One Piece: The Deadly

The day started relatively calm on the Thousand Sunny as the Straw Hats enjoyed some downtime between islands. Kikidori, as always, was brimming with energy and looking for some kind of entertainment. He leaned against the mast, fiddling with his sword absentmindedly. Across the deck, Usopp was sitting on a barrel, tinkering with some new gadget while muttering about how it was going to revolutionize long-range sniping.

Kikidori suddenly got an idea. A smirk spread across his face as he approached Usopp. "Oi, long nose!"

Usopp flinched at the nickname and looked up. "What do you want, noodle king?"

Kikidori ignored the insult and grinned mischievously. "Let's settle this once and for all. A staring contest. Winner gets to call the other whatever they want for a whole week."

Usopp's pride was instantly on the line. "Oh, it's on! Don't cry when you lose!"

The rest of the crew, who were scattered across the deck, immediately gathered to witness this ridiculous showdown.

"Place your bets!" Luffy cheered as he stuffed his mouth with meat.

"I'm betting on Usopp," Zoro muttered with a smirk, leaning against the railing.

Robin chuckled softly as she sipped her tea. "This should be... entertaining."

Sanji lit a cigarette and rolled his eyes. "It's a waste of time."

Ere'ana, sitting next to Chopper, leaned forward with a sparkle in her eye. "Kikidori better win; otherwise, I'll never hear the end of it."

The two contestants sat cross-legged in the middle of the deck. Kikidori cracked his knuckles dramatically, while Usopp adjusted his goggles for no reason other than to seem more intense.

"Alright, on my count," Nami announced, standing between them like a referee. "Three... two... one... STARE!"

The match began.

The two stared at each other with intense focus. Kikidori's snake-like slitted eyes glowed faintly in the sunlight, giving him an eerie advantage. However, Usopp's sheer determination, fueled by his pride, kept him locked in the battle.

Seconds turned into minutes.

Chopper waved his hooves excitedly. "Wow, they're both doing so well!"

Luffy leaned in closer. "This is intense! Can we call this a training exercise?"

Ere'ana facepalmed. "This is the dumbest thing I've ever seen..."

Suddenly, Kikidori's eyes narrowed. "Oi, Usopp, why's your nose twitching?"

"My nose isn't twitching!" Usopp snapped, momentarily distracted.

Kikidori grinned, sensing an opportunity. "You sure? It's twitching right now! Looks like a worm trying to dance."

Usopp growled but kept staring. His pride wouldn't let him lose to Kikidori's taunts.

Then, disaster struck.

As Usopp leaned forward to assert dominance, his nose poked Kikidori directly in the eye with enough force to make the younger pirate yelp and fall backward. "AH! My eye!"

The crew erupted in laughter.

"Usopp's nose wins again!" Zoro barked, nearly doubling over.

Sanji couldn't hold back his laughter. "That's what you get for challenging the great sniper!"

Chopper rushed over to Kikidori, who was sprawled out on the deck, clutching his eye dramatically. "Kikidori, are you okay?!"

Kikidori groaned. "I'm fine... but his nose should be registered as a weapon!"

Robin hid her amusement behind her book, her lips curling into a small smile. "Perhaps this is a lesson not to underestimate Usopp's... unique assets."

Usopp stood triumphantly, pointing at Kikidori. "Ha! You lose! Now you have to call me 'Captain Sniper' for a whole week!"

"Captain Sniper?!" Kikidori protested, sitting up. "What kind of lame nickname is that?!"

"You agreed to the bet," Nami reminded him, crossing her arms with a smirk.

Ere'ana giggled, watching Kikidori grumble. "Serves you right, noodle king."

Kikidori sighed dramatically. "Fine. Captain Sniper it is. But only for a week!"

The crew dispersed, still laughing about the ridiculous outcome. As the sun began to set, Kikidori leaned against the railing, still rubbing his eye.

Ere'ana walked over, smirking. "So, learned your lesson?"

Kikidori scoffed. "Next time, I'm wearing goggles."

She chuckled and nudged his shoulder. "You're an idiot."

"And you're annoying," Kikidori shot back, though there was no malice in his tone.

The day ended with the crew in high spirits, the memory of the bizarre staring contest keeping them laughing well into the night.

The end of Chapter 66.