How many pirates had been slain?
Maude didn't bother counting.
He only knew that most of the targets he had jotted down in his notebook were here in the colosseum.
These targets were primarily pirates—individuals whose bounties were high or reputations notorious. The Revolutionary Army, acting on his orders, had gathered intelligence exclusively on such figures, knowing they would be the most likely to vie for the Devil Fruit.
These types of pirates, possessing both ambition and ability, wouldn't easily give up even in the face of unexpected circumstances. This was precisely the scenario Maude had hoped for.
Still, when executing his plan, he hadn't anticipated that the Ahab Kingdom's army would lend him such a fortuitous "assist."
Thanks to their unintentional cooperation, Maude had effortlessly reaped most of the experience he sought.
By the time the pirates attempting to break through the encirclement realized the dire situation, fewer than three hundred of their comrades were still standing.
In comparison, the army—initially outnumbering the pirates five to one with 10,000 soldiers—had suffered 2,500 casualties.
Though the military losses were more severe in absolute terms, the pirates' ferocity was evident.
Despite their lack of discipline or coordination, they had managed to inflict significant damage on the army, even with Maude constantly stabbing them in the back.
Individually, the pirates were undoubtedly more formidable.
However, the remaining 7,500 soldiers still held a decisive numerical advantage. The pirates, now fewer than 300, were left in a hopelessly grim state.
The vast disparity in numbers made any chance of escape nearly impossible.
What remained was a cocktail of despair, frustration, and anger—anger directed squarely at Maude.
"Maude Pirates… Aren't you pirates too? Why the hell are you siding with these soldiers against us?"
A blood-soaked pirate snarled at Maude, his eyes ablaze with rage.
The surviving pirates, along with the soldiers poised to execute them, cast wary glances at Maude.
Initially, the chaos of battle had masked Maude's actions. But as more and more bodies fell, it became apparent—Maude wasn't targeting the army. He was killing pirates.
This revelation was the root of the pirates' fury.
Maude ignored their accusatory glares, offering no explanation.
Among them, only Barton the Savage Fang Pirates had realized Maude's true objective before his death: this wasn't about the Devil Fruit. Maude had come here to hunt them.
Just as he had done on Twin Island.
And like Barton, these pirates would meet the same fate.
Maude's silence only fueled their anger.
They couldn't comprehend his motives. If not for Maude's past actions—such as sinking two Marine escort ships—they might have assumed he was secretly working for the Navy.
Otherwise, why would a fellow pirate target his own kind?
The hatred in their eyes deepened, their rage morphing into murderous intent.
"Bacardi Maude! It's all your fault we're trapped here!"
"Even if I die, I'll take you down with me!"
Realizing escape was impossible, the pirates turned their fury on Maude.
To them, he was the architect of their plight—the reason they were cornered like rats.
Maude didn't deny it.
Confronted with their hostility, he remained unperturbed. To him, the army's encirclement was meaningless.
If the pirates understood the source of his confidence, they wouldn't question why he dared to attack them under such circumstances.
"Come."
Calmly, Maude raised his blade, pointing it at the bloodthirsty mob.
The earlier skirmish had pushed his physical prowess to a new level. His four-and-a-half-star physique had broken through to five stars, leaving him one step away from forming the sixth star frame.
His mastery of Haki had similarly advanced, crossing the first threshold to reach three stars.
As for his swordsmanship, the gains were even more remarkable. From three stars, it had jumped to four, thanks to the sheer number of blade-wielding opponents.
The dramatic improvements fueled Maude's desire for combat.
Even though he had already harvested most of the experience available, he didn't mind indulging in one final skirmish.
After all, battle was the best way to fully convert the notebook's gains into real strength.
If nothing else, the experience would be invaluable.
With a confident stance, Maude's audacious challenge only incited the pirates further.
Recognizing the brewing conflict, the Ahab Kingdom's soldiers wisely retreated, maintaining their blockade while leaving the pirates and Maude to settle their differences.
The pirates, driven by desperation and rage, abandoned all pretense of escape and charged at Maude as a unified force.
Lafitte and Jim, standing nearby, began to approach Maude, but he waved them off without looking back.
"I've got this."
The two halted, respecting his decision.
Maude turned to face the oncoming horde.
"If it's now…"
A gleam of excitement flickered in his eyes as he drew his flintlock pistol, Dark Crow, with his left hand.
"With three-star Haki and the old gun's 'feel,' it shouldn't misfire, right?"
With that thought, Maude raised the pistol and took aim at the approaching mass of pirates.
The well-worn barrel gleamed ominously as it was enveloped in a coating of Armament Haki.
The pirates, confident in their numbers, scoffed at the sight of a single flintlock.
"A pistol? Against us?"
"Compress. Fire."
Carefully controlling the flow of Haki, Maude pulled the trigger.
Bang!
The muzzle flash was brief, but the results were immediate.
An Armament-coated bullet tore through the chest of the pirate leading the charge, leaving a gaping, fist-sized hole.
Before the man even realized he was dead, the bullet continued its trajectory, piercing through seven more pirates in a perfect line.
It wasn't until the faint smoke curled from the barrel that the magnitude of the shot sank in.
One shot. Eight kills.
Was this really the power of a flintlock pistol?
The sheer lethality left everyone frozen in disbelief.
Satisfied with the gun's performance, Maude lowered his left hand and raised his right, gripping his blade.
"Next…" he murmured, his voice tinged with anticipation.
He swung Chidori in a wide arc, unleashing a crescent-shaped slash of energy.
The ghostly blue wave cut through the air, slicing dozens of pirates in its path.
The bodies fell in pieces, blood splattering the battlefield.
In mere moments, Maude's combined assault had shattered the pirates' morale.
"Excellent."
Maude smiled, pleased with the results.
The hunt was over, and he had ascended to a new peak.
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