BOOM—!
A deafening impact thundered through the air, kicking up a storm of dust and debris.
"You bastard! Was that attack supposed to be an insult?!"
From within the thick smoke, a low, furious roar echoed out—and then a massive prehistoric mammoth burst forth.
"Do you know who I am?! I'm Jack the Drought!"
As his voice boomed, the ground beneath him cracked violently, giant fissures spider-webbing out like the aftermath of an earthquake.
Luffy staggered a few steps from the tremor, the grin on his face vanishing as he stared at Jack with sudden seriousness.
"Disaster Jack—I'm gonna launch you into the sky!"
"Gomu Gomu no… Eagle Bazooka!!"
With a loud cry, Luffy hurled both arms backward at high speed. A layer of pitch-black Armament Haki quickly coated them, and they began to expand dramatically.
As the rubber arms stretched to their limit, two enormous blackened fists launched forward with explosive force.
"Hmph! My name's not Disaster Jack, dammit!"
Eyes wide with fury, Jack met the strike head-on—his trunk and forehead now also coated in Haki—as he charged directly into Luffy's massive punch.
Jack wasn't one for tricks or subtlety. His style was all about head-on collisions—he didn't care how strong his opponent was. His philosophy was simple:
If it comes to a clash—just go all in.
What he didn't expect was that, this time, he'd found someone just as headstrong as he was.
BOOM!
Their blows collided with a thunderous crash.
A shockwave of energy and dust blasted outward, sending sand whipping through the air. Everyone nearby had to shield themselves from the gale-force wind.
"Damn it... this brat is actually this strong?!"
Jack gritted his teeth as he struggled against Luffy's colossal fists. His massive hooves sank deep into the ground as his body began to slowly slide backward.
"RAAAAAAH!!"
Luffy's face flushed red with effort, his body steaming with intense heat as he tried to launch this behemoth away with one mighty blow.
Finally, with a final cry, Jack's resistance broke.
BOOM!
He was sent flying, smashing through several buildings in the distance.
"Cough!!"
"Damn it… He's just a rookie… How is he this strong?!"
Blood dripped from Jack's mouth as he lay among the rubble, bones aching like they'd shattered. But he hadn't passed out. Eyes burning with stubborn rage, he stared at Luffy.
There's a saying: The louder your threats, the harder you get smacked.
It couldn't be more true for Jack.
Despite his injuries, defiance still burned in his eyes as he slowly got to his feet.
"You're dead, Straw Hat!!"
Roaring, Jack dropped out of his mammoth form and shifted into his human-beast hybrid. Drawing two curved blades, he charged once more.
Seeing this, Luffy knew his base form wouldn't be enough. Without hesitation, he activated Gear Third.
Heat waves rippled around him as his strength surged—every aspect of his physical power was amplified.
Facing the enormous Jack, he didn't flinch. Head held high, he charged in with just as much brute force.
This was his first real fight since finishing training under Garp.
Thanks to that rigorous training, Luffy's Armament Haki had far surpassed what he had in the original timeline. He didn't need fancy techniques—his raw fists now carried echoes of Garp's legendary might.
Boom! Bam! Smash! Crack!
Explosive impacts filled the air as the two traded blows at high speed.
In just moments, they'd already clashed multiple times. With their respective Devil Fruit abilities, they were still fairly evenly matched.
Though in terms of pure stamina and durability, Jack held the upper hand. Zoan users always had a natural edge in physical endurance.
Luffy, meanwhile, began to feel the toll—his Gear Third form wouldn't last much longer.
After dodging another of Jack's strikes, he made a split-second decision midair. Gritting his teeth, he poured all his strength into his right leg.
"Gomu Gomu no… Giant Battle Axe!!"
WHOOOOM—!!!
His leg, now a massive blackened hammer, came crashing down, shattering the sound barrier and unleashing a piercing sonic boom.
Below, Jack—already exhausted—saw the incoming strike too late. His pupils shrank as the enormous shadow descended.
Too slow to dodge, he clenched his teeth and braced for impact.
BOOM!!
The collision shook the earth, sending violent shockwaves through the air.
The instant Jack's body touched Luffy's giant Haki-clad leg, his expression twisted in panic.
He already knew—he couldn't take this hit.
But escape was impossible. All he could do was grit his teeth and resist.
RUMBLE—!!!
The ground split apart beneath him. Jack's eyes rolled back as he was driven straight into the earth—unconscious, half-buried in stone.
His defeat sent terror rippling through the pirates he'd just recruited. None of them dared to even show their faces—they scattered and fled without a sound.
As for Jack? No one bothered to check if he was dead or alive.
"Pop!"
"Ahhh... I'm starving!"
Luffy dropped out of Gear Third, instantly drained. He slumped to the ground, groaning about food.
The town—already half-destroyed—had been reduced to rubble during the fight. Thankfully, the townsfolk had fled earlier when Jack and his men threw their feast.
The Straw Hat crew quickly sprang into action, each taking on a task.
Some lit fires, others searched for supplies. One sneaky figure even crept up to Jack's body, then tied him up with some kind of strange plant.
As the sun dipped toward the horizon and the crew gathered for dinner on the beach, a sudden voice rang out:
"L-Luffy!!"
Luffy, who was gnawing on a giant hunk of meat, turned reflexively toward the sound.
When he saw the familiar-yet-fuzzy face in the distance, he froze.
He stared for a long moment. Then, tears welled in his eyes.
"Sa… Sabo!!"
Tossing aside his food, Luffy leapt to his feet and dashed toward him—throwing his arms around Sabo in disbelief.
"Waaahh! It's really you, Sabo!"
"I thought you were dead!!"
The reunion scene was so heartfelt and sudden that it caught everyone off guard—but quickly, smiles spread across the entire crew.
"Yo. Long time no see, Nico Robin."
And then, amidst the joy, another calm voice spoke up.
A tall man in a gray trench coat casually walked up to the dining table, grabbed a piece of roasted meat, and took a bite.
"No one told me what the pay is. Now I've even missed dinner."
"…Hm. Not bad."
After chewing a few bites, Kuzan found the taste quite satisfying. Without hesitation, he pulled the entire platter closer and looked at Sanji.
"Hey, chef—mind getting me some utensils?"
"Y-You're… you're…"
"T-The Marine Admiral…"
"Aokiji..."
The crew stammered, their voices trembling.
"Heh… I haven't been an admiral for a long time now."
Kuzan gave them a gentle smile.
"Tch."
Sanji sighed, stood up, and placed a set of utensils in front of him. Then, lighting a cigarette, he narrowed his eyes.
"If you're not a Marine anymore… what the hell are you doing here?"
"Uhh…"
Kuzan paused mid-chew, took a swig of red wine to swallow his food, then pointed at Luffy.
"Well, technically speaking… starting today, his dad's my boss."
"…HUH?!"
Everyone froze, staring wide-eyed at Kuzan—then turned their gaze toward Luffy.
Are you kidding?!
With a background like this, do you even need to become Pirate King?!
You're just flexing at this point!!
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