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[TIOP] Chapter : 57
🕑 Added 2025-03-02 04:37:18 +0000 UTCAfter an exhausting search, his efforts had finally paid off—he had located the hidden base of the Revolutionary Army.
However, Inazuma appeared taken aback. Not only did this stranger know his name, but he also knew Ivankov’s. And yet, Inazuma had no recollection of him whatsoever. A suspicion began to form in his mind.
"Are you… a comrade?" Inazuma asked cautiously.
Jack’s expression darkened. While he understood what Inazuma meant, being asked so directly left him momentarily speechless.
"Take me to Ivankov first. I’ll explain everything later," he replied, skillfully sidestepping the question.
Mistaking Jack’s response for confirmation, Inazuma nodded and led him deeper into the sewer.
Before long, they arrived at their destination.
"Iha~ Who are you, BOY?" A flamboyant voice rang out as the Okama, Ivankov, made his grand appearance.
Jack hesitated for a brief moment before deciding to get straight to the point. "I’ll be honest—I need to meet Dragon," he declared.
At the mention of that name, Ivankov’s expression shifted. Inazuma, too, was visibly stunned. A heavy silence settled over the room before Inazuma finally spoke again, his voice grave.
"Wait… You’re not one of us, are you?"
Jack shrugged. "I never claimed to be part of the Revolutionary Army," he said calmly. "But I hold no hostility toward you, either. I came here because I have critical information to share. A long time ago, I stumbled upon intelligence confirming that Ivankov was affiliated with the revolutionaries. So, I took the risk to find you."
"Iha~ BOY~ Before we get to that, why don’t you start by telling me who you really are?" Ivankov asked with a playful yet probing smile.
Jack sighed. "I can tell you, sure. But the real question is—will you even believe me?"
Ivankov and Inazuma exchanged glances, momentarily caught off guard. After a brief moment of reflection, they realized Jack had a point. They already knew he wasn’t a revolutionary—so no matter what he said, they had no reason to trust him.
"So, my identity doesn’t matter," Jack continued. "What matters is the information I have. You need to let me meet Dragon. Or, if that’s too much, at least pass my message along and have Dragon come to me. This is urgent." His tone was firm, his gaze unwavering.
Ivankov chuckled, shaking his head. "Iha~ BOY, it’s not that we don’t believe you—it’s that even if you were one of us, do you really think I, after being locked away in Impel Down for so long, still have a way to contact Dragon?" He batted his eyelashes dramatically, flashing a sly grin.
Jack was momentarily stunned before his expression darkened.
"Huh~ Fine. I'll find a way to get you out of here," he said, exhaling slowly. "In exchange, you take me to see Dragon. Deal?"
Ivankov and Inazuma exchanged incredulous glances. Who was this guy? Did he even understand what he was saying? Since its construction, Impel Down had only ever had one successful escapee—the legendary pirate, Shiki the Golden Lion. And now, this young man was casually talking about breaking them out?
Ivankov’s usual playfulness faded, replaced by rare seriousness. "What exactly do you need to tell Dragon?" he asked. When it came to matters involving the Revolutionary Army, he couldn’t afford to be careless.
Jack shook his head. "It's too complicated to explain here. Just tell Dragon that I am his father’s apprentice. He needs to find a way to contact me—I have something critical to discuss with him."
Both Ivankov and Inazuma froze.
"Father?" they blurted out in unison, their shock evident.
Jack nodded. "This concerns not just the Revolutionary Army, but also the Navy and the Pirates. Everything is about to change."
Ivankov’s gaze sharpened. "What exactly is happening out there?"
If the situation was truly as dire as Jack suggested, then escaping might no longer be a matter of choice—it might be a necessity.
Jack’s expression was grim as he revealed, "The Navy is preparing to invade the New World. They've already set their sights on one of the Four Emperors."
Ivankov’s face changed instantly. "What?! Are you certain?"
"Absolutely," Jack replied, his voice unwavering.
"It's one hundred percent accurate," Jack affirmed with a nod. "In fact, Mary Geoise will be at its most vulnerable during that time. With the Navy focusing all its strength on the offensive, they won't have the extra manpower to defend the Holy Land. This is the perfect opportunity for the Revolutionary Army to strike."
Jack’s goal was the destruction of the Celestial Dragons. Until that objective was met, he had no qualms about cooperating with the Revolutionary Army. In fact, he was even willing to share power with them—at least for now.
His vision was to reshape the Navy into a true force of justice, one that eradicated all corruption and darkness across the seas. In many ways, this aligned with the Revolutionary Army's ideology, which sought to overthrow the existing world order. Unlike them, however, Jack didn’t seek to dismantle everything—only the oppressive system that kept the world in chains.
Even after the revolution succeeded, the Navy wouldn’t necessarily have to govern. However, it would act as a watchdog, ensuring that no kingdom succumbed to tyranny. If darkness arose within a nation, the Navy and the Revolutionary Army would unite to purge it, becoming an unshakable force of protection for civilians worldwide.
Under this system, the Revolutionary Army would handle governance, while the Navy would take charge of military power and oversight. By separating politics from the military, they could prevent either faction from repeating the same mistakes as the Celestial Dragons—ensuring that true justice endured.
This was the ultimate goal Jack had been strategizing and working toward all along.
"The Holy Land of Mary Geoise isn't as simple as you think. Even if the entire Navy is mobilized, it can't be taken down through sheer force alone," Ivankov warned, his wariness toward the Celestial Dragons evident.
"Of course, I know that," Jack replied with a smirk. "But I’m not suggesting that the Revolutionary Army occupy Mary Geoise—you wouldn’t be able to, even if you tried. However, taking advantage of the situation to plunder its riches? Now, that should be easy."
"You underestimate the Celestial Dragons," Ivankov said, shaking his head. "If they only had their visible forces, they would have been overthrown countless times already."
Jack’s expression turned serious. "How much do you actually know about their hidden trump cards?"
"Not much," Ivankov admitted, "but what little we do know has been enough to teach us one thing—we must tread carefully."
Jack tilted his head. "But if you never take the risk, how will you ever know the full extent of their power?"
Silence fell between Ivankov and Inazuma. Based on Jack’s intel, the Navy wouldn’t be able to reinforce the Celestial Dragons this time. However, even without the navy's support, the power of the Celestial Dragons was formidable—far from an easy target. And yet, this was an opportunity too valuable to ignore. Even if only to gauge the enemy’s strength, sending a reconnaissance force seemed necessary.
Ivankov let out a sigh. "As much as I’d like to act on this information, I still have no way of contacting Dragon."
"How about this—I find one of your bases or trusted comrades, relay the message, and let them pass it on to Dragon? Whether he chooses to meet me or not will be entirely up to him. What do you say?" Jack suggested, conceding slightly in order to reach a compromise.
Ivankov narrowed his eyes. "Fine. I still don’t know if I can trust you, but if you're deceiving me, mark my words—once I escape, I’ll hunt you down to the ends of the world and avenge my fallen comrades!"
Jack chuckled. "Relax. Our goals align, even if we’re walking different paths. There’s plenty of reason for us to cooperate."
Having secured the information he needed, Jack wasted no time leaving Impel Down.
On the way back, Tokikake finally broke his silence. "So? Mind telling me what all that was about?"
Jack smirked. "Don’t ask. You wouldn’t want to know."
A twitch formed on Tokikake’s forehead. This guy really had a knack for burning bridges after crossing them. Still, he didn’t press further—his curiosity wasn’t worth the headache.
Upon returning to headquarters, Jack discreetly secured a small boat and slipped away unnoticed. Following the location Ivankov had provided, he arrived at a secluded Revolutionary Army outpost on a remote island. After explaining his purpose, he settled in and waited for Dragon’s arrival.
A few days passed, but instead of Dragon, Jack was met by someone unexpected—yet not entirely surprising.
"Bartholomew Kuma. Did Dragon send you?" Jack asked, his tone calm but observant.
Kuma’s expression remained unreadable. "So, you already know who I am?" he replied softly.
Jack smirked. "I know more than you think. Did Dragon send you because he doesn’t trust me? Are you here just to lead the way?"
Instead of answering, Kuma simply asked, "If you could go anywhere… where would you choose?"
Jack’s gaze sharpened. He knew exactly what that meant. The Paw-Paw Fruit. Kuma’s ability allowed him to send people flying across the world with a single touch of his massive, padded palms.
Taking a cautious step back, Jack raised a hand. "Kuma, let’s not be hasty. I can’t stray too far from headquarters, or Sengoku will have my hide!"
Kuma, who had begun removing his gloves, paused. "Didn’t you request to meet Dragon?"
"I did," Jack admitted with a wry smile. "But if you launch me all the way to Baltigo, how am I supposed to get back anytime soon?"
A rare flicker of amusement crossed Kuma’s face. "You do know a lot. But don’t worry, I wouldn’t send you to Baltigo—it’s too important." Slowly, he stepped forward.
Jack sighed in resignation. "Fine. But if you send me too far, you’re explaining it to Sengoku yourself!"
"Pa!"
Without hesitation, Kuma brought his massive palm down on Jack, sending him hurtling through the sky. Jack didn’t resist—there was no point. Yet, strangely enough, a thin protective barrier enveloped him, shielding him from the harsh winds and preventing any harm despite his incredible speed and altitude.
Watching him disappear into the horizon, Kuma calmly pulled his gloves back on, picked up his Bible, and turned to leave.
"Damn it… where the hell is he sending me?" Jack grumbled mid-flight. With no control over his trajectory, he sighed and retrieved some food from his system space, munching on it while cursing Kuma under his breath.
Time was impossible to track, but judging by the sky, he had already been soaring for an entire day—with no sign of slowing down.
Finally, just as boredom had driven him to meditate and practice midair, he felt a shift.
"Am I finally landing?" Jack muttered, opening his eyes as his descent began.
