Chapter 9
When the dust of the impact cleared, the figures of Ms. Valentine and Jack were revealed. Given the former's diagonal descent, he'd been able to avoid getting pinned under her weight.
Grimacing, Jack wiped a drop of blood from under his nose.
"That wasn't very nice of you, miss. Do you know how much effort I put into looking this good? What if I ended up with a broken nose or worse?"
Looking at his relatively unharmed state, Ms. Valentine narrowed her eyes.
"…you blocked my attack. Are you a devil-fruit user too?"
Straightening, Jack chuckled.
"Not at all. My robust physique is simply the result of a high-protein diet, resistance training and a regular sleep schedule. I wouldn't mind sharing the details with you if you're interested-…"
"Don't bother. Just die!"
Not giving him a chance to finish, she leapt into the air by adjusting her weight, speeding toward him like an arrow.
"Five-ton-punch!"
Caught somewhat off-guard, Jack was forced to block again, taking the blow on his forearms. He was directly sent flying, shooting through one wall after another like a cannonball.
Smirking self-satisfiedly, Ms. Valentine spoke in that general direction.
"Not only does my devil-fruit give me the strength to offset the mass-increase, I have the toughness to back it up! Whether its dropping from a tremendous height or the blowback from my own punches, I barely feel a thing!"
There was a moment's silence before some rubble shifted, a massive slab of concrete toppling over. Jack emerged from the pile. It didn't seem like he'd taken much damage.
"I admit, I underestimated you. I obtained some information about you and your partner, but it hadn't sounded like you were very strong. In particular, your mastery of your devil-fruit far exceeds my expectations-…"
While Jack was still in the middle of his sentence, a figure suddenly emerged from a dark alleyway, rapidly closing in on him.
"Do you think you have time to chat?"
His arms extended, Mr. 5 made a flicking movement in Jack's direction. There was another series of explosions, turning the chunks of rubble to dust. Shrapnel fell from the sky like rain, pelting the ruined streets. With no opportunity to dodge or defend, Jack seemed like he was done for.
However, when the fire and smoke cleared, a surprising scene was revealed. Instead of the pirate, Mr. 5 was the one lying on the ground, his head trapped under Jack's boot. Blood dripping from every orifice, his shades were crushed to pieces, revealing the rolled-up whites of his eyes.
Jack glanced from him to Ms. Valentine, a slight frown on his face.
"What a rude guy, interrupting me while I was speaking. I wouldn't have minded sparring with him a bit longer, but my temper isn't very good. I ended up using a little too much force."
Ms. Valentine gritted her teeth.
"Don't be so arrogant! You still have me to deal with. And I'm not nearly as soft as he is!"
Leaping toward Jack, she launched a series of punches.
"Ten-ton-volley!"
Unlike last time, Jack dodged all of them before countering with a right-hook. It landed squarely on Ms. Valentine's chin, the impact causing a shockwave to ripple outward.
Astonishingly, this display of superhuman strength didn't seem to cause her much damage. The woman simply stumbled backward a few steps, glaring at him viciously.
Jack rubbed his fist.
"No kidding, huh? I'm almost tempted to use your partner as a hostage, see if I can force you to give in that way."
Ms. Valentine spat on the ground, a trace of blood on her lips.
"You think I'll let him hold me back?"
"…I guess not."
Staring at each other for a second, they soon resumed their fight, exchanging punches and kicks.
Ms. Valentine's speed and power were incredible, every blow causing the air to shudder. The sound was hair-raising, hinting at the force behind her attacks. Even a graze would be enough to turn a normal person into a bloody paste.
However, not only did that not happen to Jack, she didn't even manage to touch the edge of his clothes. Her frustration growing, Ms. Valentine intensified her efforts, every stray blow turning a pillar or wall into powder.
"Why. Can't. I. Hit. You…?!"
Slipping under a wild haymaker, Jack struck out in sequence, each targeting a vital point. The double-jab combo, going for a liver and kidney shot respectively, brought Ms. Valentine to her knees.
Her face white from pain, the woman clutched at her abdomen. She coughed up a few words.
"…w-why? Your attacks… h-hurt so much!"
Standing over her, Jack spoke calmly.
"You're strong and tough, but your reaction speed and reflexes are like a normal person. Your combat skills also aren't that good. But honestly, if I hadn't used a secret technique or two, I wouldn't have been able to take you down."
Shaking her head, Ms. Valentine tried to stand up, her legs trembling under her.
"No! It's not over yet. I w-won't fail my mission-…"
A heavy blow to the back of the head sent her back down, hitting the ground like a ton of bricks. The impact shattered the cobblestone road under her, sending cracks in all directions.
Letting out a slow breath, Jack habitually patted his torso, looking for his things. Everything had been incinerated during the fight. He was barely clothed, standing there in only his boots and one remaining trouser leg.
"…Jack! Jack!"
Turning his head, he spotted a certain princess, rushing toward him with a concerned look on her face. She barely paid attention to the agents, not bothering to check if they were really unconscious or not.
Arriving in front of him, she touched everywhere, clearly checking for injuries.
"Oh no, you're bleeding! I'm so sorry! If this wasn't for me, none of this would've happened-…!"
Sighing, Jack took her hand. Having grabbed a napkin from somewhere, she was wiping his bloodied nose and lip.
"As much as I enjoy the attention princess, I'm really fine. Your companion is in far worse shape than me."
Looking in a certain direction, he pointed at Igaram. Hobbling toward them, the man seemed on the verge of death. The only reason he was upright was because of Nami's support, propping him up with her shoulder.
Noticing him for the first time, Vivi's expression changed. With some hesitation, she stuffed the handkerchief in Jack's hands before running off.
"Igaram-…!"
"Your highness... I'm g-glad to see you're well."
Extending a hand, he patted Vivi's shoulder. He looked in Jack's direction.
"I can't begin to... express my gratitude toward you, young man. It seems that swordsman... wasn't the only member of your crew with... outrageous strength."
Jack chuckled, rubbing his nose.
"I suppose I did defeat them quite handsomely. What can I say? That much is only to be expected from myself-…"
"Darn you, can you quit it with that nonsense? And don't start coming up with catch-phrases all of a sudden! It's not funny!"
Nami looked angrily at him before shaking her head. She shifted her gaze toward Igaram and Vivi.
"And you guys, I hope you didn't expect us to help you for free!"
"But you didn't even do anything-…"
"That's rich, coming from you! I'm still reeling from the fact that you actually participated for once! And by the way, why the heck are you so strong? From now on, don't even think about sitting on the sidelines anymore…!"
While the two of them quibbled, Vivi looked on worriedly. Clearing her throat, she pointed in a certain direction.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but something seems to be happening over there. I think Mr. Bushido and your captain got into a fight. Don't you think they should be stopped before someone gets hurt?"
Stopping what she was doing, Nami noticed the ruckus for the first time. Clicking her tongue angrily, she stormed off toward Luffy and Zoro, but not before waving her finger under Jack's nose.
"What a bunch of kids. It seems like I have no choice but to knock some sense into them. You. Don't go anywhere, and don't do anything stupid. Also, don't let those guys get away!"
Before Jack could ask who she referred to, the unconscious agents or the princess and her advisor, she was already gone. Turning towards the latter pair, he sighed.
"She's a bit annoying, but her heart is in the right place... I think. Anyway, you don't have to worry about her outrageous demands. The captain's still the one in charge. If you explain the situation to him, he won't expect an outrageous sum like a billion Berry."
Vivi glanced between him and Igaram before smiling self-deprecatingly.
"…for the sake of my kingdom, even a billion Berry… no, ten or a hundred billion is nothing. The value of people's lives isn't something that can be measured with money. But…"
She lowered her head sadly.
"…I'm afraid it's not something that's within my means. Even a small financial reward, sigh..."
A waterfall of shimmering blue hair covered her face, hiding her expression.
Jack scratched his head awkwardly.
"Why don't we head back to our ship? By the time we get there, Nami should've sorted out our captain's misunderstanding. Everyone will get a chance to hear you out."
Vivi nodded her head, not looking up. She rubbed her eyes with her arm.
Igaram sent Jack a thankful glance.
"We wouldn't wish to overstay our welcome, but given the circumstances, I'll gratefully accept on Vivi-sama's behalf."
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Despite having gone through so much, the rest of the night shaped up to be equally eventful for the Straw Hats. After collecting Zoro and Luffy, along with Sanji and Usopp—still unconscious—they suffered a surprise attack by another member of Baroque Works.
Igaram seemingly perished in the event, failing to serve as a decoy for their escape. The perpetrator showed up on the Going Merry, an agent with the codename 'Ms. All-Sunday'. Their encounter was brief, appearing to be an opportunity for their enemies to gloat, ensured of their eventual demise.
In the wake of all this, Jack stood on deck with his arms crossed, watching Whiskey Peak grow smaller in the distance.
"…that guy probably isn't dead."
His words caused Vivi's head to whip around, her eyes welling with unshed tears.
"Igaram is alive? How…?!"
Before Jack could reply, Nami stomped toward him, grabbing him by the collar. She glared furiously at him.
"You better be damned sure about what you're going to say next! This isn't the time for your usual nonsense!"
Taking Nami's wrists, he pried her arms away from him.
"Since that woman was here, I had to keep quiet. But I'm rather sure. She left him alive on purpose-..."
"Then we have to turn around! He must be injured! We have to save him."
Glancing at Vivi, Jack shook his head.
"I doubt he suffered much in that explosion. It might be better to leave him there. Aside from her and us, nobody should know he's alive. It's much easier for him to act that way. I think that was Nico Robin's plan from the beginning."
Everyone on deck listened quietly while he talked. It was Sanji who spoke first, pointing his cigarette at Jack.
"How do you know all this?"
Jack shrugged.
"It's annoying to explain. You can believe me or not. Ultimately, it's up to the captain to decide if we turn around."
Sanji didn't look satisfied, but he, together with everyone else, shifted his gaze toward Luffy.
Resting his hand on his hat, Luffy stared at Jack.
"…you mean that woman wasn't a bad person? She helped us?"
Jack hesitated before nodding.
"I don't know if I'd call her a good or bad person, but yes."
Off to the side, Zoro grunted, wiping the battle's blood from his sword.
"What reason would she even have for helping us? And how do you know her name?"
Jack sighed.
"She's somewhat famous in the underground. Her wanted poster is of her as kid, but if you see it, you'll recognize it. As for the first question, well… you'll have to ask her when we meet again."
"…"
Luffy considered his words for a while before pushing off the cabin wall. He walked towards Vivi.
"That old man is your friend, right? Since we decided to help you guys, you should to chose."
Biting her lip, Vivi looked at them all in turn. Her gaze finally rested on Jack.
"Jack… Everyone…"
She started before stopping, taking a deep breath.
"…even though we only met a short while ago, you risked your lives to save Igaram and I. I want to believe… no, maybe I have no choice but to believe in all of you. When the situation is so dire… for myself, for my kingdom. I'll trust you. I'll trust… in Igaram too."
Grinning widely, Luffy gave her a thumbs-up.
"That uncle was pretty weird, but he seemed like a dependable guy. I also don't think he'll die so easily."
Leaning on the railing, Usopp scratched his nose.
"I wasn't really involved, but I feel like I have to say something too-…"
"Don't. You'll ruin the moment."
"Sanjiiii, I'm hungry…"
"You ate all that food a short while ago! How can you be hungry!"
"You're all so damned annoying. I'm going to my room. Aside from Vivi, nobody is allowed inside!"
"Nami-swan, Vivi-chwan, what about a late-night snack~…?"
"Jeez, what about me-…?"
"You glutton, go die…!"
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État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone