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[TIOP] Chapter : 29
🕑 Added 2025-02-12 17:56:45 +0000 UTC"Which island was your previous hometown?" The navy officer hesitated before asking.
"Phili Island," Jack replied with a smile. "It’s not particularly famous, but I’m sure you’ve heard of it."
He had a strong suspicion about the marine’s cautious behavior. The residents here were likely survivors from villages that had suffered the same fate as his own, making them wary of outsiders.
"Phili Island?" The waiter stiffened in surprise before abruptly turning and hurrying inside the restaurant. Moments later, a middle-aged man emerged, following closely behind.
The man studied Jack intently before speaking hesitantly. "Are you... Jack?"
Jack’s lips curled into a smile. "Uncle Gem, you haven’t changed a bit."
"Jack! It really is you!" Gem burst into laughter, clapping Jack on the shoulder. "It’s been so long! How did you find this place?"
Uncle Gem, the restaurant owner, had been a familiar figure in Jack’s past. Back in the day, he had been the first to welcome Jack when he arrived in town and the one who regularly bought his catch whenever he went fishing.
"I returned to the East Blue not long ago and planned to visit home," Jack said with a smile. "When I asked the marines in Loguetown, they told me that all of you had relocated here."
Gem's joyful expression dimmed slightly, a hint of sadness crossing his face. But after a brief pause, he pulled Jack into a firm embrace. "If everyone knew you were back, they’d be overjoyed! Come inside! Hector, go and tell everyone that Jack is at my restaurant. Ask them to come over!"
The young waiter, Hector, nodded eagerly before dashing off toward the center of town, his excitement evident. Meanwhile, the marines exchanged glances, preparing to take their leave.
Just as they turned to go, Jack called out, "Gentlemen, my ship is docked near the reef. There are gifts I brought along—could you help me retrieve them?"
The leading officer hesitated, eyeing Jack carefully before nodding. "Where exactly?"
"It's a small sailboat. The packages are in the cabin. Sorry for the trouble." Jack then produced his credentials, revealing his rank as a captain in the Navy Headquarters.
The marines’ eyes widened in shock before they quickly straightened up, snapping to attention. "Yes, sir!" they responded in unison before setting off.
Gem, watching the exchange with curiosity, scratched his head. "What was that about?"
"Ah~ After leaving town, I joined the navy," Jack said, shaking the captain’s badge briefly before tucking it away. "I recently completed my training at the headquarters and decided to come back to see everyone. I just didn’t expect..." His voice trailed off, realizing now wasn’t the time for boasting.
"Come, sit down first! I'll get some food. Everyone will be here soon, and you can tell us about your adventures over the past two years!" Gem said warmly, turning to leave.
But Jack reached out, gently pulling him back. "Uncle, sit down. Stop running around. Besides, I’ve already eaten. Can I see the mayor?" His tone carried a hint of hesitation.
The moment he asked, he felt Uncle Gem's body tense. That stiffness told Jack everything—seeing the old mayor again might not be possible.
His expression darkened. "What happened back then? Can you tell me?" His voice was low and steady.
Gem let out a long sigh. "Alas… It’s all in the past. Why dig it up now?" He forced an awkward smile, trying to brush it off.
A cold voice interrupted them. "Why not tell him? Doesn’t he have the right to know?"
Jack turned to see a woman standing at the entrance, her gaze sharp and unwavering. Behind her, a crowd of familiar faces began filing in—people he once knew.
His eyes lingered on the woman, sensing an unmistakable hostility in her stance. "Who are you?" he asked, watching her closely.
"She's Alice, the old mayor’s granddaughter," Gem explained. "She lived with her parents in Loguetown, but after what happened in our town, she often came to visit us."
Jack nodded in understanding. "I see. So, in a way, I really am responsible for Kreig's raid on the island back then."
A frail voice called out. "Jack-chan..." An elderly woman, Grandma Anda, looked at him with pity in her eyes.
Jack lowered his head. "Grandma, if I hadn't taken down the pirates who ruled our island before, maybe Kreig wouldn't have retaliated. Maybe everyone's homes wouldn't have been destroyed." His voice was heavy with guilt.
"Jack, don’t say that," Uncle Gem reassured him, patting his shoulder. "Even if you hadn't, with the way the Kreig Pirates operate, our town would’ve been doomed sooner or later."
He hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Also… we found a cave near where your old cabin was. That’s how we managed to survive. But the mayor and the others..."
Gem fell silent, unable to bring himself to finish. Even a man like him had been placed on the protection list.
It wasn’t just the elderly—many of the town’s strong men and young adults had been willing to fight, ready to put their lives on the line to protect their families. But the old mayor had refused. He told them that the town’s future still needed them. That the job of sacrificing themselves belonged to the old generation.
By sheer luck, Kreig hadn’t searched the island thoroughly at the time, allowing the townspeople to escape unnoticed.
As everyone continued reminiscing and exchanging stories with Jack, Alice stood silently on the sidelines. Even though she understood that Jack wasn’t truly to blame, she still couldn’t bring herself to forgive him.
"Captain, we’ve brought the people you requested!" A navy officer's voice cut through the atmosphere as several marines entered the restaurant, escorting Kreig and Nezumi.
Jack gave a small nod before asking, "Is there a place here where I can pay my respects?"
One of the marines saluted and replied, "Sir, at the center of town, there is a memorial site. Since this island became a refuge for survivors of pirate attacks, a large memorial was built so the villagers could honor their fallen."
Jack nodded approvingly. 'Smoker did well. This means more than capturing a few pirates,' he thought.
A large group of villagers led Jack toward the heart of the town. There, five small memorial halls stood, each dedicated to an island that had been pillaged.
Gem guided him to the second hall. As Jack stepped inside, his eyes fell upon dozens of small tombstones, each engraved with the name of a lost soul. The one closest to the entrance belonged to the old mayor.
Jack slowly knelt before the tombstone, his voice low and filled with sorrow. "Mayor-san, if it weren’t for you, I would have starved to death on that island after my parents died. I never imagined that my mistake would lead to your early demise. If I could turn back time to two years ago, I would have stayed—no matter how much you tried to drive me away."
After inheriting the memories of this body, Jack’s respect for the old mayor had become deeply ingrained in his heart. That was why, upon learning of the island’s destruction, his anger had burned so fiercely.
"But I have already captured those responsible. Today, I will offer their lives as tribute to you." Rising to his feet, Jack turned toward the doorway and commanded, "Bring them in!"
The mayor’s granddaughter, standing closest to him apart from Gem, was visibly moved by Jack’s tone and conviction. As the marines escorted two prisoners into the memorial hall, she watched in silent surprise.
"Kneel." Jack’s voice was sharp and unyielding.
At once, Nezumi collapsed to his knees, his legs trembling with fear.
"S-Sir, I’m innocent! Please, I swear—I didn’t mean to—!" His words dissolved into incoherent babbling, his face streaked with tears and snot as he groveled before Jack.
"Hmph! You ignorant fool. I am the overlord of the East Blue! You think you can make me kneel? Keep dreaming!" Kreig sneered, standing defiantly before the tombstone, his chest puffed out in arrogant defiance.
Crunch! Crunch!
A pair of swift, brutal kicks from Jack shattered Kreig’s shinbones in an instant. The towering pirate collapsed with a scream, writhing on the ground in agony.
"Ahhh! You bastard!" Kreig howled, his voice filled with pain.
Jack scoffed, his expression full of disdain. "Tch. And here I thought you were tough? If you're so fearless, why don’t you try suffering in silence?"
The surrounding villagers flinched at the ruthless display. Though many of them had no idea who these men were, Jack’s sheer brutality sent chills down their spines.
"Wait... Admiral Kreig?" The mayor’s granddaughter gasped as realization dawned. Combining the man’s words with a bounty poster she had seen before, she quickly put the pieces together. "He’s the Captain of the Kreig Pirates, the so-called overlord of the East Blue? The one with a bounty of 17 million berries?"
Jack gave her a nod before turning to address the villagers.
"This man is the one responsible for your suffering—the pirate Kreig. I have captured him and brought him here to face justice. The Navy headquarters has already approved his execution, and I will carry it out myself!"
Jack unsheathed his sword, its gleaming blade reflecting the light as he pointed it at Kreig. "Now, let your blood serve as an offering to the old mayor. Consider yourself lucky—had I caught you in the Grand Line, your death wouldn’t have come so easily."
Despite the agony in his shattered legs, Kreig let out a hoarse laugh. "Hahaha! You people are nothing but ants! I will ne—"
Before he could finish, Jack’s sword flashed. In an instant, Kreig’s head separated from his body, soaring through the air before landing with a dull thud. Blood splattered across the tombstone in front of him.
Beside the corpse, Captain Nezumi collapsed to his knees, trembling uncontrollably. A dark stain spread across his uniform as fear took hold, his body betraying him completely.
The villagers, initially shocked by the sudden execution, soon felt their fear give way to righteous anger. Now that they knew Kreig’s identity—the very man responsible for their suffering—they no longer saw him as human. He was just a monster who had finally been put down.
Jack turned, his bloodied sword now aimed at the cowering Nezumi. "And this man? He is Captain Nezumi of the 16th Naval Branch—the very branch responsible for protecting Phili Island. When our home was attacked, he fled in fear, abandoning you all. I captured him today to bring him to justice. Now, tell me—how should we deal with him?"
The villagers murmured in outrage, their eyes filled with fury. But before anyone could speak, the mayor’s granddaughter stepped forward, her voice laced with hesitation. "But... he’s a navy captain. Can you really execute him like this?"
Uncle Gem nodded in agreement, his face clouded with concern. "Jack, didn’t you say you’re a marine now, too? Won’t this affect you? Kreig is already dead—maybe we should just let this one go."
