The same Seven Stars, Hawkins' physique doesn't compare to Urouge, his strength doesn't measure up to Marika, nor does he have Renedia's mechanical skills, and his swordsmanship is incomparable to Lily's.
Even Gin's technique in body techniques surpasses his.
But the reason he can remain securely at the top is because he himself tends toward the use of abilities.
It's absolutely not about using the power of divination to defy fate and forcibly enhance Sage's fishing luck to achieve the first place.
Once that trick is used, he could be unlucky for three days, the kind where even drinking water would cause a toothache.
The jinx extends to Urouge, who forced the ritual; despite his enormous physique, he could trip and fracture his bones in two steps...
Half his strength comes from abilities, not limited to altering enemy or ally luck for enhancements and weakening, surrogate for death, transforming like a Zoan-type scarecrow to cast curses and augment power.
And the other half...
"Scarecrow may not be lethal, but when imbued with the power of will, it can freely increase its might, and..."
The terrifying scarecrow glanced at Drake, panting on the ground, and smiled, "Zoan's three forms: human, human-beast, beast, indeed a good reference point, so feel honored..."
The coffin nails on the scarecrow's fingers embedded into his body, causing the horrifying scarecrow's form to slowly shrink, and at the same time, the scarecrow demon in a cloak appeared from above, suddenly descending, enveloping Hawkins like clothing.
His wavy blond hair surfaced again, along with Hawkins' face marked by six black vertical stripes on his eyebrows and a handsome visage, except the mouth seemed sewn shut, becoming the unique mouth of a scarecrow.
Scarecrow materialized on him again, interwoven into the cloak worn by the scarecrow demon just moments ago.
The scarecrow piercing the three people collectively retracted into his body, Hawkins spread his fingers, nails transforming into sharp and pointed coffin nails.
"Cursed demon, this is my 'human-beast' form, stronger, more agile, and more powerful..."
Swoosh!
A blur swiftly circled before the three, two were lifted by a massive force, seemingly kicked, flying together before crashing down once more.
And Killer, just descended from the wall, and the blur directly flashed before him, a punch aimed at his abdomen, curled him up, followed by a grab of five fingers on his head, tossing him aside.
Bang!
Before Killer landed on the ground, Hawkins flashed again, a swift leg whip kicked Killer's side, sending him crashing into the ground, causing a dent.
"Ooh! Hehe, hahahaha!"
Killer clutched his abdomen and side, despite the agony in his eyes, the strange smile on his face never broke.
"Look at you now, so pathetic, yet so bizarre. Since being imprisoned by Kaido, why not join him? That guy and Sage are the same, tolerant toward those with power."
Hawkins looked down at him, "Kid should also be captured, probably guessed because of resistance against Kaido. If failed, then just admit to the defeat readily, right? If it weren't for his resistance to Kaido, you wouldn't have met such a tragic fate."
"Ha, ha..."
Killer tried to lift his head, laughed oddly, "You probably don't understand, Hawkins... not everyone is like you, though contemporaries as Super Rookies, at the time of reaching Shampodi, you'd already joined Calamity."
Hawkins' eyes narrowed slightly, fingers stretched tight.
"Your pirate career ended at that moment, but Kid is different!"
Beneath that strange smile seemed to hide an extremely determined expression, "He will surpass the Four Emperors, become Pirate King!"
Bang!
Hawkins kicked Killer's face, removing him from the dent, rolling him to the side.
He stepped forward a few more steps, pursued Killer, kicked him again and again not satisfied, on Killer's body.
"What surpass the Four Emperors! What Pirate King! The only one who can become Pirate King is Sage! You..."
Bang!
Hawkins powerfully kicked Killer high into the air, and roared, "You reckless madman!!"
"On the sea, only by becoming a Four Emperors can you qualify to compete for Pirate King! But becoming a Four Emperors is not so easily achieved! Do you know how much Sage has sacrificed?!"
"Bold plans, perilous battles, and a strong destiny, have allowed him to be recognized by the sea step by step, publicly acclaimed as a Four Emperors!"
"Do you think Blackbeard relies on luck? That guy is more addicted to gambling than anyone else, he waited for decades hiding on Whitebeard's ship until he got the chance, even then, without experiencing battles, had to wait for Big Mom to fail to get the chance to become a Four Emperors!"
"These guys, they're all truly strong forces of the sea. If they don't act foolishly, they can dominate the sea until life's end! Your biological instinct can sense it, they're forces you absolutely shouldn't provoke!"
"Stop boasting, Killer!!"
During the time in Paradise, he followed Sage, came all the way, also aware of Sage's hardships.
Thinking he's just for robbing to throw parties and fish?
Plundering all wealthy towns in Paradise isn't something done with mere plans, chased by Garp midway, even entered Impel Down.
With slightly less strength or luck, they could've disbanded back then!
Similarly, entering the New World later faced Kaido, Big Mom, Red Hair, and those silver medal contenders in the New World, one weakness, they could disband just the same.
That's the true path of pirates in the same era, carved step by step.
It's not something achievable by mere boasting!
"Hehe, hahahaha! You're regretting, Hawkins..."
Killer spat a mouthful of blood, laughed at him, "Regretting not firmly following your choice and surrendering to Calamity, ending your road. But ours didn't end, our path... it always exists and continues!"
Hawkins lowered his eyes slightly, "Career huh..."
He glanced at Drake and Apoo, noticing a faint smile emerging from their mouths as well.
A member of the Navy, never changed from the start, joining Kaido is also undercover.
A pirate, unexpectedly always Kaido's underling, perhaps ambitious, but that aligns with pirate traits.
They never changed from start to finish, only he...
"Indeed, back then I feared death, unable to divine the victory rate, so I surrendered."
Hawkins said blandly, "If not Sage, but someone else, perhaps I would reach the New World myself, maybe even ally with you, and then meet Kaido... Based on my character then, might fear and surrender to Kaido."
"At that time, met the current you, asking the same question, perhaps I'd feel regret, after putting myself in that scenario, I surrendered, you didn't, but we're all surviving, yet you held onto ideals, I abandoned my goal."
"I feared the future of death, you didn't, hence gamble everything... That's how it should've been."
Hawkins smiled slightly, "But there's no 'what if', the one I met is Sage, from him, I learned one principle, this thing called fate..."
He stretched his hand and opened it, scarecrow appeared from his palm, coiling around the long sword on the ground, pulling it into his hand.
"If unfavorable to oneself, resisting fate, that's also beauty. Surrendering to Sage made me 'die' once already, thus, dying while resisting fate doesn't mean a loss."
"The former me has died, the current me... No matter what predicament encountered, won't surrender a second time!"
Once is enough!
Having chosen, then choose thoroughly to the end now!
Swoosh!
The long sword swung down, cutting off Killer's head with that strange smile.
"Strength doesn't compare, but you're unquestionably a strong pursuer on the path, I shall not curse you."
Hawkins tightened his grip on the blood-dripping sword, "But I won't let you choose that 1% survival rate!"
He looked at the two with narrowed pupils, "Then, what fate do you choose? Death? Or rebirth?"
"I surrender."
Apoo candidly.
Drake was silent for a moment, asked, "Since you know me, why ask?"
He's been acknowledged as Navy, whatever the case should not spare him.
"Because the Captain doesn't mind."
Hawkins said, "We just need people who can get things done, whatever information you want to pass, it's fine."
Anyway, however the intel is passed, it'll be doubled back.
Just like CPO staying within the territory.
"I see..."
Drake sighed, said, "Since it's a bet between Kaido and Sage's chief, then I'll wait."
He neither admitted nor denied.
But this undercover career...
Seems won't end for now.