"Demon-slaying form!"
Hawkins ignored Simon Sandy's words and began his transformation. His height surged by nearly a meter, his features twisted into a grotesque scarecrow-like visage, and his fingers elongated into sharp, iron-like spikes.
Without hesitation, Hawkins raised his hands and fired ten straw-imbued nails at Simon Sandy!
Simon twisted his body and evaded deftly. Frowning at the towering scarecrow, he muttered, "A Devil Fruit user?"
Hawkins' calm gaze bore into him. "The outcome has already been determined. You have a 99% probability of defeat."
"You're full of it!" Simon spat coldly.
In response, his own body began to shift. His already burly frame grew more muscular, skin darkened into a dusky bronze, and tiny, glinting quills bristled along his limbs. A thick, reddish mane flared down his back like a flame, and wicked fangs protruded past his lips.
He, too, was a Devil Fruit user—an Ancient Zoan type, judging by the power and transformation.
Hawkins narrowed his eyes. "That form... You're the Grand Line pirate, captain of the Porcupine Pirates. Simon Sandy the Porcupine?"
Simon's expression instantly soured. He growled, "It's not 'Porcupine!' It's Evil Beast! Got it? Evil Beast!"
Hawkins had touched a nerve.
This wasn't the first time someone used that hated nickname. Ever since the Navy issued his bounty, that name had followed him like a curse—thanks to Admiral Kizaru, no less. And Simon knew better than to pick a fight with a Navy Admiral. But anyone else who called him that?
He'd make them pay.
"I'll tear you apart, scarecrow freak!!" he roared.
With a thunderous stomp, he launched himself like a freight train, the ground cracking beneath him.
Hawkins didn't flinch. As Simon charged, he reached out with straw-bound hands and caught the beast's fangs mid-strike!
BOOM!
The impact cratered the ground beneath them.
Though Hawkins hadn't yet reached his Wano-level strength, his mastery of the Wara Wara no Mi was evident.
"Marked Hoof Punch!"
Simon locked Hawkins' wrist with one hand and smashed a brutal punch into his chest with the other!
BOOM!
The blow shredded through Hawkins' chest—yet he remained upright. Miles away, on the other side of the island, a random thug screamed as a bloody hole burst in his chest and he collapsed, dead.
A straw effigy tumbled from Hawkins' body.
Eyes narrowing, Hawkins counterattacked with a flurry of steel nails from his fingertips, slashing at Simon's thick hide.
Clink! Sparks flew.
"Hmph?" Hawkins frowned. Even his nails barely scratched the surface.
"It's no use," Simon sneered. "In this form, my hide's tougher than steel. Unless you've got Armament Haki, you're not breaking through."
With both fists, Simon unleashed a barrage of punches that sent Hawkins flying!
Again, miles away, an unfortunate victim convulsed and died on the spot—his life the price for Hawkins' survival.
"Armament Haki?" Hawkins muttered. "What is that?"
Hawkins crawled out of the rubble, looking disheveled but unharmed. Two more scarecrows dropped from his body.
"Huh? Still standing?" Simon Sandi frowned. "A newbie who doesn't even know Haki shouldn't be able to take my attacks. Is this some kind of magic?"
He stared at Hawkins with confusion. A Devil Fruit power? he wondered. Strange...
But his Observation Haki had already picked up on it—the small scarecrows falling from Hawkins's body. He immediately guessed they were the key.
"Haki?"
Hawkins muttered the word to himself, hearing it for the first time.
"Heh. Haki's a power all humans are born with," Simon Sandi said with a smirk. "Most just never awaken to it."
"Bah, no use explaining to a rookie like you. You're not going to live long enough to learn anyway!"
Simon Sandi had been tempted to brag more, but remembering he only possessed Observation Haki, he wisely held his tongue.
"Your power's tied to those scarecrows, isn't it?" he said instead. "That's how you've survived. But how many do you have left?"
"Crack the Earth!"
With a roar, Simon Sandi stomped hard on the ground. A shockwave tore through the soil, splitting it open in a straight line toward Hawkins.
Reacting quickly, Hawkins leapt into the air.
"Hah! Took the bait! Porcupine Javelin!"
Simon Sandi suddenly dropped to the ground, transforming into his full beast form. His body expanded, covered in sharp quills. With a flick of his arm, he launched himself like a javelin—his spiked back glinting in the sunlight.
The mid-air scarecrow was pierced clean through. It twitched grotesquely as it transformed—then exploded into straw and scattered.
Hawkins landed roughly. His expressionless scarecrow face didn't change—but three more straw dolls fell from his body.
He stood still for a moment.
His attacks had done nothing. His enemy was overwhelmingly powerful. Each time he was hit, he lost another puppet—barely holding on to life.
The gap between their strength was vast.
Not only was he outmatched, but so were his men. Across the battlefield, Simon Sandi's forces were pushing Hawkins's crew back. The outcome was clear.
"No more tricks?" Simon Sandi sneered. "Then die!"
He charged again.
But this time, Hawkins didn't dodge. He ran straight at him.
Their eyes met. Simon Sandi grinned, raising a massive fist. His muscles bulged as he threw a punch powerful enough to shatter a building.
Hawkins took the blow head-on.
With a thunderous crash, two more scarecrows flew from his body. Blood sprayed from Hawkins's mouth.
"Not necessarily," Hawkins muttered coldly.
His hand shot up and grabbed Simon Sandi by the fangs. The other arm unraveled into straw—revealing a hidden blade.
"Rice-Handled Straw Blade!"
With a sharp thrust, he drove the blade forward—straight into Simon Sandi's chest.