The Hunter of Pirates

Things were getting worse by the second.

Inside the tavern, unrelated pirates watched nervously as Kazt and Elbay seemed on the verge of a brawl.

Many wanted to leave but could only stare helplessly at the door, now blocked by members of the Sharp Bull Pirate Crew.

With the entrance sealed, there was no way out.

It wasn't like they could shout at Kazt and Elbay, who were already teetering on the edge of exploding, to clear a path.

That might work, but who would be brave enough to try?

As for the alternative—the kitchen passage near the counter, which likely led to a back door—they would have to cross through the direct line of sight between Kazt and Elbay to reach it.

And that brought up the same problem: who would make the first move?

No one dared, so the pirates cautiously edged closer to the walls, hoping to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

If neither the front nor the back door proved viable, their last option was to break through the walls.

Although the tavern's wooden walls were tougher than ordinary timber, they were still wood, and breaking through wouldn't be too difficult.

Coincidentally, Mobin's thoughts mirrored those of the pirates. He showed no awareness of his role as the instigator of this chaos.

Breaking through the wall was also on his list of escape plans.

As for the nearby kitchen passage, he had no intention of using it—not because he worried about collateral damage to the tavern staff, but because of the trouble he'd face from the powers behind Mad Hat Town afterward.

"Why don't they just fight already?"

Mobin kept a wary eye on Elbay while glancing at Kazt's group near the door and the ten or so burly pirates Elbay had brought with her.

Despite Kazt's furious demeanor, Mobin found Elbay to be the greater threat.

That sudden, unprovoked sword thrust earlier had given him a much clearer understanding of her ruthless nature.

Using someone as twisted as her to block the gunfire wasn't ideal, but he had no better options.

Elbay smiled at Mobin like a blooming flower, as if she could see right through his thoughts.

Though she was smiling, her eyes were cold and brimming with killing intent.

With her back to Kazt and his group, she raised her left hand while holding her rapier in her right and snapped her fingers sharply.

The crisp sound cut through the tension like a knife.

At her signal, the ten pirates behind her drew their swords and ignored the skunk hiding under the table, moving swiftly to surround Elbay.

A mere pet wasn't worth their attention in this situation.

On Kazt's side, his crew had already brandished their weapons the moment Kazt entered his beast mode.

Several crew members, led by first mate Wells, raised their guns and aimed them directly at Elbay's group.

Most pirate crews included members proficient with firearms, and the Sharp Bull Pirate Crew was no exception.

In contrast, Elbay's group relied entirely on cold weapons, with not a single gun in sight.

Given the confined space, Kazt's group clearly had the upper hand in both numbers and firepower.

The tension in the air was like a taut string, stretched to its limit.

A fight could break out at any moment.

Sensing the worsening situation, Ratsnout quickly suppressed his emotions.

He had no desire to draw attention to himself by crying too conspicuously in this stormy calm before the battle.

Silently, he edged closer to Mobin's position.

He kept just the right distance—not close enough to step into Elbay's attack range, but not so far that he couldn't reach Mobin quickly.

This distance ensured he could intervene and assist Mobin at any moment.

"Why do I always end up like this?" Ratsnout muttered, frustrated but resigned.

He'd already cried; if Mobin didn't survive this mess, his efforts would be wasted, and he'd end up in trouble for no reason.

So even though the situation made him feel like he'd swallowed something foul, he had no choice but to endure the discomfort and focus on helping Mobin escape.

It was all for the mission, he told himself.

Mobin, however, was too preoccupied to notice Ratsnout's "good intentions."

After Elbay snapped her fingers, Mobin didn't even have the bandwidth to pay attention to Kazt's group anymore.

What alarmed him was that, despite the threat posed by Kazt and his crew, Elbay seemed entirely unconcerned. Her eyes were fixed solely on him.

"Big Sister Elbay, focusing on me like this won't help you—it'll just get your men killed faster," Mobin said sharply, aiming to strike a nerve.

"I think so too, Little Brother Ussop," Elbay replied, her smile growing even more seductive as her sword arm tensed.

"But you're the one who dared provoke me."

Before the last word left her lips, she lunged forward. Her rapier shimmered like a streak of light as it thrust toward Mobin.

[Harmonic Triple Strike]

The thin blade sliced through the air, emitting a buzzing sound.

The shimmering blade split into three, each aiming for a vital spot: Mobin's throat, chest, and lower abdomen.

"This crazy woman…"

The overwhelming pressure from the attack made Mobin's face pale. He twisted his body to the side, barely evading the incoming thrusts.

The three sword lights streaked past, leaving only afterimages.

Shhhrrrip!

Two gashes tore open on Mobin's clothes, one at his chest and the other near his navel.

A fraction deeper, and the blade would have drawn blood.

Still mid-dodge, Mobin drew his flintlock pistol and fired a shot at Elbay's face without hesitation.

Bang!

The lead bullet sped through the air, but it struck only a shadow.

The projectile tore through the afterimage and hit an unfortunate pirate behind her instead.

Elbay's speed left Mobin astonished.

In the West Sea, a bounty of 38 million on someone like Elbay was clearly well-deserved.

Realizing his current strength wasn't enough to gain any advantage over her, Mobin immediately adjusted his approach.

While retreating rapidly, he holstered the spent flintlock pistol.

The other loaded pistol at his waist remained his trump card, one he wouldn't use lightly.

For now, he ignored all other threats and focused entirely on defending against Elbay.

If he could keep her occupied, Kazt's group would likely wipe out her subordinates in short order.

The longer he stalled, the worse Elbay's situation would become.

At that point, even if Kazt figured out that Elbay was targeting Mobin at all costs, he might decide to eliminate her anyway.

Mobin had to force Elbay to abandon her pursuit of him.

In the blink of an eye, Mobin's thoughts crystallized. His focus on Elbay sharpened to its peak.

[Heart-Drip Technique: Listening Fist]

By concentrating fully, Mobin activated a technique resembling the early stages of Observation Haki.

His gaze locked onto Elbay.

The flow of her killing intent, the subtle shifts in her muscles, the trajectory of her blade—

Every detail came into focus.

Just as Elbay had eyes only for Mobin, Mobin now saw nothing but her and her sword.

This was his only option.

The Heart-Drip Technique required absolute focus on a single target.

Elbay sensed something.

For a split second, she felt as though Mobin had stripped her bare with his gaze.

But she dismissed the thought and drove her rapier forward in a series of relentless thrusts, her Harmonic Triple Strike flowing seamlessly into one continuous attack.

Her true trump card was her ability to deliver a ceaseless barrage of high-speed strikes.

Determined to finish Mobin quickly, she held nothing back.

Her storm of attacks engulfed Mobin.

Yet within the tempest of strikes, Mobin weaved and dodged, avoiding every thrust.

In a matter of seconds, Elbay's dozen or so sword strikes all missed their mark.

Her expression faltered.

Not far away, Ratsnout was stunned.

He had been poised to leap in and aid Mobin, but Elbay's swift and fierce swordsmanship had left him paralyzed.

He could only watch as her whirlwind of attacks surrounded Mobin.

For a moment, he thought he saw Mobin's inevitable defeat, skewered beyond recognition.

But what unfolded before him was entirely different.

Mobin moved deftly, evading Elbay's strikes as though he were untouchable.

"Paper Arts? No… not quite!"

"And that bastard—he's been hiding his true strength all along!"

The realization that he'd been sent to work with someone so dangerous sent a chill down Ratsnout's spine.

He was supposed to operate from the shadows. So why did it feel like he was the one being outmaneuvered?

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