Chapter 27: Jack's Killing Intent

Watching their figures disappear into the horizon, Jack decided it was best to head to Kaido and report.

These people dared to roam freely in Kuri, showing no fear of him or his crew. Kaido had to know about them—it was impossible otherwise. Besides, Jack's desire to set sail and prove himself worthy of becoming the Pirate King was growing stronger by the second.

However, Jack had overestimated the stamina of his mounts. While the crocodiles were enormous and swift, they lacked the endurance of the oversized roosters ridden by the grunts. After a series of stops and starts, they finally reached the foot of Atamayama Thieves Brigade, where the group decided to rest.

But the pirates accompanying Jack—handpicked by Queen to assist—began to grow uneasy.

A cluster of them huddled together in hushed conversation. Finally, one of the lackeys, his face tense with worry, approached Jack cautiously.

"J-Jack-sama… perhaps we should leave this place..."

"This area is dangerous!"

"Hm?" Jack, mid-drink, handed his water flask to Yamato. Rising to his full height, he loomed over the pirate, his face void of emotion.

"Dangerous? Are you joking with me?" His cold gaze pierced through the pirate. "Is there any place in Wano that's dangerous for the Beast Pirates? Idiot!"

"J-Jack-sama…"

Standing nearly five meters tall and rippling with muscle, Jack's very presence was intimidating. Combined with his sharp, fang-like teeth and his growing reputation—thanks to a brutal lesson he taught a subordinate during this year's Fire Festival—Jack's anger was enough to make the pirate tremble.

"Jack-sama," another pirate, large and burly, stepped forward, his voice measured. "Please, don't be angry. There's… a long story behind this."

Jack turned to him, his tone low but commanding. "Blissgra, explain yourself. Now."

Blissgra wiped the sweat from his brow. "This mountain is home to the Atamayama Thieves—a band of ronin we crossed paths with earlier today. Their leader is Ashura Doji, a warrior of great strength. Queen-sama once mentioned him… Kaido-sama values his power and has tried to recruit him."

Hearing this, Jack's expression darkened.

"Kaido-sama wants this samurai for his crew?" He snorted. "I see. Fine, you're dismissed."

"B-But, Jack-sama… if they come back in numbers, I'm afraid—"

"Silence!"

Though reluctant, Blissgra stepped back. Grumbling under his breath, he gestured to one of the grunts, who quietly mounted a rooster and headed toward Bakura Town.

"Hmm?"

The sound of approaching hooves broke the silence. Blissgra and the others tensed, standing to attention. Yamato and Black Maria exchanged a glance at Jack, who remained unfazed, before calmly sitting back down.

"Thud, thud, thud..."

Ashura Doji and his men returned, their mounts laden with goods. The group came to a halt upon seeing Jack and his crew resting at the base of the mountain.

With a cold expression, Ashura Doji dismounted, securing his sake gourd—marked with the kanji for "Heaven"—at his waist. He marched toward Blissgra, his voice dripping with disdain.

"Tch. I ignored you before because you weren't worth my time. But you're still here? Seeking death?" He unsheathed his blade. "Kill them."

"Yes! Hahaha!"

Blissgra's face contorted with rage. "Ashura Doji! How dare you! We're members of the Beast Pirates! Kaido-sama won't forgive this!"

Ashura Doji sneered. "Your uniforms gave you away. Who else would strut around Kuri so brazenly?" He spat on the ground. "But Beast Pirates or not, you're nothing to me. Die!"

Though a skilled fighter, Blissgra was no match for Ashura Doji. Within moments, he was on the back foot, struggling to defend himself. The rest of the grunts fared no better, quickly overwhelmed by the thieves' superior numbers.

Clang!

At a critical moment, Jack intervened.

Yamato and Black Maria charged into the fray, while Jack swung his spiked kanabo, intercepting Ashura Doji's blade.

Ashura Doji was massive, standing half a head taller than Jack's nearly five-meter frame. Yet where Doji's build was bulky, Jack's muscular physique radiated raw power, creating an overwhelming aura.

The two locked weapons, neither giving an inch.

After a moment, Ashura Doji's eyes narrowed.

"Who are you?" he asked, voice edged with curiosity. "A newly recruited officer for the Beast Pirates?"

Jack's eyes glinted with fury. "I'm your worst nightmare, you bastard! You dare steal from me?"

He pointed to the sacks loaded onto the thieves' mounts, each marked with Yamato's hand-drawn elephant symbol.

Jack's fury was palpable, and Yamato shouted angrily, "You scum! What did you do to the villagers of Amigasa?"

Ashura Doji paused, then burst into a mocking laugh. "Hah! Villagers?" He sneered. "You pirates pitying the people you've already ruined? Don't make me laugh! This country's suffering is all your doing!"

"Wano has no real men left! It's already finished! So I'll do whatever I want to whoever I want!"

Clang!

Ashura Doji unleashed a powerful blow, his blade coated in an overwhelming Haki. Though Jack parried with his kanabo, he could feel the strain. Ashura Doji's strength and Haki were superior, leaving Jack seething with humiliation as memories of past defeats surfaced.

"Shing..."

"Slash!"

Ashura Doji capitalized on Jack's momentary distraction, his Haki-infused blade slicing across Jack's chest. Blood sprayed onto the ground.

"Take that as a warning," Ashura Doji growled. "You're lucky to still be alive. Run while you can."

He turned to rejoin his men, but stopped dead in his tracks.

Jack had transformed into his mammoth form, radiating a menacing aura that froze everyone in place.

"Injured? Running?" Jack's deep, rumbling voice boomed. "You dare speak to me like that? Who gave you that courage?"

He bared his tusks, snarling. "You scratched me and think you've won? If I let you cut off my ear, would you ascend to heaven itself?!"

Jack stomped the ground, his voice a roar. "You think you can do as you please? DIE!"

"Elephant Whip!"

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