Proof

Red-Haired Shanks's arrival was completely unexpected for Maud.

Although the other party had seemed quite amicable from the moment he entered until now, Maud had only planned to silently observe from the sidelines until he left.

But after hearing Yasopp and Sunny's conversation, he could no longer remain calm and watch.

Firearms were the upgrade tool he was most desperately lacking at the moment.

He had originally intended to obtain one from Saul, but as a newcomer, how could he possibly get a gun from him in the short term?

Then Yasopp arrived and threw out an opportunity.

At a time like this, how could Maud continue to watch from the sidelines? He immediately spoke up and asked Yasopp for that old flintlock blunderbuss.

Being refused wouldn't cost him anything.

Getting the gun would be a huge gain.

That had been his thought before deciding to make himself noticed.

"Who is he?"

Shanks tilted his head and glanced at Sunny, whose brows were slightly furrowed behind the counter. He asked with interest.

When they had first met, the boy's reaction had made Shanks realize that he knew who he was.

But that was hardly important.

Before this, though, who would have expected the boy who had consciously reduced his own presence to suddenly take the initiative and ask Yasopp for a gun?

The contrast was so great that it was interesting.

"He's Maud, the new labor... employee Saul hired."

Sunny answered Shanks's question.

Shanks nodded slightly, then turned to look at Yasopp.

Yasopp was scrutinizing Maud.

"You know how to use a gun?"

That was the first question Yasopp threw at him.

"Yes!"

Maud answered without the slightest hesitation.

Yasopp's gaze suddenly sharpened.

He wasn't the sniper of some second-rate pirate crew. With his skill, how could he fail to see that Maud was a frail boy who had never touched a gun before?

"But I don't believe you."

Though Yasopp's eyes held a teasing smile, they were as sharp as a cocked gun.

Bullying children had always been one of his insignificant hobbies. Besides, considering that Maud was Mr. Saul's employee, he didn't mind wasting some time on him.

Maud met Yasopp's gaze directly, as though it intended to burn every lie to ashes, and said seriously, "What will it take for you to believe me?"

Yasopp was immediately a little surprised.

That was because Maud's expression and tone didn't resemble those of someone lying.

But Yasopp wouldn't doubt his own judgment because of that.

He calmly stared into Maud's eyes, then suddenly reached out and picked up the flintlock pistol worth 3.8 million Beli from the counter. Within a breath, he completed the relatively cumbersome process of loading it with gunpowder and ammunition.

"Prove it to me."

Yasopp cocked the gun and held it out to Maud.

Maud didn't take it right away. Instead, he pointed at the old flintlock blunderbuss on the counter and asked, "After I prove it, will you give me that gun?"

"No problem."

Yasopp laughed despite himself.

Maud nodded, strode forward, and accepted the expensive pistol from Yasopp.

He knew that the success or failure of what came next would depend on a single bullet.

So how should he prove it?

As he pondered, Maud noticed the shop door, which he had just left slightly ajar, creating a narrow gap.

An idea immediately came to him. Maud hurried to the wall farthest from the door, then turned to face it.

Without giving anyone any warning, Maud quickly raised the gun toward the door and pulled the trigger without the slightest pause.

Bang—

Flames and smoke erupted from the muzzle. A hot lead bullet shot out and passed precisely through the gap at a speed invisible to the naked eye.

The smell of smoke from the fully burned gunpowder spread through the air, while Maud continued to maintain a standard shooting stance.

In a situation like this, he had no time to worry about accidentally injuring passersby.

Shanks and Yasopp glanced at the gap in the door. With their eyesight, they could see that the wooden door was unharmed.

Moreover, the gap wasn't large. At most, two lead bullets could pass through it at the same time.

Leaving aside Maud's standard shooting stance, from raising the gun to pulling the trigger, everything had flowed together seamlessly, giving the impression that he hadn't even aimed.

Although the distance had only been a dozen or so meters, Maud undeniably knew how to use a gun.

Behind the counter, Sunny stared at Maud in astonishment.

She hadn't expected Maud to possess such impressive skill with firearms.

"Not bad."

The one who voiced his praise, however, was Shanks.

Of course, marksmanship like this was nothing special on the Grand Line.

But under the current circumstances, it was still worth praising.

Yasopp, meanwhile, said nothing. As a man of action, he simply picked up the flintlock blunderbuss he called his old friend and walked toward Maud.

"This is yours."

"Thank you."

Maud first returned the pistol to Yasopp, then accepted the flintlock blunderbuss.

I finally have a gun...

"Yasopp, looks like you can misjudge things too."

Shanks patted Yasopp on the shoulder from behind and offered some timely consolation.

Yasopp curled his lips, too lazy to bother with the barbed attack hidden in his captain's words.

Had he really misjudged Maud?

He glanced at Maud, who was turning the gun over and over in his hands, and felt an inexplicable contradiction that he couldn't shake.

The boy clearly looked like someone who had never touched a gun, yet he had such a standard shooting stance, along with the thing every gunman had to possess... gun sense!

Forget it.

Yasopp shook his head and stopped thinking about it.

"Boss, the liquor's all brought out."

Lucky Roux's voice came from the back room at that moment.

"Good."

Shanks answered, then looked at Sunny and said with a smile, "Little Sunny, remember to give Saul my regards."

"No need!"

Before Sunny could say anything, Saul's voice came from outside.

Judging from the sound, he seemed to be some distance from the shop. No one knew how he had heard Shanks's words.

Hearing Saul's distant voice, Shanks sighed. "This is troublesome."

The moment he finished speaking, hurried footsteps came from outside, rapidly approaching.

A moment later, the wooden door was forcefully pushed open.

Saul rushed into the shop in a panic, just in time to see Lucky Roux carrying out wooden barrels filled with fine liquor. He instantly flew into a rage.

"You good-for-nothing Shanks, you're stealing my liquor again!!!"

"What do you mean, stealing? We paid for it. If you don't believe me, ask Little Sunny."

"Don't push the problem onto the younger generation. I'm not selling you this liquor!"

"Haha, the money and goods have already changed hands. It's too late for you to regret it now."

"Get out, get out, get out! Don't let me see you again!"

"That won't do, unless you sell me the location where you hide your liquor."

Shanks wore an expression that said Saul couldn't do anything to him, while Saul was so furious that his face and ears turned red, and he was practically about to lie down on the floor and fake an injury on the spot.

Yasopp and Lucky Roux didn't get involved. Sunny simply covered her forehead and remained silent.

As for Maud, he had already retreated to the back room when Saul shouted his first sentence.

However, he didn't go upstairs. Instead, he stood at the foot of the stairs, keeping an eye on the situation in the shop.

As unbelievable as it was, Saul and Shanks seemed to be old acquaintances.

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