Luffy's attacks rained down on Jack like a storm.
In his Boundman form, each of his punches is imbued with the compressed elasticity of rubber to its limit and Armament Haki.
The fists flew from different angles, their trajectories so unpredictable that they were impossible to foresee.
The Mink Tribe warriors watching the battle were dumbfounded.
The Musketeer Squad members who had just Luffy stared wide-eyed.
If this kid had used that state against them, they probably would have been lying on the ground by now.
But Jack's face still showed no sign of strain.
He stood amidst Luffy's barrage of punches, his two curved swords flashing in a relentless barrage.
Each parry precisely struck the weakest point in Luffy's punch, the blade clanging crisply under the impact of the fist.
"Is that all?" Jack's tone was full of impatience.
Luffy didn't stop.
His attacks became faster and more powerful.
In his Gear Fourth gear form, his stamina was depleted very quickly, but he couldn't care less about that now.
He knew that the guy in front of him was unlike any opponent he had ever faced before.
Kaido Pirates, one of the Three Calamities.
Jack the Drought.
Bounty: 1 billion Beli.
Enemies of this level cannot be suppressed by brute force.
After throwing countless punches, Luffy finally found an opening.
His right fist bypassed Jack's curved knife from the side and slammed into Jack's shoulder.
"Hit!"
Chopper jumped up excitedly, then looked on in astonishment.
Luffy also looked at his fist in surprise.
His punch, imbued with all his strength, slammed into Jack's shoulder with a dull thud.
But Jack's body remained completely still.
Jack's shoulder muscles only dented slightly before springing back like a spring.
It cannot break through the defenses.
Luffy's eyes widened.
He withdrew his fist and saw that the Armament Haki on his fist was still there, but there wasn't even a bruise on Jack's shoulder.
"Finished?"
Jack looked down at Luffy, a vicious grin spreading across his face.
Before Luffy could react, Jack's scimitar came slashing down.
Luffy's body was slammed hard into the ground.
Dirt and gravel flew up, creating a large crater several meters in diameter in the ground.
Luffy lay at the bottom of the pit, his Gear Fourth form rapidly deflating after the heavy blow, his body shrinking quickly like a deflated balloon.
" Luffy --!!!"
Chopper and Usopp screamed at the same time.
Zoro and Sanji exchanged a glance, and simultaneously pushed off with their feet.
Zoro drew all three of his swords simultaneously, their blades wreathed in a dark sheen from Armament Haki.
Sanji's right foot ignited with the flames of Diable Jambe, the intense heat distorting and blurring the surrounding air.
The two attacked Jack from both sides.
" Three-Sword Style: Oni Giri!"
" Diable Jambe - Premier Hachis!"
Zoro's three swords and Sanji's Flaming Kick simultaneously struck Jack's waist and chest.
The blade grazed Jack's skin, sending sparks flying, while Sanji's flames exploded into a fireball on his chest.
Jack was only knocked back two steps.
He glanced down at the still-burning flame on his chest, then at the three faint white marks on his side, his expression unchanged.
Two more?
The arrival of Zoro and Sanji brought about a subtle change in the battle.
Roronoa Zoro's three swords unleashed a dense barrage of slashes in the night.
Every strike landed precisely on Jack's body—his neck, joints, and abdomen—all theoretically vital areas.
Sanji's Diable Jambe, wreathed in scorching flames, relentlessly kicked Jack's ribs and the back of his knees, each strike accompanied by a dull thud.
But that's all.
The blade struck Jack, producing a crisp metallic clang.
The kick landed on Jack, producing a dull thud like bone hitting a metal plate.
Jack stood between the two men, his face showing extreme impatience, as if he were enduring two mosquitoes buzzing in his ear.
"So annoying."
The curved blade swept across, Zoro stepped forward to parry with his own blade, but he was sent flying by Jack's immense strength, crashing into a row of trees and breaking them.
With a vertical slash of the curved sword, Sanji leaned back at the limit, the blade slicing across his forehead and severing a few strands of his golden hair.
When the two regained their footing, they were both breathing heavily.
What kind of monster is this?
Sanji wiped the blood from his forehead.
"I kicked him at least twenty times, and he didn't even flinch."
"Even though Ancient Zoan users are known for their defense, this is still terrifying."
Zoro tightened his Sandai Kitetsu.
"But his hardness—it's not just ordinary Armament Haki."
Just then, Luffy got up from the ground.
The aftereffects of the Gear Fourth left him sore all over, but the fighting spirit in his eyes remained undiminished.
" Zoro, Sanji."
Luffy flexed his wrists.
"Let's go together."
A slight smile appeared on Zoro's lips.
Sanji threw the cigarette butt on the ground and stomped it out.
"I've been waiting for this."
The three people moved at the same time.
Luffy charged forward from the front, activating Gear Fourth once again, but this time his size had shrunk a bit.
Zoro circled around to the left, wielding three swords in the starting stance of the Nine-Sword Style, targeting Jack's front leg joint.
Sanji dodged to the right, his right foot bursting into flames, aiming at Jack's back of the knee.
Attack from three directions, targeting three vital points simultaneously.
Jack's eyes finally showed a hint of seriousness.
Individually, these three brats wouldn't even be enough to fill his teeth, but when they teamed up, they completely blocked all his dodge angles.
But that's all.
Jack took a deep breath and unleashed his full Armament Haki.
A black sheen emanated from his body, forming a layer of armor-like substance on his already hardened skin.
Luffy, in his Gear Fourth ' Snakeman ' form, slammed his fist into the armor, creating a deafening roar.
Zoro's three-sword slash struck the armor, sending sparks flying.
Sanji's Diable Jambe struck the armor, leaving a charred footprint.
The armor remained completely still.
"It's my turn."
Jack's body began to spin.
The colossal creature, ten meters tall, spun rapidly in place, its curved blade forming a destructive storm.
All three were caught up in it.
Luffy flying by the elephant's trunk.
Zoro was slashed back by the curved sword.
Sanji was knocked over by the ivory.
The three people flew backwards in different directions like three bowling pins, crashing to the ground and kicking up three clouds of dust.
Usopp, Chopper, Nami, who were in the distance, were already too frightened to speak.
"No, Luffy and the others will die if this continues!"
Nami's hand gripping the Clima-Tact was trembling.
" Franky! Robin! Brook! Let's go too!"
Without a word, Franky flicked out his iron fist and fired a volley at Jack.
" Weapons Left!"
The shell flew towards Jack, leaving a trail of flame, and exploded in a burst of fire on his body.
Robin crossed his arms and summoned countless arms at Jack's feet, attempting to entangle his legs.
" Cien Fleur - Spider Web!"
Brook drew the Soul Solid, its blade gleaming with a chilling light.
"Song of Plunder - Blizzard Slash!"