Boss Ebe (Bonus Chapter)

With Maud's two calls, the hall fell silent once more.

Around them, the pirates who had been minding their own business caught a whiff of trouble.

If the Sharp Bull Pirates hadn't been blocking the entrance, they would have already slipped away.

The manager of the Battle Axe Tavern, experienced as they were, gestured for their staff to retreat to the relative safety of the bar.

Kazt was the first to recover. His gaze, still filled with killing intent, shifted from Maud, swept over Wolf Rat, and finally landed on Ebe's face.

Following Maud's address to Ebe and Wolf Rat, as well as Maud and Ebe's positions.

Kazt's many doubts, which had been like a tangled ball of yarn, now seemed to part like clouds revealing the sun, forming a straight line.

Why would Maud, with whom they had no prior conflict, try to kill the navigator?

Why would Lagron, who always acted cautiously, be shot dead on the very night he sought out Wolf Rat?

And why would Ebe, Maud, and Wolf Rat know each other?

Before this assassination attempt began, Kazt was certain that the Sharp Bull Pirates had no dealings with Maud or Wolf Rat, let alone any grudges.

So, with no dealings and no grudges, what motive could Maud possibly have for killing the navigator?

It made absolutely no sense.

But if Ebe, their competitor, had interfered...

The motive and reason, however flimsy, began to take shape.

Kazt's gaze towards Ebe immediately filled with malice.

Little did he know that Maud possessed an ability called the [Hunter's Notebook].

He also didn't know that Maud's actual target was Red, and that the navigator, so important to the Sharp Bull Pirates, was merely an unfortunate victim caught in the crossfire.

Seeing Kazt's attention shift to Ebe, Maud calmly considered his next move.

He had been the target of Kazt's killing intent just moments ago, and in the next instant, he reacted by using Ebe, who happened to be walking right in front of him, as a shield.

As for his brother Wolf Rat, he was merely an incidental beneficiary of the situation.

If he had known the names of the pirate brothers at the table not far away, Maud wouldn't have minded shouting a few more times.

This act of dragging others into the fray, however, had subtly connected various threads, leading to this dramatic scene.

Although he was unaware of Wolf Rat's role in this matter, it was Maud's spontaneous call of "Brother Wolf Rat" that truly was the last straw, crushing Kazt's train of thought.

It was no wonder that Wolf Rat, who knew Maud inside and out, was cursing him mentally.

He was truly inhuman.

However, Maud didn't believe that a couple of heartfelt calls would be enough to create an opportunity to escape.

He had to first observe Ebe's reaction in the next moment and then formulate a targeted response.

Ideally, he'd get Ebe and Kazt to fight each other, and then use the opportunity to flee.

If that wasn't possible, he'd have to fight his way out.

Despite the intense sense of crisis, Maud grew even calmer.

Ebe met Kazt's hostile gaze, which was filled with killing intent.

Although she didn't know what had happened here, she wasn't an idiot.

She immediately understood the sinister intentions of the stranger behind her; he intended to use her as a shield.

But what she found incredible was how this foolish bull Kazt had fallen for it without a second thought.

As a competitor, she was happy to call Kazt a foolish bull, but she knew he wasn't stupid.

She had no interest in delving into the reasons behind it.

However, she was very unhappy about Maud using her as a shield.

But in reality, if Ebe hadn't intended to make a move on Maud and had walked over proactively, how would Maud have had the opportunity to use her as a shield?

Swish—

Ebe, with a displeased expression, drew her rapier without saying a word.

She turned and lunged.

A standard move, emanating a cold killing intent.

The needle-thin tip of the sword shot towards Maud's heart like a streak of light.

She didn't care what grudges Kazt and Maud had.

She disdained to explain anything to Kazt.

Killing Maud with one sword strike was the thing she wanted to do most right now.

"Ruthless."

Facing this sudden, unprovoked thrust, Maud stomped his right foot hard on the ground. Using the instantaneous explosive force, he pushed himself backward, narrowly dodging the attack.

Ebe's thrust was fast and fierce, and completely unexpected.

If not for hunting the Fish-Man Sam last night.

If not for constantly watching Ebe's reaction.

Maud would probably be dead by now.

Ebe's attack was something Kazt, Wolf Rat, and the others hadn't expected.

It was too sudden.

But what they didn't expect even more was that Maud managed to dodge it, despite such a sudden and swift sword strike.

After all, Ebe's bounty of 38 million was partly due to her lightning-fast stabs.

"He dodged?"

Ebe looked at Maud, who was retreating, with surprise.

Was it because turning around slowed down the stab, giving Maud a chance to dodge?

Maud didn't care about that anymore. As he created distance, his face showed sorrow.

"Boss Ebe, you clearly said that if Wolf Rat and I each took down a member of the Sharp Bull Pirates, you'd let us join your crew. We did it, but not only did you refuse to take us in, you tried to kill me when the Sharp Bull Pirates showed up!"

Maud's tone was filled with despair.

He sounded like a general who had achieved many victories but was never recognized.

Hearing Maud drag her into it again, Wolf Rat's mouth twitched fiercely.

He finally understood.

This guy was purely a troublemaker.

Whoever messes with him is unlucky!

But he had to go and mess with him.

Since he was already dragged into this...

To complete the mission quickly!

Wolf Rat steeled himself and, as if his sad past had been brought up, burst into tears.

With snot and tears streaming down his face, he cried, "That's right, Boss Ebe! We admired you so much, we were even willing to risk our lives for you, but why... why would you treat us like this!!!"

Wolf Rat's extremely heartbroken appearance caused the surrounding pirates to look at Ebe with slightly strange expressions.

Although betrayal and abandonment were common occurrences among pirates.

This kind of behavior, discarding someone after just using them, was still quite despicable.

Seeing Wolf Rat not only cooperate but also get so deeply into character, Maud couldn't help but be secretly alarmed.

Feeling the strange gazes from everyone, Ebe's eyelids twitched continuously.

At the tavern entrance, Kazt had already used his ability and transformed into his beast-man form.

He glared at Ebe, enunciating each word.

"Good, very good! Newman Ebe!"

As Kazt's gritted teeth finished speaking, the tavern fell into a tense atmosphere.

Ebe, who was completely unrelated to this matter, took a deep breath.

Being implicated like this, she felt neither innocent nor wronged.

She ignored Kazt, who was in a rage, and instead looked seriously at Maud. Her red lips parted slightly, revealing a dangerous smile.

"Young man, you've got my attention. So, it's not too much to ask for your name, is it?"

"Boss Ebe, please give me and Wolf Rat another chance!!!"

"..."

"Boss Ebe, please give me and Usopp another chance!!!"

Having been dragged into this multiple times, Wolf Rat wouldn't miss such a golden opportunity. He retaliated by dragging Usopp's name into it.

"Hmm?"

Ebe smiled.

"Usopp, is it? Young man..."

She looked at Maud, licking her lips.