Not far away, aboard Tax Ship 4396, the Navy sailors stood at the railings, staring in disbelief at the plumes of black smoke rising from the horizon—and the ruined remains of the Mammoth, flagship of the Beasts Pirates.
Their eyes nearly bulged from their sockets.
Their captain's battle against Jack the Drought had not only sunk the infamous ship, it had obliterated it—reducing one of the Four Emperors' warships to a floating pile of driftwood.
And more shockingly, Jack's iconic mammoth hybrid form was nowhere to be seen.
Had their captain… won?
The mood among the sailors was a tangled web of emotions.
On one hand, it seemed utterly impossible for White Feather to have defeated Jack—the man who once fought an entire Marine fleet for five straight days.
On the other, there was a faint, gnawing hope.
"Wait… is this real…? Did the Captain actually win?" one sailor asked, voice trembling.
"I-I don't see Jack anywhere—! There! It's the Captain! He's alive!"
They all turned toward the floating figure—White Feather, barely conscious, drifting on a plank amidst the wreckage.
Disbelief and awe spread across their faces.
They knew their captain was strong—but this was something else entirely. He had defeated Jack, Kaido's right-hand man, the one with a one billion berry bounty!
The pirates detained aboard the Navy ship—previously cocky and defiant—fell into stunned silence.
But a few stubborn voices rose in denial.
"Impossible! Lord Jack would never lose!"
"Yeah! You brats can't understand the terror of Jack the Drought!"
But the moment the Navy soldiers stared them down—faces radiating quiet victory—those same pirates wavered.
Panic crept in.
The warship slowed to a stop near White Feather.
"Drop the crane! Get a Seastone chain hooked—we're pulling up the prize!" Bai Yu called out, his voice hoarse but commanding.
No one hesitated now.
The sailors rushed to obey, shouting in unison. A massive crane arm extended, the chain glinting in the sun—lined with Haki-tempered steel and Seastone links. Bai Yu grabbed it and dove into the sea once more.
Moments passed.
Then—splash!
Bai Yu resurfaced, holding tightly onto the chain. "Start the winch! Haul it in!"
The crane groaned under pressure.
The sling, designed to lift warships, went taut with a low creak—straining under the weight.
"What the hell is this thing, a battleship?!" one sailor muttered.
But then—everyone stopped and gaped, mouths hanging open.
What rose from the water was no scrap metal.
It was him.
A hulking body covered in thick, waterlogged fur. Twin curved horns jutted from his massive head. Chains coiled around his frame like a captured sea god.
Jack the Drought.
The Calamity.
One of Kaido's trusted lieutenants—defeated, restrained, and hoisted like cargo.
Even bound in chains, Jack's sheer presence made the air feel heavy. The deck vibrated with tension.
He glared at White Feather, eyes blazing with fury.
"Let me go… I'll kill you… you damn brat…!"
"You dare destroy my ship?! I'll slaughter every last one of—!"
The sailors could only stare, jaws clenched, hearts pounding.
They had guessed it earlier. But hearing Jack himself acknowledge defeat… it made it real.
The same Jack who had battled Admiral Fujitora and Sengoku's reinforcements and survived.
And their own captain—who hadn't even mastered Rokushiki before—had faced him alone and won.
Without that confession, they might have chalked it up to luck—or a fluke. But now…
Now they knew.
Their awe turned to reverence.
White Feather, soaked and bruised but still upright, casually raised a hand—and slapped Jack across the face.
The sound echoed.
"Idiot. Don't you know how the world works? The winner takes all. What, is that what Kaido taught you?" Bai Yu sneered.
Jack's eyes widened. His body tensed with hatred, bloodshot eyes bulging.
No one had ever laid a hand on his face and lived.
"I'll kill you!!!"
"Hmph."
Bai Yu's breath grew sharp. Steam burst from his body—thick, blue, and burning.
His foot lashed out faster than the eye could follow, smashing directly into Jack's face.
Weakened by seawater, unable to defend himself, Jack's eyes rolled back—and he passed out cold.
"Alright… I'm going to sleep for a bit," Bai Yu muttered, yawning. "He's all yours."
He staggered into the captain's quarters, leaving behind stunned silence.
The sailors jolted to life, frantically binding Jack with Seastone chains. Just to be safe, they added two extra layers of standard steel cable, lashing him up like a New World dumpling.
Three layers. Triple-knotted. Maximum security.
Just as they exhaled in relief—
A ray of golden light streaked across the sky.
It shimmered, hummed, and slowed—hovering above the warship like a falling star.
Kizaru had arrived.
Oops~ Am I late? Looks like you didn't need me after all."
A man in a yellow-striped suit, Justice coat draped over his shoulders like a cape, and a languid expression landed gently on the deck with a flash of light.
The second the sailors recognized him, their spines straightened and they saluted with rigid precision.
This wasn't like their own captain. This was the real deal—a Marine Admiral. A living weapon of the World Government.
"Admiral Kizaru!"
One of the officers rushed to inform Bai Yu.
"Uncle Yellow Monkey, you got here too fast—I just started napping~ haah…"
Bai Yu strolled out of the cabin, yawning, hair a mess, his usual sleepy eyes half-lidded.
The corner of Kizaru's eye twitched. Internally, he cursed.
If it weren't for your old man, Sengoku, nagging me nonstop, I'd be halfway to Sabaody right now.
[Ding! Affection increased. Admiral Kizaru: +12999 Gentleman Points.]
Kizaru's gaze shifted toward the massive figure chained to the deck. His casual smile faltered for just a second, replaced by a flicker of seriousness.
Drought Jack…
One of Kaido's All-Stars. A pirate with a bounty of 1 billion berries. The one who went toe-to-toe with Zunesha and survived.
Even he couldn't take Jack down quickly.
And yet, here Jack lay—bloody, unconscious, and roped up like cargo.
"…Alright, enough small talk. Where's the man who took down Jack the Drought?"
He didn't expect what happened next.
Every sailor on the deck turned their heads toward Bai Yu.
Kizaru blinked.
"…What?"
Bai Yu scratched his head. "That would be me. You were too slow, Uncle. I already wrapped it up."
"You… still dreaming or what?"
Kizaru's expression cracked.
This brat? He's barely a captain—and he beat Jack? What's next, Kaido on his day off?
He stared at Bai Yu like he was either insane or playing the world's most elaborate prank.
But the sailors rushed to defend him.
"It's true, Admiral! We all saw it with our own eyes!"
"He jumped straight onto Jack's flagship and fought him alone!"
"He sank the Mammoth!"
Kizaru's expression turned cold.
Are they taking me for a fool? This story's worse than a Buggy press release.
He slowly adjusted his collar. His eyes sharpened.
"You lot do realize what happens if you lie to an Admiral…?"
The atmosphere dropped ten degrees. The sailors turned pale.
But then—whoosh!
A blue-steaming kick shot toward Kizaru's side.
Kizaru's eyes narrowed. In an instant, he responded—his leg glowing with photon energy as he kicked back.
BOOM—!!
The clash created a shockwave so violent it blew half the crew off their feet and sent crates tumbling.
"Uncle Yellow Monkey, that's enough proof, right?" Bai Yu said with a lazy grin.
His leg withdrew, and the steam faded from his body.
Kizaru stood in silence.
His foot… had been forced back.
He had stepped back.
Even if he hadn't used Armament Haki, and had responded in a rush, that kind of result wasn't something just anyone could manage.
He stared down at Bai Yu, frowning.
This kid… he actually made me retreat.
It wasn't a fluke.
And judging by the residual energy, Bai Yu wasn't even using his full strength.
Could it be… the brat really had taken down Drought Jack?
That's not just talent. That's a monster in disguise.
"I really couldn't tell…" Kizaru muttered under his breath. "You've been hiding your cards, haven't you…?"