"What!"
Jack's sudden dismissive comment sent a shockwave of disbelief through the crowd. The surrounding Fishmen and Merfolk began to chatter nervously, their voices filled with indignation. "He says that guy was just playing around? What a total joke!" one cried out. "Sasaki was clearly slammed into the dirt by Lord Jinbe! He's just saying that to save face because he's embarrassed!"
King Neptune's expression turned grim. While his heart wanted to dismiss Jack's words as mere bluster, he looked over at Jinbe and saw a face of absolute, deadly seriousness. He realized then that Jack wasn't joking.
At that moment, Sasaki—who had looked completely defeated after being slammed into the coral—suddenly burst into a loud, boisterous laugh. "Hahahaha! Jack, don't be so angry. After all, this man was a prominent member of the Sun Pirates. I just wanted to get a feel for the strength of a senior officer, you know?"
As he spoke, Sasaki pushed himself up from the ground and casually brushed the dust and coral grit off his clothes. Seeing this, Jinbe's pupils narrowed sharply. In their brief exchange, Jinbe had used a significant amount of force, knowing he still had to face the much more formidable Jack afterward. He had expected his Fishman Jujutsu to at least wind his opponent, but it hadn't left a single scratch on Sasaki's body; it had only dirtied his coat.
Is this the power of a Beasts Pirate? Jinbe thought, his brow sweating. What kind of monster has such insane physical prowess?
Sasaki stood tall, a confident smirk playing on his lips. "So that's Fishman Karate and Jujutsu? They're certainly impressive techniques, but I'm afraid the power behind them is just too weak." Sasaki felt a surge of excitement. Only by testing his limits against someone like Jinbe could he truly appreciate the miraculous physical training Kaido had forced him through. He felt the addictive sensation of his body growing stronger with every passing second.
Jinbe's expression became incredibly grave. "Hmph. Is boasting a required skill to become an executive of the Beasts Pirates?"
"Boasting? Hahahaha! You'll find out soon enough if I'm boasting or not, Jinbe." Sasaki's voice dropped an octave as he became completely serious. His body began to shift and grow, his muscles bulging and turning a deep, vibrant green. "To be honest, I really wanted to finish this fight in my human form. It would have been a fun challenge. But I don't have time to waste here, so I'll just end this now."
In a flurry of transformation, a colossal creature appeared on the battlefield. Standing thirty meters tall like a small mountain, Sasaki had transformed into a hybrid beast with the head of a Triceratops, massive dinosaur claws, and a jagged ring of bone plates around his neck.
"An Ancient Zoan," Jinbe said solemnly, recognizing the rare power. "The Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Triceratops Model."
As Sasaki entered this hybrid state, he released a terrifying aura that made even a veteran like Jinbe feel a heavy weight of pressure. The nearby spectators were paralyzed with fear, their faces pale as they looked up at the prehistoric monster towering over them.
"Hahaha! That's right," Sasaki's voice boomed. "I'm glad you recognize it. Now that you see what you're up against, you should understand the gap between us. If you surrender now, I might let you live."
"I'm sorry," Jinbe replied, his voice steady despite the odds. "But this old man doesn't have a habit of surrendering to bullies." He settled back into his combat stance, his eyes focusing with total intensity.
"Then there's no other way!" Sasaki roared. He raised his massive katana high, the tip pointing directly at Jinbe's heart. "Ascending Dragon Slash!"
"Whoosh!"
It was the same move he had used before, but the scale was incomparable. A massive wave of blue energy, thirty to forty meters long, tore through the air with enough force to level a city block. In that instant, Jinbe was reminded of the sheer power he had seen from Dracule Mihawk during the war at Marineford.
Jinbe immediately crossed his arms in front of his chest, coating them in a layer of pitch-black Armament Haki. "Plum Skin!"
"Boom!"
The slash collided with Jinbe's defense, the impact forcing him backward. His heels dug into the coral, carving a long, deep trench in the ground as he struggled to hold his ground. Finally, as the energy began to dissipate, Jinbe grabbed the edges of the slash with his bare hands and tore it apart. The energy shattered like glass and vanished into the water.
But the assault didn't stop. A giant shadow suddenly loomed over Jinbe. "Watch out, Lord Jinbe!" Camie screamed from the sidelines.
Jinbe sensed the danger and leaped to the side just as Sasaki's massive body crashed down where he had been standing. Seizing the opening, Jinbe launched a counterattack toward Sasaki's exposed back. "Fishman Karate: Shark Tile True Punch!"
A powerful shockwave of compressed water shot toward the dinosaur. Sasaki reacted with surprising agility, spinning his massive frame at an impossible angle to meet the attack with his sword.
"Boom!"
The collision of the slash and the shockwave sent violent gusts of wind in every direction, knocking over several Merfolk who were standing too close. Panic and terrified screams filled the port as the two warriors engaged in brutal, close-quarters combat. The massive Sasaki swung his long sword in a relentless barrage, forcing Jinbe to defend constantly.
"Boom... Boom... Boom!"
The sound of metal clashing against Haki-infused skin was incessant. "Hey, Jinbe! Is this really all you've got?" Sasaki mocked, noticing that Jinbe was being slowly pushed back.
Jinbe's face was grim. He knew Sasaki was a member of the Tobi Roppo, the elite six officers ranking just below the Lead Performers. He had expected strength, but this was overwhelming. Even compared to the commanders of the Whitebeard Pirates, this pressure was immense.
But Jinbe had his own reasons to fight. He couldn't let his home be destroyed. With a roar of determination, a powerful aura erupted from his body. Wisps of Armament Haki, looking almost like dark flames, enveloped his arms. In that moment, Sasaki found that his sword was stuck. No matter how hard he pulled, his blade was firmly gripped in Jinbe's hand.
Sasaki's eyes lit up with excitement rather than fear. "That's more like it! That's the power of a legend! But don't think you're the only one who can play this game!" A burning Armament Haki, equal to Jinbe's own, flared up from Sasaki's massive body. Slowly, through sheer brute force, the sword began to slide out of Jinbe's grip.
Jinbe tried to hold on, sweat pouring down his face as he strained against the prehistoric strength of the Zoan transformation, but it was no use.
"Now, die, Jinbe!" Sasaki shouted, raising his blade for a final, finishing blow.
Time seemed to slow down. The blade reflected the light of the plaza as it began its descent. But just before it could strike, a voice filled with pure, unadulterated rage shook the very foundation of the island.
"Stop it right now!"
A massive wave of Conqueror's Haki swept across Fishman Island, knocking the breath out of everyone present.
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