One Piece: The Cryo Doctor on the Straw Hat Ship

The air in the infinite hell seemed to have solidified.

Usopp stood in front of Barrett, fine beads of sweat glistening on his long nose, and dry swallowing sounds coming from his throat.

He turned his head, trying to plead with V with his eyes.

But the latter simply pushed up his glasses, a nonchalant smile on his lips, crossed his arms, and leaned against the wall with an expression that said, "I'm rooting for you."

Usopp then looked at Luffy.

Luffy simply sat cross-legged on the ground, resting his chin on his hands, his eyes sparkling with anticipation:

"Go Usopp! Show him what's what!"

"..."

Usopp took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled.

He turned back resignedly to the man before him, a figure as massive as a steel behemoth—

Douglas Barrett.

Its bloodshot eyes were fixed on him, its gaze like that of a beast that had been imprisoned for too long and had finally caught a whiff of blood.

"Ah……"

Barrett grinned, a ferocious and dangerous smile revealing his gleaming white fangs:

"I admit that your group has considerable strength..."

"But sending out such a weakling is a bit of an underestimation of us, isn't it!"

He tilted his neck, making a cracking sound, and the muscles all over his body twitched slightly as if they were alive, emanating a suffocating sense of oppression.

"Since that's the case... then don't blame me for being impolite!"

The moment the words fell—

boom!!!

The ground beneath Barrett's feet suddenly exploded!

The ground, which could withstand the pressure of the deep sea, was shattered into pieces at this moment.

His figure shot out like a cannonball, carrying a terrifying force capable of tearing through the air, enveloped in jet-black Armament Haki—

One punch, straight at Usopp's face!

The wind howled as the fists ripped through the air, creating sharp, explosive sounds!

That punch was so fast that most vice admirals couldn't react in time!

however--

Usopp's body had already moved the moment he threw the punch.

It's not about dodging backwards, nor is it about sidestepping—

Instead, he took half a step forward.

A very light step.

As if it were expected, Barrett's punch just grazed past his ear.

The wind from the punch whistled past, ruffling the stray hairs on his forehead, but it failed to harm him in the slightest.

"Um?!"

Barrett's pupils suddenly contracted.

A hint of surprise flickered in his bloodshot eyes—

How could that kid possibly dodge?

Although that punch wasn't his full power, its speed and force were enough to make most experts panic.

But in Usopp's actions, there was no panic, no reluctance—

It's as if he already knew where his punch would land the moment before he threw it.

"interesting……"

Barrett's smile grew even more sinister. He withdrew his fist, and his aura surged once more.

"I underestimated you for dodging a punch."

"but--"

His body sank slightly, and his arms suddenly expanded, covered by jet-black Armament Haki like armor:

"Can you dodge this next punch?!"

boom--!!!

Barrett throws another punch!

This punch was faster and more powerful than the last one!

The force of the punch formed a transparent shockwave in the air, almost tangible, and blasted towards Usopp's chest!

however--

Despite the punch that could shatter steel into pieces, Usopp's eyes showed no sign of panic.

His gaze was as calm as a lake.

Because he saw it.

—Trajectory.

From the moment he obtained the Track-Trajectory Fruit, Usopp had been pondering how to use this ability.

As a sniper, he already possessed extraordinary dynamic vision and predictive abilities.

The appearance of the Track Fruit took his talent to another level.

With the assistance of advanced brain-computer interfaces, in Usopp's vision, Barrett at this moment—

The rhythm of every muscle in his body, the contraction of every fiber, the bulging of every blood vessel—

The trajectory lines were clearly marked on them.

Just like a scope on a gun, it pre-plans all the possible attack routes for his next move.

and so--

The moment Barrett unleashed that punch, Usopp didn't even need to think.

His body moved naturally.

Sidestep, slide, squat—

The entire set of movements flowed smoothly, like a dance that had been rehearsed countless times.

This phenomenon usually only occurs in battles between top-tier experts.

Now, Usopp, with his prosthetic body, displays it with ease.

Barrett's second punch missed again.

He punched the wall behind Usopp, and with a loud bang, the entire wall shattered, sending debris flying and dust billowing everywhere.

But Usopp had already appeared three steps to the left of Barrett.

"what?!"

Barrett's expression finally changed.

He turned around abruptly, looking at the figure standing outside the smoke and dust, his eyes gleaming with disbelief.

If dodging the first time was due to luck—

This time, it's definitely not a coincidence!

"You bastard..."

Barrett's voice was low and dangerous, tinged with barely suppressed shock and anger:

"What kind of monster are you?"

Usopp took a deep breath and slowly straightened up.

The tension and timidity that had been on his face were gone, replaced by a kind of—

Calm focus.

That's the look a sniper gives before pulling the trigger.

"A monster..."

Usopp repeated the word softly, a smile playing on his lips.

That smile wasn't ostentatious, but it carried a confidence completely different from Luffy's—

That's the confidence of a sniper.

"You've got it wrong, big guy."

Usopp raised his right hand, his five fingers spread—

Paramecia-type Popo Fruit, ability activated.

In the air, transparent ripples began to gather, rotate, and expand in his palm.

It was not a simple vibration, but a purer force field—as if space itself was trembling in accordance with his will.

"I am not a monster."

His voice echoed in the vast, empty hell, calm and resolute:

"I'm just a sniper who knows a few tricks up his sleeve."

The moment the words fell—

Usopp's right hand suddenly changed, and a cannon barrel appeared from his palm.

The ripples that gathered in his palm exploded in his palm like an air bomb compressed to its limit!

"Super Special Move - Wave · Starburst!"