To ensure this Navy crew wouldn't interrupt Maude's enjoyment, Lafitte took the initiative to strike.
Before the other warship could get close, he flew ahead and landed on its railing.
His arrival immediately quashed the Navy crew's attempt to rush to their comrades' aid.
"Hoho," Lafitte chuckled.
Standing on the railing, his cane sword held horizontally before him, drops of blood dripped steadily from the blade.
Wasting no time, Lafitte launched himself toward the Navy crew on the deck.
In mere moments, several sailors lay defeated.
The Marines from Navy Headquarters were indeed more competent than branch soldiers, but their individual combat power posed no threat to Lafitte.
Sometimes, the disparity in power cannot be bridged simply by numbers.
The Marines' long-term coordination and teamwork prevented complete slaughter, but the difference in ability soon became evident.
No matter how desperately the Marines fought, they could not land a single blow on Lafitte.
In contrast, Lafitte's relentless onslaught continued to claim lives, even amid their coordinated efforts.
This stark contrast was the result of Haki—a power that underlined the divide between the New World and Paradise.
Under Lafitte's overwhelming offense, the Marines' numbers dwindled.
On the other warship, Maude's battle with the bucktoothed commodore was heating up.
The relentless clash of blades filled the deck with nothing but the sharp clang of steel.
The commodore had not been overpowered; in fact, during their exchange of over a thousand strikes, he had inflicted five wounds on Maude.
However, these injuries were superficial and failed to hinder Maude in any meaningful way.
For now, the commodore held the upper hand.
Yet he couldn't break free from Maude's ferocious, frenzied attacks.
He neither found an opening to deal a decisive blow nor managed to disengage from Maude's relentless assault.
This rigid, repetitive combat left the commodore increasingly frustrated, especially as he realized Maude was using him to practice swordsmanship.
"I refuse to believe you can keep this up indefinitely!" the commodore thought, gritting his teeth.
Though Maude's aggressive style was powerful, it was also highly taxing.
Particularly in such an intense battle requiring constant use of Haki, stamina depletion was inevitable.
Subtly, the commodore shifted his approach.
Initially, he aimed to eliminate Maude quickly and then aid his men against Lafitte to minimize casualties.
But after multiple failed attempts to land a decisive blow, he realized his plan had been overly optimistic.
The young man before him—though not yet a master swordsman—possessed formidable overall capabilities.
Without Observation Haki, the commodore had no way to swiftly take down Maude.
Reluctantly acknowledging the situation, he resolved to wait for Maude's stamina to falter and create an opening.
The clash of blades rang out again and again.
With Lafitte holding the rear, Maude paid no mind to his minor injuries or the inevitable depletion of his stamina and Haki.
In this moment, he cared only about striking—again and again, with greater intensity each time.
He intended to seize this rare opportunity and turn every slash into a valuable learning experience.
This reckless offensive approach trapped the commodore in a quagmire.
"Still no openings..."
Amid a flurry of slashes, Maude kept searching for a flaw in the commodore's defense.
The frequent use of Armament Haki rapidly drained his stamina, and maintaining Observation Haki compounded his fatigue.
If he failed to break the stalemate, this grueling pace would inevitably lead to exhaustion. Once that happened, the commodore would crush him within dozens of moves.
Maude was acutely aware of this.
His time—measured like grains of sand in an hourglass—was running out.
If he couldn't find an opportunity before the final grain fell, the tide of the battle would shift, forcing him onto the defensive.
"Impeccable defense..."
After dozens more clashes, Maude still couldn't spot a weakness.
His swordsmanship was merely at a one-star level. Without his strong physique and Haki, he wouldn't have lasted this long against the commodore.
Though he remained calm, Maude had no desire to lose.
"If I can't find an opening, I'll force one to appear!"
Realizing the status quo offered no hope, Maude ramped up his speed.
"Huh?"
The commodore's eyes narrowed, sensing a shift in Maude's rhythm.
"So you've decided to gamble everything... Foolish."
The commodore scoffed internally.
Maude's aggressive tactics were impressive but unsustainable. By maintaining a steady defense and avoiding mistakes, the commodore would eventually prevail as Maude tired.
Confident in his strategy, the commodore tightened his guard.
He waited patiently for Maude's assault to falter, knowing the ensuing opening would be decisive.
After dozens more exchanges, Maude's attacks briefly hesitated.
A sign of faltering...
Not rushing to counterattack, the cautious commodore waited further until Maude's opening widened.
"Now!"
The commodore's eyes gleamed as he seized the moment.
With a sudden thrust, his Haki-clad blade aimed straight for Maude's heart.
The move left Maude no time to block with his sword.
"Victory is mine."
The commodore's confidence surged as his blade pierced Maude's chest, spraying blood.
However, it went no further.
Before the blade could penetrate his heart, Maude's Haki-coated left hand intercepted it.
While the blade pierced his palm, it failed to break through the double-layered Haki protecting his chest.
A costly move, but it granted Maude the opening he sought.
"You..."
The commodore's eyes widened in shock.
Maude gave him no chance to react.
With a swift slash, Maude's blade severed the commodore's sword arm.
A second cut followed, severing his other arm before he could retreat.
In less than a second, the commodore was disarmed and helpless.
Pulling the blade from his palm, Maude lunged forward, driving the commodore to the deck with a heavy stomp.
The impact forced blood from the commodore's mouth as his consciousness flickered.
Ignoring his injured hand, Maude gazed down at the pale-faced commodore.
"Thank you, Commodore. You were truly strong."
His gratitude was genuine. Without waiting for a reply, Maude stomped again, shattering the commodore's legs.
This battle had been a revelation for Maude.
He realized the power he gained from the Hunter's Notebook was like wealth—only through continuous combat could its value be fully realized.
Understanding this, Maude's mindset shifted subtly.
At that moment, Lafitte approached, bloodstained from battle.
"It's done," he reported.
Maude turned to him. "Let's begin."
"Understood."
Lafitte's shoes clicked against the deck as he surveyed the surviving Marines.
How much could these prime targets add to Maude's gains? Lafitte was even more eager to see the results than Maude.
Without interfering with Lafitte's interrogation, Maude moved to the stern, watching as the royal vessel of Nandekar fled in the distance.
"Heh..."
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