The journey from the Florian Triangle to the Sabaody Archipelago takes roughly seven to ten days.
Not far at all—one could even say it's quite close.
Moria went to great lengths to transport Thriller Bark from the West Blue to the Florian Triangle. Not only was it an ideal strategic location, but there was another reason—
It was close to the New World.
Here, he could quietly amass power while still being within reach of the New World in the shortest time possible.
Unfortunately for him, all of his hard-earned achievements—born from mountains of corpses and rivers of blood—along with the prestigious title of Warlord of the Sea that made him feel dignified, were about to fall into Maude's hands.
"This place is pretty good."
Maude looked up at the frost-covered corpse of the mighty Oars.
Law, standing behind Maude's towering figure, spoke calmly. "Are you referring to Thriller Bark or the Florian Triangle?"
"Both, I suppose."
Maude withdrew his gaze from Oars' frozen body and turned to look at Law's composed expression. With a serious tone, he asked, "Is knowing the 'answer' right now that important to you?"
"I don't need an answer. All I've ever cared about is the process and the result."
"Is that so… If you had insisted, I might have told you more."
"Maude, since I've placed my 'chips' and 'potential' on you, I don't mind how long it takes for them to yield results."
"In that case, I can assure you—it won't take long."
Maude placed his hand on the frost-covered railing, his eyes shimmering like distant stars.
Law observed Maude's eyes for a moment, then smirked slightly. He pulled down the brim of his white fur-trimmed hat and said coolly, "See you in a year."
With that, he turned and left without hesitation.
As Law walked away, Maude suddenly spoke. "The Clear-Clear Fruit, or the treasures in the castle—take whichever you want."
"..."
Law paused, then turned back with an unreadable expression.
What a mysterious man.
After a few seconds, he said calmly, "Those things… are already part of the gamble."
With that, he left the freezing chamber without waiting for Maude's reaction.
Maude's offer—akin to paying him for his services—caught Law off guard. But in the end, material wealth meant nothing to him.
His true reason for accompanying Maude to Thriller Bark was simply to increase his value in Maude's eyes.
Besides, the special abilities he now wielded were given to him by Maude.
So, whether it took a year or two—
He would wait.
In the meantime, he would do as Maude expected of him: train relentlessly to hone his strength.
And then, he would patiently await the arrival of that so-called "great event."
After Law left the freezing chamber, Maude leaned against the cold metal railing, lost in thought.
He wasn't sure how much time had passed when the doors to the freezing chamber swung open.
The sound of thick-soled shoes echoed sharply against the steel flooring as Lafitte strode toward him.
Hearing the footsteps, Maude looked up at Lafitte's approaching figure and asked, "Is it done?"
"Hohoho…"
Lafitte chuckled and nodded. "Before we even started the sweep, the people who were lingering on Thriller Bark had already left on their own."
"That's good."
Maude nodded.
Though Thriller Bark's position could be adjusted at any time, he wouldn't allow outsiders to remain on the island-ship, as it would compromise its secrecy.
Lafitte came to Maude's side and looked up at Oars' massive corpse, his expression thoughtful. "The Heart Pirates have left."
Maude heard him and had a rough idea of what Lafitte wanted to say, but he remained silent.
Lafitte's eyes lingered on the shadows beneath Oars' heavy eyelids. "Maude, extracting the Devil's power from a user's body… That was something I never even dared to imagine before. But you made Law do it."
His gaze turned sharp and dangerous.
"Such an ability… could change the very balance of the world. If the Marines catch wind of this, you know what will happen, don't you? Rather than risk losing such a power, wouldn't it be wiser to keep Law under strict control?"
Following Lafitte's line of sight, Maude also looked up at Oars' corpse.
After a moment, he replied evenly, "Extremes lead to downfall."
Lafitte's thoughts momentarily paused, and he shifted his gaze to Maude.
Meeting Lafitte's eyes, Maude continued, "A partnership built on mutual benefit and shared goals is far more binding than chains. Besides… the World Government has always coveted the Op-Op Fruit."
"More precisely, they seek the fruit's ability to grant eternal life. Yet despite that, Law has managed to avoid their grasp all this time. That alone proves he knows how to stay out of danger."
"So parting ways with him here… isn't necessarily a bad thing."
"Moreover, the technique of extracting Devil's Power and converting it into a Devil Fruit… is no secret."
Lafitte frowned.
A technique with such immense potential—not a secret?
Maude reached into his pocket, pulled out a Seastone bullet, and rolled it between his fingers, feeling both its unique texture and the draining sensation it induced.
"There are plenty of people who understand this technique—or rather, this possibility. Among them are Warlords, Emperors, and even unknown figures lurking in the shadows. And, of course, the World Government and Marines. They simply haven't obtained a definitive result yet."
"In the process of unraveling this technique, they've made other discoveries."
As he spoke, Maude applied pressure to the Seastone bullet, pressing it into his flesh.
He was a traveler from another world, possessing a broader perspective than anyone in this one.
But this world was not lacking in geniuses.
The idea of extracting Devil Fruits—
To the people of this world, it might have started as mere fantasy. But once the first step was taken, the possibilities became visible.
Techniques that allow weapons to consume Zoan-type fruits, and the technology behind artificial Zoan fruits—
These are merely byproducts of that possibility.
Maude, with his broader vision, had seized the results ahead of others. But in the end, he was only a few steps ahead.
Lafitte's eyes widened slightly in surprise as he stared at Maude. "Did you get all this information from the Revolutionary Army?"
"Lafitte, if I said yes, would you believe me?"
"I would."
The surprise in Lafitte's eyes faded like receding waves. He said calmly, "The answer doesn't matter. What matters is the process and the result."
"You and Law said the exact same thing."
"Hohoho, did we now…?"
"Lafitte, I have a task for you."
Maude pocketed the Seastone bullet, his expression turning solemn.
Lafitte smiled. "Name it."
"With Moria dead, the World Government will waste no time convening a Warlord meeting to discuss his replacement. When that happens, I need you to attend in person… and nominate me."
"Hohoho… It would be my honor."
Lafitte removed his hat and gave Maude a deep, elegant bow.
Maude looked at him seriously. "You might not make it back."
"Hohoho… If that's where my journey ends, you wouldn't just sit idly by, would you?"
"Of course not. If they decide to keep you there, then…"
A chilling frost crept into Maude's gaze.
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