Usopp may have made a mistake. Sure he was all gung ho a few minutes ago, but the crafty, skunk dressed man was proving to be a major pain in the ass. Mostly for one specific reason…

  "Stay still, damn you!" Usopp yelled, firing off more metal rounds. But Skunk One laughed merrily, farting away. This had to be the strangest fight in the history of the world.

  "Aw, what's wrong? Can't hit me? So sorry about that my good man," Skunk One mocked as he avoided another attack. He had to admit, he was enjoying himself. Unfortunately, he didn't have the time to indulge himself.

  So he did a barrel roll, swooping down and speeding towards the long nosed man. Usopp yelped and dove out of the way, barely avoiding the attack. Jumping to his feet, he pulled back his slingshot and fired another round. But just like all his shots so far, the wily old man was able to avoid it.

  He needed to think of something different, and fast, because what he was doing now wasn't working. Too bad his opponent wasn't giving him time to think, but Usopp knew it was only a matter of time before he would be forced to land, running out of the foul fuel that propelled him. His flight only lasted so long before he had to refuel.

  If he could just survive until then, he had a chance.

  Skunk One smirked down at the helpless man below him. This was why he loved flying so much, because all those beneath him were helpless. With air superiority, he could safely defeat any foe, even if the device was less than ideal.

  Especially when they haven't realized his true plan yet. His gas wasn't merely what allowed him to fly, it was also a potent weapon, as the cowardly sniper would soon learn.

  Skunk One flew between the pillars holding up the porch roof, grinning at hearing those metal balls bouncing harmlessly off. The boy was skilled, he would give him that, especially considering the weapon he was using, but he didn't have nearly enough experience to take on someone like him.

  Making an abrupt stop behind a pillar to throw him off, Skunk One flipped around and charged at him once more. The look of panic on his face made him grin even wider, his crooked teeth on full display.

  This would be his last charge before he would need to refuel the sack that kept him aloft. No matter. One more go round should provide ample enough gas in the courtyard to ensure the boy didn't survive.

  Usopp watched the man speeding towards him with shaky legs. The damn things just wouldn't stop. But neither would his mind. It worked overtime to come up with a solution to his problem. Now, normally Usopp liked the ideas his brain came up with, but this time, he had to question his sanity.

  He knew the man's time was running out and when that happened the last couple of times, he always retreated to higher ground, where Usopp couldn't hit him. So his brain came up with the brilliant idea to ground him. Sure, Usopp agreed on principle, but the way his mind wished to go about achieving this goal was what had him worried.

  Namely, grabbing hold of him as he flew by. The extra weight would make him run out of gas faster and prevent him from escaping. Win-win, right?

  Wrong! Usopp had no desire to fly with that man at the moment. Or ever! But as he came closer and closer, Usopp had to make a decision. And to help him with that, his stupid brain flashed him the image of a smiling Kaya to motivate him.

  And it worked. That son of a bitch knew him too well.

  As Skunk One held out his arms straight in front of him, intending to ram him Superman style, Usopp ducked under, feeling his large nose hit the underside of the man. But before he could fully pass, he grabbed hold of his legs, holding onto him for dear life.

  "What the? Let go of me!" Skunk One bellowed, glaring down at the impertinent boy. He tried to kick him off, but his grip was simply too tight.

  "Wah! This was a bad idea! Somebody get me off this crazy thing!" Usopp screamed, contrarily holding on even tighter.

  "If you wish to depart from my person so badly then release me at once!"

  "I can't. I'll die!

  "I don't take issue with that!"

  "Well I do!"

  As the two were arguing, Skunk One wasn't paying attention to where he was going. But Usopp was almost hyper aware of his surroundings, his fear pushing his senses to superhuman heights.

  Also, he was looking forwards while Skunk One was looking behind him. Either way, Usopp was able to see the oncoming pillar that stood defiantly in their way. So what do you think he did?

  He let go. Usopp plummeted to the ground, maybe a good fifteen feet, doing a roll as he landed to mitigate the damage.

  "Huh, that wasn't so bad," he mumbled, surprised that he wasn't injured. The same couldn't be said for Skunk One, however.

  "Heh, good riddance," he said before turning around. Only for him to slam face first into a stone column. He let out a pitiful, pain-filled moan as his gas sack released a few dying, sputtering coughs before running out, causing him to slide down the pillar like a Looney Toons character.

  He hit the ground, his teeth shattered and his nose in multiple pieces. Safe to say, Skunk One was not having a pleasant time. "You… damn… punk…" he groaned. Usopp gave a hearty laugh, hands on his hips as he watched Skunk One attempt to stand.

  "That's what happens when you challenge the great Captain Usopp!"

  Skunk One shakily got to his feet, sending a hateful glare at Usopp, who gulped nervously at the look, backing up slightly.

  "There's nothing great about you. You're nothing but a coward. A loser. You think this temporary setback has afforded you some advantage? No, you will die like the worthless dog you are. Whimpering in fear," Skunk One stated, taking a step closer towards Usopp in an attempt to intimidate him further.

  But the man in question was staring at the ground, his eyes cast in shadows. His fists were balled up and trembling, and Skunk One was positively thrilled by the sight.

  "Aw, what's wrong kiddo? Does the truth hurt? I know it may sound harsh, but it's best you learn your place at an early age. Not that it matters much, as you'll soon depart from this world, craven to your last breath," he continued. But what he didn't know was that Usopp wasn't shaking in fear.

  But in anger.

  "Yeah, I'm a coward. I can admit that much. But even a coward can be brave for the people they love. I won't die here, not to someone like you. I'll rescue my brother, and Kaya, and make sure they make it back home," Usopp said, a fire in his eyes. He grabbed another ball from his satchel, aiming it directly at Skunk One.

  "Cocky aren't you? But I'm afraid they are both property of big brother. But by all means, amuse me with your defiance," Skunk One challenged, a crooked grin on his face, made all the worse from the damage he sustained earlier.

  "You asked for it! Special Attack: Smoke Star!"

  Usopp fired the shot, the small ball that looked like it was in a terrible accident and had to be bandaged up raced towards the skunk dressed man. He jumped back to avoid the attack, an insult held on the tip of his tongue, ready to let loose, only to be surprised to find that he wasn't the target of the attack at all.

  The ground in front of him was.

  As the ball struck the ground, a massive cloud of smoke erupted from inside of it, enveloping Skunk One and obscuring his sight.

  "Sneaky little rat!" he yelled, coughing as he inhaled the substance. If only he wasn't recharging his gas tank, he could clear this annoyance in one fell swoop. Or at least fly away so it wasn't an issue. Damn brat got him good.

  But little did he know, it was only the beginning.

  Hearing something to his right, Skunk One swiftly turned to see what it was, only to be met with a fist.

  "Gah!" he shouted, his body hitting the ground hard. He looked up, only to see the form of Usopp, glaring down at him, with something in his hand. Feeling his face, Skunk One discovered a distinct lack of goggles.

  "Think you're clever do you!" Skunk One shouted, jumping to his feet and leaping towards Usopp. But the long nosed man slunk back into the smoke, Skunk One grabbing at nothing but air.

  "Coward! Come out and fight me!" he yelled, only to be met with silence. A snapping sound rang out, and he felt a terrible pain in his lower back. Yelling, he fell to one knee, turning to see where the attack came from.

  But of course, there was only smoke.

  Another noise made him look ahead, only for another fist to find its way into his abused face. He once more hit the ground hard, holding his throbbing, bloody nose. He heard a mocking laughter coming from seemingly everywhere at once.

  "What's wrong? You're not afraid, are you?" questioned the familiar voice. Skunk One growled at the ridicule he could hear in his voice.

  "As if I'd be afraid of a troglodyte such as yourself!" he shouted, climbing to his feet once more. Usopp watched this, Skunk One's former goggles covering his eyes. Kaya always insisted he use safety goggles whenever he was mixing things for his special attacks, and he was more than happy to take her advice in this instance.

  Punching that snarky asshole felt good. Real good. And even though he was a sniper through and through, one who thrived being the unseen threat, he had to admit a certain amount of satisfaction from getting his hands bloody.

  Literally. Looking down, he marveled at the red coating his knuckles, proof of his violent deed. The first of many. This was a real fight between pirates, not one of those games he played with his friends. Chances are, only one of them would be walking out of here alive.

  And he was damn sure it would be him. He had far too much to lose.

  "Then I guess I just need to try a little harder," Usopp called out, throwing his voice. It was a hard trick to learn, especially to make it seem like he was in multiple places at once, but the prank potential was too good to pass up. He never thought he'd be using that skill for this.

  "By all means, do your worst. But you'll only be met with disappointment," Skunk One yelled, a smarmy grin on his face. It was like he forgot Usopp just decked him twice.

  Guess he should remind him. He needed to be fast, the smokescreen wouldn't last forever.

  "We'll see about that," Usopp said, grabbing another ball from his satchel. This one was bright red, and Usopp grinned as he loaded it up. He took aim at the man before intentionally making some noise, trying to get the man to turn towards him so his attack would be effective.

  And wouldn't you know it, he fell for the bait, eyes staring straight at Usopp even if he couldn't see him. The smoke didn't do much more than slightly irritate the eyes, but that didn't make it any easier to see through. Usopp just had excellent vision and was putting it to great use right now.

  "Special Attack: Red Star!"

  He released the pouch, sending the projectile speeding towards destiny. Skunk One heard the snap but by then it was too late. He didn't even have the time to try and defend himself before the object slammed into his face.

  The initial strike hurt, sure, but not nearly as much as he thought it would. If it had been one of those metal balls, he'd probably be spitting up teeth right about now. The ones that weren't decorating the pillar at any rate.

  "Guess that one was a dud. Perhaps you'll be luckier in your next endeavor," he taunted. But Usopp remained calm, a grin on his face.

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  "I wouldn't be too sure of that. Just give it a minute," he responded.

  "Give what a… oh… oh my, there seems to be a burning sensation in my eyes. Yes, and it's quite painful too. And getting stronger it seems, hm. I see your strategy… Ahem, AHHHH!"

  Usopp smirked even more at the scream. That was made from a special chilly pepper he purchased from someone visiting the island. The man he bought them from loves spicy food, but this pepper was too much for him. It wasn't very hot initially, but it continued to grow and grow until it was nearly unbearable.

  And that was in pepper form. With it dehydrated and concentrated into a powder, well… Skunk One would be lucky if he didn't go blind.

  "Oh dear heavens it's in my mouth! It burns! Ah!" Skunk One yelled, running away. Where, he didn't know, he just had to get away from where he was. Usopp watched this with satisfaction as the smoke dissipated, feeling like he most definitely instilled at least a little fear in the man.

  But he wasn't done just yet. Taking out one of his pachinko balls, he aimed it not at the man, but at one of the upturned grills.

  "Where do you think you're going? Special Attack: Bounce Star!"

  The ball flew fast and true, striking the grill and bouncing off, hitting the fleeing man right in his knee. He yelled in even more agony as he fell. As he crawled along the ground, he wasn't sure what to hold, his eyes or his throat. Both were in absolute agony.

  "Water… *Cough* Water…" he begged. His eyes stung like a million ants were biting into them, and his throat felt like he had swallowed bees. It was the closest he's come to fearing for his life in a long time.

  Then the man felt another sharp pain in his side, as Usopp kicked him onto his back. He coughed holding out a hand to keep Usopp at bay.

  "Please… Mercy," he begged, tears streaming from his face. But his words only served to infuriate the sniper, who smacked his hand away and straddled his body.

  "Mercy!? You dare ask for mercy after what you and your crew did!?" Usopp yelled, grabbing him by his ridiculous outfit.

  "How many people from my village begged for mercy as you killed them?" he asked, punching Skunk One in his jaw.

  "How many women screamed for help as they were raped?" he questioned next, sending another punch the man's way.

  "How many lives did you ruin for your greed? Tell me!" Usopp screamed, as he continuously pummeled Skunk One until his face was barely recognizable. Just a lumpy slab of meat.

  Usopp dropped the man, letting him hit the ground as he leaned back, huffing and puffing. His hands throbbed with pain as the skin from his knuckles was basically nonexistent. But he didn't care. It felt good to vent.

  He looked down at the man, squashing whatever guilt he might have felt at his appearance. This was one of the people responsible for the destruction of his home. He would get no mercy from him.

  He reached into his satchel, grabbing a pachinko ball and loading it into the pouch. He then slowly pulled it back, aiming it directly at the man's temple. With the strength of his custom made slingshot, this would be a kill shot, for certain.

  But he hesitated. This would be his first kill. Or at least, the first one so close. He may have killed those guys at the manor and on the boats, but this was different. That was in the heat of battle or for survival. This was an execution.

  "What's wrong?" Skunk One wheezed, catching Usopp's attention.

  "Never killed a man before, have you?" asked the brutalized man, staring up at Usopp through watery, swollen, bloodshot eyes. All he could see was a blur, and that was being generous, but he knew exactly where the long nosed man was.

  "Shut up! I don't want to hear it from someone like you!" Usopp yelled back, his hand trembling. Skunk One couldn't see it, but he could feel it, and a smirk wormed it way onto his destroyed face.

  "Look at you… Trembling like a babe. How utterly pathetic," Skunk One spat, blood flying from his busted lip.

  "I said shut up!" Usopp bellowed, pulling the slingshot taut once more. But still, he couldn't bring himself to fire.

  "Come on… all you need to do is let go… No? Do you know what I'll do if you let me go? First I'll kill all your friends on this island. Then I'll go back to your home and kill everyone there too. But not before I take my time with each and every woman there. And it will be all your fault. Because you didn't have what it takes to finish the job," Skunk One sneered, a laugh on his broken lips.

  Usopp saw red. Every word he spoke filled him with rage. He couldn't let this man-no, this monster roam free. Steeling himself, he prepared to fire.

  And that was exactly what Skunk One had wanted. To bait him using his anger. To make him focus only on him, and ignore his surroundings. Right as Usopp went to fire, Skunk One grabbed some dirt in his hand and threw it into the vengeful sniper's eyes.

  "Ah! What the!" Usopp yelled, releasing his hold on his ammunition, sending it off course. It struck the ground near Skunk One's head before harmlessly bouncing away.

  But the pirate was far from done. He thrust his hands towards Usopp, grabbing him by the shirt and pulling him towards himself, headbutting the younger man. Usopp let out a yelp of pain as he instinctively threw himself backwards off of the man.

  Skunk One then activated his suit, propelling himself away from his opponent.

  "Bastard!" Usopp growled, glaring at the retreating man. If only he hadn't hesitated, this would be over.

  "Damn it! What's wrong with me! He deserves to die after everything he's done!" he admonished himself. He knew this was a real pirate fight, he told himself that earlier, so he should have made sure to finish it. He doubted the others would make the same mistake.

  Especially Nick. That guy seemed more pirate-like than all of them.

  Skunk One cut the power to his propulsion, rolling around on the ground until he came to a stop. He was breathing heavily, and he was in more pain than he's ever been in before, but he couldn't stop the self satisfied smile from making its way onto his face as he slowly climbed to his feet.

  "You'll regret not killing me, boy, of that I assure you. I was waiting to blanket the entirety of the courtyard with gas, but I suppose this will have to do. You did well, I'll give you that much, but it's time we end this charade," Skunk One proclaimed, pulling out a bomb from his chest.

  His words made Usopp's eyes widen with panic. Come to think of it, there had been the constant smell of rotten eggs during the fight. But he just assumed it was from the barbeque.

  "You've gotta be kidding me," Usopp muttered, looking around for a way out. But he was almost directly in the center of the courtyard. There was no way he would be able to escape in time.

  "I'm afraid this is no joke. Soon you'll be blown to bits. Sorry, but this is where your adventure ends," Skunk One said before flying straight up. Usopp watched him with a worried face, but there wasn't anything he could do. Skunk One was too high up, his slingshot would lose all power.

  Once the skunky pirate felt he was high enough, he dug into his clothing once more, searching for his matches. But with his body spasming from the sheer agony it was in, well… It made the process much harder than he would have liked. But before long, he found what he was looking for.

  "Aha, there you are my sweet. Time to get to work," he grinned before lighting a match. He watched through blurry eyes as the flame merrily danced, eager to be used. Well, who was he to deny it?

  Igniting the bomb, he looked down across the courtyard. He couldn't see the long nosed miscreant, but he knew he was there, probably trembling in fear and begging to be spared. But no amount of beseechment would spare him his wrath.

  "Goodbye, Mr. Longnose," he said, dropping the bomb. He flew a bit higher once he did, wanting to be far from the blast zone.

  The detonation device fell rapidly, its wick shortening with every inch as it raced towards the ground. Once it was there, it bounced along the ground before coming to a stop. The wick sizzled for a few more seconds before it disappeared into the round part holding all the gunpowder.

  And then…

  Boom!

  For the second time that day the tower was rocked by an explosion, though this one was far greater than the first. The entire structure gave a violent tremor before settling down.

  "What the hell was that?" Nick asked before being forced to dodge the large pig-like man who was doing his best to imitate Choji. Unfortunately, he wasn't fast enough with his bum leg to avoid the attack completely, a small cut opening up on his cheek, blood dripping down his face.

  "No! You bastard! My precious modeling career!"

  Zoro and Pin Joker barely acknowledged the explosion, too absorbed into their duel. The green haired man had a few shallow cuts on his person and one nasty looking puncture wound, but the grin on his face said he wasn't bothered in the least by the mostly superficial wounds.

  Luffy looked towards the courtyard, a feeling of concern etched across his features.

  "I suggest you pay attention to your own fight, Straw Hat!" Kuro yelled, sending a kick Luffy's way. The rubber man barely ducked in time, a loud "woah!" leaving his lips. He then jumped back several feet, glaring at the faker.

  Nami, Kaya, and Akisu stopped dead in their tracks as the hallway shook. They glanced about nervously, wondering what could have done that.

  "What do you think that was?" Kaya asked.

  "Probably just one of the boys. I wouldn't worry too much about it," Nami tried to reassure, but her smile was decidedly fake. The other two chose to ignore that part, opting for optimism.

  That was until a massive object collided with the wall above them. They screamed and ducked as they were showered with dust and debris. Once it was over, they opened their eyes to see what caused it, only for their eyes to widen in fear.

  "Found you…" sang Honey Queen, a sultry look on her face as she walked towards them with a sway in her hips. She then yanked on the yellow chain in her hand, the massive spiked ball flying back towards her.

  "You!?" Nami shouted.

  "That's right, sweety. I'm going to have to ask you to return to your room, or else things will turn… ugly," Honey Queen stated with a smirk.

  "Things turned ugly the moment you showed up!" Nami shot back, refusing to be intimidated by the older woman.

  "Mm, I was hoping you'd say that," she purred, before she started to spin the weapon around until it became a blur, showing off some of her strength. The three shared a look before sprinting in the other direction, screaming.

  "This should be fun. I hope you make it interesting," she smiled, before casually giving chase.

  Back outside, Skunk One came in for a rather hard landing. He hadn't been able to fully stock the gas chamber before he took off. Not to mention the extra gas he expelled for good measure. But it was all worth it. That miserable rat was almost certainly dead.

  Vision still remarkably blurry, he started walking across the courtyard, searching for any sign of his opponent. As he was doing this, he kicked something. Curious, he bent down to examine the object. Only once he picked it up did he realize what it was, and his face twisted into a grin.

  It was a slingshot.

  He laughed a deep, full belly laugh, even if it caused spikes of pain to shoot through his body. But he didn't mind. This was all the proof he needed. He was victorious, and he had a fine trophy to show for it. Now all he needed was some medical attention and-

  Bang!

  A gunshot, followed by a searing pain in his leg. He screamed, falling to the ground, clutching the new wound. The slingshot he held falling from his hand and skipping across the ground.

  "My leg! When I get my hands on you, you're dead!" Skunk One shouted out, looking around, trying to find the culprit responsible. Though blurry, he could just make out a bit of movement in the distance.

  "You! Just who do you think you are!? Do you have any idea who I am!?" Skunk One yelled. It figures. Defeat one annoyance and another pops up out of nowhere. But he was in no shape to deal with another threat, so he would have to try and bluff his way out of it.

  "I know exactly who you are. Someone responsible for the pain and suffering of my home," claimed the voice. A very familiar voice.

  "No, that's not possible… I killed you! How did you survive!?" Skunk One shouted in near hysteria. For that familiar voice belonged to none other than Usopp. He stood some distance away, holding a rifle in his hands.

  He'd never used one before, but it turns out he's a crack shot with them as well. Good to know. But he still preferred his slingshot. So he tossed the gun aside and began to make his way towards his weapon of choice.

  "It was a close one. Thankfully I managed to cover myself with one of the grills before the explosion went off. I didn't come away entirely unscathed," Usopp said. When the blast happened, the grill blocked most of the initial blast, but the force of it tore the grill out of his grasp, sending it and him tumbling across the ground.

  His clothing was in shambles and his body was covered in scratches and burns. The worst of it being his left leg, blood pooling beneath it. There was another trail of blood coming down the center of his face from where he struck a rock. He almost blacked out after that, but the image of those who still needed him kept him from the dark.

  "Grr, you're like a cockroach! But don't think this changes anything! I'm still going to kill you and everyone you care about!" he shouted. Usopp rolled his eyes at the threat.

  "Geez, do you ever shut up? If you're going to out bluff a liar, at least make it convincing," Usopp said, stopping to pick down his slingshot. He inspected it for a moment to make sure it was still functional, feeling relieved to find out it was.

  "What are you blabbering about, boy! Nothing I said was a bluff!" Skunk One claimed.

  "Really? But you said you would kill everyone I care about, and I just don't see that happening," Usopp said, grabbing another ball from his satchel. Skunk One was confused by the claim. Did he think Kuro would stop him once he was in control of the island? Unlikely, that man was more ruthless than anyone. And besides, even if that were true, all Skunk One would have to do was get there first.

  "What are you blabbering about? There's nothing a weak, cowardly child like you can do to stop me."

  "You're right. Someone like that wouldn't be able to stop you. But you know, you taught me a valuable lesson," Usopp stated, loading up the ball.

  "Oh, and what was that, pray tell?"

  "That when it comes to a fight between pirates, I can't hesitate. It's kill or be killed," Usopp claimed. Part of him still rebelled against the thought of killing someone in cold blood, but the other part, the one filled with rage, squashed the first part down, stamping out its pitiful protests.

  Skunk One seemed to realize what he meant, and he doubted the boy was lying this time. There wasn't even the smallest waver in his voice. He was deadly serious.

  Fear coursing through his veins like never before, Skunk One flipped onto his belly and started to crawl away, desperate to get as far away from his enemy as he could. In his fear induced state, he forgot all about his suit. And even if he had, there wasn't enough stored up to do anything more than a short burst.

  As he went to lift up his right leg, the one that had been shot, he felt a sudden stinging pain in it once more. But that was hardly a concern. No, the real problem lay in the fact that he couldn't lift it anymore.

  "W-what is this!? What have you done!?" he screamed, trying to yank his leg out with all his might, frantically trying to escape the monster approaching him.

  "That's a little something I like to call my Super Special Sticky Surprise. You won't be going anywhere," Usopp claimed.

  Now even more afraid, Skunk One finally remembered his suit and attempted to use it. Usopp spotted the gas starting to come out and quickly loaded another shot.

  "I don't think so!" he shouted, shooting the pachinko ball directly into the nozzle, blocking the gas from escaping. With nowhere to go, the gas started to build up inside the inflatable portion.

  "No! Damn you! My suit!" Skunk One shouted. The pouch containing the gas began to grow, bigger and bigger, until it was ready to burst, which was just what Usopp wanted.

  "You know, something very interesting happens when you combine the Super Special Sticky Surprise with my Super Special Slippery Surprise. It causes them to explode," Usopp explained, digging through his satchel for his last round of that particular ammunition.

  His words cause Skunk One to pause, as the wheels in his head slowly began to turn. If what he said was true, then that explosion combined with the gas in his suite meant…

  There was no way he would survive.

  "Wait-wait-wait-wait! I take it all back! I promise, I won't lay a finger on your friends! I'll even tell you where the Bear King keeps his treasure. Just don't kill me, please!" he begged, looking back at the long nosed man, tears streaming from his eyes and snot pouring out of his nose.

  "I told you. If you're going to lie, make it convincing," Usopp said, firing off the round. It struck true, and Skunk One felt his breath hitch. The two chemicals began to sizzle and burn, smoke billowing into the sky.

  "No… Please, no!" Skunk One yelled, right before the two Special Surprises ignited, creating a fiery explosion that engulfed him completely. Usopp watched this with cold, dispassionate eyes.

  The first battle was over. Its victor, Usopp.