One Piece: Scourge of the Seas

One moment, Wolfrat was just about to mention Maude, and in the next, the man himself walked through the door.

If it had just been Maude, Wolfrat wouldn't have been so startled.

What caught him off guard was that Maude had brought along the girl from the weapon shop this time.

As for the plump, snow-white weasel, Wolfrat didn't spare it a thought.

"The girl closely tied to that Phantom Gun..."

Quickly regaining his composure, Wolfrat masked his momentary surprise with practiced ease, leaping off his chair in a show of exuberance.

"Usopp! Finally, you're here! Tatamu just got a fresh shipment of premium Bacardi rum a couple of days ago. Let's have a proper drink later, eh? And who's this lovely young lady? Don't tell me she's your... hehehe."

Greeting them with exaggerated enthusiasm, Wolfrat's gaze flitted between Maude and Sunny, a lascivious grin spreading across his face.

Maude ignored Wolfrat entirely, his attention shifting to the man behind the bar.

"Tatamu, whip up something to eat for us. Anything with meat will do."

"Three servings?" Tatamu asked, sparing a glance at the now significantly rounder weasel he hadn't seen in months.

When Tatamu included him in the count, Bailey couldn't help but feel touched.

He vividly remembered when Maude had first dragged him into this bar. Back then, it was this bear-like bartender's declaration of "You can't eat him" that had spared Bailey from becoming a tragic statistic.

"Yes, three servings."

Maude nodded at Tatamu, silently appreciating the bartender's attention to detail, which seemed out of place for someone of his hulking physique.

Sunny, however, was momentarily startled upon hearing Tatamu's unexpectedly melodic and gentle voice, but her surprise didn't linger. Her focus remained on Wolfrat.

"He's your friend?"

"Yeah."

Following Sunny's indication, Maude looked over at Wolfrat, who didn't seem the least bit awkward about being ignored.

"Oh, you've made some poor choices in friends."

Sunny's gaze swept over Wolfrat's face, landing on his lewd smile.

Wolfrat suddenly felt an invisible arrow strike his chest.

"Don't say that. Sure, Wolfrat's a bit creepy-looking, but he's loyal where it counts."

Maude chuckled, attempting to defuse the tension, though he couldn't help revealing the unvarnished truth.

The second arrow...

Sunny frowned. "So, do you think I'm cute?"

Maude pondered for a moment before responding honestly, "Not even a little."

"So, is the problem with you or him?"

"Definitely with Wolfrat."

Maude answered without hesitation.

Sunny nodded in agreement.

"...?"

Wolfrat's mouth twitched.

The third arrow…

Truly, birds of a feather flock together.

"Don't just stand around; take a seat," Wolfrat urged, abandoning any attempt to banter further. Pretending not to have heard their exchange, he motioned for them to sit down.

Maude and Sunny complied, while Bailey claimed two chairs—one to sit on and another to rest his tail.

As Tatamu headed to the kitchen to prepare food, Wolfrat took it upon himself to grab two glasses from behind the bar, sliding one each to Maude and Sunny.

Picking up a bottle, he was about to pour when—

Bang!

Bailey slammed a paw down on the bar, drawing Wolfrat's attention.

As Wolfrat turned, Bailey pounded the bar again. This time, he first gestured benevolently toward the glasses in front of Maude and Sunny, then pointed indignantly at the empty space before him.

Before coming to the Nightshade Bar, Maude had instructed Bailey not to speak in human tongue.

Thus, Bailey resorted to gestures, making his intent abundantly clear: What about my share?

Wolfrat immediately understood but turned to Maude for confirmation.

"Usopp, does this puffball actually want a drink?"

"Yeah, Bailey likes alcohol. Pour him a glass."

No sooner had Maude finished speaking than Bailey hurled an ashtray at Wolfrat.

Clearly, the term puffball had struck a nerve.

Wolfrat effortlessly caught the flying ashtray, lowering it slowly as he glared at Bailey like a predator eyeing prey.

Bailey, however, responded with a smug grin, confident that with his benefactor nearby, he had nothing to fear from Wolfrat's intimidation.

Unfazed, Bailey locked eyes with Wolfrat in a silent battle of wills.

"..."

Watching Bailey's blatant defiance, Wolfrat's eyelids twitched as he resisted the urge to clobber the weasel with the ashtray.

Ultimately, he relented, fetching a glass for Bailey, who nodded in satisfaction.

After pouring the drinks, Wolfrat tried steering the conversation.

"Usopp, where have you been all this time? You've been out of sight for ages, and now you show up so late—and with… uh…"

He caught himself before mentioning Sunny, unwilling to invite another round of verbal lashes.

Maude took a sip of his drink, remarking, "It's a long story."

"Then spare me the details. Let's just drink."

Wolfrat grimaced, relieved he no longer had to dig for information.

All he had to do now was wait. Within three days, Gion and her unit would arrive in Mad Hat Town.

And then…

Raising his glass, Wolfrat stole a glance at Maude and Sunny.

Wary of Maude's backer, the Phantom Gun, Wolfrat had always kept his distance from the weapon shop, even when gathering intelligence.

As a result, this was his first real encounter with Sunny.

Compared to Maude, Sunny was the true leverage they needed against the enigmatic gunslinger.

While Gion's team had yet to uncover the exact relationship between Sunny and the Phantom Gun, it was clearly far from ordinary.

Without such a connection, capturing someone as elusive and dangerous as Sol would have been nearly impossible—and incredibly risky.

A short while later, Tatamu emerged from the kitchen with three plates of generously portioned steak.

The steaks were drizzled with a red wine reduction, their aroma instantly whetting appetites.

"Enjoy."

Tatamu's smile was warm.

"Thanks."

Having gone without a proper meal for some time, Maude dug in without hesitation.

Sunny and Bailey followed suit.

Their outing tonight was as much about unwinding as it was about necessity.

After all, Arthur had summoned Sol to Pleasure District with tales of a stunning new courtesan.

Originally, Maude had planned to visit the tavern, but its raucous atmosphere had made him reconsider.

Tatamu's Nightshade Bar, with its quiet charm, had seemed the better choice.

And now, as he savored the perfectly cooked steak, Maude felt vindicated in his decision to bring Sunny and Bailey here.

Behind the bar, Tatamu watched them eat with a serene expression, though a flicker of hesitation danced in his eyes.

Through Wolfrat, he'd learned Maude's true name and identity.

Of course, outwardly, he still referred to Maude as "Usopp."

Meanwhile, at the alley's end outside the bar, Sabo and Koala stood watch.

They lingered at a distance, making no move to approach.

"There are patrons inside—and that Marine as well," Sabo observed, his gaze fixed on the bar's glowing sign.

Using a subtle code embedded in the missing bulbs of the sign, he deciphered the information Tatamu had left behind.

"So, what now?" Koala asked hesitantly.

"We wait," Sabo replied calmly.

With time on their side until Morley arrived in Mad Hat Town, there was no need to rush.

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