Drake's undercover journey was just beginning. The internal competition within the Hundred Beasts was leading to an overall increase in strength, which was not good news for the Navy and Drake, who was about to go undercover.
To gather key intelligence, Drake needed to find a way to enter the upper echelons of the Hundred Beasts, but in their competitive environment, getting to the top was becoming increasingly difficult.
Drake's current bounty was closely related to Sengoku. It was through Sengoku's support that this fallen Junior Admiral of the Navy could quickly become a Super Rookie and reach the Shampodi Islands.
But that wasn't enough; Drake's bounty was merely his diploma. With that, he had something to knock on the door to join the Hundred Beasts. His Ancient Zoan ability meant he was professionally suited, but that was all.
A young graduate, compared to those nurtured by the Hundred Beasts themselves, naturally had a significant disadvantage.
Moreover, in the ever-expanding Great Pirate Era, pirates of the same caliber as him were becoming more numerous, making Drake's competition even fiercer.
Upon discovering Hundred Beasts personnel at Shampodi, he planned to seize the opportunity to make his presence felt, to make those "interviewers" more familiar with him, which would be beneficial for future actions.
So when the conflict initially broke out, he stayed hidden, watching with a spectator's mindset, waiting for a chance to act.
But reality gave him a painful lesson. Although Rami slapped Kid's face, the hurt resonated deeply in Drake's heart.
"Two attacks... no, just one hit to bring down the highest bounty hunter..."
The first move corroded Kid's metallic arm, and the second put Kid into a state of paralysis. This was one of Rami's rare displays, making Drake realize for the first time just how many monsters were under the giant entity of the Hundred Beasts.
"Captain Drake, is that woman... a pirate from the New World?"
Drake's crew did not know the specifics of his situation. To them, Drake was a former Junior Admiral who had betrayed the Navy, and because of his past title, he knew much more than those novice pirates.
"Yes, she's with the Hundred Beasts Pirates, under their religious force, the Poison Nun - Rami, with a bounty of 160 million Belly."
Drake's goal was to infiltrate the Hundred Beasts, so he had some knowledge of the notable figures within.
"160 million... she just took down that 300 million Kid, didn't she...."
"A bounty doesn't entirely represent strength, but this woman... the Navy probably underestimated her."
Listening to his crew's complaints, Drake didn't know what to say. The Navy's intelligence department was somewhat unreliable, but bounty determination usually had its merits.
Rami's abilities weren't simple, but compared to the likes of Jack who went looking for fights, Kaidou who made headlines, and Queen who was often in the spotlight, Rami was not as terrifying.
Furthermore, as a nun, her usual activities weren't about fighting and killing. Even the Navy suffered few casualties at her hands, which was why her bounty wasn't that high.
In the New World, Rami's abilities weren't overly formidable. Those with strong physique and Haki could counter her poison, but here it was different. Like Queen, she was adept at overpowering weaker foes. The weaker the enemy, the more terrifying her performance.
If Kid had encountered a combat-oriented fighter like the Bat Man, he might have lasted a few rounds with his abilities. Even Iscariot might have managed to be a punching bag a bit longer, but he ran into Rami.
...
"Captain, the girl you hit on doesn't seem simple..."
"I told you I wasn't hitting on her!"
The timing of Law's outburst was being continuously accelerated, but looking at the paralyzed Kid, Law's heart was actually quite complex.
He was thrilled that Rami had such power, which meant Rami's future would be safer, but he also felt pained for Rami's experiences. He didn't know what Rami had gone through to turn from a crybaby into who she was today.
"Captain Hawkins... is this why you held me back..."
Drake wasn't the only one watching the drama. Members of the Hawkins Pirates were also observing from the tavern.
A pirate who had almost acted but was stopped by Hawkins felt a bit weak-legged. Even the brutal Kid was taken down in seconds, who knew what would have happened if he had acted.
"This is fate. You don't need to worry. There's no sign of death on your face, but it's different for others."
Several straws extended from Hawkins' body, and cards floated in the air under their control. Hawkins was silently rearranging the positions of the cards.
"What are you talking about?"
"Conflict probability 99.5%, death rate 50%, escape success rate 69.6%, he's half marked with the sign of death."
Though such mysticism might not be credible, compared to his hometown grandmother's words, it was still relatively reliable. As Hawkins' divination ended, Kid began to move again.
Poof! Poof!
Blood burst from both of Kid's arms, not from enemy attacks but from something like internal explosions causing ruptured blood vessels. As blood flowed down his arms, he managed to move again.
"Magnetic... Reflection!!"
The remaining metal around was once again attracted by his power, bouncing toward Rami.
Yet Rami had no interest in defending. Although she was an "Zoan-type" ability user, she had a "Logia-type" mud body, making her practically unbeatable at this stage.
"Underestimated these rookies' physique and grit, it seems the toxicity was too reduced."
Rami could control the potency of her poison. She only wanted to teach these people a lesson and didn't want to cause a biochemical crisis in Shampodi, so she diluted her poison.
Only she underestimated Kid's physique, allowing him still to resist.
Just as Rami was pondering whether to give Kid another intense dose, a blue figure appeared in front of her.
Clang!
Originally watching from the sidelines, Drake abruptly appeared in the path of Kid's attack, deflecting the strike aimed at Rami.
"If you want to fight, take it to the New World, don't cause trouble here!"
This was his ostensible reason. The Shampodi Islands were too close to Navy Headquarters, and causing a ruckus wouldn't benefit anyone. Plus, it was a chance to make a presence before Rami. At this moment, he was somewhat grateful for Kid's impulsiveness, which gave him the opportunity to stand out.
For this, he even struck a relatively cool pose, but events once again exceeded his expectations.
He didn't expect Rami's questioning; instead, he faced Law's sudden attack.
"Trafalgar Law, this isn't the place for a fight, don't you understand?"
"I don't need you telling me what to do, I just feel like cutting you."