Ch-21

With that, Usopp became busy with dealing with the rest of the fishmen that were still around the Conomi island. The task was much easier than before as this time he didn't need to sneak around everywhere and with Arlong and the main crew dead, dealing with the rest of the fishmen was a piece of cake for Usopp.

One by one he went all around the Conomi island and dealt with all the fishmen he could find, in places where he found it difficult, he took the help of the residents for directions and they readily told him the directions.

Finally, after five hours of work that involved more travelling and searching than killing, Usopp had cleared this island from all of the remaining fishmen. It was late in the afternoon by the time he returned back to Cocoyashi village.

The first place he visited was Nojiko's house and he was thankful that he did so because there was an unexpected guest there. The folks from the marine's 16 branch had surrounded the house and were actively searching all around the place despite Nojiko's insistence that there was nothing there.

Captain Nezumi, whose name Usopp had long forgotten but his mouse-like appearance helped Usopp in remembering this wretched man clearly. Nezumi was currently to Nojiko telling her about how he had received intel about some stolen treasures being hidden hear.

Nojiko didn't know how to react to the situation as she could only just anxiously refuse his claims trying hard to not let them know about the location of the treasures. It was at that moment that one of the marines came out and told the Captain about something being wrong with the orange orchard.

"Dig it up then, why do you even bother asking me?" Nezumi replied to the man.

"You dare?!" Nojiko lost her calm as not only those men were about to desecrate her mother's orange orchard but also take away the treasures Nami had been piling up for all these years.

Sensing the woman's approach two marines went forward to grab her to keep her in check but before they could a bullet pierced through their hearts and their bodies fell to the ground.

Before the rest of the marines could understand the situation, a flurry of shots had already been shot towards them by Usopp and all of them reached their intended targets. By the time any one of them could realize what the hell was going on a bullet had already pierced their chest and all of them fell down on the ground.

"WHO ARE YOU!" Nezumi shouted clearly scared for his life.

"Your end," Usopp said as he kicked the guy in the face making his body airborne and while it was airborne he flicked another one of his bullets towards him and pierced his chest. What slammed back on the ground was Captain Nezumi's dead body.

"You alright?" Usopp said as he walked towards Nojiko.

"Usopp! You came!" Nojiko said as she rushed towards him to give him a tight hug.

Seeing Nojiko hugging a man Genzo who had been nearby opened his mouth widely as he asked "W-Who are you?"

"You can call me Usopp. By the way regarding the thing I just did, I would be needing your help." Usopp said as he closed in on Genzo's ears and told him about how he had completely dealt with the Arlong Pirates and what he wanted him to do.

At first, Genzo's eyes widened not wanting to believe what he had just heard but the conviction with which Usopp was telling him about this stuff made him almost eighty per cent sure that he was telling the truth.

"Alright, I'll collect all the bodies and do what you say," Genzo said as he left the place to call a few more men from the village for help as he carried out the task that had been assigned to him by Usopp.

Usopp indeed had some guilt for killing all these marines but there was also a proverb that had stood true for him most of his life until now, 'Birds of the same feather flock together,'

He completely believed this proverb which he had doubted in his earlier life before he understood that it truly did make sense when he became an adult. Though there might be some exceptions in Nezumi's men who were good but Usopp didn't fret much about them as he had no way of filtering them out.

"What did you tell Genzo?" Nojiko asked as she saw the men who came with Genzo picking up the bodies and placing them all on a large trolley.

"Something to keep me from trouble for some time, anyways, I'm hungry," Usopp said as he placed his hand on his stomach which started making grumbling noises the moment it felt Usopp's touch.

"Wait a few minutes, it will be done in a jiffy," Nojiko said with a smile as she went inside to prepare a delicious meal for Usopp.

Usopp went inside after he nodded at Genzo who nodded back at him to indicate that he would get the work done. The thing he requested from Genzo was to shift all these bodies to the Arlong Park and make it appear as if the marines fought a brave battle to take care of the Arlong Pirates and lost their lives while at it.

This would help the Straw hat pirates to be off the radar for some time for the Marines which would make their journey to the grand line much easier. Usopp knew that things were going to get difficult for them in the Logue town with Smoker if Luffy's Bounty come out before they entered the Grand Line so he was making sure to delay it as much as he can.

This would also be beneficial for the families of the dead marines as they would be known as family members of war heroes who fought and defeated the Arlong Pirates at the cost of their lives and would be awarded and looked after thoroughly by the marines like any other military organization. Which was also Usopp's way of apologizing to those few exceptions who were good men forced to work under Nezumi.

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