One Piece: Scourge of the Seas

The battle had raged on, finally reaching its most critical stage.

With one mafia lieutenant taken down by Sol, the remaining targets now numbered just over a dozen.

Thankfully, there were no opportunistic bystanders swooping in to claim the final blows.

"Not coming?"

Seeing that the remaining mafiosos were on high alert but made no move to attack, Maude sheathed the battered Dark Crow blade.

Then, under the watchful and hostile gazes of the mafiosos, Maude pulled out his flintlock pistol again.

Once more, he aimed directly at Bege and fired.

As expected, another mafioso threw himself in front of the bullet, taking the shot in Bege's place.

At this juncture, Bege could no longer hold back his questions.

"Who are you? Why are you trying to kill me?"

The response was Maude's cold stare and another bullet.

In that instant, Bege could feel more than just Maude's gaze, the sound of the gunshot, and the screams of his dying subordinates.

He also felt... the despair of being dragged closer and closer to death.

The remaining mafiosos, desperate to protect Bege, had dwindled to just six.

Including Bege, Maude's profitable "prey" now numbered only four.

Maude, unhurried, took aim at Bege once again and fired.

Another mafioso fell as the gunshot rang out.

The mafia's demise drew ever closer.

Around them, the spectators stood silent.

A group of fewer than five people had managed to methodically dismantle one of the most powerful criminal organizations in the West Blue.

Who would have believed it without witnessing it firsthand?

This was, after all, the strongest mafia in the West Blue's underworld.

Yet the reality was undeniable.

The mafia had been forced to discard their firearms by an unseen sniper of unparalleled skill, leaving them vulnerable to Maude's superior close-combat abilities.

Step by step, the once-dominant mafia had been reduced to a gruesome pile of bodies scattered across the street.

It was truly lamentable.

Despite the dire situation, the mafia's loyalty to Bege was unwavering.

Even as their fortress crumbled, there was no sign of them abandoning their leader.

Some even willingly threw themselves into the line of fire, knowing it would cost them their lives, all to shield Bege from harm.

It was a loyalty forged through life-and-death camaraderie, earning the admiration of even onlookers.

But Bege, aware of his impending doom, rasped, "Forget about me."

At his words, only two of his most seasoned lieutenants remained by his side.

"Boss, we swore to share life and death with you!"

"..."

Bege fell silent.

Ten minutes later.

Maude finally overcame the two tenacious lieutenants after an arduous struggle.

Now, all that remained was Bege—the main prize.

The spoils from this evening's hunt were already extraordinary. Adding Bege to the tally would be like a gift from the heavens.

Clinging to Sol's influence was proving to be immensely rewarding.

Maude approached Bege, who was slumped on the ground, his breaths growing weaker. From above, Maude looked down at him.

With great difficulty, Bege whispered, "We had... no grievances... Why...?"

Maude picked up a discarded flintlock pistol and aimed it at Bege.

Before pulling the trigger, Maude's lips moved, uttering a single name.

Bacardi.

Hearing the name, Bege's expression shifted from shock to realization, then to utter despair.

So that's how it was…

The gunshot echoed sharply.

A hole appeared in Bege's forehead, his eyes still wide open even in death.

Maude casually discarded the still-smoking flintlock pistol and slowly closed his eyes. With a mere thought, the black void of his mind revealed the Hunter's Notebook.

[Physique: ★☆]

The bounty from hunting Bege, his two lieutenants, and the other gang captains had condensed into a second star frame for Maude's physique.

The process had gone so smoothly that Maude couldn't help but smile with satisfaction.

The only regret was that none of the gang members were skilled swordsmen, leaving the gains in swordsmanship disappointingly meager.

Even so, Maude remained unbothered.

With Sol's backing, Mad Hat Town was a perfect hunting ground for him at this stage.

As long as he could keep improving his abilities to their limits, he didn't mind staying here for years if necessary.

Maude stood in silence over Bege's corpse for a while.

The spectators could just barely make out the smile on his face.

It was a satisfied smile that sent shivers down their spines.

"From now on, if you pick a fight with someone, make sure it's not Usopp."

This thought ran through the minds of most onlookers.

It wasn't purely Maude's strength that had subdued their defiance.

More than anything, they feared the terrifying sniper who stood in the shadows behind him.

To provoke Maude was to provoke that unseen, monstrous sharpshooter.

As the excitement waned and the crowd began to disperse, many turned their attention to the upcoming auction.

Some onlookers departed, but Lafitte made his way toward Maude.

His only thought now was to connect with Maude as a kindred spirit.

At that moment, hurried footsteps echoed behind Lafitte.

Turning to look, he saw members of the Abby Pirates approaching with murderous intent.

Leading them was their captain, Abby, exuding a menacing aura as she advanced.

"They're here for Usopp…"

Lafitte, well-informed about the feud between Maude and the Abby Pirates, quickly deduced their purpose.

The pirates who had been about to leave paused, intrigued by this new development.

Maude also turned to the commotion, his eyes lighting up when he saw Abby.

How timely!

The Abby Pirates had arrived after hearing rumors. As they surveyed the scene and the mafia's corpses strewn across the ground, they were stunned.

Their gazes shifted to Maude standing among the carnage, their expressions turning grim.

Unaware of the sniper's presence, they concluded from the uniform black suits on the bodies that Maude had singlehandedly wiped out the mafia.

How did he do it?

Amid their shock, Abby turned her attention to Maude.

Before she could act, another figure stepped forward, blocking her line of sight.

It was Lafitte.

This sudden interference clearly carried malicious intent.

Seeing Lafitte, Abby's expression darkened, but she showed no signs of backing down.

"Out of the way, stranger!" she growled.

"I'm afraid I can't do that," Lafitte replied calmly, raising his cane to rest vertically in front of him, his gaze drifting toward Abby's rapier. The message was clear.

Abby's expression soured.

Why did it have to be this guy?

"Wait—she's mine!"

Suddenly, Maude's voice rang out.

"Hmm?" Lafitte turned back to look at Maude, his eyes narrowing with curiosity.

"Eh?" Abby also looked at Maude in surprise, unable to suppress his question. "Usopp, what do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what it sounds like." Maude gave Abby a cryptic smile.

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