One Piece: My Name is Jack, I'm Very Resistant to Beating

"You... you bastard! How is this even possible?!"

"How can you possibly use Armament Haki with Ryuo?!"

Shutenmaru's entire body was drenched in sweat, dripping onto the ground and forming a shallow puddle at his feet.

"Heh heh!"

"Armament Haki with Ryuo?" Jack tilted his head, a mocking grin on his face as he looked at the stunned Shutenmaru.

"I still prefer calling it Ryuo Haki. Got a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

"So, what's it gonna be? You gonna kneel and sing me a victory song? Or do I have to beat it out of you?"

"Shut your mouth!"

Anger flared in Shutenmaru's eyes, washing away the fear gripping his heart. He shouted back, his voice loud and resolute.

"I am a samurai! Not some cheap entertainer!"

"How dare you insult me like this?! I'll make you pay for it!"

Jack's grin vanished as he hefted his spiked club. With a sneer, he swung it down hard.

"A samurai? You? Ha! If you were a performer, no one would dare enter your show!"

"Stubborn fool! Too dumb to know your place! Now, die!"

Pride burned in Shutenmaru's heart, refusing to let him retreat. He raised his blade horizontally, channeling all his Armament Haki into the sword, determined to block Jack's fierce strike.

CLANG!

"Ugh!"

Shutenmaru's massive frame was sent flying back over ten meters, his sword ripped from his hands. Blood sprayed from his mouth like a crimson fountain.

"Tsk tsk, if blood donation were free, you'd have earned yourself a manicure set by now," Jack said mockingly, strolling forward.

Struggling to his feet, Shutenmaru wobbled unsteadily, his face twisted with frustration.

"Arghhh… cough, cough…"

But after just a few steps, he fell to his knees, coughing violently.

"See? Why make this hard on yourself? It's not like singing is that tough, is it?" Jack rested his club on his shoulder, approaching the samurai.

"Oh, wait! I forgot—you don't even know the lyrics, do you?"

"But hey, no big deal. I wouldn't want to teach you anyway. So, here's the only thing left for you… death!"

Jack gripped his club with both hands, raising it like a golfer ready to tee off. Shutenmaru braced himself, planting his hands on the ground and trying to rise. But his injuries were too severe; his strength was gone. He hung his head in silence.

Thud-thud-thud-thud…

"Boss!"

The sound of pounding hooves echoed from afar. Jack glanced in their direction, smirking.

"Too far away," he said casually. "They won't make it in time to save you. But don't worry—I'll send them to join you soon."

"You bastard…"

A low bellow interrupted Shutenmaru's words. His head shot up as his trusty blue ox burst out from the side, catching Jack off guard and slamming into him with full force.

"Argh!"

"Damn it! Ow, my ass!" Jack cursed as one of the ox's horns pierced deep into his rear. Carried on the beast's head, he disappeared into the forest, crashing through the trees.

Watching the scene unfold, Kaido and Black Maria both sighed in unison, pinching the bridges of their noses.

"Boss, we've got to get out of here!"

The battlefield was now a chaotic mess, the ground cracked and uneven from the fight. A few sturdy thieves managed to reach Shutenmaru, helping him to his feet.

"You all need to leave. Now!" Shutenmaru rasped, shaking his head weakly. Jack's mastery of Ryuo was far superior to his own.

How could he have grown this strong in just over a year?

The earlier strike had pierced through his blade and into his body, wrecking his internal organs. There was no escaping this. Even if he managed to flee, without a skilled doctor, he'd die within days.

And in Wano's current state, finding a good doctor was nothing short of a miracle.

"I'm done for. No point dragging you all down with me," Shutenmaru said firmly, summoning what little strength he had to push his men away.

"Go! Run for your lives!"

"Boss!"

"Don't worry about me! Just remember the prophecy passed down in Wano," Shutenmaru shouted.

"The spirits of the Kozuki clan will return in twenty years! They'll come back for revenge!"

Straightening his battered body, he roared, "When the time comes, watch as the Beasts Pirates and Kurozumi clan meet their end!"

"Boss!"

Crash!

The blue ox came flying back from the forest, slamming into the ground amidst the thieves. A few were crushed instantly, while the beast's head lay shattered and lifeless.

Shutenmaru's anger flared at the sight. Blood surged up his throat, and he coughed violently again.

Thud-thud.

"Spirits of the Kozuki clan, huh?" Jack's voice boomed, accompanied by the heavy steps of a massive mammoth.

The gigantic creature's sheer size dwarfed the surrounding forest, snapping trees like twigs as it emerged.

"Doesn't matter if it's true," Jack sneered. "You won't live long enough to see it!"

BOOM!

"Elephant Gatling!"

The mammoth unleashed a flurry of devastating attacks, its armored tusks tearing through the battlefield. When the dust settled, smoke obscured the carnage.

Shutenmaru stumbled forward, desperate to help his fallen comrades. But before he could act, the onslaught resumed.

When the smoke finally cleared, the devastation was laid bare: severed limbs, blood pooling into dark red swamps. Among the ruins, Shutenmaru's mutilated body lay in pieces, his lifeless head glaring at Jack in defiance.

Crunch!

Jack kicked the head aside, picking up the blade that had fallen nearby.

"Tough sword," he muttered. "Didn't even crack after all that. Not bad. I'll give this to Rim as a gift."

Behind him, Kaido's crew approached. Yamato, seeing the carnage for the first time, turned pale and began retching uncontrollably. Black Maria, though more composed, couldn't hide her discomfort.

"We're pirates! Aren't you two acting a little soft?" Jack mocked.

"Shut it, you freak!" Yamato snapped, still gagging.

Kaido walked up to Shutenmaru's decapitated head, gazing at it with a hint of regret.

"What a waste…"

CRUNCH!

Jack stomped the head into dust, turning to Kaido with a grin.

"Oi, big bro! Don't go all sentimental on me like you're some kind of hero. I'm the real deal now, aren't I? Gather those idiots up—I'll teach them a lesson they won't forget!"

Kaido flicked some blood off his shoe, wiping it on Jack's pants.

"You did well, Jack," he said casually.

"As a reward... go haul some bricks."

"…What the hell?!"

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+140 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg