One Piece The 2nd Go: Training Arc

Aiming Beyond Skill

Boin Archipelago:

Not far off, across a massive blue part of the ocean a big bubble soared to an unknown location. Inside it, was none other than Usopp who wondered when he was getting there but despite his fear of what he would face...

The greatest worry was about Luffy. The downfall of Marineford, dubbed as such by the news coo paper he got while flying here, grew incessantly as he remembered seeing Luffy transform into Gear 6th. Growing taller than any admiral then beating anyone who got in his way... The last part he didn't see but he could imagine as supposedly Great Staff Officer Tsuru and Former Fleet Admiral Sengoku were in a coma after the battle plus all the Admirals and a dozen more Vice-Admirals were heavily injured.

The world wasn't any better as he heard hundreds of pirates have emerged only to cause even more chaos to the likes of the old era before the Pirate King. This unsettled Usopp as he could see the catalyst for all this was... Them. The crew that was meant to help Luffy... Caused this terrible outcome. Not one of them could save Luffy from changing into that demon.

Not even he. He instead saw himself as a total disgrace as he couldn't do a damn thing to dodge or block against Kizaru. He looked over to his abs and saw the nasty scar in between his torso which still stung but at least he could now run and do all sorts of things compared to back in Marineford. He slapped that scar and regretted seeing how Luffy had a panicked face, the face of someone he didn't know what to do with a war over his shoulders.

He was part of the cause why he chose to end it as a demon and not as a pirate captain.

Suddenly Usopp lurched as he finally landed on the island, squirming in the air before being dropped as a giant paw imprint was left there in a small crater overlooking a clear sky.

He spread his limbs out and finally sat up as he failed to see how he got too close already. He failed to get an aerial view of the place by being bothered by his mind on what had happened.

"... There is no way to make up for that mistake. I can only now... Train to not be such a hassle-!" Usopp told himself as he heard the sounds of this vast forest, taking in the humid air and smelling strong plant-like scents that were familiar yet... Not.

Before he could turn, he dodged as his eyes sparked red, being struck in the nose and almost cutting his cheek but he swayed away to aim with his slingshot at something he couldn't believe. A plant. A carnivorous one at that, peeked from a thick tree branch and swayed it's big head to then growl before firing spikes from it's mouth which he dodged again to then follow up by firing at it and setting it ablaze.

It fell to the grass and burned brightly as then Usopp dodged another one that almost bit his right shoulder, passing by with impressive speed as Usopp swung his slingshot staff to hit the twist the length around it, tying it before pulling with all his strength to twist and tear the plant in two. The head immediately wilting and going brown around the edges before Usopp fired an explosive shot that blew the head in the air to ashes.

"Who ELSE-!?!?!" Usopp yelled, mad as hell to then realize... He was being watched by a horde. The jawline of the plants had a green translucent glow that could be seen in the shadows of the forest canopy. The sniper felt time slow down as his senses sharpened to the greatest degree possible, waiting to counter attack as he felt his observation haki mysteriously working at a greater extent that he could feel the animosity of the plants that clearly wanted to eat him.

"GOTCHA-!" Usopp yelled and fired a special incendiary shot that hit a speeding fly trap, burning it and spilling oil everywhere as it encircled Usopp in a fiery defense none dare to pass. That was until 5 pine cone looking things dropped near him. Usopp jumped out of reflex but he immediately began to run as the pine cones levitated, shining bright to resemble fireworks before exploding into a mass of fire.