Monet's worries weren't without reason.

Who were the Yonko?

They were the supreme pirates of the New World, monstrous figures standing at the very peak of the world's oceans!

As emperors of the seas, each ruled over vast territories. Without overwhelming subordinates, how could they hold onto those lands, stand against the Marines and the World Government, and strike fear into the hearts of all pirates?

Jack the Drought. Charlotte Cracker.

A clash between these two Yonko commanders would send any sane person running. Only a fool would dive headfirst into a battlefield of this caliber.

And in Monet's eyes, Lance was exactly that kind of fool.

…

"Hehehe…"

"Jack the Drought! Isn't your Beasts Pirate crew supposed to be powerful? And yet, you haven't even taken down my 300 biscuit soldiers. I still have 3,000 more waiting in reserve!" Cracker sneered.

He crouched at the rear of the battlefield, surrounded by dozens of six-armed Biscuit Generals standing guard. Not even a fly could get past them.

With terrifying group combat prowess, Cracker was overflowing with confidence.

But few knew that he was terrified of pain—he even feared needles. If someone managed to land a hit on him, it could spell disaster.

That was exactly why he'd pushed his Biscuit-Biscuit Fruit to its absolute limits, evolving what was once a "silly" ability into something devastating.

"Damn bastard! Don't get cocky in front of me!"

"This kind of cheap stall tactic won't save your life! Let's see how long you can keep it up!"

Jack growled, voice thick with menace.

He stayed in his full mammoth form, unleashing wild attacks with his trunk, tusks, and hooves. Every Biscuit General struck by him shattered on the spot.

But just because he was powerful didn't mean his underlings could do the same.

Each Biscuit General could hold off several of Jack's men at once. They had to gang up on them in groups of three or more, and even then, it took significant time and effort to bring just one down.

And if they got hit… even if they didn't fall unconscious immediately, they were often left with serious injuries.

If it weren't for their Zoan-based durability and recovery, most of them would've already been down for the count.

"Damn Zoan users… such a pain."

"Tough bastards."

"But toughness doesn't matter. Only a few of them are awakened… the rest? Time to knock 'em out."

Cracker swung his massive sword. The Biscuit Generals that had been shattered reformed once more and charged back into the fray.

"Will this ever end?!"

"These biscuit things are too tough! And their strength's off the charts! It takes like five of us to deal with just one… and now they're all back again! When will it stop?!"

"Boss Jack! You're the strongest! Just charge in and take that bastard down already! We can't hold out like this!"

The Beasts Pirates cried out in frustration.

"As if I need you to tell me that!" Jack roared. "I've already had enough of this bastard! I don't care if he's one of the Sweet Commanders or whatever—him and his biscuit army are going to get crushed beneath my feet!"

With a thunderous trumpet, Jack swung his trunk and shattered multiple Biscuit Generals in a single blow.

ROAAAR—

The massive mammoth let out a fearsome bellow, shaking the island. Like an unstoppable freight train, he charged straight toward Cracker's position.

"You want to kill me? Jack the Drought… you're dreaming."

Cracker sneered.

Kōgōna Biscuit: Tate (Hardened Biscuit: Shield)

With a clap, the Biscuit Generals around him stacked up like a fortress, each holding a biscuit shield. A wall of armored biscuit soldiers rose in front of Cracker, enhanced with Busoshoku Haki.

BOOM!

With a thunderous crash, the "biscuit wall" was pushed back several steps and crumbled, with over ten generals reduced to crumbs. But most of them survived.

Jack's charge had been halted!

"Hehehe!!"

"Come on, hit me again!"

"My biscuit army is endless! Try smashing them all if you can!"

Cracker laughed maniacally. His arrogance only fueled Jack's murderous rage.

"Bastard…!!"

"I'll kill you!!"

Jack exploded with fury and lifted his hoof again, charging once more.

The battle intensified. Though fewer than a hundred fighters were involved, the scale of destruction resembled that of tens of thousands. Explosions rocked the island, and the nearby town was reduced to rubble.

Clap… clap… clap…

Suddenly, slow applause echoed across the battlefield, standing out sharply against the chaos.

Everyone froze, startled by the unexpected sound, causing some to get caught off guard and slammed away by enemy attacks.

"Hm?"

Jack turned his massive head toward the sound, eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"Someone else is joining now?"

Cracker stood atop a Biscuit General's shoulder, long sword resting on his shoulder, gaze icy as he stared toward the source.

And then, everyone saw him—the uninvited guest applauding as he arrived.

"Very impressive… truly impressive!"

"A battle between Yonko commanders… just as extraordinary as expected!"

The man clapping, of course, was Lance.

He stood atop a rooftop, scanning the battlefield, pausing briefly on Jack before his gaze settled on Cracker.

"Who's this little punk? Doesn't he know the adults are busy?"

"Those damn biscuit freaks might be hard to kill, but you? You'll die easily enough."

"Let me show you what happens when you interrupt us!"

High above, one of Jack's men—an eagle Zoan—let out a furious screech. Having been frustrated by the Biscuit Generals' regeneration, he now saw a new target in Lance. He dove like a bolt of lightning.

"Straight to combat, huh?"

"Perfect."

Lance grinned.

(End of Chapter)

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