One Piece: My Name is Jack, I'm Very Resistant to Beating

"Uncle Jack! When I was five and you were three, my mom was so good to you! Don't you remember…?"

Zeo's words spilled out, his throat dry from talking. Yet Jack remained unresponsive.

Seeing Jack's refusal to acknowledge their familial bond, Zeo began to panic.

"Uncle! It's true!" Zeo pleaded. "I just couldn't bring myself to say it earlier! But this is a life-or-death situation—you have to believe me!"

He suddenly brightened as an idea struck him.

"That's it! Our old neighbors must still be alive! They can prove it! Just wait—"

Zeo jumped up, ready to dash out, but Jack grabbed his arm to stop him.

Despite his doubts, Jack couldn't ignore the vivid details in Zeo's story. Reluctantly, he decided against letting the boy seek out witnesses. After all, finding a decent, talented nephew wasn't the worst thing that could happen.

Of course, if he'd ended up with a long-lost uncle or grandpa instead, that would've been a whole different story.

"Uncle Jack! Please, you have to believe me—it's all true!" Zeo pleaded again.

"Enough! Shut your mouth already!" Jack barked, cutting him off.

Turning to Master, Jack ordered, "Fix this kid up. Purge the clotted blood from his body and bandage him up. Make sure he doesn't die."

Hearing this, Zeo's face lit up with joy.

"Uncle Jack! You believe me now? That's great! Can we let Brother Jones go, too?"

Jack glanced at the unconscious Hody Jones and then spoke to Holdem in a low voice.

"Holdem, let him go. Don't kill him. By bloodline, this guy's technically my nephew, too."

After a pause, he muttered, "Still, what kind of name is 'Hody Jones'? Sounds broke as hell."

Patting Zeo on the shoulder, Jack said sternly, "I'll spare him, but that doesn't mean I've forgiven you lot for your insolence! Now, go to Fishman District and round everyone up! I need a crew of reliable fishmen working under me. Got it?"

"But none of those supremacist types like him," he added, glaring at Jones.

Zeo hesitated.

"Uncle Jack, most of the fishmen with us think the same way Jones does. And as for the rest, we can't really control them. There are even some who don't respect Brother Arlong himself."

"Hah?" Jack's brow furrowed, his frustration palpable.

"Damn it! What's the point of having a nephew like you? Do I have to handle everything myself? Do you have those Bubbly Coral thingies around here?"

(T/N: It is shown that pressing the tip of the coral will produce a bubble at the other end of the coral. The coral is used by merfolk and fish-men to stand on.)

Under Zeo's guidance, Jack's crew bought an assortment of bubble-making coral. After testing one to ensure it allowed him to fight underwater, Jack left Master with some men on the beach while the rest of them dove into the depths.

They swam for what felt like ages before Fishman District finally appeared.

Unlike the enchanting beauty of Fishman Island, Fishman District was dark and desolate. Even under the light of the Sunlight Tree Eve, the streets were grimy and littered with debris.

The human pirates squinted, adjusting to the murkiness. Several fishmen scattered at the sight of them, and before long, a crowd of fishmen began gathering.

"Humans? Hahaha! Now that's a rare sight!"

"When did humans get the guts to step into Fishman District?"

The leader of the group was a hulking figure, as tall as Kaido himself. His sharp, single horn and fierce expression radiated danger. Jack could easily imagine him using that horn to skewer someone.

"I'm a fishman," Jack announced. "My name is Jack. Fellow fishmen, I've come here with no ill will. I'm recruiting comrades to join the Beasts Pirates. Have you heard of us?"

"Fishman?"

The fishmen scrutinized Jack, taking a closer look at his features. When they noticed his sharp, protruding teeth, their expressions shifted.

"You're an Indo-Pacific grouper fishman, aren't you? Only your kind can look this human-like. But it's been ages since I've seen one!"

"Jack, huh? Beasts Pirates?"

The horned fishman seemed knowledgeable, his wary expression suggesting he recognized the name.

"That's right. So, what do you say?" Jack smirked. "Join me, and no one will ever discriminate against you again. If you have the strength, you could even lead humans. Drink, feast, and raid human nations with me. How about it?"

The horned fishman hesitated, glancing at Zeo. Then, he demanded, "Zeo! Where's Jones? Did you bring these people here? Do you even know who they are?"

He pointed an accusing finger at Jack.

"That man is known as 'Drought' Jack! He'll destroy everything here!"

Jack clapped Zeo on the shoulder, offering a reassuring nod. Then, his tone turned cold.

"You seem to know a lot about me, don't you?" Jack said to the horned fishman. "What's your name? If your strength measures up, I might consider making you an officer."

After a tense silence, the fishman finally replied, "My name is Finder. But I'll pass on joining the Beasts Pirates."

"Oh? You know my name, so you should know how I operate," Jack said, his gaze sharp. "This isn't a negotiation."

"You dare speak to Finder like that?" another fishman spat. "Bringing humans here? Do you want to die?"

"Silence!" Finder barked, his voice tense as he noticed Jack's eyes turning red. "No one acts rashly! We'll talk this out on land."

"Finder, you can't be serious! Why should we fear them? In the water, we're invincible! They're just humans!"

"Exactly—"

CRASH!

Jack slammed his jaws shut on a nearby structure, reducing it to rubble in an instant. The display silenced the murmuring crowd.

"Finder, I respect your rationality," Jack said. "For your sake, we'll talk on land. Let's move!"

With a single command, Jack's crew swam out of the district, laughing and joking. Finder hesitated before gritting his teeth and addressing his followers.

"Follow them. If we don't resolve this today, Fishman District might be finished."

"Finder, are you really going to join them?" a fishman asked in shock. "Even Brother Tiger couldn't convince you to join him!"

Finder laughed bitterly, his gaze fixed on Jack's retreating figure.

"That guy isn't like Brother Tiger. And worse… the lunatic behind him won't hesitate to burn everything down."

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+100 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg