Hearing Jack's response, Whitebeard was momentarily stunned before bursting into hearty laughter.
"Gurararara! You've got quite the sharp tongue, brat!" he chuckled, teasingly. "Let me see if your strength is as sharp as your mouth!"
With that, Whitebeard lifted his mighty weapon, Murakumogiri, and charged at Jack. Seeing this, the gleam of excitement in Jack's eyes intensified. Tightening his grip on his weapon, the tusk-shaped blade, he rushed forward to meet Whitebeard head-on.
"My teeth aren't just sharp—they're white too! No cavities!"
Clang!
Boom!
The sheer force of Whitebeard's strike made Jack stumble back several steps. In a head-on clash of strength, Jack was overpowered, leaving him staring at Whitebeard in disbelief.
"Oi, old man! It's one thing that your body's so well-preserved, but what's up with that monstrous strength?" Jack asked, his tone laced with astonishment.
"Hmph, you're leagues better than those useless sons of yours!"
"Heh, sharp-tongued brat!" Whitebeard barked, gripping his weapon tightly. "You're still a long way off!"
A faint hum echoed through the air as another ring of energy formed at the tip of Murakumogiri. Jack's Observation Haki caught a sense of danger, the energy was highly unstable, like it could explode at any second.
"Gurararara… Let's see how you handle this, brat!" Whitebeard roared.
Boom!
Jack made no attempt to dodge. Instead, he tightened his grip on his weapon and charged again.
Clang!
This time, the collision was even more intense. The vibrations from Whitebeard's attack traveled through Jack's tusk blade, making his hands numb. The shock nearly caused him to lose his weapon.
But that was just the beginning. With a swift motion, Whitebeard followed up by landing a devastating punch on Jack's chest. Jack felt as if an invisible hand had gripped his insides and twisted them violently. A surge of pain forced him to cough up blood.
"Gah!"
"Gurararara! Cocky little brat! How's that for a taste?" Whitebeard taunted.
Jack, however, started laughing—a low chuckle that grew louder and more unhinged. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as his eyes turned a deep shade of red, his pupils almost disappearing into the crimson. His grin widened, making him look like a bloodthirsty demon under the light of the setting sun. For a brief moment, even Whitebeard was taken aback by the sight.
But Whitebeard quickly snapped out of it. Tightening his grip on Murakumogiri, he began to gather power.
"Let's see if your body is as tough as Kaido's!" Whitebeard growled.
Jack smirked. "I'm even tougher!"
From a distance, Kaido, who had been observing the fight through his Observation Haki, couldn't help but chuckle at Jack's boldness.
"That guy…" Kaido muttered. "Always so arrogant. But maybe… just maybe… Jack's physique will surpass even mine."
Clang!
Kaido's musings were cut short by an attack from Vista and the others. Looking down at them, Kaido smirked.
"Good. Let's see who falls first—you lot, or Jack at Newgate's hands!" he roared, swinging his kanabo.
Boom!
...
Meanwhile, Jack shook off the daze from Whitebeard's earlier blow and stood up, examining the wound on his chest. Without flinching, he pressed a hand against it and squeezed hard. To Whitebeard's shock, the wound began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"This…" Whitebeard murmured. "Is this… Devil Fruit awakening? No, even for an awakened Zoan, recovery shouldn't be this fast!"
Seeing Whitebeard's confusion, Jack hesitated for a moment before shrugging. Explaining it would be too complicated. How could he casually mention that his mammoth form granted immense enhancements to his recovery abilities, or that his Zoan awakening was a product of the system?
System-created abilities are always premium, after all. Even Kaido's fruit awakening likely couldn't compare to his. And with his skill "Immortal Body," his regenerative capabilities were unparalleled. That's why he could shrug off attacks that would devastate others. Some could pierce his defense, sure—but they couldn't keep up with his insane recovery speed.
Painful as Whitebeard's blow was, it was clear he hadn't used his full strength.
Analyzing the situation, Jack muttered to himself, "Conqueror's Haki combined with the Gura Gura no Mi's vibrations… Is he using the quakes to weaken my defense, then wrapping his weapon in Haki? This kind of attack is new to me."
The only other people Jack had encountered with both Conqueror's Haki and Devil Fruit abilities were Kaido and Doflamingo. Of course, there was also Yamato, whose Haki leaned toward exploiting weak points.
But none of them had displayed anything like this. Kaido's approach was always straightforward brute force, while Doflamingo… well, his Conqueror's Haki wasn't even worth mentioning.
"Not bad, old man!" Jack shouted, cracking his neck and grinning.
"Come on! Hit me again!" He gestured provocatively, crooking his finger at Whitebeard. "Let's see what you've got!"
"You damn brat…" Whitebeard snarled, veins bulging on his forehead. "Don't get cocky! Do you even know who I am?! I'm Whitebeard!"
Whirr…
The air itself seemed to shatter as Whitebeard's anger surged. Murakumogiri, now coated in Armament Haki and radiating power, crackled with devastating energy. Jack's Observation Haki and sharpened instincts screamed danger.
"This is bad…" Jack muttered.
The ground beneath them cracked and quaked as Whitebeard unleashed his full strength. Pirates on both sides stopped fighting, their faces pale as they watched in horror.
Whitebeard swung his weapon, sending a massive white shockwave barreling toward Jack.
There's no way I can block this. If I take it head-on, I'll be seriously injured!
In a flash, Jack moved.
Boom!
When the dust settled, a massive chasm split the battlefield in two. Everyone stared in awe at the sheer destruction. But Whitebeard's expression was anything but satisfied. Glaring upward, he bellowed:
"You brat… You dodged?!"
From above, Jack landed lightly on the ground and dusted himself off. Smirking, he retorted, "What? I never said I wouldn't dodge."
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The fanfic is Finished on p@treon/tambeerg