There exists a fundamental consistency between an object and its shadow.
When an object moves, its shadow follows.
Conversely, when a shadow moves, it signifies that the object is moving as well.
By embedding a minuscule "spring" within the bullet's shadow, Maude could make the bullet change trajectory in an "L" shape at the precise moment needed.
Such an operation would be impossible using conventional firearms and bullets alone—but shadows could achieve it.
Rather than manifesting his detached shadow into bats or other offensive forms, Maude leveraged it to assist external objects, converting minimal energy expenditure into maximum efficiency.
Ultimately, shadows function best as an auxiliary force.
If one wished to shift their role from support to offense, it would require enveloping them in Armament Haki.
Only then could the energy cost-to-output ratio reach an acceptable level.
Faced with such an uncanny technique, derived from the Shadow-Shadow Fruit, even someone like Oliver—who possessed extraordinary dynamic vision—could only meet his fate with regret.
A massive wound spread across Oliver's chest, his eyes gradually losing focus as he hovered on the brink of death.
In his final moments, his consciousness was consumed by the perplexing nature of the shot that had sealed his fate.
To the very end, he couldn't comprehend how Maude had done it.
"How... could this happen..."
The crew of the Oliver Pirates watched in stunned silence as their captain drew his last breath.
Their expressions and body language laid bare their inability to accept the reality before them.
To them, Oliver—who had risen to prominence as a sharpshooter—was their guiding light, their idol.
And yet, this very man they revered had been shot dead by an opponent who specialized in swordsmanship.
The members of the Oliver Pirates stood frozen in disbelief.
This scene, unfolding atop the tree roots, was also witnessed by another pirate crew, numbering around fifty men, from a distance.
Leading them was a tall and burly man, whose smooth, pale skin contrasted sharply with his imposing physique. His name was Marcus Haus, captain of the White Whale Pirates, with a bounty of 190 million berries—one of this year's Supernovas.
Standing beside him was a man wearing a green, horned helmet with vertical markings on his face—Gant, another Supernova with a bounty of 120 million berries.
Among this year's nine Supernovas, only the Maude Pirates and the White Whale Pirates had produced two members each.
"Hey, hey, you've got to be kidding me, right?"
Gant stared at Oliver's lifeless body in the distance, as though he had just witnessed something utterly absurd.
His gaze then shifted further, locking onto Maude.
"Oliver, renowned for his sharpshooting, got taken out by a swordsman using a gun? Damn, was his reputation just bought with money?"
"I told you before—he's no ordinary man."
Haus frowned as he watched Maude's figure from afar.
Gant glanced at Haus, noting the subtle weight in his expression. Hesitating, he asked, "Should we retreat?"
"No rush."
Haus's furrowed brows gradually relaxed as he spoke coolly. "We're not the only ones looking to pick a fight with Maude."
"Heh, true."
Gant smirked ominously at the realization.
The fastest way to gain fame was by stepping on others to climb up.
Leaving aside the bounty on Maude's head—worth over a billion berries (not just from the marines—simply being the one to take him down would draw immense renown.
All the major events Maude had orchestrated so far would ultimately become mere stepping stones for the one who defeated him.
Haus and Gant sought to rise in notoriety by crushing Maude, but they were patient and rational, unconcerned about someone else taking their chance.
"Bacardi Maude... don't disappoint me."
A glint of ambition flashed in Haus's eyes.
"The second one."
Maude holstered his gun, paying no further attention to Oliver's corpse.
According to the detailed intel provided by Shakky, Oliver was the only noteworthy member of his crew. The rest weren't even worth considering.
Maude's successive shots had left the surrounding onlookers momentarily bewildered.
Their eyesight wasn't keen enough to spot Oliver, who had attempted to ambush Maude from 800 meters away, nor did they grasp the significance of that final shot.
However, among the crowd were a few lookout pirates and professional marksmen.
Lookouts, by virtue of their profession, tended to carry telescopes.
And those skilled enough to survive in the Sabaody Archipelago weren't mere nobodies—they were equipped with high-grade gear, such as sniper scopes and other precision instruments.
Through these devices, they saw Oliver lying lifeless in a pool of blood.
"That's Sharp-Eye Oliver, the one with a 110 million berry bounty..."
The moment they identified the body, their eyes widened in shock.
They understood what had just transpired.
Instinctively, they turned to Maude's waist, where a particularly exquisite-looking sword was sheathed.
No way… No way, right?
Oliver's bounty had surpassed 100 million solely due to his unparalleled sniping skills—he could take out a target from 800 meters away with ease and possessed hawk-like vision that allowed him to dodge bullets effortlessly.
Yet, this exceptional marksman had been gunned down by Maude?
While it was true that Maude pioneered the Usopp-ryu combat style, that technique leaned more towards close-quarters gunfighting.
"Oliver was taken out by Maude."
The ones who saw the corpse relayed the information to those around them.
"Oliver? You mean Sharp-Eye Oliver?"
"Yeah."
"If I recall correctly, he's a Supernova this year, with a bounty of 110 million…"
"You're not wrong."
"That means Maude has taken down two Supernovas."
"Probably more than just two."
"What do you mean?"
"Look over there!"
One of them pointed toward Grove 9.
His companion followed his gaze, only to see a group of pirates approaching with unmistakable aggression. Leading them was a man with a bounty exceeding 200 million—Borsy the Fanged Sword.
"Another Supernova."
"That's Borsy the Fanged Sword. What's with these guys? Are they all lining up to challenge Bacardi Maude?"
"They clearly want to use him as a stepping stone to fame. If I had the strength, I'd do the same."
"I don't care about fame, but Bacardi Maude's head is worth over a billion berries!"
"…"
The scene fell silent momentarily.
A shared look of greed flashed across the crowd's faces.
Unfortunately for them, they didn't even have the qualifications to join the hunt.
"Hey, someone else is coming!"
"Huh? You're right!"
From the opposite direction of Grove 9, a radiant figure approached on horseback, shimmering as if bathed in stardust.
"That's… Cavendish the Nobleman, bounty: 380 million berries!"
"Now this is going to be a show!"
With Borsy the Fanged Sword and Cavendish arriving in quick succession, the onlookers couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.
It was clear that this year's Supernovas were all gunning for Bacardi Maude.
"If… if Maude takes down all of them…"
"No way… right?"
The very thought was too astonishing to comprehend.
After all, nothing like this had ever happened in Sabaody Archipelago before.
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