Chapter 30: A Strategic Retreat
Even with his Armament Haki hardening his body to be harder than steel, Baron Tamago still grunted with effort as he deflected Roy's slash with a powerful kick.
"As expected of a pirate with a bounty over 400 million," Roy acknowledged, gripping his sword and charging forward.
"Not good!" Tamago's face paled. He felt an invisible pressure lock onto him. Despite his own Observation Haki, he couldn't find an opening to dodge; Roy's spiritual pressure was simply superior.
Shing!
The white blade fell. This time, even Tamago's Armament Haki wasn't enough. The sword bit deep, cracking his hardened defense and drawing blood. In that moment, Tamago's body was suddenly enveloped in a brilliant, egg-shaped light.
"He's transforming! It's Viscount Chick!" one of the surrounding pirates yelled.
Baron Tamago was a unique Egg-Egg Fruit user. When his body sustained enough damage to "crack," he would hatch into a new, more powerful form. He progressed from his base Baron form, to Viscount Chick, and finally to the formidable Count Niwatori. With each transformation, his power grew.
Now, a hat perched atop his head, his nose had elongated into a sharp beak, and his body had grown larger, though his signature long legs remained.
"SQUAWK!"
Freshly hatched, Viscount Chick let out a piercing cry and launched himself at Roy, delivering a devastating kick.
Roy raised Shiroi to block. The hardened blade met the kick with a solid thwack. Viscount Chick screeched in pain, his foot sinking a full third of the way into the sword's edge. Any more force, and his foot would have been severed.
Seeing his comrade in trouble, Pekoms rushed in, throwing a powerful, Haki-infused punch aimed at Roy's side. Roy reacted instantly, coating his own leg in Armament Haki and meeting the blow with a fierce kick.
BAM!
The impact sent Pekoms flying backward. The pirate with a bounty over 300 million Beri skidded across the sand, clutching his chest.
"Damn it! How is his raw strength so immense?" Pekoms gasped.
"SCRAAW!"
A flash of white light, and Roy's blade found its mark again, seriously wounding Viscount Chick. The creature transformed once more, finally hatching into his ultimate form: Count Niwatori. But instead of pressing the attack, the newly transformed Count turned and fled without a second glance.
Pekoms, seeing his ally retreat, scrambled to his feet and followed, the two high-ranking Big Mom Pirates making a hasty escape.
Tch. I've burned enough energy for one day, Roy thought, sheathing his sword. It's different when you factor in Haki. Without it, their raw strength is maybe worth a 100 million Beri bounty. But with advanced Haki, their threat level—and their bounties—double.
He watched them flee, making no move to pursue. Killing them would achieve little and only provoke the full, terrifying wrath of Big Mom. Who knew what that madwoman would do?
That should hold them for a while. Roy's gaze then shifted to the distant coastline, where a Marine warship was docked. He could see the officers on deck watching him through binoculars. When he turned to look directly at them, they flinched and scrambled for cover.
Time to be a little more low-key. He returned to the Spade Pirates' ship to check if anything had been taken. A quick inspection confirmed everything was in order; their real treasure was the gold they carried with them, so even if the ship had been ransacked, the thieves would have found nothing.
As dusk began to settle, Roy left the ship and headed for the Gluttony Bowl venue.
The Marines had remained passive, staying quietly by the sea without a single soldier disembarking. Since they hadn't acted, he would pretend he hadn't seen them.
"Time to show Ace what a real big eater looks like," Roy muttered, striding into the town with renewed confidence.
The moment he was gone, the Marines finally dared to raise their heads. They were terrified. They might not have known Roy, but they certainly knew Baron Tamago and Pekoms—two veteran combatants of the Big Mom Pirates with combined bounties nearing a billion Beri. In the first half of the Grand Line, they were like emperors on inspection, figures to be feared.
Yet, they had been soundly defeated by a single, unknown swordsman. This single event shattered the Marines' understanding of power in Paradise, and they knew this critical intelligence had to be reported to Headquarters immediately.
In Fleet Admiral Sengoku's office at Marine Headquarters, he reviewed the new report and then addressed the Vice Admiral before him. "Send for Lieutenant Commander Momonga."
When the officer arrived, Sengoku handed him a sealed document. "This is an invitation to become a Warlord of the Sea. You are to deliver it to Portgas D. Ace."
"That rookie? The Logia user?" Momonga asked, surprised.
"Correct. The Tyrant Kuma must now cooperate with Dr. Vegapunk's research. While he remains a Warlord, his availability is limited. Since Portgas D. Ace possesses sufficient strength, we will offer him the position," Sengoku explained.
"Understood. He is currently on Food Island. I will depart at once," Momonga confirmed with a nod.
"One more thing," Sengoku added, his tone grave. "Pay close attention to the man beside Ace. He is exceptionally powerful. According to our report, he single-handedly defeated both Tamago and Pekoms of the Big Mom Pirates. If Ace accepts the Warlord position, try to ascertain that man's name and allegiances. If Ace refuses... then we will have no choice but to significantly increase his bounty. And this new fighter... his appearance is concerning. I want to know who he is."