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[TIOP] Chapter : 109
🕑 Added 2025-05-03 19:46:39 +0000 UTC"Revolutionary Army? They may resemble them in some ways, but I don't see myself as one of them," Jack said, then paused, letting the subject drop. Issho understood the unspoken meaning and didn’t press further.
When Jack returned to headquarters, he received notice of his promotion: he was to become the new admiral—though not immediately. His appointment would come only after Aokiji officially assumed the role of Fleet Admiral.
It was only then that Jack recalled the chain of events. After the Marineford War, Sengoku had stepped down, nominating Aokiji as his successor. But that path had been derailed when Akainu, through secret dealings with the World Government's top brass, seized their backing. In a brutal duel, he defeated Aokiji and claimed the title of Fleet Admiral for himself, steering the navy down a darker, harsher road.
Jack had no doubt: under Aokiji’s leadership, the navy would be in far better hands. True, Akainu had his strengths, but the gulf between their ideologies made Jack’s choice clear—he would stand with Aokiji.
"Where’s Vice Admiral Garp?" Jack asked casually.
"Vice Admiral Garp has gone back to the East Blue on leave, sir," the navy soldier replied.
"Oh? Got it. Thanks." Jack nodded and turned away.
As he left, the young marines he passed couldn't help but watch him go, admiration shining in their eyes. Their spirits lifted just seeing him—this was the man they quietly believed in.
With a chuckle, Jack muttered, "Looks like it’s time to pay Grandma Tsuru a visit." After settling in, he made his way to her office. As someone who had stood alongside Sengoku and Garp, Tsuru still held considerable sway as chief of staff.
Knock, knock, knock—
"Come in!" came the firm voice from within.
Jack stepped inside and offered a bright greeting. "Hello, Vice Admiral Tsuru! Oh—Gion! I didn’t expect to find you here too."
Gion turned, smiling with thinly veiled annoyance. "You little brat. You actually made it to admiral before me. How aggravating!"
Jack raised his hands in mock surrender. "What can I say? My strength left them no choice!" he quipped.
Both Gion and Tsuru paused, then burst into laughter at his shameless joke.
"Little Jack, you didn’t come here just to trade banter, did you?" Tsuru asked with a knowing smile. She understood him well—Jack rarely visited in person unless it was serious. Gifts on holidays, yes (usually delivered through Gion), but face-to-face? That meant business.
Jack nodded. "Actually, I wanted to discuss something with sensei, but since he’s away in East Blue, I thought I’d come to you, Tsuru-san."
Gion smirked. "Oh? What could possibly make our newly appointed admiral feel uncertain?"
Jack rolled his eyes and sighed. "Oh please, Gion—everyone else in the navy is buried in work, and yet here you are, having a nice chat with Vice Admiral Tsuru."
Gion crossed her arms, feigning indignation. "Listen to you, lording your rank over me already! I’m just a lowly vice admiral—should I tremble before your might now?"
She was clearly still nursing her pride over Jack’s faster promotion and couldn't resist teasing him.
Jack could only smile awkwardly. He had no real defense—Gion had supported him plenty in the past, and their bond was strong. He quickly bowed his head in exaggerated submission.
"Hmph. Fine, fine. I’ll leave you two to it," Gion said with a delicate snort, rising from her seat. She recognized she was letting her pride get the better of her and gracefully stepped back.
Jack called after her with a grin, "Come on, Gion. I’m still technically a rear admiral until the promotion's formal. Besides, this is just a little chat with Tsuru-san—nothing for you to shy away from!"
Tsuru chuckled warmly, glancing between the two. "Alright, you two children, enough flirting. I'm old—don’t wear me out with your nonsense." Her tone was light, though her eyes sparkled with amusement.
Gion flushed slightly but didn’t reply, choosing instead to gaze out the window, her cheeks tinged pink.
With the air cleared, Jack turned back to Tsuru. "Actually, the reason I came is to ask your thoughts on Aokiji stepping up as Fleet Admiral. What’s your take on it?"
Tsuru’s smile faded, her brow knitting together. "You’re not opposing his promotion, are you?"
She had momentarily wondered if Jack, with his rising influence, was already eyeing the top seat himself—a move she’d consider far too ambitious at this stage.
But Jack quickly shook his head. "On the contrary—I believe Aokiji is the best candidate for the job."
Tsuru’s expression softened, and she nodded in approval. She had told Sengoku the same before: Aokiji could serve as a stabilizing force, giving the navy time to rebuild its strength and prepare for deeper reforms—perhaps even paving the way for someone like Jack in the future. Jack’s ideals were lofty, even a little hazy, but wasn’t that the nature of dreams? And dreams, she thought, were worth chasing.
"Then what’s the issue?" Granny Tsuru asked, clearly puzzled.
Jack sighed deeply. "Akainu," he muttered.
"Sakazuki? What about him?" Granny Tsuru raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. She knew Akainu had ambitions for the Fleet Admiral’s position, but this wasn’t the kind of thing one could seize by mere desire alone.
"I’ve received word that Sakazuki has been in secret talks with the World Government’s top brass. It looks like he's plotting to challenge for the position." Jack said bluntly.
Though he lacked direct evidence from inside the government, this was the best pretext he could present.
As expected, Tsuru fixed Jack with a long, assessing stare before speaking. "I didn’t think you had ears that deep. Uncovering this kind of intel… impressive."
Jack lifted his hands in surrender. "Not my skill—just luck. Pure coincidence."
Tsuru nodded thoughtfully. "Let’s set that aside for now. Are you absolutely certain Sakazuki will make his move?"
"Without a doubt," Jack replied firmly.
"I see. I’ll bring this to Sengoku’s attention," Tsuru said after a pause, a faint smile playing on her lips.
Jack gave a crisp salute. "Then I’ll take my leave. But please remember—if Akainu makes his move, the consequences will be dire. Aokiji, just stepping into the role, would be undermined and forced out. We’d lose one of our strongest fighters at the worst possible time."
His words made Tsuru lapse into deep thought until Gion’s voice snapped her back to reality.
"Tsuru-nee, is there truth to what Jack said? Will this really happen?" Gion asked, concern written all over her face.
Tsuru let out a bitter chuckle. "I'm afraid so. You saw it yourself—Teach stole Whitebeard's corpse. Only he knew why, and the world is changing fast."
"But what can we do? The navy is stretched thin. We can't afford a civil war now!" Gion exclaimed.
She wasn’t wrong. Fresh off a mission, she had only stopped by Tsuru’s office briefly before heading out to sea again.
"It’s troublesome, no doubt. Looks like I’ll have to discuss this with Sengoku soon," Tsuru murmured, her eyes narrowing.
Meanwhile, Jack returned to his quarters. As a future Admiral, his temporary residence had been swiftly arranged—senior officers always got priority.
"Hmph… Looks like I need to focus even more on strengthening myself. With someone like Issho on my side now, there’s much I can accomplish." A sharp gleam lit up in Jack’s eyes as he threw himself into training.
The next day, Jack accepted a new mission. He and Issho boarded the Pearl and set sail once more.
The seas were in chaos. The war against Whitebeard and the breakout at Impel Down had unleashed a flood of pirates. The navy was scrambling to chase them all down.
Out in the New World, power shifted quickly. With Whitebeard gone, his territories were being carved up by the remaining emperors—and Teach, who knew the old man’s domain inside and out, seized the most ground.
But with resources tied up battling pirates elsewhere, the navy couldn't press deeper into the New World. They relied on the G5 Division as their lone foothold, expanding slowly while facing concerted resistance from the emperors, who seemed united in their effort to contain the navy’s reach.
A week later, Jack returned to headquarters just in time for the double ceremony—Aokiji’s promotion to Fleet Admiral and Jack's own ascension to Admiral. Even Garp, who had retired to the East Blue, made the trip back.
Now, Garp held no real authority—his vice admiral rank was just a title. Jack knew the truth: Garp had taken the political heat for him. After discussions with Sengoku, they had pinned Jack’s disobedience—his decision to let the Whitebeard Pirates escape—on Garp, freeing Jack to be promoted on the back of his victory over Whitebeard.
"Sensei, did you enjoy your rest?" Jack greeted Garp with a respectful bow.
Garp bellowed a laugh. "Hah! These days, I just train recruits. Life’s a lot easier now! But don’t think a promotion means you can slack off. Compared to Sakazuki and Borsalino, you’re still green!"
Jack grinned. "Don’t worry, Sensei. I’ve been sharpening my skills. How about a spar?"
