The group made their way toward Kurau City, the main settlement in the central region of Zou's back. They were still some distance from the town proper, surrounded by winding roads and thick forests that offered plenty of open space away from civilian areas.
Jerry glanced around at the natural clearing they'd found and nodded approvingly. "This spot should work fine. Plenty of room to move around without worrying about collateral damage."
"Perfect," Inuarashi agreed, his hand resting casually on his sword hilt. "I couldn't ask for a better training ground."
"Thank you so much for agreeing to this," the duke added with genuine gratitude. "This means more to me than you might realize."
Inuarashi gestured for the other members of their group to step back to a safe distance. Soon, he and Jerry stood facing each other in the center of the makeshift arena, the morning sunlight filtering through the canopy above them.
"Alright then," Jerry called out as the others cleared the area. "Ready when you are!"
Without further ceremony, both fighters shifted into combat stances. The air between them seemed to thicken with anticipation as they prepared to test their respective strengths.
Inuarashi was skilled with a blade, but he deliberately kept his sword sheathed for now. Instead, he launched forward with the lightning-fast strikes of traditional mink combat, his fists and feet crackling with electrical energy generated through the friction of his fur.
Jerry had been thinking about how to approximate Jack's fighting style during their walk. The massive fishman All-Star wielded twin curved blades—shotel swords with wicked, sickle-like designs. Jerry didn't have anything quite like that, but he could improvise.
Drawing his Supreme-Grade fishing rod with his right hand, Jerry grabbed a sturdy fallen branch with his left, quickly coating both improvised weapons with Armament Haki until they gleamed with a metallic sheen. It wasn't perfect, but it would have to do for this demonstration.
"Electro!" Inuarashi called out as he struck, his attack trailing blue sparks.
Jerry could have easily evaded the duke's assault with his superior speed and Observation Haki, but that wasn't the point of this exercise. To properly gauge Jack's level, he needed to match the All-Star's combat approach—which meant meeting attacks head-on with overwhelming force.
The fishing rod swept up to intercept Inuarashi's electrified claws with a sharp crack of displaced air. Jerry took a deliberate step backward to absorb the impact, then immediately pressed forward with a thrust from his makeshift left-hand weapon.
The exchange sent both fighters sliding apart, but Jerry quickly noted the differences in their approaches. He was smaller and more agile than the massive Jack, which meant his attack angles and leverage were fundamentally different. Still, he was doing his best to match the All-Star's general power level and straightforward combat philosophy.
After being repelled by Jerry's fishing rod strike, Inuarashi immediately adapted his strategy. Like his eternal rival Nekomamushi, the duke began using his natural agility to expand the battlefield, launching attacks from multiple angles rather than engaging in a direct slugging match.
Jerry planted himself in the center of the clearing and adopted the "respond to all changes with constancy" approach that had served him well in the past. His hands moved in a blur as he whirled both weapons in defensive patterns, neutralizing the electrical discharges and continuously forcing his opponent back.
Inuarashi's movements were poetry in motion—fast as the wind and graceful as a dancer, showcasing why he was considered one of Zou's greatest warriors. His combination of speed, power, and technique would have overwhelmed most opponents.
Jerry's response was far more direct and brutal. His improvised "dual blade" technique was really more like an improvised staff-fighting style, creating afterimages and whistling sounds as he swung both weapons with tremendous force. He had to admit, he didn't really know proper swordsmanship yet, so he was mostly drawing on his hand-to-hand combat experience and applying it to weapon use.
But with the enhancement of his Armament Haki, physical strength, and speed, even his crude technique proved remarkably effective.
The battle intensified as both fighters found their rhythm. Perhaps wanting to test a different approach, Inuarashi suddenly leaped back and drew his sword in one fluid motion.
"I trained in swordsmanship during my time in Wano Country," he announced, the blade gleaming in the dappled sunlight. "I'd like to test those skills as well."
"Works for me," Jerry replied, adjusting his grip on both improvised weapons. "I'll keep doing my best Jack impression."
The moment the words left his mouth, both fighters exploded back into action. When their weapons collided, Jerry's Haki-coated branch held up perfectly against Inuarashi's steel blade, the improvised weapon proving as durable as forged metal.
Seeing this impressive display, Inuarashi's fighting spirit soared. His sword work became fierce as a tiger while his free hand struck like an eagle's talon, launching a relentless barrage of combination attacks that would have shredded a lesser opponent.
Jerry matched his intensity blow for blow, abandoning all pretense of restraint as he channeled Jack's bulldozer approach to combat. His weapons moved like mechanical pistons, creating a rapid-fire assault that was almost impossible to track with the naked eye.
The sound of their battle echoed through the forest—a continuous thunder of clashing weapons and crackling electricity that sent small animals fleeing deeper into the woods.
The assembled minks watching from the sidelines were amazed by the display of power from both combatants. They knew Duke Inuarashi's strength well, but this human was matching him blow for blow. And according to their earlier conversation, Jerry was deliberately holding back to imitate someone else's fighting style.
Carina, squinting to follow the almost invisible trajectory of their attacks, poked Skull in the ribs and whispered, "Hey, is this maniac really that strong?"
"Oh, Boss Jerry is incredibly powerful," Skull replied with obvious pride. "Though I have to admit, I don't know exactly how powerful. He keeps surprising us."
"Is there any justice in this world?" Carina muttered, rolling her eyes. "Why do people like him get to be so ridiculously strong?!"
She was starting to realize that her hopes of sneaking away from the crew were looking increasingly unrealistic.
"Hey, don't worry about it," Skull said kindly, noticing her distress. "He won't hurt you or anything. Everyone's a bit wary at first, but you'll get used to us."
"Besides," he added with a sly grin, "since you love treasure so much, why not stick around for some real treasure hunting? It's definitely safer with Boss Jerry watching our backs."
The mention of treasure made Carina's expression complicated. What could possibly be more attractive than Tesoro's hundreds of billions in gold? She was beginning to think her dreams of conquering Gran Tesoro would have to wait indefinitely.
"Just relax and enjoy the view," Deuce chimed in, earning an approving purr from Kotatsu. "Think of it as seeing the world in all its colors. That's a kind of happiness too."
The truth was, none of them bore any real ill will toward Carina. She'd been brought aboard by accident, and they were simply cautious about her skills as a thief and her unpredictable nature. Her tendency to "borrow" things without asking and her occasional escape attempts were disruptive to their otherwise peaceful crew dynamic.
But it was more of a temporary precaution than permanent imprisonment. They'd release her when the time was right and they were confident she wouldn't cause problems.
The fierce battle continued unabated. Though this was meant to be a sparring match, neither fighter was holding back significantly. Jerry maintained what he estimated to be Jack's approximate power level, while Inuarashi fought with everything he had, determined to get an accurate assessment for his future plans.
As Inuarashi rushed forward with his sword aimed directly at Jerry's face, Jerry's eyes flashed with tactical awareness. In a split-second decision, he changed the trajectory of his left-hand branch from a defensive block to an upward sweep, deflecting the incoming blade.
At the same moment that Inuarashi's electrified claws struck his torso, Jerry drove his fishing rod forward in a devastating counter-attack.
Both fighters were sent flying backward from the mutual exchange, but neither stayed down for long. Jerry rolled gracefully through the air, planting his feet and transferring the kinetic energy into the ground. The earth cracked beneath the impact as he used the reaction force to launch himself forward again.
Halfway through his charge, Jerry suddenly hesitated. He realized that Jack, in his hybrid form, probably wouldn't have executed such an agile recovery. The massive fishman would have either absorbed the hit and kept advancing, or been knocked back much further due to his enormous bulk.
Meanwhile, Inuarashi flew backward until he slammed into a large tree at the forest's edge. The impact shook leaves from the branches, but the duke quickly pushed himself upright and rubbed the spot where Jerry's attack had connected.
Taking a slow step forward, he raised his hand to signal the end of their match. "That's enough. I have a pretty clear picture now."
"Fair enough," Jerry agreed, lowering his improvised weapons. "Though I should mention that most of Kaido's subordinates are Zoan-type Devil Fruit users. Their defense and recovery abilities are significantly better than what you just experienced."
As both fighters walked back toward the center of the clearing, they took stock of the damage. Their clothes were somewhat disheveled and torn, but neither had sustained any serious injuries—just minor cuts and bruises that would heal quickly.
Compared to his actual battle with Jack months ago, Jerry had improved dramatically. His Observation Haki in particular had undergone a qualitative transformation, allowing him much better prediction and reaction timing. In truth, he could have chosen to avoid most of Inuarashi's attacks entirely.
For his part, Inuarashi had been facing Jerry's admittedly inexperienced "dual sword" technique, which probably put the test at roughly Jack's base human form level. The duke suspected the All-Star had significantly more dangerous transformations available.
He hadn't pushed himself to absolute limits either, sensing that this level of combat was roughly equivalent to Jack's normal state. After all, he himself possessed a more powerful transformation that he hadn't revealed.
When they drew close enough for normal conversation, Inuarashi's expression filled with genuine gratitude. "Mr. Jerry, I want to thank you—"
"—for warming all four seasons?" Jerry interjected with a completely straight face.
Inuarashi blinked in confusion. "Uh... what?"
Jerry chuckled at the duke's bewildered expression. "Sorry, couldn't resist. You were saying?"
"Right," Inuarashi continued, still looking slightly puzzled. "I was thanking you for giving me a clear sense of what I'll be facing when I return to Wano. Knowing the approximate strength of Kaido's forces will be invaluable for our planning."
"Just remember," Jerry added seriously, "Jack was probably one of their weaker All-Stars. And Kaido himself is on a completely different level from any of his subordinates."