A searing pain erupted in the sea beast's mouth, accompanied by a maddening discomfort. The creature's sanity began to crumble.
It thrashed wildly in the ocean, desperate to dislodge Jack, who was stuck in its jaws. However, Jack's spiked kanabō was firmly wedged between the beast's upper and lower teeth. No matter how much strength it used, it couldn't shake him loose. The sea beast's frustration spiraled into fury.
Spotting an island in the distance, the sea beast's bloodshot eyes locked on its target. It surged forward, smashing its head into the rocky shore in a violent attempt to free itself.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Blow after blow left the beast's head a bloodied mess. Still, Jack and his kanabō remained firmly stuck. As the beast's last shred of rationality dissolved, it leapt high into the air, aiming its massive body straight at the island's rocky cliffs.
CRASH!
With a resounding thud, the beast collapsed lifelessly onto the rocks, its struggles ceasing at last. Jack, along with his kanabō, slid free from its mouth.
"Ptooey! Ptooey!"
Lying on his back, Jack spat out blood that had splattered into his mouth. Glancing at his leather pants, he let out a genuine sigh of relief.
"Good thing these pants are top quality. If not, I'd have lost my weapon for sure!"
Back on the Mammoth, chaos reigned. Rim and Yamato stood on the deck, their expressions grim. Gripping their weapons tightly, they lashed out at the waves with all their might.
A blast of cutting air from Rim's sword and Yamato's kanabō collided mid-air with a slash heading toward the ship, dispersing the attack.
"Full speed ahead!" Rim shouted, his voice carrying over the din of battle. "We must catch up with Jack-sama!"
"The opponent is Mihawk, the Marine Hunter! If this drags on, the Mammoth will be cleaved in two by his strikes!"
His commanding tone silenced the crew's unrest. Rim's sharp gaze swept across the deck.
"Do not act recklessly! He's not a Devil Fruit user, so even if we destroy his ship, it won't stop him! With Yamato-sama aboard, we can't afford to take risks. Focus on chasing the sea beast and rescuing Jack-sama!"
On the island, Jack had lit a fire, its flames crackling as sea beast fat dripped and sizzled onto the coals. The aroma of roasted meat wafted through the air.
Jack took a deep breath, savoring the rich smell.
"What kind of beast was this, anyway? Even without seasoning, the flavor is insane!"
As for how he got the fire? Being a swordsman of Jack's caliber, even swinging his kanabō through the air could ignite a flame.
"Fair enough, right?" Jack muttered to himself.
After taking a bite, he couldn't help but grin. "Man, this is delicious! Truly worthy of a feast!"
Relaxing, Jack began to sing with a mouthful of roasted meat:
"Once dreamt of roaming the seas with my kanabō, to see the world's splendor...!"
"Found him! That's Jack-sama!"
The shout of the lookout from the Mammoth broke the crew's tension. Excited voices followed as they spotted Jack lounging on the shore, nonchalantly enjoying his meal.
"What?!" Rim exclaimed, raising his spyglass. His relief quickly turned to urgency as he glanced at Mihawk in relentless pursuit.
"Full speed! Bring the ship to shore!" Rim ordered.
Jack glanced up, noticing the Mammoth speeding toward him.
"Huh? What's with the rush?"
Before he could finish his thought, the ship performed a dramatic maneuver, narrowly avoiding capsizing with the help of the Fishmen crew. The sight left Jack gaping.
"Whoa! That's some reckless sailing!"
However, his shock didn't last long. A massive slash of Mihawk's sword followed closely behind the ship, cutting through the air and heading directly toward Jack.
"What the hell is that?!" Jack bellowed, his voice drowned by the explosive impact as the slash hit him squarely.
Amid the smoke and debris, Jack slowly stood, wiping blood from his head and glancing at the fresh wound across his chest. Instead of fear, his face split into a wide grin.
Their eyes met. Mihawk's cold, calculating gaze locked onto Jack's manic, bloodied smile.
"Hahaha! This is great!" Jack roared, pointing at Mihawk. "So it's you, you scrawny little mutt!"
"I was hoping for a good fight, and look who showed up! Come on!" Jack slammed his kanabō into the ground, the impact sending tremors through the rocks.
"Let me see what the so-called legendary Marine Hunter can really do!"
Mihawk's coffin boat glided smoothly to the shore. He stepped off, his long black coat billowing as he unsheathed Yoru, the black blade gleaming ominously.
"Jack of the Beast Pirates, the Drought," Mihawk intoned, his voice sharp and unyielding. "Today, you die. The Beast Pirates will lose one of their All-Stars."
Pointing Yoru at Jack, Mihawk's killing intent surged.
"Draw your weapon. Prepare to face your end."
Jack's laughter rang out, dismissive and full of derision.
"Oh? Big talk for someone so tiny." He leaned down, mocking Mihawk with an exaggerated once-over.
"Did you eat too much garlic? Smells like it! 'Prepare to face your end'? What a joke!"
Before Mihawk could retort, Jack's eyes darted to the Mammoth, now docked at the shore. He raised his voice, yelling, "Oi! Hold on a sec!"
"Soru!"
In a flash, Jack appeared on the Mammoth. His stern voice silenced Yamato, Rim, and the Fishmen crew, all ready to join the fight.
"You lot! Get this ship out of here!" Jack barked. "Don't come back unless I call for you. Understand?!"
"But Jack-sama—" Rim started, only to be cut off by Jack's glowering expression.
"No buts!" Jack's tone was resolute. Even Yamato, usually spirited, stuck out her tongue sheepishly and backed away. The crew nodded in unison, quickly preparing the ship to sail.
As the Mammoth began to retreat, Jack turned back to Mihawk, his bloodied grin feral.
"Marine Hunter Mihawk, huh?" he mused, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "The heavens must be smiling on me. Let's see if you're enough to push me to the next level!"
With a battle cry, Jack charged forward.
"Bring it on!"
-----------
The fanfic is Finished on p@treon/tambeerg