One Piece: Scourge of the Seas

The arrival of "Red-Haired" Shanks was something Maude hadn't anticipated.

Even though Shanks had been nothing but friendly since stepping into the shop, Maude intended to stay silent on the sidelines and wait until he left.

However, after overhearing the conversation between Yasopp and Sunny, Maude couldn't remain passive.

Guns—they were the upgrade tools he desperately needed right now.

Originally, he had planned to procure one from Sol, but as a newcomer, how could he possibly ask for a gun so soon?

Then Yasopp showed up and presented an opportunity.

At that moment, Maude decided he couldn't just stand by. Without hesitation, he boldly stepped forward and asked Yasopp for the old, worn-out flintlock musket.

Worst case, he'd be refused.

Best case, he'd get the gun—a complete win.

That was his thought process before deciding to make himself noticed.

"Who is he?"

Shanks tilted his head toward Sunny, who stood behind the counter with a slight frown. There was a trace of amusement in his tone.

When their eyes had briefly met earlier, Shanks had sensed that the boy recognized him.

Not that it mattered.

But who would have thought that this young man, who had been deliberately suppressing his presence, would suddenly step forward and ask Yasopp for a gun?

The stark contrast was... interesting.

"He's Maude, the new... employee Sol hired," Sunny replied, answering Shanks' question.

Shanks nodded slightly and turned his attention to Yasopp, who was scrutinizing Maude.

"Do you know how to use a gun?"

That was the first question Yasopp posed.

"I do!"

Maude replied without a moment's hesitation.

Yasopp's gaze sharpened in an instant.

He wasn't just any sniper—he was one of the best in the world. To him, it was obvious that this frail young man had never even touched a gun before.

"I don't believe you."

Yasopp's faint smile didn't reach his eyes, which were as sharp as a loaded weapon.

Bullying kids was never more than a trivial amusement for him. Considering Maude was Sol's employee, Yasopp didn't mind wasting a bit of time on him.

But Maude met Yasopp's piercing gaze directly and responded seriously, "What will it take for you to believe me?"

Yasopp was momentarily taken aback.

Maude's demeanor and tone didn't seem like he was lying.

Still, Yasopp wasn't one to doubt his own judgment.

Calmly, he locked eyes with Maude before picking up an expensive flintlock pistol from the counter—a weapon worth 3.8 million berries.

With practiced precision, he loaded the powder and shot in one smooth, fluid motion.

"Prove it to me," Yasopp said, handing the loaded gun to Maude.

Maude didn't take the gun immediately. Instead, he pointed to the worn flintlock musket on the counter and asked, "If I prove myself, will you give me that gun?"

"Sure," Yasopp replied with a chuckle.

Satisfied, Maude nodded, stepped forward, and took the expensive pistol from Yasopp.

He knew that everything hinged on this single shot.

But how should he prove himself?

As he pondered, his eyes landed on the shop door, which he had left ajar earlier, leaving a narrow crack.

An idea took shape.

Quickly, Maude walked to the farthest wall from the door, then turned to face it.

Without any warning, he raised the gun in a flash and pulled the trigger without hesitation.

Bang—

The muzzle flared with smoke, and a scorching lead ball shot out at high speed, precisely passing through the crack in the door.

The smell of burnt powder filled the air as Maude maintained his shooting stance.

At a time like this, he couldn't afford to worry about the possibility of hitting a passerby.

Shanks and Yasopp both glanced at the door. With their sharp eyesight, they saw that the wooden door remained unharmed.

The crack was narrow—barely wide enough for two lead bullets to pass through simultaneously.

Ignoring Maude's textbook shooting posture, the fact that he had fired so fluidly, almost without aiming, was remarkable.

Though it was only a distance of a few meters, there was no doubt now—Maude could use a gun.

Behind the counter, Sunny stared at Maude in shock. She hadn't expected him to have such skill with firearms.

"Not bad," Shanks commented.

Of course, on the Grand Line, such marksmanship was nothing extraordinary. But in this situation, it deserved a word of praise.

Yasopp said nothing. Instead, he picked up the old flintlock musket he affectionately called his "old friend" and walked over to Maude.

"This is yours now," Yasopp said, handing it over.

"Thank you," Maude replied, returning the pistol to Yasopp before accepting the musket.

Finally, he had a gun...

"Yasopp, it seems even you can misjudge people," Shanks teased, patting Yasopp's shoulder from behind.

Yasopp clicked his tongue, refusing to dignify his captain's jab with a response.

Had he really misjudged Maude?

His gaze lingered on the boy, now inspecting the musket. There was something oddly contradictory about him.

Though he clearly looked inexperienced with firearms, his precise handling of the pistol and his natural "feel" for shooting...

Forget it.

Yasopp shook his head and dismissed the thought.

"Boss, the barrels of liquor are loaded!" came Lucky Roux's voice from the back of the shop.

"Got it!" Shanks replied before turning to Sunny with a grin. "Little Sunny, be sure to send my regards to Sol!"

"No need!"

Before Sunny could respond, Sol's voice echoed from outside the shop.

Despite sounding some distance away, he had clearly heard Shanks' remark.

Shanks sighed dramatically. "This is going to be trouble..."

The sound of hurried footsteps approached rapidly.

Within moments, the door burst open, and Sol stormed in, just in time to see Lucky Roux carrying out a barrel of liquor. His face turned red with anger.

"Shanks, you're stealing my liquor again!"

"What do you mean, stealing? We paid for it. Ask Sunny if you don't believe me," Shanks replied with an innocent expression.

"Don't drag her into this! I'm not selling you any liquor!"

"Too late! The deal's done!"

"Get out! And don't ever come back!"

"Not happening. Unless you tell me where you stash the good stuff," Shanks said smugly.

Sol's face flushed with fury as he looked ready to throw himself to the floor in protest.

Yasopp and Lucky Roux stayed out of it, while Sunny held her head in exasperation.

As for Maude, the moment Sol started yelling, he had quietly retreated to the back room.

Instead of heading upstairs, he lingered by the stairwell, observing the scene in the shop.

Though hard to believe, it seemed Sol and Shanks were old acquaintances.

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