[TIOP] Chapter : 117

Jack, wary of his comrades' violent tendencies, had given a clear warning in advance—not out of doubt, but concern that they might lose control in the heat of battle.

A few days later, Kalifa arrived with Jabra and Fukuro. By then, Jack had finally managed to pull himself out from under a mountain of paperwork.

“Oh my~ Kalifa, what a surprise! I thought you’d stay behind,” he said with a mix of delight and disbelief.

Kalifa adjusted her glasses, replying coolly, “Miss Lena asked me to come and assist you, my lord.”

Jack sighed with obvious relief. “Then I owe her thanks—and you, too. Things here are a mess. I’m swamped, and office work really isn’t my forte.”

Kalifa nodded and slipped effortlessly into work mode.

In truth, she had been looking for a reason to get out of the house. Though her home life was comfortable, the occasional adventure was a welcome change of pace.

As for Jabra and the others, they were immediately folded into the combat unit alongside Kaku.

One thing puzzled Jack, though—Blueno, the Door-Door Fruit user, hadn’t joined them.

Kalifa explained that Blueno wasn’t fond of fighting. He preferred the calm of domestic life and had chosen to stay home, where someone needed to hold down the fort. Jack suspected that was the real reason—and a valid one, at that.

With Kalifa's arrival, Jack was finally free from his paperwork prison. He resumed his duties with a smile and began inspecting the surrounding islands.

“Issho, how have you been settling in?” he asked one day as the two strolled along a quiet shoreline.

“It’s chaotic,” Issho replied bluntly. His tone was low, but his words struck true. “This is a navy-controlled area, yet it’s already so unstable. Imagine the rest of the New World... Whitebeard’s death has thrown everything into disarray.”

Jack nodded gravely. “Exactly. That’s why I’m not focused on expanding right now. I want to win hearts first. Do you have any advice?”

Issho smiled. “Isn’t that your specialty, my lord?”

Jack chuckled. “Then I’ll handle the rebuilding and stabilization. How about leaving the patrolling and pirate hunting to you?”

Issho bowed slightly. “Gladly. Thank you.”

He knew full well that capturing pirates would earn him credit and trust in the eyes of the people.

Jack continued, “Also, please keep an eye on Jabra and the others. They were once elite agents of CP9, abandoned by the World Government after their defeat at Enies Lobby. I took them in because of their strength—but their training left them with a skewed view of life and little regard for others. That’s why I need your help guiding them.”

Issho nodded. “No problem. As Miss Lena said, they’re quite simple-minded and obedient. Give them clear orders, and they’ll follow.”

“Still, be cautious,” Jack added. “Once they start fighting, they might lose control.”

He wasn’t truly worried, though—Issho’s overwhelming power could suppress them instantly if needed. That’s why he had entrusted them to him.

With everyone’s roles now clearly defined, Jack returned to administrative duties while Issho led the combat team in regular patrols, offering the residents a tangible sense of security. Their presence helped reinforce the idea that the navy was here to protect, and this did wonders for calming the people's fears.

A few days later, Issho returned to the G1 branch aboard a ship overflowing with captured pirates. He noticed something unexpected—the formerly panicked locals were now smiling. Their lives were beginning to return to normal.

Puzzled, he headed straight to Jack’s office.

Kalifa looked up from a stack of documents and greeted him. “Ah, Issho! The master isn’t here—he’s probably off fishing on one of the nearby islands.”

Issho frowned. “Fishing? At a time like this? Though… the people do seem much more at ease now. Maybe he’s earned the right to relax.”

Kalifa smiled knowingly. “You’ve misunderstood. Thanks to your efforts, the residents now feel safe. But it’s also because the master makes sure to show up in public every day, where people can see him. He says it helps give them a sense of security.”

“Hmph…” Issho didn’t fully understand the method, but it was clear Jack wasn’t slacking off—just operating with a different strategy.

After finishing the handover with Kalifa, Issho quickly located Jack using Observation Haki.

He found him near the shore, having just hauled a small Sea King from the ocean and begun distributing its meat to nearby residents. Jack was also reminding them to report any Sea King sightings to the navy, rather than handling things themselves.

Issho approached with a smile. “Seems your methods are working. The people clearly respect the navy now.”

As he walked through town earlier, he had noticed the locals greeting him warmly, recognizing his navy uniform. That simple act of acknowledgment brought him more joy than any number of pirate captures. This, he thought, is what the navy should be about.

Jack nodded. “It’s a good start. What we need now is long-term stability—building trust day by day. So tell me, Issho… still have energy to spare? Because I think it’s time we began expanding.”

Issho gave a broad grin and bowed. “I’m yours to command—even if it means being worked like a horse or an ox.”

—

“Navy scum! Do you want to start a war with Lord Kaido?”
On a small island flying Kaido’s pirate flag, a group of his men shouted defiantly at the approaching ship.

“What a bunch of loudmouths... Sir, shall I go shut them up permanently?”
Jabra frowned in annoyance, turning to Jack.

This marked the tenth island they had liberated. In just a few days, the navy's influence in the New World had more than doubled.

“Go ahead, Jabra—but try not to overdo it on the bloodshed,” Jack said with a casual smile.

Over the past several days, Jabra had noticed a pattern. On any island affiliated with Kaido’s crew, the stationed pirates rarely surrendered. Most were killed in combat, though those who did lay down their arms were spared.

“Yes, sir!” Jabra licked his lips eagerly, his bloodlust barely contained—until Lena smacked him on the back of the head.

“Idiot,” she said, smirking. “You’re not in CP9 anymore. Isn’t it more satisfying when the locals call you ‘Captain Jabra’ with admiration instead of fear?”

At her words, the red glint in Jabra’s eyes faded almost instantly.

This was something Lena had quietly observed. Ever since Jack took command of the New World, the navy’s reputation across the conquered islands had steadily risen. The local people had begun to respect—some even admire—the navy. And Jabra, surprisingly, basked in that respect.

These days, whenever he stepped out, he wore his navy uniform with pride, carefully draping the newly earned “Justice” cape over his shoulders after his recent promotion.

Among the former CP9 members, Kaku—having joined Jack earliest—held a higher rank and was now a commodore. Jabra and the others had only recently been promoted to captain.

Jack couldn’t help but smile at Jabra’s transformation. It was like watching a child learn to value praise over brute strength. Back when they were in CP9, no matter how many missions Jabra completed, he never got public recognition. But now, civilians often greeted him with respect and a cheerful “Mr. Navy!” And that made all the difference.

These days, Jabra wouldn't even think about hurting a civilian. In fact, he'd go out of his way to conceal his rougher edges in public. Still, one thing gnawed at him—Kaku’s higher rank. Jabra had been visibly anxious lately, driven by a desire to surpass him through achievements.

“Chababa~! Jabra doesn’t want to kill anyone—he just wants to rack up enough merit to outrank Kaku and rub it in his face!”
Fukuro, as blunt as ever, unzipped his mouth and spilled the secret for all to hear.

“Ahhh—Fukuro!!” Jabra shouted in horror. “Why do you even have a zipper on your mouth if you’re just going to say stuff like that in front of everyone?!”

He lunged at Fukuro, yanking the zipper from side to side furiously.

“Chababa, I didn’t mean to! It just slipped out!” Owl chirped, flailing comically as Jabra tackled him.

Jabra was nearly losing his mind. What if Jack heard that and thought I was only in it for the promotion? That could ruin everything! Fueled by panic, he gave Fukuro a furious kick, sending him flying across the deck.

Lena, witnessing the spectacle, let out a weary sigh and buried her face in her hands. Why do I have to be in charge of these clowns?

“Alright, Fukuro,” Jack called out with a grin. “You’re already in the air—go clear out the pirates on that island. And don’t hurt the civilians.”

“Chababa! This victory will be credited to me—the great Fukuro!” he laughed mid-flight, completely ignoring the incoming gunfire and cannon blasts.

“My lord,” Jabra said, approaching Lena with a rare hint of nervousness. “Fukuro’s charge is too reckless. Should I go in and support him?”

“Go,” Jack said with a smirk. “These are Kaido’s pirates—we don’t need to hold back.”

“Understood, sir. I’ll make sure Fukuro doesn’t flatten any homes or frighten the townsfolk!” Jabra saluted, trying to redeem himself.

Just as the words left his mouth, a distant explosion echoed through the air.

A cannonball—kicked by Owl—had slammed into a portside building.

Jabra stared blankly at the smoke cloud.

“…Or maybe I should’ve gone five minutes ago.”