Chapter 50: The Mammoth Lands
Ian was never one to shy away from things that seemed impossible or that others wouldn't dare to do.
"It's the Marines! It's Major General Ian! Lord Sea King is here!"
"Lord Sea King, thank you for the cleanup operations on the island! It gave me the chance to open this new shop! Please, come and try the food, it's completely free!"
"My place is free too! Sir Ian, come to my shop for some snacks!"
"Don't fight me for his patronage! Look, Lord Sea King, this is your giant poster! I'm putting it up in my shop! My treat today!"
When the shop owners saw Ian, they all cheered and clamored for his attention. While inwardly pleased, Ian put on a sly, mischievous grin.
"You guys..." he said, drawing out the words. "You said... completely free, right? This is what you said! Hahahaha! I'm going to eat you all out of business! Free is the greatest justice!"
Peacock sighed, watching him. "How is little Ian even more excited about this than he is about fighting..."
Nami facepalmed. "...Such a strong villain aura."
Skylark fretted, "Major General Ian's appetite... I'm genuinely worried for these shop owners!"
…
Grove 47 – The Coating Port
Gurgle… Gurgle… Gurgle…
Dense streams of bubbles erupted on the spacious water's surface.
"Huh? What's going on?"
"It seems like something's about to come up…"
"A ship! Look at the shadow underneath!"
The coating craftsmen abandoned their work on the docked ships and scrambled to the shore, staring in amazement at the massive shadow rising from the depths of the harbor.
BOOM!
A violent geyser of water erupted. A giant, coated ship with a distinctive elephant-head figurehead broke the surface, revealing its formidable form.
One of the three major ships of the Beasts Pirates… the Mammoth!
On the deck of the Mammoth.
A burly man with distinctive cat-like whiskers marks looked down contemptuously at the coating craftsmen on the dock. The most eye-catching feature was the protruding, strangely animate lion's head on his abdomen.
This was Holdem, one of the "Gifters," true combatants of the Beasts Pirates. An Artificial Devil Fruit user: Lion SMILE model.
"Boss Jack," Holdem said, brandishing a scimitar, a bloodthirsty look in his eyes. "Governor Kaido told us to sneak in secretly, to make less noise. After all, this is the Sabaody Archipelago, very close to Marine Headquarters, Marineford. So… before we find that guy Jock Ian, we should kill all these witnesses, right?"
A woman wearing purple goggles and carrying a bow trotted over on hooved feet. Her black-and-white hair, bold tights, and prominent long ears made her stand out. This was Speed, another Gifter of the Beasts Pirates. An Artificial Devil Fruit user: Horse SMILE model.
"So, I suggest we lower the pirate flag before landing," she said, shrugging her shoulders helplessly. "It's too conspicuous. How can we carry out a secret operation like this? Boss Jack is always so straightforward and never listens to anyone's advice."
"Hahaha! Boss Jack always does things in the most domineering and direct way!" A man with white hair and ram horns on his head praised Jack's methods. This was Sheepshead, another Gifter. An Artificial Devil Fruit user: Sheep SMILE model. "A mere Major General! If we kill him quickly, Navy Headquarters won't be able to react in time!"
"Lord Sheepshead is right," a woman with short pink hair chimed in, following Sheepshead like a devoted fan. This was Ginrummy, an ordinary Gifter member of the crew. An Artificial Devil Fruit user: Springbok SMILE model. "Once we find Jock Ian, we can conclude this mission swiftly."
In addition to these four powerful Artificial Devil Fruit users, the ship carried fifty pirate subordinates.
And then…
BOOM! BOOM!
The deck shook violently as a colossal figure approached. He stood eight meters tall with a powerfully built body, two ivory-like ornaments adorning his head and shoulders. Two thick braids hung down in front of him, accentuating his immense physique.
One of the Three Disasters of the Beasts Pirates, the "Drought" Jack! A Saddle-Wrasse Fish-Man and user of the Zoan-type, Elephant-Elephant Fruit, Ancient Model: Mammoth Form! A New World pirate with a bounty of 1 Billion Berries!
"Secret infiltration?" Jack's voice boomed, full of contempt as he scolded his subordinates. "You bunch of idiots! Who do you think I am?! Why bother looking for him? We'll just make a scene and force him to show himself! A mere Navy brat isn't worth me searching for him!"
Jack had been dissatisfied with this mission from the moment Kaido assigned it. An eighteen-year-old Major General? They had to dispatch one of the top executives to deal with him personally? If Jack didn't raise hell on the Sabaody Archipelago, he wouldn't be able to vent the anger simmering inside him. Any promises he made to Kaido or the other Disasters before departing were long forgotten.
As his gigantic body moved across the deck, a trunk as thick as a pillar swept across the sea's surface.
BOOM! BOOM!
Several ships docked at the port for coating were shattered effortlessly, like paper toys.
BOOM!
Another deafening roar shook the port. Through the rising spray and splintered wood, a colossal, hill-sized mammoth form suddenly appeared! Its immense size, wild aura, and terrifying destructive power, capable of effortlessly destroying multiple ships, sent sheer terror through the coating craftsmen. They fled in a panic toward the connecting bridges leading to the main islands.
"What kind of monster is that?! Such terrifying power! Could it be a pirate from the New World?!"
"It's a mammoth! How can a legendary ancient creature appear here?!"
"Run! Get to the islands! Major General Ian will save us!"
The craftsmen fled desperately toward the bridges. However, the shadow that blotted out the sun moved much faster than their escape. The next moment, it loomed over them.
BOOM!
A massive elephant foot stomped down. The bridge couldn't bear the weight and instantly collapsed. Craftsmen caught in the brute force were instantly killed or wounded, their agonized wails filling the air.
Drought Jack ignored these insignificant ants and began marching toward the main island with heavy, ground-shaking steps.
"A direct frontal attack?" Speed sighed, watching the mammoth's retreating form. "Ah, Boss Jack, you really aren't taking Governor Kaido's words to heart at all."