Chapter Sixty-One: Utter Satisfaction

Mod’s swift departure was something the pack of Jackal Pirates had never anticipated.

They had arrived with the notion that even if they couldn’t seize the main prize, they’d at least get a taste of the leftovers. Who could have guessed that Mod would simply toss the meat down to them?

At once, their mouths watered with anticipation.

The moment Mod left, impatience overcame them. In no time at all, they tore the remnants of the Spiked Ox Pirate Crew to shreds.

Then, like a plague of locusts, they swept through, claiming every bit of wealth the Spiked Ox Pirates had left behind. Not even the swords and guns on the deck were spared, nor the barrels of wine in the galley.

With ample manpower, ruthless efficiency, and a rational understanding not to cross certain lines, the three rival pirate factions managed to loot in perfect, unspoken accord, completing the pillaging smoothly and swiftly.

When their work was done, they vanished from the scene, leaving only the corpses of the Spiked Ox Pirates behind.

Were it not for the constraints of their identities, they might have taken the heads of Kazt and Wells as well.

Only at times like these did the futility of being a pirate truly sink in.

Even if they dared break the silent rule against collecting bounties on fellow pirates, getting paid by the Navy would be a whole new problem.

Elsewhere—

After disembarking, Mod quickly made his way toward where Wolf Rat and Tatam were located.

Of the three targets he’d marked in his notebook, one remained: a swordsman named Gabdon.

Compared to the Spiked Ox Pirates’ loot, Mod valued heads and bounties far more.

Once his strength grew, would he ever need to worry about money?

At this point, Gabdon should still be entangled with Wolf Rat.

He could only hope Gabdon was resilient enough not to fall before Wolf Rat finished the job.

“Hold on, Gabdon!” Mod muttered under his breath, quickening his pace.

He had no intention of letting Gabdon’s bounty slip away.

If Wolf Rat could read Mod’s thoughts, he’d likely be at a loss for words.

…

On the open ground amidst the warehouses, several bodies lay strewn about, each torn open by deep gashes.

Blood oozed from their wounds, and the air was tinged with the faint smell of iron.

Tatam stood silently beside the corpses, his gaze fixed on Wolf Rat and Gabdon, who faced each other a dozen meters away.

Wolf Rat had already transformed into his half-beast form. A fresh blade wound marked his chest, not deep but not shallow, and his right cheek was slightly swollen.

Gabdon, with his sharp, lean features, bore several wounds as well, but the long sword in his hand was steady, his injuries seemingly no hindrance.

“Pah.” Wolf Rat spat blood to the side.

The dull pain from the blow to his face hurt more than the cut to his chest.

If only he could use the Six Forms—against someone like Gabdon…

With a silent curse, Wolf Rat glanced sidelong at Tatam, considering asking for help, but he had no wish to owe another favor.

“I wonder how things are going on Usopp’s side,” Wolf Rat thought, but Gabdon was already advancing again, swaying left and right as he moved in with his sword.

Suppressing the urge to use Shave, Wolf Rat stepped forward to meet him, raising his half-healed claws to clash with Gabdon’s blade.

Clang! Clang!

Both struck swiftly, claw and sword colliding over a dozen times in a matter of seconds, sparks flying with every blow.

In a few more seconds, their attacks reached a fever pitch.

But it was Wolf Rat who faltered first, and Gabdon seized the opening.

With a cunning sweep at Wolf Rat’s knee—a move called “Low Sweep”—Gabdon carved two wounds into his leg.

Wolf Rat’s eyes narrowed as he leapt back, putting distance between them.

Gabdon didn’t press the attack, instead twirling his blade and casting a slanted glance at Tatam, who remained unmoved.

In Gabdon’s eyes, that Low Sweep had rendered Wolf Rat harmless.

Now, his attention shifted to Tatam, whose strength he did not underestimate.

“Still just spectating?” Gabdon’s tone was cold as he stared at Tatam.

Tatam responded with silence.

Gabdon sneered. “You must have a lot of faith in that rat. Think I can’t finish him within ten moves?”

He didn’t know why Tatam was standing by during a one-on-one fight, but for Gabdon, it was a welcome turn.

Tatam gave no reply, as if even speaking a word would be a waste of energy.

Wolf Rat glanced at his wounded leg, cursing inwardly.

Since arriving in Mad Hatter Town, he’d kept a low profile—when had he ever been so disgraced?

“Ever since I met Usopp, I’ve been injured more in a week than in the past few years combined!” Wolf Rat sighed, knowing he couldn’t drag this out. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he launched himself at Gabdon.

With Tatam nearby, he could go all out against Gabdon.

Yet at this point, without using the Six Forms, Wolf Rat had no confidence he could win.

“Oh?”

Seeing Wolf Rat charge, Gabdon’s eyes glinted with killing intent.

They clashed again.

This time, Gabdon quickly seized the upper hand, and the wounded Wolf Rat was forced into a constant retreat.

“Damn it.”

Wolf Rat felt the pressure in every one of Gabdon’s strikes, the urge to use the Six Forms growing ever stronger.

“No, I can’t…”

He gritted his teeth, struggling to parry Gabdon’s relentless attacks, hunting for a chance to counter.

But he soon realized, in despair, that without using the Six Forms, there was no opening.

Tatam, save me!

Just as Wolf Rat’s cry was about to burst out—

A gunshot rang out, shattering the night.

A lead bullet, fired from behind Wolf Rat, grazed his side and struck Gabdon in the abdomen.

Caught off guard, Gabdon’s body jolted, his face twisting in shock.

Wolf Rat had no time to wonder who had fired—he swung his claw at Gabdon.

Gabdon hastily raised his sword to block, but Wolf Rat’s blow sent him staggering back two paces.

Then—another gunshot.

The shooter timed it perfectly, firing as Wolf Rat forced Gabdon back. The shot was precise, opening a bloody hole in Gabdon’s forehead.

Gabdon’s face froze in an instant; to his dying breath, he never knew who had fired.

Seeing Gabdon fall, Wolf Rat spun around toward the source of the gunfire—only to see Mod emerging from the drifting gun smoke.

“Whew…”

Recognizing Mod as the shooter, Wolf Rat finally relaxed.

Concealing his satisfaction at claiming another head, Mod approached and smiled at the well-performing Wolf Rat. “Good work.”

“How about Kazt?” Wolf Rat asked.

“All settled.”

“That quickly?” Wolf Rat was startled.

Mod nodded, then looked over to Tatam.

“Let’s move. There are plenty of eyes watching nearby.”

With that, Mod led the way back toward town.

Wolf Rat and Tatam exchanged a glance and hurried after him.

Tonight would be anything but quiet.

At the docks, where the Spiked Ox Pirates’ ship was moored, a few pirates who had arrived too late for any spoils decided to make the best of a bad situation. In their frustration, they dumped the corpses overboard, then commandeered the ship and sailed out to sea.

They had simply stolen the vessel.

This, Mod knew nothing about.

If he did, he could only marvel at their resourcefulness.