If given a choice, joining the Marines would undoubtedly be the best option for Maude.
Intelligence.
Status.
Support.
Connections.
And even Impel Down, the prison that holds some of the most dangerous pirates in existence.
Maude had far too many reasons and motivations to join the Marines.
However, being a wanted man was now an unchangeable fact.
Even so, he would have preferred becoming a Marine.
This was the first time Maude had admitted this regretful thought in front of others, and it would also be the last.
No matter how many enemies he would make in the future, how many obstacles he would face, or how dangerous the situations he encountered might be—
In this vast world, Maude's pursuit was simple: a life of unrestrained freedom and excitement.
As for the so-called One Piece? He had no interest in it whatsoever.
No one present doubted the sincerity of Maude's words.
Under their watchful gazes, Maude smiled faintly, meeting Aokiji's slightly complicated expression head-on.
From beginning to end, Maude showed no sign of backing down.
Aokiji stared silently at Maude.
In this world, everyone holds a certain value.
There are countless ways to define value.
But to simplify, it comes down to two things: status and ability.
The abilities Maude possessed forced Aokiji to consider the possibilities—and risks—they represented.
Given this premise, and factoring in their opposing positions...
The abilities and potential Aokiji saw in Maude translated directly into a future threat.
As a Marine, it was undoubtedly his duty to eliminate such a threat here and now.
But unfortunately...
Sitting at the table was a man named Fujitora.
Moreover, upon hearing Maude's earlier words, Aokiji had lost the drive to pursue the matter further.
Sometimes, when the die has already been cast, continuing to dwell on right and wrong is simply self-torment.
Even so, Maude's presence in Aokiji's eyes shifted significantly at this moment.
It even reminded him of the first time he saw Maude back in Mad Hat Town.
The room fell silent for a moment.
No one moved, and no one spoke.
The silence was eerie.
"Better eat up before the food gets cold," Maude said, breaking the tension as he picked up his chopsticks.
Unfortunately, the atmosphere never quite regained its earlier liveliness.
Aokiji stopped provoking and quietly began eating, clearing out the dishes on the table.
The members of the Heart Pirates shivered in fear.
But as time went on, and seeing that Aokiji truly seemed to have come just for a meal, they gradually calmed down.
"This is... unbelievable…"
They were caught in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.
Even though they had accepted the absurdity of dining at the same table with a Marine Admiral, they couldn't shake the surreal feeling that they were dreaming.
"The Maude Pirates..."
Members of the Heart Pirates cast subtle glances at Maude.
This day would forever be etched in their memories.
Law sheathed his Kikoku and glanced at Maude with an indifferent expression, though his mind was in turmoil.
What mattered to him, above all else, was dealing with Doflamingo.
As long as Maude could be the key to achieving that, nothing else mattered in the slightest.
"Sluuurp..."
Issho finished his sixth bowl of vegetarian noodles, quietly reflecting: Joining the Marines, huh…
At the table, the uninvited Aokiji had rapidly cleared through the food.
Within twenty minutes, only scraps remained.
Aokiji seemed thoroughly satisfied as he set down his bowl and chopsticks, stretched lazily, and expressed his thanks for the meal.
Then, without hesitation, he got up and left.
Before departing, he glanced at the house where Servis and the other Marines were hiding.
It was as if he could sense their nervous expressions inside.
Ultimately, though, he left without saying a word.
After Aokiji left, the lively chatter returned to the group.
Soon, everyone dispersed, resuming their tasks.
At their current pace, it would take another twenty days to completely eradicate the plague on Lorre Island.
This meant Maude and his crew would need to remain on the island for at least twenty more days.
However, due to Aokiji's visit, Maude didn't want to stay any longer.
Additionally, during the time spent dealing with the plague, Law's intensive training had yielded considerable results.
Continuing further wouldn't add much value compared to the initial stages.
Determined to wrap things up quickly, Maude approached Kuma.
Since Kuma had arrived, he had only observed a few surgeries before quietly watching Law pour his heart into treating infected patients.
Maude didn't know what Kuma was thinking, but he understood the capabilities of Kuma's Devil Fruit.
In Maude's view, Kuma could likely remove the "virus" directly from the infected patients' bodies.
Therefore, asking for Kuma's assistance would naturally accelerate the process.
When Maude proposed this idea directly, Kuma seemed surprised.
"I can indeed do that," Kuma replied, not disappointing Maude.
"Well then..." Maude looked at Kuma earnestly.
Kuma nodded.
Seeing this, a hint of delight flashed in Maude's eyes.
Over the following days, with Kuma's help, the plague was swiftly eradicated.
Law finally escaped from the hellish training environment.
With the plague resolved, Maude decided to leave Lorre Island.
As for their next destination, Maude already had a plan.
It concerned the title of Warlord of the Sea, and their departure was set for that evening.
Apart from Law, Maude didn't inform anyone else in advance.
After lunch, Maude led Law and Lafitte back to the Underworld Ferry.
Throughout this time, Jim had remained on the ship.
Whenever they had spare moments, Maude and the others would routinely check on the Underworld Ferry.
As for Baby-5, who had been imprisoned for months and frequently knocked unconscious by Jim's "physical persuasion," she now looked utterly worn out and pitiful.
However, Maude had no sympathy for someone who had tried to kill him.
"Lafitte, begin," Maude said, looking at the resentful Baby-5.
"Hoho…"
At Maude's command, Lafitte began hypnotizing Baby-5 to extract details about the appearance of the Arms-Arms Fruit.
The hypnosis worked, and they soon learned that the Arms-Arms Fruit resembled a pineapple.
Before coming to the Underworld Ferry, Maude had gathered every fruit he could find on the island, including a pineapple.
Maude retrieved a pineapple from the pile and tossed it to Law.
Catching the pineapple, Law turned his gaze to Baby-5, his expression calm but resolute.
Using the powers of the Op-Op Fruit to preserve the "Devil's power" that leaves a user's body upon death and transferring it to a suitable vessel—
In this case, a similarly shaped fruit—would increase the chances of success.
This was Maude's theory and judgment.
So, without access to a Devil Fruit Encyclopedia, Maude had Lafitte hypnotize Baby-5 to confirm the Arms-Arms Fruit's appearance.
If this procedure succeeded...
Then, not only could they hunt Devil Fruits with ease, but they could also imbue "Devil's power" into inanimate objects effortlessly.
This would signify that Law possessed the potential to alter the balance of the world.
The implications of this potential were too vast to articulate in a few words.
What Maude valued now was giving Law the opportunity to put his training into practice—
To see if they could extract the Arms-Arms Fruit from Baby-5.
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