Bellamy had always possessed a lawless disposition. Killing the king of a World Government affiliated nation? He'd done it without batting an eye. So, when a few disagreeable words were exchanged with these pirates, he immediately resorted to violence.
Launching himself into mid-air, Bellamy rapidly channeled his internal spring force into his arms, causing both limbs to coil instantly into tight springs.
"Spring Punch: Machine Gun Barrage!"
His fists rained down like bullets, unleashing a relentless bombardment on the area below. The exquisite noble courtyard, moments before a picture of refined elegance, was instantly obliterated, resembling a landscape ravaged by artillery fire. Clouds of dust and soil erupted skyward, punctuated by several roars of pure fury from within the chaos.
"Kill him!"
As expected of pirates who had survived the Grand Line, they managed to maintain their combat readiness even under Bellamy's sudden assault. But merely surviving the initial onslaught wasn't nearly enough. Now that Bellamy had decided to fight, mercy was off the table.
He stomped hard against the air, the force generating an audible explosion. Guided by his Observation Haki, Bellamy flashed behind one of the pirates and spun, delivering a devastating kick.
"Godspeed Kick!"
Modified from the principles of Godspeed: Shave, this sonic-speed kick, as its name implied, prioritized sheer velocity. As the kick lashed out, it broke the sound barrier with a sharp crack. The targeted pirate had absolutely no chance to react before his body was severed in two at the waist. The sheer force of the impact sent the upper half of his corpse flying through the air.
"Here's a hint for you," Bellamy stated coolly, pausing deliberately to give them a fleeting chance. "If any of you know Armament Haki, now would be the time to use it."
"If not," he added with chilling indifference, "then just go die."
To his disappointment, yet entirely within his expectations, these runaways proved utterly useless. None showed any sign of Haki.
"Who the hell do you think you're looking down on, you bastard?!" Even Grand Line pirates possessed pride. Being treated with such contempt in the North Blue was more than they could stomach. Despite witnessing their comrade's instantaneous death, they showed no fear, only incandescent rage. Bellamy had to grant them a sliver of respect for their lack of cowardice, at least.
The three remaining pirates quickly formed a simple tactical formation, closing in on Bellamy from different angles. They wielded disparate weapons—a sword, another distinct sword, and an axe. Yet, as they charged, Bellamy felt an uncanny sense of facing a coordinated military unit. These were indeed veteran sea dogs; even as deserters with broken spirits, their combat experience remained sharply honed.
Facing opponents with a modicum of skill, Bellamy's eyes lit up with interest. "Try not to die too quickly, scum."
"Bastard! Take this!" "One-Sword Style: City Breaker!" "One-Sword Style: Thrust!" "Fierce Axe Drop!"
Attacks rained down from multiple directions. With his speed, Bellamy could have easily evaded them, slipping into their blind spots or appearing directly behind them with contemptuous ease. But he chose not to. "Let's see what you lot actually learned on the Grand Line."
"Iron Body: Steel Balloon!" His abdomen bulged slightly, hardening defensively. The three attacks struck his stomach simultaneously, causing a visible indentation.
"We hit him!" the pirates exulted prematurely, failing to realize their attacks hadn't even broken his skin. Before their brief celebration could take root, a rebound force far greater than their initial attacks surged back through their weapons. Steel Balloon reflected double the force it received. Such ferocious power was far beyond their capacity to handle.
The next second, they couldn't even maintain their grips. Clang! Clatter! Thud! Sword, sword, and axe flew from their hands, falling uselessly to the ground. The pirates themselves were sent hurtling backward, slamming violently against the courtyard's surrounding walls.
"And that's that," Bellamy concluded, having accurately gauged their capabilities. If they possessed no other hidden techniques, this battle was over.
As he predicted, in the ensuing moments, the pirates offered no meaningful resistance and were swiftly dispatched by Bellamy. The rather unsatisfying fight ended abruptly. The once-beautiful noble courtyard now lay in ruins, looking more like a ravaged refugee camp.
As for the noble, Niebert? Bellamy walked over to his body and checked his pulse. Dead. Just died like that? Something felt slightly off. Had his intuition failed him? The man hadn't struck him as someone who would perish so easily, especially not just from the peripheral shockwave of his earlier attacks. Yet, the corpse lay undeniably before him.
"Ah well," Bellamy shrugged. "Dead is dead." He wasn't anyone important, anyway. Niebert's death meant the promised compensation was also gone, but Bellamy had never truly cared much about mere money. He could track down other nobles and bully some funds out of them, certainly. But he was unwilling to waste more time here after several pointless confrontations. If things kept escalating, he feared he might actually end up annihilating the entire country, which simply wasn't worth the effort.
Instead, Bellamy paid a quick visit to the royal palace. Locating the royal treasury, he proceeded to thoroughly ransack it. His total haul amounted to: one Famous Sword, a large quantity of gold and silver bars, a small selection of precious jewels, and approximately ten million Beli in cash. If he could have carried more, he definitely would have emptied the place.
Mia and Muret's excursion to the black market went smoothly. By the time Bellamy rendezvoused with them, they had already purchased all the necessary herbs and successfully sold off the initial load of treasure they'd brought ashore. They were, however, slightly dumbfounded to see their captain returning with yet another massive pile of loot.
Naturally, the two women claimed the precious jewelry for themselves. Bellamy unceremoniously disposed of the remaining items in the black market.
Carrying a large amount of cash and the crucial medicinal herbs, Bellamy boarded the small boat with his companions and departed from the strange kingdom.