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[TIOP] Chapter : 20
🕑 Added 2025-02-04 18:30:28 +0000 UTCAt the time, Jack was on a mission at sea, so his casual meeting with Ace was inevitably noticed by several marines. Upon his return to headquarters, Sengoku summoned Jack for questioning.
Jack made no attempt to hide the truth. He openly recounted how he encountered Ace in East Blue and how he ended up at the Navy Headquarters. Sengoku, after listening, simply waved him off with a warning to avoid any further associations with pirates.
Jack suspected that Sengoku had long been aware of Ace's connection to Garp. However, whether Sengoku knew Ace’s full identity remained uncertain.
After the meal, Garp and Jack discussed the departure time for their trip before Garp took his leave.
"Jack, get out here now!" The shouting from outside interrupted Jack before he could even enjoy a moment of rest after tidying up.
"What do you want with me today? We had already sparred the day before, right?" Jack muttered, scratching his head as he stepped out of the courtyard.
Standing before him was a woman with a striking presence. Her figure was as commanding as it was alluring; a famous sword rested at her waist, and a spider tattoo adorned her thigh. She smiled at Jack and said, "Finished with lunch? How about a training session this afternoon? Don’t even think about saying no—I’ve been waiting for this moment ever since I saw Garp-chan leave!"
Jack felt a headache coming on. It was clear that she had thought everything through, including any excuse he might use to decline.
"You’re really putting me in a tough spot here," Jack said helplessly, his expression resigned.
Although Jack and Gion had only met initially because of Garp’s meddling, Gion had already heard of Jack’s growing reputation within the navy. Otherwise, she likely wouldn’t have agreed to meet him in the first place.
"Relax, it’s just a little sparring session. Nothing serious will happen," Gion said nonchalantly, resting her hand on the hilt of Konpira at her waist.
That’s right—this was "Momousagi" Gion, the highly respected Vice Admiral, standing before him.
Jack sighed, seeing no point in arguing further. It was obvious she was playing coy, and he wasn’t in the mood to dwell on it.
This wasn’t the first time Gion had come looking for a sparring session. What annoyed Jack more was the pattern that followed—without fail, the next day, Tokikake would show up to train with him as well. Jack was certain Gion was fully aware of the chain reaction she triggered every time.
"Fine, fine, let’s get this over with. The sooner we finish, the better. I still haven’t completed my own training for today," Jack grumbled, clearly unenthusiastic.
He couldn’t even muster much motivation. Fighting Gion was fruitless—he couldn’t beat her, which meant there was no progress to be made or experience to gain. It felt more like an obligation than a challenge.
In the afternoon, after completing his training with Gion, Jack returned home. Sitting down, he opened the system and stared at the 9,000 diamonds he had left, feeling a pang of frustration.
Over the past two years, apart from his initial luck in securing the advanced fighting skill book during his first ten-draw streak, his subsequent efforts yielded far less success. Despite completing numerous missions and saving enough for four more ten-draw streaks, none of them resulted in anything worthwhile. In the end, he had no choice but to halt the ten-draw attempts and focus on upgrading his three basic skills to the advanced level, which cost him a hefty 16,000 diamond points.
Because of this, his diamond count had never exceeded the 100,000 mark. Browsing the high-level techniques available in the system’s shop was a luxury he could only dream of.
As for his current level, Jack was stuck at level 19, unable to progress further. He hadn’t yet completed the third stage’s main quest. While he had already mastered the advanced skills, he feared that if the quest provided advanced skill books, it would render his earlier efforts a significant waste.
That said, Jack had made solid progress in other areas. Thanks to Garp’s training, he had mastered the Rokushiki and successfully awakened both Armament Haki and Observation Haki. However, Conqueror’s Haki still eluded him. Whether it was due to a lack of talent or some other reason, he couldn’t say. For now, Jack decided not to dwell on it—some things couldn’t be forced, and he was content to let fate take its course.
As for his chakra pool, it increased to Chunin-level chakra reserves. He was also able to walk on walls and water for now. But due to a lack of skill books and jutsu scrolls. He was not able to do any jutsus.
As Jack's health points increased, the value of restorative items like chicken legs and life potions from the system shop became more apparent. These items, designed to replenish stamina and vitality, began to exceed their originally intended in-game value. In theory, as long as his opponent couldn’t defeat him in a single blow, Jack could rely on these restorative items to continuously recover, effectively rendering him an unstoppable force.
However, his experiments with Garp revealed the flaw in this seemingly overpowered strategy. After continuous use, even basic restorative items like chicken legs began to impose a cooldown period before they could be consumed again. This limitation, akin to the cooldown mechanics in a game, meant that during this interval, he couldn’t use the same type of food or potion.
Even so, these items significantly boosted Jack’s practical abilities. While they didn’t make him invincible, they substantially enhanced his training efficiency, especially for strength training and normal hand-to-hand combat. With their help, Jack’s effective training duration had at least doubled, making him feel like he had activated a cheat code.
Early the next morning, the Tokikake arrived right on time.
“Senpai, aren’t you tired of this routine? It’s the same every time! On the first day, I have to deal with Gion, and then, on the second day, it’s you!” Jack sighed, looking at Tokikake, who stood before him with a playful smile. His expression was one of sheer exasperation.
"Hmph, tired? Even if it’s just for appearances, I’ll definitely keep coming after you!" Tokikake replied without a hint of shame.
"Do you even know what that is? Just count how many times Gion has rejected you!" Jack snapped, his irritation bubbling over.
Normally, Jack wouldn’t make such a direct remark. After all, Tokikake was a vice admiral in the navy headquarters, a figure whose strength was widely respected. Calling out someone’s failures to their face was hardly diplomatic, and Jack regretted it the moment the words left his mouth.
"Asshole! I knew you were looking down on me behind my back!" Tokikake’s fury was immediate and palpable.
"Come on, if I really looked down on you, why would I bother saying this to your face?" Jack shrugged.
Tokikake froze for a moment, then sighed with a helpless smile. "Alright, fine. I’ll pretend to be angry, and then we'll have an all-out drinking contest, and I will beat you this time!"
Jack chuckled and took a sip of his wine. "I’m heading back to the East Blue with the old man in a few days. Let’s save the real talk for when I get back. We’ll settle this seriously then."
In the past two years at Navy Headquarters, Jack hadn’t picked up much else, but his ability to drink could rival any exaggerated anime character.
"Alright, I’m looking forward to sparring with you. Even though you always fake defeat, I can tell you’re holding back," Tokikake said softly, taking a sip of his wine.
Jack remained silent. The truth was, it wasn’t about holding back—it was the sheer difficulty of combining both Armament Haki and chakra strengthening. The combination demanded an absurd amount of control, to the point of being almost unreasonable. So far, he could only execute a single strike while combining both of them. After that, his mind would be exhausted. But that single strike could cause a lot of damage. It actually destroyed a small mountain.
After sending Tokikake on his way, Jack turned his attention to training. Before his upcoming departure, he planned to challenge the Rear Admirals at headquarters once more. Vice Admirals, however, remained off the table—they were still out of his league, and he wasn’t about to waste his time on unwinnable fights.
As for officers below the rank of captain, Jack didn’t even consider sparring with them. Not only did they offer negligible experience, but there was also no honor in bullying subordinates. Why bother with something so meaningless?
A few days later, as Jack boarded Garp's ship bound for the East Blue, a collective cheer erupted back at Navy Headquarters. Captains, commodores, and rear admirals, relieved of their relentless sparring sessions with Jack, flocked to the town’s bar to celebrate their newfound respite. Surviving his spars had left scars—mental and physical alike—so his absence felt like a blessing.
For them, Jack’s departure with Vice Admiral Garp was cause for the greatest joy.
Before long, Garp’s iconic dog-headed warship reached the Calm Belt. Thanks to the seastone plating on the ship's keel, the vessel could traverse the tranquil, predator-filled waters without drawing attention from the sea kings. This shortcut through the calm belt made the journey from Navy Headquarters to the four seas remarkably efficient.
"Hard to believe it’s already been more than two years since I took this same route to Marineford," Jack remarked, standing on the deck and gazing at the eerily still sea. A touch of nostalgia crept into his voice.
Nearby, Bogard merely glanced at Jack without a word.
Jack chuckled to himself. Back then, this swordsman had been far out of his league. Now? The odds have tilted slightly.
Returning to the cabin, Jack found Garp happily munching on donuts. "Old man, once we reach the East Blue, I’m heading to Loguetown first before returning to my hometown. Are you going straight to Windmill Village? Where should we meet up after?" He asked casually, leaning against the doorframe.
The old man was now attempting to break some self-proclaimed record for eating donuts, leaving Jack utterly speechless. Was there even such a record in existence? Jack couldn't help but suspect that Garp had made it up just to amuse himself.
"Ah, then I’ll head straight to Windmill Village first and stay there until my vacation ends. You can find me there when you're done," Garp yawned, his tone sluggish and his spirits low.
Jack rolled his eyes. Even after spending so much time in this world, he couldn’t recall any instance in his memory of Garp actually visiting Luffy during this period.
"Fine. But if I don’t find you in Windmill Village, let’s meet in Loguetown instead! Don’t forget!" Jack agreed, but he wasn’t about to rely entirely on Garp’s memory. This old man had a track record of being hopelessly unreliable when it came to mundane matters. To be safe, Jack made sure to mention it in front of Bogard, trusting him to remind Garp later if needed.
Their passage through the calm belt was uneventful, and soon enough, the dog-headed ship emerged into the East Blue. Along the way, they encountered a merchant ship bound for Loguetown. Seizing the opportunity, Jack bid Garp farewell and boarded the merchant vessel, while Garp’s dog-headed ship continued on its course toward Windmill Village.
"Sir, we’ll reach Loguetown in about a day’s journey," the captain of the merchant ship said with a warm, almost overly hospitable smile.
"So slow?" Jack frowned in displeasure.
Unlike navy warships, which excelled in mobility and firepower, small commercial ships like this one were sluggish and unimpressive by comparison.
"Ah, my apologies! The ship's carrying a heavy load of cargo, so it's naturally slower," the captain explained, his tone tinged with worry.
It was clear the captain feared Jack's dissatisfaction could spell trouble for him and his crew.
"It’s fine. I was just curious. Besides, it gives me time to enjoy the scenery. By the way, how are things in the East Blue these days? Is Loguetown still the same as before?" Jack asked, shifting the conversation to put the captain at ease.
"Ah, yes! Though the East Blue is often called the weakest of the four seas, it's also the safest. There aren’t many pirates here with bounties exceeding 10 million berries. And with Captain Smoker overseeing Loguetown, the area has become even more secure and peaceful!" The captain smiled, clearly eager to share good news and win Jack’s favor.
After a while, seeing that Jack had lost interest in further conversation, the captain—sensitive to social cues—excused himself and left.
"Buggy the Clown, Arlong, Don Krieg, and Kuro, who faked his own death. If I remember correctly, those are the only pirates in the East Blue with bounties over 10 million," Jack murmured to himself, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
