One Piece Chapter 23: Captain Usopp Enters

Captain Usopp Enters. This chapter has 19 searchable pages. Opening and key page summaries: The chapter opens with a title page showing the title: 'CHAPTER 23 "CAPTAIN USOPP ENTERS"'. The illustration features Monkey D. Luffy and Roronoa Zoro working alongside a giant, bespectacled turtle-like creature wearing a Hawaiian shirt and a small umbrella hat. They are building or repairing a large wooden barrel. Zoro holds a hammer, while Luffy stands on a lily pad holding a mallet. Out on the open sea, Nami stands on the deck of their small boat, pointing a finger and lecturing her crewmates with a serious expression. "WE NEED TO PLAN THINGS MORE!" she demands. Luffy, sitting casually on the side of the boat, looks back in confusion and asks, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN?" Nami presses on, asking, "ARE WE GOING TO THE 'GRAND LINE' LIKE THIS?" Luffy smiles and replies, "OH, THAT'S RIGHT! ALTHOUGH UNCLE CABBAGE GAVE US PLENTY OF FRUITS, WE DON'T HAVE ANY MEAT ON THIS SHIP!" Exasperated, Nami yells back, "I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT THE FOOD SUPPLIES!" Nami continues her lecture, explaining the extreme dangers of their destination. "THE PLACE WE'RE GOING, THE 'GRAND LINE' IS THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE IN THE WORLD! EVERY PIRATE IN THIS WORLD WISHES TO GET THE TREASURE THERE, SO WE NEED TO GET A BETTER SHIP FIRST!" Zoro, relaxing with his hands behind his head, complains, "AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY SAKE TO DRINK EITHER! HOW BORING!" Nami snaps, "LET'S NOT WORRY ABOUT THE PROBLEM OF FOOD AND DRINK FIRST!" She points out their lack of preparation: "WE'RE ALSO SHORT ON CREW MEMBERS AND THIS SHIP DOESN'T HAVE ANY EQUIPMENT. NO MATTER WHAT YOU THINK, WE CAN'T POSSIBLY BE SAFE!" Luffy asks, "OH! WHAT DO WE DO THEN?" Nami consults a map and says, "WE HAVE TO PREPARE FIRST, AND PLAN FOR THE JOURNEYS AHEAD. THERE'S A VILLAGE DUE NORTH. WE SHOULD GO THERE FIRST!" Luffy enthusiastically agrees, shouting, "FIRST THING TO DO WHEN WE GET THERE IS LOOK FOR A BETTER SHIP! AND EAT SOME MEAT!" The scene shifts to a peaceful island. A young man with a long nose, overalls, and a checkered bandanna stands on a cliff overlooking the sea. He boasts to himself, "HU HU! IT'S SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY... THERE'S NOTHING LIKE STARTING SUCH A HAPPY AND REFRESHING DAY BY LOOKING AT THE SEA!" A caption introduces him as "VILLAGE YOUNGSTER USOPP". Below the cliff, a quiet village sits nestled among the trees, with birds chirping peacefully. Suddenly, the peace is shattered as Usopp runs frantically through the village streets, screaming at the top of his lungs. "THIS IS BAD! WE'RE IN DANGER!! THE PIRATES ARE ATTACKING!" He dashes past houses, shouting, "EVERYBODY, RUN!! THE PIRATES ARE COMING! THE PIRATES ARE COMING!" The villagers react with various levels of panic and annoyance. A man with slicked-back hair yells, "WHAT!? PIRATES!!?" Meanwhile, the village mayor, Mornin—a balding man with glasses and a mustache holding a coffee cup—sighs and comments, "OH! USOPP IS STARTING TO SHOUT AGAIN, THAT MEANS I HAVE TO GO TO WORK NOW." Other villagers mutter, "NOT AGAIN..." and "THIS IS BAD! THIS IS BAD..." Having successfully stirred up the village, Usopp bursts into hysterical laughter, clutching his stomach. "WAHA-HAHAHA-HAHAHA-HAHAHA-HAHAHA-HAHA! I WAS JUST JOKING...!" His amusement is short-lived, however, as an angry villager with spiky light hair leans out of a window wielding a broom, screaming, "WHY YOU, LITTLE LIAR! I WON'T LET YOU GET AWAY THIS TIME!" A frying pan is thrown at Usopp, hitting him with a loud "TANG!" and forcing a pained "UHF!" out of him. Looking back at the angry mob starting to gather, Usopp realizes he is in trouble and mutters, "UH OH! EVERYBODY'S COMIN' OUT TODAY!" A crowd of angry villagers chases Usopp through the streets, brandishing brooms and clubs while shouting, "STOP RIGHT THERE! YOU BASTARD!" Usopp runs for his life, laughing, "WA HA HA HA HA! THEY'RE CHASING ME!" Eventually, the villagers lose track of him and stop to catch their breath. One grumbles, "DAMN! HE GOT AWAY AGAIN!" Another remarks, "THAT GUY DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ABLE TO GO ON FOR A DAY WITHOUT LYING!" A third adds, "IF I EVER CATCH HIM, I'LL MAKE HIM PAY!" Hidden safely in a nearby bush, Usopp giggles to himself, "HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE... I HAVE FOOLED THE WHOLE VILLAGE AGAIN!" while the villagers wonder, "WHERE DID HE GO ANYWAY?" Hanging upside down from a tree branch, Usopp congratulates himself on his morning antics. "I AM VERY HAPPY... I'VE DONE ANOTHER GOOD DEED TODAY! I'VE HELPED ADD SOME EXCITEMENT TO THIS BORING VILLAGE!" Suddenly, a rustling sound ("SFX: GASA...") alerts him. Two young boys appear below the tree, shouting, "AH! THERE HE IS!" Usopp drops down, saying, "HUH? OH OH! IT'S YOU GUYS!" The two boys strike a dramatic pose, holding wooden swords. One is introduced as "VILAGE BOY NINJIN" and the other as "VILAGE BOY PIIMAN". They salute and declare, "USOPP'S PIRATE CREW READY FOR ACTION! CAPTAIN USOPP! GOOD MORNING!" Later page summaries: The scene transitions to a small tavern in the village with a sign that reads "MESHI". Inside, Luffy, Zoro, Nami, and Usopp sit around a table covered in empty plates. Luffy is happily stuffing his face with a giant piece of meat. Usopp asks, "SO, YOU'RE LOOKING FOR COMPANIONS AND A BIG SHIP?" Luffy mumbles around his food, "YUP!" Usopp comments, "OH! SOUNDS LIKE A BIG ADVENTURE!" He then explains, "THERE'S ONLY ONE PLACE WHERE YOU CAN FIND THE STUFF YOU WANT IN THIS VILLAGE... ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT A VERY BIG SHIP, BUT IT'S NOT THAT SMALL EITHER." Nami asks, "WHERE?" Usopp points and says, "THERE'S A MANSION NOT FAR FROM THIS VILLAGE THAT BELONGS TO A WEALTHY FAMILY. THE SHIP BELONGS TO THE MANSION'S OWNER." Usopp continues describing the mansion's owner with a somber expression. "ALTHOUGH WE SAY THAT SHE IS THE OWNER... SHE IS A PITIFUL YOUNG GIRL... A WEAK AND SICK GIRL THAT ALWAYS LIES ON THE BED..." Nami asks, "EH? THEN HOW COME SHE'S THE OWNER OF THE MANSION?" Usopp explains, "I THINK IT HAPPENED AROUND A YEAR AGO... THAT GIRL'S PARENTS DIED OF SICKNESS, LEAVING HER A LARGE INHERITANCE, A MANSION, AND OVER TEN SERVANTS..." Meanwhile, Luffy completely ignores the sad story, shouting to the tavern keeper, "OBASAN!! ANOTHER PLATE OF MEAT!! I WANT SOME MORE SAKE..." which makes Usopp yell in frustration, "ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME!!?" Usopp sighs and leans back, resting his hands behind his head. "EVEN IF YOU ARE REALLY RICH, IT DOESN'T EXEMPT YOU FROM SORROW." Nami looks down thoughtfully, feeling sympathy for the sick girl. Usopp then stands up and says, "NEVERMIND... LET'S FORGET ABOUT SEARCHING FOR A SHIP IN THIS VILLAGE. WE'LL GO AND SEARCH SOMEWHERE ELSE..." Nami is surprised, asking, "Is there somebody who wants to be our companion?" and reminds him, "...said earlier that you're looking for companions?" Luffy, still focused on food, smiles and says, "Okay! But we're not in a hurry anyways, I still want some more meat! Let's buy some more meat for our supply!" Seizing the opportunity, Usopp strikes a proud pose, pointing to himself and declaring, "LET ME BE THE CAPTAIN, AND I'LL JOIN YOU!" Luffy, Zoro, and Nami instantly reject him with a flat, deadpan "NEVERMIND!" leaving Usopp shocked and crying, "WHAT KIND OF ATTITUDE IS THAT?" The scene then cuts to the large, luxurious mansion on the hill. Inside a grand room, a butler in a suit stands by the window. He asks, "WHAT IS IT, KAYA OJOU-SAMA?" A pale, delicate young woman named Kaya sits up in her bed, looking out the window with a gentle smile. She replies, "UHM... CLAHADOR... I... I WANT TO SEE USOPP-SAN..."