Sol was strong.
There was no doubt about it.
Even though Maude hadn't witnessed what had occurred, he knew one thing for certain—this was all because of him.
"Maude?"
Sabo, seeing the severed leg, was stunned. He noticed Maude suddenly halt in his tracks and instinctively stopped as well.
Maude turned his back to Sabo, his eyes glowing faintly red, a manifestation of Observation Haki, as he gazed into the distance.
For a long time, Maude had considered himself fortunate.
Fortunate to have found new purpose in a weapons shop.
Fortunate to have met Sunny and Sol.
Fortunate to have received Sol's protection and teachings.
He had believed those days would last forever...
In silence, Maude loaded a precious Seastone bullet into Usopp.
He knew Sol had risked everything to get this bullet to him. Not as a weapon for survival, but more like a keepsake—entrusting it to him as a legacy.
Now, Sol was at death's door.
Should he pretend not to see, and continue to flee?
If he chose that path, an insurmountable barrier would forever lodge itself in his heart.
"Maude, you…"
Sabo took a few steps closer but stopped when he saw the expression on Maud's face.
Without acknowledging Sabo's reaction, Maude finished loading the Seastone bullet, raised Usopp, and aimed at Garp in the distance.
The target was well beyond the weapon's effective range of 200 meters, but...
Stop him, stop him!
The thought raced through Maude's mind.
"Just like Sol taught me—visualize the Haki, condense it into a single point, and release it outward."
"Like channeling telekinesis... Can I do this? I have to…"
"Usopp, if you're truly a worthy old rifle, guide me. Just find a way to guide me..."
The weathered, battle-scarred gun didn't respond to Maude's plea.
It was merely an object, incapable of replying to his thoughts.
Yet, it bore the legacy of countless battles fought by Yasopp, one of the world's greatest marksmen. Over time, it had accumulated invaluable qualities—a balance perfect for novices, and a familiarity that gave experts an edge.
This was Usopp, an heirloom rifle that had once belonged to Yasopp, a legendary sniper.
Maude focused all his energy.
Haki surged as he willed it into the rifle.
Amid his efforts, memories of Sol's teachings resurfaced—principles on how to project Armament Haki.
For a sniper to reach new heights, mastering this technique and applying it to their weapon was crucial.
But if the technique faltered, the bullet wouldn't even fire, and uncontrolled Haki could destroy the gun itself.
"It's not about flow—it's about compression and control."
"Every step must be flawless."
"If there's even a single misstep, the gun will explode."
"But..."
"With Usopp, it's possible."
"You're Yasopp's legacy..."
Maude's eyes burned with an intense, flame-like red glow.
He was taking a gamble, but he put his complete trust in Usopp.
"Stop him!"
The fiery red glow in Maude's eyes condensed into a sharp, needle-like point.
Far away, Sol lay sprawled in a crater.
His right arm hung limply, and blood poured from his severed leg.
With one arm gone and one leg lost, any hope of resisting Garp was a pipe dream.
Garp stood over Sol, his right fist coated in Armament Haki.
He glanced down at Sol and asked, "What's that boy to you? Worth sacrificing so much for?"
Sol's trembling left hand reached for his lone flintlock pistol, and his lips curled into a faint smirk.
"He's... my treasure."
"Treasure?"
Garp frowned, puzzled.
Sol didn't elaborate.
Instead, he laboriously moved the gun, aiming it shakily at Garp.
At this stage, such actions were little more than a desperate display of defiance.
Garp raised his Haki-infused fist and said solemnly, "I won't harm the boy, but his ties to the Revolutionary Army force my hand. I can only guarantee his survival."
"Ha…"
Sol's smirk widened.
Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger.
The gunshot echoed, sending a Haki-coated lead bullet toward Garp's heart.
But the slow aim made it easy for Garp to dodge at close range.
With ease, he sidestepped the bullet and struck out with a fist toward Sol's face.
Sol, resigned, let his hand fall.
"All these years of running… In the end, I couldn't even fire one shot I was proud of…"
The gust of Garp's fist roared toward him.
Sol's eyelids lowered, his fate seemingly sealed.
Suddenly, a faint whistling sound—a bullet slicing through the air—reached his ears.
It was familiar.
The sound of a bullet in flight.
Then came the impact. Dust billowed as the fist's force struck the ground beside Sol, but the fist itself hadn't landed.
Sol's eyes widened in shock.
The delayed sound of a gunshot rang out from afar.
Blood trickled from a gash on Garp's cheek.
Unfazed by the wound, Garp turned toward the direction of the shot.
There stood a young boy, a rifle still aimed in his hands.
That age. That distance. That power.
Recognition flashed in Garp's eyes.
"Treasure, huh..."
He glanced back at the astonished Sol.
"To you, he truly is a treasure."
"It's Maude, huh? Ha... ha ha… HAHAHA!"
Sol broke into loud laughter.
Even if it was just a scratch, that shot was enough for him to face death with a smile.
Without Sol holding him back, Aokiji seized the chance to freeze Morley once more.
Hearing Sol's laughter, Aokiji turned to see blood on Garp's face.
He'd noticed the gunshot earlier but was now certain of its source.
"That kid, huh?"
He shifted his gaze to Maude, who still held his rifle, though his vision blurred, and he collapsed from exhaustion.
The rifle, Usopp, fell apart in pieces on the ground.
"That didn't even hit... What kind of monster is he?"
Maude muttered, his strength fading fast.
"Maude!"
Sabo caught him before he hit the ground.
"I'm sorry..."
Maude's apology was almost inaudible, unclear whether it was directed at Sabo or Sol.
Before his Observation Haki faded, Maude had seen Aokiji immobilize Morley again, signaling that escape was impossible.
"It's okay."
Sabo bit his lip, his gaze falling to the broken remains of Usopp.
A gun...
Could it really be that strong?
Even though Maude's desperate shot had interrupted Garp, it was far from enough to save Sol.
Yet, that single shot had already set other events into motion.
Ice shards flew toward them as Aokiji attacked.
A shadow descended from the sky, cutting through the shards with a blade—it was Lafitte.
Another consequence of that fateful shot.
Elsewhere, Garp looked at the laughing Sol, his halted fist surging forward again—only to stop once more as another bullet struck.
This time, it was Yasopp's shot.
Another ripple of change from Maude's gamble.
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