The noise of battle on the island soon caught the attention of the Flying Fleet's scouts. They turned their airships toward the commotion, curious to see if there were any promising new recruits worth recruiting.
In the midst of roaring cheers from the surrounding pirates, Fighting Champion Burgess was in full rampage, knocking down one pirate captain after another.
"Wahahaha!! You must be the Great Blade Leddon, bounty fifty million berries, huh? That's all you've got?!"
Burgess' arms bulged with muscle as he slammed a massive fist into a captain wielding an enormous sword, sending him flying across the dirt.Before the poor man could react, Burgess stomped him into the ground and pressed down hard, his grin full of savage excitement.
Blood spurted from Leddon's mouth as he gasped for breath. Under Burgess' crushing strength, his eyes rolled back, and he passed out cold.
The crowd erupted as they watched Burgess single-handedly defeat several pirate captains — each with bounties between thirty and fifty million berries.
This newcomer, whose own bounty was only twenty million, clearly wasn't ordinary. His power alone was enough to back up his arrogance.In the Grand Line, any pirate whose bounty surpassed fifty million was qualified to be considered a contender for the title of Supernova.
"Wahahaha! Hope they raise my bounty soon! I'm the real deal — the one and only Fighting Champion!"Burgess stood triumphantly on top of the defeated captains, spreading his arms wide and flexing his perfectly chiseled muscles, laughing with reckless pride.
"Ahahaha! Not bad at all, Burgess!"Bartolomeo and Edrago exchanged approving looks — this new recruit's strength was impressive. With this level of power, Burgess might truly be worthy of meeting Lord Souta Kiryuu himself.
"Wahahaha! Of course! I set out to sea to become the World's Fighting Champion! You think I'd come this far without strength?"
He cracked his knuckles again, flashing a wide grin."Who's next?!"
Burgess turned toward the crowd, that wide white-toothed grin and cocky tone making many pirates both angry and cautious at the same time.
Then, a loud voice cut through the noise.
"Oi! You there — strong guy! Interested in joining Lord Golden Lion's Flying Fleet?"
The crowd split apart as a group of uniformed pirates forced their way through, shoving people aside. Those who were pushed out of the way looked ready to fight — until they spotted the distinctive tattoos and emblems on the newcomers' coats.
One glance was all it took for them to fall silent, swallowing their curses in fear.
Bartolomeo, Edrago, and Burgess turned curiously toward the intruders.From the shadows, Poison Q and Van Augur narrowed their eyes, silently observing the newcomers — members of the infamous Flying Fleet under Golden Lion Shiki.
"The Flying Fleet, huh? So you're Golden Lion's men?"Bartolomeo ran a hand through his spiky green hair, his expression full of disdain. Other than Lord Kiryuu, not even the Four Emperors earned his respect — let alone a washed-up legend from the old era.
The leader of the newcomers, a recruitment officer named Reinhand, perked up with interest. "Aha! Green mohawk… you must be Cannibal Bartolomeo! Current Supernova, bounty one hundred twenty million berries, right?"
He quickly pulled out a stack of wanted posters and compared faces, his eyes gleaming.Recruiting bounty-over-one-hundred-million rookies like Bartolomeo was exactly what the Flying Fleet was after — potential seeds who could someday rise to become elite captains in the New World.
"Wait— that's Soundwave Edrago! Bounty one hundred million berries!"Reinhand laughed triumphantly. "This is perfect!"
He pointed dramatically at the two of them and shouted,"You rookies have been blessed by the heavens! Joining Lord Golden Lion's Flying Fleet is an honor you don't deserve — but I'll grant it anyway! Consider it a gift!"
He spread his arms wide, expecting them to rush forward gratefully, trembling with excitement at being chosen by such a legendary name.
Instead, Bartolomeo tilted his head and stared blankly."Is this guy… brain-damaged?"
Edrago's expression mirrored his — eyes wide, as if watching a lunatic ramble to himself."What's he even talking about? Is he trying to recruit us?"
"They're part of Golden Lion Shiki's men," Burgess explained, his tone serious. "They're going around the Grand Line, trying to recruit smaller pirate crews to expand their Flying Fleet."
Bartolomeo's face hardened, his sharp teeth showing in annoyance."Listen up — I'm a devout follower of Lord Souta Kiryuu! I'd never join your rotten Flying Fleet!"
Reinhand's smirk faltered, but before he could reply, another pirate stepped forward."Captain Reinhand, sir! If you'll have us, the Dana Pirates would gladly join the Flying Fleet! We've been wanting to pledge loyalty!"
He was a long-haired captain carrying a trident, practically begging for the chance.For small crews like his, joining either Kiryuu's crew or Golden Lion's was a dream — a way to secure a powerful protector.
But joining the Kiryuu Pirates was nearly impossible; the Flying Fleet seemed far more reachable.
Hearing only the offers of these small fry while Bartolomeo and Edrago ignored him completely made Reinhand's face darken.
To be disregarded by a bunch of rookies — after all his years on the Grand Line — was an insult he couldn't stomach.
"Pathetic weaklings aren't fit to join the Flying Fleet!"Reinhand's tone turned icy as he glared at the trident-wielding captain. Then he moved — in a blur of speed — and unleashed a brutal kick that sent the smaller pirates crashing through a nearby wall.
"And as for you so-called Supernovas…" Reinhand snarled, his fists clenching as dark power began to swirl around them. "How dare you look down on Lord Golden Lion! I'll show you what true strength looks like!"
The ground beneath his feet cracked like glass as he vanished from sight — then reappeared in front of Bartolomeo with a thunderous BOOM!
"BAM!!"
"GYAAAH!!"
The air exploded with a shockwave — but when the dust cleared, Reinhand was the one screaming.His fist had struck an invisible wall, twisting awkwardly, the bones inside cracking under the recoil.
He fell to the ground clutching his arm, writhing in agony, cold sweat pouring down his face.
"Ahahaha!! My Barrier is the ultimate defense! No one can break through it!And that so-called 'true strength' of yours… that's just Armament Haki, isn't it?"
Bartolomeo crossed his index fingers over each other, laughing wildly as his barrier shimmered faintly in front of him.The look of horror on Reinhand's face was priceless.
Bartolomeo released the barrier and stepped forward, his right fist now wrapped in black Haki."The Barrier-Barrier Fruit is my strongest weapon… but I know a little Haki too."
With a feral grin showing off his sharp teeth, Bartolomeo swung his fist downward, slamming it straight into Reinhand's skull.
The impact echoed like a cannon blast.