When Maude returned to the Sabaody Archipelago—
The incident at the bar on Grove 26, where three high-bounty pirates were killed by ghost bullets, was merely a prelude.
Over the next three days—
Eight more pirates, each with bounties ranging from 60 million to 98 million berries, fell to the eerie and unpredictable ghost bullets.
This situation plunged the high-bounty pirates in the Sabaody Archipelago into a state of constant paranoia.
In just three days, over a dozen pirate ships hastily set sail, fleeing the archipelago in a panic.
One could say that, single-handedly, Maude had turned the lawless zone of Sabaody into a place of endless dread for pirates.
Those with high bounties fled without looking back.
Those with lower bounties kept their heads down, acting as inconspicuously as law-abiding citizens.
Yet, the ominous sniping in the skies above Sabaody showed no signs of stopping.
Every day, every minute, every second—
A silent, unseen bullet would streak from some unknown direction, claiming yet another pirate's life.
The lawless zone, once a playground for scoundrels, had become a land draped in the shadow of death.
The pirates were going mad.
But even though they knew Maude was the one behind it, none dared to challenge his growing legend and overwhelming strength.
His relentless sniping had brought an unprecedented calm to the lawless zone of the archipelago.
Journalists stationed in Sabaody, like cats drawn to the scent of fish, eagerly reported the ongoing events in their newspapers.
And among the bold headlines, one term appeared time and time again—
"Phantom Sniper*."
Thus,
Unintentionally, Maude once again dominated the headlines.
This left a certain handsome man, who was preparing to depart for Fish-Man Island, feeling exasperated.
If fate ever had a nemesis—
Then for him, it was undoubtedly Maude.
If given the chance, he would storm up to Maude, grab him by the collar, and spit in his face: "Can't you just stay quiet for once?!"
...
Marine Headquarters.
At a massive round table, numerous vice admirals sat together, with Garp at the center.
The table was laden with fine food and drinks, a feast fit to make anyone envious.
As a vast military organization, the Marines inevitably had their factions and cliques.
The vice admirals present—including Tsuru, Chaton, and Gion—were all closely associated with Garp.
"Phantom Sniper?"
Garp's mouth was stuffed with meat as he glanced at the newspaper Tsuru slid over to him, raising an eyebrow slightly.
Gulp.
Swallowing his food in one big bite, he reached out his greasy right hand and picked up the newspaper.
The front page was filled with reports about Maude's recent ghost-like sniping, eliminating numerous notorious pirates in Sabaody.
Vanishing bullets.
Untraceable trajectories.
Sniping from extreme distances.
All these elements had coalesced into a title that Garp found somewhat irksome—Phantom Sniper.
But Sol was Sol, and Maude was Maude.
Garp wasn't the type to conflate them.
After skimming through the report, he silently put the newspaper down and continued eating.
Tsuru calmly observed him and asked, "What do you think?"
Garp, his expression serious, replied, "He's killing pirates. That's good."
Tsuru lowered her gaze and gave a slight nod.
But what if that barrel of his one day turned toward the Marines?
That wouldn't be a pleasant scenario.
And that—was the truly terrifying aspect of the Phantom Sniper.
"Yesterday, I stopped by the intelligence department," Chaton chimed in, wiping a bit of sauce from the corner of his mouth. "The intel officer in charge of liaising with the Seven Warlords mentioned that the day after arriving in Sabaody, Maude requested quite a bit of information."
"Oh?"
Both Tsuru and Garp looked at him.
"What kind of intel?"
"He asked for files on some of the more active rookie pirates as of late."
Chaton tapped a finger against the newspaper and squinted. "Some of them have already died under that so-called ghostly gunfire."
Neither Tsuru nor Garp reacted much to this revelation.
But a short distance away, Gion's ears perked up.
Chaton's gaze shifted to Maude's portrait on the newspaper, and he sighed.
"This guy is practically acting like a gatekeeper, sniping down any notable pirates in Sabaody. Thanks to him, some of the locals have even started comparing him to the Marine base stationed on Grove 60."
He shook his head slightly, trailing off.
Maude had single-handedly suppressed the entire lawless zone of the archipelago in a short time. In contrast, the Marine base on Grove 60 was beginning to look redundant.
The comparison was inevitable.
Even without Chaton spelling it out, everyone present could imagine the implications for the base's reputation.
"Has any previous Warlord of the Sea ever done something like this?"
A vice admiral across the table asked in a perplexed tone.
"Hard to figure him out."
"He's really… 'diligent.'"
"I suppose it's a good thing? If he stays in Sabaody, pirate crews who finally make it to the archipelago might be stopped in their tracks."
"Is it really a good thing…? When the public starts believing that a pirate is more effective than the Marines, even if he is a Warlord…"
The discussion sparked various reactions from the vice admirals.
Only Gion sat silently, her brows tightly furrowed.
East Blue – Monmon Island.
"Hahaha! Did you see that?! Did you see that?! DID YOU SEE THAT?!"
Sol bounced around excitedly, waving a newspaper in front of Gaban and Rayleigh, his old face beaming with uncontrollable joy.
"Get lost."
Gaban waved his pipe in annoyance.
Sol had been hopping around with that newspaper for ten minutes now.
"Did you see it?! Did you see it?!"
Unfazed, Sol buzzed around like an irritating fly.
Veins bulged on Gaban's bald head.
Rayleigh, on the other hand, simply chuckled.
Half an hour later, Sol finally calmed down. He gently ran his fingers over the newspaper, his eyes filled with satisfaction.
"Phantom Sniper, Phantom Sniper… But this brat, he's far better than I ever was."
"Agreed," Rayleigh replied without hesitation.
He had personally witnessed how Maude seamlessly integrated the Shadow-Shadow Fruit's abilities into his gunplay—undoubtedly, the key lay in its sheer unpredictability.
Not to mention, this newspaper spoke of things like "ghost bullets" and "baffling gunfire."
It seemed that, after more than half a year, Maude's mastery of the Shadow-Shadow Fruit had advanced even further.
"An ever-changing and peculiar shooting style? I have to admit, I'm curious how Maude manages to pull that off."
Gaban glanced at the article, tapping the ash from his cigarette.
And he wasn't the only one. Even Sol, the very man who had first introduced Maude to the ways of a marksman, was equally intrigued.
"What? You two don't know that Maude ate the Shadow-Shadow Fruit?"
Rayleigh set down his wine pouch, looking at his two old friends in mild surprise as they expressed their curiosity over Maude's newfound reputation as a phantom sniper.
"Hm?"
Gaban and Sol exchanged glances.
They truly hadn't known that Maude possessed the Shadow-Shadow Fruit.
Seeing their reaction, Rayleigh immediately understood and couldn't help but chuckle, shaking his head.
"The reports aren't exaggerating."
Recalling the scene of Maude using Shadow Bullets, Rayleigh sighed in admiration. "To wield the Shadow-Shadow Fruit with such mastery... there's no doubt about it—Maude is a genius."
"So, it's the Shadow-Shadow Fruit, huh…"
Gaban murmured, finally grasping the truth. Even so, it was difficult for him to imagine just how Maude had managed to push the fruit's power to such an extent.
"Hah! Well, what else would you expect from my apprentice?"
By the campfire, Sol's proud and triumphant voice rang out—exactly as expected.
These three men, warriors of an era long past, now watched from the sidelines, quietly bearing witness to the astonishing talent Maude had come to possess.
---
TL/N:
It is previously translated as Phantom Gun, Sol's title. However, after further thought, Phantom Sniper seems more apt. Thus, Phantom Gun will be Phantom Sniper from now on.
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