When Carrot and the others heard Cavendish's new nickname, they couldn't help but laugh. They'd all heard Jerry's adapted stories to some extent—after all, listening to those bizarre tales was one of Carrot's favorite pastimes.
Noticing his friends' laughter, Cavendish flipped his hair with characteristic vanity, reveling in the attention. "This is a title bestowed upon me by my adoring fans. I shall treasure it always!"
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Artillery fire rang out again, but this time the Black Nova had successfully drawn all enemy attention. Most of Germa's dozens of snail ships were equipped with cannons, meaning that after several volleys, the flying shells would have completely blanketed their deck if left unchecked.
Under Jerry's expert navigation, the Black Nova sailed through wind and waves, advancing steadily while completely ignoring the incoming bombardment.
"Hmph! Bring it on!" Cavendish wasn't intimidated by this level of artillery—he actually wanted them to fire more so he could bask in the cheers from his newfound fans behind them.
As one of the most powerful Logia fruits, the Rumble-Rumble Fruit was naturally gifted for the massive role it could play in large-scale warfare.
Amid explosive sounds, the Black Nova charged toward Germa 66's main castle wreathed in fire and lightning.
During their approach, Deuce couldn't help asking, "Jerry, is your plan actually feasible? Germa's already treating us as enemies, right?"
"There's no such thing as permanent enemies when there aren't deep-seated grudges," Jerry replied, shaking his head. "Besides, as long as we're strong enough, they'll know how to choose wisely."
"Hey, what are you all staring at? I'm talking about having strong fists." Seeing Deuce and Skull exchange strange looks while even Brook gaped openly, Jerry raised his fist with an expressionless face.
After finishing his explanation, Jerry produced dozens of bound papers and waved them meaningfully. "Also, we're not taking advantage of them for nothing. They'll gain something valuable too."
Deuce and the others nodded. "Alright, we'll leave the decision-making to you."
Jerry put away the papers, gently stroking Carrot and little Bonney's hair while smiling. "Aren't you curious about Germa's stories? We'll go up together shortly and let you see everything firsthand."
Both girls nodded enthusiastically, their eyes sparkling with excitement. "Yeah! That sounds amazing!"
Seeing Carrot and Bonney's eagerness, Carina silently massaged her temples. However, she was also somewhat curious about the Germa Kingdom—especially their treasures...
But she understood that once they chose cooperation, she could no longer covet other people's wealth.
When the Black Nova approached Germa's fleet under Cavendish's protective cover, Jerry stood at the bow and looked up at Judge, Ichiji, and Reiju, who had appeared on the main castle's battlements.
"Hand over Niji and Yonji immediately! Otherwise, you'll face more than just artillery bombardment!"
The continuous cannon roar suddenly stopped as Judge's voice transmitted clearly to Jerry and his crew through loudspeakers.
Inviting Cavendish back to the deck, Jerry raised his left hand calmly. "Be patient—their safety is guaranteed. We're not here for war."
"Of course, if you insist on fighting, we'll accommodate you!" Jerry flexed his fingers slightly, preparing to demonstrate his point.
But Ichiji sneered and suddenly launched himself upward, drawing a blurred trajectory through the air like a bullet as he rushed straight toward Jerry. "Then let's fight!"
Witnessing this scene, Germa Kingdom soldiers immediately cheered up, raising their hands to support Ichiji's assault.
Jerry figure vanishing from the deck instantly.
"Sparks Spiral!" In the sky, flames erupted as Ichiji attacked with his signature technique.
However, before anyone could properly observe the two fighters clashing mid-air, they heard Ichiji's surprised cry.
"Hmph! Get down!" Jerry's calm voice followed, and everyone heard a tremendous impact. The sparks in the sky disappeared as a red figure plummeted toward the ocean.
A massive splash erupted from the sea surface, the cascading water drenching nearby ships and cutting off the cheers that had been building among Germa soldiers.
Judge and Reiju, observing from the rear, frowned slightly at this unexpected development.
The next second, seawater exploded upward as Ichiji rose straight from the ocean with fury etched across his face, launching himself again.
"It's not over yet! Sparks Double Spiral!"
This display made Judge's lips curl into a confident smile as he nodded silently. He knew exactly how devastating this enhanced technique could be.
Ichiji's hands blazed simultaneously with intense flames as he flew upward at incredible speed, moving like crimson lightning.
Jerry sneered, as if he'd predicted his opponent's exact movements. He timed it perfectly, suddenly flipping his body rapidly in mid-air. His feet turned black as ink with Armament Haki as he struck down precisely at seemingly empty space.
At that exact moment, Ichiji rushed forward. Before he could bring his hands together for his attack, he saw a flash and found himself positioned directly in front of Jerry's descending feet, as if he'd walked into a carefully laid trap.
Another tremendous crash and massive splash followed. Ichiji spat blood as he was kicked into the water again without any chance to react.
Judge's eyes widened, his mouth opening reflexively before he caught himself halfway, hurriedly controlling his expression to return to his usual composed demeanor.
Jerry's inverted figure followed closely, quickly landing on the sea surface. He suddenly bent down, extending his right hand while calling softly:
"Hydro Cage!"
With Jerry's palm as the focal point, seawater surged and rotated rapidly in increasingly powerful currents.
Suddenly, Jerry lifted his right palm, and everyone immediately discovered a transparent sphere like amber floating before him, with a red figure trapped within the massive water prison.
Ichiji tried to struggle with a ferocious expression, light seeming to kindle in his open hands before instantly extinguishing. He gritted his teeth and pressed his palms together with all his strength, but after a muffled thud, the expected massive explosion never occurred.
Immediately afterward, Ichiji was completely immobilized by the increasingly powerful high-pressure currents within his aquatic prison.
Witnessing his eldest son Ichiji captured within mere moments, Judge was secretly shocked. His thoughts raced frantically as he anxiously considered countermeasures.
Just as he brainstormed while his soldiers stood dumbfounded and growing agitated, a voice interrupted Judge's racing thoughts.
Jerry moved the water prison maintained by his right hand to one side while slowly extending his left hand. "So? Do you still want to continue this fight?"