Swish!
Jack activated Soru and Geppo, launching himself toward the pirate ship in a blur. Rim unsheathed his longsword, striking the sea with immense force and using the resulting surge to leap onto the merchant ship ahead.
"Captain Andre! We're in trouble!"
"That Jack is flying toward us!"
"What?! Fire the cannons!"
Boom! Boom!
The first volley of cannonballs soared toward the merchant ship. However, Aladine and Rim intercepted them effortlessly—one with torrents of seawater, the other with precise sword slashes.
By the time the second volley was fired, Jack had already closed the distance. Several cannonballs struck him directly, and for a brief moment, Andre allowed a smirk to form. But it vanished as Jack's towering figure landed with a deafening crash.
Boom!
Bang!
The pirate ship rocked violently before stabilizing, and Jack, his massive head poking through the haze, stared down at the stunned pirates.
"Your ship is shoddy," Jack grumbled. "Why the hell is the deck made of wood? No steel? And if it's wood, why not something sturdy? This stuff crumbles under a single step. What kind of quality is this?"
He snorted. "You're broke and still think you can rob me?"
Andre finally snapped out of his daze and roared, his face flushed with anger, "You bastard! Fire at will!"
Bang! Bang!
The sight of Jack transforming into his massive mammoth form sent waves of terror through the pirates. The ship groaned under the weight as Jack's gigantic trunk swung toward Andre. Though Andre narrowly dodged, the spot he had occupied was obliterated. Jack relentlessly continued his assault, his trunk smashing down again and again.
"Abandon ship! Jump into the sea!"
Bullets, swords, even fists—all proved useless against the monstrous behemoth. Desperation overtook Andre as he barked his final order. But their escape led them into the waiting clutches of a group of exhilarated Fish-Men.
Before long, everyone was captured. Andre himself was knocked unconscious by Aladine underwater and dragged back onto the deck.
The Mammoth followed the merchant ship toward the Ailen Island, leaving behind only a handful of pirates who managed to escape to a nearby deserted island.
Once the ships had sailed away, those pirates emerged from the forest, and their leader murmured,
"Contact Commander Marco. Tell him what happened here."
Over a hundred captured pirates knelt in a row on the deck. Jack, stroking his chin, turned to Aladine.
"Hey, Aladine! You and your lot, listen up!"
"Other than this Andre guy, kill them all." Jack's voice was calm but menacing. "We, the Beasts Pirates, are nothing like the Sun Pirates! We don't show mercy to enemies. If you want to truly join the Beasts Pirates, you'll follow through." He paused, narrowing his eyes. "If not, get off my ship."
"Jack-sama!" Rim interjected anxiously. "Didn't we already question them? It was our Fish-Man comrades who killed their crew first. They were only here to seek an explanation!"
"If you kill them all, Whitebeard won't let this slide! It could spark a war between two Emperors of the Sea!"
"War?" Jack gave Rim a disdainful glance, then turned to Aladine.
"I don't give a damn about who started what," Jack growled. "They attacked us. If I hadn't been here, what do you think would've happened to those lovely Fish-Women in their hands?"
"But..."
Aladine hesitated. Despite Jack's intimidating demeanor, he stood firm.
"The Whitebeard Pirates have done so much for Fish-Man Island. This has to be a misunderstanding!"
"Misunderstanding?!" Jack roared, slamming his foot onto the deck and sending cracks spidering outward.
"You're pirates, not marines!" he thundered. "You don't have superiors. A pirate owes loyalty only to their captain! Whatever debt you think Fish-Man Island owes Whitebeard, it doesn't matter anymore! You're a Beasts Pirate now. Your past allegiances mean nothing."
Jack's glare swept over the crew. "And don't give me that crap about gratitude. Whitebeard's crew isn't full of saints. Do you really think they care about your precious island?"
His voice dropped to a chilling tone. "Kill them. Or leave."
A tense silence followed. Finally, several Fish-Men drew their weapons and hesitantly stabbed the captured pirates. Aladine, trembling, closed his eyes as he plunged his dagger into one of the captives.
Jack nodded in approval. "Good. Now, Rim," he said, turning to him. "Report to Kaido. Let him know about this situation, and have him send King here for the interrogation."
"And the bodies?"
Jack smirked. "Throw them to the sea. Let the fish feast."
...
On Onigashima,
Kaido sat atop the island's tallest building, his expression unusually solemn as he stared out over the ocean.
"Whitebeard, huh? Hah!" Kaido chuckled darkly. "This sea has been far too quiet for far too long."
"Prepare the troops," he commanded, his voice thunderous. "We march to the Ailen Island!"
Moments later, he transformed into his azure dragon form and took to the skies, roaring with exhilaration.
"Whitebeard! Let's plunge this world into chaos!"
"Worororororo!"
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The fanfic is Finished on p@treon/tambeerg