Kill Baidu Crow And Recruit Usopp

Arias didn't take Baiji Keluo's death seriously. After all, he was just a small-time pirate.

This guy had a bit of cunning and was reasonably capable for East Blue standards. After all, even the so-called overlord of East Blue, Krieg, only had a bounty of 17 million beli.

But to Arias, Baiji's head was only valuable for the bounty it could fetch.

The next morning, as the Dawn arrived at the port of Xiluobu Village, the severely injured and comatose Zoro finally woke up.

Everyone was astonished at Zoro's vitality as he, despite being wrapped in bandages, was already moving around. With those injuries, not only had he survived, but he had also slept for a few days and was now back on his feet.

Zoro grabbed a large piece of Sea Kings meat and devoured it ravenously, his body craving the nutrition needed to recover from the trauma.

"Master Arias! I want to stay on the ship to train and won't go ashore!" Zoro said, his mouth full as he continued to eat.

"Master Arias, let me stay too," Kuina added, seeing Zoro volunteer to stay.

Arias nodded. "You two can stay, but remember, you haven't yet mastered Qi. If you have any questions, ask Salome."

"Salome?" Kuina looked curiously at the graceful maid. Since boarding the ship, Salome had spoken little, and Kuina only knew that she was the helmsman of the Dawn and had a close relationship with Hancock, almost like sisters. Observing their similar appearance, Kuina wondered if they might actually be related.

"Yes," Salome smiled gently, a ball of Qi forming around her palms, creating a faint handprint that slowly dissipated. It was the Hand of Great Compassion, a technique Arias had taught her.

Salome had learned everything Arias was willing to teach. Now, she could skillfully use the Great Compassionate Hands and Earthly Immortal techniques. She also practiced Tai Chi and showed remarkable talent, which wasn't surprising considering her form in a previous life could have been a powerful demon in the transformation stage. If she encountered pirates like Jesse again, she could easily repel them on her own.

"Sister Salome, are you and Sister Hancock really sisters?" Kuina asked, curious.

Not just Kuina, but Carina, Nokigao, and Nami were also intrigued.

"No," Salome replied with a gentle smile. "Sister Hancock is my master."

"Master?" The girls looked at each other, confused.

"Are you a slave, Sister Salome?" one of them asked.

Salome shook her head proudly. "No, I'm her pet. Salome is Sister Hancock's favorite pet!"

The girls were bewildered. What kind of talk was this? Who would be happy to be a pet?

Seeing their disbelief, Salome revealed her true form. "Salome was originally a water snake, but after eating the Fruit of Man, I became human." She shifted into her human-animal form, her upper body human and her lower body a snake, before returning to her maid form.

Even Zoro, who was usually unfazed by anything, was shocked, his mouth hanging open.

After breakfast, Salome, Kuina, and Zoro stayed behind while Arias took the others ashore. As soon as they landed, they heard a little boy shouting, "The pirates are coming! The pirates are coming!"

Arias smiled at the familiar scene. Usopp was running toward the village, warning everyone about the pirates. But the villagers had grown used to his false alarms and saw his shouts as more of a wake-up call than a real threat.

"Brother Ye, why does that person think we're pirates?" Nami asked, holding Arias's hand. She had quickly grown attached to him, and despite her initial hesitation, she now affectionately called him "Brother Ye."

Arias smiled at her. "Don't underestimate him. His father is the world's greatest marksman, and he'll become a brave warrior himself one day."

Nami looked skeptical. Usopp looked like someone who would rather lie than fight, so it was hard for her to believe he could be so strong.

Carina, on the other hand, envied Nami for holding Arias's hand and wished she had been as bold. But she dared not reach for his other hand, as it was Hancock's rightful place.

As they walked through the village, they eventually found Usopp hiding in a corner.

"Usopp!" Arias called out, startling him.

"How do you know my name?" Usopp was shocked. His father had sailed with Shanks, his mother had died of illness, and the villagers disliked him for his lying. So when a stranger recognized him, it was a surprise.

"Has the name of the great sea warrior Usopp already spread to other islands?" he asked, trying to sound important.

Arias approached him. "Would you like to meet your father, Yasopp?"

At the mention of his father, Usopp's playful demeanor vanished. "Do you know where my father is?"

"The Red Hair Pirates are hard to track down," Arias replied, "but if you come with me, you'll have a chance to meet Yasopp. Your father is the world's greatest marksman!"

Usopp's pride swelled as he heard someone else praise his father. "Yes! My father is the strongest!"

"So, will you join me?" Arias asked. "If you board my ship, you'll become an even greater warrior than your father!"

Usopp, excited at the prospect of finally going to sea like his father, quickly agreed. He rushed home to pack his belongings, while Arias took the girls on a tour of the village. This was part of his promise to Hiyori and Yamato to visit islands around the world.

The island was small, and the villagers led simple lives, except for the grand estate belonging to Kaya's family. Impressed by their appearance, Kaya's father invited them into the villa, where Arias met the frail Miss Kaya. With her parents still alive and her illness not yet exacerbated by depression, Kaya appeared as a delicate, shy little girl.

Kaya was clearly taken with the handsome and sunny Arias.

"Sir, Miss Kaya and I have gotten along well," Arias told her father. "Here are some fitness exercises that can help her stay healthy."