"Oh? The All-Star of Thunder?"
"The Beasts Pirates, huh?"
A freckled young man wearing a cowboy hat put down his newspaper, pondering for a moment before flashing a wide grin. Turning to his crew, he asked,
"Hey! What do you guys think about heading to Wano?"
"I hear it's a pretty mysterious place!"
"We probably shouldn't, Captain Ace!" Deuce, a swordsman with an eyepatch and a resemblance to Zoro, spoke up nervously.
"That's Emperor territory. If we just waltz in, it's bound to be trouble!"
Ace let out a hearty laugh. "That's exactly why we should go!"
Adjusting his hat, his confidence was unwavering.
"Since I set sail, I've never lost a fight! Now, I want to see for myself just how strong Kaido, the so-called Emperor, and that 'strongest Fish-Man' Jack really are!"
"You don't believe in me?" he asked, watching his crew exchange worried glances.
After a collective shake of their heads, a Fish-Man among them hesitated before speaking.
"It's not that we don't believe you, Captain, it's just…"
"Then that's settled!" Ace cut him off, grinning. "All right, boys! Set sail!"
Deuce sighed helplessly as he watched his reckless captain charge ahead once again.
...
High above the seas, Jack soared through the sky in his massive mammoth form, carrying Yamato, who was fast asleep on his back. Ever since their last visit to Dressrosa—where Jack had been caught red-handed enjoying the company of the local women—Yamato had been keeping a close eye on him. Not only had he nearly gotten Doflamingo killed, but he also lost the freedom to travel there alone.
Even on official missions, like transporting artificial Devil Fruits, Yamato always insisted on tagging along.
Lying to her was out of the question. With her holding his Vivre Card, the moment she saw him heading toward Dressrosa, he was doomed. She couldn't hurt him physically, but she had plenty of other ways to make his life miserable—especially in her hybrid form at night.
After flying over half of the Ailen Island, Yamato finally stirred. Rubbing her eyes and clutching her stomach, she jumped onto Jack's ear and shouted,
"I'm starving! Let's find somewhere to eat!"
Damn it! You think there are restaurants just floating around up here?!
Jack suppressed his frustration, though he was sorely tempted to toss her off. Instead, he slowly descended. Spotting an island ahead, he picked up speed and landed.
"Hmm? People?"
"Oh, and they're roasting meat!"
A dozen or so pirates were gathered around a bonfire, their faces shifting from curiosity to shock as they recognized the massive figure approaching them.
"Boom!"
As the dust settled, the pirates saw Jack in his human form, standing beside a drooling Yamato.
"That's Jack the Drought from the Beasts Pirates! And Yamato!"
"Captain Ace, be careful!"
Jack looked down at the young pirate who had just stepped forward, his face alight with excitement. That was unusual—most pirates ran the moment they saw him. But this one?
Covered in freckles, short—barely reaching two meters—he looked small even by ordinary standards, let alone in this world of giants.
"So, you're Jack the Drought?"
Ace adjusted his hat and looked up at the towering Fish-Man, his eyes shining with curiosity.
"The strongest Fish-Man in the world, not just Kaido's top commander? Damn, you're almost the size of a giant!"
Jack remained expressionless. "You seem to know a lot about me, but I can't say the same for you."
His eyes narrowed. "Don't look at me like that. Or else."
"Boom!"
Flames ignited in Ace's hand as he grinned, his fighting spirit burning.
"Jack the Drought! Accept my challenge!"
Yamato, meanwhile, had a far more pressing concern. "Hey, can I have some of that roasted meat? I'm starving! I'll even pay for it! Smells amazing!"
Jack groaned, rubbing his temples.
Ace, seeing Yamato's hunger-driven puppy eyes, laughed heartily.
"Of course! My grilled meat is top-notch!"
"Really?! Then I won't hold back!"
She plopped down by the fire and began devouring the food, much to the pirates' horror. Meanwhile, Jack turned back to Ace.
"Since you fed Yamato, I'll let your foolishness slide this time." He cracked his knuckles. "But if you back down now, I might just let you walk away."
"Hah! As if! Bring it on!"
Ace's fiery aura flared up, and for a moment, Jack recalled a recent newspaper headline.
"You're that guy, aren't you? The one the World Government tried to recruit as a Warlord but turned them down? The Flame-Flame Fruit user?"
Ace smirked. "That's right! I'm Portgas D. Ace, Captain of the Spade Pirates!"
Ace? More like 'seeking death.'
Jack cracked his neck and beckoned him forward.
"Come on, then. Show me how hot that fire really is."
"You asked for it! Fire Fist!"
Ace launched a massive fist of flames straight at Jack's chest—only to freeze in shock when Jack emerged unscathed, looking downright disappointed.
Ace grit his teeth. "Fine, let's see if you can handle this! Fire Dragon!"
Three flaming dragons roared through the air before converging on Jack. The explosion sent embers flying in all directions, but Yamato, unfazed, casually blew out a stray fireball near her food.
"Tch. That's the hottest you can go?"
She sneered. "Flame-Flame Fruit? If that's all it can do, no one would even eat it."
"No way…!"
Ace was dumbfounded. Jack, still standing tall, didn't even look impressed.
"I don't believe it! There's no way our power gap is this big!"
"Bang!"
With a single, Haki-infused backhand, Jack sent Ace flying hundreds of meters into the sea. His crew scrambled to fish him out, panicked.
"Go! I'll hold him off!" Deuce shouted.
Jack watched them with mild amusement. "Relax. I'll let you live—out of gratitude for the meal."
Then, glancing at Deuce, he smirked. "Deuce, huh? Sounds like 'deaths'... fitting."
He turned to another crew member—a Fish-Man.
"And you? What's your name?"
"Wallace!"
Jack sighed, tossing Yamato onto his back as he transformed back into his mammoth form, taking off into the sky.
His parting words echoed down to them. "You lot should change your crew's name! Spade Pirates? More like the 'Seeking Death Pirates!'"
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The fanfic is Finished on p@treon/tambeerg