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[TIOP] Chapter : 53
🕑 Added 2025-02-28 18:40:57 +0000 UTCOut at sea, Jack’s warship sailed into the New World.
"Lena, take down the Navy’s flag," he ordered.
Lena turned to him in shock. "Sir, why?"
Jack sighed and shook his head. "As much as I’d love to capture a few more pirates, that won’t help us accomplish our mission. If we attract too much attention, we’ll be forced to retreat before we even get a chance to meet Whitebeard."
Lena looked at Jack in disbelief. "Sir, but we are the Navy!"
Jack chuckled and shook his head. "Yes, we are. But the New World belongs to the Four Emperors. Now, do as I say."
Though reluctant, Lena obeyed his orders, lowering the naval flags and removing the emblems from the sails.
Days passed, and despite her initial hesitation, Lena couldn’t deny Jack’s foresight. Along their journey, they encountered no fewer than ten notorious pirate crews, each with bounties in the hundreds of millions. They even crossed paths with the Big Mom Pirates—though it was merely one of their supply ships, the encounter forced them to alter course and take a detour. For Lena, who had always upheld the ideals of naval justice, this was a frustrating reality to accept.
Sensing her frustration, Jack placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. One day, I'll make sure every last one of them is brought to justice."
Lena straightened, her resolve hardening. "Yes, sir!"
Jack soon noticed a change in her—her training had become more intense, her determination sharper. It was an unexpected but welcome development.
A short while later, a marine soldier approached and saluted. "Commodore, we are nearing the target sea area. Estimated arrival by this afternoon."
Jack gave a firm nod, signaling for the warship to continue forward.
As Jack watched the growing enthusiasm for training aboard the ship, he understood that while few believed in his vision now, that would change once he truly possessed the power to reshape the world. Support would come naturally—he had already seen hints of it in the attitudes of King Nefertari Cobra of Alabasta and King Neptune.
Over the past few days, he had been carefully observing the New World. Despite its reputation as a pirate graveyard, he noticed that civilians here often lived better lives than those in other regions—particularly on smaller islands under the protection of the Four Emperors. This realization only strengthened his resolve. He would bring an end to this age of piracy and forge a new era—one that belonged to him.
"Sir, look! What is that?"
Just as the warship neared its target sea area, a sailor noticed something unusual in the sky. His eyes widened in shock as he pointed upward, shouting in surprise.
Jack, lounging on a recliner, casually removed his sunglasses and turned his gaze skyward. His expression shifted slightly as he noticed a strange phenomenon—the clouds above appeared to have been sliced apart by some tremendous force.
“Huh… seems like we’ve arrived at just the right moment,” Jack remarked with a smirk. “Move in.”
However, as they advanced, a blockade of pirate ships swiftly cut off their path.
“This isn’t a place for the Navy! Turn back!” A pirate captain bellowed toward Jack’s vessel.
Jack, unfazed, peered toward the center of the gathered ships. His eyes locked onto two colossal vessels—one shaped like a whale, the other bearing the fierce visage of a dragon.
“It seems we've arrived at the perfect moment. That’s Whitebeard’s Moby Dick and Red-Hair’s Red force,” Jack noted. His gaze then flicked back up at the sky, connecting the ominous tear in the clouds to the confrontation unfolding below.
“Sir… Should we really stay?” Lena asked hesitantly. “Two of the Four Emperors are here… This could get dangerous.”
She had assumed Jack simply wanted to make contact with Whitebeard, but she never expected they would stumble upon a face-off between two of the most powerful men in the world.
Meanwhile, at Marineford—Navy Headquarters.
“What? Say that again!?” Fleet Admiral Sengoku’s voice boomed through the room, his disbelief evident. The report he had just received was nothing short of shocking.
"Report, sir! Commodore Jack's warship has entered the sea where Whitebeard and Red-Hair are meeting. He may not be flying a Navy flag, but I’m certain it’s him!" The marine monitoring the situation relayed the report through the Den Den Mushi.
“That bastard…” Sengoku’s expression darkened, his hand clenching around the receiver. “Not only did he sneak into the New World through Fishman Island, but he also had the audacity to head straight there? Does he have any idea what it means to provoke two of the Four Emperors at once?” His frustration boiled over, and with a sharp crack, he crushed the Den Den Mushi’s mouthpiece in his grip. The snail recoiled, slipping into sleep mode as a result.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the sea, Jack faced off against the Whitebeard Pirates.
"Send a message to Whitebeard," Jack declared from the bow of his ship. "Tell him I have urgent news about Ace. Whether he chooses to see me or not is up to him, but if he refuses, I’ll leave immediately."
The pirates exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of how to handle the situation. If they simply relayed the message, it might make them seem weak—something unacceptable for Whitebeard’s crew.
“I’ll handle this marine myself,” a firm voice cut through the tension.
A figure stepped forward—a stout, muscular fishman with spiky hair. The number "8" was inked on the left side of his neck, and he wore a white shirt with blue sleeves.
"It's Captain Namur of the Eighth Division!" one of the pirates whispered in recognition.
Jack turned his gaze to Namur, meeting the fishman's stare with a calm smile but said nothing.
"Jinbei has sent word, but it's still unclear whether our father is willing to see you," Namur said quietly to Jack.
Jack chuckled, unfazed. "It doesn’t matter. I believe Whitebeard will agree to meet me."
Sure enough, not long after, a response came from Whitebeard's flagship, the Moby Dick. Despite his ongoing meeting with Red-Haired Shanks, Whitebeard had agreed to see Jack—though on one condition. He was to come alone.
"Lena, wait for me here. I’ll be back soon," Jack instructed.
"Sir, let me accompany you!" Lena protested, concern evident in her voice.
Jack shook his head, then, without hesitation, used Geppo to propel himself onto Namur’s ship. From there, he boarded a smaller boat alongside Namur, heading straight for the Moby Dick.
Once on deck, Namur addressed the towering figure before them. "Pops, I’ve brought the guest."
A deep, rumbling laugh filled the air. "Gurararara~ Boy, I hear you have news about Ace?" Whitebeard said with a grin, though his gaze remained fixed elsewhere, not bothering to look at Jack.
"That’s right," Jack replied, his expression calm and unwavering. "I came to warn you—find Ace before it’s too late. Blackbeard, Teach… he’s not an opponent Ace can defeat."
A murmur of discontent rippled through the gathered members of the Whitebeard Pirates, their loyalty to Ace making them bristle at the suggestion of his defeat.
But before they could voice their objections, Whitebeard lifted a hand, silencing them with a single gesture.
Seated beside him, Red-Haired Shanks studied Jack intently, his sharp eyes narrowing as if assessing the young marine. No one could tell what he was thinking.
"Gurararara~ And who do you think you are? A mere Commodore of the navy thinks he can tell me what to do?" Whitebeard's voice rumbled, a hint of irritation in his tone.
Jack met his gaze, his expression unwavering. "Right now, I am not speaking as a marine. I am here as Ace's brother."
Both Whitebeard and Shanks narrowed their eyes at his words, studying him more closely.
"I believe Shanks here understands better than anyone just how dangerous Blackbeard is," Jack continued, his voice steady. "And as Ace’s captain, you must be aware of how sensitive his identity is. When the navy was recruiting for the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Teach sent his men to the Holy Land of Mary Geoise to compete for a position. That means he has set his sights on Ace. Whitebeard, I advise you—do not gamble with Ace's life. If you underestimate the danger, the consequences may spiral beyond even your imagination."
Before he could say another word, a dozen weapons were drawn, their sharpened tips aimed directly at him.
"Boy, I don’t care who you are or why you came here," said Marco, the commander of the First Division, his expression dark. "This is Whitebeard’s ship. Watch your tongue."
"Ace is part of our family," added Jozu, commander of the Third Division, stepping forward to block Jack’s retreat. His voice carried a distinct edge. "You think you can drive a wedge between us with just a few words?"
But Whitebeard merely let out a deep, booming laugh. "Gurararara~ Interesting… You’re no ordinary Commodore, are you, boy? You know far too much for someone of your rank."
Shanks, still silent, watched Jack with keen interest. But this was Whitebeard’s ship—he had no intention of interfering.
"Ace and I shared a brotherhood oath over sake, making me his elder brother in name. I warned him before to be wary of Teach, but he didn't take my words to heart. The fact that he set sail alone to hunt Teach proves as much," Jack said calmly, completely unfazed by the whitebeard commanders' hostility.
"Compared to me, you hold far greater influence over him. Yet, knowing how reckless he can be, I had no choice but to come here and seek your help—despite the fact that, under normal circumstances, our identities should never cross paths."
Whitebeard cast a brief glance at Shanks before turning back to Jack. "I don’t know about this so-called brotherhood of yours," he said, his deep voice steady. "But Teach committed the greatest crime a man can on my ship—betrayal. As his captain, Ace is handling this matter as he should. From where I stand, he’s doing nothing wrong. And more importantly—I trust Ace."
His gaze hardened. "Listen, boy. For Ace’s sake, I won’t make things difficult for you. But I suggest you turn around and leave. Now."
Whitebeard had already made it clear that Jack was no longer welcome, and the division commanders showed no inclination to tolerate his presence any longer. With no better alternative, Jack turned to Marco and said, "Alright, since I can't change your minds, Marco, would you personally escort me back to my warship?"
Marco glanced at Whitebeard, and upon receiving a nod of approval, he replied, "Fine. For Ace's sake, I'll take you back myself."
