Chapter 174: Insult My Captain, Face Certain Death!

Along the stone path, in front of the surrounding buildings, many figures turned their gaze toward where Maude stood.

The freshly deceased corpse, its neck brutally twisted by Maude, seemed like a grim calling card he'd tossed down before even stepping into town.

Those who recognized Maude were well aware of his deeds.

After all, this was the man who had wiped out an entire fleet of warships and royal vessels—a fearsome figure.

Anyone with a modicum of sense wouldn't dare provoke someone like him.

"What an idiot," the onlookers muttered, branding the burly man who had fallen as a fool.

Nearby, Dale, a reporter for a local news outlet, kept a close watch on the scene.

Seeing Maude kill someone so effortlessly before even entering the town, Dale silently prayed for more fools to show up. Without them, where would he get such compelling material for his articles?

By the tree bridge, Maude glanced at the corpse he had just dispatched. Finding it an eyesore, he casually kicked it into the nearby canal.

Splash.

The body sank into the canal's current and disappeared beneath the surface in the blink of an eye.

Watching the body vanish, Gaya sighed inwardly.

Though judging someone by their appearance wasn't ideal, the burly man certainly looked like a pirate—brutish, unreasonable, and utterly reckless.

With a quiet sigh, Gaya shifted her gaze toward the beautiful buildings lining the stone path ahead.

Vine-covered treehouses and flower-lined greenways—such a picturesque place, yet one that served as a true den of pirates.

The brief, inconsequential encounter didn't dampen the group's spirits.

Under Maude's lead, they followed the stone path toward the vibrant town surrounded by greenery.

"Dada, was that young man just now a resident of Winter Island? Are there towns over there as well?"

As they walked, Maude asked about the young man's origins.

Given the proximity of Twin Island's Spring and Winter halves, he found it odd anyone would choose the harsh environment of Winter Island.

"No," Dada shook his head, offering an explanation. "Winter Island doesn't have any towns. That young man is actually a local from Spring Island. It's just that…"

He hesitated, his expression growing complicated.

"During the voyage from Twin Capes to Twin Island, many pirates lose their nerve after experiencing the Grand Line. Those who survive the journey often abandon plans to venture further and settle here."

"Over time, more and more pirates gathered on Twin Island, and eventually…"

Dada chuckled awkwardly, a hint of guilt flashing across his face. "With so many pirates around, they needed places to live. So, they drove most of Spring Island's original residents to the other side—Winter Island."

What seemed like a logical move to the pirates was, to ordinary people, nothing short of a death sentence.

Dada himself had taken part in such acts. Years ago, he had seized a home from a family of civilians for better living conditions. What became of that family, he didn't know.

Living on a snow-battered island year-round meant either starving, freezing, or falling prey to a pirate's violent whims.

Compared to those fates, dying of hunger or cold seemed almost merciful.

Naturally, Dada refrained from sharing these details.

Hearing the story, Maude frowned. What he had assumed was another pirate town akin to Mad Hat turned out to be a case of pirates stealing homes from the weak.

Jim, who had been mostly quiet, narrowed his eyes and muttered coldly, "Despicable."

He despised oppression of any kind.

Gaya also frowned, the tale sitting uncomfortably with her.

Seeing their reactions, Dada forced a few awkward laughs and chose to focus on leading the way, not daring to elaborate further.

With Dada falling silent, the tour guide atmosphere evaporated.

The group soon entered the town.

Pirates began to gather on either side of the stone path, their eyes fixed on Maude at the head of the group.

"That's Bacardi Maude, the guy with a 100-million-beri bounty."

"Finally, I get to see him in person."

"Are those two his crewmates?"

"Probably, though it doesn't look like they have bounties."

Most of these onlookers were here purely out of curiosity, eager to catch a glimpse of Maude. Consequently, they paid little attention to Jim and Gaya.

As for the white weasel perched on Maude's shoulder, they dismissed it as an insignificant pet.

Maude, unfazed by the attention, remained calm.

Dada and his fellow Turkey crew members, on the other hand, straightened their backs nervously.

Thud, thud, thud…

Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from up ahead.

A group of over a hundred armed pirates marched toward them, weapons gleaming in the light.

These pirates, drawn by the allure of Maude's bounty, had quickly formed a ragtag alliance.

Their arrival instantly drew the attention of the surrounding crowd.

A few other would-be bounty hunters, lurking in the crowd, sneered at the newcomers.

"Idiots," one of them muttered, watching the boisterous group advance.

Even without considering Maude's infamous feats—like annihilating two navy ships—anyone with a bounty of 100 million wouldn't be easy to deal with.

If you wanted to target someone like that, stealth, poison, or an ambush were far more sensible options.

Charging head-on? That was suicide.

Still, they figured they might as well watch the carnage to gauge Maude's strength.

The advancing pirates, emboldened by their numbers, eyed Maude and his crew greedily. Their gazes lingered on Gaya, their expressions turning lecherous.

"You're Bacardi Maude? You don't look like much," one of them sneered.

"Crawl and lick my toes, and we might let you die quickly!"

"Hahaha!"

Strength in numbers clearly bolstered their confidence.

Seeing this, Dada spoke gravely, "Big Brother Maude, these guys are here for your bounty."

Ironically, Dada himself had no qualms about targeting fellow pirates in similar fashion.

Maude nodded slightly, his cold gaze sweeping over the group.

Before he could respond, Jim strode forward, his expression murderous.

"Insult my captain, and you die!"

His killing intent was palpable.

Gaya followed, unstrapping the single-handed axe on her back and stepping past Maude.

Killing pirates was something she'd grown quite accustomed to.

"I'm in!" shouted Bailey, leaping off Maude's shoulder to join the fray.

Maude remained where he was, calmly saying, "Finish this quickly—I don't want to miss lunch."

Dada and his crew stared in disbelief.

Was this really okay?

To them, the opposing group seemed formidable enough to warrant the captain stepping in personally.

The surrounding crowd was similarly stunned. They couldn't believe Maude was letting his subordinates handle it.

Jim wasted no time, charging straight into the enemy line. He closed the distance to the nearest pirate in an instant and unleashed a powerful punch.

Boom!

The unfortunate pirate was sent flying, crashing into a dozen others like a bowling ball.

When he finally hit the ground, his chest was caved in, blood pouring from his mouth—dead on impact.

Gaya wasn't far behind. Her sharp eyes locked onto a group of pirates wielding swords. With a quick step, she closed the gap and swung her axe.

"Feisty little thing, aren't y—"

The taunt was cut short as Gaya's axe cleaved through them, sending weapons and bodies flying.

"Rocket Headbutt!"

Bailey shot forward like a cannonball, his snowy white head slamming into a burly pirate built like a bear.

The pirate spat blood and flew backward over ten meters before collapsing lifelessly.

Seeing Bailey in action, the onlookers gawked in disbelief.

Even Maude's "pet" was terrifyingly strong!

Jim and Gaya's prowess only added to their shock.

How strong must the captain be if his crew was already this formidable?

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