[TIOP] Chapter : 137

Apparently, the man had burst onto the Navy scene like a storm, defeating officer after officer, until he’d bested every vice admiral stationed at headquarters without suffering a single loss. And now? He had his sights set squarely on Jack—the youngest of the three admirals.

Jack had little doubt that Akainu had played a hand in this. A newly recruited marine waltzing in and challenging the Navy’s top brass wasn’t exactly standard protocol. Someone was pulling strings—and it wasn’t hard to guess who.

But it didn’t end there.

Upon hearing about Aramaki, Issho—better known by the codename Fujitora—had returned to headquarters for a friendly match. Garp didn’t mention who won, but the aftermath was clear: both men’s reputations had soared.

Fujitora, had originally been given to Issho by Jack as a casual reference. At the time, Issho had simply shrugged it off. But over time, the name had spread—first among the Navy, then among pirates. Eventually, it stuck so thoroughly that even enemies referred to the quiet, blind powerhouse as Fujitora. Now, he had replaced Admiral Kurohyou as the guardian of the G1 Branch.

Finishing the letter, Jack sighed and stepped toward the window, gazing out into the quiet sky.

The more he thought about it, the clearer things became. With Aokiji and Akainu pulling in opposite directions, the Navy's top-level combat force was fracturing. His original plan—to help hold the Navy together—was beginning to crumble.

If this continued, the damage could be irreversible. He was sure it was not just Akainu but also the Gorosei pulling strings.

Jack made up his mind.

He would return to headquarters. And he would bring Issho with him. Together, they would confront Akainu. If the man was willing to remain as an admiral, all the better. But if he insisted on clinging to the title of Fleet Admiral, then Jack would no longer hold back.

He was prepared to settle things—once and for all.

Of course, he knew the risks. Fighting a comrade, no matter the reason, could shake the Navy to its core. The political and moral fallout would be enormous.

And if he did succeed in killing Akainu... what came next?

That answer remained unclear. So, before anything else, Jack would return and speak with Aokiji—strategize, prepare, and gather strength.

As for whether he could defeat Akainu?

He didn’t doubt it for a second.

His power had grown immensely, if Akainu still managed to survive a his assault…

Then perhaps he deserved to be the marshal.

—

“Look! That’s Admiral Kurohyou’s Pearl! Admiral Kurohyou has returned to headquarters?!”

As Jack’s ship entered the bay of Navy Headquarters, a wave of excitement swept through the soldiers stationed there. His return sparked a flurry of whispers and shouts—the Admiral had been away for a long time. And with the recent rise of Aramaki, all eyes had once again turned toward Jack. Now that he was back, everyone could sense it—something big was about to happen. After all, this man was never one to play things safe.

Meanwhile, in the New World — Navy G1 Branch

“Hey, are you sure it’s okay for you to just drag me along like this?” Aramaki asked lazily as he lay sprawled out on a recliner, eyeing Issho, who was calmly eating ramen beside him.

“If I didn’t, you’d probably get beaten to death by the higher-ups,” Issho replied matter-of-factly, raising his bowl. “Want some? It’s pretty good.”

Aramaki chuckled. “Nah, I haven’t eaten in over a year. Kinda curious how long I can keep that streak going.” Then, with a smirk, he added, “You really think that guy has what it takes to kill me?”

“Don’t underestimate him,” Issho said without even glancing up. “You’re one of the Navy’s top vice admirals now. But if you are going to face him, prepare for the worst.”

Aramaki fell silent. Anyone else saying that would’ve sounded like a joke—but coming from Issho, it hit differently. He knew Issho well enough to recognize sincerity behind the words.

Contrary to public belief, their battle hadn’t bred hostility. In fact, it had sparked a bond. Aramaki respected Issho, even if he didn’t quite understand him. With all that strength, why would Issho choose to take a back seat?

Aramaki was nothing like that—prideful, unwilling to play second fiddle to anyone. Even though Issho matched him blow for blow, he did not want the admiral position and instead wandered among civilians, content with anonymity. To Aramaki, that was unthinkable.

“When we meet him, I’ll explain your situation,” Issho said as he finished his ramen and wiped his mouth. “Even if you pick a fight with him, I’ll make sure he doesn’t kill you.”

Just as Aramaki was about to respond, Lena entered the room.

“Issho-san, the master will be arriving at headquarters shortly,” she said respectfully.

“Alright. Time to go,” Issho replied, standing up. Then, glancing at Aramaki, he asked, “So? You staying here, or coming with me?”

Aramaki grinned and got to his feet. “I’m coming. I’ve been itching to see what this youngest and supposedly strongest admiral is really like.”

As the two men left together, Lena watched them go, pouting slightly at Aramaki’s back.

He’s strong, sure, she thought, but to me, only Jack is the strongest.

At Navy Headquarters, inside the Fleet Admiral’s Office—

“I’m exhausted, Aokiji,” Jack said as he dropped onto a couch without ceremony. “By the way, I heard your relationship with Sakazuki is… less than ideal. Need a hand with that?”

Aokiji sighed and rubbed his temple. “Weren’t you supposed to be in charge of the G17 branch? What are you doing back?”

G17—the newly designated name for the formerly unnamed island under Jack’s watch.

“I’ve already done what needed to be done. Time to move on. Besides, every branch is led by vice admirals. Sending a full admiral over there? That just tells the world something’s wrong. Better to assign a vice admiral or two to stabilize things—that’s more than enough.”

Jack’s tone had shifted—businesslike, focused.

“So what are you planning to do back here?” Aokiji asked warily. Whenever Jack came back, chaos usually followed.

“Two things,” Jack said coldly. “I’m here to eliminate two people.”

Aokiji closed his eyes and sighed again. He’d expected as much. After a pause, he asked quietly, “And how exactly do you plan on doing that?”

"Aramaki is easy to handle. If he wants to challenge me, let him. I’ll give him that chance," Jack said calmly. "As for Sakazuki—there can’t be two voices in the Navy. He either accepts being an admiral... or he dies."

"What?!" Aokiji stood up, stunned. He hadn’t expected Jack to go that far. "We’re the Navy, not pirates! Even pirates don’t kill their own comrades. Jack, don’t act recklessly. And don’t underestimate Sakazuki—he’s not someone you can just eliminate on a whim."

"I know," Jack replied, shaking his head. "But this is the most decisive path. Better to deal with him now than let him fracture the Navy from within. Still, if he can settle for being an admiral, I welcome it. But if not…" He paused, his tone sharpening. "With you, me, and Issho, we can take him down. This isn’t just for the Navy. It’s for your sake too."

Aokiji’s expression hardened. "Jack, no matter what Sakazuki is after, it’s between him and me. If you're planning this, I won't support it—and I certainly won’t help. I have my own sense of justice. Maybe we don’t always agree, but we’re both fighting for what we believe is right. That’s what it means to be Navy."

Jack hadn't expected Aokiji’s refusal, but after thinking it through, it made sense. This kind of internal strike didn’t suit Aokiji's character.

"So what do you propose?" Jack asked after a pause.

“You’re not entirely wrong,” Aokiji said, voice low. “It is time to lay our cards on the table. The Navy needs a single, unified voice. If he refuses to align… we expel him.”

“Fine by me,” Jack nodded. “But we should prepare for backlash. Sakazuki isn’t the kind to go quietly.”

“I still hope... he’ll come around,” Aokiji murmured, but deep down, he knew that ship had sailed.

“So then, do I go talk to him? Or you? Or do we go together?” Jack asked with a half-smile.

“For something like this, I should go alone,” Aokiji said, standing.

Just then—

Knock knock knock.

A firm knock echoed through the office.

“Come in,” Aokiji called, sitting back down.

The door opened, and Issho stepped in with his usual relaxed demeanor. “Aokiji-san, Admiral—been a while!”

“Issho!” Jack greeted him cheerfully. “Still losing money, old friend? Not to criticize, but at your age, maybe it’s time to start saving—and find yourself a wife while you're at it!”

Issho chuckled. “Sir, I’m afraid no one likes me enough for that.”

Trailing behind him was Aramaki, who greeted Aokiji politely but kept his sharp eyes locked on Jack.

“Fleet Admiral Aokiji, Admiral Kurohyou.”

Jack tilted his head, studying the newcomer. “So this is Vice Admiral Aramaki—our rising star, huh?”

Aokiji rubbed his temples again, the beginnings of a headache returning. “Yes… Jack, meet Vice Admiral Aramaki. He’s been making quite the impression.”

“I can see that,” Jack said with a smirk. Then, glancing at Aokiji, he added, “So… is this the one you’ve picked to replace me? If so, why not give him the chance right now?”