244 One Piece: My Name is Jack

BOOM!

"Argh! Damn it! That hurts like hell!"

After being helped up by Doc Q once again, Teach wiped the blood from his lips and glared at Jack, who was still tangled up in battle with his crew. A vicious glint flashed across his eyes.

"That bastard! He's forcing my hand—forcing me to kill him!"

A sinister grin spread across Teach's face. "I need to see what Devil Fruit he possesses. If I can take it for myself, who knows? Maybe my body will become just as strong!"

He clenched his fists and barked, "No more holding back! All of you, attack together!"

On either side of the battlefield, both the Marines and the Red-Haired Pirates remained on high alert, observing Jack's every move. They were all trying to find his weakness.

Even Mihawk and Hancock had joined the fray, yet no matter how many attacked, Jack didn't so much as flinch. Attacks strong enough to obliterate entire towns landed on him, only to be absorbed as if they were nothing, not even causing a ripple.

By contrast, Jack's own attacks shook the battlefield with devastating force, reaching even those who weren't directly engaged in combat.

This realization left everyone bewildered. No matter how tough Jack's body was, he shouldn't be able to completely neutralize the residual impact of such powerful attacks.

How the hell is he doing this?

Sengoku narrowed his eyes, observing Jack intently. Suddenly, his expression shifted as if something clicked—but he remained silent.

Surveying the battlefield, Sengoku took in the chaotic scene. After an entire day and night of fighting, Moria had mysteriously disappeared, and both Crocodile and Ivankov's Revolutionary Army forces had withdrawn at some point.

Now, only three major groups remained—the Red-Haired Pirates, the Marines, and Teach's Blackbeard Pirates—along with a few remaining Warlords. In total, there were barely thirty fighters left.

But these thirty warriors weren't just anyone. Each of them was a powerhouse capable of overwhelming a Vice Admiral. They were among the strongest fighters in the world.

Yet, despite this overwhelming force, against Jack, their attacks seemed as feeble as a child's tantrum.

If we can't kill him today, will we ever be able to?

Sengoku's thoughts were interrupted by the sight of Doflamingo casually strolling away, his hands clasped behind his head.

"Doflamingo!" Sengoku called out coldly. "Where do you think you're going?"

Doflamingo turned his head slightly, his signature grin unwavering.

"Hah?"

With a smirk, he adjusted his sunglasses and shrugged. "I was called here to deal with the Whitebeard Pirates. No one told me I'd be fighting Jack from the Beasts Pirates."

His grin widened. "Whitebeard's dead. My job's done. Time for me to leave."

Dropping his arms, Doflamingo let out a low chuckle.

"Fufufufufu! Fleet Admiral Sengoku!" He tilted his head, his voice dripping with amusement. "Don't forget—I'm not your subordinate. The Seven Warlords aren't under the Marines. We're equals."

With that, he ignored the seething rage on the Marines' faces and walked off without a second glance.

Sengoku clenched his fists, muttering through gritted teeth, "Damn pirates..."

Regaining his composure, he turned his gaze back to Jack.

"Captain Teach! Our attacks aren't doing anything to him!" Burgess shouted, narrowly dodging another devastating swing from Jack's club. "Should we retreat?!"

Van Augur remained on standby, covering them from a distance, but the rest of the crew had grim expressions. Shiryu and Pizarro had already stepped back, no longer attacking.

"Oi, Teach, this guy isn't an easy opponent. Nya~" Pizarro purred with a lazy grin, stroking his beard. "Since we've already taken down Whitebeard, your goal has been achieved, right? Maybe we should fall back while we can."

Hearing this, even Catarina Devon and Sanjuan Wolf hesitated, stepping away from the fight. Now, only Mihawk, Hancock, and a few others remained engaged in battle against Jack.

Teach's heart sank.

These guys from Impel Down were never truly loyal to me. Now that they see we can't take Jack down, they don't want to risk their lives.

But it wasn't just his crew that worried him. He could feel the Marines and Red-Haired Pirates deliberately holding back, waiting for Jack to finish him off.

Grinding his teeth, Teach suddenly burst into laughter.

"Zehahahahahaha! Today, you've all seen it, haven't you?!"

He stretched out his arms, displaying his new power.

"I've obtained Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit! Everything I promised you—I will fulfill!"

"One more push! If we really can't take Jack down, then we retreat!"

Shiryu and the others exchanged glances before nodding. With renewed determination, Teach charged forward once more.

"Zehahahahahaha! Dark Water!"

His darkness enveloped Jack, forcing him back into his human form. Mihawk and the others immediately seized the opening, launching a barrage of attacks.

Slash!

Boom!

Crack...

Burgess delivered a final punch, sending Jack crashing into the ice. His aura rapidly weakened, and the ice behind him shattered from the impact.

"Wehahaha! Captain Teach, I did it! I took him down!"

Teach grinned. "Zehahahaha! Well done, everyone!"

Yet, as he celebrated, Mihawk remained tense, staring at Jack with an uneasy expression.

"Sengoku..." Garp's deep voice broke the silence. "You see it too, don't you?"

Sengoku's expression darkened. "His defensive power... It's not just his natural toughness. Every attack that lands on him gets significantly weakened."

Garp nodded grimly. "It's not a Devil Fruit ability. It's something intrinsic to his body. Jack's physiology has evolved to neutralize attacks."

Sengoku sighed. "And now that he's exhausted..."

He turned to Garp. "We're pulling back. We've lost."

Meanwhile, Shanks had come to the same realization. He grabbed Mihawk's arm.

"Let's go. There's no point in staying."

"Zehahaha! Shanks! Trying to use Jack to get rid of me? Too bad—it didn't work!"

Shanks shot him a cold glance. "We'll see, Teach."

As Teach turned back to Jack's fallen form, he grinned. "Heh. He's completely unconscious. Even if he has Kaido's resilience, he won't be waking up anytime soon."

Darkness swirled around Teach's hands. "Let's see if I can take his power for myself! Pizarro!"

A massive black cloth was thrown over Jack's body, and Teach stepped inside. The crew watched in anticipation—

Until the cloth began to tremble violently.

"Wha—?!"

Teach's panicked screams rang out.

"Impossible—! Argh—!"

Burgess and Lafitte rushed to uncover the cloth.

"Captain Teach!"

Jack loomed over Teach, one hand crushing his throat, the other gripping his legs.

With a sickening crack, he twisted.

"Gah—!"

Teach coughed blood, his body shattered. Doc Q shook his head.

"That's fatal. There's no saving him."

As Teach lay bleeding out, his gaze turned skyward, his voice a mere whisper.

"Just one more step... If only I had one more fruit..."

Jack sneered. "Spare me the monologue. You could've summed it up in two words."

He leaned in, his voice cold.

"Unfinished ambition."