One Piece Every Day is a column where I read a chapter of One Piece every single day—more or less—and discuss my thoughts on it. Each entry will have spoilers up to the chapter covered in that day’s column.

Please keep in mind that many other readers are also first-timers. Do NOT spoil anything beyond this point in the comments!

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Something that may not have been immediately obvious is that yesterday’s chapter was the end of its volume. To me, this is a little odd, given that that felt more like the dead middle of a story arc than the start or end of one. But on the other hand, maybe it’s building to something more. Certainly, the new volume has a promising title.

We open on a dramatic irony, Kaya buying a gift for “Klahadore”, to commemorate the third anniversary of his arriving at the estate. This sets a pattern that recurs throughout the chapter. Despite her warm feelings for Usopp, Kaya very much believes that her butler is a kind person who has only her best interests at heart.

Usopp, meanwhile, has predictably found his warning of the impending pirate raid to be met with incredulity, and, eventually, torches and pitchforks. Things do not go any better when he tries to convince Kaya that her butler is out to get her. In fact, they escalate quickly and unpleasantly.

And indeed Usopp eventually resorts to trying to physically drag Kaya out of her manor. This goes about as well as you’d expect, and culminates with Kaya—who, remember, has no context for any of this—slapping Usopp.

Driven farther out of town, Usopp deliberately drives off the three children who follow him around and pretend to be his “crew” by claiming that this pirate attack, too, is all a lie. He does this so they won’t get hurt, but it’s clear that the hit to his pride bothers him. Toward’s the chapter’s end it really does seem like he intends to face the incoming horde of the Black Cat pirates all on his own.

But, of course, One Piece is not that sort of manga. Don’t go expecting Usopp to die heroically alone here.

Tomorrow; Luffy’s crew vs. Captain Kuro’s.

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