Chapter 41: Jack the Drought

As Zephyr, Fujitorao, and Aramaki regrouped, a cheerful atmosphere filled the air. Lin Yan, humming a slightly off-tune song, lounged lazily on the mast, soaking in the sunshine. When spirits are high, everything seems to flow more smoothly.

During the return trip, the monotony was broken when a group of eager trainees approached Aramaki. "Hey, you're Aramaki, right? How about we spar a bit?" Despite Fujitorao's known prowess—his blindness not undermining his strength which rivaled their leader's—these trainees hesitated to challenge him. Aramaki, however, with his unfamiliar face and intriguing reputation, became their chosen challenger.

Aramaki's eyes twinkled with a cunning light as he grinned. "Are you sure you want to challenge me? I can give you a chance to reconsider!" His recent spirited bout with Lin Yan had left him seeking an outlet for his residual frustration. Though he offered the trainees a chance to back out, their youthful bravado pushed them forward. "It's just a friendly match, what's there to reconsider!" they declared, oblivious to the gravity of their challenge.

Zephyr, witnessing this exchange, shook his head. His trainees still lacked seasoning. "Perfect," he thought, "let Aramaki provide that seasoning." The deck soon became the arena, and as the trainees took their stance, Aramaki casually kept his hands in his pockets. "It's too troublesome to take you on one by one," he remarked, his nonchalance fueling their determination.

What followed was a swift demonstration of Aramaki's formidable strength. Over two hundred trainees, each now sporting bruises, lay scattered across the deck—a testament to their underestimation of the veteran.

Amidst the groans of defeated trainees, Aramaki, realizing these were all Zephyr's pupils, expressed his respect. "Your students have a good foundation; they're just inexperienced but hold potential," he acknowledged. Zephyr, sipping his tea, agreed, "They need more character polishing, and I'll need your help with that."

As peace settled over the 17th Division, a lookout spotted an approaching threat—a massive pirate ship bearing the flag of the Beast Pirate Crew. "Division Captain! A pirate ship has appeared to the southeast!" Lin Yan, peering into the distance, saw the dark silhouette. "Whose ship is that?" he inquired. The lookout, after a closer inspection, announced, "It's the Mammoth led by Jack the Drought!"

Lin Yan's crew, despite being in Beast Pirate territory, hadn't expected to encounter Drought Jack, notorious for his billion-bounty. The tension rose as they discussed their options. Zephyr sighed, feeling the generational gap, as his younger comrades casually equated Jack to the fearsome Emperor Kaido. If confrontation was inevitable, they seemed almost nonchalant about the prospect.

Meanwhile, Jack, recognizing the Whitebeard flag, was taken aback. "Why would a Whitebeard Pirate ship venture here?" he pondered, his interest piqued. Deciding swiftly, he ordered his crew to draw nearer, and as they did, the infamous dark clouds of his entrance rolled in, heralding the storm of confrontation.

On deck, Lin Yan and his comrades watched the spectacle. "Do we fight or not?" Lin Yan queried. The responses ranged from indifferent to reluctant, the crew weary from their recent spars. As Jack's ship closed in, Lin Yan proposed, "Shall we play rock-paper-scissors to decide?"

As they deliberated, Jack himself stepped forward, recognizing Lin Yan. "I was wondering which clueless member of the Whitebeard Pirates had trespassed into our territory. Turns out it's you!" Jack sneered, setting the stage for a confrontation that might be decided by the simplest of games.