[TIOP] Chapter : 118

"It doesn't matter. Buildings can be rebuilt, but lives cannot be replaced. Just make sure not to harm any civilians. If structures fall, they can be reconstructed. But if you hold back in battle, you risk getting seriously hurt," Jack said calmly, shaking his head at the disheveled Jabra.

After all, the irony stung—he had barely finished speaking when Fukuro’s attack demolished an entire building.

Even before Jack could complete his sentence, Jabra had already launched himself into the air with Geppo, heading toward the island to continue the fight.

“Let’s move. We should go too—can’t let them cause more damage to the island,” Jack added with a light smile, following after him.

With the Pearl docking soon after, the battle began winding down. A battered but excited Jabra returned, dragging a defeated pirate behind him.

"Sir! This guy’s a captain under Kaido’s banner—devil fruit user, bounty of 172 million! He just—"

Before Jabra could finish, Jack raised a hand and interrupted. “Enough, Jabra. You did well. Now go get your wounds treated.”

Despite the victory, Jabra had been seriously injured—his opponent wasn’t easy prey.

As Jack locked the seastone handcuffs onto the unconscious pirate, Jabra, ignoring his bleeding wounds, eagerly went off to report his battle merits.

Everyone in the ranks knew one thing: Admiral Kurohyou personally handled the handcuffing of captured pirates with bounty. No one knew exactly why—it wasn’t for fame or fortune. Jack never claimed rewards for others' work. It was about the process.

He had learned through trial that only pirates defeated by his recognized subordinates counted toward his system rewards. If others took down pirates—even if Jack handcuffed them—he wouldn’t earn the diamond rewards. Only pirates personally defeated by him triggered the system bonuses.

“Sir, shall we proceed to the next island?” Lena approached, her tone brisk.

Jack shook his head. “No. It’s been a few days—I’m sure the other three Emperors have already heard. Our next step is defense. If we can’t hold what we’ve taken, everything we've done so far will be meaningless. The locals will lose faith in us.”

Issho nodded in agreement. Even if Jack hadn't said it, he had been planning to suggest the same. The navy had reached the limits of safe expansion.

“Issho, I’ll leave the island to the left in your care, alright? Kaku and the others will assist you. I’ll oversee this one,” Jack said with a relaxed smile.

“Understood. I won’t let you down,” Issho replied, resolute.

This was the navy Issho believed in—a force that brought peace, stability, and protected civilians from the chaos of pirates.

“Sir, the islanders have begun the evacuation, but most of them are uncooperative,” Lena reported.

These two islands—this one and the one Issho would guard—were the most exposed in their territory. They served as the frontline defense. As long as they held, the interior islands would remain safe.

Jack nodded. “That’s expected. These people have lived here their whole lives. It's natural they don’t understand why they have to leave so suddenly. Regardless, we must not use force. Explain everything clearly. And if they still refuse to comply—then we don’t push them.”

Issho smiled slightly, as though he wanted to say something.

“Don’t worry,” Jack said softly. “We’ll station warships at the ports. If pirates attack, civilians can evacuate by sea. We won’t abandon them. But don’t tell them that, Lena. Just say those who respond now will get free accommodation. Anyone who delays will have to find their own.”

Issho fell silent. He trusted Jack. As long as lives could be preserved, that was enough. And Jack always had a plan.

A few days later, at Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

“Fleet Admiral, report from the G1 Branch! Both the Big Mom Pirates and Beasts Pirates have dispatched high-ranking officers in their direction,” a messenger reported.

Aokiji rubbed his forehead, sighing. “That brat… I told him not to be so aggressive, but he kept expanding anyway.”

“I can head over to support him,” said Akainu from the side. He didn’t particularly like Jack, but for the navy’s sake, he was ready to act.

But Aokiji shook his head. “No. We’ve warned him—both of us. If he still insisted on pushing forward, that’s on him. He’s had it too easy. It's about time he faced some setbacks.”

Sakazuki nodded silently, conceding the point.

“Still,” Aokiji added, his voice firm, “we can’t let the marines or local residents suffer for his choices. Send word to Vice Admiral Gion and Vice Admiral Tokiake. Have them head to G1 to provide support—but they’re not to reveal themselves. Their job is to protect our people, not help Kurohyou.”

Akainu gave him a strange look. He hadn’t expected Aokiji to refuse his offer but send in others with such specific instructions. Was he really planning to let Jack fall to teach him a lesson?

What neither of them realized, however, was the presence of Issho—or the full extent of his power.

Just then, two old men peeked into the Fleet Admiral’s office, one on either side of the doorway. One of them, munching on senbei, grinned playfully and said,

“Seems like you two are having a pretty relaxed chat~!”

Even Aokiji, usually calm and composed, felt a twinge of unease when the old man suddenly appeared in the office—let alone Akainu, who rarely showed such emotion.

That’s right. The two uninvited guests were none other than Sengoku and Garp, the former legends of the navy who, despite their retirement, still wandered around Navy Headquarters daily. Apart from occasionally instructing new recruits, their favorite pastime seemed to be popping into the Fleet Admiral’s office to poke fun at Aokiji.

Why did they do it? Simple—while Aokiji was swamped with responsibilities, the two of them enjoyed a carefree retirement. Every visit was a subtle jab, a reminder that they had left the chaos behind.

Akainu, who happened to be present, had been caught in their antics before. At times, he even found himself secretly thankful he hadn’t become the Fleet Admiral.

"Garp-san and Sengoku-san! Since you’re here to speak with Fleet Admiral Aokiji, I’ll excuse myself," Sakazuki said abruptly, rising from his seat. Though known for his stubbornness, even he knew better than to stick around when things started getting out of hand.

“I heard Kaido and Big Mom have been getting restless again?” Sengoku asked casually as he strolled in, his once-black hair now completely white.

When he was still the Fleet Admiral, Sengoku meticulously dyed his hair to maintain a dignified appearance. Now, as a retired man without official responsibilities, he no longer cared.

Aokiji nodded, mechanically briefing them on the situation in the New World.

“Have you been to the G1 Branch recently?” Sengoku asked, as if on a whim.

“No,” Aokiji replied. “Since I took over as Fleet Admiral, I’ve been buried in paperwork. I haven’t even been able to keep up with my training.”

“Then take this chance and get out of the office for a bit,” Sengoku said with a grin. “Garp and I visited the G1 Branch quietly not long ago. It’s a paradise—for the navy, at least.”

Sakazuki, who had nearly reached the door, stopped in his tracks. "Paradise?" he thought. That was not the G1 Branch he remembered. He had just returned from there, after all.

“What do you mean by that?” Aokiji asked, visibly intrigued.

“You’ll understand when you see it,” Sengoku chuckled. “You’re still young—don’t trap yourself behind a desk. Once you get the hang of your duties, things will flow naturally. Take a walk, refresh yourself. It'll only help you lead better.”

Aokiji paused, then nodded with a faint smile. “You're right. Might as well see firsthand how Kaido and Big Mom plan to challenge us.”

Sengoku and Garp exchanged glances and laughed in unison.

“What’s so funny?” Aokiji asked, raising an eyebrow.

“This battle is already won,” Sengoku said confidently. “You just don’t know it yet.”

He could tell Aokiji assumed they were there to lobby on Jack’s behalf. But the truth was far simpler—they had been to the G1 Branch, seen its transformation, and been moved by it.

Sengoku had even sighed at the time, saying, “This is what the navy should be.”

They had seen the people’s unwavering support, and more importantly, they had seen Issho in action. His sheer strength and presence were enough to reassure even seasoned veterans like them.

After all, the real Four Emperors weren’t here—just their subordinates. With Jack and Issho leading the defense, the navy wasn't lacking in high-end combat power. Add in the CP9 operatives—often underestimated despite their strength—and even Lena, a hidden genius in swordsmanship, and their lineup was more than enough.

After leaving the office, Aokiji caught up with Sakazuki, who hadn’t gone far.

“Coming with me to the G1 Branch?” he asked with a smile.

Akainu had been considering returning anyway. He was curious to see how Jack had managed things after he left—and why Sengoku and Garp seemed so certain of victory.

“If we both leave, what about the headquarters?” he asked after a moment’s thought.

“Sengoku and Garp will hold the fort. No worries,” Aokiji replied casually.

Satisfied, Akainu nodded, and the two quietly departed for the G1 Branch. With their strength, they didn’t need warships—they could cross the seas unhindered.

“Looks like the fighting’s already begun,” Aokiji muttered, sensing waves of powerful haki as they neared the island.

Akainu nodded. “Yeah... but something’s off. The residents are too calm. Either they don’t know about the battle, or they don’t care. That’s rare—even for the New World.”

“Let’s take a look. And how about I buy you a drink? I don’t think we’ve ever had one together in the past few years,” Aokiji said with a rare grin.

Akainu chuckled. “Then prepare your wallet—I don’t drink cheap.”

Aokiji's smile faltered for a second, realizing he might have underestimated the cost of such a gesture.