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The small bar at the outskirts of the village was filled with the chatter of the regular customers and occasional travelers. The buzzing was stopped when the swinging doors opened, allowing an old man to pass through.
He had silver, curly hair that was falling to his shoulders. He wore some modest clothes and a pistol on his right hip. His most prominent features were his long nose and thick lips. Wrinkles were decorating his face beaten by time and his bare chest was covered in scars that he wore proudly.
Everyone stopped to stare at the old man. Since his wife's death about 20 years ago he was barely seen in the town anymore. He only stayed at his hut on top of the hill, overlooking the ocean. The only ones who saw him were the kids who played all over the island. They would sit down with him and he would tell them stories.
He walked through the bar confidently until he reached the counter and he sat down at one of the chairs. The bartender approached him.
"Celebrating something, old man?" he asked with a smile on his face.
"I wouldn't call it a celebration, but something like that, I guess. Get me the best booze you got," the old man said. The people around him stopped staring and went back to their conversations.
The old man enjoyed the booze in silence until some voices outside the bar got his attention. The doors burst open revealing a group of men. They were carrying pistols and swords and judging by their attire they were pirates. The most noticeable of them was a tall and muscly man who seemed way too confident for his own good. He was most likely the captain.
All of them were laughing at something he said when he stopped in his tracks after noticing the man at the counter.
"Hey, old man. Move!"
The old man didn't answer, he just kept sipping his drink quietly. One of the customers whispered to him to move away from the pirate captain but no one payed him any attention.
"Hey, didn't you hear what I just said?" exclaimed the captain clearly irritated. He moved to put his hand on the old man's shoulder but he stopped abruptly when he was addressed.
"I still got my hearing, kid. No need to shout like that." The old man downed his drink and turned around to face him. "The only problem is, I am quite comfortable sitting like this."
"Eh? You think I'm joking?" the pirate captain shouted as he pulled out his pistol and pointed it at the old man's head. The people in the bar became agitated but no one dared move or say anything.
"Since you've drawn your pistol, I assume you are ready to put your life on the line," inquired the old man, keeping his gaze on the captain.
"Can't you see I got you at gunpoint? You're stalling, aren't you, coward?" chuckled the pirate, followed by his comrades.
"Now that's something I haven't been called in a long time," said the old man, smirking to himself.
"Are you making fun of me? You better get down on your knees and beg for forgiveness unless I will shoot you. No one dared disrespect me, so far," shouted the captain.
"The only time I begged for forgiveness was in front of the greatest pirate who sailed these sees. I will not fall to my knees for someone like you."
The pirate captain hesitated for a bit after the Pirate King was mentioned but he quickly regained his composure. He unlocked the gun safety and whispered two words.
"Then die."
A gunshot followed after and some terrified screams were heard. The pirate captain looked in shock at the bar counter where stood a bullet shaped hole. He stepped back and looked at the old man, who sat unharmed on the chair.
"How did you..." Terror was written all over his face as he walked away from the man. He was point blank, there is no way he could have missed it unless the old man dodged the bullet. But that wasn't something possible either.
The old man got off the chair and snatched the pistol from the pirate's hand. His crew was terrified as they watched the old man put the pistol to their captain's head.
"I told you to be ready to put your life on the line, kid," said the old man. "You never know who you might be messing with."
The crew member that stood behind the captain gasped at the sight that was in front of him. The long nose and dangerous glint in his eyes; the curly hair and the gun in his hand.
"W-who are you?" asked the pirate captain in fear.
"Captain, I... I think he is a Straw Hat," said the man.
"God Usopp," said the captain in realization widening his eyes. The old man lowered his gun and said.
"I don't go by that anymore. Just Usopp, now. At 90 years old, one must know how to settle down."
"Why didn't you..." asked the pirate in disbelief.
"Not really in the mood. But just because I spared you, that doesn't mean you can go around causing trouble again. Leave the island now, is that understood?"
The captain nodded his head and Usopp turned around to sit down at the counter again. He put away the pistol and asked for another drink. The pirates left the bar quietly after that but the silence didn't last.
"Mr. Usopp, that was amazing," chanted three kids in unison. One of them was tall and skinny. Another one was short and chubby and the third one had bright ginger hair.
The old man chuckled and turned to face them. He waved at them and they sat down besides him at the counter. They resembled his childhood friends a lot and he loved telling them stories.
"Today is your birthday, isn't it?" asked the ginger.
"Hmm, yes. Why are you asking?"
"We got a present for you," said the tall kid.
The chubby kid approached him and handed him a small box. He raised his eyebrows as he took it in his hand. He took off the lid and inside there was a black cloth. He picked it up and unfolded it. On it, badly drawn was a makeshift pirate symbol. It had skull and crossbones, but the skull had curly hair and a long nose.
"It's your very own pirate flag," said one of the kids and Usopp smiled.
"Thank you," he said genuinely. "However, I can't accept this."
The kids' face saddened. "Why not?"
"I am not going out to sea anytime soon and this flag cannot stay on land. It's supposed to be tied to a ship and be the first thing someone sees when they encounter the pirates whose symbol this is," Usopp explained. "And even if I did set sail again, the only flag I would fly on my ship would be the one with the skull wearing a straw hat."
"Oh, that makes sense," said the tall kid.
"When you get older, make your own flag and set sail yourselves. Have your own adventures," Usopp said.
"That's a great idea!" said the ginger. The kids thanked him and after wishing him a "Happy Birthday!" they left the bar.
Usopp smiled to himself and after paying for his drinks he left as well. He returned to his house and for the rest of the day he watched the ocean thinking of his adventures.