The Hunter of Pirates

The alley was dimly lit, with the only source of light being the skull-shaped oil lamp by the entrance of the Nightshade Tavern.

The woman stood partially in the shadows, her posture and tone exuding an overwhelming and commanding aura.

Faced with her presence, Ratsnout's lips trembled, unable to muster any words. Her oppressive gaze even compelled him to lower his head slightly.

"Just a pirate. Given your current situation, even killing him wouldn't make much of a difference."

The woman's gaze lingered in the direction where Mobin had fled, her meaning crystal clear:

You were shot, then apologized, and when he ran, you didn't even have the courage to pursue him.

Ratsnout glanced at Tatamu. He had explained himself to Tatamu ten seconds ago. But now, facing this woman—who was technically his superior—he needed to find another way to explain.

"That guy earlier is from the weapon shop."

"What?"

The woman's expression stiffened. In a flash, she vanished, using Soru from the Six Powers to chase after Mobin.

A second later, she reappeared dozens of meters away. Yet instead of continuing, she stopped and silently stared ahead.

Ratsnout observed her seemingly flustered reaction, tempted to mock: Why don't you chase him? What are you waiting for?

But he valued his life, so he kept his thoughts to himself.

After a brief silence, the woman turned and walked back toward Ratsnout.

When she reached him, she turned her head slightly to glance at Tatamu, who was still standing at the tavern entrance.

It was the first time since she arrived that her eyes had fallen on Tatamu.

Even though Tatamu had shown clear hostility earlier, she had ignored him, a testament to her confidence in her own strength.

"Don't kill him."

Ratsnout spoke firmly, "This has nothing to do with him. I promise he won't cause any trouble."

The woman said nothing, but her thumb lightly pressed against the hilt of her blade.

Seeing this, Ratsnout's expression darkened, and he stepped in front of Tatamu. "Trust me."

"I trust you, but not him."

The woman's thumb pushed the hilt slightly upward.

"Oh, then I'll just quit."

"..."

Sensing his determination, the woman reluctantly let go of the hilt. For the first time, she compromised, realizing Ratsnout's work was too valuable to lose.

If he quit, it would be nearly impossible to find someone as suited for the job.

Seeing her relent, Ratsnout sighed in relief. He turned and addressed Tatamu, "Go back inside."

Tatamu frowned but hesitated to move.

Ratsnout's gaze turned stern.

Reluctantly, Tatamu glanced at the woman, who radiated oppressive energy, before silently retreating into the tavern.

The bar door closed.

Ratsnout turned his attention back to the woman.

"Recently, I took a job from some pirates. The task was to find the person who killed their comrade. Unfortunately… that person is from the weapon shop."

"You were exposed?"

The woman's expression darkened as if realizing something.

Ratsnout shook his head. "For days, I've been unsure whether the old man noticed me, but now I think he hasn't."

"Or maybe he doesn't care enough to act. Otherwise, I'd already be a corpse in some gutter."

"Even if he did come after me, there's no way he could uncover my true identity. So, there's no need for concern. At most, you'd just need to find another replacement."

The woman's gaze softened slightly, and she nodded.

Ratsnout continued, "For years, I've avoided getting too close to that weapon shop or observing the old man directly. My instincts tell me that even one purposeful glance at him could be a step toward death."

"Being cautious is good."

The woman's wine-red eyes grew colder.

"After all, the opponent is the 'Phantom Gun,' known for his unparalleled observation and sharp instincts."

"In that case, you shouldn't have come looking for me."

"Tonight will be fine."

The woman's tone was full of confidence.

Ratsnout sighed, understanding the source of her assurance—it lay in the chaos stirred up by the ongoing auction.

He glanced in the auction's direction and asked, "How many of you came?"

The woman raised three fingers.

"Three, huh… It shouldn't affect me too much."

Ratsnout shifted his gaze toward where Mobin had fled, steering the conversation back on track.

"That guy earlier is the one the pirates are after. Meeting him here was a stroke of luck—it gave me the perfect entry point."

The woman thought back to Ratsnout's earlier behavior and suddenly realized, "You want to use him?"

"Yes."

"But he's just a rookie. Not the first, nor the last."

"This time is different. The old man… intervened for him."

"What?"

Her expression shifted.

For the Phantom Gun to take action personally—it was a rare occurrence, increasing the risk of exposure.

Yet he still acted, which spoke volumes about the value he placed on the rookie.

This could only mean…

The woman's eyes sparkled with realization, her sharp yet beautiful face lighting up.

Ratsnout was momentarily dazed.

Her usual domineering presence often made him forget she was an incredibly alluring woman.

Shaking his head, he dismissed such dangerous thoughts.

Some women, no matter how beautiful, were untouchable.

"Ratsnout, I don't care what your plans are. If you succeed, I promise your years of hard work won't go to waste!"

"There's something I've never understood. If you're so determined to take down that old man, there must be a compelling reason. Why not just call for reinforcements from headquarters? Why all the roundabout schemes?"

"You think we haven't tried?"

The woman's thoughts drifted to two specific figures, and she abruptly stopped herself.

Ratsnout's curiosity deepened. "Then why not?"

"Because…"

The woman gritted her teeth. "He's too fast."

"..."

Ratsnout was speechless.

The woman took a deep breath.

"Getting the bird to step into the cage willingly is never an easy task."

Mobin ran swiftly, covering several streets before finally stopping to catch his breath.

"What's wrong with that woman?"

Shaking his head, Mobin took out three guns and began reloading them one by one.

Until he mastered incredible speed like Yasopp's, he couldn't help but curse the inconvenience of flintlock weapons every time he had to reload.

"At least the haul was decent. If I hurry, I might find a few more suitable targets before midnight. The auction should still be ongoing, right?"

Just as he finished loading his guns, he looked toward the auction site.

At that moment, a series of explosions erupted from that direction.

Mobin froze.

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