Kazte's strength was nothing to scoff at.
Even when disadvantaged, a single clean hit from him could flip the entire situation on its head.
Maude's earlier evasiveness wasn't purely due to Kazte's overwhelming power. In his view, if he could kite Kazte to death with ease, there was no need to take the risk of engaging in close combat.
However, Kazte adapted his strategy just in time, sacrificing defense for speed to close the gap, forcing Maude into a direct confrontation.
In such a situation, Maude had no choice but to take him head-on.
With his current maximum strength, Maude landed a devastating punch squarely on Kazte's wound—a calculated and cruel blow.
That punch not only inflicted severe internal injuries on Kazte but also shattered his assumptions about Maude.
Kazte had underestimated Maude's power, assuming he couldn't be that strong.
After all, if Maude truly had the strength, why would he avoid battle so persistently?
Thus, Kazte attacked Maude with full force, holding nothing back in his strikes.
But the moment Maude's punch connected, Kazte realized how utterly wrong he had been.
And his mistake was monumental.
"You…"
Kazte glared at Maude, blood spilling from his mouth as he struggled to speak.
He couldn't comprehend Maude's approach.
Clearly capable of facing him head-on, why resort to such underhanded tactics?
"Me?"
Maude smiled faintly.
"Despicable…!"
Suppressing the searing pain in his abdomen, Kazte managed to squeeze out those two words.
Bang!
Without warning, Maude drew his flintlock pistol and fired at Kazte's untransformed knee.
Splat!
The lead bullet tore into Kazte's knee, spraying a burst of vivid blood.
"What did you just say?"
Maude slowly holstered his gun.
The gunshot had drowned out the latter part of Kazte's sentence, leaving Maude unable to hear it.
Kazte widened his eyes, staring daggers at Maude. After a moment, a roar of fury ripped through the night sky.
"Usopp!"
Suddenly, Kazte fully transformed into his hybrid beast form.
However, instead of charging at Maude, he turned and bolted toward the shore, dragging his injuries with him.
Maude raised an eyebrow and gave chase.
Within seconds, Maude closed the distance, dagger in hand, aimed directly at Kazte's exposed back.
At that moment, Kazte whirled around sharply. The violent motion tore open the wound on his inner thigh, spraying blood in arcs.
But Kazte didn't flinch.
Double Strike!
Kazte's eyes burned with determination as his left hoof shot toward Maude's throat.
Maude lifted his dagger, intending to deflect Kazte's desperate counterattack.
Clang!
The sheer force of Kazte's strike sent Maude's dagger flying, plunging into the sea.
A glint of triumph flashed in Kazte's eyes as his right hoof immediately followed, targeting Maude's chest.
If this strike landed, Kazte was confident he could kill Maude in one blow, completely turning the tide.
Yet, Kazte failed to notice the faint smirk curling at Maude's lips.
The black hoof bore down!
Maude ducked sharply, letting the hoof graze the top of his head.
Shing!
Dodging the attack, Maude drew his blade, Dark Crow, with a swift motion and plunged it into Kazte's chest.
The sharp blade sank a third of the way into Kazte's body.
Kazte froze, staring dumbly at the blade embedded in his chest.
Maude wasted no time, pressing his other hand against the hilt and stepping forward forcefully.
Slash!
The blood-stained blade burst out of Kazte's back.
Thud, thud…
Maude drove Kazte's body forward, pinning him to the ship's mast before stopping.
"Getting shot in the knee and still thinking you could escape? Even I wouldn't believe that."
Maude's smile faded as he stared coldly at Kazte, whose face contorted in hatred and unwillingness.
"In truth, we had no personal grudge. But… I need stepping stones."
With that, Maude yanked the Dark Crow free, stepped back, and watched as Kazte's lifeless body crumpled to the ground.
Around him, the remaining members of the Redhorn Pirates stared in disbelief at the scene.
"Captain Kazte!!"
Ignoring their cries, Maude calmly wiped the blood from his blade and cast a cold gaze upon them.
The lingering aura of violence sent shivers down the spines of the surviving pirates, rooting them in place.
"Not the right time…"
Lowering his gaze, Maude's mind turned inward. Within his consciousness, the star on his notebook's cover—situated on the section labeled "Physique"—had transformed from an empty outline to a solid black star.
"It's filled. Which means… it's happening."
Excitement flickered across Maude's face as he instinctively tightened his grip on the hilt of his blade.
Abruptly, an inexplicable sensation swept over him, as if hundreds of delicate hands were gently massaging his spirit.
The overwhelming comfort heightened his senses to an unprecedented degree.
Warm currents coursed through his body, filling every vein and cell with vitality.
The sensation was like being cradled in clouds, every fiber of his being refreshed and rejuvenated.
Maude closed his eyes, savoring the rare transformation.
Even with his heightened awareness, he could still sense the Redhorn Pirates on the deck, as well as a surge of hostile presences emerging from the shadows.
The remaining pirates hesitated, glancing at each other, unsure if Maude's sudden stillness was an opportunity or a trap.
Moments later, Maude's body emitted a series of popping sounds, like firecrackers.
Some of the pirates felt as though Maude's frame had subtly swelled.
They wanted to act, but an inexplicable fear rooted them to the spot.
Maude opened his eyes.
The metamorphosis was complete.
"That felt good."
Sliding the Dark Crow back into its sheath, Maude stretched leisurely.
The single black star signifying his enhanced physique marked an important milestone.
Still, Maude understood the challenges ahead. The closer he got to the pinnacle—ten stars—the harder it would be to progress.
The road to maxing out a single trait would be arduous, even with the notebook's mysterious capabilities.
Looking toward the shore, Maude's thoughts shifted to the next step: Haki.
With the right talents and resources, he could expedite its growth. If not, he'd have to adapt.
Maude dismissed the musings and focused on the sounds of approaching footsteps.
A mob of armed pirates clambered onto the ship, their numbers swelling to nearly a hundred.
They eyed Kazte's corpse with a mixture of shock and dread, their gazes eventually settling on Maude.
Like a pack of wolves, they loitered on the edge, neither attacking nor retreating, waiting for their prey to falter.
Maude saw through their intentions immediately.
Compared to the Redhorn Pirates' loot, he cared more about his true target: Gabton.
Fixing a cold glare on the pirates, Maude stepped toward the shore.
The mob parted instinctively, creating a path for him to pass through.
As Maude walked away, one pirate closest to him swallowed hard.
"God, that was terrifying."
His legs trembled as he recalled the moment Maude passed by—vivid visions of being cut to pieces flashing through his mind.
No one laughed at his reaction.
The Redhorn Pirates' captain had fallen to this young man named Usopp.
As the remaining pirates turned their greedy eyes toward the Redhorn crew, Maude disappeared into the night.
----------------------------
Join my patreon to access advance chapters: patreon.com / emperorgarus
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!