Let's Pick a Name First?

Listening to the conversation coming from the shop, Maud couldn't help but grow curious about Saul's background.

To be acquainted with a big shot like Shanks and addressed with respect by Yasopp—it was hard to imagine he was some nobody.

In the mere two days since arriving in this world, Maud had already come to a profound realization.

In this Great Age of Sail, where countless ships vied for supremacy and fierce characters emerged on all sides, there were bound to be many formidable figures never mentioned in the original story.

To establish a foothold in such a world...

The difficulty was far beyond that of Hunter's World.

Maud instinctively tightened his grip on the smoothbore flintlock he'd gotten from Yasopp.

He had a weapon. Now he needed to find a second target.

But the prerequisite for hunting a second target was having the capital to move freely outside.

The deterrent power of a single gun was far from enough.

After all, though he had marksmanship, he lacked Yasopp's near-perfect reloading speed.

In a fight, he'd probably fire one shot and have nothing left.

"Hm?"

Maud's eyelid twitched as a more important question suddenly struck him.

"No bullets..."

He'd been so focused on getting away quickly earlier that he'd forgotten to ask Yasopp for some gunpowder and lead shot.

Maud was speechless.

That night.

The dining room was brightly lit, the table laden with fine dishes, and the cups brimming with the aroma of wine.

Shanks stared at the wine stain inside his wooden cup and sighed. "I've drunk countless fine wines, but only the wine from my hometown lingers in my memory."

"Why are you still here?"

Saul's eyelids drooped, his face full of disgust that might as well have been sprinkled into the dishes as seasoning.

"Don't be so cold. It's been a while since we last met, after all."

Shanks set down his cup with a smile, as if the earlier confrontation during the day had already blown over.

Sunny timely refilled Shanks' cup, while Yasopp quietly ate and drank.

As for Lucky Roux, after hauling the liquor back to the ship, he hadn't returned.

Maud sat in a seat by the wall, relieved that Yasopp hadn't left yet, and pondered the right moment to ask him for some gunpowder and lead shot.

He certainly couldn't bring it up at the dinner table.

After thinking it over, the only opportunity was—

Go to the bathroom, go to the bathroom, go to the bathroom...!

Maud silently chanted in his mind.

Yasopp, who was drinking, suddenly shivered for no reason.

Huh? Was it the temperature difference between day and night?

He shook his head and kept drinking.

Saul glanced at Shanks' empty left sleeve and said coldly, "I wasn't joking earlier. A big shot like you, coming around my place every now and then just to buy booze—it's bound to bring me some unavoidable trouble."

"That's true."

Shanks looked at the wine in his wooden cup.

"Then have you ever thought... about joining my crew?"

"Join your crew?" Saul sneered. "I'm an old man with one foot in the grave. Are you asking me to retire on your ship? Besides, you've already got one Yasopp on board."

"Uh, I need to use the restroom."

Unable to bear the heavy label Saul had suddenly slapped on him, Yasopp stood up, planning to take a brief escape via the bathroom excuse.

Maud saw his chance and silently followed.

With two people gone from the table, it didn't affect the conversation between Shanks and Saul.

"True..."

Shanks smiled, unable to refute Saul's words.

Saul downed his drink in one gulp and said calmly, "Over the decades, pirates have come and gone like fish in a river, but in the end, how many have died a good death? An old relic like me, already left behind by the times—I'm content just to draw another breath."

"..."

Shanks fell silent.

Sunny muttered under her breath, "Old, and still running off to the red-light district every day..."

Shanks couldn't help but chuckle.

"Eat more and talk less."

Saul first glared at Sunny, then glanced sideways at Shanks, snorting coldly: "What's there to laugh at? If you understand, then don't come back again."

Shanks said seriously: "Then just reveal the location of the island with the hidden booze."

"Get lost!"

In the hallway.

"You need something from me?"

Yasopp stood at the restroom door, tilting his head to look at Maud, who had followed him.

Maud nodded, lowering his voice to state his purpose: "I wanted to ask you for some lead shot and gunpowder."

"Huh?" Yasopp looked at Maud strangely. "This is a weapon shop, you know."

Asking for a gun during the day was one thing, but coming for ammo at night?

"That's true, but..."

Maud faltered, trying to come up with a suitable excuse on the spot, but he didn't have Sunny's practiced skill of casually pinning the blame on Saul with a laugh.

Seeing Maud hesitate, Yasopp didn't press further. He simply took a small portion of lead shot and gunpowder from his ammo pouch.

"Is this enough?"

"Enough!"

Maud nodded sharply, afraid Yasopp might change his mind, and quickly reached out to take the ammunition.

Yasopp was a bit speechless. It was just a few rounds of ammo—was it really that serious?

He glanced at the light from the dining area, figuring the boss and Mr. Saul would probably chat for a while longer, so he crouched down in front of the restroom door, pulled out a cigarette, and lit up.

Having gotten the ammo, Maud didn't plan to linger. He intended to head to the second-floor room to store it properly.

But before he could take a step, he saw Yasopp hand him a cigarette.

"Smoke?"

"Uh..."

Maud couldn't refuse. He first stowed the ammo safely in his pocket, then took the cigarette.

Yasopp blew out a puff of smoke. Perhaps out of boredom, he opened up the conversation at just the right moment.

"Ever thought about giving your gun a name?"

Maud thought about it and was about to answer, but Yasopp cut him off: "Ah, I always called it 'old pal,' but I couldn't see it through to the end. Guns, unlike swords, aren't easy for people to remember by name."

"Even if you give a gun a flashy name, what people remember is usually the person using it. But I hope you remember—a good gun makes a good sniper. By the way, what name were you thinking of giving your old pal?"

"I..."

Maud started to speak, but was interrupted again.

"Actually, leaving my old pal behind, I still felt a bit reluctant. But after handing it over to you, for some reason, I've got this indescribable sense of relief."

"I..."

"But as a gunman, your physical condition has to keep up. The way you are now won't cut it—you're too weak."

"I..."

"Hey, what am I even doing? With Mr. Saul around, it's not my place to give you advice, haha. Oh right, I still don't know what name you want to give the gun."

"I..."

"How about calling it Usopp? Such a cute name. Actually, that's my son's name. Come to think of it, he should be about your age now."

"..."

The doorway of the restroom was thick with choking smoke.

Maud understood.

When facing a drunk chatterbox, don't bother trying to talk.

Just listen.