"You bastard!"
Jack's threatening tone sent a ripple of unease through the gathered fish-men. Many of them immediately moved to stand by Jinbei's side. However, Willy's crew, along with the strange trio, remained rooted in place. Even around Ax, a group of fish-men gathered, coldly watching Jinbei and his companions.
"Oi, Jinbei!" Willy sneered, his defiant expression fixed on Jinbei.
"If you decide to accept the World Government's invitation and become one of their lapdogs—a Warlord of the Sea—then I've already said it before!" His tone rose with conviction.
"I'll quit the Sun Pirates! Right here and now, I'll join the Beasts Pirates!"
"Willy! Shut your mouth!" Aladine snapped, his voice filled with anger.
"As a member of the Sun Pirates, this is nothing short of betrayal!"
"Aladine! You have no right to speak to me that way!" Willy shot back, stepping toward him with clenched fists.
Aladine, equally enraged, closed the distance, and tension crackled between the two.
"Enough!" Jack barked, stepping between them. He turned to Aladine, his lips curling into a sardonic grin.
"So you're Aladine, huh? What a peculiar name." He tilted his head mockingly. "But looking at you, I don't see any lamps. Just some misplaced ideals."
Jack then pointed toward the massive Mammoth ship docked nearby. On its deck, a mix of fish-men and humans leaned casually against each other, their faces amused as they watched the spectacle below.
"See that? Humans and fish-men, coexisting. Isn't this the very dream your beloved Fisher Tiger and Queen Otohime worked so hard for?" Jack's voice dripped with disdain.
"But to me, dreams like that are utterly meaningless!"
He sneered, his tone turning colder.
"A chaotic world like this? You think love and peace can change human hearts? Hah! Even an eight-year-old knows better than that!"
"You—!" Jinbei's group seethed, glaring at Jack, but Jack only raised a hand and bellowed over their anger.
"Humans can enslave fish-men, sell our beautiful mermaid sisters—but why can't we do the same to them?" His eyes burned with intensity.
"I heard that even when Fisher Tiger led you on the Grand Line, humans still looked down on you, still called for the Navy to chase you away. And what did you do? Forgive them?!"
Jack laughed maniacally, shaking his head.
"But look at the Beasts Pirates! Anyone who joins us is untouchable! Humans don't dare look us in the eye, let alone mock us! Why? Because we're strong! Because if any human dares cross us, their fate is simple!"
He drew his finger across his neck, sticking out his tongue in a grotesque imitation before erupting into hysterical laughter.
"Ha ha ha! Liberation? Freedom? Love and forgiveness? What noble ideals! Too bad they're about as realistic as dancing on a volcano for morning exercise!"
Jack's mocking gaze turned back to Jinbei.
"Tell me, Jinbei, 'The Knight of the Sea.' You're playing hero on the high seas, huh? Forgiving humans on behalf of all fish-men? But what about those who were enslaved and killed? Did they give you permission to forgive their tormentors? Did their families ask for your mercy on their behalf?"
Jack gestured toward Aladine and the others, pointing to the Sun Pirates' emblem branded on their bodies.
"Sure, your marks may have been covered, but can your memories be erased? Tell me—what went through your mind during those days of suffering? And if, one day, a Celestial Dragon fell into your hands, what would you want to do most?"
A heavy silence hung over the crowd before a group of fish-men clenched their teeth and roared,
"Kill them! I'd kill them all!"
Their words rang in the air before realization set in. Embarrassed, they glanced back at Jinbei, their faces filled with shame.
"You…" Jinbei faltered, struggling to find words for his companions.
But Jack seized the moment, shouting with all his might.
"See? That's the truth buried in your hearts! Let go of hatred? Forgive them with love? Bah! If they slap you, will you offer your other cheek with a smile? Is that what you call peace? Coexistence?"
Jack slammed his spiked kanabo into the ground with a loud thud.
"In this chaotic world, hatred is only washed away by the blood of your enemies! If you want revenge, you'll need strength—and that's what the Beasts Pirates can give you!"
He scanned the crowd, his voice rising as he continued.
"You talk about liberation and freedom, but can you truly be free while still groveling before the Celestial Dragons? My Captain, Kaido-sama, dreams of becoming not just any Pirate King, but one who ends the World Government's 800-year rule and drags those Celestial Dogs off their thrones! If you want to see them crawling like worms, then join us!"
Jack lowered his head to meet Jinbei's gaze, his voice dripping with mockery.
"Don't waste this opportunity. It wasn't easy for me to pull strings to offer it to you."
"Enough!" Jinbei shouted, his fists trembling with anger.
"Though the Beasts Pirates may be powerful, you have no right to insult the Sun Pirates!"
"Insult?" Jack chuckled darkly, tilting his head. "Oh, I'm just getting started."
"Since words aren't working… let's settle this the pirate way!" Jack slammed his kanabo into the ground again, grinning wickedly.
"Whoever has the bigger fists wins! How about it?"
-----------
The fanfic is Finished on p@treon/tambeerg