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"Brother Jack, now that things have come to this, what should we do?" Jinbei asked with concern.
"There's nothing we can do except face it head-on. Since it has already happened, we must prepare. Have you informed Whitebeard? Tell him to stay vigilant and not be caught off guard by the Navy," Jack said, rubbing his temples.
"Is war inevitable?" Jinbei asked, his voice heavy with worry.
"The Navy won't let such an opportunity slip by. They will undoubtedly use this chance to strike at Whitebeard and strengthen their hold on the New World," Jack stated with certainty.
Jinbei let out a deep sigh and fell into silence.
"By the way, Jinbei, there's something I need you to relay to King Neptune," Jack said, placing a firm hand on Jinbei's shoulder.
"What is it?" Jinbei asked, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
"I hope the Fishman Tribe can send warriors to enlist in the Navy and serve under my command," Jack said seriously.
Jinbei's expression froze. The idea was unprecedented—most fishmen lived in the sea, and only a handful had ever ventured ashore, primarily as pirates. Joining the Navy? It was something they had never even considered.
Moreover, the deep-seated resentment many fishmen held toward humans made such a request even more difficult. What place would they have in the Navy?
"I will relay your message to His Majesty," Jinbei finally said. "But I can't promise anything. Brother Jack… you shouldn't get your hopes too high. We fishmen..." He trailed off, leaving his unspoken thoughts hanging between them.
Jack nodded. "I understand. I just need you to pass the message along. If there are any fishmen willing to join the Navy, I'll personally ensure they are accepted."
"Understood. I'll relay your exact words," Jinbei replied with a solemn nod.
"Good. Now, go and contact Whitebeard. I'm about to take action as well. And if Marco has time, have him meet with me. Whitebeard won't listen to me, but Marco will understand," Jack said. He then picked up the hat Ace had left behind and set sail without hesitation.
After Jack's departure, the younger members of the Fishman Pirates turned to their leader. "Boss, what should we do now?" one of them asked.
"We head to the New World and discuss this with Dad," Jinbei replied gravely.
Meanwhile, on Baltigo, the headquarters of the Revolutionary Army, Dragon sat in quiet contemplation, a newspaper in hand, reading about Luffy's recent actions.
"Live according to your dreams, Luffy," he murmured, gazing up at the sky. "In this era, let your experiences and ambition challenge the world. The day we meet will come—sooner or later."
Just then, a Revolutionary soldier rushed over. "Chief, we've received a secret message!"
Dragon turned to face him. "What is it?" he asked, making his way back to the meeting room.
"It's an intelligence report," the officer said, handing over the document. "Fire Fist Ace has been captured by Blackbeard Teach. It seems Teach plans to hand him over to the government in exchange for a position as a Shichibukai."
Dragon was momentarily stunned as he glanced over the secret report. At the bottom, he noticed a set of coordinates—proof that the message had come from Jack. It appeared to be a request for a meeting.
"So, the scenario I predicted has finally come to pass. It's time to decide our course of action," Dragon murmured to himself. Then, turning sharply, he issued an order: "Summon all the cadres. We need to convene immediately."
"Understood!" The messenger, though surprised by the urgency, didn't hesitate. Without delay, he began transmitting the call to the Revolutionary Army's key figures scattered across the world.
As unrest spread globally, Garp returned to Marine Headquarters, only to be summoned straight to the Fleet Admiral's office. Aokiji had also been called in.
"Now that everyone is here, you all understand the gravity of the situation," Sengoku said gravely, briefing them on Teach's capture of Ace.
One of the three admirals, Kizaru, leaned back lazily, his expression indifferent. "Oh my~ How terrifying! Young people these days are really something," he drawled, as if the crisis was nothing more than a passing inconvenience.
Seated nearby, the final admiral, Akainu, remained silent, his face impassive. But after a moment, he crossed his arms and spoke in a low, commanding tone.
"Sengoku-san, have you truly thought this through? What are our odds of victory in an all-out war against Whitebeard? That man… is a monster."
"This is an opportunity we cannot afford to miss. Among the Four Emperors, Whitebeard is aging, and his strength is likely not what it once was. If we can contain him, the Whitebeard Pirates will be left leaderless," Sengoku said with conviction. "Moreover, this is our territory. Marineford may be reduced to rubble after the battle, but fighting here ensures our best chance of victory."
Garp, seated nearby, barely paid attention. Ever since learning of Ace's capture, he had stopped listening altogether.
"When the time comes, we'll issue summoning orders to the Seven Warlords of the Sea. We've supported them long enough—it's time they repaid their debt to us," Sengoku added, nodding to himself.
"Understood. This operation must remain strictly confidential—no leaks," he said, scanning the room. Everyone nodded in agreement—everyone except Garp.
"Garp, you—"
"Sengoku, let me see Ace," Garp interrupted before Sengoku could finish.
Sengoku let out a weary sigh. "Fine," he conceded. He had considered refusing, but upon seeing the look in Garp's eyes, he relented.
Without another word, Garp stood and walked away. Watching his old friend's retreating figure, Sengoku couldn't shake the feeling that Garp had suddenly aged several years.
"One more thing—keep Jack from wandering too much," Sengoku said, narrowing his eyes. "It would be best to keep him occupied at headquarters. Hasn't he formed his own unit? Let him focus on managing it."
"Ah~ That kid ran off on his own! He left before Vice Admiral Garp even met Straw Hat Luffy, and I have no idea where he went," Aokiji said lazily.
Sengoku's expression darkened, an ominous feeling settling in his chest. With a serious tone, he said, "We need to find Jack immediately. That kid doesn't care about orders—Ace is his brother. If he finds out, he'll undoubtedly cause an uproar!"
"Hmph! The Navy should act as the Navy. Justice must not be compromised by sentimentality," Akainu, who had remained silent until now, interjected coldly.
"Notify him at once. He must return to headquarters immediately," Sengoku said, glancing at Akainu before making his decision.
Meanwhile, Jack had already arrived at his prearranged meeting point with Dragon. His warship, along with Lena and the crew, remained stationed in the waters nearby.
"Jack-san!" Koala called out as she emerged from the forest, spotting him tending to a grilled fish over an open flame.
"You're finally here? Took you long enough," Jack remarked without looking up. "Once headquarters receives the message, they'll order me back immediately. If you had been any slower, I'd already be on my way."
"The distance was quite far—we needed time to travel," Sabo replied as he stepped out from the trees, following behind Koala.
"So, the Revolutionary Army has made its decision?" Jack asked, a subtle smile playing on his lips.
"We will spare no effort in striking at the World Government whenever possible," Dragon said softly as he emerged, accompanied by several figures.
After Jack had finalized all arrangements with the Revolutionary Army. To avoid arousing Sengoku's suspicion, he immediately set off on his return to headquarters.
"Chief, can we really trust that man?" a Revolutionary Army cadre asked, watching the departing Pearl with a hint of doubt.
Dragon chuckled softly. "Hehe~ Do you think he's a spy planted by Sengoku?"
"Isn't he?" The cadre responded bluntly. "If this is a trap set by the Navy, we could suffer devastating losses on this mission."
"The captain of Whitebeard's second division has been captured—this time, it's real. Whitebeard won't let it slide, and the Navy is already preoccupied with him. There's no reason for them to pick a fight with us right now," Dragon explained. "So whether Jack is being honest or not, we have no choice but to act. However, we won't follow his plan blindly. Instead, we'll proceed like this..."
As Dragon laid out his strategy, the Revolutionary Army cadres burst into laughter, seemingly reassured. However, Sabo remained silent, his brows furrowed in thought.
"Sabo, what's on your mind?" Koala asked, nudging him with her elbow.
"Do you remember what Jack said last time? That my identity could only be revealed if I found either Ace or Straw Hat Luffy? But now that Fire Fist Ace has been captured by the Navy..." Sabo trailed off, hesitation evident in his voice.
"Aside from Fire Fist Ace, isn't there also Straw Hat Luffy? If we can't find Ace, we can always look for Luffy instead," Koala said casually.
"Yeah," Sabo nodded, his voice quiet.
But he didn't tell Koala that the name Ace felt deeply familiar to him—nor did he reveal the lingering worry gnawing at him about Ace's fate.
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