A massive Marine warship cut through the waves, slowly moving forward.
In the center of the deck, on a comfortable sun lounger, Admiral Kizaru Borsalino lay with his legs crossed, completely devoid of any professional image.
Holding a pair of nail clippers, he focused on trimming his nails against the setting sun.
"Snip."
"Snip."
The crisp sound of the clippers was exceptionally clear in the silent twilight.
"Sigh..."
"How scary..."
Kizaru blew the trimmings off his nails, his wrinkled face filled with melancholy.
"I've taken a huge loss this time."
"Not only is my suit ruined,"
"but even a piece of my nail chipped off."
"For this kind of work injury, will Sengoku-san really reimburse me?"
And beside him, there were two pieces of "cargo" with completely different vibes.
On the left was a middle-aged man sitting cross-legged on the ground, his hands locked in special Sea Stone handcuffs.
He was shirtless, wearing only a pair of tattered boxers. He was thin, with pale skin, looking as if a gust of wind could knock him over.
It was Bruce Banner, who had just deactivated his transformation.
At this moment, although he was a prisoner, there wasn't the slightest hint of panic on his face. Instead, he pushed up the glasses on the bridge of his nose, which had only half a lens left.
And on Kizaru's right was an incredibly massive... meatball?
To be precise, it was a giant mummy wrapped tightly in bandages, with only two nostrils and a mouth exposed.
His size was three or four times that of an ordinary person. Even in a coma, that heavy breathing still sounded like a wheezing bellows.
This was the Lead Performer of the Beasts Pirates, "Drought" Jack!
This guy's vitality was indeed as tenacious as a cockroach's.
Being swung around like a hammer by Hulk, being bombarded with light bullets by Kizaru, and even soaking in the sea for so long—he actually hadn't died yet!
However, his current look was indeed quite unique.
"Ugh..."
Just then, the giant mummy suddenly moved. It let out a muffled low growl.
"Water..."
"I want to drink water..."
Jack slowly opened his eyes. His vision was still somewhat blurry.
It felt as if countless flies were buzzing in his head. Every bone in his body was protesting, and intense pain hit him like a tide.
"Yo~"
"You're awake?"
A lazy and sleazy voice slowly drifted into his ears.
Jack jerked violently.
That voice!
That damned Sparkling Man!
His brain, which was still in a daze, instantly cleared up by more than half!
He struggled to turn his stiff neck. At a glance, he saw the sleazy man lounging in the chair, revealing two rows of big yellow teeth at him.
"Borsalino!!!"
Jack let out an angry roar.
He tried to struggle to his feet.
But the injuries all over his body, combined with the special Sea Stone chains, left him only able to wriggle twice on the deck like a giant silkworm.
"Let me go!"
"Do you know who I am?!"
"I am a Lead Performer of the Beasts Pirates!"
"Turn the ship around right now! Otherwise, Boss Kaido will slaughter all you Marines!"
Even after being beaten into this pathetic state, Jack's mouth was still as hard as a rock.
Stubborn.
That was Jack's life creed.
As long as he wasn't dead, he would keep charging!
"How scary~"
Kizaru curled his lip, not even bothering to look him in the eye.
"Still so energetic even at this point."
"As expected of an Awakened Zoan user."
"This kind of recovery power is truly enviable."
Kizaru picked up the teacup beside him and took a sip.
"However, Captain Jack,"
"I suggest you save your strength."
"This is a dedicated ship heading for the Science Unit."
"Once we reach Vegapunk's place, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to contribute your remaining value."
Hearing the words "Science Unit," Jack's pupils contracted slightly.
That mad scientist's laboratory?
That was not a good place!
"Bastard! Kill me if you have the guts!"
Jack's eyes were bloodshot, like a trapped beast.
"Want to use me for experiments? In your dreams!"
"Boss Kaido will definitely come to save me!"
"When that happens..."
Before Jack could finish his sentence, his voice suddenly came to a screeching halt.
It was as if an invisible giant hand had gripped his throat tightly!
His eyeballs bulged out.
He stared fixedly at the other person beside Kizaru.
That thin, middle-aged man wearing tattered boxers and broken glasses.
Bruce Banner!
At this moment, Banner was squatting on the ground, holding a small wooden stick and poking a piece of bandage on Jack's body.
He seemed to be studying the healing speed of the wound.
Sensing Jack's gaze, Banner looked up.
He revealed a gentle, refined, and even somewhat shy smile.
"Hello there, big guy."
"Your metabolic rate is very fast."
"Is this the genetic advantage of an Ancient Zoan?"
"Could you let me draw a tube of blood for research?"
Boom!!!
Looking at this smile, hearing this voice, a thunderclap instantly exploded in Jack's mind!
That originally arrogant and overbearing aura, in that instant, completely vanished!
It was replaced by an uncontrollable... fear originating from the depths of his soul!
That was PTSD!
That was the trembling of biological instinct!
Even if the man in front of him looked as thin as a monkey.
Even if not a single trace of a powerful aura could be felt from him.
In Jack's eyes, that thin figure instantly overlapped with that green nightmare!
The monster that swung a mammoth like a toy!
The monster that took a light-speed kick head-on without a scratch!
The monster that tore apart deep-sea behemoths with its bare hands!
"Ah!!!"
Jack suddenly let out a shrill scream.
That sound was even more miserable than when he was being beaten by Kizaru earlier.
Like a little girl who had seen a ghost!
"Don't come over!"
"Don't you f*cking come over!!!"
Jack wriggled backward frantically. His massive body scraped against the deck, sending sparks flying.
"Monster! You're a monster!"
"Get away!"
"Don't look at me with those eyes!"
"I won't do experiments! I won't give blood!"
"Mama!!!"
Looking at this Great Pirate who was just clamoring to wipe out the Marines, now being so scared he was incoherent, even calling out for "Mama"—the Marine soldiers on the deck were all dumbfounded.
Was this really that "Drought" Jack with a billion-Berry bounty?
Could he be a fake?
"Oh my, oh my..."
Kizaru also raised his eyebrows in surprise.
He glanced at the harmless-looking Banner beside him, then looked at Jack, who was huddled in the corner shivering.
"It seems..."
"The psychological trauma is quite significant."
"Even a billion-Berry Great Pirate has been scared out of his wits?"
Banner spread his hands innocently.
He pushed the half-lens on the bridge of his nose.
"I didn't do anything."
"I just wanted to have a bit of academic exchange."
"Do pirates nowadays have such poor mental fortitude?"
Mordred chuckled inwardly.
The Astonishment Value in the system's background was frantically scrolling.
Even without transforming, just this face, to Jack now, was the most terrifying nuclear deterrent in the world!
"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"
Jack buried his head tightly in his knees (though he couldn't actually perform that movement right now).
That pain seeping out from the cracks in his bones made it so that whenever he saw Banner's face, he would experience phantom pain.
As if his ivory tusks were being ripped out all over again!
"Too noisy."
Kizaru rubbed his temples. He raised his leg somewhat impatiently.
A ball of dazzling golden light lit up at the tip of his foot.
"Since you're so energetic,"
"then sleep a bit longer."
"After all, it's still a long way from here to Egghead."
"I don't want to hear you screaming all the way."
Whoosh—!
Bang!
A golden laser kicked Jack precisely on the chin.
Kizaru didn't hold back with this kick. It was a direct physical silencing.
Jack's screams instantly vanished.
That giant meatball rolled its eyes, twitched twice, and promptly passed out again.
The world finally became quiet.
"Whew..."
Kizaru retracted his leg. He glanced at Jack, who had fallen back into a coma, and shook his head.
"Young people nowadays."
"Really have no manners."
Then, he turned his head.
His gaze, through his tea-colored sunglasses, took a deep look at Banner beside him.
His eyes held a hint of inquiry, and also a hint of wariness.
"Dr. Banner,"
"you really are a man of heavy sins."
"Even a Great Pirate like this, who lives with his head on the line,"
"looks at you as if he's seen a Shinigami."
"This makes it hard for me to believe,"
"that you are really just a... powerless scientist?"
Banner shrugged.
The expression on his face remained calm, as if everything that had just happened had nothing to do with him.
"Admiral Borsalino,"
"I think you've misunderstood."
"I have always been a pacifist."
He pointed to his own thin arm.
"Look,"
"I wouldn't even dare to kill a chicken."
"As for that big green guy..."
Banner paused.
A flash of imperceptible cunning flickered in his eyes.
"That was 'Hulk's' doing."