Boom!
Izou and his group hadn't noticed Jack's movements at all. Even though the three of them had Yamato struggling to keep up, Yamato's strength was still enough to force them to remain fully focused on her, lest she take one of them down with her in her final moments.
It wasn't until a massive shadow loomed over them, and Jack's gigantic frame landed heavily, shaking the ground, that the trio finally realized what was happening. They stared at him in stunned disbelief, unable to process what was unfolding before their eyes.
"Ughhh..."
As soon as Yamato saw Jack, she reacted immediately. Holding her kanabo tightly, she leapt straight into his arms. The spiked weapon jabbed into one of Jack's wounds, causing him to wince and grit his teeth in pain.
"Ughhh..."
The three from Izou's group stood frozen, unable to comprehend Yamato's behavior.
Wasn't she just yelling about killing us and calling us trash?
And now she's acting all meek and delicate? Weak and frail, even?
Wait a second... This behavior seems oddly familiar... Isn't this...
Jack's eye twitched at Yamato's exaggerated, coy moaning. Her over-the-top display disgusted him.
Swish!
"Pain! Pain! Pain!"
"Oi! You idiot! What the hell are you doing?! That hurts!"
Jack grabbed Yamato by the hair and hoisted her into the air. Even as she flailed her arms and legs, punching and kicking him in protest, he only tossed her aside after a moment.
"I told you to stop imitating those courtesans! You just won't listen, will you?!" Jack growled, his tone exasperated.
"Get lost!"
"Soru!"
Before his words had fully left his mouth, Jack disappeared from where he stood. He reappeared in front of Izou in an instant, his massive hand reaching for the completely unguarded man.
"Izou!"
Fossa's desperate cry rang out as Izou frantically tried to dodge, but Jack still managed to grab his right arm in a crushing grip.
"Heh heh, you're done for..."
Just as a sinister grin began to spread across Jack's face, a figure darted toward Izou.
Crack!
"Ahhh!"
"Speed Jiru...!"
"Huh?"
Speed Jiru, holding his knight's lance, stabbed it directly into Izou's arm without hesitation. Izou let out a bloodcurdling scream as his arm was severed cleanly. The brutal maneuver allowed him to escape Jack's grasp, avoiding the same fate as the two unlucky souls who had been crushed to death earlier.
Jack eyed Speed Jiru, who now stood with a shield in one hand and his powerful lance in the other. A hint of appreciation flickered across his face.
"Your name's Speed Jiru?" Jack rumbled.
"Well, I suppose you've lived up to it. Your reflexes are sharp, and your decisions are swift!"
Jack turned his gaze to Izou, who was pale-faced and clutching the bleeding stump of his arm. He glanced at the severed limb in his hand before smirking.
"Sorry about this, but it looks like your first love and future partner won't be sticking around anymore."
"Then again," Jack added with a malicious grin, "if it's any consolation, you're in good company. You and that red-haired bastard can probably help each other out."
Thud!
Jack tossed Izou's severed arm to the ground. Without hesitation, he swung his kanabo down, smashing the arm into an unrecognizable pulp. This not only dashed any hopes of retrieving it but also solidified Izou's new status as a one-armed swordsman.
"You bastard!"
Everything had happened so quickly. By the time Whitebeard arrived, Jack had already destroyed Izou's arm. Seeing the carnage, Whitebeard seethed with rage. Raising his naginata high, he brought it down toward Jack with unrelenting force from mid-air.
Boom!
This time, Jack didn't try to meet the attack head-on. Whitebeard's Devil Fruit ability was far too overwhelming. Unlike other attacks that relied on external damage to penetrate defenses, Whitebeard's power bypassed physical barriers entirely, channeling destructive vibrations directly into the body.
What made him even more terrifying was his unmatched physical strength and stamina. Even at his advanced age, he had unleashed countless powerful attacks without showing any signs of fatigue. That one instance of him coughing up blood—what was that about? Was it some terminal illness?
The title of the "World's Strongest Man" was no exaggeration. The sheer scale of his destructive power and offensive capabilities was unparalleled.
Jack clenched his fists, feeling the strength coursing through his rapidly developing body. Years of grueling training and physical growth had brought him to a new level of strength—UR-ranked, according to his system.
Based on Kaido's reactions, Jack's physical toughness was now on par with the likes of him.
Still...
Jack glanced at his system panel.
Host Name: Jack
Physique: 110 (UR)
Agility: 95 (SSR)
Strength: 110 (UR)
Perception: 97 (SSR)
Willpower: 105 (UR)
Overall Rating: UR
(T/N: Attribute tiers correspond to multiples of 20: NR (Normal), R (Rare), SR (Super Rare), SSR (Super Super Rare), UR (Ultra Rare).)
Skills:
Advanced Gunmanship, Swordsmanship: Swordsman (not limited to sword-based weapons), Armament Haki: Advanced (Ryuo), Observation Haki: Advanced, Conqueror's Haki: Advanced
Devil Fruit: Awakened (Zoan—Ancient Mammoth Model)
Fruit Abilities: Trunk Whip, Tusk Charge, Stomp
Despite these impressive stats, Jack still couldn't fully match Whitebeard's strength, which filled him with begrudging admiration.
At his age, Whitebeard's strength must have declined somewhat, and yet he was still able to dominate Jack so effortlessly. The thought of how strong Whitebeard must have been in his prime sent a chill down Jack's spine.
Unbeknownst to him, Whitebeard was equally impressed by Jack's abilities. Although Jack's speed was a weakness, the use of techniques like Soru compensated for it, making him a formidable opponent. Whitebeard realized that killing Jack quickly might not be as easy as he'd initially thought.
This boy's strength wasn't far off from his own.
If Jack was already this strong at his age, who could stop him in a few more years? And then there was Kaido's daughter...
Whitebeard's eyes narrowed as he used his Observation Haki to check on Kaido's battle. Seeing that Vista and the others could hold their ground, he turned to Fossa and Speed Jiru.
"Both of you, fall back!"
"Make sure the others retreat too!"
"Pops..."
Hearing the seriousness in Whitebeard's tone, Fossa and Speed Jiru didn't argue. After forcing Yamato back, they withdrew without hesitation.
"Oi! You bastards! Get back here! Let's finish this!"
Yamato tried to chase after them, but Jack grabbed her by the collar, holding her in place.
Jack could feel the overwhelming killing intent radiating from Whitebeard, making the hair on his skin stand on end.
Even Yamato seemed to sense it. She glanced at Whitebeard and then quietly hid behind Jack, clutching her kanabo tightly.
"Hey, dumb elephant! If you can't beat him, just transform and run away!"
"Shut up!" Jack snapped.
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The fanfic is Finished on p@treon/tambeerg