luffy and Lock are slow too."
"He's always like this. When he's in a bad mood, he goes to the beach to stare at the sea," one of the kids explained.
"It's the Captain!" they yelled, spotting Usopp running toward them.
"What's wrong? Where's Luffy and Lock?" Zoro asked.
"Didn't they go with you?" Nami added.
Usopp ignored them and kept running toward the village.
"Still mad 'cause the butler insulted his dad?" Nami wondered aloud.
"Who knows?" Zoro shrugged. "But seriously, what are Luffy and Lock doing?"
"Want to go look for them?" Nami suggested.
"No need. If Luffy were alone, maybe. But with Lock around? No problem."
"True," Nami agreed.