Unlike the pirates aiming to kidnap the mermaid, he had already been mingling in the Grand Line for a while. After entering the New World back then, its harshness broke him, and he fled back to the First Half of the Grand Line. He knows how rigorous the Hundred Beasts are in recruiting subordinates.
Someone like this, without much ability and lacking principles, can't even pass the open recruitment of the Hundred Beasts.
"I advise the two of you not to entertain such crooked thoughts. While there are no Hundred Beasts people here yet, rush out with me, and you can still get a share. This is the most beneficial thing for you."
After the war at the top, the name of the Hundred Beasts was thoroughly established, and the number of pirates wanting to join them began to surge. These two standing up at this time made the pirate leader easily guess what they wanted to do.
They simply wanted to use him to curry favor with the Hundred Beasts and thus qualify to hoist their flag.
He wasn't afraid of such pirates but didn't want to be entangled here. As long as he fled far enough, the Hundred Beasts might not find him. But if dragged here, he would be truly finished.
The Hundred Beasts had just taken over Fishman Island, and he had kidnapped a mermaid here. If caught, he would certainly be used to make an example.
"Don't take us for fools. We don't know if you'll share the loot, but catching you means the Hundred Beasts won't possibly kill us, right? At worst, we can exchange you for money."
"Yes, are you trying to pull us down with you? Compared to a coward who doesn't dare enter the New World, the Sea Emperor is obviously easier to deal with!"
Even among pirates, there are shrewd ones, and these two newcomers are the type not easily fooled. Seeing his bluff was ineffective, the pirate leader also made a plan to go all out, especially after seeing the seahorse Right Minister whisper something to the soldier beside him.
"Take those few mermaids hostage! Kill our way out!"
"Abandon that thought. This is the deep sea. You can't escape from here. Release our citizens first, and other matters can be discussed."
"Bah! As you said, this is the deep sea. Once I make it to the surface, I'll naturally release these people. Now get out of my way! Or don't blame me for being impolite!"
Because of the hostages, the Sea King Army couldn't act hastily. Fishman Island hadn't expected anyone to grow restless so quickly.
Figures like Jinbe and Tiger, who were strong enough to handle the trouble, were all in Dragon Palace City. Even if the Right Minister contacted them, they would take some time to get here.
They weren't confident they could rescue the hostages from those pirates, so for the safety of the hostages, the Sea King Army knew they had to temporarily step back.
The two pirate crews didn't have so many scruples, but they weren't a match for this pirate leader.
Though scared off by the New World, he had survived a long time in the first half, counting as a somewhat capable pirate.
Easily dealing with those two pirates with bounties around thirty million, and seeing that those in the way were handled and Fishman Island's people were cautious, he felt he was about to be safe. But right then, a new voice rang in his ear.
...
"Give it up. Today, you will not succeed."
Sitting on a nearby reef was Hawkins, playing with his Tarot Cards, divining the fate of this pirate leader.
"Sadly, your chance of seeing the sun on the sea again is zero."
Earlier at the Shampodi Islands, Hawkins was shocked by an unforeseeable destiny. He then led his followers to the New World.
But when he reached Fishman Island, he chose to stay there. His divination told him that staying there would more easily achieve his goals. So instead of heading directly to the New World, Hawkins lingered on Fishman Island for a while.
His reason for going to sea was simple. Divination told him that going to sea was the best choice. In Hawkins' mind, someone who can even twist fate will inevitably be the victor of the era. In that moment, he had a new thought.
Now, he found his opportunity.
"Success rate 78.6%. Can I trouble you to surrender? You have no future. To be precise, there's a 98% chance you'll squander your last opportunity."
"And you, Minister of Fishman Island, should seize this opportunity."
Retrieving his Tarot Cards, Hawkins coldly gazed at the pirate before him and then said some strange words to the seahorse Right Minister.
"Get lost!"
Confronted by Hawkins' obstruction, the pirate leader didn't waste words and swung several cuts at Hawkins.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Hawkins' body was sliced through by Sword Qi, yet no blood flowed from his body, only a few severed straw men crawling out from within him.
"Ah!"
Cries of anguish came from behind the pirate leader. Just as he turned around, he found that all his underlings who were holding the hostages had fallen to the ground, with plenty of blood gushing out.
Even a mermaid afraid of blood fainted from shock. But the pirate leader didn't focus on this; he was stunned to find that the wounds on his underlings were identical to where he had attacked Hawkins.
With the pirates controlling the hostages down, the nearby Sea King Army immediately rushed forward to temporarily shelter the hostages in a safe place. Only then did the Right Minister understand the meaning of Hawkins' words.
"I told you, you would sabotage yourself."
"Now, your face already bears the look of death."
"Basil Hawkins... I haven't wronged you, have I?"
The hostages being rescued meant those Sea King Army members were now unconstrained. Once they held him down, only death awaited him.
"No, but you can become a stepping stone on my path to success. If killing you personally can increase my plan's success rate by another 7%..."
Hawkins fiddled with his cards again, though the pirate leader's anger had reached its peak. He swung his sword, passing by Hawkins, the blade slicing through Hawkins' neck.
"So much nonsense. Even if you're a Super Rookie, so what? Haven't you seen this Haki power before?"
At this point, his weapon was dyed black with Haki. He thought this would finally harm Hawkins, but the result was the same as before. A straw man with its head chopped off fell from Hawkins' body, and accordingly, one of his subordinates' heads was also cut off.
Haki can touch the entity of a Devil Fruit user, but it cannot nullify their powers.
Hawkins is the Paramecia-type: Straw-Straw Fruit user.
He can fight using Straw Spirits, which transfer damage to others through voodoo dolls, absorbing attacks.
His slashes did hit Hawkins and caused harm, but the damage was merely transferred.
As long as there are still straw men stored within Hawkins, killing him is exceedingly difficult, unless one attacks areas where he can't transfer the damage.
"Indeed, I haven't seen it. I just 'died' another time."
Hawkins drew the weapon from his waist, but rather than an ordinary blade, what appeared before everyone was a blade of twisting straw.
"Blade of Straw Stalk."
Gripping the hilt, he stabbed forward. The twisting straw displayed extraordinary hardness, piercing directly through the pirate before him.
Simultaneously, the pirate before him stabbed through Hawkins' chest, yet it still had no effect. Instead, it was his own heart that bore another hole.
Hawkins' surrogate death ability comes from the power of his Straw Straw Fruit, allowing him to lodge himself within others' bodies. He needed to prepare to designate his Stand, but this process was not complex; it merely required contact.
While previously observing, he had already used the straw he extended to complete his lodging and, during the battle, directly lodged into the opponent before him.
He had a basic understanding of Armament Haki, but he was far from nullifying abilities.
"With the audience in attendance, your fate can be concluded."
At this time, Hawkins noticed the figure of Queen from the corner of his eye. He could finally kill the enemy before him without worry.