Chapter 92: JACK

——The new world "Wano Country" is under the rule of one of the "Four Emperors" crew, the Beasts Pirates, and the shogun Kurozumi Orochi—a land where even crying children fall silent.

A nation closed off and ruled by pirates and avengers holds no hope. Now, the only place that can be called prosperous in Wano is the Flower Capital. Everywhere else is a lawless wasteland.

Only the residents of the Flower Capital and the merchants essential to their lives can fill their stomachs. Laborers receive just enough money and food to barely survive, their bellies constantly growling as the people waste away to skin and bones.

And the rebellious samurai—those reduced to banditry—also scrape by, stealing food from the Beasts Pirates and Orochi’s officials, but even that is no easy feat.

"——GYAHAHA!! Found 'em!! Bandits!!"

"You’re the ones who stole the food, right!?"

"Dammit…!! They spotted us…!!"

"The UFO’s coming too!! We gotta find a way to escape!!"

In the wastelands of Kuri, Wano, pirates and officials, alerted by signals from the UFO, chase down the bandits.

They come from Hakumai Town, a settlement under the rule of the Beasts Pirates and Orochi’s forces, and they hunt bandits and ronin like this every day.

The samurai have no choice but to flee. If they fought back seriously, they might win this one battle—but it would be meaningless. No matter how many low-ranking grunts they kill, the Beasts Pirates’ forces are practically limitless. Reinforcements would keep coming endlessly.

And if those grunts were killed, it would anger the "Tobiroppo"—the elite commanders who lead them—or worse, someone even higher. And that wrath wouldn’t stop at the rebels themselves. Their families, friends, even their entire towns would be reduced to hellish ruins.

That’s why most of the people have no choice but to obey.

"P—please wait!! The payment…!?"

"Hah!? Like hell we’re payin’!! Be grateful we even ate at this dump of a restaurant!!"

"AGH—!!"

At a diner in town, a Beasts Pirates crewman and one of Orochi’s officials not only skip the bill—they kick the owner to the ground when he dares to ask for payment. But of course, something like this isn’t even considered a crime.

"Talkin’ back, huh!? This place pisses me off… Hey, let’s just burn it down!!"

"!!? W-wait… P-please, don’t—GURK!!"

"Shut the hell up, heheh… Hey, boys, grab whatever’s worth takin’ and torch the place."

"Heh, yeah. …Oh? A waitress? Not bad-lookin’. Alright, you’re comin’ with us too."

"KYAAAA—!!?"

"Tch… You damn devils… This is… too much…!!"

"GYAHAHA!! Shut it, lowlifes!! You people ain’t got no rights!!"

"We can do whatever we want to scum like you who ain’t even under Orochi-sama’s rule!! Burn your homes, kidnap your wives and daughters—none of it’s a crime!!"

"You know who our boss is, right? Go ahead, try resistin’ if you wanna."

"……!!"

Faced with the pirates’ and officials’ words, the commoners can say nothing.

Because the truly terrifying ones aren’t these thugs—it’s their backers, the Tobiroppo.

Even children know their names. The man who rules over Hakumai Town in Kuri is one of the strongest Tobiroppo.

"——Hey, Holdem…"

"Y-yes…!?"

In the largest mansion in Hakumai Town, a giant of a man—standing roughly seven meters tall—sits imposingly in an oversized chair, exuding intimidation before his subordinates.

The first to feel that pressure is Holdem, a large man himself—a Tobiroppo of the Beasts Pirates.

But compared to the man in the chair, the difference in size and strength is like that of an adult and a child.

And now, Holdem trembles under his glare. Normally, he’s the one making others cower—but in front of this man, his status is no different from any other grunt.

"A single kunoichi… Not only did you fail to capture her… but you came back with no intel at all…"

"M-my apologies, Jack-sama!! We caught a man who claimed to have seen the kunoichi, but even under torture, he wouldn’t talk… It seems it was a dead end…"

Holdem desperately tries to explain. This man does not hesitate to punish failures. If his excuses aren’t convincing, merciless retribution will follow.

"……Is that man dead?"

"Huh? N-no… We still have him locked up…"

"……You at least took an arm or a leg, right?"

"Ugh… That’s…"

They hadn’t. The delay in Holdem’s answer tells the man everything.

So without hesitation, he gives his next order.

"——Bring the heads of that man’s family, friends, and lover. Line them up in front of him."

"! Y-yes, sir… But the torture’s already—GYAGH—!!?"

Just as Holdem starts to comply—and tries to interject—a thick, log-like arm shoots out, seizing his head and lifting him into the air.

"GACK…! AAGH…! S-shit… I’m done for…!!"

"You damn idiot… You didn’t even cut off an arm or a leg… Didn’t kill anyone close to him… You think a samurai would talk after that half-assed shit!?"

The man squeezes Holdem’s skull with a grip like a vice. Holdem flails helplessly in the air, choking in agony.

Yet the man doesn’t kill him. Instead, he continues in a low, scathing voice.

"Don’t half-ass torture!! If you’re gonna do it, gouge out their eyes, cut off their limbs, put a blade to their loved ones’ throats!! And whether they talk or not, kill them when you’re done!! Mercy just breeds troublesome revenge!!"

"G-GUH…!!"

Even the other subordinates shudder at his brutal words. This is a man who would carry out such acts without hesitation. The sheer absence of humanity in his voice triggers primal fear in those still human enough to feel it.

"You got that, Holdem…? If not, I can always demonstrate on you…"

"I-I got it, sir…!!"

"Tch…"

Satisfied, the man drops Holdem to the floor. Though seemingly spared, the look in his eyes makes it clear—there won’t be a next time.

"Jack-sama!! We just got word from Onigashima—they want you back immediately…"

"……Yeah."

At that moment, another subordinate enters and delivers the message: a recall order to the Beasts Pirates’ stronghold, Onigashima.

Without so much as a glance at Holdem, the man stands, takes a few subordinates, and leaves.

"…………"

And this man—the giant whose lower face is concealed behind an iron mask—is named Jack.

The ruler of Kuri. One of the Beasts Pirates’ Tobiroppo.

And as he makes his way to Onigashima, his mind remains fixed on work.

——Yes… For all the fear he inspires in his underlings and the people of Kuri, Jack is, in truth, one of the most… diligent workers in the entire Beasts Pirates.

---

——Onigashima.

"Hey, Jack… Your numbers in Kuri are lookin’ like shit."

"Yes, sir…"

The stronghold of the Beasts Pirates—an island teeming with the forces of a 20,000-strong Emperor’s crew—was built around a colossal skull-shaped cavern, with Kaido’s mansion and numerous structures sprawling outward.

Crafted by Wano’s finest artisans and the crew’s own shipwrights, the ever-expanding buildings were designed to accommodate the pirates’ towering figures, with vast halls and wide passageways dominating the architecture.

And in one such room, Jack was being chewed out.

"You’re supposed to hit your quotas every damn month. ESPECIALLY Queen’s idol merch—that shit’s non-negotiable. How many times do I gotta say it!?"

"My apologies… King, sir…!!"

(Jack’s getting scolded…?)
(For failing to sell idol merch…?)

Jack bowed his head repeatedly, a far cry from the terror he’d instilled in his own subordinates earlier.

But this was King—one of the Beasts Pirates’ top executives, a "Calamity." To Jack, he was more than just a superior. He was a childhood mentor, a man whose strength and ruthlessness commanded absolute respect.

"If you wanna be a Calamity someday, you can’t afford to be dead weight like that idiot Queen… Got it!? ‘Stumblebum Jack’!!!"

"Yes, sir!!"

Jack replied instantly to King’s roar.

Insulting Queen while reprimanding him was a common occurrence. Acknowledging it felt like agreeing Queen was an idiot—but staying silent would’ve been worse.

Seemingly satisfied, King exhaled and lowered his voice.

"Good. …Now, change of plans. Jack, I’ve got a job for you."

"What is it?"

"Reports say one of our territories is revolting. Go crush it. Our underlings are strugglin’ to handle it alone. Was gonna send Who’s-Who or Sasaki, but those bastards don’t listen to a damn word I say…!!"

A routine assignment for the Beasts Pirates: quashing rebellion and making an example of the insurgents.

Across their territories—Wano included—defiance occasionally flared up. Normally, subordinate crews or Tobiroppo handled such issues. But if they failed, the Numbers or Tobiroppo were deployed.

Only in extreme cases would a Calamity intervene—an act tantamount to sentencing the entire region to annihilation.

So the task naturally fell to the Tobiroppo. But members like Who’s-Who and Sasaki, risen from outsider ranks, openly defied even the Calamities unless Kaido or Ulti were involved.

Thus, Jack—ever obedient—was the obvious choice. And true to form, he agreed without hesitation.

"Understood."

"Make it quick. I’ve got Yamato and Musashi to deal with… Can’t spare the time."

"…Understood."

With a nod, King left to attend to his duties. Jack bowed deeply, waiting until the footsteps faded before straightening and barking orders.

"Prep the ship."

"Already done, sir!! We sail at your command!!"

A young subordinate—goggles strapped to his forehead—snapped to attention. Sheepshead, if Jack recalled. A recent recruit Ulti had taken a passing interest in.

Jack remembered him for one reason: among the fodder, he was slightly less useless. In a crew of 20,000, memorizing names was pointless—except for those who might prove useful.

"—Oy, Jack! There you are!!"

"! Queen, sir…!"

A figure even larger than Jack lumbered into view—Queen, the second Calamity. Another man Jack couldn’t defy.

"Heard the news, ‘Stumblebum Jack’!! Screwed up again, huh!?"

"Y-yes… My apologies, Queen, sir…!!"

"Muhahaha!! Whatever. Just don’t end up dead weight like King’s freak ass!!"

"Yes, sir…!!"

This time, it was Queen mocking King while reprimanding him. Jack bowed again—staying silent wasn’t an option.

Queen, however, seemed in high spirits, chuckling at Jack’s obedience. Then, with a grin, he dropped another task.

"Perfect timing, though. Got a job for ya. Some smug bastards tried stiffin’ us on a deal. Go grab their shit—and their heads."

"…Understood."

"Attaboy!! Bring ’em back alive—I’ve got a show planned!!"

Piracy 101: steal what you can’t trade for. The Beasts Pirates rarely bothered with negotiations unless the payoff was substantial—only organizations like Doflamingo’s or Tébolo’s warranted the courtesy. Everyone else got the stick.

"—Oh, right. Nue’s lookin’ for ya."

"!"

As Queen sauntered off, Jack bowed once more—then immediately turned heel. Ignoring Nue’s summons was unthinkable.

But before he could reach her, another unavoidable figure crossed his path.

"—My, my. If it isn’t Jack."

"! You're back... Joker, sis...!!"

Perhaps because they were indoors, the beautiful woman walking with her parasol closed was named Joker.

She too was one of the All-Star officers of the Beasts Pirates. Though her height was only slightly taller than an average woman, her strength far surpassed Jack's by several degrees—there was no way he could hold his head high around her. Immediately bowing his head, Joker glanced up at Jack and smiled.

"Hehe, I just got back. Are you heading out on a mission, Jack?"

"Yeah, well... I was just about to go see Nue."

"I see... In that case, if you have time to spare, could you do a little job for me? Recently, a bunch of Navy and CP spies have been sneaking onto Desire Island... They're getting on my nerves, so take care of a few of them."

"R-Right... Understood."

"Only if you have time. I don’t need you messing it up either. I’ll have the intel sent to you later. Well then."

"Yeah, thanks for your hard work."

Bowing his head, Jack saw Joker off. On top of his existing task, he had now been given another job—but he accepted it without hesitation.

Most of the jobs Joker assigned him were related to intel gathered from the government. Infiltrating spies, in particular, had to be periodically eliminated. A certain number were tolerated, but if their numbers grew, it became a nuisance. Manipulating the information they obtained was too much of a hassle.

That said, wiping out too many would raise suspicions, so they usually culled them in moderation. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the Beasts Pirates' intelligence operations rested entirely on Joker’s shoulders.

...Well, half of it, anyway. The other half belonged to someone else who excelled at this kind of work. And that person was—

"—Nue."

"Aaah—! Good work, Jack~!! Having fun being a pirate today~?"

The Beasts Pirates' Vice Captain—Nue.

She was Kaido’s sworn sibling, the only woman who could stand as his equal.

Her appearance was that of a young girl, but anyone who took that at face value would see hell. There wasn’t a single fool in the Beasts Pirates who dared to underestimate her just because she looked harmless. Everyone knew how terrifying she was—and those who didn’t had all mysteriously vanished at some point.

"...Nue. About the job...?"

"Right, right!! Go get me some ELEPHANT meat!!"

"...Huh?"

The sudden request made Jack let out a dumbfounded noise. Elephant meat... It was one of his favorite foods, but that wasn’t why she was asking for it.

Most likely, she just wanted to eat it herself. Still, he decided to ask for clarification.

"...We should already have some elephant meat in stock."

"Nah, nah, nah, not the normal kind~. There’s this super aggressive elephant that only lives on a certain island. Its meat’s supposed to be real tasty, so I want you to go get some."

"...I see... Understood."

It was probably a troublesome elephant that weaker fighters would struggle with. That explained why she was asking him. Jack accepted the task, gave a quick "Excuse me," and immediately prepared to set out.

"—Oh, and apparently some pretty strong guys show up on that island too, so be careful~ ♡"

"...? R-Right...!!"

At the last moment, she tacked on that warning, making Jack’s mind briefly fill with question marks before he nodded. Everything Nue said carried some kind of hidden meaning—or maybe none at all. It was a concerning way of speaking, but there was no point dwelling on it now. Jack left the room and headed for his ship.

"Um... Lord Jack?"

"What is it?"

But along the way, one of his subordinates cautiously called out to him.

When he responded, the crew all looked uneasy, and one of them stepped forward to speak up.

"About the jobs... We know refusing is terrifying, but with this schedule... maybe you should turn some down..."

"—Why?"

"Huh?"

Jack asked why in the sense of what the hell are you talking about?

But of course, his subordinates wouldn’t understand. To Jack, refusing work was unthinkable—utterly unacceptable.

And so, as one of the Beasts Pirates' Tobiroppo, he roared—

"YOU DUMBASS!!! OF COURSE I'M GONNA DO IT!!!"

"WHAAAA—!?"

That’s right—not doing it wasn’t an option.

As a subordinate of Kaido, Nue, and the other All-Stars—as someone aiming to become one of the very All-Stars who served as Kaido and Nue’s right-hand men—this was the only proper response.

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK I AM!!!!"

"WHAAAAA—!?"

——By this point, Jack hadn’t slept a wink in three days.

Yet even so, he set sail, determined to complete his mission.

——Those who witnessed Jack’s brutal schedule and relentless work ethic would later say this: "Lord Jack... is completely out of his damn mind."

---

"—Lord Jack! We can see Revolt Island ahead!"

"Yeah... no shit...!!"

——For Jack the Drought, one of the Tobiroppo of the Beasts Pirates, there was no such thing as "morning."

Get up?
——He didn’t even need to sleep.

Going a day or two without rest was normal. If he wasted time on something as leisurely as sleep, he’d never get his work done.

But even so, his stamina wasn’t an issue. As a Tobiroppo, fighting nonstop for a week was child’s play. And if he became an All-Star, he’d need even greater endurance.

He might not have the bottomless, monstrous stamina of Kaido or Nue, who could wage war for months without rest—but if he wanted to stand among the All-Stars, he couldn’t afford to crumble over something this trivial.

The toughness and power of an Ancient Zoan only grew the more he trained. To grow stronger—to revel in destruction—training was everything.

"They’re here!! The Beasts Pirates!!"

"It’s over...!! I knew rebelling was suicide...!!"

"Don’t falter!!! If we kneel here, we’ll be slaves again!! The only way to freedom is VICTORY!!"

"Y-Yeah!! We’ve beaten pirates before!! We’ll do it again!! Win and take our freedom!!!"

Revolt Island—the site of the uprising that King had warned him about.

An island lined with weapon factories, where its people toiled like slaves... A sight far from unusual in the Beasts Pirates' territory.

"Lord Jack! The rebels are armed with weapons from the factories!"

"They’ve set up barricades with mortars! We should prepare our cannons—"

"—Don’t need ’em."

"Huh?"

Worthless trash, barking lofty ideals despite having no strength to back them up. Spare one rebellion, and another would rise.

So to crush a revolt, you needed demonstration—destruction and slaughter.

"Ain’t wasting cannonballs on garbage like that... FOLLOW ME!!"

"...!! YES, SIR!!"

"Whoa!! Lord Jack’s transforming...!!"

"Heheh... Those rebels are already dead."

Plant fear, and no one would dare rebel again.

That’s why these insurgents had to be broken.

"!! Here he comes!! Are the cannons ready!?"

"Yeah, no problem!!"

"!!? The hell is that!?"

"An elephant... No!! That’s a— MAMMOTH!!! "

The island shook beneath the beast’s footsteps.

The rebels watched in horror as the ancient creature advanced, trampling the harbor, smashing through barricades—leading an army of Gifters in its wake.

"F-Fire!! Keep firing!! That’s gotta be a Devil Fruit user!! Stop him or we’re DEAD!!"

"We’re shooting!! It’s not working!!"

"Damn... monster...!!"

"—Die."

Jack marched forward, leaving craters with each step.

Ignoring the cannonfire, he reached the barricade—then swung his trunk, sending rebels and artillery flying.

"GWAAAAAH—!!?"

"GYAHAHA!! Dumbasses!! You think cannons work on LORD JACK!?"

As his men jeered, Jack crushed people, leveled buildings, and sowed destruction.

"Death is all rebels deserve!!"

"GYAAAA—!!?"

"Please... STOP!!"

"STOP!? HA!! Cry!! Scream!! DIE REGRETTING EVERYTHING!!"

His crew followed suit. The Beasts Pirates thrived on violence and plunder.

As the most warlike of the Four Emperors, they believed in strength above all—to them, trampling the weak wasn’t a sin. It was natural.

"—You. The ringleader?"

"P-Please!! We just wanted better working conditions!! Let’s talk—!!"

"SHUT IT!! Damn annoying bastard... Doesn’t matter what you say— ALL REBELS DIE!!! "

"!! NO—"

Jack slammed his trunk down, pulverizing the rebel leader—then barked orders.

"LET NONE ESCAPE!!! Hunt down their families—wives, kids, parents, relatives—KILL THEM ALL!!!"

"HYAHAHA!! YES, LORD JACK!!!"

No mercy.

The slaughter continued for hours, until only those uninvolved in the rebellion remained.

...But Jack’s work wasn’t done.

"Lord Jack!! The rebels have been wiped out!!"

"Good... We’re moving out, boys!!!"

"OOOH!!!"

After resupplying with the island’s resources, Jack set sail—toward his next mission.

---

"Lord Jack, it's coming into view. Night Island—Desire Island."

"Give me the list."

"At once, here it is."

──For Jack, there was no such thing as "night." Though the island's residents never slept, they surely rested at least once a day—but Jack? He slept once every two or three days at best. Sometimes, he'd go nearly a full week without sleep.

There was no such thing as "off duty" for him. Jack was always serious, always carrying out orders from above.

"...Casino workers, prostitutes, homeless... They really went all out planting this many spies..."

"What shall we do?"

"We kill them one by one... Search the entire island!! Report back the moment you find them!!"

"Yes, sir!!"

Sending his subordinates to begin the hunt, Jack himself stepped onto the island. Once used as the headquarters of the Beast Pirates, this island still remained part of their territory, now governed by Joker as its overseer.

Within their domain, it was a prosperous place—no slaves forced to labor existed on the surface. Most of the island's residents were wealthy and happy. It was a rare sight among their territories, even attracting government officials who came for leisure.

Precisely because of that, it was the perfect gateway for spies. With figures like Joker maintaining a public face as a government affiliate, rats found it especially easy to slip in.

──"Oh my, what a strapping man~ ♡ Care to have some fun?"

"...Yeah, I'll play with you."

Jack deliberately took the bait from the beautiful street solicitor and stepped inside the establishment. The moment he entered, he took a gun from one of his waiting subordinates.

"Now then, how about that bed over there—"

"Yeah—that'll be your grave...!!"

"!!? ...Huh...?"

The instant she turned her back, he pulled the trigger and shot her dead. Even a government intelligence agent was fragile when caught off guard.

"...How... did you...?"

"Pathetic."

"Shame, she was a real looker. If we didn't have orders to kill, we coulda taken her back with us..."

"Quit talkin' stupid. Let's move."

"Aye."

Jack went down the list of agents sent by Joker, killing them one by one. It was easier to eliminate them before they realized they'd been made—letting them escape would just be a hassle.

But some still caught on. Those, he had no choice but to fight and kill head-on.

"Damn...!! How did we get made...!!?"

"Who knows...!! Either way, you're dyin'—no point wonderin'!!"

"Tch... 'Soru'!!"

"!!"

...But capturing spies was never that simple.

Especially those who focused solely on escape—and when it came to CP0 agents who had mastered the Rokushiki, catching them was nearly impossible.

"Nothing! We can't find him!!"

"...!!"

And with his subordinates incapable of apprehending them... Jack only managed to eliminate about 70% of the spies.

But there was no time to stew in failure. Jack immediately set sail for his next job—dealing with a middleman who had tried to swindle them in a deal.

──But irregularities were part of the job.

"That broker's being escorted by a Marine warship... That's 'Great Staff Officer' Tsuru's ship."

"A regular Vice Admiral would be one thing... but Tsuru's too dangerous. Captain Jack, shall we proceed to the next mission?"

Seeing the distant warship—belonging to Marine Vice Admiral Tsuru—his subordinates exuded an air of resignation.

But Jack rejected it outright.

"──Bring the ship closer!!"

"Huh!? B-But, that's...!"

"Who the hell cares who it is!! Listen up... I'll teach you somethin' right now!! When it comes to orders from Kaido or the All-Stars, 'not doing it' ain't an option...!! The only question is whether you can or can't...!!!"

"...!!"

His crew shuddered at Jack's words—at his fearless, almost reckless drive and loyalty.

But to Jack, it was only natural. He respected Kaido, the All-Stars, his senior brothers and sisters among the Calamities.

If it were one of the Calamities, what would they do? ──They'd charge in and complete the mission, no matter who stood in their way.

If it were Kaido or Nue? ──They'd rampage through a fleet of warships, spreading destruction and terror.

So Jack would follow their example. If he bore the flag of the Beasts, fearing war was out of the question.

"We're attacking that warship!!! Battle stations...!!!"

"Y-Yes, sir!!!"

And so, Jack launched his assault on Vice Admiral Tsuru's ship.

Normally, pirates didn't go out of their way to attack the Marines or the government—but there were always a few unhinged exceptions.

The "Yonko," the Beast Pirates, were the greatest exception of all.

---

"Lord Jack!!"

"You're awake!?"

"…………!!"

──For Jack, the only time he ever rested was when he lost.

When he was defeated in battle and knocked unconscious, recovery was necessary. That meant sleep—forced rest.

"A-Are you alright?"

"Grrrr…!!!"

"Ghk…!?"

But for Jack, this rest was anything but welcome.

After all, he had lost. There was no joy in defeat—only rage. Even fresh from unconsciousness, his veins bulged, his eyes bloodshot. His fists trembled with fury—at the enemy who had beaten him, and at himself.

"...The Log Pose?"

"Y-Yes. We’ll soon reach the uninhabited island Lady Nue designated."

"...Prepare to disembark."

"Understood…"

Yet despite his anger, he quickly regained composure. Staying furious wouldn’t change anything. He’d vent his rage through destruction later. Right now, his focus was the next mission.

"...Be extra cautious on this island."

"Huh? But it’s just a beast hunt…?"

"Idiot. If Lady Nue herself ordered us to retrieve it, it’s no ordinary prey."

"...R-Right…!!"

Yes—this was a task entrusted by King himself.

That alone made failure unacceptable. And something about it reeked of trouble.

"Also, Lord Jack… About the cargo hold—there’s a, well, person—"

"Hah!? A stowaway!?"

"N-No, not exactly… It’s… Lord Soro. He’s been sleeping there…"

"!?"

──And so, as another irregularity surfaced, Jack made landfall on the island.

---

Meanwhile—Somewhere in the New World, an uninhabited island’s waters.

"Funeh-funeh~♪"

Strangely enough, the ship sailing these waters was… singing.

Its bow bore a face sculpted like candy, and as if alive, it cheerfully hummed a tune. The massive vessel flew a flag that would send most pirates fleeing in terror at the mere sight of it.

On its deck stood a crew of unusually eccentric pirates.

"—Uninhabited Island: Gara-Gara Cost Performance Island. Hundreds of unique species inhabit this land, bu-pu-re—"

"…………"

The man delivering this lecture had impossibly long, spindly legs. Peering at the island through his sunglasses, he addressed the giant beside him.

"Now, the critical detail… The eggs of a certain creature here are exquisite—a rarity even on the black market, BON!"

"...A fine delicacy, Baron Tamago. But does it truly warrant my involvement?"

"Indeed. The reason humans avoid this island? The sheer strength of its fauna! Lesser pirates would become the prey, sois-voilà!"

"Hmph! So you’re saying your lot might struggle without me."

The armored giant’s voice rumbled like thunder. The lanky man and the other pirates straightened under his gaze—a silent acknowledgment of his superior rank.

"A shameful admission, but yes, fiou. Mama wishes to serve these eggs at her next tea party, bu-pu-re. Caution is wisest, sois-voilà."

"—Understood. Very well."

The warrior nodded, gripping his sword as he surveyed the island. His crew watched with a mix of awe and reassurance. After all, this man was one of only four in the Big Mom Pirates permitted to bear their highest title—

『BIG MOM PIRATES "SWEET 4 COMMANDERS"
MINISTER OF BISCUITS • 10TH SON OF THE CHARLOTTE FAMILY
CHARLOTTE CRACKER • BOUNTY: 660,000,000 BERRIES』

"—Then let’s finish this quickly and return!!"

『BIG MOM PIRATES COMBANTANT "THE KNIGHT" BARON TAMAGO
BOUNTY: 229,000,000 BERRIES』

"—Quite right. Mama loathes tardiness to her tea parties. We’re in your debt, renaissance."

──And so, on a remote New World island, a small but fateful clash between two Emperors’ crews loomed.