Mangaka in the StrawHats

Bang!

Under the overwhelming force of Heracles, Jack the Drought's knees slammed into the ground with a thunderous thud!

The hall fell into a deafening silence.

Jack, who had charged in with such reckless bravado, full of strength and fury, was now kneeling in defeat. The impact of this sight shocked everyone into stillness.

The pirate minions who had been eagerly anticipating Jack's victory now stared in disbelief. Their faces were frozen with shock, mouths hanging open. The excitement drained from their eyes, replaced by confusion and horror.

Even Jack himself was utterly baffled.

For a moment, his mind struggled to process what had just happened. Then, the realization hit him—he had been humiliated. Rage erupted within him like a volcanic eruption.

"AHHH!!!-------"

Blinding fury surged through Jack's veins. He planted his hands firmly on the ground and roared as he attempted to push against Heracles' serrated stone blade.

With a furious bellow, Jack activated his Devil Fruit ability.

Human-Beast Form!

Instantly, Jack's muscles bulged, growing thicker and denser by the second. His body expanded, his arms growing several times their original size, and his height skyrocketed as he transformed. His two sickles crossed to brace against the blade, and with a monumental effort, he began to rise from his kneeling position.

"Look!! Master Jack is standing up!"

"Once Master Jack uses his human-beast form, it's all over! This idiot is done for!"

"He really made the worst mistake of his life angering Master Jack!!"

The surrounding pirates, seeing Jack's transformation, began cheering wildly, their earlier fear replaced by renewed confidence.

But... hmm?

Heracles tilted his head, his eyes narrowed in confusion. It was as if he couldn't comprehend why Jack, who was clearly weaker, was still resisting. Why struggle when you're doomed?

With an almost casual motion, Heracles placed his left hand on the back of his jagged stone blade and pressed down—gently.

Snap!

Jack's knees, which had almost lifted him off the ground, buckled instantly, slamming back down to the floor with a deafening crash.

The minions' cheers died in their throats, replaced once again by wide-eyed shock.

Before they could react, Heracles shifted, his expression still calm, and swung his leg in a powerful, brutal kick!

Boom!!

His massive foot connected with Jack's chest, the impact so immense it was like a bomb going off. The sound of the collision echoed through the hall like a thunderclap.

Jack's enormous body was sent hurtling across the first-floor lobby like a massive cannonball, rocketing through the air at terrifying speed.

He smashed straight toward... Kaido!

Boom~~~

The ground shook violently as Jack's body collided with Kaido's, knocking both of them hard into the wall. The force was enough to make the entire structure tremble, and the wall crumbled under the impact, collapsing with a deafening crash.

At that moment, every pirate in the hall instantly sobered up. The shockwave of realization spread through them as the dust settled.

"Y-Your Excellency the Governor..."

"He disturbed Lord Kaido!!"

"It's over! Lord Kaido is going to be furious!"

"This fool doesn't realize the grave mistake he's just made!"

"Damn it! He's going to drag all of us into this!"

Crash~~~

The rubble shifted, and a massive figure sat up from the ruins.

Hmm~~~

Kaido wiped his face lazily, shaking off the last remnants of his drunken stupor. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the scene, finally noticing Jack sprawled out across his lap. His brow furrowed in annoyance.

"Jack, you idiot, you're completely useless!" Kaido grumbled. Without a second thought, he picked Jack up and tossed him aside like a discarded rag.

Slowly, Kaido stood, his imposing form towering over the now-quiet hall. He looked straight at Heracles, his deep voice rumbling like distant thunder. "Where are you from?"

Heracles, in his defensive warrior form, wasn't fully in control of his thoughts. His eyes flashed with a simple instinct: the mission. Logan's order still rang in his head—find and beat Kaido.

"Where... is Kaido?" Heracles' voice was slow, almost mechanical, his mind hazy.

Kaido's expression darkened. "You're looking for me?"

Though Heracles was massive and imposing, Kaido didn't see him as a true threat. To Kaido, he was just another tall, burly figure—no different from the many giants Kaido had encountered before. But those giants had crumbled like fragile toys beneath his strength.

Yet here was this unknown intruder, crashing into his base and causing chaos. The sheer audacity of it made Kaido's blood boil. His eyes flicked to the pirates in the hall, who immediately shrank back in terror under his glare. Even the very air seemed to grow heavier under the weight of Kaido's fury.

Heracles, now having locked onto his target, muttered, "You... are Kaido..."

As if confirming his mission, Heracles' hair and beard bristled with energy. His long, black hair began to float as if caught in an unseen wind, and his eyes glinted with a fiery resolve. He stepped forward with his right foot, the sheer power of his movement causing the floor to explode beneath him.

Smoke and dust rose as Heracles, like a charging train, hurtled toward Kaido with terrifying speed.

"Hahahaha!!!" Kaido's booming laughter echoed through the hall. "Good job! It's been ages since I've seen an idiot bold enough to attack me!"

Kaido grinned savagely as Heracles rushed at him. With one swift motion, he reached for his massive mace. His body tensed, and the air around him crackled as the Conqueror's Haki surged forth, wrapping around the weapon like a dark aura.

In an instant, silver lightning arcs danced across the surface of Kaido's mace, hissing and crackling like serpents. The sheer intensity of the electric energy sent shockwaves through the room.

Sizzle~~~

Without hesitation, Kaido lunged forward, the weight of his mace crashing through the air like a meteor.

"Thunder Bagua!!" he roared, his attack fueled by his immense power and the violent arcs of electricity spiraling around him.

Heracles, his entire body consumed by bright red flames, resembled a demon god born from the depths of fire and fury. His serrated blade, now glowing with an ominous scarlet hue, swung forward with raw, unrelenting force.

"Twelvefold Vengeance!!"

The two titanic forces clashed with a resounding boom, their weapons colliding in a cataclysmic display of power.

Black and purple lightning from Kaido's attack mixed with the black and red flames of Heracles' vengeance, creating a violent struggle between the two energies. The ground beneath them cracked and shattered under the sheer pressure.

The shockwaves from their clash were so immense that the surrounding pirates were sent stumbling back, their senses overwhelmed by the blinding light and deafening sound. Their heads spun, their ears rang, and the sheer force of the impact left them dazed and trembling.

In that instant, the two opposing forces—Kaido's Thunder Bagua and Heracles' Twelvefold Vengeance—exploded with a blinding flash of energy, sending shockwaves reverberating throughout the castle.

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[Read more chapter ahead at [email protected]/goldengaruda]

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