Chapter 189: Big-Headed Son and Small-Headed Father

Clang!

Riding on Neptune's personal mount, Hoe, the enormous whale, Jack continuously deflected the flying axes coming his way.

Neptune held a mysterious flashlight, its piercing beam illuminating the path ahead for Hoe. Meanwhile the others sat idly atop Hoe, holding handfuls of coral bubbles, chatting casually with Neptune.

After listening to Neptune's explanation, Jack scratched his chin, falling into deep thought.

"The ghost of the sea? The Mark-Mark Fruit? The Flying Pirates? Vander Decken IX?"

This sounds exactly like the Flying Dutchman!

Tom, who had insisted on tagging along, exchanged a confused glance with his younger brother Den before speaking up.

"A Fish-Man eating a Devil Fruit? Isn't that a disgrace to our kind?"

"A Fish-Man who can't swim—what kind of Fish-Man is that?"

"Oi!"

Noticing Neptune and Den frantically signaling at him, Tom finally caught on and quickly clarified, yelling at Jack:

"I didn't mean you, Jack! You don't even look like a Fish-Man, so it doesn't matter whether you eat a Devil Fruit or not!"

"Ugh..."

Jack clutched his chest dramatically, as if deeply hurt.

Tom-san! I swear, I'll find you a Jerry to keep you company someday!

Clang!

Following the trajectory of the flying axe, Hoe swam forward as if guided by a GPS.

After swimming for what felt like half a day, the axe suddenly stopped in its tracks. Hoe hesitated, unsure whether to proceed.

"Damn it! Did it stop?"

Neptune looked around at the pitch-black waters, unwilling to give up. He swept his flashlight in a wide arc, its beam attracting a few grotesque-looking fish. As soon as they were drawn to the light, Fukurou and the others knocked them unconscious without hesitation.

"Damn it! Where is he hiding?"

"Shirahoshi... my poor daughter... is she destined to spend her entire life trapped in that shell tower?"

Perhaps it was the lingering effects of alcohol, or maybe it was the overwhelming stress Neptune had endured since Queen Otohime's death, but he suddenly lost control of his emotions and broke down in tears.

"Hoe..."

"Hoe..."

Hearing his master's cries, Hoe squirmed anxiously and let out soft, comforting calls.

"Shut up! Stop crying already!"

Jack, who had been sitting silently with his eyes closed, suddenly snapped them open and shouted at Neptune. He pointed ahead to the left.

"King Neptune, have Hoe head that way! I sense the presence of living beings over there!"

"And not just one—if I'm right, that's where we'll find him!"

As soon as Jack finished speaking, Neptune wasted no time shouting, "Hoe!"

Swoosh!

Jack grabbed the crown atop Hoe's head, shaking his head helplessly at Neptune's impatience.

"Hoe! Hoe!"

Hoe swam forward at high speed, but soon let out a frightened cry, coming to an abrupt stop.

In the light's glow, a battered, ancient ship appeared before them, its broken sails and pockmarked deck giving it an eerie, ghostly appearance. The ship was enveloped in bubbles, faint lights flickering on its surface. Jack immediately understood—they'd found their target.

"A ghost ship, huh? The name fits. Even the sails look like they've been shredded to pieces. But how is a ship moving at the bottom of the sea?"

"Hoe! Hoe!"

Hmm? What's Hoe trying to say?

"Who are you?"

A childish voice suddenly rang out. Though Jack couldn't see the speaker, he instinctively knew it belonged to a child.

Despite the darkness, an overwhelming sense of something vast and oppressive filled the air.

A beam of light suddenly illuminated the area, revealing an enormous hand slamming down on the spot where Hoe had just been. Startled, Hoe swam backward hastily.

The source of the hand—a massive figure with a wild beard, holding a lantern—appeared in full view. His head alone was nearly as big as Jack's Mammoth Ship. Jack froze in shock.

"It's you, Wadatsumi, you bastard!"

Neptune charged forward with his trident, stabbing at Wadatsumi's hand. Though the weapon barely scratched the giant, Wadatsumi cried out in pain, sending Neptune flying with a flick of his wrist.

"Owwww! That hurts! Captain Decken! Captain Decken!"

"Not good! Neptune's here!"

Wadatsumi's cries sent a ripple of activity through the ghost ship.

Jack narrowed his eyes as a peculiar Fish-Man emerged on deck. Wearing a small top hat, with curled hair, a mustache, and four legs, the figure exuded an unsettling presence. From his silhouette, it was clear his head was disproportionately tiny compared to his body.

Looking between the hulking Wadatsumi and this tiny-headed Fish-Man, Jack tilted his head and muttered, "Big-headed son and small-headed father?"

"Vander Decken!"

"You bastard!"

Neptune's furious shout drew Vander Decken's attention. At first, Decken seemed surprised, but he quickly broke into raucous laughter.

"Bahaha! King Neptune! Have you finally come to agree to my marriage with Princess Shirahoshi?"

"You scum! How dare you!"

Furious, Neptune charged forward again, but Wadatsumi's massive hand blocked his path. Just as Vander Decken was about to taunt Neptune further, Jack suddenly appeared beside him.

"You... you're..."

Vander Decken's eyes widened in terror, his voice trembling as he recognized Jack. His subordinates collapsed to the deck in fear, shouting in panic.

"The Drought! Jack the Drought!"

"Oh?"

Jack pulled the massive fang from his waist, his face brimming with killing intent.

"If you know who I am, then you know what happens next."

"Princess Shirahoshi... if I'm not mistaken, she's just a child, isn't she?"

"And you, scum, dare to have such filthy thoughts about her? Tell me, how do you want to die, you pervert?"

"R-run!"

Splat!

With a single swing, Jack shattered the teeth of a fleeing Fish-Man. He turned his gaze back to Vander Decken, preparing to strike, when a childlike roar echoed through the air.

"You leave Captain Decken alone!"

What the...? That's not just a fist the size of a cauldron—that's a thousand cauldrons combined!

Feeling the sheer force of the wind barreling toward him, Jack braced himself and met it head-on.

Boom!

The ghost ship rocked violently as Wadatsumi clutched his hand, jumping up and down in pain.

"Owwww! That hurts! Captain Decken, it hurts so much!"

"Hey!"

Jack pointed at Vander Decken, who was still frozen in shock, then gestured toward the sobbing Wadatsumi.

"Your big-headed son is calling for you, small-headed father!"

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The fanfic is Finished on p@treon/tambeerg