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[TIOP] Chapter : 18
🕑 Added 2025-02-03 19:26:15 +0000 UTCSoon, all the marines, except for Jack, gathered at the center of the town, where the bodies of the villagers had been piled. The scene was somber as the marines silently carried the corpses, arranging them with care and covering them with white cloth.
“Captain Hina, everything is ready,” her adjutant reported in a heavy tone, his eyes fixed on the rows of shrouded bodies before them.
Hina was about to give the order when a voice interrupted her. “Wait!” Jack strode into the scene, dragging the battered and bloodied Lone Wolf Jim, the leader of the Wolf Pack Pirates, behind him.
“Jack, what are you doing? Jim is a high-priority prisoner, meant to be taken back alive!” The adjutant exclaimed, his voice tense with alarm. A sense of foreboding crept into him as he watched Jack approach, his expression unreadable.
Jack ignored him and glanced at Hina, who stood silent and composed, observing him. Without a word, he turned and slammed his foot into Jim’s back, forcing the pirate leader to the ground.
“You monster,” Jack growled, his voice steady but brimming with rage. “Your crimes go far beyond what death can repay. So many innocent lives... Today, I’ll use your head to honor their memory.”
“Hahaha!” Jim erupted into maniacal laughter, his bloodshot eyes gleaming with madness. “Those worthless peasants? Their lives meant nothing! They should be honored to have contributed to my bounty!” His hysterical cackling echoed through the air, tainted with malice.
"You stubborn fool, go to hell and repent!" With a single, decisive stroke of his blade, Jack ended the life of Lone Wolf Jim, the leader of the Wolf Pack Pirates.
The marines around him froze momentarily, their gazes a mix of admiration and unease. There was no denying Jack's courage, but his actions carried a weight that left them uneasy.
Hina, unfazed by the display, exhaled a plume of smoke and said with a faint smile, "If you're going to act, then follow through without hesitation. No dithering. You're still a far cry from someone like Smoker."
“But, Captain!” the adjutant interjected, his expression dark with concern. “We were explicitly ordered to bring all members of the Wolf Pack Pirates to Judiciary Island for trial.”
Hina raised an eyebrow and waved off the protest. “Lone Wolf Jim fiercely resisted capture and was killed in combat by Jack. That’s the report. End of story.” She turned to the marines and continued, “Now, focus on burying the villagers in the back mountain. Once that’s done, we’re leaving.”
With the orders given, the marines carried out their tasks swiftly. When their work was done, and the villagers were laid to rest, the warship departed the island. As it sailed away, its artillery unleashed a barrage upon the town, reducing it to rubble. The once-thriving settlement, filled with life and memories, was obliterated—a grim directive from the World Government to erase all traces of the massacre. In their eyes, destruction was the cleanest solution.
***Few Days later***
Hina’s warship returned to Navy Headquarters. The Jack who stepped off the ship was a far cry from the eager and optimistic soldier who had set out. His once vibrant energy was replaced with a quiet, heavy silence, a stark reflection of the experiences that had reshaped him.
"Congratulations to the host for obtaining a Life Potion."
"Congratulations to the host for acquiring the basic Monkey-style Taijutsu skill book."
"Congratulations to the host for acquiring the basic Snake-style Taijutsu skill book."
"Congratulations to the host for obtaining a white-tier spear."
"Congratulations to the host for receiving a large plate of food."
"Congratulations to the host for obtaining the basic Krav Maga skill book."
"Congratulations to the host for receiving a senzu bean."
"Congratulations to the host for acquiring the advanced Fighting Skill book."
"Congratulations to the host for obtaining a bag of rice and food."
After completing the ten consecutive draws, Jack’s attention was drawn entirely to the Advanced Fghting Skill skill book. The sheer relevance of the advanced technique left him momentarily stunned, as it far overshadowed the other rewards.
Although Jack had anticipated the possibility of obtaining something valuable, his heart still raced faster than he expected when such a treasure actually appeared.
“Huh~ Calm down, calm down. There are still a lot of levels to pass to even consider myself a spec on Garp's shoulder, yet here I am, getting worked up. Staying calm is better,” Jack muttered to himself, attempting some half-hearted self-hypnosis. But he quickly abandoned the effort and tried to use the skill book.
"The host has not met the conditions for use. Usage failed," came the cold, mechanical voice of the system, immediately dousing Jack's excitement.
Jack sighed and carefully read the manual's description:
Advanced Fighting Skill Book:
This is the culmination of all the martial arts in the multiverse of anime and manga. This makes up for any cons a particular style might have. This can be called the ultimate hand-to-hand fighting style..
Requirements for use:
Strength: 300
Agility: 300
Jack examined his own stats after reading the manual. Both his strength and agility had only just surpassed 100, leaving him woefully short of the 300 strength requirement needed to use the skill book. The gap between his current abilities and the book’s demands seemed insurmountably vast.
"I'm so screwed!" Jack muttered, nearly pulling his hair out in frustration. He had finally obtained an advanced skill book worth a million diamonds, yet he couldn’t learn it. The requirement of 300 strength points felt like an insurmountable wall. Jack knew it would take a long time—perhaps too long—before he could use the advanced skill book.
Sighing, he turned his attention to the other items he had acquired in the ten consecutive draws. Among them were two beginner fighting skill books—decent rewards in comparison.
The life potions, on the other hand, were familiar items akin to those in games, used for healing injuries and replenishing chakra. While not groundbreaking, their practical utility was undeniable.
The absolutely mind-boggling draw is the senzu bean. A single senzu bean can fully restore one's health and energy, making it an invaluable asset in battles. It was worth a million diamonds in the shop. This would help him greatly in the future fights with top-level powerhouses.
As for the food and equipment? Jack couldn't help but shake his head. The food was passable, useful in emergencies to restore stamina, but the white-tier equipment? He found it almost laughable—barely more useful than rocks lying by the roadside.
After taking stock of his rewards, Jack wasted no time. He immediately learned the two beginner-level taijutsus and spent the remaining sailing days practicing his new skills. Whenever he felt his frustration bubbling over, he vented it by tormenting the captured pirates—his somewhat unconventional way of lightening his mood.
When the ship finally docked at the marineford, Jack made a point to find Hina before leaving. Despite his grievances, he knew none of this was truly her fault.
"Captain Hina, thank you for your care during this time. I’ll be taking my leave now," Jack said with a slight bow, his tone respectful despite the lingering unhappiness.
Hina gave a slight nod and walked away without uttering a word.
When Jack returned to the naval headquarters, he went straight to report to his superior officer, Commodore Brannew. However, it seemed Brannew was already well-informed about his recent exploits.
"Jack, I hear you’ve earned quite a bit of merit during this mission! Don’t be surprised if your promotion notice arrives in the next few days," Brannew said with a smile, looking up briefly from his stack of paperwork.
"Thank you, sir. Should I still report for training today?" Jack replied, his tone casual yet respectful.
"There’s no need. After completing a mission on the sea, standard protocol allows for a three-day rest period. Take the time to recuperate, and resume training afterward," Brannew replied, his focus quickly returning to the documents on his desk. It was clear he valued efficiency above all else and expected the same from his subordinates.
Three days later, just as Jack resumed his training routine, Brannew approached him with a promotion order in hand. "Congratulations, Jack. You’ve been promoted three ranks to Petty Officer," Brannew said, handing over the official notice. With his new status, Jack was also reassigned to a private single dorm room—a significant upgrade from his previous shared quarters.
"This promotion wasn’t solely based on merit. Captain Hina went out of her way to advocate for you," Brannew added with a knowing smile. "We all recognize your strength, but in the navy, contributions matter as much as ability. Take your time and keep building your record. If you stay on this trajectory, I have no doubt you’ll achieve great things one day."
Brannew’s words carried both encouragement and a reminder of the long road ahead, but Jack simply nodded, his resolve quietly firm.
"Yes, thank you, Commodore!" Jack saluted crisply before heading straight to the munitions office to collect his corps commander’s uniform.
In addition to his promotion, the mission had earned Jack a considerable amount of meritorious service. Such merits could be exchanged for valuable resources at the Navy supply office, ranging from weapons to rare items like Seastone and even Devil Fruits. However, Jack was realistic—his current merits wouldn’t be enough for anything extraordinary. At best, he might get his hands on a slightly improved weapon.
In the days that followed, Jack dedicated himself to rigorous practice and actively began challenging the navy officers at headquarters. When not assigned to a mission, his routine alternated between training and testing his limits against higher-ranking officers. His relentless drive and increasing skill started earning him a reputation—though his growing fame stirred up a mix of admiration and irritation among his peers.
"You’ve been making a name for yourself, haven’t you, brat?" A familiar voice broke the morning calm as Jack was deep in practice, honing his chakra control using a leaf on his forehead. Startled, Jack turned to see an unexpected visitor standing before him.
"Old Man Garp? What are you doing here?" Jack asked, his tone a mix of surprise and nonchalance. Truthfully, he held no particular feelings about the man who had brought him to naval headquarters. In Jack’s eyes, progress and success were things he had to achieve on his own.
"I came to see if you’ve gotten any stronger!" Garp replied with a grin. But before Jack could respond, the cheerful demeanor vanished. Garp launched a sudden attack, his movements swift and powerful, leaving no time for words.
"Holy crap!" Jack exclaimed as he swiftly used his Snake-style taijutsu movement to evade Garp's sudden attack. Channeling his chakra to his feet, he narrowly avoided the strike and landed a safe distance away.
"Not bad, kid!" Garp said with a mischievous grin. "Looks like I’ll have to take this a little more seriously." With that, he casually removed his cloak of justice, signaling that the real fight was about to begin.
Ten minutes later, Garp walked away laughing, leaving Jack lying flat on the ground, completely unable to move.
"Why is this crazy old man so insane? He just shows up and beats me to a pulp?" Jack muttered, his mind swirling with confusion and exhaustion.
From that day forward, Garp would appear randomly to spar with Jack. At first, it felt like a one-sided pummeling, but gradually, Garp began offering tips and guidance during their exchanges. It didn’t take long for Jack to realize that these impromptu "visits" weren’t just for Garp’s amusement—he was deliberately training him.
As Jack caught on, he started asking Garp for advice on his own training routines and techniques. To his surprise, Garp responded with genuine mentorship, even going as far as creating a tailored training regimen for him. Under Garp’s guidance, Jack’s strength began to grow at an astonishing pace.
