One Piece: Scourge of the Seas

Hearing the conversation coming from the shop, Maude couldn't help but grow curious about Sol's background.

To be familiar with a figure as prominent as Shanks and to be addressed with such respect by Yasopp—Sol couldn't possibly be an obscure nobody.

In the short two days since arriving in this world, Maude had already grasped an undeniable truth:

In this era of great pirate expeditions, where countless dangerous individuals roamed the seas, there were undoubtedly many formidable figures left unmentioned in the original story.

If he wanted to find his footing in this world...

The difficulty was far greater than in the world of hunters.

Maude instinctively tightened his grip on the flintlock musket he'd managed to borrow from Yasopp.

He now had a weapon. Next, he needed to find a second target.

But the prerequisite for hunting his next target was having the means to walk freely outside.

A single gun wasn't nearly enough to guarantee his safety.

After all, while he had marksmanship skills, he didn't possess Yasopp's godlike reloading speed.

In a fight, he'd likely only get one shot before running out of options.

"Huh?"

Maude's brow twitched as a critical realization hit him.

"I don't have any bullets..."

In his haste to leave the scene earlier, he'd completely forgotten to ask Yasopp for gunpowder and lead bullets.

Maude sighed in frustration.

That night.

The shop was brightly lit, with the table laden with fine food and the aroma of wine filling the air.

Shanks swirled his wooden cup, his tone filled with nostalgia. "I've had countless fine wines, but none ever compare to the taste of my hometown's brew."

"Why are you still here?" Sol asked, his heavy-lidded eyes radiating disdain that could've been mistaken for seasoning sprinkled over the food.

"Don't be so cold. It's been a while since we've seen each other," Shanks replied with a carefree smile, as if their tense exchange earlier that day had been completely forgotten.

Sunny tactfully refilled Shanks' cup, while Yasopp silently focused on eating and drinking.

As for Lucky Roux, he hadn't returned since hauling the wine back to the ship.

Maude sat quietly near the wall, relieved that Yasopp hadn't left yet. He was mulling over when would be the best time to ask for gunpowder and bullets.

Naturally, it wouldn't be appropriate to ask at the dinner table.

After much deliberation, he concluded that there was only one opportunity:

Please go to the bathroom... Please go to the bathroom...

Maude chanted silently in his mind.

Yasopp, mid-drink, suddenly shivered.

Huh? Is it because of the sharp temperature difference between day and night? he wondered, shaking his head before continuing to drink.

Sol glanced at Shanks' empty left sleeve and said coolly, "What I told you earlier wasn't a joke. Someone like you—a man of your stature—coming here just to buy wine now and then is bound to bring me trouble I can't avoid."

"You're not wrong," Shanks replied, looking at the wine in his cup.

"Have you considered... joining my crew?" he asked.

"Joining your crew?" Sol snorted derisively. "I'm an old man knocking on death's door. Are you inviting me aboard to retire? Besides, having Yasopp on your crew is more than enough."

"Uh, I'll head to the restroom."

Unable to endure the weight of Sol's words, Yasopp stood abruptly, using a bathroom break as his excuse.

Maude seized the moment and quietly followed him.

Their departure didn't interrupt Shanks and Sol's conversation at the table.

"Fair enough..." Shanks chuckled, acknowledging Sol's point.

Sol drained his cup and said calmly, "In the decades I've lived, pirates have been as numerous as carp swimming the rivers. But in the end, how many of them truly die peacefully? A relic like me, discarded by the times, can only be content with breathing another day."

"..."

Shanks fell silent.

Sunny muttered under her breath, "Still old enough to frequent the pleasure quarters…"

Her comment drew a smile from Shanks.

"Eat more, talk less," Sol snapped, glaring at her before turning his sharp gaze to Shanks. "What are you laughing at? If you understand what I'm saying, then don't come back here again."

Shanks replied earnestly, "Then at least tell me where you hide the wine."

"Get lost!"

In the hallway.

"Do you need something?" Yasopp asked, standing at the restroom door and glancing back at the tailing Maude.

Maude nodded, lowering his voice to explain. "I wanted to ask if you could spare me some bullets and gunpowder."

"Huh?" Yasopp gave him a strange look. "This is a weapons shop, you know."

Asking for a gun during the day was one thing, but now bullets at night?

"Well, yes, but…"

Maude faltered, scrambling for a suitable excuse. Unfortunately, he lacked Sunny's talent for casually pinning the blame on Sol in such situations.

Yasopp didn't press him further, simply retrieving a small portion of bullets and gunpowder from his pouch.

"Will this do?"

"Yes!"

Maude nodded enthusiastically, snatching the ammunition before Yasopp could change his mind.

Yasopp, bemused, thought to himself: It's just a few bullets. What's the big deal?

He glanced back toward the shop's glowing lights, guessing that his captain and Sol would be chatting for a while longer. With nothing better to do, he lit a cigarette and crouched near the restroom door.

Having secured the ammunition, Maude had no intention of lingering. He turned to head upstairs and store the bullets safely in his room.

Before he could take a step, Yasopp handed him a cigarette.

"Smoke?"

"Uh…"

Not wanting to seem rude, Maude carefully pocketed the bullets before accepting the cigarette.

Blowing out a plume of smoke, Yasopp, perhaps out of boredom, struck up a conversation.

"Ever thought about naming your gun?"

Maude paused to think but was interrupted as Yasopp continued, "I've always called mine 'Old Partner,' but I never got to see it through to the end. Guns, you see, aren't like swords. People rarely remember their names."

"Even if a gun has a grand name, what sticks with people is usually the person wielding it. Still, a good gun makes a good sharpshooter. So, what name will you give yours?"

"I…"

Before Maude could respond, Yasopp cut him off.

"To be honest, leaving 'Old Partner' behind did feel bittersweet. But for some reason, handing it over to you brought me an inexplicable sense of relief."

"I…"

"As a marksman, though, your physical condition is just as important. You're too weak right now."

"I…"

"Wait, what am I doing? With Sol around, it's not my place to give you advice, haha. By the way, have you decided on a name for it yet?"

"I…"

"Why not call it Usopp? Cute name, right? It's actually my son's name. Now that I think about it, he's probably around your age."

"..."

Thick cigarette smoke filled the hallway.

Maude came to a realization:

When dealing with a drunk chatterbox, don't even bother trying to speak.

Just listen.

------------------------------

If you want to support me and read advance chapters, please visit:

patreon.com / EmperorGarus