Chapter 152: Two Matters

Striding briskly along the coastline, Bailey couldn't stop grumbling about Momoo.

Unable to bear it anymore, Maude tossed Bailey onto the ground, making him walk on his own.

Before long, they arrived at the spot where their small sailboat was anchored.

To load the heavy bag of cash onto the boat, Maude and Lafitte first cleared out the ship's navigation supplies.

They left only two days' worth of food and four days' worth of fresh water, barely managing to squeeze the massive bag onboard, securing it with several thick ropes.

Once everything was set, they hoisted the sails and departed.

Four days later.

The small sailboat reached the waters near Ronka Island.

"Finally here."

After four days at sea, Maude stood at the bow, gazing at the dock on Ronka Island.

Fishing boats were neatly moored at the pier, with larger merchant ships towering in the distance, alongside a lone Marine battleship, its very presence enough to deter pirates.

Ignoring the warship, Maude scrutinized the activity at the bustling dock.

Though small, the place was crowded, bustling with life. Even from a few hundred meters away, Maude could hear the clamor of voices.

"Lafitte, if anything happens later, I'll leave the bag's safety to you."

Maude glanced back at Lafitte.

"Understood," Lafitte nodded.

Their combined bounty now exceeded 100 million berries.

While ordinary citizens might not immediately recognize Maude and Lafitte, the same couldn't be said for the Marines.

Memorizing every wanted poster was an essential duty for every Marine, especially when it came to high-bounty pirates like Maude and Lafitte, who might be identified with just a glance.

As Maude expected, the Marines stationed at the dock took notice of their small sailboat.

A Marine on the warship's lookout post instinctively picked up his binoculars, closely observing the situation on the boat.

The moment he saw Maude and Lafitte's faces, his expression turned pale.

Clatter!

The binoculars slipped from his trembling hands.

"Bounty... 42.2 million for Lafitte, and... 68 million for Maude!!!"

"What are they doing in the East Blue?!"

Muttering in shock, the Marine's face twisted in fear. Seconds later, he shouted at the top of his lungs:

"Pirates inbound!!!"

"The targets are...!!!"

The dock fell into an eerie silence, followed by an eruption of panic.

The warship swiftly adjusted its position, pointing a row of cannons at Maude's small sailboat.

"So much for a smooth landing," Maude remarked, eyeing the efficiently maneuvering warship with regret.

Lafitte, wasting no time, cut the ropes securing the bag of money, hoisting it onto his shoulder.

Bailey jumped onto the bag, ready for Lafitte to carry him along.

At that moment, a deafening barrage of cannon fire echoed from the dock.

Four black cannonballs hurtled toward their small sailboat.

Maude ascended into the air using Moonwalk, while Lafitte unfurled his pure white wings, taking flight with the bag and Bailey in tow.

Boom!

The cannonballs struck, one hitting the sailboat dead-on.

A violent explosion obliterated the vessel, scattering fragments across the sea.

While the destruction of the target was evident, the Marines' victory was short-lived as they saw Maude walking through the air toward them.

"Take him down!"

The highest-ranking officer on the ship, a commander, barked the order, firing his rifle at Maude.

Bang! Bang!

A barrage of bullets rained toward the airborne pirate.

Effortlessly dodging, Maude descended onto the warship's deck under the helpless gazes of the Marines.

Minutes Later

Blood streaked across the deck like winding crimson streams.

Save for a single commander Maude intentionally spared, every other Marine lay lifeless.

As the battle concluded, Lafayette landed on the deck, setting the money bag aside without needing Maude's orders. He promptly hypnotized the surviving officer.

"Name."

"Abilities."

"Specialty."

After a few simple questions, Maude extracted the intelligence he needed and coldly snapped the officer's neck.

"How was it?" Lafitte inquired curiously.

"Nothing special," Maude replied, glancing at the corpse. The intelligence they gathered was about as valuable as taking down three Fish-Man grunts.

"Branch Marines," Maude remarked. "High rank, low skill."

"Hoho," Lafitte chuckled. "That'll change in the Grand Line."

"Indeed. Plenty of prime targets there."

Maude's mind raced through a list of high-value targets he had yet to hunt.

"Where's Bailey?"

Glancing around, he couldn't spot the mink.

"Probably raiding the kitchen."

"...Figures."

Before switching to a new ship, Maude and his crew ignored the commotion in the town and dock, enjoying a hearty meal in the warship's kitchen.

Afterward, they commandeered a well-armed merchant ship docked nearby, leaving the warship behind as it was too large and conspicuous.

The townsfolk watched in terror as the armed merchant ship sailed away.

Only after hours passed did a few brave souls venture to inspect the warship.

What they found was a deck strewn with corpses.

Two hours later, reinforcements from a nearby Marine branch finally arrived.

Seeing the carnage, the commodore leading the fleet turned pale.

"Those two... in the East Blue?!"

The commodore's face twisted as a grim realization struck him.

"Has the report been sent to headquarters?!"

Meanwhile

Aboard the armed merchant ship, Maude stood at the bow, enjoying the steadier, more spacious vessel.

"Lafitte, once we reach Syrup Village, take Bailey to Monmon Island."

"Understood."

Lafitte, fresh from inspecting the ship, busied himself counting money. The calm sea breeze didn't disturb the neatly stacked bills.

Bailey, meanwhile, had been sent to the crow's nest to keep watch.

Maude held up a wanted poster of Captain Kuro, retrieved from the warship on Ronka Island.

Before entering the Grand Line, Maude had two matters to address.

The first was visiting Syrup Village to check on Usopp, as promised to Yasopp.

Since the infamous Kuro was hiding in Syrup Village, Maude wouldn't let the opportunity slip.

The second was traveling to Moomoo Island to bring Jaya aboard. If she refused, Maude wouldn't force her, but regardless of the outcome, he planned to wait in Syrup Village for Lafitte and Bailey's return.

"Boss, we've got company!"

Bailey's voice rang from the crow's nest, drawing Maude's attention to the starboard side.

In the distance, three ships sailed in formation—two Marine warships flanking a grand, ornate vessel.

"Could it be... a ship bound for the Reverie?"

Maude's eyes gleamed with intrigue as he observed the procession.

Elsewhere

A Marine warship docked near Arlong Park.

Stepping ashore, a column of Marines led by Captain Nezumi surveyed the scene.

"Who did this?"

Nezumi stared at the ruins of Arlong Park in disbelief, his shock quickly giving way to thoughts of the Fish-Man Pirates' treasures.

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