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[TIOP] Chapter : 21
🕑 Added 2025-02-05 15:35:38 +0000 UTCJack was no longer the man he used to be. A bounty of over 10 million wasn’t enough to warrant him running around the East Blue anymore. His plan was simple—head to Loguetown, catch up with Smoker, and then return to his hometown. As a captain of the Navy Headquarters, he had the authority to establish a naval base there, which would help him better protect the villagers.
If he happened to cross paths with any notorious pirates on his way back, he wouldn’t mind taking them down. After all, even the lowliest pirate, like Buggy, was worth 1,500 diamonds.
A day later, Jack stood at the gates of the Loguetown Naval Base, overcome with a wave of nostalgia.
"Hey, what are you doing loitering around the naval base?" A voice called out, snapping Jack from his thoughts. The voice was oddly familiar.
"Oh? Tashigi!" Jack turned around, recognizing her immediately, clad in her usual attire with the sword Shigure at her side.
"Hmm? You know me?" Tashigi tilted her head slightly, her expression marked by the same innocent curiosity as always.
"You don’t even recognize an old friend? That’s a little heartbreaking. Hopefully, Smoker still remembers me," Jack replied with a chuckle, shaking his head.
"Huh?" Tashigi frowned, growing more confused. She was certain she’d never met Jack before—yet he spoke as if they had history.
After two years of rigorous training at Navy Headquarters, Jack’s physique and demeanor had undergone significant changes, making him nearly unrecognizable.
“I’m Captain Jack from Navy Headquarters, here to visit Captain Smoker. Petty officer Tashigi, could you kindly show me the way?” Jack said with a friendly smile, presenting his identification.
Tashigi stared at the ID in stunned silence for a moment before snapping to attention, bowing respectfully. “Yes, sir!” she replied hastily—but in her flustered state, the bag of fruit she’d just purchased slipped from her hands and tumbled to the ground.
Jack sighed inwardly, his face darkening slightly with exasperation. 'Great,' he thought. 'If Smoker sees this, he’ll think I’m bullying his adorable subordinate.'
As if on cue, a deep, familiar voice rumbled from behind him. “What’s going on here?”
Jack didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. 'Of course. My bad luck strikes again.'
Turning with a casual grin, he greeted the newcomer, “Hey, Smoker! Long time no see!”
Smoker eyed him skeptically, his gaze flicking from Tashigi’s flustered expression to the fruit scattered on the ground. “Hmph. You’re not throwing your weight around as a captain to intimidate my subordinates, are you?” he asked, arching an eyebrow in suspicion.
Jack chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. “Ahaha, come on, how could I possibly do that? Petty officer Tashigi’s way too cute to bully!” he replied, trying to smooth over the situation with a light-hearted laugh.
“But I heard from Hina that ever since you got promoted to captain, you’ve been showing off in front of her quite a bit,” Smoker said casually, taking a long drag from his cigar, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Jack’s expression stiffened. He could feel Tashigi’s gaze shifting toward him, filled with a mix of curiosity and judgment, as if silently thinking, So, you’re that kind of person?
Feigning righteous indignation, Jack straightened his posture. “Ah, Smoker, don’t tell me you’re here to stand up for Hina? Besides, do I really look like that kind of sleazy guy?” He plastered on a face of pure innocence, his tone dripping with exaggerated sincerity.
To his credit, his acting was convincing enough to make Tashigi’s doubtful gaze waver slightly, her expression shifting to one of uncertainty.
Smoker squinted, unimpressed. “Hmph. You really think you’re not that kind of guy?” He shot back, cigar still clenched between his teeth, wearing a look that screamed, 'I know exactly what kind of person you are.'
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
“I’m not!”
“You are.”
The two stood toe-to-toe at the entrance of the naval base, locked in an absurd staring contest, their childish back-and-forth drawing more attention than either would have liked.
Unable to endure their nonsense any longer, Tashigi cleared her throat loudly, breaking the tension.
Smoker exhaled sharply, then smirked. “What do you say? Want to settle this with a duel? Let’s see if those two years at headquarters made you soft.”
"White Launcher!"
Smoker expelled a thick burst of smoke from his mid-section, propelling himself forward with incredible speed as he closed the distance toward Jack.
In his hand, he wielded a Seastone-tipped jitte—a weapon he’d acquired from headquarters after his battle with Ace, specially designed to counter Devil Fruit users.
“Hmph, that move’s useless against me!” Jack scoffed, his arm darkening as it was coated with Armament Haki.
Smoker’s eyes narrowed, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “So, you’ve mastered Haki after all.”
“Well, duh,” Jack replied with a cocky grin. “I’m a captain in the headquarters. It’d be pretty embarrassing if I hadn’t mastered it by now, don’t you think, Captain Smoker?” His words dripped with mockery, deliberately poking at Smoker’s frustration over his slower progress with Haki.
With a grunt of annoyance, Smoker dissolved into a whirlwind of smoke. “White Out!” His vaporous form surged toward Jack, aiming to smother and trap him within the dense cloud.
“Hmph, parlor tricks.”
Jack’s observation haki kicked in, and he easily found out Smoker's position within the smoke. With a sudden burst of power, he punched using his haki-coated fist, forcing Smoker’s solid form to reappear, skidding back across the ground.
The clash of strength and skill left a charged tension lingering in the air—this was just the beginning.
“Smoker, you rely too much on your Devil Fruit abilities. Your physical skills aren’t bad, but they’re still lacking compared to mine,” Jack remarked, brushing the dust off his sleeves as the system notification signaled the end of their sparring session.
Smoker scowled, clearly frustrated—not just by the loss but by the fact that Jack hadn’t even broken a sweat.
“I’ve heard rumors you have a technique that lets you break even a mountain. Why didn’t you use it?” Smoker asked, his voice tight with lingering frustration.
Though he’d been defeated, what stung more was knowing Jack hadn’t even fought at full strength.
“That move drains too much energy, and I still haven’t fully mastered it,” Jack replied with a casual shrug. “Besides, this was just a spar, not a life-or-death battle, and have you looked around? Do you want me to obliterate your navy base?”
His explanation seemed to ease Smoker’s bruised pride slightly.
“Weren’t you supposed to return with Vice Admiral Garp? Why’d you come to Loguetown alone?” Smoker asked after a moment, leading Jack to the base cafeteria. Despite the defeat, formalities remained, and hosting a fellow officer was part of the job.
They sat down over lunch, the tension from their spar fading into the background, though Smoker’s pride still smoldered quietly beneath the surface.
"My hometown is also in the East Blue. This time, I’m heading back with the old man to visit. By the way, I’ve got a favor to ask—I’d like to establish a naval base in my hometown. Nothing fancy, just a small outpost will do," Jack said casually, taking a bite of his meal.
“No problem,” Smoker replied with a nod, agreeing without hesitation.
“Oh, and I’ll need to borrow a ship. I arrived here on a merchant vessel, so I don’t exactly have a ride back,” Jack added, patting his full stomach and raising his glass with a grin.
“Fine. When are you leaving?” Smoker asked, though there was a hint of impatience in his voice.
“Hm? I was planning to leave tomorrow, but since you asked, I think I’ll stay a few more days. Why? Am I not welcome?” Jack replied with a mischievous smile.
He knew Smoker was still feeling the sting of defeat from their recent sparring match, and that awkwardness only fueled Jack’s amusement. Back at headquarters, everyone was used to his constant challenges, so it had been a while since he’d seen someone react like this—which made it all the more entertaining.
A few days later, on a crisp morning, Jack boarded the warship Smoker had lent him. The vessel was fully crewed with sailors and marines, all in proper formation. It wasn’t just any ship—it was Smoker’s personal warship, the one he usually used for official missions.
"Tashigi-chan, do you think Captain Smoker is still hung up on the fact that I beat him in our sparring match the other day?" Jack asked, standing on the deck with a faint smirk, noticing Tashigi’s slightly flustered expression.
Earlier that morning, Smoker hadn’t even bothered to see him off, sending Tashigi in his place with nothing more than a brief message of thanks.
"That… shouldn’t be the case. Captain Smoker is probably just busy with official duties," Tashigi replied, though even she didn’t sound convinced by her own words.
"Alright then. I’ll return the warship to him when I get back," Jack said with a shrug before giving the order to set sail.
Tashigi remained at the harbor, watching the warship disappear over the horizon. Only then did she let out a quiet sigh of relief.
She knew the truth—Captain Smoker was definitely bothered by that sparring match. Both she and Smoker were once stationed at Navy Headquarters, but due to certain events, Smoker had exiled himself to the East Blue. Compared to the headquarters, the resources and training conditions here were lacking. It stung his pride to see Jack, someone who had been beneath him just two years ago, now surpassing him with ease. Even if Smoker wouldn’t admit it, Tashigi could tell—he was struggling to accept it.
Moreover, Jack seemed to linger around Smoker—whether intentionally or not—further aggravating him. If Jack had stayed any longer, Tashigi couldn't have guarantee that Smoker wouldn’t have lost his patience and kicked him out.
After setting sail, Jack retreated to his cabin to rest. With the warship’s speed, he expected to reach his hometown by the following afternoon. Gone were the days when he had to rely on a small wooden boat, drifting aimlessly with the wind.
The next afternoon, as the warship approached the port of his hometown, Jack was struck speechless.
The port had clearly been bombarded—scorched earth, shattered docks, and an eerie silence hanging over the place. There were no signs of life. For a brief moment, Jack stood frozen, his mind struggling to process the devastation before him.
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he barked, "Send a message to Smoker—find out what’s happened on this island. The rest of you, come with me. We’re going ashore!" His voice was low but firm, layered with restrained emotion.
"Yes, sir!" The petty officer—the highest-ranking non-commissioned officer aboard—responded with a sharp salute.
Anyone returning to find their hometown in ruins wouldn’t be in the best of moods. Understanding this, the petty officer kept his thoughts to himself, immediately reaching for the Den Den Mushi to contact the naval base in Loguetown while the rest of the crew prepared to disembark.
"What a tragedy," Jack muttered, his voice flat and expression unreadable as he walked through the remnants of his former town.
The once vibrant and peaceful place had been reduced to ruins. In just two short years, the town that had been filled with life and harmony now stood in complete devastation—broken homes, crumbling walls, and the faint echoes of memories lost to time.
Jack moved silently through the wreckage, his sharp eyes scanning every detail. The signs were unmistakable—scorched buildings, shattered debris, and remnants of conflict. If he had to guess, this was the work of pirates. He’d seen countless towns like this during his missions in the Grand Line, each marked by the same senseless destruction.
But this time, it was different. This wasn’t just another island. This was his home.
