Chapter 93: Charlotte Cracker

"To think I’d skip work and nap in some random ship’s hold, only for it to turn out to be Lord Jack’s ship—and then, of all times, get dragged along on an expedition to a place like this… Ah, I’m tired, so I’ll read the room and shut up now."

"IF YOU’RE READING THE ROOM, THEN TALK PROPERLY!!"

"J-Jack-sama… What should we do?"

"…………"

The moment they set foot on the uninhabited island, Jack and his crew discovered Sono, one of the Tobiroppo of the Beasts Pirates, fast asleep in the ship’s hold. According to her, she’d been sleeping in the bottom of the ship the whole time… but staying asleep through such a rough voyage was beyond carefree.

As his subordinates stared in disbelief, Jack was asked for his decision. After a moment of thought, he gave his answer.

"Sono. You’re coming with us to explore the island."

"Ehh—"

"I don’t wanna!!"

Jack’s crew broke into a cold sweat at Sono’s blatant refusal. It wouldn’t be strange for Jack to crush a disobedient subordinate and force them to obey.

But something bothered Jack. Even after seeing her reluctant reaction, he didn’t get angry—instead, he calmly asked:

"……Did you come here… under Nue’s orders?"

"Hmm…? Nope, pure slacking off. Might be hard to believe, but… my motto is—‘If you work, you lose.’"

"IT’S NOT HARD TO BELIEVE, IT’S JUST STUPID!!!"

"…………Whatever. But you’re coming with us."

"Sigh… Fine, fine. I’ll obey, even though I really don’t feel like it."

And so, in the end, Sono agreed to follow Jack as usual.

……But Jack couldn’t shake his suspicion. Despite her tendency to slack off, Sono usually worked closely with Nue as a manager or secretary. Would she really leave Nue’s side and board his ship without reason?

Still, even if that were the case, she wouldn’t talk, and he couldn’t just ask Nue directly.

—And on top of that, Jack sensed something troublesome emanating from the island.

"CAPTAIN JACK~~~!!!"

"! What is it?"

Just then, the scouts he’d sent ahead came rushing back—with a report far worse than expected.

"Th-the opposite side of the island… has a Big Mom Pirates ship!!!"

"!!"

And of all possible enemies, this was among the worst.

The ship belonged to one of the Four Emperors, a great pirate on the same level as their own captain—Big Mom.

"Ehhh~~~!?"

"B-Big Mom’s ship…!?"

"This is bad…!! Jack-san, we should retreat now…!!"

Their panic was understandable.

But that fear—was only justified if Big Mom herself was present.

"……Is Big Mom here?"

"N-no! She doesn’t seem to be aboard, but we overheard talk of a ‘Sweet Commander’, so one of them must be there…!!"

—Good. Jack nodded inwardly. Then there was no problem.

"Then why are you scared?"

"Huh?"

His subordinates gaped at him, dumbfounded. Suppressing his irritation, Jack calmly issued his orders.

"We’re searching the island. Gear up and follow me."

"WHAAAT!? SERIOUSLY!?"

"But Jack-san!! The enemy’s a Sweet Commander! They’re Big Mom’s top officers, on par with our All-Stars…!!"

"So what? If Big Mom herself isn’t here, there’s nothing to fear… If they get in our way—we’ll just erase them…!!!"

"!!"

"My, my, looks like we’re really doing this… As expected of Lord Jack."

Jack’s unwavering glare and overwhelming presence made his crew’s faces twitch for a moment.

But deep down, they shared Sono’s mix of exasperation and awe—along with a spark of admiration.

"That’s right…!! There’s no need to fear!! At worst, they’re our equals!!"

"Who cares about Big Mom!? If they’re ‘Big Mom,’ then we’re the ‘Beasts’!!"

The fiery spirit of his crew reignited.

The title of the most combat-focused among the Four Emperors wasn’t for show. And with Jack here—one of the Tobi Roppo, the strongest of the All-Stars, said to outmatch even the Disasters in sheer madness—they weren’t lacking in strength. They had weapons and firepower to spare.

"Let’s move…!! Crush anyone in our way and push forward…!!!"

"OOH!!!"

At Jack’s command, the Beasts Pirates charged into the jungle.

---

At the Same Time… A Similar Scene Unfolds on the Opposite Side of the Island.

"A Beasts Pirates ship on the other side of the island!?"

"Th-the same as Mama… one of the Four Emperors is here…!?"

"This is bad, Cracker-sama!! We should consult Mama’s judgment—"

The Big Mom Pirates crew and the Homies—living chess soldiers born from Mama’s Soru-Soru no Mi powers—reacted with shock to the report.

After all, their opponent was the Beasts Pirates, led by none other than "Kaido of the Beasts."

There wasn’t a soul on these seas unaware of their madness, and as fellow Emperor subordinates, they knew all too well how troublesome a fight with them could be. It was only natural for the rank-and-file crew and Homies to hesitate.

"Calm yourselves!! …What are your orders, Cracker-sama?"

"…………"

Tamago Baron silenced the crew before turning to Cracker, the highest-ranking officer present, for instructions.

Cracker remained silent for a long moment. His stern face betrayed no emotion—though what went on inside his head was anyone’s guess.

"……You’re sure Kaido and Nue aren’t on that ship?"

"Y-yes!! Most likely—"

"Most likely isn’t good enough!! Are they there or not!? Which is it!?"

"Y-Y-YES, SIR!! They’re not there!! From what we saw, they weren’t aboard!!"

Cracker glared at the scout, his tone bordering on desperate.

For him, this was a crew that housed demonic figures—ones tied to past traumas. Even with confirmation they weren’t present, an uneasy itch lingered in his chest.

"……You’re absolutely sure?"

"Y-yes!"

"Really? You didn’t see… say, a UFO?"

"N-no. Nothing like that."

"…………I see."

Cracker pressed the scout repeatedly, then craned his neck to scan the sky himself. Logically, he knew it was pointless—but he had to check.

Tamago Baron observed Cracker’s unusual behavior and sensed his unease. While he didn’t know the details of Cracker’s past, working closely with the Charlotte siblings had given him some insight.

"Cracker-sama. Perhaps we should still seek Mama’s—"

"…No. It’s fine!! If Kaido and Nue aren’t here… I can handle this alone!!"

"! Then—"

Tamago Baron nodded in understanding. The meaning was clear:

"Move out, everyone!! We’ll finish Mama’s errand!! Crush anyone who gets in our way!!"

——As one of Big Mom’s elite "Sweet Commanders," retreat was never an option.

With Cracker at the helm, the Big Mom Pirates advanced into the jungle—wary of the beasts lurking ahead.

---

Meanwhile… Onigashima.

"GRRROOOOAAAAAHHH—!!!"

"SHUT UP!!! Just die already, damn it…!!!"

Deep in the underground prison, the battle still raged on.

Hiyori, her kimono in tatters and drenched in blood beyond recognition, clashed with Ulti, who bore no visible injuries. Yet once again, the brutal exchange ended with a clear victor.

——"Ulti Head Cannon Barrage: METEOR!!!"

"!!"

A storm of Haki-infused headbutts—each said to rival cannon fire—hammered into Hiyori. The relentless assault was too much for her exhausted body, and she collapsed to the ground.

In a real fight, this would’ve been the end—but under the current rules, finishing blows were forbidden. Ulti reverted to her human form, turning her back on Hiyori with a dismissive flick of her hair.

"Hmph… ——Peeeeee-taaaaaan~♡ I’m tiiiiired~ Someone bring me teeeea~!"

"Shut up, Sis!! Get it yourself!!"

"SHUT. UPPPP—!!?"

Ulti’s battle-ready scowl instantly melted into childish whining directed at her brother, Page One. The scene had played out at least ten times already, amusing the girl lounging on a makeshift chair outside the cell.

"Alrighty~! That’s another loss for Hiyori-chan!! But since you’re not dead, you get one hour to rest!!"

"…She’s holding out surprisingly well."

Nue, the Beasts Pirates’ Vice Captain, cheerfully announced the break, while King, one of the All-Stars, muttered begrudging admiration at Hiyori’s endurance.

"Even for a Zoan user, toughness like this is… But for a human to last four days without food or water—"

"She’s growing nicely, isn’t she~? …Though it’s not just endurance. She’s got plans—look."

"!"

Nue pointed at Hiyori, drawing King’s attention. Though barely conscious, Hiyori was—

"…………!"

"…I see. Eating bugs crawling up from the ground."

"Ahaha~, well, duh! If there’s food, you eat it. That’s just survival!"

"And you’re allowing it?"

"Sure am. I mean, c’mon—a sheltered princess willingly eating bugs? That’s true desperation right there~! Watching a girl transform into a demon is fun, y’know? ♡"

"…Experience talking?"

King hesitated briefly before asking. Nue, however, wasn’t bothered—if anything, not asking would’ve been ruder. At the question, Nue’s lips curled into a sly grin.

"Fufufu~, who knows~? ——But if it were me? After killing an opponent, I’d probably eat them to survive… ♪"

"…I see."

King accepted the answer. For those fighting to live, no method was off-limits—though few humans could stomach it. Only beasts could.

"So… Hiyori has potential?"

"Obviously!! She’s Oden’s daughter, after all~ With the right motivation and environment, she might even surpass Yamato or Musashi~"

"…Nue. About Yamato and Musashi—"

"Oops, my bad~! Forgot you’ve been stuck here for days! Ahaha, you’re totally fed up, huh~?"

"…If you know, then you handle their training."

King exhaled sharply. Honestly, babysitting those two was his most annoying duty right now.

Not that he’d refuse—as Kaido and Nue’s most loyal subordinate, he took pride in his work. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t complain… or at least mutter about it. (Not that they’d care—Nue would probably just laugh.)

As King stewed, Nue picked at a plate of pufferfish sashimi before a Den Den Mushi suddenly rang.

"Ehhh~… I guess I could cook for them, but training? Yamato hates me, so— Oh! A call. Helloooo~?"

"…………"

King didn’t press further, sighing as he listened in.

『Ahem—Sono here. We’re about to engage the Big Mom Pirates. Just thought I’d… y’know…』

"‘Y’know’ what!? —Actually, whatever."

『Can I go home, then?』

"No. You’re strong when you bother to fight, so do your damn job."

『Sigh… Fine. Maybe, probably, possibly, if I feel like it… I’ll fight.』

"Not a single word of that was convincing!! —But whatever, good luck~!"

『Yaaay… Later.』

The call ended with Sono’s usual lazy defiance, leaving King to mutter under his breath.

"…Joker’s intel was correct, it seems."

"Now this looks like a properly tense exam!!"

Seeing Nue happily eating pufferfish, as if his concerns had been resolved, King couldn’t help but reflect on the nature of the test.

Even if they wanted the examinees to experience something close to real combat, pitting them against top officers of another Emperor’s crew… That’s just insane, he thought.

---

A deserted island, overgrown with dense forests and inhabited by countless ferocious wild beasts.

Two pirate crews had arrived on this island in search of ingredients.

Given the island’s relatively small size, it was inevitable that their paths would cross as they ventured deeper inside.

"—It’s the Big Mom Pirates…!!"

"—The Beasts Pirates are here…!!"

On one side, rough-and-tumble pirates flying the flag of the Beasts Pirates, exuding the air of a delinquent gang. On the other, sharply dressed pirates under Big Mom’s banner, resembling a mafia more than traditional buccaneers. The two groups faced off across a riverside clearing.

At the forefront of each crew stood a towering figure, both nearly eight meters tall.

"That guy is…"

"One of the Big Mom Pirates’ 'Sweet Four Generals'—'Thousand Arms' Cracker."

"And that one…"

"One of the Beasts Pirates’ 'Tobiroppo'—Jack, I believe, Bon."

The mass of pirates parted, leaving the two—Jack of the Beasts Pirates and Cracker of the Big Mom Pirates—standing opposite each other.

As their respective seconds-in-command whispered their opponent’s identities, the two giants locked eyes.

"...Hey, you."

"!"

Cracker was the first to speak, sparking a verbal exchange.

"We’re just here to grab ingredients for Mama’s tea party. If you clear out right now, I might let you walk away."

"Let us walk away…?"

The condescending tone made Jack’s response drip with disbelief. After a brief pause, he answered.

"—Denied."

"!!"

His reply came in the form of a slash from his already-drawn scimitar. Negotiation? Such a concept didn’t exist in Jack’s mind.

In the world of pirates, showing weakness meant death. Even if the opponent was another Emperor’s crew, if there was something he couldn’t yield, retreat was never an option.

The Beasts Pirates were infamous for their refusal to reason. If someone talked down to them, they wouldn’t back down—they’d take it as an excuse to attack. And destroy everything in their path. Few could withstand the assault of a monster like Jack.

"...!! Hmph!!"

"!!"

But—his opponent was also a monster.

Cracker blocked Jack’s strike with his sword, deflecting it before coating his blade in Haki and speaking.

"Damn brat… At least let me greet you before we fight."

"—To someone I’m about to kill?"

"—Yeah. Consider it a mercy, letting you know the name of the man who’s about to kill you…!!"

Their words stoked their bloodlust, each declaring their intent to slaughter the other. Their crews, sensing the inevitability of battle, raised their weapons.

"Tap once, and two become one—"

"!"

At that moment—

Cracker lightly tapped his own shoulder—and his arms multiplied.

"Tap again, and three become one."

"W-What the hell?!"

"His arms increased! And his swords too?!"

With another tap, more arms appeared. While the Beasts Pirates’ crew gasped in shock, Jack observed coldly and reached the obvious conclusion—a Devil Fruit user.

"I am Cracker, the Biscuit Knight! My sword is 'Pretzel'—a peerless blade unmatched in this world!"

"Quit yappin’… I’ll crush you here and now!! —Charge, you bastards!!!"

"RAAAAAAHHH!!!"

"You brainless brute…!! Don’t think you can win!! —Men, engage!!!"

"YES, SIR!!!"

The Beasts Pirates roared as they surged forward, while the Big Mom Pirates, though composed, met them with equal ferocity.

A skirmish between two Emperors’ forces. In numbers and skill, they were evenly matched.

Thus, the outcome would hinge on the battle between their commanders.

"'Roll'!!"

"!"

Cracker, one of Big Mom’s Generals, swung his tripled blades, infused with Haki.

"'Pretzel'!!!"

"!!?"

"Lord Jack!!?"

"Hah!! As expected of Cracker!!"

Jack took the full force of the slash and was sent flying.

Trees were mowed down as Jack crashed. The Beasts Pirates reeled in shock, while the Big Mom crew cheered.

Yet Cracker remained composed. Watching his opponent rise—now transformed into something far larger—he muttered.

"Tough bastard… A Mammoth Zoan, huh?"

"—Die!!"

"...!!"

A colossal mammoth—Jack, now an ancient beast—stood and swung his trunk down at Cracker.

Cracker blocked with his six arms and six swords, but the overwhelming force made him grimace.

"As expected of an Ancient Zoan…!!"

"Hmph… Is that all…?"

"!!?"

Just as Cracker thought he’d withstood the blow, Jack violently wrenched his sword aside and smashed his trunk into Cracker’s side with even greater force.

"Lord Cracker!!"

The power was enough to shatter the biscuit shields Cracker had raised with his remaining arms. This was the might of an Ancient Zoan—no ordinary Devil Fruit—and Jack’s own monstrous strength.

"Tch… 'Roll'…!!"

"...!!"

Spitting blood but still forcing himself up, Cracker assumed another lethal stance.

Jack charged again, this time with even greater power, intent on crushing him outright.

"'Pretzel'!!!"

"'Trampling Timber'!!!"

A clash of Armament Haki-imbued strikes.

Cracker’s strength was worthy of a General… but in raw power, Jack had the edge.

"!!?"

"Ah!! Lord Cracker is—!?"

"WOOOOOH!! That’s our Jack!!!"

And then—he shattered.

Not metaphorically. Cracker’s body literally split apart at the middle, crumbling into pieces. The Big Mom Pirates stared in shock.

"Jack of the Beasts Pirates… To destroy Lord Cracker’s armor this quickly… A formidable foe, I must admit, Bon…!!"

Eggman Baron muttered calmly, though clearly startled.

But his surprise wasn’t due to Cracker’s defeat.

"Quite the strength… I’ll give you that."

"! Ghuh—!!"

"Lord Jack!?"

Jack, who had just shattered Cracker to pieces, was now coughing up blood—slashed by an unseen attacker.

Forced back into his human form, he clutched his chest and glared at his opponent.

"You bastard…!!"

"Fufu… So you’re Jack, huh? Some low-tier grunt. I couldn’t be bothered to remember your name before… but I’ll make an exception now, since you’ve proven yourself as one of the Beasts Pirates’ Flying Six. Consider it a privilege."

"...That body of yours… a Devil Fruit power?!"

"Despair yet? I can create and control infinite biscuits! The Biscuit-Biscuit Fruit’s Biscuit Human!!"

『BIG MOM PIRATES "SWEET FOUR GENERALS" — "THOUSAND-ARMS" CRACKER: BOUNTY 660,000,000 BERRIES』

Emerging from the wreckage of the shattered armor was a man about three meters tall, a scar running down the right side of his face—the real Charlotte Cracker.

"I hate pain, you see… so I fight in armor!! I’ll give you credit for figuring that out… even the World Government hasn’t caught on! They just slapped my armor’s image on the wanted posters like idiots!!"

"Tch… Hiding behind armor that breaks in one hit? Pathetic. You’re not even fit to lick Nue’s boots."

"...!! Shut your mouth!! Don’t you dare compare me to that hag!!"

Cracker, who had been oozing confidence moments ago, suddenly twisted in rage at the mention of Nue’s name. Jack smirked and pressed further.

"Seems like you’re real scared of her…"

"I said SHUT IT!! Don’t get cocky, you Kaido/Nue lackey…!!"

Veins bulged on Cracker’s forehead as he spawned more Biscuit Soldiers—replicas of the armor he’d just worn.

"You got lucky breaking one of my soldiers…!! Now I’ll make you pay for pissing me off!! I’ll give you double the pain that hag once gave me!!!"

"L-Lord Jack!! He’s making more—!!"

"An ability to create infinite biscuits…?!"

"What do we do, Sonō-sama!?"

Even Sonō, usually unflappable, covered her mouth in shock as Cracker clapped his hands, summoning more soldiers. A crewmate desperately asked for orders, but Sonō’s eyes sparkled instead.

"With that power, we’d never have to worry about food costs again…! No, wait—we could mass-produce biscuits and sell them for infinite profit—"

"SONŌ-SAMA!?"

"Ah, my bad. My laziness addiction flared up again."

The crew groaned as Sonō fantasized about exploiting the Biscuit-Biscuit Fruit. Meanwhile, Cracker finished amassing his army.

"Relax!! I’ll beat you all black and blue and send you crawling home!! —ADVANCE!!"

"...!!"

"UWAAHH—!? The soldiers are charging!!"

The Biscuit Soldiers raised their shields and marched. The Beasts Pirates faltered—but not Jack. He barreled straight into the horde.

"I’ll smash you into crumbs like your damn biscuits…!!"

"Quit running your mouth, brat!! Time to teach you there are foes you can’t beat!!"

Jack collided with the Biscuit Soldiers.

His raw power surpassed theirs, and each soldier could only endure a few hits.

But their numbers were infinite. No matter how many Jack destroyed, Cracker simply clapped his hands and spawned more—all while closing in to fight himself.

"Honey Wave—Pretzel!!!"

"!!!"

"OHHH!! GO, CRACKER-SAMA!!"

"We’re right behind you!!"

Cracker’s blade sliced into Jack’s flesh, rallying the Big Mom Pirates. The tide of battle was turning in their favor.

"RAAAAHHH!!"

"At this rate, it’s just bullying, no~? Let’s wipe out their crew before Cracker-sama finishes Jack, Bon~!!"

"Guh—!?"

Among them, the one achieving particularly notable results was a combatant of the Big Mom Pirates—none other than Baron Tamago, who held the highest rank as a "Knight." With his abnormally long legs—a hallmark of the Longleg Tribe—he effortlessly sent the Beast Pirates' fighters flying one after another.

"Leg Benedict!!!"

"Gwaaaaah—!!?"

"Dammit…!! That long-legged bastard’s strong!!"

"It’s not that we’re weak, Soufflé. We just need someone with more backbone—huh?"

"Gyaaaaah—!!?"

As Baron Tamago mowed down the Beast Pirates’ combatants with ease, a different scene unfolded in another direction—Big Mom Pirates’ own fighters were being hurled aside, clearing a path. Tamago took a few steps forward, glancing toward where his allies had been sent flying.

"That’s… a mermaid?!"

"Baron!! That mermaid’s ridiculously strong… we can’t get close!!"

Indeed—the one responsible was a mermaid.

A young female mermaid with languid, half-lidded eyes let out a sigh as she watched the approaching Big Mom Pirates’ crew.

"What a bother… I’d really like to clock out on time, you know…"

"Raaah!! Quit daydreamin’!!"

"She’s wide open!!"

"—Honestly."

The moment the sword-wielding Big Mom Pirates’ crew attacked, the mermaid fluidly moved her hand.

"Water Surface Drop."

"Whoa—!?"

"Huh?"

It happened in an instant.

Just before their blades could strike—before her hand even seemed to touch them—the attacking Big Mom Pirates’ fighters were violently flung into the air.

"Gyaaaaah—!!?"

"Wooooah—!!?"

They were then unceremoniously dumped into a nearby river. Witnessing this, Baron Tamago’s eyes sharpened with intensity.

"That technique… a master’s work. She’s no half-baked amateur… Who is she?"

"…Sigh… Somehow… dealing with reckless, overenthusiastic amateurs like this…"

Her identity was Sono—a top-tier fighter of the Beast Pirates.

But she held another title beyond that. Though she had since retired from it, she was, as Baron Tamago had surmised, a true master.

『Beast Pirates "Tobiroppo" & Former Merman Combat Instructor — "Still Water" Sono — Bounty: 264,900,000 Berries』

"It just reminds me of certain princes and thugs… and frankly, it’s exhausting."

Despite still being a single-tailed mermaid, her strength on land was enough to repel even the fiercest pirates—a Ryugu Kingdom mermaid of extraordinary skill.

Realizing that ordinary combatants and Homies stood no chance, Baron Tamago stepped forward.

"Bonjour. You appear to be quite the master… but I can’t have you taking out any more of our fighters, bon. You’ll be falling here, soir."

"No, it’s just an old trick of mine—nothing impressive. But since dragging this out would be tedious… I’ll get serious for a little while. Do be careful."

"!!"

And so, the Longleg pirate and the mermaid pirate clashed—escalating the battle between the Big Mom Pirates and the Beast Pirates to even greater heights.