After running into Ace, Jack sneered at the so-called power of the Flame-Flame Fruit and quickly dismissed him from his thoughts.
He had seen far too many pirates like Ace—those who got their hands on a decent Devil Fruit, defeated a few weaklings, and suddenly thought they were invincible. These reckless fools were the ones who dared to challenge the Four Emperors the most. Naturally, they were also the ones who died the fastest.
If they managed to survive, perhaps they could amount to something in the future. After all, their talent was usually decent.
But the sea was never short of talented young men.
What was once considered a rare gift—Conqueror's Haki, said to appear in only one in a million—was now showing up more frequently among pirates. While most of them were just beginning to grasp it, it was clear that more and more people were drawn to the life of piracy.
Roger's final words before his death had sent ripples across the world. Now, two years later, those ripples had become waves, reaching their peak.
Of course, with the oppression from the nobility and corruption among government officials, ordinary people had little choice. If they couldn't survive, becoming a pirate was often the only path left. This was a world ruled by the sea, after all. Those who had been wronged by pirates might turn to the Marines for vengeance, but in the end, it was just an unbreakable cycle.
Even if the World Government were to be overthrown, Jack doubted this cycle would ever truly end.
Not that he cared. It wasn't his problem. He wasn't the one being oppressed, so why waste time worrying about it? Let the idealists handle that kind of nonsense. He was just a selfish, ordinary man.
When Jack arrived in Dressrosa, he found Doflamingo in the gym.
It seemed getting beaten senseless by Yamato had lit a fire in him—he had started taking his physical training more seriously.
The moment Yamato appeared, Doflamingo's face turned an interesting shade of green. Seeing Jack's helpless expression, he quickly had his men escort the women meant for the banquet out of sight.
Yamato was fascinated by Dressrosa, especially the tiny Tontatta people who were no bigger than Jack's fingers. She often ran off to watch them work. But what truly captivated her were the casinos scattered across the island.
Back on Onigashima, people were always wary of gambling with her due to her status. But here, surrounded by merchants and nobles from around the world, Yamato was having the time of her life.
Jack, of course, was more than happy to see her preoccupied. While she indulged in gambling, he quietly enjoyed the company of various women without her interference.
Meanwhile, Doflamingo used this opportunity to seek Jack's guidance in battle. Jack took the request seriously—after all, Doflamingo had helped him plenty, and to be fair, the guy had been through a lot. Getting pummeled by both Kaido and his daughter wasn't easy.
Yamato was so caught up in her games that she only left Dressrosa reluctantly when the Fire Festival approached.
After spending months in Dressrosa, Jack returned to Ailen Island, where he and King prepared for the Fire Festival. That's when he saw the news in the papers.
The same Ace he had slapped into the sea had become the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates last year.
Not only that, he had gathered a following of captains, forming a massive fleet under Whitebeard's banner.
Jack was genuinely surprised.
Had he underestimated the Flame-Flame Fruit?
Was it actually a powerful fruit?
Or was it just that Ace was that talented? After all, the position of division commander in Whitebeard's crew wasn't something just any one of his so-called "sons" could attain. The Second Division seat had been vacant for years—Whitebeard had so many sons to choose from, yet he picked a newly adopted one?
Could Ace have some deep connection to Whitebeard?
...
Back on Onigashima,
Jack was soon buried in the usual socializing.
Pirates had their own way of maintaining relationships. Aside from Sasaki's crew, many Fish-Men had come to thank Jack, showering him with gifts until even the most extravagant brothel in Onigashima, Heaven on Earth, was overflowing. Yamato's house was so packed that they barely had room to move.
If Black Maria weren't practically living in the pleasure district, that place would probably be filled with gifts too.
This was Yamato's favorite time of year. A woman with such a childlike heart could never resist the thrill of opening mystery boxes.
Excited, she dragged Ulti, her brother, Tama, and those two mutts into a frenzy of gift unwrapping.
Their delighted gasps and uncontrollable laughter were enough to show just how much they enjoyed their presents.
With the Beast Pirates' reputation soaring, more and more nations sought their protection. Even low-ranking pirates were flush with cash, bringing local specialties from their respective regions.
The Fish-Men, in particular, brought many treasures from Ryugu Kingdom. Everyone knew about Yamato's and Black Maria's close ties to Jack, so most of the gifts were meant for them—sometimes excluding Jack entirely.
Food, however, was rarely gifted. By the time they returned to Onigashima, it would be spoiled, and there was no shortage of food on the island anyway.
But, of course, there was always that one idiot.
Catching the salted fish Yamato tossed at him, Jack headed straight for Teren's restaurant.
Nobody else could have pulled off something so ridiculous.
The Fire Festival lasted for days, and Jack drank through every single one of them.
Meanwhile, Yamato took Ulti and her brother to Wano via the sea train. There were far more entertainment options there than on Onigashima, and the amusement park modeled after Sabaody was much larger than the one back home.
With everything settled, Jack finally had time to train properly with Black Maria.
By now, Kaido had gathered enough materials for their cloning experiments, and he had time to focus on strengthening their immortality.
Their method?
Flying to a deserted island and beating the hell out of each other.
Armed with Advanced Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki infusion, they would trade blows until one of them collapsed.
For the sake of Kaido's pride, Jack always let himself fall first. Kaido saw through it but chose not to acknowledge it.
After all, even he had to save face.
As brutal as it was, the training proved highly effective. Both of them could feel their immortality evolving.
While they focused on their growth, however, the world was once again on the brink of upheaval.
"Whitebeard's Fourth Division Commander Thatch was killed over a Devil Fruit? The culprit was a member of the Second Division... Teach?"
"Ace has set out to hunt him down?"
Jack read the paper in silence, then glanced at Kaido with a smirk.
"See, Kaido-san, having too many sons is more trouble than it's worth. They're already fighting over inheritance."
He stretched lazily before adding, "By the way, don't you think your son-in-law is far better than Whitebeard's kids?"
Kaido shot him a glare.
"Shut up!"
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The fanfic is Finished on p@treon/tambeerg