[TIOP] Chapter : 119

Still, the two soon arrived at a local bar. It was midday, yet the place was bustling. However, even Akainu noticed something had changed since he last governed the area. The atmosphere was different.

“Two glasses of whiskey and your best dishes,” Aokiji said as they took a seat.

The bar owner arrived promptly with the drinks and a friendly smile. “Food will be up shortly. But this is a bar—if you're after gourmet meals, the restaurant across the street is better. Even Admiral Kurohyou said so.”

“We’re just here to relax,” Aokiji replied. “By the way, I’ve heard the navy here is... unique?”

The owner blinked, then chuckled. “You two are pirates, aren’t you?”

Aokiji and Akainu exchanged amused glances and shook their heads. “Nope. Just surprised, that’s all. We haven’t seen a single pirate on the entire island—not even in this bar. Isn’t that strange for the New World?”

The bar owner laughed. “This is the G1 Branch—Admiral Kurohyou’s territory. Only a fool of a pirate would dare step foot here. If you are pirates, I suggest you behave.”

Their conversation drew the attention of other patrons.

“Old man, are you harboring pirates again?” one of the drinkers teased. “These days, pirates are like endangered species!”

“Stop spouting nonsense,” the owner scolded. “Even if they were pirates, it’s none of our business. But don’t go around accusing people. Besides, how could we possibly handle real pirates ourselves?”

Aokiji and Akainu listened, taken aback. Aokiji hadn’t expected Jack to enforce such tight control—it seemed to be disrupting the normal lives of civilians.

Akainu, however, was more surprised by the method. Jack, who had once seemed so lenient, now appeared to be even more uncompromising than him.

Both men silently concluded the same thing: Jack had likely issued strict orders forbidding pirates from landing, and residents were required to report any pirate sightings.

While Aokiji and Akainu were still nursing their drinks at the bar, a squad of navy soldiers arrived just outside, immediately drawing their attention.

“They're here,” Akainu said with a low chuckle.

Naturally, both of them had noticed the subtle signal the bar owner had given after serving their drinks. The arrival of the soldiers came as no surprise. Akainu's remark, however, implied they should make themselves scarce—they had only just arrived and hadn’t even seen the state of the place yet.

“Let’s move,” Aokiji said simply. He tossed a few Baileys on the table, and in the blink of an eye, the two disappeared from sight.

By the time the navy squad entered the bar, both men had vanished without a trace. The bar owner and the other patrons looked around in surprise. The navy captain leading the team frowned deeply. With a battle underway on the front lines, the presence of two unidentified and clearly powerful figures was a troubling development.

After promptly reporting the situation via Den Den Mushi, the patrols across the town noticeably increased. As Aokiji and Akainu strolled casually down the street, they both picked up on the heightened marine presence.

“Not bad,” Akainu remarked approvingly. “At least they react quickly.”

“Hmph,” Aokiji grunted. “But if someone really intended harm, would a handful of soldiers stop them?”

Oddly, Akainu appeared to be in a good mood for once. He even gave Jack rare praise for how things were being handled.

Just then, Aokiji’s eyes caught something that made his expression darken.

A navy patrol had stopped at a fruit vendor's stall. Without so much as asking, they helped themselves to the produce and casually handed it out among themselves. Not a single coin was exchanged. They simply greeted the elderly vendor with a smile and moved on. Even more disturbingly, the old man—clearly the stall’s owner—forced a tight, uneasy smile and thanked them as if it were expected.

That was the final straw.

Aokiji, usually calm and composed, felt a surge of suppressed anger break through. Normally, he might have let it slide or handled it later. But his time as Fleet Admiral had kept him confined to paperwork, bottling his emotions. Seeing this scene—so at odds with the ideal image Sengoku and Garp painted of the G1 Division—pushed him over the edge.

He began to suspect that Jack had known they were coming and had staged a carefully crafted illusion. But by arriving unannounced during a skirmish with the Four Emperors’ probing forces, they'd stumbled upon the truth.

Bang!

In a flash, Aokiji appeared in front of the patrol captain and kicked him hard to the ground. The blow wasn’t lethal, but it would certainly keep the man bedridden for weeks.

“Enemy attack!” the captain choked out, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. “Notify the branch—immediately!”

The rest of the patrol team instinctively raised their weapons and aimed at Aokiji, their hands trembling. Meanwhile, Akainu stood by silently, showing no signs of intervening.

“Cough... fall back!” the captain gasped through bloodied lips. “You’re no match for him—don’t throw your lives away!”

But one soldier, sword in hand, stepped in front of his fallen leader and drew his blade, eyes locked on Aokiji.

“Captain, with all due respect—what kind of justice abandons our comrades without a fight? Honor, sacrifice, bravery—aren’t those the values we swore to uphold?”

The rest of the squad followed suit, forming a shaky line in front of their captain. Though fear was etched into their faces, not one of them backed down. They hadn’t even seen the attack—it had happened too fast—but they knew instinctively they stood no chance.

“Idiot... that’s an order!” the captain wheezed, coughing up more blood.

Murmurs rippled through the crowd as nearby civilians gathered, watching the confrontation unfold.

“Who is that guy?”

“Did he just attack a marine?”

“Is he a pirate?”

Strangely, the residents didn’t run. If anything, they seemed to draw closer, their expressions a mix of curiosity and something darker—resentment, perhaps?

Aokiji’s frown deepened.

Have they given up on the navy? Are they hoping someone will punish this corrupt unit? Is this how far things have fallen?

His heart sank at the thought.

“Sir, are you all right?” Just as Aokiji was about to drop his disguise and reveal his identity, the elderly fruit vendor approached the fallen captain with tears welling in his eyes. He knelt beside him, supporting him carefully, his voice trembling with concern.

“I’m fine, don’t worry,” the captain said, forcing a weak smile through clenched teeth. “This is navy business. Please get to safety. The attacker may be a pirate—it’s dangerous here.”

“But this isn’t just a navy matter!” the old man replied, rising unsteadily to his feet. His voice quivered with emotion as he stepped forward to shield the soldiers. “This concerns all of us. We must stand up too!”

Aokiji, still composed, suddenly realized something unsettling—during his confrontation, the townspeople had silently gathered around him. He was now surrounded. And every pair of eyes glared at him with burning resentment.

“Everyone, please step back!” one of the marines called out urgently. “Stay behind us! Trust the navy to handle this!”

The patrol had left only one man behind to care for their captain and contact the G1 branch. The rest now stood defensively between Aokiji and the civilians, worried he might lash out.

Aokiji frowned. He pointed to the fallen captain. “Old man, I saw this man take a pile of fruit from your stall without paying. I saw it with my own eyes. Why are you defending him?”

The vendor’s face twisted with anger. “You saw it? And what exactly did you see? Do pirates like you—who shatter peace—dare speak of justice?” he roared.

Then, with trembling hands, the old man pulled an apple from his coat and hurled it at Aokiji. It hit him square in the face.

Aokiji could have dodged. But he didn’t. For a brief moment, he froze—staring into the man’s furious, grief-stricken eyes.

“Step back, sir!” a marine shouted, shielding the old man with his body. He raised his weapon cautiously. “Don’t try anything, pirate. This is G1 territory. Admiral Kurohyou is stationed here. If you harm civilians, he’ll personally make you pay!”

Aokiji gave a quiet chuckle and casually brushed the apple remnants from his coat. If I can’t recognize a misunderstanding when I see one, I really am an idiot, he thought.