After parting ways with Rosinante, Jack launched a frenzied sweep of the surrounding seas, targeting pirate crews without mercy. Hemmie and the others, having tasted the benefits of the Wound-Sealing Barrier, quickly joined in Jack's rampage. In just a few days, they had already hunted down thirteen pirate crews. Among their prey were three captains with bounties exceeding 300 million, ten captains around the 100 million mark, and over thirty pirates with promising potential.
Flush with success, their ambition only grew. They set their sights on a fearsome pirate with a staggering bounty of 640 million berries—Raelmann, the Detonator.
Raelmann was a Blast-Blast Fruit user, the same Devil Fruit that would later belong to Mr. 5 from Baroque Works. But unlike that booger-blasting clown, Raelmann was on an entirely different level. Every part of his body could explode, even the very air he exhaled could detonate. Combined with his brutal physical prowess and mastery of Haki, he was a walking armory of destruction. Even when Jack and the other three attacked him together, they could barely hold their ground.
It was only thanks to the effects of the Wound-Sealing Barrier that they managed to cling on, repeatedly dragging Raelmann down through sheer attrition, slowly turning the tide in their favor.
Just as the battle raged, Rosinante's Den Den Mushi rang. Hemmie managed to answer amidst the chaos.
"His Majesty's calling. He says we're to pull out—the war is coming," Hemmie relayed to the others after hanging up.
"A royal order, huh? Guess we don't have a choice," Bartley said, grimacing.
"We'd better move. If he's calling us back in such a hurry, something big must be happening," Bartley added.
Jack gave Raelmann a cold stare, clearly reluctant to let the man go, but ultimately stepped back, preparing to withdraw.
"Oh? You came here out of nowhere, attacked me for no reason—and now you think you can just leave? Did you ask me if I was done?" Raelmann growled, his eyes gleaming with murderous intent. "Explosive Step: Heavenblast 3000!"
Just as Jack and the others tried to retreat, Raelmann launched a savage barrage, explosions tearing through the air and shaking the sea.
"You're asking for it!" Jack roared.
Raelmann wasn't going to let them leave so easily. With his power, if he wanted to keep them here, it was going to be a fight. And so, Jack and the others had no choice but to dive back in, surrounding Raelmann once again.
"I don't know what's gotten you all so eager to run, but I do know stopping you now is the right move! Hahaha!" Raelmann bellowed, laughing like a madman.
"Bastard!" Jack and the others shouted in rage, launching a renewed, all-out assault.
This time, they abandoned defense entirely, choosing instead to throw everything they had into pure offense. The battlefield exploded into chaos once again.
…
New World – Kingdom of Joromia
The next day, right on schedule, the pirate ship of the Big Mom Pirates arrived.
As the towering mast bearing Big Mom's terrifying Jolly Roger came into view, Felost's legs began trembling uncontrollably. He had still managed to muster a bit of courage when facing Jack's crew—but the Big Mom Pirates? Against them, he didn't even dare to think of resistance.
Benz, standing beside him, was also drenched in nervous sweat. As a pirate who had roamed the New World, Benz knew—the Big Mom Pirates weren't just strong. They were a force of nature. If Rosinante didn't hold his life in the palm of his hand, Benz would've run long ago.
"Hissss~ Why didn't I know that the Kingdom of Joromia had a guard with a bounty over 100 million?" sneered Perospero, licking his enormous candy staff as he stepped off the ship. "Bins, since when did you become a royal guard for the Kingdom of Joromia?"
Among pirates with bounties near 100 million, Benz had a reputation. The Big Mom Pirates had even considered recruiting him once, so Perospero easily recognized him.
"Lord Perospero, I now serve under Lord Rosinante. Since Lord Rosinante is the King of Joromia, I naturally became part of the royal guard," Benz answered respectfully.
"Rosinante, huh? I thought the king of Joromia was some guy named Choroth the Third. When did it become this Rosinante fellow? Did he change his name or something?" Perospero asked curiously.
"Lord Perospero," Felost stepped forward and explained respectfully, "The Kingdom of Joromia was attacked by the Jack Pirates not long ago. The king and royal family were all killed. It was Lord Rosinante who defeated Jack and saved the kingdom. The people themselves chose to crown him as the new king."
"Ahhh, I see. Well, I don't care who wears the crown. Whoever rules the Kingdom of Joromia better fulfill the promise they made to Mama—without exception. Perorin~" Perospero said coldly.
"Of course, absolutely!" Felost was already soaked in cold sweat.
"Hm? Why are you sweating so much?" Perospero's gaze sharpened.
"…Could it be… that Joromia doesn't have the iron ore it promised? Or maybe… it just doesn't want to give it to us? Perorin?" he said ominously, his tone as thick with threat as syrup.
In truth, the Big Mom Pirates had known about Jack's attack on Joromia the moment it happened. But they didn't care. As far as they were concerned, the ore promised to Mama had to be delivered—whether by the old king, the new king, or whoever slaughtered them in between.
If Joromia failed to deliver, they'd be razed. Simple as that. Totto Land had more than enough Homies to dig up ore elsewhere.
If Jack had conquered the kingdom, then he'd be responsible for the ore. If he refused? Then the Big Mom Pirates would wipe him out instead.
"N-no! We would never dare withhold the iron ore!" Felost stammered.
"Then you do have it? Because if you made a promise to Mama and can't fulfill it, you do know what that means, don't you?" Perospero said coldly, his smile gone.
"N-no, no! The Kingdom of Joromia does have the ore!" Felost insisted.
Perospero paused for a moment, surprised.
"Well then, if you can deliver, that makes you a friend of the Big Mom Pirates. No need to be so nervous, Perorin~" he said with a sudden cheerful grin.
"This way, Lord Perospero. We've already prepared the iron ore for you," Felost said, gesturing politely.
Perospero gave a satisfied nod and followed Felost.
But the moment they arrived at the so-called "prepared" ore site, Perospero's face twisted into a dark scowl. His gaze flicked between Felost and the cavernous mine behind him, thick with fury.
"Are you mocking me?" he growled.
"Mock you? We wouldn't dare! This mine contains the iron ore promised to your crew. You can take it yourselves," came a slow, composed voice.
Everyone turned around—Rosinante had appeared behind them without a sound.
"This vein should more than cover what was promised. And if there's extra… consider it a gift from me. No need to thank me."