[TIOP] Chapter : 120

“I’m sorry, old man,” he said gently. “I’m not a pirate. I’m a marine—came here after hearing how exceptional the G1 unit is. But when I saw the captain take fruit without paying, I lost my temper.”

“You… you’re a marine?” the old man asked, stunned.

The patrol soldiers glanced at each other in confusion. Their stances remained firm, but doubt was starting to creep in.

“Identify yourself,” one said. “Name and unit. We’ll verify it.”

Aokiji didn’t answer them directly. Instead, he turned back to the old man.

“Please, just be honest with me. If these sailors are mistreating civilians, I’ll report it directly to headquarters. I’ll make sure they’re held accountable.”

The old man’s expression shifted. He waved his hands frantically and backed away.

“No, no, no, it’s not like that!” he cried. “They’re not bullying anyone! The captain always pays—at the end of every month. That’s how their salaries work. I refuse to take their money every time, but he always insists on settling the bill!”

Tears streamed down his face as he spoke.

“I can explain,” a new voice cut in.

It was Kalifa. At some point, she had slipped into the crowd unnoticed. She adjusted her glasses, her voice calm but firm.

“This man,” she said, gesturing to the fruit vendor, “lost both his son and daughter-in-law to pirates. Now he’s raising his three-year-old grandson alone, selling fruit to survive.”

She continued, “The patrol team often buys from him—not because they’re ordered to, but because they care. At first, their captain paid from his own pocket. Eventually, the entire team chipped in. There are more elderly folks like him in town—our soldiers quietly support them with their own wages.”

Aokiji’s brows furrowed. “But wouldn’t it make more sense to allocate official funds to help them? That way, support could be more structured.”

“That would be charity,” the patrol captain said hoarsely.

Everyone turned. He had been helped to his feet by a small child, no older than three, his cheeks streaked with tears. The boy clung tightly to the man, holding the broken pieces of a candy stick.

“It’s not about handouts,” the captain continued, standing unsteadily. “Old man Kake still has strength in his hands. He wants to earn his keep. We help, yes—but with dignity. Not pity.”

Aokiji looked at the child. He was just a kid, but here he was—helping hold up the man Aokiji had struck. Judging by the lollipop’s shattered state and the sticky fragments on the captain’s uniform, the treat had likely been meant for the boy… but Aokiji’s kick had broken it.

A painful lump formed in Aokiji’s throat.

“…I’m sorry.”

Before anything more could be said, Kalifa stepped in again.

“All right, everyone. The misunderstanding has been cleared up,” she announced. “This man is from Navy Headquarters. There’s no threat. Admiral Kurohyou may be on the front lines, but we are still safe here.”

She turned to the wounded patrol leader. “Captain, your patrol shift ends here. Head to the hospital immediately and recover. All medical expenses and damages will be covered—personally—by this gentleman.”

Aokiji blinked.

Captain? he thought. A captain leading a patrol team?

Normally, patrols were handled by new recruits—privates or maybe a private first class. But this man was a non-commissioned officer.

And suddenly, Aokiji understood why.

The captain of the patrol team gave a crisp salute and quietly prepared to leave. The other navy patrol members cast a final glance at Aokiji, whose face remained partially hidden, before dispersing the crowd and encouraging the residents to return to their daily routines.

For a moment, Aokiji felt genuinely awkward. He had been moments away from revealing his identity, but Kalifa had clearly signaled that now was not the right time.

“I’m sorry,” Aokiji said at last, his voice calm but sincere. “I misjudged the situation. You’re a true soldier of the navy, and I acted in haste. An apology won’t undo the harm I’ve caused, but I will take full responsibility for all damages.”

The navy captain, who had his back turned to Aokiji, paused before glancing over his shoulder with a smile.

“There’s no need for that,” he replied warmly. “I know you only meant to protect the people. That’s all that really matters.”

After hearing Aokiji’s apology, the rest of the patrol team relaxed. A few of them even grinned. They hadn’t expected compensation—just a simple, honest apology.

Kalifa, however, was momentarily stunned. She never imagined that Aokiji—the fleet admiral of the Navy—would actually apologize. During her time with CP9, she had never once heard of a superior lowering themselves to admit fault, let alone to a subordinate.

“This way, please, sir,” she said with a faint smile curling on her lips. For the first time, she truly felt that the navy suited her far better than CP9 ever had.

Having made a significant misstep, Aokiji had no desire to linger in town. With a subtle glance toward Akainu, he signaled it was time to move on. The two followed Kalifa in silence as she led them toward the G1 Branch Headquarters.

Only now did they begin to understand what Sengoku and Garp had meant—and why the two veterans had spoken with such certainty that the navy would win this war.

Akainu had watched the entire situation unfold. He wasn’t sure when the hearts of the people had begun to change… or how. He didn’t know what methods Jack had used, but the transformation was undeniable. And so, he walked quietly, deep in thought.

“Fleet Admiral Aokiji. Admiral Akainu.” Kalifa greeted them formally as they stepped into the office. She handed each of them a cup of coffee with practiced grace. “I’m Captain Kalifa of the G1 Division. May I ask the purpose of your unexpected visit?”

Aokiji looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, then said, “Former CP9 agent, right?”

Kalifa shook her head firmly. “There is no CP9 agent here. Only Navy Captain Kalifa.”

Aokiji blinked in surprise, then gave a soft laugh. “Fair enough. Thank you for what you did back there. But don’t forget to report the medical expenses for that captain.”

Kalifa adjusted her glasses, her tone shifting into something more official. “In addition to medical costs, there will be nutritional expenses, lost wages, and compensation for emotional distress.”

Aokiji winced with a wry smile. “That… sounds expensive. Just out of curiosity—how much are we talking about?”

“Don’t misunderstand, fleet admiral,” Kalifa said briskly. “These aren’t arbitrary costs. During his recovery, the sergeant will require specific nutritional support—meat, milk, and other supplements—to heal properly. And of course, he won’t be able to work while injured. Shouldn’t someone cover the wages he’ll lose during that time?”

Aokiji sighed lightly. “You’re not wrong.”

He knew better than anyone—when you make a mistake, you take responsibility. No excuses.

“All right, I admit it—I was ignorant,” Aokiji muttered, glancing helplessly at Akainu, who was clearly struggling to suppress his laughter.

“These are Admiral Kurohyou’s regulations,” Kalifa explained firmly. “If a navy officer causes damage or loss while enforcing the law, compensation is to be handled through official channels—no exceptions.”

“Very well,” Aokiji said with a nod. “In that case, we’ll respect your rules. Admiral Sakazuki and I came here mainly to conduct an inspection.”

Meanwhile, on an island, Jack stood calmly at the edge of his ship, watching Kaido’s pirate fleet from afar. A faint smile played on his lips as he turned to a nearby soldier and asked, “What’s the situation over there with Commodore Issho?”

“Sir,” the navy soldier said, straightening with a salute, “Commodore Issho successfully defeated Charlotte Cracker, one of the Sweet Commanders from the Big Mom Pirates. Unfortunately, he escaped. We only managed to capture a few minor pirates—total bounty under 100 million berries.”

Jack nodded, unsurprised. He had full confidence in Issho’s abilities. With the situation on that front under control, it was now time to address the threat in front of him.

This time, the enemy leading Kaido’s forces was none other than Jack the Drought. After his previous defeat at his hands, The drought had grown cautious. Instead of charging in recklessly, he had allied with the Big Mom Pirates to launch a coordinated strike against navy territory.

Although there was no formal agreement between the two pirate factions, the Zoan user had halted his advance upon learning that Jack was stationed here. He’d waited for Cracker to make a breakthrough on the other front before striking—hoping to catch the navy in a pincer movement.

But Kurohyou wasn’t interested in playing along.

Appearing on the deck of the Pearl, Kurohyou called out casually, “Well, well… if it isn’t the little elephant again. What’s the matter? Still haven’t learned your lesson from last time?”

Jack glared back, his expression dark. “Things won’t go the same way this time. The Big Mom Pirates have already taken that island, haven’t they? You won’t get the chance to go help them!”

Kurohyou offered a faint smile. He considered his options—capturing or even killing Jack could be a big win for the navy. But Kaido… Kaido was a different story. If the Beast truly went berserk over Jack’s death, the fallout would be catastrophic.

It wasn’t that the navy couldn’t respond—it was that the cost wouldn’t be worth it for someone like Jack the Drought.

Even capturing him would only delay the inevitable; Kaido would storm in to retrieve him. Unless the navy was ready for all-out war, there was no point in pushing that button.

With that in mind, Jack chuckled and said, “You mean Cracker? Sorry to disappoint—he’s already been driven back. If you’d like, I can give you a minute to verify the news.”

Jack froze. He didn’t want to believe it. Cracker wasn’t just anyone—he was one of Big Mom’s top three commanders, with an 860 million bounty. More importantly, Jack was certain that the admiral hadn’t left his post.

So how had Cracker been defeated?

Were there other powerful marines in play?

Doubt quickly crept in. Jack enjoyed a good fight, but he wasn’t stupid—charging into a battle that he knew he couldn’t win was pointless.

“Fall back,” he ordered his crew, face grave.

In moments, Jack’s fleet turned and vanished beyond the horizon.

“Sir… did they really retreat?” one of the soldiers asked in disbelief.

Jack smirked. “Of course not. He’s likely pulled back just far enough to verify the situation with the Big Mom Pirates. But it doesn’t matter. Once he confirms Cracker was defeated, he’ll understand his position—and make the smart choice.”