As both Jack and Aramaki continued on their journey across the sea, they eventually reached the very first island of their adventure. The sight of land filled them with relief, even though they had originally set out with the intent of enjoying the sea itself. After more than a week of seeing nothing but endless waves and blue skies, the monotony began to wear down their enthusiasm. No matter how adventurous someone was, an unchanging ocean could make even the strongest spirit long for something different.
"Ahhhh, how I miss you, land. I promise I won't ever complain about you being dirty again," Aramaki said dramatically as soon as their feet touched the shore. He even went so far as to hug the sand, pressing his cheek into it as though it were an old friend.
Jack, standing nearby, looked at him with a slightly disgusted expression, clearly unimpressed. "What kind of person hugs sand? That's just weird, don't you think?" he asked bluntly, with no care for Aramaki's feelings.
Aramaki stood up immediately, brushing sand from his clothes, his face a mix of irritation and annoyance. "What did you just say? Don't you miss the land at all?" he demanded, stepping closer to Jack as though ready to argue.
Jack gave him a flat look, the kind that said he thought Aramaki was being ridiculous. The dismissive attitude only made Aramaki more frustrated, and he began yelling and shouting about how Jack had no appreciation for solid ground. Jack ignored him completely, walking further inland while Aramaki followed, still ranting. Together they continued on, intending to find some trace of civilization.
Before they could get very far, however, they noticed a figure watching them from a distance. It was a child—though "child" seemed a strange word, given his unusual appearance. His skin was dark, his hair was a messy blond, and strapped to his back were two weapons that looked like swords at first glance. He wore large shades that hid his eyes, but Jack could tell even through the glasses that the boy's gaze was locked directly on them.
"YO YO YO, what are you doing on my island, yo?" the boy suddenly shouted, moving his arms in an exaggerated rhythm as though he were rapping.
Jack and Aramaki both paused, staring at him with blank expressions. To them, it didn't sound like rapping—it sounded more like someone talking in a strange, forced tone.
The boy waited for a reaction, but silence was all that answered him. Jack and Aramaki simply turned away, choosing to ignore the strange performance and continuing their walk forward. But before they could take many steps, two large tentacles shot out from the ground, aiming to wrap around them.
Aramaki reacted instantly, his own wooden tentacles sprouting from his arm. He lashed out, piercing the foreign appendages, and drained them dry in the same way he had dealt with the pirate crew before. The tentacles shriveled up within moments, but Jack, instead of dodging, let one strike him directly.
What he felt surprised him. The grip of the tentacle was unnaturally strong, with an overwhelming suction that clung stubbornly to his arm. "Interesting," Jack muttered as he reached out with his free hand, tore the tentacle from his body, and examined it. Curiously, even after being severed, the tentacle continued to squeeze as if trying to fulfill its last command, though it could not hold against Jack's strength.
Jack lifted his eyes back to the child, who was still swaying his arms with that same odd rhythm.
"Hey, you're strong. Want to be part of my crew?" Jack asked directly, his tone casual but serious.
The boy froze mid-movement. Slowly, he stopped swaying, and then reached over his shoulder. He drew the two blades from his back—but upon closer inspection, they weren't actually swords. They were knives, though longer than usual, more like oversized daggers. The resemblance made Jack think of a certain character he once knew, and the similarities only increased his interest.
"I don't associate myself with weaklings," the boy replied, and this time, his voice carried no rhythm or rap. It was flat, serious, and filled with confidence.
Jack's grin widened. "It's a good thing neither of us are weak, then." He drew his saber with a deliberate motion. Beside him, Aramaki was already grinning and preparing to transform, roots beginning to form around his hands, but Jack held up a hand to stop him.
"No, no. This fight is mine. You had your fun already, now let me have mine," Jack said firmly.
Aramaki looked at him, then broke into a smile and gestured toward him as if handing the stage over. "Fine, he's all yours."
Jack pointed his saber at the boy. "If I defeat you, you'll join us?" he asked.
The boy twirled his knife between his fingers before smirking. "We'll see, baby," he answered.
Then he drew even more knives from hidden sheaths across his body, until Jack realized just how many the boy was carrying. The resemblance grew clearer and clearer in Jack's mind, and his eagerness only increased.
The boy shifted into a strange fighting stance, his body loose and almost dancing, while Jack slid into a posture that looked more suited to fencing, his saber angled forward like a rapier.
The boy made the first move. He leaped high into the air, spinning rapidly as though turning himself into a spiked ball. His knives gleamed as he descended, striking at Jack in a flurry of rapid blows. Jack responded calmly, parrying each strike with controlled movements of his saber.
Then the knives began to float. One by one, they spun in mid-air as though controlled by an invisible force, and the boy's movements grew more like a dance. With a flick of his hand, the floating knives shot toward Jack like darts.
Jack dodged with sharp, precise steps, watching closely. Each time a knife embedded itself in the ground, the boy used acrobatics to flip and reclaim it, seamlessly blending retrieval with attack. His movements were flashy but efficient, a mix of showmanship and lethality.
Finally, Jack decided to counter. He lunged forward suddenly, thrusting his saber with speed aimed straight at the boy's chest. The boy twisted in the air, barely avoiding the strike, and retaliated by stabbing his knife toward Jack's eye. Jack tilted his head just in time, feeling the blade brush past his temple, then answered with a punch that landed squarely against the boy's torso.
The impact sent the boy skidding backward across the sand. He coughed, but when he looked up, his lips curled into a grin. Jack was still standing there, also grinning, the thrill of the fight clear in his eyes. Both of them understood in that moment—they were enjoying themselves.
"Tell me, what's your name?" the child finally asked, his voice calm but curious as he pushed himself back up to his feet. He dusted the sand off his clothes and fixed his shades before staring directly at Jack, his posture showing that he was taking this moment seriously.
"Sparrow D. Jack," Jack answered without hesitation. Then, with a confident grin, he added, "But you can just call me Jack Sparrow. And remember this—I'm gonna be the freest man in the world." His words carried weight, the kind of tone that made it clear he wasn't just joking around.
The boy stood in silence for a moment, studying Jack as though trying to judge whether he was serious. Then he slowly nodded and smirked, lifting one of his knives and pointing it casually at Jack.
"My name is Kira B," he said. Then, after a brief pause, his grin widened. "But everyone can just call me Killer B. And I'll tell you my dream too—I'm gonna be the best rapper in the world."
The way he said it wasn't playful or mocking. It was straightforward, filled with the same kind of conviction Jack had shown. For a brief moment, the air between them shifted, as if two completely different but equally strong wills were colliding.
Aramaki, who had been standing off to the side watching with his arms crossed, tilted his head and let out a laugh. "So one wants to be the freest man, and the other wants to be the best rapper? What kind of crazy crew am I getting myself into?"
But despite his words, he was smiling. He could tell both Jack and Killer B were serious, and that was enough for him.