Maude's attack was heavy-handed.
All the Marines, including Hina, had been placed in a storage room filled with cleaning equipment by the soldiers. They had been unconscious since then, showing no signs of waking up.
When Maude pushed open the warehouse door, he saw Hina and the other Marines sprawled across the cold stone floor, their bodies scattered. Bugs scurried around, seeking refuge.
After all, they had offended the King's dignity. The soldiers had no intention of treating these Marines with hospitality.
Perona floated in mid-air, glancing at the fallen Marines. With a mischievous smirk, she speculated, "Maude, you're not thinking of secretly killing them, are you?"
"..."
Maude shot her a glance, silently contemplating.
That… wasn't entirely out of the question.
Seeing Maude's momentary hesitation, Perona inhaled sharply and waved her hands. "I was just joking..."
As she spoke, the shadow behind Maude swelled like foam, expanding into a monstrous form with jagged claws.
Perona's eyes widened in shock. "I really was just joking..."
Maude glanced at her again, then willed his shadow to split apart, tendrils snaking toward the unconscious Marines.
Perona instinctively covered her eyes, bracing for the worst.
The room remained deathly silent.
Are they… dead?
Well, if Maude did it…
It had nothing to do with her.
Right, nothing at all!
Perona nervously reassured herself.
After a moment, she slowly lowered her hands.
The room was empty, save for cold cleaning tools scattered on the floor.
Maude was gone too.
"Eh?"
Perona blinked, her imagination running wild. Grisly scenes flashed through her mind—Maude grinning wickedly as he hacked the Marines to pieces with his shadow blades.
"That was way too fast for disposing of bodies!!!"
Her eyes trembled violently. She covered her mouth, trying to suppress a scream.
"Perona?"
Maude's puzzled voice sounded from behind her.
Perona's body stiffened. She slowly turned around.
The Marines who had been lying on the floor were now standing outside the warehouse.
They hung their heads, their faces obscured by shadows. Motionless, they exuded an eerie presence under the night sky.
Maude stood among them, as if surrounded by a silent entourage.
Perona stared at the bizarre scene, her imagination spiraling again.
Whatever her mind conjured, her face gradually paled.
"What's wrong?"
Maude frowned at her odd reaction.
Perona's lips quivered as she pointed at the silent Marines behind him.
Meanwhile, in the palace bathhouse—
The Straw Hat Pirates played in the warm water, their laughter echoing through the steam-filled chamber.
As they splashed around, their eyes slowly drifted toward the other side of the bath, where Nami and Vivi's laughter could be faintly heard.
"Hehehe..."
With devilish grins, they crept toward the partition wall that separated the men from the women.
Condensation coated the slippery surface, but it did little to deter their lecherous intent.
They carefully climbed the wall.
Just as they were about to peek over, a blood-curdling scream pierced the tranquil night.
Startled, the would-be voyeurs tumbled from the wall, crashing to the floor.
What the hell?
We hadn't even started yet!
They sat in a heap, staring at each other in confusion.
The sudden scream broke the night's stillness, filling the palace with restless commotion.
No one noticed the missing uninvited guests—nor the few esteemed visitors who had vanished.
—
The next day.
A full day's journey away from Alubarna, along the coastline—
A Marine battleship was anchored offshore.
On its deck lay the unconscious Marines, including Hina, all transported by Maude's Shadow Puppeteer technique.
The blazing sun bore down on their bodies, but none of them stirred.
The reason?
Nothing too complicated.
Maude had simply administered a little… physical anesthetic while transferring them.
That's why they still hadn't woken up.
When Smoker's battleship arrived to rendezvous with Hina's ship, the Marines were met with an unusual sight.
At the boarding ladder, Smoker's face was stoic, while the others looked on in shock at their unconscious comrades.
On the deck's bow, under a parasol, was a table set with chairs.
Maude lounged comfortably, sunglasses on, sipping iced water.
Perona sat nearby, engrossed in a novel with a pink cover dotted with hearts—clearly a romance story.
Where had she gotten it?
Maude had casually asked.
Her answer had been surprising—
"The captain's cabin."
Maude had glanced at the sprawled-out Hina.
Who would have thought that this cold, no-nonsense Marine woman enjoyed romance novels?
Perona remained absorbed in her book, unaware of Smoker's arrival.
Bailey, still hungover, lazily lay on the table, occasionally pawing a pastry into his mouth.
None of them noticed the Marines' approach.
"You're just in time."
Maude pushed up his sunglasses with one finger, smiling as he glanced at Smoker's group.
"I have a job for you."
"...!!!"
The Marines were dumbfounded.
If not for the unconscious comrades around them, Maude's casual tone would have made him sound like their superior officer.
Smoker's brow furrowed. He ignored the command, his voice cold.
"Hina's mission was to capture the Straw Hat Pirates and the criminal Nico Robin."
His sharp gaze swept over the unconscious Marines.
"But here they lie. You're behind this, aren't you… Bacardi Maude?"
"Basically, yes."
Maude nodded calmly.
"Bacardi Maude… being a Warlord of the Sea doesn't give you the right to do as you please."
Smoker's brow knit tighter.
Strength disparity was no excuse to back down.
To Smoker, justice was paramount.
Even knowing he couldn't match Maude's power, he wouldn't hesitate to act according to his principles.
He glared at Maude, voice steady.
"This mission involves a high-profile criminal. If you can't give a reasonable explanation, I have the authority to strip you of your Warlord status—right here, right now...!"
Maude slowly removed his sunglasses, sitting upright.
He turned his head, fixing Smoker with an icy stare.
"Who do you think... you're talking to?"
The chilling words barely left his lips when his shadow shot behind Smoker like lightning.
Smoker's face paled.
Before he could react, the shadow ensnared him, locking his body in place.
"I thought I taught you a lesson already. Seems it wasn't deep enough."
Maude raised his hand, snapping his fingers.
With a dull thud, Smoker's knees slammed into the deck.
He knelt there, powerless, under Maude's cold gaze.
In this world…
If strength couldn't be used freely—
Then what was the point of becoming stronger?
"Captain Smoker...!"
Tashigi and the other Marines gasped, drawing their weapons.
"Brrr… Brrr…"
Just then, a Den Den Mushi's ringing echoed from the ship's cabin.
-------
Want to read waaaay ahead of schedule? Head over to my Patreon ——— patreon(.)com/EmperorGarus [remove the parenthesis ( )]
There are more than 400 advance chapters available for you!