Chapter 14

The battle was already over before the sun rose the next day. Nami, Vivi and Jack were together in a room, discussing the treatment's payment with Dr. Kureha; the rest of the Straw Hats being otherwise occupied.

"…for the medical fee, I'll take all the treasure on your ship. And don't forget, you still need to remain under medical observation a few more days."

Nami slammed her hands on the table.

"What? That's outrageous! How can you expect anyone to pay that much!"

Dr. Kureha chuckled, adjusting her sunglasses.

"Oh? Then how much is your life worth, girlie? Looking at how much effort our friends went through to save it, seems to me the sum 'aint small."

"T-That's-…"

Their conversation was interrupted by Jack clearing his throat, reaching for the hem of his shirt. Pulling on a leather chord, he withdrew a big iron key.

"I happened to overhear you asking about the castle armory's key. When I went outside to stretch my legs, I stumbled across it. Would you be willing to make a trade?"

Dr. Kureha narrowed her eyes. She did reach out her hand, taking the offered item.

"You 'stumbled' across it, huh? How coincidental. I suppose… this can work as payment."

Grunting, she rose from her chair. She twirled the key around her finger,

"I'm heading downstairs to do something. There won't be anyone to keep an eye on you, and I'll be leaving the door unlocked, but you kids better still be here when I get back…!"

When she'd left, Vivi looked at Jack, a bright smile on her face. Framed by a curtain of sky-blue hair, innocent and pure, she was pretty as a painting.

"Thank you so much! If it weren't for you, who knows what would've happened to Nami-san. Even the payment…"

Punctuating her statement, she took Nami's hands, bringing them to her chest.

This drew a look of faint guilt from the other party.

"Vivi, don't… praise him too much. He did one good thing, but that's it. He's actually a bad guy-…!"

Vivi shook her head serenely.

"No, I believe he's fundamentally a kind-hearted person."

"…"

Nami clearly didn't really know how to respond to this. Last night's events were definitely at the forefront of her mind, but the atmosphere wasn't quite right for bringing it up.

Jack grinned.

"Right? I don't know what Nami's thinking. How could I possibly be a bad person?"

Vivi just laughed, while Nami sent him a vicious look.

"Whatever. You guys heard the doctor-… doctorine. Let's leave before she gets back. We don't have time to waste."

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Under a sudden downfall of pink snow, the Going Merry sailed into the distance. The Straw Hats were exhausted, having stayed up all night, and then celebrating Chopper's addition to the crew.

Jack stood alone on the deck, having been assigned as lookout. Equally rested, their navigator was nominated alongside him, but she'd plainly refused.

He smirked, puffing on his pipe. Nami couldn't avoid him forever.

While Jack was in thought, a door suddenly creaked behind him. Turning his head, he spotted Sanji, looming there with hands in his pockets. The cook's expression didn't look good.

He came to stand beside Jack, taking out his own cigarette.

"Earlier, I didn't want to ruin the atmosphere, so I didn't say anything."

Exhaling a plume of smoke, his gaze moved from the open ocean to Jack.

"Did you do something to Nami-san?"

Jack raised an eyebrow.

"What makes you think that?"

"…it's not normal for her to have such an attitude after you helped her. She's not an ungrateful person."

Sanji's voice was low, not exactly friendly.

Jack tapped a finger against his lip.

"You're right. It's a bit weird. But I honestly have no clue."

Sanji took a step closer. At 5'10, he was a lot shorter than Jack, but he didn't appear the least bit intimidated.

"Don't bullshit me."

He shifted his cigarette to the opposite corner of his mouth.

"I'll just say this—I have no patience for bastards who don't know how to treat a lady. You better mind your manners."

Jack laughed.

"Is that so? I can't help wondering what you'll do if I don't 'mind my manners'."

The ember flared at the end of Sanji's cigarette. He leaned forward, his chest almost touching Jack's.

"There's something off about you. I should've realized it earlier, since I grew up with two similar brats..."

He put the sole of his shoe on Jack's boot, grinding the heel into his toes.

"…not that it's any of your business. As for what I'll do, just try me."

"I don't see the point in antagonizing someone so much stronger than you."

"I'm not so sure you are."

"Then why don't we find out?"

The atmosphere was tense, the threat of violence hanging thick in the air. Jack and Sanji seemed about ready to throw down for real when the cabin door suddenly creaked again.

Rubbing his hands together, Zoro strolled idly onto the deck. Seeing them so close to each other, he was vaguely confused.

"The hell are you idiots doing?"

Sanji glared at him.

"Mind your own business."

Zoro seemed to do just that, going to sit cross-legged on the deck in a meditating position. However, his gaze remained directed towards them.

When nothing happened, he spoke again.

"Not gonna fight?"

Sanji sighed, blowing a stream of smoke. After shooting Jack a dirty glance, he headed for the door leading to the kitchen.

"Forget it, I'm not in the mood anymore. But you, scumbag, you better remember what I said."

Soon, he disappeared, leaving Zoro and Jack alone on deck. The latter smiled at the swordsman.

"Aren't you curious about what happened?"

"No."

Jack stared at Zoro. At some point, he'd closed his eyes.

"You're boring."

"…"

There was no reply.

Jack sighed.

"Well, since you're showing such a hardworking side, I suddenly feel like doing something too."

In the biting chill, he pulled his shirt over his head. His belt came loose, his pants and shoes soon joining everything else in a pile. Clad in only his boxers, he balanced himself on the ship's railing.

Taking a diving posture, he leapt into the air, plunging head-first into the icy waters.

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Jack sunk toward the depths. In an attempt to conserve air, he barely moved, occasionally twitching his legs when his descent stalled.

It got colder, the freezing temperature pulling heat from his body. If he were a normal person, he'd already developed hypothermia, if not sent straight into shock.

The deeper he went, the darker the environment grew. If his eyes were open, he wouldn't be able to see his hand in front of his face.

But he wasn't relying on his physical senses. An invisible field expanded outward, interacting with the energy present in other living beings.

With years' practice under his belt, Jack's Kenbunshoku extended hundreds of yards. He could sense the Straw Hats far above him, steadily sailing forward.

Eventually, he couldn't go any lower, having reached the rocky ocean floor.

Moving his arms and legs to keep up with the boat, he focused on the warm sensation in his abdomen. He felt a current of something spread through his limbs, counteracting the cold and pressure. It somewhat assisted his body, increasing the amount of time he could survive without air.

It was difficult to tell how long he spent in that dark space. His reserves weren't small, but having to sustain himself in such an extreme environment, and keeping up with a moving boat, he grew tired.

His heart pounding and his lungs burning, Jack started his ascent. His body screamed for oxygen, patterns dancing in front of his eyes, but he was in no danger of drowning. Even when he'd lost feeling in his body, his Haki pulled him forward like a puppet on strings.

He felt the temperature rising and pressure dropping. Behind his eyelids, the environment faded in, going from pure black to a subdued red. Eventually, he opened them, seeing faint beams of light scatter from above.

Unable to hold it anymore, he expelled a column of bubbles. His muscles contracting and expanding, he shot forward like a squid. The distance to the surface rapidly decreased until he broke through.

With indescribable relief, he threw his head back, heaving lungfuls of air. Oxygenated blood pounded through his veins, dispelling the acidic, burning feeling in his body.

He spotted the Going Merry, the haze fading from his eyes. He moved his arms and legs, splashing in the water as he drew closer. It wasn't long before he attracted attention, a few figures appearing on the ship's rear.

"Jack!"

"No way. He didn't drown?"

"I told you not to say something so ominous."

"Well, he's an annoyingly resilient guy-…"

Under their astonished gazes, Jack clambered up the side, heaving himself on deck. Sitting there slumped, he breathed heavily, glad to have a rest.

"You… dumbass! What do you think you're doing? Were you trying to drown yourself?!"

A shadow falling over him, he raised his head. Nami was looming there, her face a cocktail of emotions.

Jack blinked.

"What?"

"Yes! That's what everyone wants to know! Just what was going through your head!"

"Huh? I told Zoro I was going to get some exercise. So that's what I did."

Nami growled.

"That doesn't explain anything! You-… sigh, forget it. I'm just wasting my breath."

She flung a towel at his face before stomping off, disappearing inside her room.

There was a moment's silence on deck. Eventually, Vivi came forward, taking the towel and starting to dry his hair.

"I didn't know… a person could feel so cold. You're like a block of ice!"

Her eyes murky, she moved from his neck to his shoulders.

"…you were gone for hours, Jack. Everyone was extremely worried."

Jack made a thoughtful noise, taking the towel from her hands. Getting to his feet, he did the rest himself.

"That long? I was a little out of practice, so I thought it'd be quicker…"

Sufficiently dry, and seeing his clothes still nearby, he put them on. He noticed everyone staring at him like he was some kind of monster.

Usopp spoke slowly.

"Hey, are you actually a fishman? How did you stay down there for so long?"

"I just held my breath."

"…"

Everyone's expressions revealed their thoughts. That it was just plainly impossible. It was simply too long.

Jack shook his head, chuckling. In a different world, humans were indeed incapable of such feats. But here, people were built differently. Almost anything was possible with enough training.

"I'm a little tired. I think I'm going to sleep, but…"

He turned his head toward Sanji, who looked at him with a weird gaze.

"…is there anything to eat in the kitchen?"

"I saved some scraps for you. In case you didn't die. But next time, you might as well make yourself useful and catch something down there."

Jack snorted.

"Thanks. I'll do that."

The kitchen door opened and shut, his tall figure disappearing behind it.

There was silence on the deck, everyone nursing their own thoughts. Luffy broke it, rubbing his chin while staring at the ocean.

"I really wish I could swim. I could definitely hold my breath for a really long time-…"

Suddenly, his eyes widened.

"Hey, Zoro! If I hold some of your weights and jump overboard, it'll work right? You can tie my legs to the mast-…"

"No."

"Come on, why not?"

"You'll lose them. Get your own."

"Where?"

"Figure it out yourself."

"Hey, why do you have to be like that…?"

Sanji grunted, glancing from the ocean to Luffy.

"Why do you suddenly care, Luffy?"

"I'm the captain, so I should definitely be able to hold my breath longer than Jack-…"

"I don't think it works like that."

"If I try it, we'll see-…"

"Then die on your own. I'm going back inside. It's your turn on deck, Usopp."

"Hehe, don't worry. If someone like Wapol shows up again, I won't even need your guys' help-…"

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