Please help me pay for my WiFi so I can post more frequently 🙏 [Patreon.com/tenten100?] It's only $5 and you get chapter ahead. Of course it's voluntary. Don't feel forced 😁
________________________________________
Yasopp froze for a moment, eyes widening, then a bright, almost boyish smile stretched across his face.
"You're pirates?" he called down.
Shanks nodded. "Yes. And these two are my crewmates. Benn Beckman and Sterling."
Yasopp's eyes flicked between them with curiosity. "So you like travel the world and stuff?"
"Well," Shanks admitted, rubbing the back of his neck, "we only just started being a crew. We're going around recruiting members right now."
"I see…" Yasopp murmured thoughtfully.
Sterling quietly examined him from below.
This unremarkable man…?
This man was supposed to become the future world's greatest marksman? The same man who, twenty-two years from now, would casually perform feats that made most snipers look like amateurs?
Here he just looked like a normal guy in a tree.
Sterling's thoughts wandered further.
Why was 'World's Greatest Marksman' never stated outright in canon anyway? Mihawk had his title of "World's Strongest Swordsman", so why didn't Yasopp? If Yasopp was the strongest gunslinger, then technically every character with a gun scaled to him.
And then
Sterling remembered Rocks D. Xebec crashing into the Flower Room to confront Imu with a gun in his hand.
So technically… narratively… Yasopp > Rocks.
He almost snorted.
Well, just joking. Mostly.
Sterling raised his voice. "Yo. So, do you know where we might find this Yasopp?"
Yasopp blinked. "Right, yeah. That's me."
"Really?" Shanks said with relief. "That makes things a lot easier."
But Sterling held up a hand.
"Wait, Shanks."
Shanks turned toward him. "What?"
Of course Sterling already knew this was Yasopp.
But he couldn't resist wanting to troll him a little.
He pointed casually at the man above and said, "Shanks… don't tell me you believe this guy."
Shanks squinted. "Huh? What do you mean?"
Yasopp was just as confused. "Yes, what do you mean?"
Sterling chuckled. "Look, man. Lying won't get you anywhere in life."
Yasopp shot upright. "Lying!? What exactly did I lie about!?"
Shanks looked at Sterling with an amused smile. "What exactly are you trying to do, Sterling?"
Benn Beckman chuckled. "What a troublesome second mate we have."
Sterling gestured openly at Yasopp. "Come on, you two. Are we really supposed to believe the master marksman we're looking for… is this guy?"
Shanks let out a dramatic sigh and nodded. "Indeed, that is hard to believe."
Benn smirked and said nothing.
Yasopp's expression twisted in utter disbelief.
"What do you mean!? What's wrong with me!?"
Sterling shrugged. "Even you must know what you look like. You don't exactly give off… 'I can shoot the antenna off an ant's head without touching the rest of it' vibes."
Shanks, catching perfectly onto Sterling's trolling, said solemnly, "True. Very true."
Yasopp was now emotionally collapsing.
Why don't they believe me!? What's wrong with how I look!?
He jabbed a finger at all three of them, voice cracking in frustration.
"I'll tell you now that I really am the person you're looking for! Just tell me how to prove it, anything! I'll do it!"
Sterling crossed his arms with a smug grin.
"I'd argue," he said casually, "I'm a better marksman than you."
Yasopp blinked.
"…Huh!?"
His eyes widened, voice rising with pure disbelief. "Impossible!"
Sterling snorted, amused by the outrage.
"You said you'd do anything to prove it, correct?"
Yasopp nodded instantly, almost violently, like a man who refused to accept such blasphemy.
"Yes! Of course!"
He simply couldn't take that level of disrespect and let it slide.
Sterling brightened and threw a thumbs-up.
"Oooooookay?"
And then
He shifted pose dramatically.
Chest out. Head tilted. Thumb still up.
He pointed at Yasopp with exaggerated flair. "Me and you, whoever you are—"
Yasopp's vein throbbed.
"It's Yasopp! My name is Yasopp, not 'whoever you are!'"
Sterling continued without missing a beat.
"WE. ARE. GOING. TOOOOOOOOO—"
Shanks and Yasopp leaned in unconsciously.
"Toooo?"
They both echoed, anticipation heightening.
Sterling flashed a smile.
"have a shoot-off competition!"
Shanks blinked.
"Huh!?"
But Yasopp had an entirely different reaction.
He straightened, eyes gleaming with competitive fire. "Name the time and place so I can destroy you."
Sterling chuckled softly.
"Big words from a poser."
Shanks leaned in close, whispering into Sterling's ear.
"Sterling… this dude might actually be Yasopp."
Sterling whispered back, unfazed.
"I know."
Shanks frowned. "Then what exactly are you trying to do?"
Sterling shrugged.
"Nothing much, just having fun."
Yasopp scoffed loudly. "We'll see who the poser is once I obliterate you."
Just then
A woman's voice echoed across the shoreline. "Yasopp! Yasopp, where are you!?"
Everyone turned toward the sound.
A woman ran into view, she had mid-length green hair, a long nose and was breathless from calling out.
Sterling froze as he immediately recognized the women. Banchina, Usopp's mother. The final villain of mothers Eiichiro Oda hadn't gotten to her yet. He wouldn't for at least another 10 years or so from now.
Banchina reached Yasopp and grabbed his arm.
"There you are, Yasopp—"
She stopped, eyes drifting to the floating ship behind them.
She stared.
Blinking In confusion.
"…Who are these people, Yasopp?"
But Yasopp saw something else, victory.
He burst out laughing and jabbed a finger toward Sterling and Shanks.
"See?! See!? My name is Yasopp!"
Sterling scratched his head.
"Okay, okay. But you could just be one of two Yasopps in the village. It changes nothing."
Yasopp made a sound halfway between a gasp and a scream.
"He still doesn't believe me!?"
He spun around, grabbed Banchina by the shoulders.
"Banchina! How many Yasopps are in this village!?"
Banchina, still overwhelmed by… everything, blinked.
"Uh—none…? As far as I know, you're the only Yasopp in the village."
Yasopp snapped back toward the two pirates with renewed triumph.
"See!? SEE!?"
Shanks yawned.
"Miss…?"
Banchina blinked again.
"Banchina. Just Banchina, please."
Shanks smirked lightly.
"Banchina-chan, then."
Banchina flushed slightly.
"I… guess that's fine."
Shanks pointed lazily at Yasopp.
"Okay then, Banchina-chan, you don't need to cover up for this man's lies, alright? Don't let him drag you into this nonsense."
Yasopp exploded.
"First of all, don't try to charm my wife, you bastard!
And second, STOP SAYING I'M LYING!"
Through the entire chaotic exchange Banchina had just one single, overwhelming thought.
What the hell is happening here?