[TIOP] Chapter : 121

“Sir, nearly all the residents who evacuated have returned. Only a handful chose not to move back,” Issho reported after successfully fending off probing forces from two of the Four Emperors.

“They’re being cautious—and smart,” Jack replied coolly. “They know these two islands are now on the navy's front line. It’s no surprise some would rather stay away.”

“Then… should we keep expanding?” Issho asked, a flicker of excitement in his voice. “There are still many smaller islands waiting for our help.”

After witnessing the transformation of the islands under Jack’s management, Issho had become one of his most devoted supporters. Despite his natural aversion to conflict, he was now the one urging for further action.

“Not yet,” Jack said with a shake of his head. “These islands look peaceful now, but they were built on the sacrifices of countless marines. We need time—for our people to settle, for the world to watch and understand. Only then can we move forward.”

He paused, then turned to Lena. “Speaking of which, did you find the reporters I asked for?”

“Yes, sir,” Lena replied. “There are no fewer than five stationed on each island. I didn’t instruct them on what to write—just told them to report exactly what they see and hear.”

Jack smiled, offering no further explanation. As someone from Earth, a world saturated with media and information, he understood the power of perception. Publicity mattered. Just like Crocodile once did in Alabasta—crafting a heroic image so convincing that even King Cobra was fooled—Jack was laying the groundwork for narrative control.

“Sir! Incoming call from Captain Kalifa!” a communications officer announced, rushing over with a Den Den Mushi.

“Kalifa? What’s going on?” Jack asked, answering the call.

“Fleet Admiral Kuzan and Admiral Sakazuki are visiting the G1 branch, sir.” Kalifa reported. “I’ve just shown them around the town. Have you wrapped up things on your end?”

“Oh, everything’s handled. I’ll leave the rest to Lena—paperwork’s not really my thing,” Jack said with a grin, shooting Lena a playful glance as he gladly passed the administrative burden to her.

Turning to Issho, he added, “I’ll need you to hold the line here a bit longer. Kuzan and Sakazuki are here—I’d better go greet them.”

Issho nodded with a small smile. With Lena coordinating operations, he only needed to guard against any blind pirates foolish enough to launch an attack.

A short time later, Jack donned his admiral’s cloak, boarded the Pearl, and set sail for the G1 base.

“What breeze blew the Fleet Admiral and Admiral Sakazuki all the way out here?” Jack asked with a light chuckle as he stepped into the office, finding the two seated comfortably.

“I was just bored,” Aokiji replied with his usual relaxed demeanor. “Thought I’d stop by. So? Were Kaido’s and Big Mom’s scouting forces dealt with?”

Jack shrugged. “Like you said, it was just a test. No real heavy-hitters showed up. From Big Mom’s side, they sent Cracker—one of the Sweet Commanders. Commodore Issho pushed him back. As for Kaido’s crew, Jack the Drought showed up… then ran off the moment he saw me.”

“Seems like you’re enjoying yourself here,” Aokiji laughed. “But that Commodore Issho—isn’t he a new recruit? He really held off Cracker?”

Jack nodded, serious now. “I’m convinced Commodore Issho has power on par with an admiral. He just hasn’t been around long enough to earn the title.”

Aokiji and Sakazuki exchanged a glance, both frowning.

“You’re saying he’s at admiral-level already?” they asked in unison.

Jack smirked. “Don’t believe me? Test him yourselves sometime.”

Sakazuki’s frown deepened. Jack wasn’t one to exaggerate, and that made the claim all the more unsettling. If anyone with power like that could be found so quickly, what did it mean for the title of admiral itself?

Still, Jack offered no further explanation. People who wanted to believe would believe—those who didn’t wouldn’t be swayed by words alone.

After a while, the two higher-ups stood to leave. The “casual chat” had mostly been Aokiji’s rapid-fire questions and Jack’s patient answers. Sakazuki had remained silent, statue-like—but Jack had caught the subtle tension in his expression. He was paying close attention.

“Admiral Kurohyou, keep up the good work,” Aokiji said as they departed. “Admiral Sakazuki and I—and the entire navy—stand behind you. Do what needs to be done.”

Jack waved it off with a smile. “Got it.”

So far, Jack had planted the navy flag on every island within the G1 branch’s sphere of influence. But pushing further would require more than symbolic control—he’d need reinforcements from headquarters, or at least a few vice admirals to secure the new territory. Without that, the pirates of the New World wouldn’t take them seriously.

From what Jack remembered, Kaido was currently dealing with the underworld, acquiring SMILEs from Joker’s secret factory to build a monstrous army of artificial Devil Fruit users.

Meanwhile, Charlotte Linlin—“Big Mom”—was collaborating with Caesar in a desperate attempt to create artificial giants. Her tragic childhood had earned her the disdain of the real giant clans, none of whom had joined her “Totto Land.” Unwilling to attack them outright, she sought an alternative path—one through science.

Blackbeard Teach, now making moves to become one of the Four Emperors, posed the most direct threat. His Blackbeard Fleet was sweeping across the seas, seizing territory and building momentum. Jack considered him the greatest immediate danger.

As for the final Emperor—Red-Haired Shanks—he was the one Jack found hardest to read. A former cabin boy on the Pirate King Roger’s ship, Shanks had been to Laugh Tale, though he never disembarked due to Buggy falling ill.

Jack was convinced Shanks was carrying out some lingering mission—perhaps Roger’s will itself. That ambiguity made him difficult to approach. In truth, Jack wasn’t sure what stance to take if they ever crossed paths. Shanks and his crew were never ones to attack civilians, so Jack didn't care much about him.

—

“I didn’t expect the Navy to expand so quickly and establish a foothold in the New World in such a short time,” Ivankov remarked, sipping his tea as he scanned the latest newspaper.

“Oh~? What’s the news? Anything about Luffy?” Sanji approached, his voice hopeful.

It was Sanji—currently enduring his own personal version of “hell.”

“No news about Luffy,” Ivankov replied with a grin. “Didn’t I tell you before? That Luffy-boy used the Revolutionary Army’s connections to delay your crew’s reunion. He wants all of you to regroup at Sabaody Archipelago—two years from now.”

“Yeah… I know,” Sanji said, lighting a cigarette and exhaling slowly. “I’ll definitely give it my all.”

But mid-thought, he suddenly became aware of what he was wearing. Horrified, he glanced down at the frilly outfit on his body, then tore at the fabric in a frenzy.

“I told you not to dress me in this ridiculous stuff!” he shouted at the transvestites surrounding him.

“Oh my~! Such a shame,” one of them sighed dramatically, picking up the torn garments with a pained expression. “That was such a beautiful outfit…”

Sanji gave a huff of reluctant guilt, but his temper reignited as he remembered their ongoing “training” methods.

“In that case,” one of them chimed cheerfully, “it’s time for some punishment—shemale boxing technique!”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Moments later, Sanji was once again overwhelmed by a flurry of punches. The relentless beatdown ended with another forced makeover—this time in a different set of outrageous women's clothes.

“Hahaha! What a fiery young man!” Ivankov laughed heartily. He's improving so fast, he thought. At first, he couldn’t even handle one of them. Now it takes a whole group to bring him down!

Elsewhere across the seas, Luffy’s crewmates were undergoing their own grueling training, pushing their limits in preparation for the promised reunion—two years later, when they would reunite and embark on a brand-new adventure.

G1 Branch

“Whew…” Jack exhaled deeply, wiping the sweat from his brow.

Ever since arriving at the G1 base, he had thrown himself into an intense training regimen. The beginning had been rough, but things were now running smoothly. With Issho by his side handling most of the combat responsibilities, Jack no longer had to concern himself with the force deployment. Now he's been training relentlessly.