"What happened? Who dares attack me? Tired of living?!"
Jack, seeing the tremendous explosions ahead, grabbed a Den Den Mushi to call his scout ships.
The snail echoed with panic. "Lord Jack, it seems to be… the Marine traitor Creed! Aahhh—!"
Boom!
The transmission cut with a thunderous roar. Jack cursed. "Creed? He came to the New World? For G-K Branch?!"
He tried calling other scouts, but none responded.
"All the scout ships… wiped out?!"
His eyes widened. Ten scout ships, famed for speed and helmed by his best men, all destroyed in one wave. His heart bled.
"Damn it! Who the hell is fighting him? I'll kill them both! Even if the Gorosei themselves came, they couldn't save you!"
Though Katakuri had lost to Creed, Jack still saw himself above Katakuri. He had never feared recklessness. In the original timeline, he even charged Sengoku and Fujitora head-on for Doflamingo's sake.
"Dark!"
A flash of light streaked across the sky, landing on Jack's ship. A handsome youth of sixteen or seventeen appeared, with a small flying dragon wearing a cloud hat perched on his shoulder.
"Jack the Drought? Hello."
Creed waved casually.
"Hello? Creed—damn you!"
Jack realized who it was, drawing his dual shotel-blades in a cross strike.
"So violent. Maybe those ten dumb elephants should be preparing for Big Mom's wrath."
Creed slipped away in light, leaving Jack momentarily stunned. Big Mom's wrath? Hadn't Kaido and Big Mom been allies, even helping each other before? He almost laughed. Big Mom target him? Impossible—
Boom!
A fiery slash fell from above, its heat suffocating even before it landed.
"A top swordsman's strike!"
"Shit!"
Jack crossed his blades, barely withstanding.
Boom!
The blow hurled him into the sea, splitting his mammoth flagship clean in two.
"Worororo!"
From the sky came flames, pouring like rain, setting escort ships ablaze. The Jack Pirates stared in horror.
Above them loomed a colossal fireball over a hundred meters wide, with a furious face. Standing atop it was Big Mom herself, sword Napoleon in hand, her body gaunt, cheeks sunken, eyes blood-red with madness.
"Where's Creed?! I'll tear him apart!" she roared.
"Mom, over there—I feel Zeus's lightning," Napoleon pointed.
Boom!
She rode Prometheus's flames and soared off, leaving Jack's fleet in ruins.
"It's Big Mom! But isn't she Kaido's ally? Why burn our ships?!"
"The deck's aflame! We can't put it out!"
"Help! Save me!"
"Forget it—jump!"
"That's Prometheus? Too terrifying!"
Panic consumed the survivors. Some cursed as they leapt into the sea.
The Jack Pirates were temporarily erased from the New World.
"Ding! Congratulations to the host. SSSS- ability Iron Skin successfully extracted."
The system's chime made Creed sigh in relief.
Big Mom's frenzied might had boosted her Giant's Strength to SSSS-, nearly ending him.
"Big Mom, goodbye!"
He tossed Zeus back, severing her lock, then flashed away with Falkor, fleeing in light.
"Creed!"
Big Mom howled in fury, the sound blasting across miles, stunning all creatures into unconsciousness. Fish, shrimp, even Sea Kings rolled lifeless in the waves.
…
Deep undersea, in the Fleet Admiral's chamber, Commander-in-Chief Kong sat listening to Sengoku, Garp, and Zephyr's pleas.
When they finished, he opened his eyes. "Go back. I understand your feelings. But this cannot be reversed. Even if I intervened, it would change nothing."
"You can't? You're the Commander-in-Chief! How can the World Government ignore you?" Zephyr pressed.
"Old man Kong, I've never begged anyone in my life…" Garp's brows furrowed like scars as he muttered words he hardly believed himself.
"Commander, please—let the World Government give Creed another chance. He could atone, even fight the Emperors, pacify the New World…" Sengoku added.
Kong sighed. "You think killing one judge was all he did? That was just the cover story. In truth, Creed slaughtered Celestial Dragon elders and turned their heads into beasts."
The three fell silent.
Garp then burst into laughter. "Hah! The brat's got guts." Rising, he strode for the door. If even the elders had been butchered, there was no turning back.
"Garp, mind your tongue before the Commander-in-Chief!" Sengoku barked.
"Whatever. The World Government and Marines will regret this," Garp said with certainty.
"Though talented, his crimes are unforgivable," Kong's eyes sharpened. In this world, even Emperors feared opposing the World Government openly.
Only one man—Dragon—stood apart.
Kong's gaze at Garp hardened. Your son leads the Revolutionaries. Your grandson rampaged through Mariejois. Soon, your title of Marine Hero will be worthless.
If Kong knew Garp had another grandson in Foosha Village dreaming of becoming Pirate King, he would have forced Garp into retirement already.
Just then, his Den Den Mushi rang.
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My P@treon For 20+ Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!]
[[email protected]/Draumel]
[Thank You For Your Support!]