Kyle loves Author! Kyle loves Author! ? So, there’s this Patreon tier called "I Just Love Author" with all the same bes but a little extra heart. And guess who’s rog that tier? Yup, Kyle! I gotta say, Kyle, the feeling is mutual—I love you back! ? Your support means the world to me, and I’m sending all my appreciation your way!

  Also, you all are weled to my Discord el!

  We have an Image Minister as well!

  disc/z2U8pstc

  --xLOVEx--

  In the cozy fines of the Meshi dihe group found themselves sharing a table with Usopp, their acquaintahe diner, with its warm and inviting ambiance, was a wele respite from their ret escapades. Over ptes of steaming food, the versation flowed effortlessly. Usopp, leaning forward with a twinkle in his eye, asked, "Really? You're looking for a crew?" His voice carried a mix of curiosity aement.

  Coby nodded affirmatively, as Luffy, engrossed in his meal, mumbled through mouthfuls of meat, "Crew and a ship." Usopp's eyes widened in amazement. "Wow! Su adventure!" he excimed, his voice tinged with admiration and a hint of longing.

  Usopp then shared a bit of local knowledge. "Well, there’s no shipyard here, but there is a pight want to visit." Nami, ever the pragmatist, leaned in, her i piqued. "Really? Where?" Usopp gestured vaguely, his hand pointing beyond the diner's walls. "That huge mansion that sticks out like a sore thumb. That’s where."

  He sighed deeply, his expression turning somber. "The owner of that mansion is a young girl, bedridden and alone." Nami's brow furrowed in curiosity. "How did she bee the owner?"

  Usopp reted the tragic tale. "About a year ago, her parents fell ill and passed away, leaving her a vast iance – a mansion and a dozen servants. She lives in luxury, yet nobody is more unfortuhan her."

  Nami sighed, her heart touched by the story. "Fet it. We’re not going to find a ship here. Let's head to another isnd." Luffy, still feasting, voiced his agreement, "That's fine. I got my belly full, and we resupply."

  Nami turo Coby, a hint of reproa her tone. "Seems you were wrong, Coby. There’s no ship here."

  Coby, unfazed, merely grinned. "Was I?"

  Nami's irritation grew. "'t you just admit you were wrong?"

  Coby pondered for a moment, then shook his head with a pyful defiance. "Nope," he said, popping the 'P' with a smirk. Nami was about to retort when Coby leaned in, his faches from hers. "How about a bet?" he proposed, his voice low and teasing.

  Nami, taken aback, asked cautiously, "What bet?" Coby’s eyes sparkled with mischief. "If we leave this isnd with a ship, you owe me a kiss." Nami’s eyes narrowed, her mind calg. "And if we don’t?"

  Coby’s grin widened. "Then I owe you a kiss." Nami’s cheeks flushed with a mix of anger and embarrassment. "Who wants your kiss, idiot?" she blurted out.

  Coby ughed, uerred. "Fine, fine. I’ll take you somewhere you find close to 100 Million Belly."

  Nami’s eyes gleamed with i. "Really?" Coby nodded fidently. "I promise. I know a garden where all that money is buried."

  Zoro, watg the exge between Coby and Nami, couldn't help but roll his eyes at their banter. Meanwhile, Luffy, entirely engrossed in his meal, seemed oblivious to the pyful flirtations unfolding beside him. Usopp, seated awkwardly amidst this unusual group, appeared both bewildered and mildly embarrassed by the shameless flirting. He cleared his throat, trying to recim some attention. "By the way, if you're in need of a crew, I'm your man. I be your Captain," he decred, puffing his chest out with a hint of mock seriousness.

  In unison, as if rehearsed, Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and Coby responded, "No, thanks." Their voices blended into a harmonious reje, leaving Usopp defted, his dreams of captaincy quickly dashed.

  The moment passed, and Usopp, perhaps feeling out of pce or simply needing air, abruptly stood up ahe diner. His departure was swift, leaving a void in the versation. The group's attention soon shifted to the window as they noticed the three children they had seen earlier. They were engaged in a heated discussion just outside the diner. Coby, who fondly remembered this se from the anime, watched ily, a smile pying on his lips, anticipating the unfolding drama.

  The children, fueled by a mix of ce and desperation, barged into the diheir eyes were wide with urgency as they sed the room. "Where is the Captain?" they demaheir voices eg in the now silent diner.

  Luffy, still reveling ierglow of his meal, patted his stomad excimed, "Ahh, that was delieat!" The children, hearing this, exged horrified gnces. "Meat? Captain? Did they...?" they stammered, their imaginations running wild with gruesome possibilities.

  Nami, seizing the opportunity for a bit of mischief, smiled devilishly at the children. Her expression, bined with the text of Luffy's statement, painted a sinister picture in the kids' minds.

  Zoro, uo resist joining in the fun, added with a smirk, "If you're looking for your captain..." He paused, letting the suspense build. The children leaned in, their faces a mixture of hope and fear. "Where is he?" they pleaded.

  Zoro, feigning solemnity, tinued, "He got gobbled up." The kids, their faces draining of color, turo Nami in horror. "AHH! OGRES!" they screamed, bag away in terror.

  Nami, indignant and offended, retorted sharply, "Why are you looking at me?" She was about to protest further when Zoro's ughter filled the diner, adding insult to injury.

  Nami, her patience wearing thin, snapped, "This is not funny, Zoro!" Her frustration alpable, and Zoro, still chug, couldn't help but enjoy the moment of harmless mischief.

  The tension in the diner was broken by the children's realization that their captain, Usopp, was indeed safe and sound. Their relief was evident as they rushed to inform him of the 'danger' he had narrowly escaped. The group watched the children scamper off, their mission aplished, leaving behind a trail of ughter and whispers.

  Coby, the se, felt a sense of satisfa. This enter had been just like he remembered. He loved living his favorite moments from Ahat is why he was silent, he just loved some of these moments!

  After the lighthearted chaos at the Meshi diner, Coby stood up, his expression turning serious. "Let's go," he said decisively. The others, surprised by his sudden shift in demeanor, looked at him quizzically.

  Luffy nodded in agreement, while Nami, her curiosity piqued, asked, "Where?"

  Coby, with a hint of mystery in his voice, replied, "I heard a rumor about a pirate in this pce. I just want to check."

  Nami's eyes widened, realizing the implication of his words. If there was indeed a pirate, and possibly a ship, did it mean she had lost their pyful bet? The thought of her first kiss being at stake caused her to bnotig her rea, Coby chuckled softly but offered no further expnation. He led the group towards the Mansion.

  As they approached the grae, they saw Usopp in versation with a strikingly beautiful, pure blonde girl. Coby found himself momentarily taken aback by her appearance. Kaya, in real life, was truly a sight to behold. Nami, notig Coby's rea, snorted and moved closer to him, as if markierritory. She couldn't expin why, but she felt the o assert her presence. Coby, for his part, had no iion of pursuing Kaya. Though he harbored dreams of a harem, his heart had limited capacity, and the idea of separating Kaya from Usopp didn't appeal to him. Besides, Kaya wasn't suited for life on a pirate ship.

  Luffy, ever direct, approached the window and addressed Kaya. "I have a favor to ask." Kaya, taken aback, responded, "A favor? To ask of me?" Luffy nodded early. "Yeah, we want a big and sturdy ship, and Usopp said only this pce has ships."

  At that moment, a voiterrupted them. Turning, Cnized Kurahadol, the butler, who was, iy, Captain Kuro. "You realize you are trespassing, right?" he asked coldly. Kaya began to expin their presence, but Kurahadol cut her off. "Save your excuses," he snapped. He then turo Luffy. "You must leave immediately. Or do you have some other business here?"

  Luffy, with his characteristic simplicity, replied, "I want a ship." Kurahadol dismissed him ftly, "I 't help you." His gaze then shifted to Usopp. "You. You are Usopp, aren't you? Your reputation precedes you." A brief quarrel ensued, culminating in Kurahadol delivering a ptuous insult, "You are the son of a filthy pirate. I wouldn't put anything past you. Stay away from Ms. Kaya."

  Even Kaya, usually calm and posed, was enraged by the butler's words and demanded an apology. However, Kurahadol, steeped in his ceit, reprimanded his mistress, "You teople of different worlds. Stay away from here."

  Usopp, burning with indignation, took immense pride in his father, a man who had dared to chase his dreams.

  --

  Read up to 100 chapters ahead!

  patreon./pinkisjustice

  Tell me what you think!