Name It First?

New chapter is live.

Settle in, take your time, and let's see what waits in the dark 🖤

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Listening to the voices drifting out of the shop, Corvin found himself growing curious about Sol's past.

Anyone who knew a man like Shanks personally, and who earned that much respect from Yasopp, could not be some nameless old shopkeeper.

In only two days, Corvin had learned one thing.

This was the Great Pirate Era, a sea crowded with ships and monsters. There had to be countless dangerous people who had never appeared in the story he remembered.

Surviving in a world like this would not be easy.

It would be far harder than surviving the Hunter world.

Corvin tightened his grip around the smoothbore flintlock musket he had gotten from Yasopp.

He had a weapon now. The next step was finding a second target.

But before he could hunt another target, he needed the freedom to move outside without dying for it.

One gun alone was nowhere near enough to keep him safe.

He had marksmanship, but he did not have Yasopp's almost absurd reload speed.

In a real fight, he would probably get one shot. After that, he would have nothing.

'Wait.'

Corvin's expression shifted as a more important problem occurred to him.

'I don't have bullets.'

He had been too focused on leaving the scene earlier. He had not thought to ask Yasopp for powder and lead shot.

Corvin went very still.

That night, the dining room was bright with lamplight. The table was covered with food, and the scent of liquor filled the air.

Shanks looked down at the stain left in his wooden cup and sighed. "I've had more fine liquor than I can count, but nothing stays with you like liquor from back home."

"Why are you still here?"

Sol's eyelids drooped. The disgust on his face was so clear it nearly counted as seasoning.

"Don't be so cold. It's been a while since we last saw each other."

Shanks set his cup down with an easy smile, as if the argument from earlier had already blown away.

Sunny refilled his cup at the right time, while Yasopp kept his head down and focused on eating and drinking.

As for Lucky Roux, he had not come back after carrying the liquor to the ship.

Corvin sat near the wall, relieved that Yasopp had not left yet, while trying to decide when to ask him for powder and lead shot.

He obviously could not ask at the dinner table.

After turning it over in his head, only one opening made sense.

'Bathroom. Go to the bathroom. Come on, go to the bathroom.'

Corvin repeated the thought silently.

Yasopp, who was in the middle of drinking, shivered for no clear reason.

'Hm? Is the night air getting colder?'

He shook his head and kept drinking.

Sol glanced at Shanks's empty left sleeve and said flatly, "What I said earlier wasn't a joke. Someone as famous as you keeps coming here just to buy liquor, and sooner or later that's going to bring trouble I can't avoid."

"Fair point."

Shanks looked into his cup.

"Then have you ever thought about coming aboard my ship?"

"Your ship?" Sol gave a cold laugh. "I'm an old man with one foot in the grave. What, you want me aboard so I can retire there? Besides, you've already got Yasopp. One sniper is enough."

"Uh, I'm going to use the bathroom."

Yasopp wanted no part of the role Sol had just assigned him, so he stood up and used the bathroom as an excuse to escape.

Corvin silently followed him.

Their departure did not interrupt Shanks and Sol's conversation.

"True enough..."

Shanks smiled. He had no real way to argue with Sol's answer.

Sol drained his cup and said calmly, "For decades, pirates have been as common as fish in the sea. How many of them ever meet a good end? An old relic like me, already left behind by the era, is satisfied if he gets one more day to breathe."

Shanks fell silent.

Sunny muttered, "Old, but still energetic enough to visit the pleasure district every day..."

Shanks immediately smiled.

"Less talking. More eating."

Sol glared at Sunny first, then scowled at Shanks. "What are you smiling at? If you understand me, don't come back."

Shanks said seriously, "Then tell me which islands you're hiding your liquor on."

"Get out!"

In the corridor, Yasopp stopped near the bathroom door and turned his head toward Corvin.

"Need something?"

Corvin nodded and lowered his voice. "I wanted to ask for some lead shot and powder."

"Huh?" Yasopp looked at him strangely. "This is a weapons shop."

Asking for a gun in the afternoon had been one thing. Asking for ammunition at night was something else.

"It is, but..."

Corvin stalled. He wanted to find a decent excuse, but he did not have Sunny's easy talent for blaming Sol in the middle of a casual conversation.

Seeing him hesitate, Yasopp did not press. He simply reached into his ammunition pouch and took out a small portion of powder and lead shot.

"This enough?"

"Yes."

Corvin nodded quickly, as if afraid Yasopp might change his mind, and accepted the ammunition.

Yasopp stared at him, bemused. It was only a few shots' worth. Was it really that serious?

He glanced toward the dining room. His captain and Mr. Sol would probably be talking for a while, so he crouched by the bathroom door and took out a cigarette.

Now that Corvin had the ammunition, he had no intention of lingering. He was ready to take it upstairs and put it away.

Before he could move, Yasopp offered him a cigarette.

"Smoke?"

"Uh..."

Corvin could not refuse outright. He carefully tucked the ammunition into his pocket first, then accepted the cigarette.

Yasopp blew out a stream of smoke. Maybe he was bored. Maybe the liquor had loosened his tongue. Either way, he started talking.

"You thought about naming that gun?"

Corvin considered it and was about to answer, but Yasopp spoke first.

"I always called it my old partner, but I couldn't stay with it until the end. Guns are different from swords. Their names don't stick as easily."

"Even if you give a gun a grand name, people usually remember the person who fired it instead. But don't forget this: a good gun is what makes a good sniper. So, what are you thinking of naming my old partner?"

"I..."

Corvin had just opened his mouth when Yasopp cut in again.

"To be honest, leaving it behind still hurts a little. But after giving it to you, I don't know why, I also feel kind of relieved."

"I..."

"Still, a gunman needs the body to keep up. The way you are now won't do. You're too weak."

"I..."

"Listen to me. Mr. Sol is here, so it's not really my place to give advice. Ha. Right, you still haven't told me what you'll name the gun."

"I..."

"How about Usopp? Cute name, right? It's my son's name, actually. Thinking about it now, he should be about your age."

The bathroom doorway filled with choking cigarette smoke.

Corvin understood.

When facing a drunk man who loved to talk, there was no point trying to speak.

You just listened.

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