One Piece: Scourge of the Seas

A pirate with a bounty exceeding 100 million berries.

In the Grand Line, or even the New World, this level of bounty might not seem extraordinary.

However, it is rare for pirates to surpass such a figure before entering the Grand Line.

Bacardi Maude is one of those rare exceptions.

As a result, many within the Grand Line kept a close eye on Maude's movements.

These individuals were mostly pirates and bounty hunters, predominantly scattered across the first islands of each route.

For instance, there were those on Twin Cape Island, part of Route 2, and others on Whiskey Island, part of Route 5.

They all understood one thing:

Bacardi Maude would inevitably arrive in the Grand Line.

And just as they had anticipated—

Maude had finally arrived.

He reached the true starting point of this vast sea: the Beginning Island.

Before this, every "resident" on the Twin Island had memorized Maude's name and appearance. They did so out of fear of accidentally crossing paths with him.

Of course, not everyone acted out of caution. Many others were lured by the prospect of a hefty bounty, viewing Maude as prey.

For these ambitious individuals, the first island of every route was an ideal hunting ground.

However, Dior and Emmo's group did not fall into this category.

Their misstep in crossing Maude's path was largely due to two factors:

Maude's spontaneous decision to hoist his pirate flag on Twin Cape and the stark contrast between his notorious bounty and the rundown state of his ship.

And, from Dior's perspective, the Navy's incompetence.

Meanwhile, a pirate nicknamed Turkey fled the scene, silently mourning Dior and Emmo's fate.

Having operated on Twin Island for five years, Turkey Dada had survived by being both perceptive and opportunistic.

For pirates like him, keen observation was the key to survival. Without it, death could come swiftly.

Equally important was avoiding "deadweight allies."

Dada believed in keeping his crew small but capable. His ten or so companions were sharp and reliable, unlike Dior's group of useless freeloaders.

And now, Dior's poor judgment had led him straight to ruin.

As he ran, Dada felt fortunate for arriving late to the scene.

Looking back at the slope near the shore, he hoped to glimpse Dior's demise.

"Huh?"

All he saw was a field of corpses—Maude was nowhere in sight.

Dada and his clever crewmates were dumbfounded.

"What the hell happened?"

How had Dior's entire crew been wiped out so quickly?

Moreover, there hadn't even been the sound of a fight.

As Dada's thoughts raced, a breeze swept past him.

Suddenly, Maude appeared at his side, wrapping an arm around Dada's neck as if greeting an old friend.

"Hey, buddy, slow down. Let's have a little chat."

"…"

Dada's face turned pale as he instinctively halted. From sprinting to a dead stop, it took him less than a second.

Thump, thump…

His heart pounded loudly in his ears.

Cold sweat trickled down his neck as he stared at the ground, too terrified to turn his head toward Maude.

A tiger by your side.

That phrase inexplicably popped into his mind.

Dior and his crew hadn't been weak, so how had they fallen so silently and swiftly?

Was this the power of a pirate with a bounty exceeding 100 million berries?

Dada's thoughts spiraled into chaos.

His crew, who had been running alongside him, skidded to a halt. They gawked at Maude, who now had their leader in a friendly headlock.

Shing!

Without hesitation, Dada's men drew their blades and aimed them at Modo.

Though they knew he was a foe far beyond their ability to defeat, they didn't abandon their captain.

Their loyalty—a rarity in the pirate world—shone through in this critical moment.

Moved by their actions, Dada roared angrily:

"What the hell are you doing?!"

"Put down your weapons this instant!"

"Open your damn eyes and take a good look at the handsome man standing next to me!"

"Do you see him clearly?!"

"This is Bacardi Maude, the pirate with a bounty exceeding 100 million berries!"

"Yes, that's right!"

"He's the man you can't stop talking about!"

"He's the one who turned the West Blue upside down, founded the Usopp Style, and wreaked havoc across the East Blue!"

"He's the pirate who doesn't bow to the World Government and even destroyed two warships and a royal family during the Reverie!"

"Tell me, who else in the four seas can accomplish such feats?"

"This man, this unparalleled legend, is my lifelong idol!"

Dada raised his head, veins bulging as he shouted his declaration with every ounce of his strength.

His booming voice carried far and wide.

Dada's crew froze, stunned.

Their captain glared at them, furious.

"Are you deaf, or do you lack brains?! How dare you raise weapons against my idol! Drop them now!"

Finally, Dada's crew complied, their weapons clattering to the ground.

"Oh no, we pointed guns at the captain's idol. We're doomed!"

"Yes, we're unforgivable!"

They knelt, sobbing in repentance.

Dada, seeing his crew's swift obedience, dared to hope for a slim chance of survival.

Still, he didn't dare glance at Maude's expression.

"You're… quite amusing."

Maude chuckled, looking at the fiery red-haired pirate in his grasp.

The sheer desperation was both absurd and entertaining.

The Grand Line was shaping up to be a fascinating place.

"Thank you, idol, for your praise!"

Dada shamelessly accepted the compliment.

Maude patted his chest and smiled. "Relax. I'm not some bloodthirsty maniac. I just stopped you to chat."

"…"

Dada's heart raced.

Not bloodthirsty?

The corpses nearby told a different story.

But he couldn't fault Maude's actions—dealing with enemies required decisiveness.

Blaming Dior's group for their own poor judgment, Dada forced himself to calm down.

"I know a good restaurant in town. Why not head there? My treat!"

"Hmm, sounds good."

Maude released him, his gaze shifting to the mast ship approaching the shore.

From this distance, he could see Gaya and Lafitte's astonished expressions.

They had clearly heard Dada's spirited declaration.

Maude smirked, thinking to himself:

This place is going to be fun.

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