The words had barely escaped Dolan' lips when black shadows erupted from the Hell Pirates' vessels like a plague of locusts. These devil-masked figures defied conventional physics, despite the twenty-meter gap separating the two ships, their enhanced leg strength allowed them to leap directly across the open water with predatory grace.
"Fight!"
The spectacle caught the Hawkins crew completely off-guard despite their battle preparations. Someone shouted the rallying cry, though whether from courage or desperation remained unclear as death descended from above.
"Hahahaha! Kill them!"
The battle cries of the Hell Pirates rang across the water as their assault force plummeted toward the enemy deck like falling meteors. Their synchronized laughter carried an inhuman quality that transformed simple combat into psychological warfare.
Looking up at the descending black dots, Basil Hawkins instantly activated his Devil Fruit ability. His slender frame became wrapped in writhing grass branches that expanded and thickened until he resembled a towering scarecrow, the fearsome Demon's Ancestor form that had earned him notoriety throughout the North Blue.
Multiple arms extended from various points along his transformed body while his hands morphed into razor-sharp five-inch claws. The grotesque appearance would have terrified ordinary opponents, but Hawkins maintained perfect composure despite the nightmarish transformation.
His supernatural divination had long ago revealed this day's approaching bloodshed and casualties. According to his calculations, even in direct combat with the Hell Pirates, the Hawkins Pirates retained a seventy percent survival probability.
That means we won't face total annihilation, he reasoned with cold logic. This gives us justification for attempting negotiation.
The clash of gunfire and bladed weapons erupted across the deck as the assault transformed into chaotic melee combat. Ghost-faced pirates swarmed through the defending crew like predators unleashed among helpless prey.
Hawkins controlled the Demon's Ancestor's multiple arms with deadly precision, sweeping his razor claws in whirlwind patterns that carved through attackers with surgical efficiency. The Hell Pirates correctly identified him as their primary target, eliminating the enemy captain would guarantee victory and demonstrate their superiority over one of the North Blue's most feared rookies.
But Basil Hawkins' reputation hadn't been earned through empty boasting. His straw-constructed body possessed deceptive durability that deflected attacks which should have proven fatal, while his enhanced combat instincts allowed him to anticipate and counter assault patterns that would overwhelm ordinary fighters.
Many of the Hell Pirates who attempted close-range attacks found themselves torn apart by claw strikes that moved faster than human reflexes could track. Blood splattered across the deck as bodies fell, yet something disturbed Hawkins about the nature of his opponents.
The Hell Pirates displayed physical capabilities that defied normal human limitations. Their reaction speeds were unnaturally sharp, allowing them to dodge attacks that should have connected, while even serious injuries barely slowed their aggressive advance.
The sensation when my claws pierce them... Hawkins noted with growing concern. It's like striking stone rather than flesh.
"Captain!"
One of his crew members called for assistance, drawing Hawkins' attention to the broader battle. In the brief moments he'd been engaged with his own attackers, most of his subordinates had been overwhelmed and defeated. The 'ghost faces' seemed capable of absorbing bullet impacts while maintaining their assault momentum, a combination that rendered conventional pirate tactics useless.
Except for Hawkins himself and a handful of combat specialists, the majority of his crew lay dead or severely wounded across the blood-soaked deck.
"Hey!"
While his focus had been diverted, several ghost-faced pirates managed to close distance and drive their weapons deep into the Demon's Ancestor's body with explosive force. They laughed with cruel satisfaction as their blades penetrated what appeared to be vital areas.
However, their triumph lasted only until the scarecrow's glowing green eyes focused on them with predatory intensity. Small palm-sized straw dolls tumbled from the grass cracks in his damaged body, trailing wisps of black smoke that carried an ominous supernatural aura.
"Huh? How come... he's not injured?"
Several Hell Pirates expressed genuine confusion at this unexpected development. During their previous campaigns throughout the North Blue, they had never encountered opponents whose abilities could negate direct physical damage so completely.
This anomaly contradicted everything they understood about combat effectiveness, challenging the simple brutality that had carried them to victory in countless previous engagements.
Perhaps these supernatural abilities explain why this crew has survived where others failed, some began to realize with growing unease.
"Get away from me," Hawkins commanded with arctic coldness.
The next instant, wind howled across the deck with devastating force. The attacking pirates erupted in fountains of blood as invisible claws ripped through their enhanced bodies, sending them flying backward to crash against the ship's railings.
The remaining ghost-faced pirates watching from the periphery felt genuine shock course through them. This represented the first time anyone had inflicted such obvious damage on their evolved physiques, bypassing their enhanced durability through methods they couldn't comprehend or counter.
Basil Hawkins appeared truly enraged now, his combat effectiveness visibly escalating beyond the levels he'd demonstrated during the initial assault. The towering scarecrow pushed through the enemy formation like an unstoppable force of nature, his multiple arms striking with lethal precision while his supernatural aura radiated palpable menace.
He carved a bloody path through the Hell Pirates' ranks to reach his surviving crew members, positioning himself as their lone defender against overwhelming odds. Despite the tactical hopelessness of their situation, his protective instincts demanded that he shield his subordinates regardless of personal cost.
In less than fifteen minutes of combat, the Hawkins Pirates had been reduced to exactly ten survivors, including their captain. The other nine bore various injuries ranging from minor wounds to severe trauma that rendered them combat-ineffective.
But Hawkins' Devil Fruit ability had extracted a significant toll from their attackers as well. Several Hell Pirates lay permanently dead, his supernatural claws had inflicted damage that their enhanced healing factors couldn't repair, particularly when delivered with killing intent.
"Captain... our weapons don't affect them," his deputy reported through gritted teeth, his voice betraying the fear that was consuming their remaining hope.
The battle had reached temporary stalemate as the surviving Hell Pirates maintained their encirclement while reassessing their tactical approach. Hawkins' devastating killing power demanded respect even from opponents who had grown accustomed to effortless victory.
BOOM!
The ship's deck exploded in a shower of wooden splinters as Dolan dropped from the sky like a falling meteor. His impact landing created a crater in the reinforced planking while spider-web cracks spread in all directions from the point of contact.
Seeing this dramatic arrival, Hawkins' posture shifted to maximum alertness. This opponent radiated an entirely different level of threat compared to the foot soldiers they'd been fighting.
"You haven't finished them yet... how pathetic."
Dolan slowly rose from his crouch, casually picking up one of the palm-sized straw dolls that had fallen during the battle. He examined the supernatural construct with obvious curiosity while his subordinates watched nervously.
"Hmph! He can't maintain this much longer, Brother Dolan. You don't need to intervene, we'll wear him down through attrition!"
"I don't believe his ability can last forever. We'll exhaust his strength!"
"Exactly right!"
The pirates who had been criticized by their superior officer protested with wounded pride, though their defensive tone suggested they understood how poorly their performance reflected on the crew's overall reputation.
Dolan ignored their excuses entirely, instead focusing his attention on the trail of straw dolls scattered across the deck. The pattern told a story of systematic damage absorption that explained how their target had survived attacks that should have proven instantly fatal.
He turned to study the towering Demon's Ancestor that represented their primary obstacle. "Impressive ability... Can these dolls render you immune to all damage?"
Hawkins maintained his silence, though his crew members' expressions revealed their alarm. They hadn't expected such sharp tactical analysis from someone they'd assumed was merely another brutal enforcer.
Seeing Dolan discard the straw doll and advance toward him with obvious hostile intent, Hawkins attempted one final diplomatic solution, "You can take everything valuable on this ship. If we continue fighting, even if you achieve ultimate victory... you'll suffer unnecessary casualties that your captain probably wants to avoid."
"Hehehe..."
Dolan responded with mocking laughter while stretching his limbs in preparation for serious combat.
"Your Hell Pirates are actively recruiting new members," Hawkins continued with desperate reasoning. "Losing large numbers of personnel now contradicts your captain's strategic objectives. Furthermore, if you persist in these aggressive tactics, you'll eventually unite all North Blue pirates against you as a common threat."
"The pirates who oppose you represent only a fraction of this region's total criminal population. But if every pirate organization views you as their enemy... then all the established powers will mobilize against you as well."
"Even Doflamingo only controls surface-level operations, he doesn't dare make himself an enemy of the entire North Blue."
"All you want is wealth, and I'm offering it freely."
"We want money... and lives," Dolan replied with predatory satisfaction.
He raised his elbow and launched himself forward with explosive speed. This represented the perfect opportunity to demonstrate his combat superiority, his subordinates' poor performance had created a stage where his individual abilities could shine dramatically.
Seeing the incoming attack, Hawkins immediately assumed a defensive stance and raised his razor claws to intercept. His opponent projected an aura of danger that surpassed anything he'd encountered during the preliminary fighting.
However, just as Dolan prepared to strike, a blade wreathed in streams of fire descended from above like divine judgment. The attack targeted the Demon's Ancestor's neck with surgical precision, creating a brilliant red line that severed the scarecrow's head completely.
The attacker flipped gracefully through the air before landing on the deck in a crouch, a one-eyed swordsman whose waist-length hair and flowing black robes created an almost feminine silhouette. An eye patch covered his left socket, though whether from injury or personal preference remained unclear.
One hand gripped a gleaming katana that still radiated residual heat from its supernatural flames.
When Hawkins' straw body was severed, intense fire spread across his entire form as if seeking to consume him completely. But due to his substitute straw doll ability, the flames extinguished themselves after moments of burning, leaving only wisps of black smoke while grass branches reconnected his severed neck.
"You!" Dolan snarled with obvious fury.
Someone had stolen his moment of triumph, robbing him of the opportunity to prove his superiority over one of the North Blue's most notorious captains.
The long-haired swordsman was the alien recruit he'd considered a potential rival for official crew membership.
Studying Hawkins' restored Demon's Ancestor form, the newcomer raised an eyebrow with apparent appreciation. "Oh? Your ability is quite impressive..."
He spoke as if recognizing an old acquaintance, suggesting some previous encounter between the two captains.
Swish!
Wind pressure swept across the deck as the swordsman dodged sideways and positioned himself next to Dolan. He raised his katana in a formal ready stance while his free hand slowly traced the blade's edge, causing supernatural flames to engulf the weapon.
"Devil Fruit?" Hawkins muttered with grim recognition.
Seeing the man's face clearly for the first time, his heart sank with terrible understanding. The swordsman's appearance had changed significantly since their last meeting.
"No... this power was granted by my captain," the newcomer replied with an enigmatic expression. His status as an unmasked crew member suggested some special privilege within the Hell Pirates' hierarchy.
Granted... power?
"Get out of my way... he's my target!" Dolan interrupted their reunion with barely controlled rage.
"I claimed him first..."
The swordsman, whose phoenix-shaped eyes and delicate facial features created an almost beautiful appearance, sneered with obvious contempt. "I established my interest on the first day aboard this ship..."
"There are no rules here except that strength determines everything. Apart from those two genuine senior officers... you're nothing more than a boatman who joined earlier than the rest of us."
"I respect the power of those two, honestly, they terrify me. But you... you're just pretending to authority you haven't earned."
"Don't try to intimidate people who see through your act."
"..."
The naked mockery caused Dolan' expression to darken with murderous intent that shifted from their original target to his supposed crewmate.
Internal conflict?
Hawkins and his surviving crew watched this development with stunned disbelief. The Hell Pirates were turning on each other in the middle of active combat operations.
"Want to fight?" the swordsman continued his provocation with obvious satisfaction. "If I kill you here, maybe that official position will become available."
The other Hell Pirates exchanged uncertain glances, clearly unsure how to respond to such open insubordination among their supposed leadership.
For several tense moments, nobody dared intervene in what appeared to be an inevitable confrontation between two of their most capable fighters.
"Hey, you two."
A cold voice cut through the rising tension like a blade through silk, carrying supernatural authority that instantly defused the explosive situation brewing between the two combatants.
The assembled pirates parted to create a clear path as Dom emerged from the crowd, his bandage-wrapped form radiating an aura of menace that made everyone step back instinctively.
"If you want to settle personal disputes, consider the timing and location!"
Those words struck both Dolan and the swordsman like physical blows, instantly separating them as if cold water had doused their murderous intentions.
"You're fortunate... to encounter our king," Dom announced while fixing his hypnotic gaze on Hawkins and his surviving crew.
Following his declaration, every person on both ships looked upward simultaneously.
Oboro stood balanced casually on the Hawkins Pirates' main mast, observing the entire "farce" with an expression of amused interest. His elegant black suit and gentleman's hat distinguished him from everyone else present, while his relaxed posture suggested complete confidence despite the chaotic scene below.
"Hello, Basil Hawkins," Oboro called out with a friendly wave.
CRASH.
On the deck below, every ghost-faced pirate, including Dolan and his three companions, dropped to their knees in perfect synchronization.
Has he been up there the entire time?
Hawkins' mind raced with that single terrifying question. Not only had his enhanced perception failed to detect the man's presence, but even now, with Oboro clearly visible before him, his supernatural senses provided no feedback whatsoever.
This individual existed beyond the reach of his abilities, as if occupying a completely different level of reality.
A chill ran down Hawkins' spine as full comprehension struck him.
This is the captain of the Hell Pirates... the man who transformed the entire North Blue's power structure.