With a single move, "All Things Take Form," Bailey's toy car expanded nearly tenfold, transforming into a full-fledged war vehicle.
This marked the first combined showcase of the Shadow-Shadow Fruit and the Arms-Arms Fruit.
Ace watched Maude with astonishment in his eyes.
During their earlier exchanges, he had already grasped the immense value Bailey held in Maude's hands.
It was clear that Bailey wasn't merely a pet but rather a shapeshifting weapon that perfectly complemented Maude's abilities.
This combination was akin to wielding the power of two Devil Fruits.
For Ace, this was something entirely unprecedented.
However, he had assumed that Bailey's ability was limited to transforming into whatever weapon Maude desired.
He hadn't expected an application like this.
Who exactly is this man…?
Ace pondered silently.
From his perspective, Maude had only been active on the grand stage of the seas for less than two years. Yet, in that short time, he had demonstrated abilities far beyond what a young pirate should be capable of.
If he had to describe it—
Unconventional. Someone who naturally stands out, constantly drawing attention.
"Whoa!"
Usopp, Chopper, Luffy, and Bartolomeo weren't thinking as deeply as Ace.
Their eyes sparkled with excitement as they gazed at the Bailey war vehicle, reacting as if they were witnessing a real-life Transformer.
"Get in," Maude instructed, glancing at the group.
"Oh!!"
Luffy immediately sprinted toward the Bailey war vehicle, only to be yanked back by Sanji.
"Don't you understand the meaning of 'ladies first'!?"
Sanji shot a glare at Luffy before turning toward Nami and Vivi, his expression instantly shifting into one of adoration, his eyes turning into hearts.
"Nami-chan! Vivi-chan! Please, after you!"
"..."
Under normal circumstances, Nami would have accepted the offer gladly. However, at this moment, she hesitated and glanced apologetically at Maude.
After all, the vehicle belonged to Maude, and they were acting as if they owned it.
Maude chuckled, signaling with his eyes that he didn't mind.
During the brief exchange, Zoro had already silently boarded the vehicle, becoming the first to take a seat.
Arms crossed, he looked up at the canopy that shaded the sun and remarked, "Not bad at all."
"You damn moss-head! Who said you could get on first?!"
Seeing Zoro comfortably seated, Sanji erupted in fury and stormed onto the vehicle, immediately delivering a kick at Zoro.
Zoro swiftly raised his sheathed sword to block the attack, veins bulging on his forehead. "Curly-browed idiot, I sit where I want."
"You brain-dead swordsman!"
"You perverted kappa!"
"Muscle-headed moron!"
"Damn cook!"
Zoro and Sanji began brawling right on the war vehicle.
Wham! Wham!
Nami punched both of them, instantly silencing their fight.
After habitually throwing her punches, she suddenly realized Maude was watching and quickly withdrew her fist.
But it was already too late.
Maude had clearly witnessed how effortlessly she subdued Sanji and Zoro.
"M-Maude, I-I don't usually do this," Nami stammered, flustered as she met Maude's surprised gaze.
Maude wasn't sure how to respond.
Floating beside him, Perona scrutinized Nami with a knowing look, as if she had just uncovered some hidden truth.
Taking advantage of Nami's momentary distraction, Luffy and the others piled onto the vehicle, laughing and shouting.
"This is so cool…"
Chopper lazily lay next to Zoro.
"Usopp, look! There's a cannon here!"
"I see it!"
Luffy and Usopp eagerly explored the vehicle, touching everything they could find.
"Can't you guys settle down for once?!"
Nami barely suppressed the urge to punch them again, looking utterly exhausted.
Watching the Straw Hat Pirates, who had just escaped danger yet were now causing a commotion on the vehicle, Maude shook his head.
Yeah… still the same as ever.
These kids had no idea what they were about to face.
Maude motioned for Perona to board as well.
Once everyone was aboard, he shaped some of his shadows into several large lizards to pull the vehicle forward.
Unfortunately, Bailey's knowledge was limited. Though he could transform into a war vehicle, he lacked the ability to propel himself.
However, the onboard cannons were fully operational.
With the shadow lizards dragging them forward, the war vehicle set off toward Yuba.
....
Two days later.
Maude and the others arrived at Yuba, the oasis city.
But what greeted them was nothing but a barren wasteland buried beneath endless golden sand.
"H-How could this happen…?"
Vivi covered her mouth in shock, her face filled with disbelief.
Luffy and the others remained silent, taking in Vivi's devastated reaction.
Yuba was once an oasis, as well as the base of the rebel army.
Now, it was nothing but a desolate ruin.
This meant that Vivi's intelligence was outdated.
The rebels were no longer here, meaning they had lost a crucial opportunity to stop them in time.
In such a race against time, they had just wasted precious hours.
Had they not met Maude, who drastically shortened their journey, they might have wasted three extra days just traveling.
Maude had already anticipated Yuba's condition and didn't focus on Vivi's reaction. Instead, he activated his Observation Haki, scanning the ruins like a radar.
Ace sensed something and instinctively looked at Maude.
But Maude paid no attention to him, concentrating fully on his Observation Haki.
Soon, within his perception range, two distinct auras emerged.
One was weak, flickering like a dying candle in the wind.
The other was immense, radiating like the sun and moon in the sky.
The red glow in Maude's eyes faded as he turned toward the source of the overwhelming aura, a trace of surprise in his gaze.
Whoever this was, they weren't trying to hide their presence at all.
Who could it be…?
Silently, Maude moved toward the location of the powerful presence.
He already knew that the fading aura belonged to an elderly man who had remained in Yuba.
As for the other… he had no clue.
At least, nothing in the original storyline provided a definitive answer.
Regardless of who it was, Maude needed to confirm it immediately.
It could be someone from the Donquixote Family.
It could also be an assassin sent by Crocodile.
Leaving the group behind, Maude used his shadows to move stealthily through the ruins.
In an instant, he had advanced several kilometers, arriving in front of a half-buried building.
Unexpectedly, the owner of the powerful presence that Maude had sensed with his Observation Haki was standing casually atop the building.
It was a tall man, his deep green hooded cloak billowing in the scorching wind.
Beneath the brim of his hood, a pair of eyes lay hidden, as deep and unfathomable as if they could conceal all the world's secrets.
Maude gazed at the man, his eyes narrowing slightly.
A sudden intuition struck him—
This man had deliberately exposed his presence, as if inviting Maude to find him.
…
Alabasta, Spider Miles.
Anchored along the coastline, a mast ship bearing the flag of the Donquixote Family swayed gently on the waves.
Inside the ship's communication room, a Den Den Mushi on the table rang incessantly, relaying a call from Dressrosa.
The crew member in charge of communications hesitated for a moment before answering, a lingering doubt circling in his mind—
Why hasn't Lord Pica returned yet?
Meanwhile, along the same coastline—
A Marine battleship had also docked.
Smoker and Tashigi disembarked, and from a distance, they could already see the Donquixote Family's ship.
"Captain Smoker, that looks like a Donquixote—"
Tashigi adjusted her glasses, about to issue a warning, but Smoker cut her off before she could finish.
"Ignore it."
Striding forward, Smoker made his way toward the city.
His primary objective in Alabasta—was to arrest Straw Hat Luffy.
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