One Piece: Scourge of the Seas

The air was thick with gunpowder—pungent and unmistakable.

Inside the tavern, the pirates, long accustomed to the stench of smoke and the flash of blades, barely reacted to the hazy fumes spreading around.

Eyes pierced through the smoke, fixing on Maude.

A mix of awe, surprise, and bewilderment filled the room.

Moments ago, the sudden turn of events left them stunned. By the time they registered what was happening, the two pirates who had barged in for revenge were already lying dead on the floor, bullets embedded between their brows.

Although those two had stormed in with clear intent, drawing their pistols without hesitation, the masked undertaker had been even faster.

Both hands moved simultaneously, sending two lead bullets into their skulls in the blink of an eye.

Fast. Ruthless. Precise.

The pirates near the door glanced at their fallen comrades, whose eyes remained wide open in death. As the realization dawned on them, they couldn't help but acknowledge the sinister intentions behind the attack.

The timing and location of the ambush were no coincidence. Those two had likely followed Laffitte and chosen this busy spot to create a chaotic escape route, using the crowd as cover or even as shields.

But they couldn't have foreseen that Laffitte's table would happen to host a deadly individual waiting in silence.

"Just when I was about to leave…"

Under the weight of the room's collective gaze, Maude sighed inwardly and discreetly stowed his still-warm flintlocks under the table.

He didn't rush to leave. Instead, he calmly began reloading his pistols.

His hands moved methodically, even if the blind loading process lacked efficiency.

By now, Maude had pieced together that the two pirates were after Laffitte. They'd trailed him into the tavern, unaware that their target had chosen a table alongside someone like Maude, inadvertently dragging him into the crossfire.

Even if Maude hadn't sensed the intent to kill, there was no way he'd remain a sitting duck.

Whoever pointed a gun at him would have to face the consequences.

So, without hesitation, Maude had drawn his pistols and killed the intruders.

In the end, Maude had taken care of two of Laffitte's enemies for him.

Not that it mattered. Maude's actions were purely to eliminate the immediate threat.

"Impressive marksmanship."

The pipe-like metal staff in Sabo's hand shifted slightly as he spoke, a glint of interest in his eyes.

Sabo—his real name—was a Revolutionary Army officer who had undergone rigorous training in various skills, including combat and reconnaissance.

Although firearms weren't his specialty, he could recognize excellence when he saw it. Maude's precise shooting betrayed the hallmarks of systematic training.

His earlier observation that Maude might be gathering intelligence only deepened Sabo's suspicion that Maude could be a Marine.

Maude, however, paid no attention to the compliment. He kept his head down, focused on reloading.

Sabo chuckled at the silent treatment, unfazed. His principles didn't dictate judging a person solely by their allegiance, nor would he harbor baseless animosity for differing affiliations.

At the same table, Laffitte spared Maude a second glance.

He knew full well that the two dead pirates had come for him—their murderous intent had been palpable.

What surprised Laffitte was the decisive brutality of the man beside him, someone who had no stake in the matter.

He didn't believe Maude's intervention was altruistic. The quick, merciless response clearly stemmed from self-preservation.

"Heh."

This, however, only heightened Laffitte's admiration.

His gaze flitted over the exposed features of Maude's face visible beneath the mask—eyes, lips, ears, neck.

Committing these details to memory, Laffitte finally withdrew his scrutiny and gestured for the server.

By now, the tavern staff had also regained their composure. They promptly dragged the bodies outside and began cleaning up the blood before it could spread. One employee was dispatched to summon an undertaker.

As for the masked man who had prevented further chaos, no one was foolish enough to disturb him.

The commotion gradually settled, and the surrounding pirates returned their attention to their drinks.

At last, Maude finished reloading both pistols.

Lacking practical experience in blind reloading, his process was slow but steady.

Once he secured his flintlocks, Maude stood and prepared to leave this troublesome place. Outside, he would find a suitable spot to lie in wait for his targets.

"Heading out already?"

Despite being ignored multiple times, Sabo casually attempted another conversation.

Maude glanced briefly at Sabo's wide-framed sunglasses before walking straight to the door, maintaining his silence.

Behind him, Laffitte's sharp eyes trailed Maude's retreating figure, scanning him head to toe like a meticulous examiner.

The other pirates in the tavern also cast sidelong glances as Maude departed.

Once the door swung shut, the tavern erupted into noise once more.

Outside, Maude surveyed the surroundings, searching for a shadowy corner to hide in.

In a dense area like this, where buildings of varying heights crowded together, light inevitably created shadows.

It didn't take long for Maude to locate a suitable hiding spot.

He moved swiftly, disappearing into the shadows without a sound.

From his position, he fixed his gaze on the tavern's entrance.

The moment his targets emerged, he would follow them, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.

There was no need to interrogate them for their names—he only needed to search their belongings for bounty posters.

Time ticked away. The auction was set to begin in less than ten minutes.

But Maude's focus wasn't on the auction.

"Hm?"

Suddenly, two familiar figures came into view.

"Kid and Killer."

From his hiding place, Maude watched the pair head toward the auction house. His hand instinctively brushed the weapon strapped to his back—Usopp.

"If the chance arises tonight, maybe I'll give it a try."

A faint glint flickered in Maude's eyes as he withdrew his gaze.

For now, everything depended on the situation.

His immediate priority remained fixed on his current targets.

If they managed to slip away, tonight's effort would be wasted.

Maude silently monitored the tavern's entrance.

At 9:00 PM sharp, the auction house closed its doors to further attendees. Armed guards dressed in uniformed attire began to appear, standing sentry around the building.

They were likely the auction house's security force.

Maude made a mental note before shifting his focus back to the tavern.

An hour passed.

Finally, the tavern door creaked open, and three drunken men stumbled out, arms slung over each other's shoulders.

Maude's eyes lit up.

"About time."

Quietly, he slipped into the shadows and began trailing them.

Meanwhile, the auction was reaching its peak.

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