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[TIOP] Chapter : 22
🕑 Added 2025-02-06 14:52:44 +0000 UTC"Report to the Captain Jack—Captain Smoker has been contacted!" The comms officer rushed over to Jack, panting heavily.
Jack exhaled sharply, suppressing the fury simmering beneath his calm exterior. "Tell me—who’s responsible for this atrocity?"
“The Krieg Pirates,” came Smoker’s grim voice through the Den Den Mushi. “I don’t know the exact reason, but shortly after I took over operations in Loguetown, I received reports that the island had been attacked. By the time I arrived with my men, the situation was already like this.”
“The Krieg Pirates, huh?” Jack chuckled darkly, his gaze sweeping over the ruined town. “Very well. But Smoker—there aren’t many bodies here. What happened to the villagers?”
“Some were killed during the attack,” Smoker replied, his tone steady despite the weight of his words. “But most managed to escape and hid in the caves. I’ve arranged for them to resettle on a small island near Loguetown.”
Jack’s clenched fists loosened slightly, the storm inside him easing. “I see… Thank you, Smoker.”
“I didn’t do it for you,” Smoker snapped. “This is my duty as a Marine.”
Jack let out a short laugh. “Even so, I appreciate it. But tell me—wasn’t there a naval branch nearby? Why did the commanding officer of Loguetown have to intervene personally? If the local branch had responded in time, this island might not have fallen so easily.”
His words hung in the air, sharp and unforgiving, as the line fell into a tense silence.
Smoker remained silent, refusing to respond.
“I see,” Jack said with a faint smile before hanging up the Den Den Mushi.
On the other end, Smoker stared at the receiver in disbelief before slamming his fist on the table. “That bastard! He actually hung up on me!!!"
'The reasoning was that the branch captain wasn’t even at the base during the attack—he was out on patrol and on the completely opposite side of Jack's hometown. Does that rat really expect me to believe that was just a coincidence?'
Meanwhile, Jack, unfazed after ending the call, turned to the petty officer beside him. “Where’s the nearest naval branch? Which one is it? And who’s in command?”
“The nearest branch is the Sixteenth Branch, under the jurisdiction of Captain Nezumi,” the petty officer replied hesitantly.
“Sixteenth Branch? Captain Nezumi?” Jack rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “That name sounds familiar…”
Closing his eyes, Jack mentally traced the map of the East Blue. He was no longer the same as when he first arrived in this world; he had studied the region extensively.
Just across from his hometown lay Cocoyasi Village, part of a larger landmass dotted with over twenty villages—all under the oppressive control of the Fish-Man Arlong. Cocoyasi, where Nami lived, was merely one of many villages within Arlong’s sphere of influence.
“Set course directly for the 16th Branch!” Jack commanded, his eyes sharp with determination.
He already had a plan for dealing with that rat of a captain. Initially, he’d thought it was just some incompetent branch that had turned a blind eye to pirate activity, forcing Smoker to dispatch troops from distant Loguetown for the rescue. But discovering it was the greedy, cowardly Captain Nezumi made things much simpler.
“Yes, sir!” The warship picked up speed, cutting through the waves as it headed straight for the 16th Branch.
Meanwhile, elsewhere on the sea, Vice Admiral Garp had already set sail. After arriving at Windmill Village, he discovered that Luffy had gone out to sea. Scolded by the village mayor for forgetting his own grandson’s birthday, Garp wasted no time and set off in pursuit, determined to catch up with Luffy.
At that very moment, Luffy and Coby had landed in Shells Town, where Luffy met his first crewmate—the pirate hunter, Roronoa Zoro.
The duo caused quite a commotion at the local naval base, eventually defeating the corrupt and incompetent Captain “Axe-Hand” Morgan.
Speaking of Morgan, he had once been an ambitious and passionate young marine. However, his life took a dark turn when he encountered “Captain Kuro of a Hundred Plans.” During that mission, Kuro and his crew slaughtered the entire marine detachment, crushing Morgan’s jaw in the process. Kuro’s subordinate, Jango the Hypnotist, manipulated Morgan’s mind, implanting false memories that he had captured Kuro himself. This fabricated victory earned Morgan a promotion to lieutenant at the 153rd Marine Branch. Unfortunately, Jango’s hypnosis also warped Morgan’s personality, turning him into the arrogant, tyrannical officer he would later become.
From that point on, Morgan grew exceedingly arrogant, proclaiming that power was the ultimate measure of greatness. Obsessed with status, he schemed his way up the ranks to become a captain, effectively ruling both the 153rd Marine Branch and Shells Town with an iron fist.
After Morgan’s defeat at the hands of Luffy, Luffy distanced himself from Coby to avoid jeopardizing Coby’s dream of becoming a Marine. Pretending to be nothing more than acquaintances, Luffy even staged a dramatic farewell. Meanwhile, Coby remained at the base alongside Helmeppo—Morgan’s son—who, after witnessing his father’s downfall, began to reflect on his own behavior. The two took humble roles as handymen, starting their journey within the Navy from the ground up.
A day later, Vice Admiral Garp, still hot on Luffy’s trail, arrived in Shells Town. There, he received an official request from Loguetown to escort the disgraced Captain Morgan to face justice.
It was also on this day that Garp, the legendary Vice Admiral of Marine Headquarters, jokingly earned the nickname “Axe God Garp.” Of course, this title was nothing more than an inside joke among One Piece fans back on Earth. In truth, Garp had deliberately allowed himself to be struck by Morgan during a test of Coby and Helmeppo’s courage. Had pirates from the Grand Line—or even the New World—witnessed this scene without context, they might have genuinely revered Morgan as “Axe God,” unaware that the man he struck was none other than the famed “Marine Hero” Garp, a title earned through countless battles against the world’s most fearsome pirates.
Aboard the dog-headed warship, Coby and Helmeppo set sail for Loguetown. Garp, knowing it was an inevitable stop for Luffy on his journey to the Grand Line, planned to lie in wait, confident that his grandson would eventually walk right into his trap.
At this time, Luffy encountered Nami, a skilled thief who specialized in robbing pirates, during an incident involving Buggy the Clown. After defeating Buggy, the crew crossed paths with Captain Kuro, also known as Kuro of a Hundred Plans, who had faked his death to escape his pirate life and was hiding in Usopp’s hometown. Following their battle with Kuro, they welcomed Usopp aboard their ship.
Not long after setting sail, they met Zoro’s former comrades, the pirate hunters Johnny and Yosaku. The duo, suffering from scurvy, was rescued by Luffy and his friends. Upon their recovery, Johnny and Yosaku suggested a change of course, guiding the crew toward the floating sea restaurant, Baratie.
Meanwhile, Jack arrived at the 16th Marine Branch, only to discover that Captain Nezumi was absent. According to reports from the stationed Marines, the Captain had gone out to sea on patrol, though none could confirm his exact location. They suggested contacting him via Den Den Mushi.
To avoid raising suspicion, Jack concealed his true intentions and refrained from ordering the Marines to contact Nezumi directly. He suspected that some of them might be complicit in the Nezumi’s dealings and didn’t want to risk alerting any potential accomplices.
After returning to his warship, Jack contemplated his next move. Deciding to shift focus, he contacted Smoker. If Captain Nezumi couldn’t be found, then it was time to go after the Kreig Pirates.
“The Kreig Pirates? I heard they recently ventured into the Grand Line. If you’re planning to chase them, you’ll have to follow them there,” Smoker said in a grave tone over the Den Den Mushi. “Where are you now, Jack? Captain Nezumi was on patrol during the attack, which is why there was no immediate rescue. Don’t do anything reckless—I know you’re angry, but attacking a Marine branch would be seen as treason.”
Smoker’s words carried both concern and caution, aware of Jack’s temper and the consequences that could follow if he acted on impulse.
Jack paused for a moment, ignoring Smoker’s previous comment, and instead asked, “Do you know the famous sea restaurant in the East Blue?”
“The sea restaurant? Baratie? Why are you asking about that?” Smoker replied, his curiosity piqued.
As the highest-ranking Marine officer in the East Blue, Smoker was naturally familiar with Baratie. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t have thought much of Jack’s question and would’ve provided the information without hesitation. But given the current situation—where Jack was hunting for the Kreig Pirates or Captain Nezumi—Smoker couldn’t help but wonder why he was suddenly interested in a floating restaurant.
“Just tell me!” Jack snapped, his impatience evident.
Although Jack knew that Don Krieg would eventually encounter Dracule Mihawk in the Grand Line and return to the East Blue in disgrace, he wasn’t certain about the timeline. He needed to act quickly—if he delayed, Mihawk might already have decimated Krieg’s crew. And with the unpredictable Luffy likely to cause chaos, tracking down Krieg later could become impossible.
After a brief pause, Smoker sighed. “Ask the petty officer on your ship. He’s been there before and knows the coordinates.”
It wasn’t worth antagonizing Jack further, especially in his current mood.
Without another word, Jack decisively hung up the Den Den Mushi, then turned to the petty officer beside him. “Set course for the Baratie sea restaurant!”
“Yes, Captain!” the petty officer replied, snapping a salute before swiftly turning to issue commands. The warship adjusted its course, speeding toward Baratie.
Smoker, now fuming after being hung up on again, clenched his fists. “That bastard! He hung up me—again! I need to call the 16th branch and have them stay on alert.”
After contacting the 16th branch, he finally breathed a sigh of relief upon learning that Jack had just left without causing any trouble. However, the more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. Deciding not to take any chances, he reached for the Den Den Mushi once more—this time to contact Vice Admiral Garp.
Meanwhile, at the Baratie, the restaurant’s owner, Red-Leg Zeff, sat upstairs reading a book. Yet, for some reason, he couldn’t shake an inexplicable sense of unease.
“What’s with this ominous feeling?” Zeff muttered to himself, glancing out the window at the open sea.
Just then—
Whoosh! Boom!
A cannonball suddenly tore through the air, heading straight for his room. Zeff reacted instantly, dodging as best he could, but he couldn’t escape unscathed—the blast left him with a flesh wound.
The cause? A scuffle between Luffy and Marine Captain Fullbody had escalated, leading to a misfired artillery shell that ricocheted straight into Zeff’s quarters. Meanwhile, as chaos erupted in the restaurant below, a waiter restrained Luffy, while Fullbody found himself in a heated confrontation with the restaurant’s fiery-tempered chef, Sanji.
While Luffy was busy negotiating with Zeff and Sanji was pummeling Lieutenant Fullbody, a sudden commotion erupted—the pirate known as "Demon" Gin, who had been captured by Fullbody, managed to escape. However, weakened by starvation, Gin was easily overpowered by Patty, one of Baratie’s chefs.
Sanji, unable to bear the sight of a starving man, secretly slipped Gin a bowl of rice and provided him with a small boat to escape. Unbeknownst to Sanji, Luffy—forced to stay behind at the restaurant to do odd jobs—witnessed the entire act of kindness. Impressed by Sanji’s compassion, Luffy enthusiastically invited him to join his pirate crew.
Unfortunately, fate had other plans. Gin, whose life had been saved by Sanji, turned out to be vice-captain of the notorious Krieg Pirates. Just a week after their fleet ventured into the Grand Line, they had the misfortune of crossing paths with "Hawkeye" Mihawk, who was hunting pirates out of boredom. The outcome of that encounter was devastatingly one-sided.
Defeated and humiliated, the remnants of the Krieg Pirates retreated to the East Blue. After Gin’s return, he brought the weakened Don Krieg back to Baratie, ostensibly to purchase food. However, Krieg had no intention of paying. After devouring the food prepared by Sanji, he immediately betrayed him—demanding more supplies and plotting to seize control of the Baratie itself.
Eventually, Zeff intervened to confront Krieg. It was then that Krieg recognized him—not as a simple chef, but as the infamous Red-Leg Zeff, a former pirate who had once braved the Grand Line himself.
