Reborn as Luffy The Pirate King's Return

The small boat glided through the waves, the salty breeze filling the sails as Luffy and his crew approached Syrup Village. The island was peaceful, with rolling green hills and a small village nestled along the coastline. But Luffy already knew what was waiting for them—a liar, a scheming butler, and a pirate crew lurking in the shadows.

As they stepped onto the shore, they wandered into the village and soon spotted a lanky young man standing on a crate, dramatically recounting a ridiculous tale to a small crowd of unimpressed villagers.

"I saw it with my own eyes! A giant goldfish so massive that its droppings were mistaken for an island!" the boy shouted, arms waving.

Luffy grinned. So this was Usopp.

The villagers groaned, shaking their heads as they walked away. Luffy, Zoro, and Nami approached just as Usopp finished his tale, and the moment Usopp noticed them, he gasped.

"P-PIRATES?! You must be here to invade the village! Well, I won't let you! I am Captain Usopp, the brave warrior of the sea! I have an army of—"

"You're lying," Luffy interrupted with a lazy grin.

Usopp froze. "H-Huh?"

"I can tell. You're making things up."

Usopp flinched, then sighed dramatically. "Okay, fine, you got me… But lying is an art, you know!"

Luffy chuckled. He liked this guy already.

A rumbling stomach interrupted their chat. Luffy patted his belly. "Let's get something to eat."

The crew found themselves in a cozy village eatery, stuffing their faces while Usopp babbled on about his adventures. Eventually, he excused himself, saying he had to visit someone.

As he left, three small kids burst into the restaurant.

"Hey! You guys aren't real pirates!" one of them, a chubby boy with goggles, accused.

"Yeah! If you were, you'd have eaten Usopp already!" another added.

Luffy smirked. "Oh, but we did. He was delicious."

Zoro, playing along, wiped his mouth. "Bit chewy, though."

The kids paled in horror before Luffy burst out laughing. "Kidding!"

Realizing they had been tricked, the kids pouted. "That wasn't funny!"

Luffy leaned forward, grinning. "Wanna take us to Usopp?"

The kids, still grumbling, agreed and led the way.

They arrived near a large mansion where Usopp sat perched in a tree, telling his wild tales to a frail-looking girl—Kaya. She was laughing softly at his stories, her pale skin lit by the moonlight.

But then, a cold voice cut through the air.

"Pathetic."

Everyone turned. A tall man with glasses and a polished suit stood below, arms crossed. Klahadore.

"I tire of your nonsense, Usopp," the butler sneered. "A pirate, you claim? What a joke. Your father abandoned you, and now you run around this village pretending to be something you're not."

Usopp clenched his fists. "Shut up! I—"

"Enough," Klahadore said, adjusting his glasses. "You're nothing but a liar."

Usopp's face twisted in anger and hurt. He turned sharply and ran off into the night.

Luffy and the crew exchanged glances before following him. They found Usopp sitting at the edge of a cliff, knees drawn up, tears in his eyes.

Luffy sat down beside him. "So… what now?"

Usopp sniffled. "It doesn't matter. No one believes me. No one ever does…"

Luffy's eyes shifted downward. "Hey… look."

The crew followed Luffy's gaze. Below, in the shadows of the forest, they spotted them—pirates. The Black Cat crew.

At the front stood Captain Kuro.

Usopp gasped. "Kuro? But—he's been here for years!"

Kuro's voice carried up to them. "Tomorrow, we take everything. The girl, the fortune, and this village."

Everyone's faces darkened. Nami clenched her fists. "That bastard's been planning this the whole time."

Luffy turned to Usopp. "I believe you. But more importantly… what are you gonna do about it?"

Usopp stared, his fingers trembling.

As he hesitated, Luffy thought to himself.

This was the perfect chance.

He'd make Koby a hero by taking down Kuro. And that way, Koby could join the Marines.

The game had begun.