As the fire illuminated the entire beach, Jack, who had been monitoring the area with Observation Haki, noticed something unusual. Rim's Observation Haki seemed even sharper than Jack's, as he reacted first and started moving toward the disturbance.
When Jack reached Rim's side, Rim whispered softly, "Jack-sama, who are these people?"
"Oh, they're allies," Jack replied. "Kaido is not only incredibly powerful but also a cunning strategist, Rim!"
Hearing this, Rim nodded in agreement. Kaido's intimidating appearance could make anyone question if he'd suddenly attack them. Yet, behind the scenes, he was a thoughtful and surprisingly kind captain—as long as he was sober. Unfortunately, Kaido was rarely sober. Most of the time, he was either on his way to getting drunk or already plastered.
When Rim first joined the Beasts Pirates, he'd frequently seen Kaido in his drunken dragon form, grabbing Jack for impromptu free-fall flights around Onigashima. However, in recent years, such antics had diminished significantly due to Yamato's growing opposition to Kaido's drinking habits.
As captain of the Beasts Pirates, Kaido wasn't the type to drift aimlessly like some other captains. Every step the crew took was part of his meticulous plan. Even though he couldn't deal with the nations of Austek and Linstan immediately, he had already sent infiltrators into both. Once his vengeance was complete, it was likely Kaido would wage war on those nations.
Snap.
"Is that you, Jack-sama?"
Two figures holding torches emerged from the shadows, stopping cautiously as one of them spoke in a low voice.
"Yes, it's me," Jack replied. "You two must be Bart and Cleo, right?"
"Yes, Jack-sama!" they answered in unison, visibly relaxing as they approached quickly. As the pair drew closer, Rim's eyes widened. If he wasn't mistaken, he'd fought these two years ago when seeking revenge. The man with the scar on his face—that scar was his doing.
Back then, the Beasts Pirates had been on friendly terms with the two nations. Kaido, you're not like a typical pirate at all, are you? Rim thought. Yet, with a captain like this, there was a strange sense of security.
Jack lowered his head, his gaze fixed on Bart and Cleo. "What's the situation on the island? Tell me everything," he ordered.
Bart eyed Rim warily. His expression made it clear that he recognized Rim, scar and all. Yet, he didn't seem shocked. After confirming Rim's identity, Bart turned back to Jack and began his report.
"Jack-sama, two captains took about half the men and set off for the Grand Line. There are roughly 600 pirates left on the island now."
"The officers in charge here are the two vice-captains of our pirate crews," Cleo added. "One is a swordsman named Raphael. He fought Mr. Rim a few years ago, so I imagine Mr. Rim remembers him well."
Jack glanced at Rim, who gritted his teeth and growled, "Of course I remember. I nearly died fighting him! I hope he's improved since then—it'll make defeating him all the more satisfying."
"Jack-sama, leave him to me!" Rim declared.
"Fine," Jack agreed. "And the other one?"
Cleo stepped forward. "The other is the strongest fighter among the two crews aside from the captains. His name is Troh, and he's a Bone-Bone Fruit user from the Paramecia class."
"He can turn his bones into weapons and reinforce them with Armament Haki. His bones are incredibly hard, making him a formidable opponent."
Hearing this, Jack's eyes lit up with interest. "A Bone-Bone Fruit user? Excellent! It's been too long since I faced a Devil Fruit user."
Jack turned and shouted toward Holdem, "Hey, Holdem! Get the men ready for battle!"
As his voice echoed, Jack transformed into an enormous mammoth, startling those who weren't prepared.
"Woooooo!" Jack's thunderous cry reverberated across the island. Bart, looking nervous, warned, "Jack-sama, that'll draw everyone here!"
"Hmph!" Jack snorted disdainfully as he returned to his human form. "That's the point. Why should we waste time hunting them down? Let them come to us."
He turned back to Bart and Cleo. "You've been here for years. You must know many of them personally. Go with Holdem. Anyone willing to surrender gets to live."
Bart and Cleo exchanged a glance, excitement flickering in their eyes. "Understood, Jack-sama!" they said in unison.
After all, they'd spent enough time here to make friends among the pirates. Besides, returning to the Beasts Pirates with allies would strengthen their position within the crew.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
The glow of over a hundred torches revealed pirates riding horses and various beasts. At their forefront stood two men. One wore a skull-shaped helmet and glared menacingly, his bare chest reflecting the torchlight. Behind him was a bald man with a sword strapped to his waist, his head gleaming in the firelight.
"Who are you people?" the lead pirate shouted. "Do you know where you are? This is—"
"Save it!" Rim interrupted, drawing his sword and charging straight at the bald swordsman. He wasn't even the first to reach the fray—Holdem, looking exasperated, was carried into the mob atop his overexcited ostrich steed.
Jack sighed, shaking his head. "Fine. Let's go!" he bellowed. "Bart, Cleo, show me what you've got. If many surrender, I'll make sure to report it to Kaido!"
Hearing this, Bart and Cleo roared with excitement, charging into battle alongside the rest. On the other side, Troh dismounted and headed straight for Jack.
The pirates instinctively stepped aside, leaving the two warriors to face each other. Troh, the strongest fighter on the island, knew his duty—to take on the enemy's leader.
However, just as Troh was about to engage Jack, he noticed Jack running toward the ships docked on the shore. Confused, Troh paused, then burst out laughing.
"HA! I thought you were some bigshot, but you're just a coward!"
Removing his gloves, Troh revealed skeletal hands devoid of flesh. Metallic reinforcements gleamed faintly under the firelight—his bones had been modified. He taunted, "Let's see you run from this!"
"Bone Barrage!"
With a series of explosive cracks, bone bullets fired from Troh's fingers, their speed and power exceeding that of ordinary firearms. Yet, as they struck Jack, he remained unfazed. Before Troh could launch another attack, Jack hefted his spiked club and leaped from the ship.
"Bring the ship closer!" Jack roared, preparing to unleash his devastating counterattack.
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+100 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg