[TIOP] Chapter : 138

“Since Admiral Kurohyou is so eager,” Ryokugyu said with a glint in his eye, “fleet admiral, what do you think?”

Aokiji was just about to shake his head and refuse, but Jack smiled slyly and gave him a subtle glance.

“How about this,” Jack suggested lightly, “tomorrow morning, we head to an uninhabited island for a friendly spar?”

“I’d be honored!” Ryokugyu replied without hesitation, completely forgetting Issho’s earlier warning.

After confirming the duel, Ryokugyu left Aokiji’s office in high spirits, with Issho trailing behind, clearly resigned to the outcome.

Once the door closed, Aokiji sighed. “Why did you agree to that match?”

“It’s just a warning to anyone who wants my position or wants to play games,” Jack said with a faint grin. “Besides, it’s time the world saw the results of my training.”

Aokiji paused, then nodded in realization. Jack’s message wasn’t aimed at Ryokugyu—it was meant for Sakazuki and the five elders.

“Don’t take him lightly,” Aokiji warned. “Ryokugyu’s strength isn’t far off from Issho’s.”

In truth, Jack had taken the challenge to boost Aokiji’s authority—and Aokiji knew it. He also knew Jack wouldn’t step into this unless he was confident.

“Relax,” Jack said with a mysterious smile. “It’s time they all see what I’m really capable of.”

As Jack walked away, Aokiji was left with a troubled expression. Given Jack’s close bond with Issho, he had no doubt that Jack knew just how strong Ryokugyu truly was. Yet he remained completely unshaken. Why?

His mind wandered to the nameless cave on that strange island. He had read Borsalino’s report on it—noting some physical enhancement training—but nothing that could explain a massive leap in strength, especially at Jack’s level. The soldiers who had visited the place had reported nothing unusual either.

So where had Jack’s confidence come from?

Aokiji fell into deep thought.

—

The next morning, the sun rose as usual—but the Navy Headquarters at Marineford was eerily quiet. That’s because nearly every officer had traveled to the uninhabited island nearby.

Standing across from Jack, Ryokugyu declared firmly, “Admiral Kurohyou, I won’t hold back today.”

Jack chuckled. “Then by all means—go first.”

The night before, Issho had approached Jack privately and revealed something unexpected: Ryokugyu, despite his fierce demeanor, had a strong sense of justice. He asked Jack to go easy on him.

Jack had been surprised. Since emerging from the cave, he hadn’t fought seriously in front of anyone—his full strength was a mystery. Yet Issho was certain that Jack could easily defeat Ryokugyu, whose abilities were comparable to his own.

Jack had only looked at him questioningly.

“I can see it,” Issho said with a knowing smile, pointing at his eyes.

“You broke through your Observation Haki?” Jack asked, genuinely surprised.

Issho nodded. “Just the day before you returned. That battle with Ryokugyu helped a lot.”

“So you had your breakthrough after fighting him?” Jack asked with a smirk.

Issho nodded again. Jack didn’t press further. Out of respect for Issho, he had decided to let Ryokugyu make the first move.

At the island’s edge, the Navy’s top brass had gathered to witness the battle. Even Sengoku and Garp, long since semi-retired, were in attendance—alongside nearly every vice admiral and Rear Admiral.

“How long do you think this fight will last?” Vice Admiral Momonga asked with a smile, turning to the others.

Now one of the Navy’s elite, Momonga had previously served in the G1 Division. Today, he stood among Jack’s most loyal supporters.

“Oh? You sound pretty confident that Admiral Kurohyou will win,” Onigumo remarked with a sly grin.

“Absolutely. It’s only a matter of time,” Momonga replied with an easy smile.

“Well then, let’s wait and see,” Onigumo sneered, folding his arms.

Nearby, Aokiji stood silently between two of the Navy’s top admirals—Sakazuki and Borsalino. None of them spoke, their eyes fixed on the battlefield ahead. In contrast, Garp and Sengoku—despite their semi-retirement—were chatting animatedly with Tsuru not far away. Their lively conversation seemed to irritate Gion, who stood beside Tsuru, her brows furrowing more with each passing moment.

As the crowd waited in tense silence for the first move, Ryokugyu suddenly sprang into action. His speed was startling—within a blink, he closed the distance to Jack. But Jack didn’t flinch. Calmly, he raised his palm and lightly struck out to meet him.

Boom—!

The impact of their first clash sent a shockwave rippling through the island, gouging a massive crater where they had just stood.

“Oh?” Jack asked, mildly surprised by the other's physical power.

“It seems Vice Admiral Issho didn’t tell you about my powers,” Ryokugyu replied with a grin. "I ate the Mori Mori no mi"

“Mori Mori no mi?” Jack repeated, stunned. If memory served, this seems like a power similar to Hashirama!!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Without answering further, Ryokugyu suddenly started morphing into a huge tree, and the area around him started to change and become a dense forest.

“Everyone who’s not strong enough—fall back!” Sengoku shouted urgently, recognizing the danger.

"The youngsters these days are really something~”

Aokiji nodded grimly. “Ryokugyu’s abilities are best suited for all-out attacks. Against weaker opponents, they can’t even get close.”

“True,” Kizaru added with a smile, glancing at Jack still standing calmly in the field. “But they don’t do much when the opponent’s stronger.”

“Impressive power,” Jack said casually, dodging yet another of Ryokugyu’s attacks from trees and branches that seem to want to suck the life out of him. “With you on the front lines, the Navy might just have an easier time in the next war.”

“I’m just getting started,” Ryokugyu replied with a thin smile. “If that were all, I’d never be able to defeat you.”

With that, he launched another fierce assault.

Jack didn’t retaliate. Instead, he focused on dodging, weaving through Ryokugyu’s strikes. He met the blows head-on just to test the power of these attacks.

It wasn't that Ryokugyu's attacks were slow; vice admirals, irrespective of having high-level observation haki, would not be able to handle the speed of Ryokugyu's multiple attacks that seem to attack various parts of Jack's body. But Jack isn't a vice admiral; he's an admiral who's mastered observation haki to a degree of future sight.

“What a fascinating ability,” Jack said lightly, still calm in the chaos. “Is that all you’ve got?”

Ryokugyu’s expression darkened. Jack’s composure was maddening. Each graceful sidestep, each effortless dodge, felt like a mockery.

And to a man like Ryokugyu, that was the greatest insult of all.

Before discovering that strange fruit in the cave, Jack would never have been able to handle this so effortlessly.

But now, his abilities had soared—whether it was physical strength, endurance, Haki, or Chakra, every attribute had undergone a staggering transformation. Against Ryokugyu’s powers, Jack was unfazed, brushing aside attacks that would have once left him scrambling.

“It looks like Admiral Kurohyou isn’t even taking Vice Admiral Ryokugyu’s abilities seriously,” one of the observing vice admirals noted with a frown. “He seems to be always a step ahead?”

The others nodded in agreement. Despite the thunderous shockwaves Ryokugyu was creating, Jack remained largely unaffected. His movements occasionally slowed, yes—but only for an instant, and Ryokugyu couldn’t capitalize on even that brief window.

“And Admiral Kurohyou hasn’t retaliated once,” another vice admiral added, his tone mixed with awe and disbelief. “I knew he was powerful, but I didn’t expect it to be this one-sided…”

On the sidelines, the high-ranking officers, including Aokiji, remained silent. Sakazuki’s face, however, had turned grim. He could see what others failed to notice—it wasn’t about type advantage or counter abilities.

It was pure, overwhelming skill and strength.

“Damn it… This isn’t possible. How could the gap be this wide?” Ryokugyu growled in disbelief. Gritting his teeth, his entire body darkened—coated in thick Armament Haki.

“It’s no use,” Jack sighed.

In a blink, he appeared beside Ryokugyu and lightly punched him in the chest.