"Go for a big score?"
Wolfrat's eyes narrowed with a jolt of realization, instantly guessing Maude's intentions.
"What do you mean?"
Feigning ignorance, Wolfrat raised his glass and downed a mouthful of alcohol.
Maude's eyes narrowed slightly. His voice turned serious. "As the saying goes, strike while the iron's hot."
"I've never heard that saying before," Wolfrat countered, trying to steer the conversation away.
Maude remained unfazed. "No worries. Now you have."
"…"
"Wolfrat, time is running out for us. Sitting here waiting for the axe to fall isn't our style. We need to take the initiative. While Kazte and Abby are injured, we'll finish them off—"
His tone turned icy as his hand mimicked a chopping motion. "Otherwise, once they recover, they'll come straight for us."
Wolfrat lowered his head, fighting the urge to smash his cup against Maude's head.
If it weren't for you, you conniving bastard, I wouldn't be in this mess!
And to think I shared information about Abby and Kazte with you to build goodwill—not to sign up for a death pact!
Thud.Seeing Wolfrat stay silent, Maude pressed his advantage, placing a firm hand on the man's shoulder.
Wolfrat's body stiffened slightly as he raised his head to meet Maude's gaze, which was full of righteous conviction.
With a solemn expression, Maude said, "Wolfrat, to be honest, I'm not afraid of Kazte and Abby coming after me. But I'm genuinely worried about your safety. We're friends, and I can't just sit back and do nothing!
"I know this will be tough and full of danger, but so what? For a friend, no risk is too great.
"So don't worry, Wolfrat. I swear on the name of Usopp that no matter how dangerous it gets, I'll see this through and resolve the matter for you!"
Wolfrat stared at Maude, dumbfounded. He was genuinely stunned.
This world truly does have people capable of such…
brazen deceit!
As the shock wore off, Wolfrat suddenly grasped a critical detail.
"It's true. With 'Phantom Gun' backing him up, Usopp doesn't need to worry about retaliation from Abby and Kazte. But I do…
"No. I can't let Usopp drag me into this. Abby and Kazte are after him, not me. So why should I care?
"But…"
Memories of the incident at the Battleaxe Tavern resurfaced, particularly his decision to step in and block Kazte. He felt a sudden urge to slap himself.
Too late for regrets now.
Realizing that Maude had no real reason to fear Abby and Kazte's retaliation, Rats came to a harsh conclusion: the only one in real danger here was himself.
Wolfrat cried.
He genuinely shed tears.
"You're right! Strike while the iron's hot. Instead of waiting for them to come for us, we should take the initiative and eliminate them once and for all! Usopp, I didn't expect you to be so considerate of me. I…"
Having sorted through his thoughts, Wolfrat instantly got into character. First, he allowed a faint killing intent to show, and then he looked genuinely touched, letting bitter tears roll down his cheeks.
Maude clapped him on the shoulder firmly before raising his glass. "Say no more. It's all in the drink."
"Cheers!"
Wolfrat, filled with bitterness, clinked his glass against Maude's.
Behind the bar, Tatam lowered his gaze to hide his amused smirk.
Technically, he was a complete outsider.
Thus, he saw clearly: Wolfrat had dug a pit for Maude to fall into, but before Maude even approached the pit, Wolfrat had somehow been dragged into it himself.
Maude and Wolfrat downed their drinks.
Tatam poured them each a glass of white rum. "On the house."
"Thanks."
Although Maude didn't feel like drinking any more, he still thanked Tatam for the gesture.
Turning the glass in his hand slowly, Maude looked at Wolfrat and spoke with a serious tone. "Wolfrat, the longer we delay, the worse it'll be for you. It's best to act tonight. What do you think?"
"…"
Wolfrat silently cursed his shamelessness but eventually nodded. "I think you're right."
At this point, he figured he might as well go along.
Besides, Abby and Kazte were both pirates with bounties exceeding 30 million berries. If he could use this opportunity to take them out, it wouldn't be a bad outcome.
As a Marine at heart, Wolfrat weighed the pros and cons and found the plan feasible.
Unaware of Wolfrat's internal calculus, Maude knew that merely predicting the future wouldn't be enough to make Wolfrat commit fully. Moreover, Abby and Kazte were targets he needed to kill personally…
"Wolfrat, I've thought it over carefully. I'll handle the most dangerous part of the assassination. All you need to do is distract Abby and Kazte's subordinates."
"This…"
Wolfrat looked at Maude in surprise.
Maude continued, "Of course, this is all just talk for now. The priority is gathering intelligence. Even if it doesn't increase our chances of success, it can at least reduce the risks."
His expression turned pained as he picked up the Dark Crow from the counter. With a sigh, he added, "Unfortunately, after buying this blade from Tatam, I only have a few thousand berries left. I was hoping to buy some intel, but…"
"I'm broke," Wolfrat interrupted.
He spoke the truth.
As a Marine undercover, he spent whatever money he earned as quickly as possible. If he died unexpectedly, at least the money wouldn't go to waste.
"You're broke too? Then there's no helping it."
Maude sighed, hoping to squeeze some cash out of Wolfrat but to no avail.
Wolfrat's lips twitched slightly. "While I don't have money, I do have some intel on them."
"Oh?"
Maude's eyes lit up.
A silver lining!
His desire for intel wasn't just about reducing risk—it was also about maximizing his Hunter's Notebook's rewards.
Wolfrat adopted an air of authority, speaking carefully. "Listen up. Among the pirate crews stationed in Mad Hat Town, there are seven with bounties exceeding 50 million berries. Abby and Kazte's crew is one of them.
"Abby and Kazte themselves have bounties over 30 million berries each, and under their command are several officers with bounties in the millions. If you want to assassinate Abby and Kazte, you'll have to consider these factors.
"Among their officers, the one to watch out for is Lagren, a skilled swordsman with a bounty of 19 million berries."
As he spoke, Wolfrat subtly studied Maude's reaction.
Mentioning Lagren was a deliberate test.
Maude's expression shifted slightly as he said seriously, "A swordsman with a 19 million bounty? Definitely someone to be cautious of."
This was precisely the kind of prey Maude sought. Even if Kazte escaped, taking down Lagren would be a major win.
Wolfrat noted Maude's reaction and said calmly, "Fortunately, Lagren was killed not long ago."
"???"
Maude thought, If he's dead, why even bring him up?!
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