Chapter 377: The Battle of Amigasa Village
Just as Jack's massive, bestial hoof was about to crush Otama into the earth—
"HIKEN (FIRE FIST)!!!"
A roar detonated like a sudden strike of lightning!
With a thundering boom of ignition, a gargantuan fist of white-hot flame streaked across the sky like a falling meteor. Carrying a heaven-incinerating force, it slammed directly into the side of Jack's face!
"BOOM—!!!"
The fire soared into the sky, and a blistering heatwave swept outward like a raging tidal wave crashing against the shore. Dust and debris were blasted away as the very entrance to the village was seemingly reforged in fire.
Jack's tower-like frame was forcibly knocked back dozens of steps. The soil beneath his feet fractured under the weight, his face was scorched black, and one of his massive tusks was snapped clean off. Thick, acrid smoke began to billow from his charred skin.
"LORD JACK!!!"
The low-level subordinates of the Beast Pirates were paralyzed with terror. They shrieked and scattered, their faces turning ashen as if they had just come face-to-face with a demon.
Amidst the chaos, Otama opened her eyes with a shudder.
In her field of vision, a tall silhouette wreathed in roaring flames stood firmly before her—an immovable barrier against the darkness.
Ace slowly looked back, a small smile tugging at his lips, though his eyes remained filled with a steady, protective resolve. "It's okay now, Tama."
His voice was calm and grounded, like the most reassuring light within a wildfire.
"Big brother's here!"
Tama's tears instantly broke through their dams, pouring down her face. She choked out the name she had yearned to say for two long years:
"BIG BROTHER ACE!!!"
That single cry carried all the suppressed pain and longing of her long wait.
Jack shook his head, a low, guttural growl vibrating in his throat. His eyes were bloodshot with a mix of agony and rage. He recognized the newcomer, and for a split second, a flicker of panic crossed his gaze—but it was quickly replaced by a savage, toothy grin.
"Fire Fist Ace... you Marine bastard!!! You actually have the stones to invade Wano?!!"
Though Jack was known for his recklessness, he wasn't blind to the situation. He immediately reached into his belt, pulled out a signal flare, and fired it into the heavens!
Whish—BOOM!!
A pillar of crimson light tore through the night sky, exploding over Amigasa Village and bathing the villagers' pale faces in a morbid red glow. That splash of red looked like a grim herald of the calamity to come.
Jack threw his head back and laughed, a cruel, maniacal sound that shook the surrounding trees. "Hahaha!! You're a dead man!!!"
"King and Queen will be here any second! Once they arrive, there won't even be ash left of you!!!"
His words instantly revitalized the morale of the remaining Beast Pirates. They sneered, raising their blades as they began to close in on the cowering villagers once more.
Ace didn't back down. He slowly raised his hand, flames beginning to coalesce in his palm. The fire churned and spiraled like a storm that wanted to swallow the world.
"Big Brother Roy once told me... no matter who the enemy is, if they stand in your way—"
"BOOM!!!"
The flames exploded outward, an ocean of fire instantly sweeping across the Beast Pirates' front line! Dozens of subordinates were swallowed by the inferno, their screams piercing the night!
Ace stepped forward out of the wall of fire, his eyes burning with a crimson light. His voice was like the roar of a furnace:
"—you burn them until there is absolutely nothing left!!!"
Ace charged at Jack with a roar. The flames on his arms surged, white-hot currents of heat gathering in his palms like two falling suns!
"ENTEI: KAGEROU BURST (FLAME EMPEROR: SOLAR FLARE CRASH)!!!"
"BOOM—!!!"
A titanic pillar of fire shot into the sky, swallowing the world in light! The glare illuminated the night as if it were high noon, turning the village entrance into a white-hot purgatory!
Jack's mountain-sized frame took the hit head-on. The fire completely enveloped him. A low, bestial roar echoed from within the sea of flames, sending a chill through the hearts of the watching villagers.
"ROAR—!!!"
In the next instant, the fire exploded violently!
A hideously scarred bestial hoof stepped out from the flames, shattering the earth beneath it. Jack emerged from the fire, his skin charred and peeling, yet his iron-like muscles remained swollen with power. Veins bulged on his neck, and his eyes were a vivid, murderous red.
"FIRE FIST ACE!!!"
"Don't think I've been sitting on my hands these past two years! I'm going to tear you to shreds!!!"
With a world-shaking roar, Jack transformed into his Mammoth Hybrid Form. His tusks gleamed with a cold, lethal light as he became a living engine of war, charging forward with unstoppable momentum!
"It seems you didn't get enough of a beating last time, did you?!"
Ace slammed his feet into the ground. The fire beneath him spun into a vortex, instantly manifesting into several massive pillars of intense heat. They intertwined and coiled together, rising like the bars of a hellish cage!
"ENJOUMO (FLAME WALL)!!!"
With a thunderous crash, the cage of fire descended like a prison from the underworld, trapping Jack and the remnants of the Beast Pirates within!
Countless pirates shrieked and struggled within the terrifying heat.
"Aaaagh—!!!"
"The fire won't go out!! Save me!!!"
They pounded at the ground, even diving into puddles of mud, but the flames clung to them like starving leeches, reducing them to ash in moments.
"DAMN YOU! GET OUT OF MY WAY!!!"
Jack roared in a blind fury, his arms swinging like giant axes. His sheer, bestial strength actually managed to tear a visible crack in the wall of fire!
CRACK-CRACK—!!!
Sparks flew and heatwaves distorted the air, looking as if the very sky was being ripped open. However, in the next heartbeat, the flames surged back together following Jack's roar. As if endowed with a life of its own, the fire resealed the breach, locking Jack back into his prison.
The fire howled—a sound like the roar of absolute indignation. Ace stood with his hands raised, flames pouring from his arms. The red light cast his silhouette in the likeness of a God of War.
"I won't let you hurt another soul!!!"
Behind him, Tama stumbled to her feet, her face covered in tears. She tried to run toward him but was held back by the villagers.
"Tama, no!! Don't go near it!!!"
Tama struggled frantically, clutching her chest, her voice trembling but stubborn: "Big Brother Ace... you have to win!!!"
The villagers watched the cage of fire in terror, but as they heard Tama's cry, the fear in their eyes slowly began to turn into a burning fervor. For the first time in years, they felt a genuine spark of hope—the hope that the darkness hanging over Wano could actually be torn asunder by these flames!
Wano Country · Flower Capital
Under the cover of night, the sounds of music and revelry continued to echo from the brothels of the pleasure district.
Zoro and Kuina, draped in heavy cloaks, blended into the crowds as they moved toward the hidden back alleys of the city. Suddenly, a crimson signal flare bloomed in the distant night sky, followed by the muffled rumble of explosions.
"Was that a signal flare?" Kuina's gaze sharpened.
Zoro looked up, a sake bottle in his hand, but his eyes were sharper than the alcohol. "Yeah... looks like Ace has started his move."
The two shared a silent look. Though worry tugged at them, they nodded in mutual understanding.
"We have our own mission," Kuina whispered. "We need to find Kozuki Hiyori first."
Zoro tightened his headscarf, a cold smirk appearing on his face. "Don't sweat it. That guy isn't the type to lose."
With a flicker of movement, the two vanished into the shadows of the capital.
Onigashima
Meat and wine were being tossed around amidst a boisterous celebration. King and Queen were in the middle of a heated discussion regarding the distribution of their new allied territories.
Suddenly, the crimson glow from the outer seas pierced through the clouds, reflecting in their eyes.
Queen froze for a second before letting out a bellowing laugh. "Dammit! That idiot Jack! He's just collecting protection money from a backwater village and he manages to make this much noise?! Hahaha—"
King's gaze, however, was as cold and sharp as a blade. He stared at the burning sky and muttered under his breath, "Something's wrong."
"Jack is a brute, but he's not the type to fire a signal flare for no reason. It's impossible."
Queen waved a hand dismissively. "Tch, don't be such a drama queen. Who cares? I'm going to go organize those new pirate recruits!"
King stood up, his massive black wings unfurling. Fire ignited at his back, and his gaze turned lethal. "You stay here and handle that. I'm going to see for myself."
Before his voice even faded, he transformed into a Pteranodon, his flaming wings beating against the air as he shot into the clouds!
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