Dodging Jack's attack with his signature ease, Kizaru's mind grew heavy.
Whether in his base form, Zoan form, or hybrid form, Jack's durability was beyond expectation—nearly rivaling that of Kaido himself. But unlike Kaido's nearly unbreakable toughness, Jack's defense relied more on the resilience and elasticity of his skin and muscles. It was a difference in the nature of their devil fruit powers, yet both were rooted in the same unyielding, monstrous physicality.
Kaido, with his overwhelming physique, had become a legend of the New World, standing at the apex of the seas. Dubbed the "Strongest Creature Alive," his might was feared universally. Many believed that if there were a single strongest being in one-on-one combat, it would be Kaido. Even Kizaru had to admit that on a deserted island, where escape wasn't an option, Kaido's stamina and brute strength would likely overwhelm him in the end.
But now, standing before him, was another of these "monsters." Jack, a close member of the Beast Pirates and potentially Kaido's brother-in-arms—or perhaps something more personal—had shown no less ferocity and resilience. His loyalty to Kaido was unquestionable, and recruiting him was an impossible fantasy.
Beyond his extraordinary defense, Jack's physical strength and mastery of Armament Haki were formidable. If there was any weakness, it might be his immense size, which limited his agility. Additionally, his observation skills were somewhat underdeveloped, a flaw that Kizaru noted as exploitable. But these weaknesses were trivial when measured against his sheer toughness.
Considering his age and potential, Kizaru had a nagging feeling that the World Government wasn't taking Jack seriously enough. Or maybe… was Jack's constitution truly different from Kaido's?
Dodging another devastating blow, Kizaru decided to test his theory further. Such probing would sap his energy, but confirming whether Jack shared Kaido's seemingly unkillable physique could save him from wasting further effort. After all, Headquarters had long since decreed that fighting Kaido to a standstill was pointless—defeating him was near impossible. The resources wasted trying to subdue him could fund the creation of an entirely new naval base.
Even Vice Admiral Garp, who once tried to oversee Kaido's transfer, ended up pummeling him for an entire day and night to no avail. Kaido sank the ship and swam off, leaving Garp nearly dead from exhaustion.
If Jack was another such monster, there was no way Kizaru would waste his time fighting him alone.
"Boom!"
Jack swung his massive weapon again, and Kizaru effortlessly dodged, pondering. Jack, however, was growing irritated. This slippery opponent moved far too quickly, and his use of Observation Haki was on another level. To Jack's frustration, Kizaru even had the audacity to dodge while casually stroking his chin in thought—something Jack knew his comrades like King or Queen could never pull off.
And unlike his bouts with Kaido, where their sparring was a simple exchange of blows to see who would endure longer, Kizaru relied on clever techniques, avoiding direct confrontation. His advanced Armament Haki wasn't even on display. Was the Admiral conserving his energy? Or was he underestimating Jack entirely?
"Drought Jack…" Kizaru's voice carried a lazy tone as he suddenly leaped into the sky, his body illuminated by the blazing sun.
"Let's see just how tough you really are."
Jack's sharp eyes narrowed as he watched the Admiral charge up a brilliant attack. The golden glow engulfing Kizaru's hand became blinding.
"Yasakani no Magatama!"
The familiar attack name made Jack freeze for a moment before letting out a frustrated roar.
"You're doing this again?! Can't you change your moves for once?! What are you, a broken record?!"
But then Jack's instincts flared with a sense of impending danger. Kizaru's usual attack was taking longer to charge, and even under the sun's bright rays, the brilliance of this technique was undeniable. Without hesitation, Jack cloaked himself in Armament Haki for defense.
"Whirrr… BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!"
A barrage of light bullets rained down, exploding across Jack's massive frame. As the dust cleared, Kizaru hurled a shimmering light blade directly at him.
"Boom!"
The aftermath was a bloodied battlefield. Jack's massive body bore deep wounds—gashes and holes covered him, blood pooling beneath his feet. Despite the gruesome injuries, Jack's lips curled into an almost feral grin.
"Not bad… Not bad at all!" Jack bellowed with laughter, his voice echoing as the wounds across his body began to close at a visible speed. Even the most severe injury stopped bleeding, knitting itself together.
Kizaru watched this display with his usual calm demeanor, then, without hesitation, turned around and sped off in a flash of light.
"???"
Jack blinked, stunned.
"…What?" He roared, realization dawning. "You're running?! After all that?!"
Jack's frustration mounted as he called out again.
"Oi! You slippery bastard! Don't just leave after beating me up! I was just getting into this!"
Far above, Kizaru's glowing figure stopped for a moment.
"Oh? Wrong direction," he muttered nonchalantly, scratching his head.
"YOU!" Jack's fury erupted as he charged forward. "Come back here and fight me properly!"
But Kizaru sidestepped, his tone laced with mockery. "Sorry. I'm not into fighting Kaido's… eccentric family. I'll leave that to the guards at Impel Down."
With that, he vanished again in a beam of light. Jack stood in stunned silence, processing the insult.
"Eccentric family? What the hell does that mean?!"
His booming voice echoed across the battlefield.
"Who gave you the right to call me a weirdo, huh? YOU'RE the one acting like a damn clown! Get back here!"
Jack slammed his weapon into the ground, shaking the earth.
"…Kaido-sama is definitely gonna hear about this."
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The fanfic is Finished on p@treon/tambeerg