Chapter 115: Unbelievable

The blade of Chidori was unsheathed.

A faint blue glow flickered and disappeared before Maude, as though an invisible barrier had been erected out of thin air.

Holding his sword horizontally, Maude focused his gaze on Gion, who stood a few meters away.

Despite having slain so many pirates, her clothes were pristine—no trace of blood or dirt to be seen.

From the corner of his eye, Maude glanced at the long blade in Gion's hand.

Drip.

A cooling bead of blood fell from the tip of her sword, splattering into a crimson bloom on the ground.

This woman...

How long did it take her to rout that entire band of pirates?

Thirty seconds?

Though they were just a disorganized mob with no discipline, the speed of her carnage was astonishing.

Facing an opponent of this caliber, could he hold his ground with his current strength?

Maude's nerves were taut.

Sunny, perched on Maude's back, had her gun trained on Gion, her finger resting on the trigger but not yet pulling it.

Gion paid no mind to the barrel pointed at her and instead turned her gaze toward the sword in Maude's hands.

The blade was still, tilted slightly downward—its posture suggested defense yet left room for immediate counterattack.

Though there were gaps in his stance, they were minimal.

A glimmer of intrigue flashed in Gion's wine-red eyes.

"This stance… It doesn't look self-taught, nor does it seem like something that can be mastered in just a few months."

Despite already knowing this from Wolfrat's reports, witnessing it firsthand still left her astonished.

The intelligence she had received suggested that while "Phantom Gun" had a penchant for collecting famous swords, his swordsmanship was of no real note.

So where did Maude learn to wield a blade?

And how did he achieve this level of proficiency in such a short time?

Regardless of the process, the result was clear—Maude possessed an extraordinary gift.

Someone like this would be highly sought after wherever they went.

If he had a clean background and joined the Marines, he would undoubtedly rise to the rank of Vice Admiral or higher.

But Maude's association with "Phantom Gun" made him a dangerous element.

This was the fundamental reason Gion had marked him as a threat.

For more than three seconds, the two locked eyes.

Gion made no effort to dissipate the aura of killing intent she had gathered on her path here. Instead, she used it to continuously pressure Maude and Sunny.

"Bacardi Maude."

Gion suddenly spoke his name softly, breaking the silence.

Both Maude and Sunny's expressions changed.

They knew all too well what it meant for Gion to call out his name.

Maude did not respond, but Sunny immediately asked, "You know who he is?"

"Perfectly well."

Gion flicked her wrist, shaking the blood clean off her blade.

The motion was subtle, yet it conveyed a readiness to strike at any moment.

But Sunny, focused on Maude's safety, failed to catch this detail.

Her thoughts raced.

If this formidable Marine knew Maude's origins, perhaps they could hide the fact that Maude had killed Robbie.

If they could do that, maybe Maude wouldn't become her target.

"If you know…"

Sunny's hopeful words were abruptly cut off by Gion's cold, emotionless question.

"Was it you who killed Robbie, Bacardi Maude?"

Her gaze fixed on Maude's impassive face.

The sudden question didn't provoke any reaction from Maude.

Sunny's earlier mention of this matter had already prepared him for the possibility.

Meeting Gion's penetrating gaze, Maude remained calm, ready to deflect with a nonchalant remark—until a faint, captivating fragrance wafted into his nostrils.

"Yes."

The word left his mouth before he realized it.

That scent…

The moment he caught on, Maude's heart tightened. He instinctively held his breath, retreating rapidly without bothering to gauge Gion's reaction.

Sunny, on the other hand, was stunned, automatically filling in the blanks in her mind.

"Idiot…"

She gritted her teeth.

Using their position as victims to deter the Marine was the only plan she thought could save Maude.

And since the Marine knew Maude's background, there was a chance it could work.

But now, with Maude's straightforward admission, that hope was shattered.

Meanwhile, Gion's expression shifted to one of disbelief as she observed Maude retreat.

As a user of the Aroma-Aroma Fruit, she could release various scents with distinct effects from her body.

Most of these effects targeted mental states.

While the fruit's ability seemed unimpressive at first glance, its true potential lay in how creatively it was developed—and Gion had explored its capabilities extensively.

For example, just now, she had released a scent at the perfect moment to coax an honest response from Maude.

Her question had been more of a test, as everyone present was a suspect.

The only clues she had were that Robbie had died in single combat and the wounds were from a blade.

Yet under the influence of the scent, this seemingly inconsequential test had revealed the truth.

"Unbelievable…"

Gion muttered to herself.

She acknowledged Maude's talent and strength but doubted he could have defeated Robbie—a Marine Headquarters Captain adept in the Six Powers (Rokushiki).

This boy…

Shaking off her thoughts, Gion swiftly activated her ability, her mind returning to an emotionless state.

"Shave!"

With a flash, she closed the distance to Maude.

Seeing her approach, Maude quickly set Sunny down.

"Get away from here."

Leaving those words behind, Maude charged toward Gion instead of retreating further.

His intent was clear—keep the fight away from Sunny.

Seeing Maude rush at her, Gion halted her Shave and unleashed a slash, sending a wave of sword energy his way.

"I can't dodge…"

Coating Chidori in Armament Haki, Maude swung, cleaving the sword energy in two.

The split energy flew past on either side.

As soon as the attack was neutralized, Maude retracted his Haki to conserve it.

This deliberate action did not escape Gion's sharp eyes.

As someone experienced, she immediately recognized the implication.

"He's already proficient in Armament Haki?"

If not for her Aroma-Aroma Fruit keeping her emotions subdued, she would have been visibly shocked.

Could such a thing even be possible?

Her disbelief didn't slow her assault.

In a blink, she was before Maude again, her blade descending.

Maude barely managed to block, their blades clashing.

Clang!

Sparks flew as invisible shockwaves rippled outward, fracturing the ground beneath them.

Crack!

The earth shattered in a fan-shaped pattern where Maude braced himself.

He held his ground, enduring the overwhelming force transmitted through the blade.

The fractured ground beneath his feet attested to the strain he endured.

He blocked it…

From afar, the pirates who had narrowly escaped watched in awe.

No matter how many of them had attacked that monstrous woman, she had cut them down with ease.

Only Usopp could stand against her.

Seizing the opportunity, the remaining pirates fled without looking back.

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