Vivi chose to stay in the country she loved.
After bidding a unique farewell to Vivi, the Straw Hat Pirates reluctantly set sail aboard the Going Merry, swaggering away in full view of six Marine warships.
Hina couldn't swallow the insult and immediately gave chase without a second thought.
However, under Usopp's precise bombardment, not only did Hina's fleet fail to catch up, but they also lost two warships in the process.
The result nearly made Hina cough up blood, especially since she was already in a foul mood.
Failing to capture the Straw Hat Pirates and Nico Robin, Hina decisively returned to Alabasta, venting her frustration on the remaining members of Baroque Works.
In less than half a day, the ship's prison cells were packed with over a hundred prisoners.
None of this concerned Maude.
He didn't care whether Hina agreed or not—he had already boarded the ship. The next step was simply waiting for the warship to return to Marine Headquarters, only a step away from the Sabaody Archipelago.
Of course, if they could drop him off at Sabaody Archipelago before returning to headquarters, that would be even better.
Hina couldn't do anything about Maude. Despite her strong reluctance, she had no choice but to tolerate his shameless squatting.
The next morning, headlines about the Alabasta incident hit the newsstands.
The report did not state that Maude had acted under the World Government's orders to stop Crocodile's conspiracy in time.
Instead, it credited Straw Hat Luffy with defeating the former Warlord of the Sea, Crocodile, who sought to seize Alabasta.
Although the article did mention Maude's contributions in the war, the narrative overwhelmingly focused on Luffy.
It seemed the World Government hadn't anticipated this outcome and hastily issued an emergency response.
Soon after, a different version of the headline was published.
The main content remained largely the same, but Luffy's name was swapped for Maude's, accompanied by a photo of Maude intercepting the bomb in the plaza.
The world was abuzz.
The death of former Warlord of the Sea Crocodile.
Maude, who frequently made headlines in recent years.
Straw Hat Luffy, a rising dark horse among the Supernova.
These names intertwined, stirring up the seas once more.
No one could determine the truth of the incident.
However, the sudden surge in the Straw Hat Pirates' bounties made most people lean towards the report crediting Luffy with defeating Crocodile.
This hasty bounty update by the World Government felt like shooting themselves in the foot.
As the incident's popularity grew, Straw Hat Luffy's fame skyrocketed.
Conversely, the World Government's reputation took a heavy blow.
Aboard Hina's warship, Smoker, who had chosen to return to headquarters alongside Hina, read the newspaper with a heavy expression, still unable to believe the outcome.
It was completely different from what he had expected.
He couldn't help but recall what Maude had said the day before.
"Was this your doing?"
Smoker abruptly turned to the man lounging lazily in his chair.
Maude glanced at Smoker but said nothing.
However, Smoker had already made up his mind.
"Why would you do this?"
Smoker scrutinized the man who had repeatedly thwarted him and left him powerless.
Maude still ignored him, leisurely eating a fruit.
Smoker's brows furrowed.
What was this man thinking…?
He simply couldn't understand Maude's actions.
A week passed.
The buzz surrounding Luffy's victory over Crocodile remained high, making him the talk of the town.
With a bounty of 150 million berries since setting sail, Luffy had become the leading Supernova of the year.
Such high-profile fame naturally drew resentment from other rising Supernova, who began stirring up trouble to steal the spotlight.
Of course, none of this concerned Maude.
Confirming that the warship's route led directly to Marineford, Maude's mood remained pleasant every day.
When he first set his sights on Hina's ship in Alabasta, it was precisely because Marine warships were typically equipped with Eternal Poses.
This meant that, aside from replenishing supplies, the warship didn't need to log magnetic fields along the way, allowing it to return to Marineford in the shortest possible time.
Just as Maude had anticipated, the warship sailed continuously for two weeks.
At their current speed, they were expected to reach Marineford in less than half a month.
Maude's plan was going perfectly.
But then, an unexpected turn of events occurred.
On this day, Hina received an emergency distress call, prompting the warship to alter its course.
"What's going on?"
Maude immediately inquired.
Hina turned her head away, unwilling to look at Maude, but still explained, "A nearby island is under pirate attack. We're heading there to provide support."
"Huh?"
Maude scoffed. "Is the Navy understaffed? Instead of calling for help from the nearest branch, they just happened to call on you passing by?"
Diverting to assist the island meant a delay.
That made Maude very unhappy.
Hina shot Maude a sharp glare.
Recovering from her injuries, Tashigi said gravely, "The pirates attacking the island are a coalition of several pirate crews, numbering over a thousand. The nearby branch can't handle them."
"In the end, it's just because there are too many trash pirates."
Hina's voice was cold, her gaze lingering on Maude as if implying something.
Maude noticed but pretended not to, rubbing his chin thoughtfully before looking seriously at the two Marine captains.
"Then please hurry up and resolve it. I'm in a hurry."
"…"
Hina and Smoker's faces twitched, both wishing they could kick Maude off the ship.
Responding to the distress signal, the warship changed course toward Dali Island.
A spring island with a pleasant climate, Dali Island thrived thanks to its rich resources, driving a prosperous economy.
To pirates, however, such a place was a juicy cake.
A single bite could sustain them for a long time.
But pirates were greedy by nature. One bite would never be enough.
To swallow the entire cake, the pirates had chosen to form an alliance to overpower the Marines stationed on the island.
Yet the Marines were no pushovers.
Strategically important islands like this were heavily guarded.
The stationed Marines were elite troops.
Even after a full day of relentless attacks, the pirate coalition couldn't break through.
However, the outcome was clear.
With superior numbers and combined strength, the pirates would inevitably triumph.
To boost morale, the pirate captains promised their crews a free-for-all loot system.
This meant that once the Marines fell, the pirates could plunder at will, only having to hand over a small portion afterward.
More importantly, any captured women would be theirs to enjoy, without needing to offer them to the captains or officers.
Fueled by greed, the pirates charged with reckless abandon.
A crazed pirate was the most terrifying kind.
Through waves of suicidal assaults, the Marines were pushed back step by step.
They knew very well what kind of hell awaited the townspeople if they fell here.
"No matter what happens, we must hold the line against these beasts!!!"
A Marine Headquarters Captain raised his sword and roared, rallying his comrades as he fought.
But as their disadvantage became more apparent, the Marine Captain was brutally slain by the combined assault of several pirate captains.
With his death, the defensive line collapsed.
The Marines stationed on the island were slaughtered to the last man by the pirate coalition.
With the obstacles finally cleared, the blood-soaked pirates charged toward the town in a frenzy.
Wealth,
Women,
Liquor—
Everything was within their grasp.
It wasn't long before the town echoed with the screams of women and the wails of men.
Swoosh, swoosh—
Just as the pirates struggled to crack open the hard shells of oysters, barely managing to take a single bite of the tender meat inside—
Bullets whistled through the air from afar, like the strings of a deathly symphony playing in their ears.
Pfft! Pfft!
The sudden gunfire was unfailing, efficiently reaping the lives of the pirates.
One after another, the pirates collapsed.
The sharp-eyed among them noticed that every single bullet struck the forehead, killing the target instantly.
That realization sent chills down their spines.
"Where are the shots coming from?!"
A pirate howled.
"The sea—it's coming from the sea!"
"Huh? It's a warship… but from this distance, how can anyone shoot so accurately?!"
Gazing at the distant warship, no bigger than a palm in their view, the pirates looked as if they had seen a ghost.
The gunfire did not stop.
With each passing second, more pirates fell under the relentless barrage.
Even those hiding behind supposedly safe walls were killed by bullets that pierced through the barriers.
"What kind of Marine monster is this…?"
Facing gunfire that no wall could protect against, the pirates were on the verge of madness.
Onboard the warship,
The lookouts, much like the pirates on the island, stared at Maude—who continuously fired his rifle—with expressions as if they had seen something inhuman.
"Every shot… on target."
"Such terrifying marksmanship."
"So this is the Phantom Sniper…"
Under the lookout's hushed explanation, the other Marines gazed at Maude in shock, as if he were a nightmarish creature.
Hitting targets with perfect accuracy from this distance was already unbelievable—but shooting through obstacles to kill hidden enemies?
Under the awestruck gazes of the Marines, Maude continued firing while nonchalantly saying,
"Can't you lend a hand? I'm in a hurry here."
"..."
The Marine snipers on the warship quietly tucked their flintlock rifles behind their backs.
Damn it—
Not everyone could be a freak like him!
They grumbled bitterly in their hearts.
Hina silently watched Maude as he kept pulling the trigger, mowing down pirates.
Despite her deep dislike for the man, she couldn't help but think—
If only Maude were a Marine.
Hina quickly shook her head, snapping out of her unrealistic fantasy and scolding herself for even entertaining the thought.
However, seeing Maude's long-range sniping save civilian lives one after another, Hina suddenly thought of a way to exact some payback from him.
"In a hurry, are you?"
"Hina will oblige."
A sly smile played across Hina's lips as she fixed her gaze on Maude, a scheme already forming in her mind.
"?"
Sensing something off, Maude glanced at Hina with suspicion.
Hina quickly wiped the smile off her face, feigning nonchalance as she turned away.
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