Using the chaos of the auction as cover for some opportunistic hunting was something Maude had planned over half a month ago.
If the hunts before this point hadn't gone well, he would have abandoned the idea without hesitation.
But things had gone smoothly, with plenty of weapons at hand. There was no way he'd heed Sunny's warnings.
Back in his room, Maude changed into darker clothing and pulled out his pre-prepared disguise items:
A black armband emblazoned with the character for "death."
A mask that concealed most of his face.
The inspiration for this setup came from the undertaker, Arthur.
The mask Maude had made by hand bore a slight resemblance to Arthur's.
The only regret was that he couldn't replicate Arthur's distinctive and stylish work overalls. If he had, Arthur might even have taken the blame for any mischief.
Maude swiftly tied the armband to his arm and donned the mask, which only left his mouth and eyes visible. He then checked his reflection in a mirror.
"Not bad."
He nodded in satisfaction.
Disguising himself as an undertaker was the best cover for his current activities.
After finishing his disguise, Maude checked his weapons and ammunition:
Two flintlock pistols.
A short dagger.
And most importantly, Usopp.
"Thirty lead bullets should do."
He carefully inspected his ammunition pouch.
Once fully prepared, Maude couldn't wait any longer and stepped outside.
With practiced ease, he climbed to the rooftops and made his way to the tallest nearby building.
Before long, Maude perched atop a five-story building, gazing at the brightly lit streets below. It was hard to believe such a bustling nightlife could exist in a lawless area teeming with pirates.
"The auction starts at nine. Two hours left."
Unhurried, Maude sat down.
He never intended to enter the auction house.
It wasn't because he feared running into Sol, but because he believed the risks inside were higher than those outside.
As long as he could catch some prey from the fringes, he'd be satisfied.
Maude didn't plan to act until the auction began.
To pass the time, he pulled out the notebook Sunny had given him and began reading by moonlight.
The notebook didn't contain as much information as he'd imagined, mostly targeting pirates who frequented Mad Hat Town.
Maude read each entry carefully.
Sunny had a habit of describing a target's appearance briefly before noting their strength and other intelligence.
Although her notes weren't as detailed as those of the Neighbors, they were sufficient for Maude to identify targets quickly by their features.
The pages rustled as he flipped through.
He wasn't aiming to memorize everything in a short time; leaving a rough impression was enough.
"Oh? Even Kid is in here."
Maude raised an eyebrow in surprise upon seeing Kid's entry.
The intelligence leaned heavily on speculation, like deducing Kid's excellent marksmanship from his obsession with buying guns.
After reading the entry, Maude found it somewhat lacking in substance, as most of it was conjecture.
Sunny likely had little firsthand knowledge of Kid's strength, given that he came from the South Blue.
"Kid probably hasn't eaten a Devil Fruit yet, and his overall abilities should still be developing," Maude mused, recalling what he knew about Kid.
If an opportunity arose to take Kid down, Maude might hesitate for a moment but wouldn't let it slip by.
To Maude, no matter how much Kid's "experience points" might grow in the coming years, they'd never be more valuable than the present.
Turning the page, Maude continued reading.
A few pages later, he stumbled upon his own name. Below it were several lines of description.
However, every single word had been crossed out with two black lines.
At the bottom of the entry were several large question marks, similarly slashed with black ink.
"These lines make it look like I'm already dead."
Maude shook his head at the sight of the heavy black marks before flipping to the next page.
Soon, he reached the end of the notebook.
He began a second, more focused review, taking about an hour to form a clearer understanding of the information.
The most memorable entry wasn't one of the highly dangerous individuals Sunny had highlighted but rather the Redhorn Pirates, led by Kazte and where Red belonged to.
Unlike his other targets, Red was part of a collective, whereas most of Maude's previous prey had been scattered, aimless pirates.
"Redhorn Pirates, huh…"
Standing up, Maude gazed at the distant lights, his thoughts churning.
What drew Maude's attention wasn't just Red but the Redhorn Pirates' captain, Kazte—a Zoan-type Devil Fruit user.
Sunny's notes confirmed that Kazte's fruit was part of the "Bull-Bull Fruit" family, though the exact type remained unclear.
Zoan users were known for their significant physical enhancements, making them particularly rewarding targets for Maude.
From this, Maude could infer Kazte's likely strengths: immense power, high defense, and exceptional close-combat abilities.
To take such a target down, finding a way to breach their defenses would be key.
"Too bad there's no bounty poster for Kazte."
Maude muttered, thinking he needed to start collecting bounty posters of various pirates.
Posters provided not only names but also photos, which were crucial for adding targets to his Hunter's Notebook.
For now, though, Maude focused on the task ahead.
"It's about time."
With an hour left until the auction, Maude moved toward Watchpoint Street.
Nightshade Bar, alleyway.
The Redhorn Pirates, led by Kazte, arrived at the bar's entrance.
The narrow alley was soon packed with nearly a hundred men, blocking all access.
Kazte glanced at the bar's sign before striding in with about thirty crew members.
The rest stayed outside, sealing off the area.
Inside, the bartender, Tatam, and the informant, Wolfrat, maintained neutral expressions as they watched the imposing Kazte approach.
The captain's signature horned helmet and bushy beard gave away his identity at a glance.
Recognizing Kazte immediately, Wolfrat had no trouble guessing why he was here. He'd already steeled himself for this confrontation.
Idly swirling his drink, Wolfrat glanced at the stoic Tatam.
"Apologies."
The half-hearted apology fell flat.
Tatam remained silent.
Kazte glared at Wolfrat coldly. "You're Wolfrat, right? I'm not one to beat around the bush."
"Oh, that's obvious."
Wolfrat's eyes flicked to Kazte's horned helmet, his demeanor unshaken.
Not a trace of fear showed in his calm demeanor.
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