Chapter 185: Count Bill
"I'll fight you!" "Eat my Sound Wave Cannon!"
After Burgess retreated, Eldoraggo immediately stepped up, starting with a thick Sound Wave Laser Cannon.
"Furnace Eruption!!"
Bill's mouth seemed like a steel-making furnace in an accident, spewing out a pillar of magma that collided with Eldoraggo's Sound Wave Cannon. For a moment, magma splattered everywhere, burning small, charred pits into the ground. After Bill blocked Eldoraggo's attack, he immediately charged forward, engaging Eldoraggo in close-quarters combat.
In the New World, besides Devil Fruit abilities, physical combat and Haki are indispensable. After Bill closed in, Eldoraggo, this new Viscount, couldn't last many rounds before following in Burgess's footsteps, being blasted away.
Seeing Bill so quickly defeat Burgess and Eldoraggo, Laffitte and Bege decisively retreated like Erick, shielding everyone in front of them, giving up on the challenge. White-haired Saga went up to try, but Bill's terrifying high temperature made his Ryō Wazamono, Shūsui, unable to withstand it, so Saga decisively withdrew.
Next was Three-Sword Style Zoro. Zoro did fight Bill for an hour, but ultimately, due to his youth and insufficient strength, he was injured and forced to retreat. Van Augur, the sniper, and Desire, who admitted her own lack of strength, also did not challenge this formidable person.
Finally, only Bartolomeo remained. Facing this Barrier-Barrier Fruit user, Bill was completely helpless against this 'turtle shell' for a while. This made Bill a little anxious. If he couldn't defeat Bartolomeo, he would have to start as an Imperial Viscount. Bill's various magma attacks and high-temperature giant fists were completely ineffective against the rogue-like Bartolomeo.
"Disgusting ability!"
An enraged Bill began to devour large amounts of ore, transforming into a thick little giant, even larger than Tyrant Kuma, with his chest inflating like a balloon. A large amount of ore melted within Bill's body.
"Viscount Turtle, let's see how much you can withstand!" "Furnace Magma Pool!"
Bill opened his mouth wide, as if using Lava Release, spewing out a large amount of magma, covering the entire ground in it. Seeing the spreading magma surrounding him, Bartolomeo also became a bit flustered.
"Rampant Bull Charge!!"
Bartolomeo held up his transparent barrier, pushing both the magma and the ground away. Like a snowplow, he was constantly scooping and scraping away the continuously surging magma. The Goa people watched as Bill continuously devoured ore and spewed magma, and then Bartolomeo continuously scooped away the magma—a stalemate.
"Haha, let's see who can last until the end."
Vlad the Impaler Aramaki laughed joyfully, watching the two who couldn't defeat each other.
"The ground scraped away by Bartolomeo is increasing, and the ground is getting lower and lower; he might not be able to hold on." "If this continues, he will dig a deep pit for himself and trap himself."
Spartan became increasingly interested in the abilities of these Devil Fruit users; his Haki, which he had painstakingly cultivated, couldn't even break Bartolomeo's barrier, which made him a bit frustrated. Devil Fruit abilities indeed have their powerful aspects.
Seeing the magma surrounding him getting faster and faster, Bartolomeo decisively chose to surrender. If this continued, he would eventually be submerged by magma. Although his barrier was indestructible, it would also become a pot, and he would eventually be cooked by the high-temperature magma.
Hearing the Viscount Turtle shell voluntarily surrender, Bill finally stopped the magma refining process, panting. He finally outlasted this green-haired punk. His position as Count was finally secured.
"Clap, clap, clap..."
Kael applauded, not expecting Bill to actually force Bartolomeo to surrender. It should be known that Bartolomeo's Barrier-Barrier Fruit ability is extremely hard and rogue-like, practically the bane of all Viscounts. Especially the nightmare of swordsmen like Zoro and Saga, as it simply couldn't be cut through.
However, Bartolomeo, who thought he was invincible, was easily taught a lesson by Vlad the Impaler Aramaki and Issho. Issho could make the ground Bartolomeo stood on float into the air and directly throw him towards the sea. Vlad the Impaler Aramaki was the same; even if he couldn't break Bartolomeo's fully protected spherical barrier, he could directly throw Bartolomeo into the sea with vines. Therefore, the Goa people summarized a method to deal with Bartolomeo: find a way to throw Bartolomeo into the sea.
However, Bartolomeo's strength is not weak; he only defends constantly when facing very powerful enemies. When facing others, he would instantly unleash his Rampant Bull Charge and Invincible Divine Fist. Therefore, among the Viscounts, Bartolomeo's strength was still relatively high.
...
Hearing the applause from everyone, Bill finally let out a sigh of relief. He had originally thought he could easily deal with these Viscounts, but he didn't expect it to take most of the day, and he almost ran out of stamina.
"Congratulations, Bill, your strength has earned my recognition." "Are you willing to become a Count of the Goa Empire?"
Kael, holding the Seven Stars Dragon Emperor Sword and an Imperial Count's medal, smiled faintly at Bill.
"Through fire and water, Your Majesty!"
Bill immediately shed his Super Furnace state, returned to his original appearance, and quickly walked to Kael, kneeling on one knee.
"Then I bestow upon you the title of Imperial Count."
Kael rested the Seven Stars Dragon Emperor Sword on Bill's shoulder and handed the Count's medal to the excited Bill. Bill, both physically exhausted and emotionally excited, took the Count's medal with satisfaction in his eyes, a red glow subtly flashing in his pupils. He suddenly felt that this Count's medal was hard-won and that he must cherish it well in the future. He also had to work harder to become an Imperial Marquis as soon as possible! He wanted to be as famous as Vlad the Impaler Aramaki throughout the world.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty!" "Congratulations, Count Bill!"
The people of the Goa Empire congratulated him one after another, and even the executives and subordinates of the Silver Alliance were excited. They had found a powerful backer in the Goa Empire. Pesseta and Abelon, the second and third in command of the Silver Alliance, were even thinking about whether to perform well to secure a position as an Imperial Baron. They also wanted to become legitimate nobles.
...
Early the next morning, newspapers with major news about the Silver Island war quickly flew to various parts of the world. The prestige of the Goa Empire's One Emperor, Three Dukes once again shocked the world. Issho had actually defeated Vista, Vlad the Impaler Aramaki had defeated Diamond Jozu and Fire Fist Ace, and even Spartan had fought Jack to a draw.
Moreover, according to post-war interviews by the Economic News Agency, all Three Marquises were personally bestowed titles by Kael, being promoted to Empire Dukes. That meant that from now on, the One Emperor, Three Marquises would become the One Emperor, Three Dukes.
On Morgans's front-page headline, it was even explicitly stated that the Three Dukes were stronger than the highest executives of the Four Emperors Pirates. The Goa Empire's One Emperor, Three Dukes might already be as strong as the Four Emperors Pirates. This news once again shocked the world. Who would have thought that Vlad the Impaler Aramaki, whom Kael pulled out of prison, and Issho, whom he redeemed from a casino, would be so powerful? Now the Goa Empire was truly about to take off! The Goa Empire's influence had also stepped into the New World. This made the Four Seas Fleet and the Four Seas Underworld Alliance Chamber of Commerce even more untouchable. Even the Germa Kingdom and the Donquixote Family's speed in unifying the North Blue underworld accelerated again.
I hope these corrections meet your expectations. The narrative is now more consistent and easier to follow, with the key details of the Goa Empire's growing power emphasized.
Let me know if you would like me to correct the next part of your story!
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