Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: p@treon.com/CosmicKaminari
----------
"Hiccup~"
In the Pokémon world, in the patch of grass where Red and Nami had just fought...
With a burp, Luffy's body suddenly glowed with an invisible divine light.
In an instant, his dazed eyes—still groggy from being called over in the middle of the night—suddenly brightened.
"Red!"
Luffy shouted, his spirits soaring from the sudden surge of power.
But in the next second, a flash of white light engulfed him, and he found himself back in his room.
Blinking at the darkness around him, Luffy scratched his head in confusion.
"Weird… Was that a dream?"
He frowned, recalling the strange vision.
"Why would I dream about Red giving me candy?"
The thought lingered for only a moment before his carefree nature took over, pushing it aside.
"Ah, whatever. Time to sleep."
"Gotta train my Armament Haki tomorrow!"
A few seconds later, the sound of deep, steady breathing filled the dimly lit room. His ability to fall asleep so quickly was almost enviable.
The night passed in silence.
As dawn broke, a gentle breeze swept through Syrup Village, carrying a refreshing coolness over the peaceful town.
Today, Usopp wasn't busy running through the village, fleeing from angry townsfolk as usual.
Now that he had officially become a pirate, he had spent the entire night packing his belongings. With his suitcase in hand, he walked up the winding path toward the mansion on the hill.
According to Vice-Captain Red's arrangements, Usopp would be staying at Kaya's villa with the rest of the Straw Hats for the next few days, training alongside them.
His heart swelled with excitement.
"From today onward, I, the great Usopp, am a real pirate!!!"
Brimming with enthusiasm, he stepped into Kaya's estate—
And instantly froze, his jaw dropping at the sight before him.
"Two hundred and eighty-seven... two hundred and eighty-eight..."
"Left!"
Boom!
"Right!"
Boom!
"Zippy Zap!"
In the middle of Kaya's vast manor grounds, a shirtless Zoro—his upper body rippling with well-defined muscles—was drenched in sweat as he performed deep squats while carrying a massive metal cube the size of a small hill on his shoulders.
On the other side, Red stood with an ornate musket in hand, firing precise shots at a blindfolded Luffy, who dodged every bullet with sharp, instinctive movements.
And then there was Nami—the only one who seemed somewhat "normal." She swung a metal staff at wooden training dummies, her strikes swift and precise. But judging by the occasional burst of crackling electricity flashing from the staff, her training was anything but ordinary.
Thud.
Usopp's suitcase slipped from his hands, hitting the ground in sync with his stunned expression.
At that moment, he finally understood why this crew was so strong.
And at the same time, a deep sense of dread crept over him.
"Usopp?"
The sound of the package hitting the ground drew Red's attention. He stopped shooting and turned to Luffy.
"Alright, Luffy, that's enough for today's warm-up."
"Head to the training spot I marked in the back hills."
"We're staying here for three more days. Your job during that time is to completely flatten that mountain—using nothing but your fists!"
Red's tone was firm and unwavering.
"And remember—every single punch must be infused with Armament Haki!"
"Hi~! Got it!"
Luffy grinned and stretched out his arm, his fist instantly turning jet black with a metallic sheen.
Last night, after Red had given him that mysterious candy, his control over Armament Haki had improved significantly—just as expected!
This further confirmed Red's theory: even if there wasn't a direct connection, an increase in physical strength, energy, and vitality definitely helped strengthen one's mastery over Armament Haki.
Without hesitation, Luffy dashed off toward the back hill, briefly waving at Usopp as he passed.
Red had already arranged for Butler Merry to stockpile enough food there, along with a skilled chef who specialized in barbecues and outdoor cooking. Even if Luffy didn't return for an entire day, he wouldn't go hungry.
Meanwhile, Zoro continued his grueling physical training, and Nami kept refining her techniques, integrating them into her combat style.
Everything was progressing smoothly.
Satisfied with the sight before him, Red smiled and turned to face Usopp.
"Then, lets re-introduce ourselves formally..."
"Red, the vice-captain of the Straw Hat Pirates and a trainer!"
"Welcome, future Sniper King Usopp!"
"Sniper King?!"
Usopp, still shocked by Luffy and the others' training methods, was instantly stunned by the title.
His eyes lit up.
"Wahaha~"
"I didn't expect you to see through me so easily! Red, you're no ordinary guy!"
Usopp laughed, playing along.
The simple-mindedness of pirates made them easy to handle.
"Alright, future Sniper King, you don't have much time!"
"As I said, I'm a trainer, and my ability is to make you a strong warrior of the sea through training!"
"So… to prepare you for life at sea, we start special training now!"
"Ah… Special training!? Wait! Wait!"
Usopp, still in shock, quickly raised his hand to refuse.
He had no courage to take on Luffy and Zoro's brutal training. Even Nami's training was too much!
But under Red's grip, he was dragged to an open space in the manor.
On both sides, empty wine bottles had already been prepared.
Red smiled.
"Usopp, you should understand Luffy and Zoro's strength by now."
"As you can see, our crew doesn't lack direct combat power."
"No matter how strong the enemy is, Luffy and Zoro can handle it."
"But..."
"On the sea, head-on battles aren't always possible."
"That's why we need long-range firepower to suppress enemies!"
"And you fill that role for the Straw Hat Pirates!"
"You are an essential piece of the crew!"
"We need your power!"
"So Usopp, make full use of your strengths!"
"Become a world-class sniper! No, the strongest sniper! A Sniper King whose name alone will terrify enemies!!!"
Red's words struck deep, stirring Usopp's spirit.
No young man could resist such encouragement.
More importantly, in Red's eyes, he saw trust and expectation.
It was as if his future as the Sniper King was already certain.
He was being recognized!
Usopp, moved, suppressed the sparkle in his eyes and shouted:
"Vice-Captain, please train me as much as you want!!!"
"I will!" Red chuckled, then pointed at the distant targets and the wine bottles beside them.
"Your mission is to increase your shooting range as much as possible!"
"Whether it's adjusting your ammunition formula or modifying your slingshot…"
"The goal is to hit a wine bottle from one kilometer away, one hundred times in a row."
"Once you do that, increase the distance by one hundred meters and repeat."
"Also, here's a special recipe for making cannonballs. You can use it to create your own weapon."
Red handed Usopp the Buggy Bomb formula he had prepared.
He believed that Usopp, with his talent for crafting special ammunition and weather-based weapons, would make full use of it.
Maybe…
He could even create a portable Buggy Bomb before Buggy himself!