Frost was utterly shocked as he watched the battle unfold before him.
Was this really a fight between humans?
It was beyond anything he could have ever imagined.
Jack's attacks were wild and ferocious, but Rosinante was just as relentless in striking back.
Their blades tore through the earth, shattered city walls, and sent boulders crumbling, as if the world itself was collapsing. The sheer destruction left Frost gasping in awe.
"Monsters…" he muttered.
Jack roared in fury, swinging his massive scythe at Rosinante.
Clang!
Rosinante met the strike head-on, his sword clashing against the scythe.
"You're nothing but brute force, aren't you?"
Though Rosinante managed to block Jack's relentless slashes, the raw power behind each strike made his arms tremble. But rather than back down, he retaliated fiercely. A battle like this was the perfect training ground to hone his swordsmanship.
Jack's assaults were like a raging storm—powerful and unyielding. But Rosinante's style was quick, precise, and eerily silent. Every time Jack launched a strike, Rosinante countered with several in return. Though Jack's body was already covered in cuts, his monstrous endurance made them meaningless. He shrugged off every wound and continued his rampage, forcing Rosinante to defend himself against the brutal onslaught.
"What the hell is going on here?! Can someone explain this to me?!"
One of Jack's pirates groggily sat up, having just recovered from Rosinante's Conqueror's Haki.
As a member of the Mammoth Pirates, he had never imagined that someone in a tiny kingdom like Joromia could stand against their captain—let alone overpower him.
And from where he stood, Jack was losing.
More and more pirates and royal guards began to wake up. Rosinante's Haki was still new, and though it had been strong enough to knock them out, they recovered quickly—especially since they were used to the brutal conditions of the New World.
But instead of rejoining the fight, they simply stood there in shock, staring at the ongoing battle.
Clang!
Another collision of blades sent Rosinante skidding backward.
"What insane strength… A monstrous body, a savage personality, and an unyielding will. You'd make a perfect enforcer. But before I recruit you…"
Rosinante planted his sword into the ground.
"I need to break you first."
He raised both fists, his knuckles darkening as he coated them in Armament Haki.
Jack scoffed in disdain. To him, Rosinante's Haki was still weak, barely worth noticing. If his opponent had abandoned his sword, then this battle was already over.
That was what Jack thought—until Rosinante vanished.
Jack's eyes darted around, scanning for any sign of him.
And then—
"Collapse Fist—Critical Strike."
Jack barely registered the words before he felt a crushing impact against his abdomen. The moment the blow landed, Rosinante's voice reached his ears—but by then, he was already being sent skidding backward.
"What…?"
Jack's face twisted in disbelief. Rosinante's Haki was supposed to be weak—he shouldn't have been able to breach Jack's defenses.
Yet somehow, the force of that punch had bypassed his external defenses and struck directly at his organs.
Jack gritted his teeth, trying to steady himself—
"Collapse Fist—Critical Strike."
This time, the blow came from behind. Once again, there was no warning. No sound. No movement. The impact connected before the words even reached Jack's ears.
Blow after blow rained down on him.
"Collapse Fist—Critical Strike."
"Collapse Fist—Critical Strike."
Jack, who had once stood toe-to-toe with Rosinante, was now being tossed around like a ragdoll.
Frost could hardly believe his eyes.
Just moments ago, Jack had been an unstoppable force. But now, he was completely at Rosinante's mercy, his body wracked with pain, unable to land a single counterattack.
And the most terrifying part?
Each time Jack was struck, blood spewed from his mouth.
Even when cut by swords, Jack had never so much as flinched. But now, Rosinante's fists were breaking him.
When Rosinante finally halted his assault, Jack remained standing.
Barely.
His eyes were still open, but his mind had long since faded into unconsciousness.
"You survived 108 of my Collapse Fists."
Rosinante looked down at him.
"For a normal person, even one punch would have been enough to rupture every organ in their body. But you? You took them all and lived."
He nodded in approval.
"Not bad."
Frost swallowed hard.
"H-He's… still alive?!"
Rosinante let out a breath, shaking his head.
"Stubborn bastard. Every organ shattered, every bone broken, yet he still refused to fall."
He turned to the remaining pirates.
"Round up the rest of them. Don't kill them. We're going to need manpower in the days ahead."
Frost straightened, nodding swiftly.
"Understood, my lord!"
There was no hesitation in his voice. He had already accepted Rosinante as his ruler.
Rosinante lifted Jack effortlessly, hoisting the massive man over his shoulder like a sack of grain. Without another word, he strode toward the palace at the heart of the city.
The pirates shrank away as he passed. Without Jack to lead them, none of them dared to resist.
The royal palace of Joromia was eerily empty.
The nobles had long since fled, and any servants who had remained were either hiding or had joined the guards in battle. The grand halls, once bustling with activity, were now silent.
Rosinante walked straight to the throne and sat down, dropping Jack's unconscious body beside him.
The man would live.
Ancient Zoans like him had absurd recovery abilities. Given time, he would heal—even from injuries that should have been fatal.
Not long after, Frost entered the throne room, leading a group of guards.
They knelt before Rosinante.
"My lord."
Rosinante rested his chin on his knuckles, gazing down at them.
"Frost, do you remember our deal?"
Frost raised his head.
"Of course. It was you who saved Joromia. We will honor our word—you shall be our king. The people will have no objections to swearing loyalty to their savior. However…"
He hesitated.
"The nobles who fled will not sit idly by. Joromia is a World Government-affiliated nation. Once the royal family learns what has happened, they will no doubt beg the World Government for intervention. To protect their authority, the Government will have no choice but to respond. They will send the Marines to hunt you down."
Rosinante chuckled.
"Let them try."
Frost blinked in surprise.
"The nobles might not even reach the Red Line alive. The world is in chaos, and the Marines have their hands full already. The New World will soon belong to pirates. The Government and its lapdogs are too busy trying to hold onto what little control they have left."
His tone was calm, but his eyes burned with resolve.
Frost hesitated for only a moment before bowing deeply.
"Then, your coronation shall be held at once, Your Majesty."
The guards behind him followed suit.
"Your Majesty!"
Frost lifted his head.
"May we know the name of our new king?"
Rosinante exhaled slowly.
Then, he spoke.
"Donquixote Rosinante."
That name… It was his now.
And he would carve it into history with fire and blood.