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Usopp held the bow tightly in his hands, his sharp gaze locked on the target bobbing in the waves five hundred meters away.
"At this distance... can Usopp really hit it?" Nami wondered aloud, skeptical of his chances.
Though she knew Usopp's sniping skills had improved, attacking a target from a rocking boat at such an incredible range seemed impossible.
Zoro, standing nearby, raised a finger to his lips. "Shh," he said, signaling for Nami to stay quiet and watch.
Ikki observed silently, activating his Sharingan to focus on the distant target. With his enhanced vision, the target was crystal clear—but seeing and hitting were two entirely different challenges.
Ikki thought to himself, 'If Usopp can actually hit that target from this distance... he deserves the quincy bow far more than I do.'
He had long given up on his own archery skills. Even at twenty meters, he struggled to hit his mark. From less than ten meters, he could still miss embarrassingly. Archery, he concluded, was simply not his calling.
Meanwhile, Usopp entered a state of deep concentration.
He adjusted the focal length on his goggles, fine-tuning them to see as far as possible. When everything was aligned perfectly, he took a deep breath and drew the bow.
The moment he pulled back the bowstring, Usopp felt his energy rapidly draining into the bow. It was his first time using such a weapon, and unsure of its exact power, he poured in 90% of his physical strength without hesitation.
For Usopp, this was a massive gamble. His stamina wasn't on par with monsters like Luffy or Zoro, but even so, the bow began to glow with an intense blue light. A transparent arrow materialized on the string, radiating energy.
Taking careful aim, Usopp held his breath. Time seemed to freeze as he focused entirely on the target. At last, he released the arrow.
The instant the arrow shot forward, a deafening sonic boom erupted. Everyone's hair was blown back from the sheer force.
The sea split apart in the arrow's wake, creating a sharp, clear line in the water. Moments later, the target five hundred meters away was pierced clean through. The ropes tethering the target's rubber boat to the Going Merry snapped instantly.
For a moment, everyone stood in stunned silence, their eyes wide with disbelief at the sheer power of the shot.
"Whoa..." Luffy muttered, breaking the silence.
Usopp, equally stunned, stared at the bow in awe. But before he could celebrate or gloat, his legs buckled, and he collapsed to the deck.
"Hungry... I'm so hungry..." he groaned, clutching his stomach.
"Got it," Sanji replied without missing a beat. He rushed toward the kitchen to prepare something.
"Sanji! I'm hungry too!" Luffy shouted after him, bounding toward the galley.
"It'll be ready soon!" Sanji called back as he busily prepared a meal. He glanced at Usopp, slumped from exhaustion, and decided to whip up something that would quickly restore his energy.
Vivi gazed out at the sea, now gradually calming after the arrow's impact. "The power of that bow is stronger than a cannon!" she marveled.
Igaram nodded in agreement. "Indeed! But… the cost of firing it seems a bit steep."
Ikki helped Usopp to his feet, letting him lean against the ship's railing. "Usopp's control over the bow isn't refined yet," Ikki explained. "Once he masters it, it won't drain him like this."
Just then, Nami, holding her telescope, let out a shocked cry.
"The arrow Usopp shot… it hit a pirate ship thousands of meters away!"
Her words left everyone stunned. Ikki received a sudden system notification awarding him hundreds of justice points, confirming that the ship had been destroyed by Usopp's shot.
The crew's surprise turned to amazement. A single arrow, fired from such a distance, had obliterated a pirate ship.
Usopp's jaw dropped. Staring at the bow in his hands, he hesitated before handing it back to Ikki with visible reluctance. "This thing is incredible," Usopp admitted. "But… it's wasted on me. Someone like you or Luffy could make much better use of it."
Ikki shook his head, gently pushing the bow back into Usopp's hands. "It's yours to use," he said firmly. "But if you want to wield it properly, you'll need to train. Build your stamina, learn to control its power, and start with regular arrows to conserve your strength."
Usopp blinked in surprise. Realizing Ikki was serious about entrusting the artifact to him, he tightened his grip on the bow and nodded solemnly. "Don't worry, Ikki. I'll train hard and make sure I'm worthy of it!"
Zoro, standing nearby, smirked. "Why not train with me, then?"
Usopp stiffened. "…I-I think I'll train on my own!" he stammered, envisioning Zoro's absurdly intense workouts involving multi-ton barbells.
Ikki chuckled, pulling out a solar-powered treadmill and setting it up on deck. "Zoro's methods might be too much for you, but this treadmill should be just right."
Usopp stared at the treadmill in awe, gratitude shining in his eyes. "Thank you, Ikki!"
But Ikki only thought to himself, 'You might not feel so thankful after using it…'
Sanji finished preparing the meal just as lunchtime rolled around. The crew gathered in the kitchen, eagerly digging in. Usopp, rejuvenated by the smell of the food, began eating at lightning speed, even challenging Luffy in a race to devour as much as possible.
In the chaos, the Psyduck on Nami's waist popped out of its Poké Ball once more.
Sanji, ever the professional chef, immediately set aside a special meal he'd designed just for the Pokémon. After days of experimentation, he had perfected a dish tailored to Psyduck's dietary needs.
Seeing Psyduck, Vivi's loyal Karoo quacked in excitement. The two ducks shared an immediate connection, waddling around each other in delight.
After lunch, Ikki carried a tray of food Sanji had prepared to the cozy cabin below deck. Despite the ship's liveliness, he hadn't forgotten about the prisoners confined there.
Inside, he found Mr. 5 and Miss Valentine engrossed in a video game, while Mr. 13 and Mr. Friday cheered them on. The simple games—Super Mario, Contra, and the like—had been part of the cabin's amenities ever since Ikki had set it up. Though common to him, they were mesmerizing to the prisoners, who had never encountered such things before.
The moment Ikki entered, the prisoners froze, guilt spreading across their faces as they realized how carefree they looked.
Ikki merely set down the food and motioned for them to continue. Relieved, they returned to their game as he quietly left.
Despite the cabin's comforts, Ikki preferred the lively, cheerful atmosphere of the Going Merry's deck. Out there, the sound of laughter and the bond of the crew made everything feel like home.