If he failed to end Gion's life today, she would undoubtedly seek to kill him in the future.
Not just because he had personally slain Wolfrat.
But for a far more fundamental reason—he was a pirate.
Some grudges could only be settled through death.
Chaton's attempt to provide reinforcements did nothing to hinder Maude's offensive.
In the blink of an eye, Maude had already inflicted two more deep cuts on Gion.
If no external forces intervened, he could very well carve her to death with sheer persistence.
But there was no way that Chaton, who fancied himself Gion's protector, would stand idly by and watch her fall to Maude's blade.
Unlike the other Marines, who were focused on Fire Fist Ace and Nico Robin, Chaton's sole priority at this moment was aiding Gion.
Pa!
His feet struck the ground at high speed, and his figure vanished in an instant—utilizing Shave in rapid succession to close the distance between himself and Maude.
His eyes flashed red as he calculated the perfect timing before swinging his arm with all his might.
Harnessing the momentum from Shave, his fist—imbued with Armament Haki—sliced through the air like a gale, aiming straight for Maude's temple.
The force of the punch preceded its impact, yet Maude remained utterly unfazed, continuing his relentless blade work against Gion.
He made no effort to defend against Chaton's strike.
But his shadow refused to remain idle.
Shhh—
Like a living entity, his shadow swiftly detached from his body, morphing in an instant into sixteen jet-black arms.
Each arm was coated with Armament Haki, their hardened fists indistinguishable from the real thing at a glance.
Like Luffy possessed, the sixteen arms didn't require any wind-up—they launched a barrage of punches at Chaton from the side.
"Hmm?"
Chaton was momentarily taken aback before being swallowed by the shadowy onslaught.
The punch meant to crush Maude's temple was stopped cold.
Boom! Boom!
A dense barrage of blows rained down on Chaton like a torrential downpour.
He crossed his arms in defense, blocking as best he could, but the sheer force behind the shadow punches sent him staggering backward.
His attempt at reinforcements had been decisively thwarted.
With his shadow keeping Chaton occupied, Maude resumed pressing Gion without interruption.
However—
Now that his shadow had left his body, Maude could no longer use "Shadow Blade" to cut Gion directly.
But he had already slashed her with Shadow Blade numerous times, leaving behind more than a dozen wounds.
The accumulated damage was dragging her into the abyss.
Clang! Clang!
Like a relentless storm, Maude's blade lashed out, its sharp edge aimed at Gion's vitals.
She struggled to withstand the fierce assault.
Each brutal impact reverberated through Konpira and sent tremors through her body.
With every block, her wounds bled even more profusely.
Within moments, her defenses began to falter.
If not for the tranquilizing effects of her perfume, dulling her pain…
She would have long since exposed a fatal opening to Maude's relentless attack.
But—
At this rate, it wouldn't be long before he broke through her defenses.
"Damn it…"
Gion gritted her teeth and held on.
Her excessive blood loss had drained the color from her face.
She had attempted to break free from Maude's assault multiple times, but each effort was in vain.
Through their direct exchanges, she had come to a cruel realization.
This man's strength, swordsmanship, speed, and technique—all surpassed hers.
With her body covered in deep, unceasingly bleeding wounds, there was no hope of victory.
Nor could she rely on herself alone to escape his onslaught.
Despair.
And unwillingness to accept this fate.
Clang! Clang!
The harsh clang of steel on steel echoed like a death knell in her ears.
Ten seconds.
Dozens of clashes.
No flashy techniques, no dramatic airborne slashes.
Only the purest, most primal contest of Armament Haki and raw power.
And in every aspect, Maude was stronger.
Even without his shadow's assistance, he could overpower her with ease.
With no chance to regain her footing, her defense finally crumbled.
Seizing the opening, Maude's eyes flashed with killing intent as he drove his blade forward, piercing straight through the unguarded space below her clavicle.
Squelch!
The pitch-black blade of Shusui plunged through her chest, emerging from her back in a torrent of blood.
Gion's body trembled. The last remnants of color drained from her face as her wine-red eyes locked onto Maude.
For a fleeting moment, silence.
Then, with a flick of his wrist, Maude twisted Shusui inside her body, turning the blade edge-up.
Had it been anyone else, the agony alone would have robbed them of any ability to resist.
But Gion felt no pain.
And she still had the presence of mind to anticipate Maude's next move.
Without hesitation, she forcibly inhaled and threw herself backward, ignoring the risk of worsening her injuries—desperate to dislodge Shusui from her body.
But Maude anticipated her reaction perfectly.
Just as she moved, he drove his sword upward in a brutal slash.
Shing!
The blade's arc left a fleeting trail in the air.
Shusui ripped free from Gion's chest, sending a fresh spray of blood skyward.
This upward slash was meant to follow through—severing her neck in a single, final stroke.
But Gion's desperate retreat saved her at the last possible moment, leaving only a massive gash beneath her throat.
Mortally wounded, she staggered back, blood pouring freely as though her body had been split open.
The overwhelming blood loss finally took its toll.
She barely managed to halt her retreat but could no longer steady herself.
Her body swayed, on the verge of collapse.
"I… can't lift my sword…"
Her vision blurred. She tried to raise her blade, but her arms refused to respond.
Expressionless, Maude gazed at her fading form.
Without hesitation, he moved to finish what he had started—to deliver the final strike.
He stepped forward.
Just as he was about to extinguish the last ember of her life—
A bloodied Garp suddenly intervened, placing himself between them before throwing a punch at Maude.
"…"
Maude's brow twitched. He shifted into a defensive stance, raising his sword to block.
Clang!
The sheer force behind Garp's punch sent shockwaves through Shusui.
Maude's body trembled as he was blasted backward.
Even as he flew through the air, he decisively drew his pistol and fired.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three Haki-infused lead bullets whizzed through the gap beneath Garp's arm, aimed straight at the staggering Gion.
"Damn it!"
Garp's face darkened—he hadn't expected Maude to shoot under these circumstances.
At the last moment, Vice Admiral Tsuru appeared at Gion's side, effortlessly catching the incoming bullets in her bare hand.
Maude narrowed his eyes.
She had washed away the Haki from the bullets upon contact…
Landing steadily, Maude flicked the blood from his blade and glanced at the barely conscious Gion.
"She's beyond saving."
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