The pirates were blown completely off their feet. In terms of raw damage, Perona's Hollow Explosives were highly effective against living targets and dealt decent structural damage to the ship itself.
However, there was a glaring practical issue.
"Perona," Bardock said, watching her furiously snap her fingers. "Isn't snapping your fingers to detonate every single tiny ghost individually a bit exhausting? Your fingers are going to cramp."
Realizing he was completely right, Perona reluctantly abandoned her stylish, dramatic posing. Instead, she simply used her mental connection to the Devil Fruit to detonate the Mini-Hollows in massive, coordinated clusters.
'Ah. So the snapping really was just for show,' Bardock thought, giving her a severe side-eye.
Perona caught his look and immediately blushed in embarrassment, glaring back at him with an indignant huff.
"Special Hollow: Kamikaze!"
Perona waved her parasol again, summoning a massive, aggressively cackling white ghost that was almost the size of a small house. She directed it toward the ruined pirate ship.
Following the relentless chain of miniature explosions, there were barely any pirates left standing on the deck. Seeing the colossal ghost rapidly approaching, they completely lost their will to fight, staring at it in absolute terror.
Only the Pirate Captain had the presence of mind to act. When no one was looking, he dove into the ocean and began frantically swimming toward the White Dragon. He figured that once he boarded their ship, they wouldn't dare use explosives on their own deck.
"This massive ghost is definitely worth a snap!" Perona declared proudly.
SNAP!
KRA-BOOOOM!
A deafening shockwave tore across the harbor. The entire upper half of the pirate ship was instantly vaporized. The hull violently splintered, and seawater rapidly flooded the lower decks. The surviving pirates rained down into the ocean like dumplings being dropped into a boiling pot.
Given the absurd physical resilience of humans in this world, those pirates would likely survive if someone actively rescued them. However, since they were the type of scum who blatantly bombarded civilian towns, Bardock absolutely refused to treat them as human beings, let alone offer them medical aid.
At that moment, the soaking wet Pirate Captain finally hauled himself over the railing of the White Dragon. Turning around, he witnessed the total annihilation of his ship.
"You bastards!" he roared, his eyes bloodshot with rage as he drew his cutlass. "I'll drag every last one of you to hell with me!"
"Sigh. I originally wanted to interrogate him to see if the Navy was actively pursuing us in this sector, but he's just too stupid," Bardock muttered, shaking his head. "Just get rid of him."
"Speed is weight!" Enel declared, instantly materializing directly in front of the Pirate Captain.
Before the Captain's brain could even register the movement, Enel drove his foot directly into the man's chest.
BAM!
The Pirate Captain was violently launched off the deck like a cannonball, crashing brutally into the sinking wreckage of his own ship. Well, at least the crew was reunited; unfortunately, all their loot was now at the bottom of the ocean.
"Enel, your physical kicking technique is actually coming along nicely," Bardock noted. "The only thing you're lacking now is Armament Haki. Once you bridge that gap, your overall combat strength will skyrocket."
Bardock honestly admitted to himself that if he hadn't been fully prepared, taking a kick like that from Enel would have forced him to instantly deploy his Armament Haki just to avoid injury.
"Hmph! I didn't need you to tell me that," Enel scoffed, cracking his knuckles. "It won't be long now. I've successfully manifested it a few times in practice recently. I'll have it fully mastered within two or three months. And when I do... I am absolutely challenging you to a rematch!"
"Are you sure about that?" Bardock smiled in amusement. "You do realize that Armament Haki isn't just a binary 'on/off' switch, right? There are massive differences in density and refinement. Plus, your foundational martial arts are still lightyears behind mine!"
Bardock genuinely wasn't worried about Enel's challenge. Ever since he started training with the heavy Seastone cuffs, his own physical strength and Haki reserves had begun to rapidly expand again. Enel only focused on his own growth; he had no idea just how fast Bardock was improving.
"Of course I'm sure!" Enel stated firmly. He knew the odds were against him, but he had finally accepted reality. Fighting stronger opponents was the fastest way to grow. Besides, as long as he didn't instantly die, Mansherry could effortlessly heal any injuries he sustained.
"Alright then. I accept. I look forward to our duel," Bardock nodded.
When the crew finally disembarked onto the port, an elderly man—who introduced himself as the Mayor—rushed forward to profusely thank them.
Bardock waved off the gratitude and simply pointed at the ocean, telling the Mayor to have the townsfolk fish the surviving pirates out of the water. He advised the Mayor to claim their bounties to pay for the town's structural repairs and told them they were free to salvage whatever supplies floated up from the sunken ship.
Ignoring the subsequent bureaucratic hassle, the crew continued walking into the town.
Suddenly, two teenage boys aggressively ran out to block their path.
"Hey! Are you guys the pirate crew that just attacked our town?!"
The leader was a boy with striking, spiky red hair. He aggressively pointed a heavy metal wrench at Bardock as if it were a legendary graded sword. Standing right next to him was a slightly older, blond-haired boy holding a pair of wicked-looking sickles, glaring at the crew with intense vigilance.
Bardock blinked, taking a closer look at the two teenagers. The chaotic red hair, the wildly arrogant expression, the blond companion with the sickles... there was no mistaking it.
'So this island is the hometown of Eustass Kid and Killer?'
"What does it matter to you, brat?" Enel scowled impatiently. 'Who do these brats think they are, questioning me?!'
"So it is you!" Kid roared, completely ignoring the sheer power dynamic. He immediately thrust his hand forward. "Repel!"
Instantly, everyone on the crew felt a strong, magnetic pull tugging violently at their metal equipment. Bardock could physically feel his swords, Shusui and White Iron, rattling wildly against their scabbards, threatening to fly out.
'He's already eaten the Magnet-Magnet Fruit? Damn, I missed another top-tier Devil Fruit,' Bardock sighed internally.
Placing his hands firmly on the hilts of his swords to keep them sheathed, Bardock stepped forward. "I'll handle this."
Before the words had even fully left his mouth, Bardock vanished, instantly reappearing directly in front of Kid. He casually raised a finger and sharply flicked the boy directly on the forehead.
THWACK!
"GAAAH! THAT HURTS!" Kid shrieked, instantly dropping his magnetic pull to clutch his throbbing forehead. However, relying purely on years of vicious street-fighting instincts, he blindly swung his heavy wrench at Bardock's ribs.
Bardock easily dodged it with a half-step backward.
Seeing his friend attacked, Killer charged forward, swinging his dual sickles with lethal intent.
THWACK!
Bardock smoothly dodged the blades and delivered an identical, stinging flick to Killer's forehead.
Killer violently stumbled backward, his face twisting in genuine agony, but the blond boy was incredibly tough. He stubbornly refused to drop his sickles to rub his head, glaring fiercely at Bardock.
"My Lords! Please forgive them! They didn't mean any offense!"
Hearing the commotion, the elderly Mayor sprinted down the street, bowing frantically and pleading for the boys' lives.
"Mayor! Don't beg these filthy pirates for mercy!" Kid yelled, his face flushed with anger and embarrassment.
"What are you saying, you idiot?!" The Mayor aggressively smacked the back of Kid's head. "They aren't the ones who attacked us! They are the ones who just saved our town by sinking the pirate ship! Apologize to them right now!"
"I don't need them! I could have easily destroyed that pirate ship myself! My magnetic powers could have caught all their cannonballs and thrown them right back!" Kid argued stubbornly, completely refusing to back down or apologize.
"I am so incredibly sorry, My Lords," the Mayor continued to bow deeply. "They are just reckless, foolish children. I apologize on their behalf."
"Forget it. Just take them away," Bardock sighed, waving his hand dismissively. He hadn't planned on seriously punishing them; otherwise, those flicks would have shattered their skulls instead of just stinging.
In the original timeline, Kid and Killer eventually set sail and became notoriously brutal, mass-murdering pirates who frequently slaughtered civilians. However, right now, they were just two arrogant, restless teenagers who hadn't even left their hometown. Punishing them now for crimes they hadn't committed yet was completely irrational. Furthermore, Bardock wasn't a 'Justice'-obsessed Marine who operated on absolute moral absolutes.
More importantly, Bardock had absolutely zero desire to recruit them.
Eustass Kid was a man with massive, untamable ambition. He possessed the Conqueror's Haki and the absolute will of a King. Even Kaido had relentlessly tortured him in Udon Prison and fundamentally failed to break his spirit or force his submission. Bardock had no intention of wasting his time trying to tame an untamable dog.
"Thank you, My Lord! Thank you!" the Mayor bowed repeatedly before turning to the boys. "Come with me right now! Didn't I explicitly order you brats to stay in the civilian shelter?! Why are you running around the docks?!"
"Stop nagging me!" Kid grumbled loudly as he was dragged away. "They were just a bunch of weak, third-rate pirates! If I had been here, I would have easily crushed them!"
Killer walked closely behind him, muttering, "This was literally all your stupid idea, Kid."
"What?! You weren't saying that ten minutes ago, Killer! You..." Kid instantly began bickering with his best friend as they vanished down the street.
Watching them leave, Bardock chuckled. The young, completely inexperienced versions of Kid and Killer were actually quite amusing.
Robin, ever observant, noticed his reaction. "Bardock. Is there something special about those two boys?"
Hearing her question, the rest of the crew also turned to look at him.
"Them?" Bardock smiled mysteriously. "They are destined to become major figures who will eventually shake the foundations of this era."
He didn't elaborate further.
Honestly, when compared to the other two major Supernova Captains who possessed absolute 'protagonist' energy (Luffy and Law), Kid's luck was absolutely, catastrophically abysmal. While Luffy and Law constantly survived impossible odds through sheer plot armor, Kid consistently suffered the most brutal reality checks imaginable.
His first attempt to challenge the Red Hair Pirates resulted in him getting his arm violently severed. When he finally formed an alliance to take down a Yonko, his allies instantly betrayed him, leading Kaido directly to his base. He was brutally beaten, thrown into a labor camp for weeks, and his best friend (Killer) was force-fed a defective SMILE fruit, permanently stealing his ability to express any emotion other than laughter. And finally, after managing to help defeat Big Mom, the world only acknowledged Luffy as the new Yonko. When Kid aggressively challenged Shanks a second time, his entire crew and ship were completely annihilated in a single, devastating blow.
No wonder some fans called Kid the 'Protagonist without Plot Armor'. He existed purely as the harsh, realistic foil to Luffy's journey.
As the day progressed, the island slowly recovered from the panic of the brief pirate invasion. The restaurants, shops, and open-air markets reopened for business. Bardock dispersed the crew to purchase necessary supplies while he headed to the largest local restaurant to secure a table for dinner.
That evening, as the crew walked back toward the White Dragon with full stomachs, Kid and Killer suddenly blocked their path again.
"I wasn't fully prepared earlier! I'm challenging you to a real fight!" Kid declared boldly.
This time, he was brimming with confidence. He had spent the last few hours meticulously scattering massive amounts of scrap metal, weapons, and iron debris around the street to ensure he had enough raw material to instantly assemble a giant mechanical arm.
"And why exactly should we accept your challenge?" Bardock asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Are... are you scared?!" Kid sneered, actually attempting a painfully obvious taunt. "Are you afraid you'll lose to a kid?!"
"Don't be an idiot. I just don't feel like bullying a child," Bardock rolled his eyes. "Besides, there's absolutely no benefit for me if I beat you. Go home, little brother."
Bardock tried to lead the crew around them, but Kid's infamous, explosive stubbornness flared. He completely refused to be ignored.
"Repel!"
Kid thrust his hand out, violently activating his Devil Fruit. All the scrap metal he had carefully hidden in the alleys instantly shot toward him, rapidly assembling into a colossal, menacing mechanical arm.
"Punk Gibson!"
With a furious roar, Kid swung the massive metal arm down, aiming to violently crush Bardock and his entire crew in a single strike.
Bardock's brow furrowed. He absolutely hated it when people pushed their luck.
"10 Million Volt: Discharge!"
Enel, having zero patience for the brat, casually raised a finger. A blinding, hyper-concentrated bolt of lightning shot forward, perfectly striking the massive mechanical arm.
Because the arm was constructed entirely of highly conductive metal, the electricity instantly surged directly into Kid's body. Before Kid even realized what was happening, his entire nervous system was violently overloaded.
At this current stage in his life, Kid was incredibly green. He didn't know Haki; in fact, he probably didn't even know the word 'Haki' existed yet.
"KID!"
Killer screamed, desperately diving forward to catch his best friend as Kid collapsed. Checking his pulse and confirming he was still breathing, Killer let out a massive sigh of relief.
Honestly, Enel had actively held back a massive amount of power. If he had used a standard attack, Kid would have been instantly incinerated.
With Kid unconscious, his Devil Fruit deactivated. The massive mechanical arm instantly disintegrated, raining heavy metal debris down directly over the crew.
Sai calmly stepped forward, leaping into the air. While completely airborne, he unleashed a rapid flurry of Hasshoken punches. The devastating, shockwave-infused strikes acted like an impenetrable shield, violently blasting all the falling metal debris away before it could touch anyone.
"That's what happens when you refuse to listen to your elders. Let's go," Bardock said casually.
With Kid completely incapacitated, there was no one left to stop them. Killer remained frozen on the ground, finally realizing the sheer, insurmountable chasm in strength between them. They weren't just outmatched; they were operating on two entirely different planes of existence.
To Bardock's absolute astonishment, early the very next morning, just as the White Dragon was preparing to set sail, Kid and Killer appeared on the docks yet again.
"Seriously? What is wrong with you two?" Bardock frowned, genuinely starting to get annoyed. "Do you really think I won't kill you?"
"Wait! Please don't misunderstand! We aren't here to challenge you!" Killer quickly yelled, stepping in front of Kid. He elbowed his friend sharply in the ribs.
Kid scowled, avoiding eye contact, but eventually forced himself to speak. "We... we came to formally apologize. I'm sorry I falsely accused you of attacking the town, and I'm sorry for constantly causing trouble for you."
Bardock blinked, highly intrigued. What on earth had happened overnight to cause Eustass Kid—one of the most notoriously arrogant, stubborn men in the world—to perform a complete 180-degree attitude shift and voluntarily apologize?!
Deciding it wasn't worth the headache to overthink it, Bardock waved it off. "It's fine. It's in the past. Go home."
But Kid and Killer didn't move.
Kid finally looked up, his eyes burning with intense determination. "Can you take us with you? We want to set sail."
"Huh?!"
Bardock was genuinely dumbfounded. Was this actually the fiercely independent, violently rebellious Eustass Kid?! The boy was actively asking to become his subordinate?! Bardock half-wondered if he was hallucinating, but his ears hadn't deceived him.
"Why?" Bardock asked carefully, narrowing his eyes. "Why do you want to join our crew specifically?"
"Because you are strong," Killer answered earnestly. "You are overwhelmingly stronger than us. We want to become strong too. If we follow you, we know we can become as strong as you are."
Kid nodded silently in agreement. Before yesterday, he had arrogantly believed he was invincible. Getting effortlessly crushed with a single finger had shattered his worldview.
Bardock finally understood. People's ambitions and desires evolved drastically depending on their current stage in life. Right now, Kid and Killer weren't the violently ambitious, bloodthirsty Supernovas dreaming of becoming the Pirate King. They were just two isolated teenagers desperately yearning for freedom, adventure, and the strength to protect themselves.
Even Luffy hadn't originally dreamed of becoming the Pirate King; his initial dream was simply to join Shanks' crew and set sail. It was only after a series of specific, world-altering events that Luffy's ultimate ambition took shape.
'Should I take them?' Bardock pondered deeply.
In terms of sheer potential, they were both absolute blue-chip investments. If Kid was meant to rival Luffy, then Killer was meant to rival Zoro. Even if they were slightly inferior to the Straw Hats, their crucial contributions during the raid on Onigashima against Kaido proved they were top-tier fighters.
However, taking them on board presented a massive risk. Would their dynamic resemble the harmonious, respectful bond between Roger and Rayleigh? Or would it devolve into the violently toxic, mutually destructive infighting that eventually tore the Rocks Pirates apart?
Bardock didn't deliberate for long. He had made his decision, but he needed to set the absolute ground rules first.
"Before you step foot on this ship, I need to make a few things explicitly clear," Bardock stated, his tone incredibly serious. "We are sailing illegally. In the eyes of the World Government, we are dangerous pirates. We have already violently clashed with the absolute highest echelons of the Navy, and massive bounties will inevitably be placed on our heads at any moment. The path ahead is incredibly dangerous. Knowing all of this... do you still want to board my ship?"
Kid and Killer exchanged a firm look and nodded simultaneously.
"We've seen enough of the local nobles' disgusting corruption to know that the Navy is nothing but their lapdogs," Kid sneered confidently. "We are more than willing to board your ship. Please, Captain, take us with you!"
Bardock smiled. "Alright. Welcome aboard."