[TIOP] Chapter : 133

“Like I said, this is the last bottle. And believe me, I need it more than you do,” Jack replied, waving him off.

Kizaru narrowed his eyes but didn’t press further. After a long pause, he finally spoke seriously.

“That cave... it’s capable of training even an admiral. Its strategic value is obvious. I’ll support your proposal to Fleet Admiral Aokiji.”

Jack nodded and, after a moment’s thought, took out a ceramic container. He poured a third of his remaining wine into it and handed it to Kizaru.

Without hesitation, Kizaru took a generous sip. Now that he understood what the wine could do, he concentrated more carefully. This time, he felt it clearly—his Haki strengthened again, and even his physical endurance seemed to tick upward.

He gently corked the container and stored it away with reverence, smiling at Jack. “No wonder your strength's been rising so fast... hiding this kind of treasure, huh?”

Jack shook his head. “Actually, I only discovered it recently. I sneaked it out when I left home—just thought I’d need some good wine for the road. I had no idea it had this kind of effect.”

Kizaru chuckled, though it was hard to tell if he believed him. Not that it mattered—he had no intention of spreading the secret. Some things were best kept to yourself.

Just as the two were finishing their rest, Sentomaru came out of the cave, looking utterly drained.

“Old man...” he groaned with a bitter face. “That cave is weird as hell. I feel like my stamina’s just... vanishing in there.”

Kizaru smirked and replied in a mock-scolding tone, “Idiot. Pay attention. The wind blades inside drain your energy—that’s why it feels that way.”

Despite the harsh words, it was clear he was looking out for Sentomaru. He wouldn’t have bothered explaining otherwise.

Sentomaru blinked in surprise. He’d been brute-forcing his way through the wind blades, not realizing they were subtly leeching his stamina. No wonder he had to retreat so soon.

“Alright, Sentomaru,” Kizaru said, standing and stretching lazily. “You stay here and train. I’m heading back. When you feel ready to leave, report to Admiral Kurohyou. He’ll handle your return.”

With that, Kizaru gave him a final glance, then turned away—his expression unreadable, but the weight of what he had just learned clearly on his mind.

When Jack arrived at the nameless island with three warships in tow, he immediately ordered Kalifa to begin construction on a new base. This island, after all, would serve as the Navy’s secret training ground for the foreseeable future.

Once the initial preparations were nearly complete, Jack made his way to the cave entrance once again.

"Hold off for now," he said, turning to Kalifa. "I might end up fighting that creature again, and with the base still under construction, everyone should focus on helping out for now."

Kalifa adjusted her glasses and smiled. "Understood, sir. Wishing you a swift and safe return."

"Thanks for the kind words," Jack replied before heading inside the cave. Outside, Kalifa took command, and the Navy soldiers got to work establishing the new outpost.

Before long, Jack had once again descended into the subterranean cavern, emerging into the vast, magma-lit expanse below. The scene was just as he remembered it—unchanged, save for one detail. The mysterious plant at the center of the lava pool still stood, but now the red fruit hanging from it glowed even brighter, its color deepening to a translucent crimson.

Jack smirked. He didn’t know when the fruit would ripen—or even what kind of fruit it was—but that wasn’t important. The creature guarding it, the so-called "dragon," definitely knew. After all, it hadn't left the plant's side.

Finding a shadowed corner, Jack concealed himself and began to watch, waiting for the perfect moment to strike—when the dragon came to claim the fruit.

Just as expected, the dragon returned several times a day to inspect the plant. Lately, its visits had become even more frequent.

"Looks like the fruit's almost ripe," Jack muttered, narrowing his eyes. He watched as the dragon hovered near the plant, clearly more agitated than before.

Now was the time to act.

"Hey there, big guy. Long time no see."

As Jack stepped out from the shadows, the dragon froze, clearly startled. Then, without hesitation, it moved to shield the plant, its massive body coiled protectively around it.

"You can't beat me," Jack said calmly. "Just hand over the fruit. I won't harm the plant. Come with me, and next time the fruit ripens, I’ll bring you back and let you have it."

Whether the dragon understood him or not, Jack couldn’t say—but he still laid out his terms.

"ROAR!"

The dragon’s answer came in the form of a deafening roar, followed by a jet of flame launched directly at Jack.

"So, you still want to fight, huh? Looks like I’ll have to knock you out and drag you with me," Jack said, vanishing from his position in a flash.

"ROAR!"

Confused, the dragon thrashed its head about, roaring furiously. It didn’t believe for a second that Jack had been defeated so easily.

"Huh?"

Jack had just landed on a rocky ledge when the dragon’s tail came whipping toward him. He dodged effortlessly, but something caught his attention.

"Not bad… Big guy, did you just use Observation Haki?"

He had felt a familiar ripple of energy from the dragon’s movements—an unmistakable sign. Somehow, the beast had learned to use Observation Haki.

What Jack didn’t know was that the last time Issho had visited, he hadn’t fought the dragon. The creature had a unique sensitivity—it could instinctively sense the intent within a person’s heart. When Jack first entered, he had eyes only for the fruit, which made him a threat. But Fujitora had entered out of curiosity, without aggression, and the dragon responded in kind.

Fujitora had quickly recognized the creature’s potential. It was a wild animal, yes—but with a sharp, natural intuition. During his stay, he took the time to teach it the basics of Observation Haki. Though the dragon had been a slow learner, its raw talent carried it through. Not long after Fujitora departed, it finally grasped the fundamentals—rudimentary, but effective.

"Haha, you’re full of surprises," Jack chuckled. "What do you say? Want to come with me? I’ll take you out to explore the world. It must be boring guarding this place forever."

For a moment, Jack hesitated. The idea of having such a formidable creature as a mount—his own dragon companion—was incredibly tempting.

But the dragon had other ideas.

"ROAR!"

It growled in defiance. Now that it could detect Jack’s presence, it had no intention of backing down. It wasn’t afraid anymore.

"In that case, let’s give it a try!" Jack said with a faint smile. In the blink of an eye, his figure vanished—only to reappear above the dragon’s head.

"Fist Bone!"

Bang!

Boom!

With a resounding crack, Jack’s fist came crashing down, sending the dragon hurtling straight into the magma below.

This was Garp’s signature technique—the same devastating punch that had once shaken the seas. As Garp’s student, Jack had naturally inherited more than a few of his master’s legendary moves.

"Roar~~!"

The dragon burst back out of the magma, seemingly unharmed, its eyes burning—not with anger, but with excitement.

"What a stubborn beast," Jack muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "And I can’t afford to go all-out here… This place is too fragile. What a headache."

"Roar!"

The dragon let out another roar and spat a blast of flame at Jack—then, without warning, turned and charged toward the plant.