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[TIOP] Chapter : 25
🕑 Added 2025-02-08 19:38:20 +0000 UTCAt the entrance to Arlong’s domain, the waters were littered with the wreckage of the 77th Division’s warship. The Fish-Men had made quick work of the navy’s forces, sinking their vessel with ease before returning to their stronghold to celebrate.
Seated at the head of the park, Arlong himself had not even participated in the skirmish. Instead, he had sent only three of his officers to deal with the invading fleet.
Their commander, Commodore Pudding, had led the assault personally. But their efforts had been in vain—the entire unit had been obliterated before they even reached the gates of Arlong’s fortress.
“Haha! We know these waters better than anyone. With Nami’s sea charts in our hands, no one stands a chance against us!” Hatchan, the octopus Fish-Man, laughed confidently.
“Speaking of which,” Chew, the long-snouted Fish-Man, turned to Arlong, “didn’t you promise Nami her freedom? You said that once she gathered 100 million Beli, you’d return the village to her.”
Arlong’s lips curled into a sinister grin. “Of course,” he said with mock sincerity. “I always honor my agreements.”
Yet his tone left little doubt—he had no intention of keeping his word.
Just as Jack was about to descend, something caught his eye. On the road from Gosa village to Arlong’s stronghold, he spotted Luffy and his crew approaching.
"How did that guy get here before me?"Jack muttered, perplexed. He had long since forgotten the exact sequence of events in the early storyline. All he remembered was that Luffy helped Nami defeat Arlong, and afterward, she officially joined his crew.
"Never mind. I'll head to the orange grove first. Even if I don’t run into that rat here, he’ll eventually show up to try and arrest Luffy," Jack mused with a smirk. If he recalled correctly, Luffy’s first wanted poster was issued after Nezumi reported him to Marine Headquarters—most likely by his former superior, Commodore Brannew himself.
Before long, Jack arrived at the orange grove, where he spotted a beautiful young woman with short blue hair and a tattoo, carefully picking oranges.
"Are these for sale? They look delicious," Jack said casually as he approached.
Nojiko, startled by the sudden voice, turned around to find a stranger standing amidst the trees. "A visitor? What's going on today? Why is everyone suddenly showing up here?" she asked warily.
Jack had purposely changed out of his navy uniform before arriving, now appearing simply as an ordinary—albeit striking—young man.
"Something wrong? Aren’t these oranges for sale?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
"If you want some, pick them yourself. I don't know how you got here, but my advice? Leave this island as soon as you can," Nojiko said softly, her tone carrying a hint of warning.
"Ah, thank you! But I’m not one to take things for free. If there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know," Jack replied with an easy smile.
"There’s nothing you can do for me. The best thing you can do is pick your oranges and leave—immediately," Nojiko said, turning away. Her voice had grown colder, as if she had suddenly become wary of his intentions.
Jack merely shrugged, stepping into the grove to pluck a few ripe oranges. Then, instead of leaving, he returned to Nojiko’s side and began peeling and eating one at a leisurely pace.
"You’ve had your oranges. Isn't it about time you left?" Nojiko asked sharply, eyeing him with suspicion.
Jack chuckled, casually finding a spot to sit. "You don’t actually think I’m some kind of bad guy, do you? If that were the case, your first move should've been to either run or surrender."
Nojiko narrowed her eyes. "Who are you? And what do you want?" she asked, her guard up.
"I'm a Marine, but this time, I came to the island for personal reasons," Jack said as he peeled another orange. "After walking all this way, I figured I’d take a break. The oranges here are pretty good."
"Navy?" Nojiko was momentarily stunned. She hadn’t expected him to be with the marines. Then, as if recalling something, her expression shifted. "Wait… are you from the warship that just arrived? The children in town sent a distress signal, but I never thought anyone would actually come. But now, your men have been wiped out. You should know just how dangerous this place is by now!"
Her words made Jack freeze for a moment before his expression darkened. He had initially assumed the warship belonged to corrupt marines attempting to cut a deal with Arlong. But if they had genuinely come to uphold justice, then he had been too late to save them. The realization weighed on him.
Just as he was about to respond, a sudden blow struck the back of his head. A sharp female voice followed.
"Who are you? Why are you here?"
"Nami, wait! He’s a marine!" Nojiko called out anxiously.
"Yeah? Then where’s his uniform?" Nami challenged, gripping the wooden staff tightly. Her eyes remained locked on Jack, unyielding. "Marines don’t go into battle without their uniforms!"
Jack shrugged lazily. "Well~~ I really am a marine, but I’m here on personal business. So, no uniform," he said with a carefree smile.
It was clear that both Nojiko and Nami, who had initially been inclined to trust him, were now filled with doubt. Their eyes remained fixed on Jack, watching his every move with caution.
"Alright, since you don’t believe me, can I leave now?"Jack stood up, dusted off his clothes, and flashed a casual smile.
Neither of them responded immediately, their gazes unwavering.
"Tell me why you're really here, and I might let you go," Nami finally said after a brief silence.
Jack sighed, shaking his head in amusement. "Alright, alright, Little Nami, you win," he said with feigned helplessness. "I came here looking for Captain Nezumi. I heard he's been colluding with Arlong, so I thought I'd try my luck and track him down. He and I have some personal grievances to settle, which is why I’m not wearing my navy uniform."
"Captain Nezumi?" Nami’s brow furrowed.
She had been in Arlong’s territory for years and had never once seen a navy officer step foot there. Her expression hardened as she said, "Your information must be wrong. No marine has ever come here. And if they did… well, they wouldn’t be leaving, just like those men from earlier."
Jack sighed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Yeah, I can see that now. Which makes me wonder… maybe it’s time to just take Arlong down altogether. He’s had free rein over the East Blue for far too long. Even Jinbei wouldn’t condone what he’s done."
Nami's eyes widened slightly at the mention of Jinbei. The name sounded familiar—she had overheard Arlong and his crew mention it in passing during their conversations.
"You think you can actually defeat Arlong? He’s a fishman!" Nami asked in disbelief.
Jack smirked. "What’s this? Planning to run off and warn him? You are one of his officers, aren’t you?" He gestured toward the tattoo on her arm.
Nami instinctively covered it with her hand, but before she could respond, Nojiko quickly stepped in.
"No, Nami isn’t like that!" she insisted.
She could sense that this man—who claimed to be with the navy—might actually be their long-awaited chance at freedom. A misunderstanding now could ruin everything.
Jack sighed, ruffling his hair in mild frustration. "Ah, whatever. This is turning into more trouble than it’s worth. Thanks for the oranges, but I think I’ll just get going."
With that, he turned on his heel and started walking away.
"Wait," Nojiko called after him, immediately chasing after him.
Nami instinctively took a step forward as well, but when her fingers brushed against the tattoo on her arm, she hesitated. Her expression hardened, and instead of following, she turned and walked toward the cabin in silence.
Nojiko ran out after Jack, but to her surprise, he had already vanished without a trace. Letting out a sigh, she turned back toward the small cottage nestled in the orange grove.
Upon entering, she found Nami slumped over the table, fast asleep. Beside her lay a glove, removed from her injured hand.
Nojiko hesitated for a moment, then quietly stepped back outside. She knew exactly what was on Nami’s mind—Luffy and the others. With that in mind, she decided to seek them out and convince them to leave while they still could.
Not long after Nojiko departed, Nami stirred awake. Just as she was about to head out, a group of marines appeared at the entrance, led by a man whose presence made her uneasy.
The officer in front, a rat-like man with an unsettling grin, let out a sharp, chittering laugh. "kekeke. I am Captain Nezumi of the 16th branch. You must be the pirate-thief known as Nami?" He sneered.
Nami blinked in surprise before breaking into a smirk. "Oh? A marine? Calling me a criminal?" she mused. "Well, you’re not wrong—I am a pirate, after all. A cadre of Arlong’s crew, to be exact. And since you’re a captain, I assume you understand what that means."
She watched him closely, her mind racing. The name "Captain Nezumi" sounded vaguely familiar, though she couldn't immediately place it.
"Pirate?" Mouse chuckled, shaking his head. "Squeak, squeak, squeak. That’s odd—we’ve received no reports of pirates in this area. However, we have received word about a thief. And it doesn’t matter if you stole from pirates—criminals are criminals. And stolen goods? Well, they rightfully belong to the navy, of course!"
His smirk widened as if his twisted logic was undeniable.
"What did you just say? Is this the duty of the navy?" Nami's voice trembled with disbelief.
Ignoring her, the navy officers stormed into the house.
"Search the place!" Captain Nezumi commanded.
"You bastards! Who gave you permission to enter?" Nami snapped, gripping a wooden staff as she rushed forward. "Is this what the navy stands for? Shouldn't you be out hunting pirates instead of looting innocent people?"
With swift, furious strikes, she knocked down several marines attempting to ransack the home.
Captain Nezumi, however, merely chuckled, watching her struggle with amused detachment. "Kekeke… Don’t mind her—just keep searching. And don’t retaliate. There’s no need," he instructed smugly.
Moments later, one of the marines called out, "Captain! There’s something suspicious about this field!"
Mouse's grin widened. "Then start digging!" he ordered gleefully.
"You filthy rats—don't you dare lay a hand on Bellemere’s orange grove!" Nami roared, charging at the marines near the trees. Fueled by rage, she sent several of them sprawling.
But her defiance didn’t stop them. The navy continued their search—as if they knew exactly what they were looking for.
"Is this how the navy operates? Bullying a young girl?" Genzo, the town’s appointed chief, could no longer hold back his anger. "The money Nami stole wasn’t for herself—it was to save this town!"
Nami's eyes widened in shock. "Wait... Gen-san? You knew?"
The marines remained indifferent, but Genzo let out a heavy sigh. "Idiot. Did you really think we wouldn’t notice? It was obvious from the start. Nojiko told us everything." He adjusted his hat, his voice laced with quiet frustration.
"That’s right!" Nojiko’s voice rang out as she stepped forward, having just arrived after warning the Straw Hat Pirates. She glared at the marines. "Since the so-called navy refuses to protect us, then do us a favor—get out of our town!"
