Something's off.
Maude glanced at Hina, who had turned her head away, sensing a shift in her demeanor.
However, pressed for time, Maude didn't dwell on it and continued sniping the pirates within Dali Town.
It was a one-sided assault.
Maude could kill the pirates, while the pirates could only watch helplessly, unable to even graze the hem of his clothes.
I can hit you.
But you can only look.
The sniper's charm was on full display.
This one-sided massacre shook the ruthless pirates to the core, making them question their lives.
Unless they eliminated the sniper monster on the warship, their only choices were to painfully abandon the sweet cake within reach or die here.
Though reluctant, the pirates made their decision swiftly. Understanding the futility of the situation, they retreated further inland.
All they wanted now was to get as far away as possible from that unreasonable sniper monster.
As for how they would escape the island later—there was no room to consider such things at the moment.
The pirates' retreat sparked cheers from the townspeople, who had been on the brink of hell.
"It's the Marines! The Marines have come to save us!"
"We're saved..."
"Thank goodness... thank goodness..."
Seeing the pirates flee, the residents rushed toward the port.
It was as if only by getting closer to the warship could they feel completely at ease.
Even with his exceptional sniping abilities, Maude had his limits.
Once the pirates retreated beyond the maximum range, he could only stow his rifle, ending the one-sided slaughter.
Originally, there had been nearly five hundred pirates, but now fewer than two hundred remained.
That was largely thanks to Bailey's transformation into a weapon, eliminating the need for reloading and greatly improving killing efficiency.
"They ran away."
Ignoring the cheering residents, Maude seemed a little disappointed.
For a sniper, shooting live targets was quite enjoyable.
Moreover, with the pirates fleeing, the Marines around him would undoubtedly refuse to let them go, likely choosing to pursue them.
That would mean more delays.
The surrounding Marines stared at Maude in awe.
The deck fell into silence.
As for the designated Marine snipers, they quietly withdrew from the conversation.
"Prepare to pursue!"
Moments later, Hina's cold, murderous voice snapped the stunned Marines back to their senses, and they quickly made ready for pursuit.
The warship drew closer to the shore.
The Marines standing along the rail could clearly see the terror-stricken expressions of the residents and the corpses of their fallen comrades, slaughtered by the pirates.
Though they were accustomed to such sights, each time they witnessed it with their own eyes, it was impossible to remain calm.
Suppressing their anger with difficulty, they wore heavy expressions.
Hina and Smoker's cold gazes conveyed that those fleeing pirates were already as good as dead.
Typically, Marines would decide the fate of pirates based on the situation at hand.
If conditions allowed for capture, they would imprison the pirates in Impel Down, subjecting them to lifelong torture.
If not, the pirates would be executed on the spot.
With the warship already holding over a hundred remnants of Baroque Works, there was no room to detain this bloodthirsty band of pirates.
Thus, Hina and Smoker had no intention of leaving them alive.
Before the ship even docked, Smoker and Hina leapt off, each using their respective abilities to chase the pirates.
The other Marines, unable to use Moonwalk or Logia powers, could only wait for the ship to dock.
Once ashore, the Marines swarmed out like beasts unleashed, trampling through pools of blood as they pursued the fleeing pirates.
Soon, only a dozen Marines, including Tashigi, remained on the ship as guards.
Perona led Bailey into town in search of food.
Maude, meanwhile, set his sights on the three pirate ships anchored at the dock.
Moonwalk.
Under the watchful eyes of Tashigi and the others, Maude stepped into the air, heading directly for the pirate ships.
Moments later, Maude landed on the largest of the three vessels.
The deck was deserted.
Instinctively, Maude activated Observation Haki, sweeping through the entire ship, but detected no signs of life.
The pirates must have felt assured of their victory, leaving no one behind to guard the ship.
Unfortunately for them, they had run into the calamity known as Maude, who crushed them before they could even begin their pillaging.
After a cursory glance at the deck, Maude headed into the ship, making straight for the captain's quarters.
No matter how poor a pirate crew was, the captain would always have some private stash.
Maude quickly arrived at the captain's quarters.
He pushed the door open.
The wooden door creaked as it hit the wall.
The room was spacious but sparsely furnished, with items haphazardly placed.
Maude's gaze fell on several gold ornaments atop the desk, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Though unfamiliar with the pirate flag, the ship's size and the casual use of gold for decoration hinted at the crew's wealth.
His eyes shifted to a wooden cabinet by the bed.
Resting atop the cabinet was a genuine mechanical combination safe.
Such was the world of pirates—where flintlock pistols coexisted with Gatling guns.
The modern-looking safe, with its adjustable mechanical lock, stood in stark contrast to the usual wooden treasure chests.
It was the first time Maude had seen pirates use such a safe, sparking his curiosity.
He approached the cabinet, lifting the safe onto the desk.
Without knowing the combination, he had no need for it.
Clang—
Drawing Shusui, he effortlessly sliced through one side of the safe.
The metal panel clattered to the floor.
Maude sheathed his blade and peered inside.
Gold and jewels were piled within, shimmering enticingly.
Besides the treasure, there was a letter and a Log Pose engraved with a location name.
"Merveille."
Maude had never heard of the place.
He set down the Log Pose and unfolded the letter.
An unexpected name leapt from the paper.
Golden Lion—
Maude's eyes flickered.
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