A Bloody Case Triggered by a Gun

The blue hole-patterned mask was how Maud identified Killer.

Connecting this to Kid also being in Mad Hatter Town made him even more certain.

"What's he here for? Buying a gun for Kid? But that gun... seems to be the same flintlock pistol Yasopp bought yesterday."

Maud discreetly observed Killer, guessing at his motive for coming to the shop.

When a customer entered, Sunny immediately put down the Auction Manual, quickly adjusting her expression. She lowered her head, then raised it again, now staring expressionlessly at Killer as he pushed through the door.

For shops like theirs, there was no need to offer service or smiles.

Buy if you want, get lost if you don't.

A very humane policy.

Killer walked into the shop and, seeing that the troublesome old man Kid had mentioned wasn't there, was slightly surprised but didn't think much of it.

He was here to buy something; who served him didn't matter, as long as someone was present.

Striding quickly to the counter, Killer bluntly pulled out four stacks of Beli and placed them on the counter, getting straight to the point: "Four million, buying Keanu's Pistol."

"Keanu's Pistol's selling price is three million eight hundred thousand."

"Doesn't matter. The extra two hundred thousand is yours to do with as you please."

"Oh, but the gun was already bought by someone else."

"?"

A question mark slowly formed above Killer's forehead.

If it was already bought, why didn't you say so directly instead of wasting time talking to me?

He suddenly understood a bit why Kid had gotten angry at this shop.

Since they set sail, when had they ever encountered merchants like this?

But on second thought, Killer figured it was a good thing someone else bought it. They could just go and take it by force later.

Taking what they wanted by force, killing whoever they didn't like—that was their code of conduct.

Just like this four million Beli, which they had robbed last night.

With his thoughts settled, Killer pressed on: "Who bought the gun?"

Having worked here for years, Sunny could easily see Killer's motive for asking who the buyer was.

He just wanted to find the buyer and carry out a robbery that, for pirates, was only natural.

Normally, Sunny would never reveal a customer's information under any circumstances—that was the bottom line for a seller.

But this time was different, because the buyer was Yasopp of the Red-Haired Pirates.

She looked at Killer and said calmly, "The gun was sold yesterday afternoon. The buyer's name is Yasopp."

Upon hearing this, Killer, as if saying another word would be a waste of life, scooped up the Beli and turned to leave.

He vaguely felt that the name Yasopp sounded familiar but didn't dwell on it.

The gun was bought yesterday afternoon, so the man named Yasopp was likely still in Mad Hatter Town.

Leaving the weapon shop, Killer headed straight for the tavern where Kid was.

What came next went without saying—find the buyer, take the gun, and then there was no need to linger here any longer.

Maud walked to the door, poked half his body out, and watched Killer's retreating figure with a pitying gaze.

But thinking that Shanks and his crew had already left, he couldn't help feeling regretful.

Otherwise, he'd really love to see Kid's crew try to rob Keanu's Pistol.

Leaving the shop door ajar, Maud turned back to the counter, intending to tease Sunny by saying "you're so wicked," only to see her already buried in browsing the auction booklet again.

Given her habit of reading even a single newspaper back and forth for three or four hours, he wondered how much time this little auction booklet would take up.

Maud was still somewhat interested in the auction. He quietly stood behind Sunny and peeked at the list of auction items in the booklet.

"A famous sword from the 50 Ryo Wazamono? By the time I learn to use a sword, who knows when that'll be."

"Huh? Even Fish-Man slaves are up for auction, starting bid one million Beli... Too bad I have no money, otherwise I could buy one and test if the Hunter's Notebook works on the Fish-Man Race."

"Fragrant Weasel? Description says... an unprecedented mutant skunk that emits a fragrance? What the hell? Even this can be auctioned? And it's classified under rare and exotic beasts..."

"Tch, flipping through it, most of the auction items are weapons. Swords are one thing, but even flintlock pistols are here."

"Come to think of it, the potential buyers are mostly pirates, so it makes sense that weapon demand is higher. Unlike the auctions in noble territories, which are mostly slaves."

"Still, looking at everything, only the Devil Fruit and the Ryo Wazamono famous sword qualify as major auction items."

"The latter's value definitely can't compare to the Devil Fruit, but it's still something you can't just find anytime."

Maud browsed through the various auction items with their different starting bids from behind Sunny, finding it quite an eye-opener.

Compared to the auctions in Hunter's World, which mainly featured various antiques, the auctions in this world were more interesting.

Those miscellaneous goods easily stirred Maud's desire to buy.

After roughly finishing his look at the auction items, Maud quietly withdrew from the counter and continued his physical training in a corner of the shop.

This form of training couldn't boost strength in a short time, but it had the advantage of steady accumulation. Given the current situation, it was better than nothing.

"It's past mealtime, and Saul still isn't back."

Maud checked the time.

He wondered if Saul had been so furious at Shanks yesterday that he'd gone out of his way to look younger today.

After all, he needed to vent his anger properly.

For some reason, Maud felt he'd found the reason Saul hadn't returned yet.

Inside the noisy tavern, Kid waited for Killer, who came back empty-handed.

"They wouldn't sell to you either?" Kid's gaze turned icy cold, the rising anger transforming into a destructive urge that could erupt at any moment.

He'd been worn to the bone chasing after this gun.

Killer shook his head. "It's not that they wouldn't sell—it's that someone named Yasopp already bought it."

"Oh? When did he buy it?"

Kid's spirits perked up, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

He couldn't afford to provoke the unfathomably strong Saul, but surely he could handle whoever bought the gun?

"Yesterday afternoon."

"Find him."

Kid rose abruptly and strode toward the door.

Killer tossed down money for the drinks and followed close behind.

Mad Hatter Town had no strict ban on fellow fighters killing each other, but there was one rule that had to be followed openly—

You couldn't harm a merchant's legitimate interests.

Basically, if you spent money in a shop, you paid the full price.

Try to stiff them?

Then you'd be waiting for death.

The two walked out of the tavern one after another and onto the street.

As the saying went, snakes had snake paths, rats had rat trails.

To find Yasopp's whereabouts in town as fast as possible, they'd have to take a detour and seek out the information brokers who specialized in that trade.

Walking briskly down the street, Killer suddenly said, "I feel like... the name Yasopp sounds familiar."

"Then think hard about it."

Kid shot him a glance.

But hearing Killer say that, Kid felt the same way.

Yasopp...

The two suddenly stopped in their tracks.

Though Kid still wore a murderous expression that warned everyone to keep their distance, the aura radiating from him had clearly plummeted.

As for Killer, with his mask on, it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

After a long silence, Killer asked blankly, "What do we do now?"

"Leave!"

Kid ground his teeth.

He loved collecting weapons, but some weapons weren't absolutely necessary.

Keanu's Pistol was different—it was one of the two pieces, a short blade and a short gun, he planned to carry on him.

It was meant for combat, not a trophy to satisfy his collecting urge.

That was the root of his obsession, even willing to stay in Mad Hatter Town this long.

But now that he couldn't get Keanu's Pistol, there was no reason to stay.

Just then, a man walking with his head down, flipping through an auction catalog, came straight toward Kid.

Just as they were about to collide...

Kid didn't budge, letting the man crash into him.

Thud...

Though the man had been the one to walk into him, he stumbled back two steps, the auction catalog slipping from his hand to the ground.

"You blind bastard..."

The man's temper flared.

Before he could finish, Kid's fist—loaded with pent-up frustration—sent him flying. He landed a dozen meters away, alive or dead unknown.

"Trash indistinguishable from scum dares to set sail?"

Kid spat a glob onto the ground.

Suddenly, he noticed the auction catalog.

Apologies, something came up today, the update is late.

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