One Piece: Scourge of the Seas

The timeline was different from the original story.

Due to the butterfly effect caused by Bacardi Maude, the Straw Hat Pirates had universally mastered Haki at this point—a technique that could drastically transform one's strength.

In terms of overall strength, the Straw Hat Pirates were undoubtedly the strongest among the Supernovas.

However, even with their combined efforts, they couldn't defeat a single shadow of Maude.

This cruel reality struck Luffy and his crew deeply.

They lay sprawled on the ground, gazing blankly at the bubbles floating towards the sky, as if Perona had cast a wave of negativity over them.

If Maude had treated them equally and attacked with the mindset of the New World's gatekeeper—

Then—

They might have been stopped here.

The mere thought of their crew being wiped out filled their hearts with a sense of profound crisis.

Nami and Robin looked at Luffy and the others with worry.

Anyone subjected to such a beating would inevitably suffer a blow to their morale.

Maude beckoned to Bailey.

Bailey finished devouring the refreshments and contentedly returned to Maude's shoulder.

Maude then leaped onto the shore, recalling his shadow.

This action slowly brought Luffy and the others back to their senses. They rose one by one, glaring at Maude with unwilling eyes.

"Not satisfied?"

Maude glanced at the battered group.

Luffy and Zoro—both stubborn to the core—endured their injuries and struggled to assume a fighting stance.

Sanji and Usopp looked at their captain and swordsman, hesitating to speak.

At this point, continuing to fight was meaningless.

But they knew that Luffy and Zoro were the kind who wouldn't turn back unless they hit a dead end. Any persuasion would be futile.

Maude's eyelids drooped slightly as he watched their stance.

Stealth Walk.

Without warning, Maude's figure vanished.

Luffy and Zoro's eyes contracted.

By the time they reacted, a gust of wind brushed past their ears, followed by a heavy blow to the back of their necks.

"Urgh..."

Their eyes rolled back, and they collapsed unconscious.

Maude reappeared behind them.

"Being too stubborn isn't necessarily a bad thing, but you need to know where to use it."

He glanced at the fallen Luffy and Zoro.

"The next time we meet might be at Marineford. Take care."

With that, Maude waved to Usopp, who stood frozen, and walked towards Grove 13.

"Sensei..."

Usopp opened his mouth but ultimately sighed, silently watching Maude's figure fade into the distance.

Sanji slumped to the ground, trembling as he lit a cigarette.

This battle had left them utterly broken—an undeniable defeat.

Bartolomeo stared at his hands, still encased in his spherical barrier, lost in thought.

Among everyone, only Bartolomeo, who worshipped Maude, wasn't demoralized. Instead, he saw the fight as a profound lesson in "care and affection."

Therefore—

After the battle, he neither despaired nor wallowed. He began reflecting on his own shortcomings.

"I understand now!"

Recalling how Maude's shadow had targeted him first, Bartolomeo suddenly had an epiphany.

"With my ability, I must never take the initiative to attack. Instead, I should protect my comrades from all forms of attacks and ambushes, indirectly enhancing their offensive capabilities."

"On this premise, I must ensure my own safety."

"Idol must have been teaching me this principle by targeting me first."

"Waaah! Idol's painstaking effort is so cool!"

"I'm so moved I'm crying!"

Understanding the hidden message, Bartolomeo's eyes welled up with tears as he looked towards the direction Maude had left—only to find no trace of him.

His excitement momentarily froze.

Sanji and Franky watched Bartolomeo's reaction as if they'd seen a ghost.

A while later—

Chopper slowly woke up.

Seeing his companions bruised and battered, he was startled before panicking.

"Sanji, how did you all get hurt like this?!"

"Ah! Luffy and Zoro...!"

"Who did this?!"

Seeing Luffy and Zoro lying motionless, Chopper seemed to have forgotten what happened before he was knocked out, frantically grabbing his medical kit and rushing over.

"It was Maude."

Nami pressed her forehead, sounding weary.

Chopper froze at the name—a nightmare incarnate.

Without further thought, he hurriedly began examining Luffy and the others' injuries, with Nami and Robin assisting him.

At that moment—

Shadows silently emerged from all directions.

These were slave-hunting squads and bounty hunters who had been observing the battle from the sidelines.

They had expected Maude to eliminate the Straw Hat Pirates, but to their surprise, he'd left them alive—an opportunity they wouldn't miss.

Accustomed to licking blood off blades, these predators closed in.

Sanji noticed the unwelcome guests closing in.

He exhaled a puff of smoke, his gaze cold.

With a belly full of suppressed rage, he welcomed the outlet.

Half a day later—

News of the Straw Hat Pirates' crushing defeat at Grove 20 spread across the entire Sabaody Archipelago.

Strangely, the usually ruthless Maude hadn't delivered a fatal blow.

However, the wounded Straw Hat Pirates became targets for slave-hunting squads and bounty hunters.

Yet, even battered, they stubbornly repelled wave after wave of attackers.

In the lawless zones, bars and casinos buzzed with heated discussions.

"Scratchmen Apoo is dead, Mad Monk Urouge has submitted, Big Eater Jewelry Bonney is missing, and the Straw Hat Pirates..."

In a dimly lit bar, Basil Hawkins sat in a corner, drawing tarot cards and affixing them to strands of straw.

"What will become of the man he's set his sights on?"

Hawkins gazed at the cards, deep in thought.

On the table before him lay plates of food and a folded newspaper, its headlines featuring names like "Golden Lion" and "Fire Fist Ace."

Hawkins had been watching the tide of events.

This seemingly peaceful era was actually turbulent beneath the surface.

The waves—

Were about to rise.

Hawkins pulled a Death card, staring at it for a long time.

Recalling Urouge's submission to Maude, a thought flickered through his mind.

"No rush."

He murmured.

Having witnessed one Supernova's downfall after another, Hawkins didn't hasten to Fish-Man Island.

It wasn't arrogance or fearlessness towards Maude—

It was confidence in his own divination.

He needed to witness certain changes before making his move.

By dusk, the buzz about Maude and the Straw Hat Pirates still filled the bars and casinos.

As day turned to night, two pirate ships arrived at Groves 16 and 18 in the lawless zone.

One belonged to Supernova Eustass Kidd, the other to X Drake.

They docked separately, drinking and feasting at the bars, soon overhearing the latest rumors.

"Tch..."

Kidd, scarred from head to toe, clenched his glass, eyes glinting with malice.

After leaving Mad Hat Town, he'd wandered with Killer in search of the coveted Devil Fruit.

During that journey, they'd gained allies and formed a decent-sized pirate crew.

Years later, he'd finally found the fruit and set sail on the Grand Line.

He'd been tracking Maude's movements ever since, aware of his title as the New World Gatekeeper.

Now hearing the stories of Maude crushing one Supernova after another, Kidd couldn't wait for dawn to challenge him.

"Kidd, are you really going after Maude?"

Killer asked, his voice heavy.

Kidd downed his drink in one gulp.

"Of course."

Killer's hidden expression grew darker.

Kidd's gaze seemed to pierce through the mask, reading his thoughts.

He sneered.

"I'll do what others don't dare."

In the nearby seats—

Several fearsome-looking pirates glanced in surprise at the outrageously arrogant Kidd.

They had overheard the conversation between Kidd and Killer and recognized Kidd's identity.

However—

Even the Straw Hat Pirates, the most highly regarded crew among the Supernovas, had been ruthlessly taught a lesson by Maude.

Where exactly did this second-ranked pirate crew get the audacity to seek trouble with Maude?

Contempt flashed in the pirates' eyes.

Moments later—

A violent explosion rocked the bar, setting the entire building ablaze.

The next day—

The Kidd Pirates marched aggressively toward Grove 13.

"Bacardi Maude!"

Kidd stood before the towering tree root, tilting his head up to glare at the bar perched atop the roots — Shakky's Rip-off Bar.

His provocative shout echoed through the grove, yet no response came.

A few seconds later—

A lone figure appeared at the edge of the tree root, looking down at the Kidd Pirates.

"The Surgeon of Death… Trafalgar Law."

Kidd's eyes narrowed like blades as he coldly stared at the one who had answered his challenge.

Law stood tall, Kikoku sheathed beneath his arm.

He gazed indifferently at Kidd and his crew, who had come clearly seeking trouble.

"If you're just here to exercise your vocal cords, then get lost somewhere else."

"Oh?"

Kidd's lips curled into a dangerous smile.

From a distance—

One of the Supernovas, X Drake, observed the confrontation from afar with a calm gaze.

"They don't even know Maude has gone to Mary Geoise?"

Drake's cold voice murmured as his eyes locked onto Kidd's back.

"This might just be your luckiest day of the year, Eustass Kidd."

Inside Shakky's Rip-off Bar—

Urouge downed half a bottle of liquor in one gulp before rising and heading toward the exit.

Since the other party had called out Maude by name, as part of Maude's fleet, he couldn't simply turn a deaf ear.

Shakky flicked the ash from her cigarette, her thoughts drifting to Maude, who should be arriving at Mary Geoise by now.

"What a reckless fool."

Her words, of course, referred to the brash Eustass Kidd.

"Though… reckless fools always seem to have the best luck."

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