Chapter 48

Over the next few days, under Garp's rigorous training, Jack gradually adapted to the enhanced recovery ability and fully tapped into his body's newfound potential. His progress was remarkable—even his skill with hand-to-hand combat gained significant experience. However, when he realized that reaching the next level required a staggering 7,000 proficiency points, he immediately abandoned the idea of upgrading it further.

One day, while eating in the mess hall, Jack overheard the surrounding marines discussing something with great enthusiasm.

"A bounty of 100 million? Looks like a new rising star among pirates!"

Intrigued, Jack—who had just finished his meal—walked over to see what the commotion was about. A captain was holding a wanted poster, his expression serious.

"Straw Hat Luffy, Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates—Monkey D. Luffy. Bounty: 100 million berries. Wanted: Dead or Alive."

Jack smirked to himself. "That bounty is rising fast. Next time we cross paths, I won't be able to resist taking him down."

At that moment, the captain holding the poster suddenly noticed him.

"Ah! Commodore Jack!" He immediately straightened up and greeted Jack with respect.

"It's fine; I'm just taking a look. Don't mind me," Jack said with a smile, waving his hand dismissively.

"Yes, sir! He's a newly emerging pirate who recently made a name for himself. He fought his way into the Grand Line from the East Blue, defeating the so-called overlord of the region, Admiral Krieg, as well as the Fish-Man Arlong. After arriving in the Grand Line, he stirred up a major incident in the desert kingdom of Alabasta. As a result, the headquarters issued him a bounty of 100 million berries!" The captain, noticing Jack's interest in Luffy, eagerly shared what he knew.

"Alabasta… huh?" Jack muttered, rubbing his chin. Something about that place was nagging at him—like there was something important he had forgotten.

Then, suddenly, it hit him.

"Damn it! Ace!" A flash of realization struck Jack, his eyes widening. He had completely forgotten about Ace! If Ace ended up fighting Blackbeard and lost, he would be captured, which meant the War at Marineford would unfold just as it was destined to.

"That troublesome idiot. If he gets caught, he should at least be handed over to me!" Jack cursed under his breath, swiftly exiting the cafeteria. He needed to contact Lena immediately and set sail to find Ace before it was too late.

As he rushed toward the port, he noticed a commotion. The area seemed unusually lively, as if the navy was preparing for something important.

"What's going on today? Why is the port so busy?" Jack asked a nearby officer.

"Commodore Jack! Today is the scheduled summit for the Seven Warlords of the Sea," the officer replied, standing at attention.

"I see… Who has arrived so far?" Jack nodded, his curiosity piqued.

Jack recalled that Blackbeard had likely sent his subordinates to vie for a position among the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

"Report, sir! So far, only 'Heavenly Yaksha' Donquixote Doflamingo and 'Tyrant' Bartholomew Kuma have arrived; Dracule Mihawk is yet to arrive." The marine responded with a salute.

Jack nodded thoughtfully. If even Hawkeye was attending, this gathering was bound to be significant. However, it had little to do with him. The meeting was being held in the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, and Jack had no intention of going there. Instead, he immediately summoned Lena and his men, preparing to set sail in search of Ace.

Once they set off, Lena approached Jack.

"Sir, where are we headed?" she asked.

"First, we'll sail to Gaya," Jack replied. "If I remember correctly, Blackbeard appeared there. Have someone gather intel on Blackbeard or Ace's whereabouts. If we can't track them down directly, even information on Straw Hat Luffy will do."

He wasn't certain of Luffy's current location, but he recalled that before heading to Skypiea, Luffy had encountered Blackbeard in Gaya—not long before Blackbeard's confrontation with Ace.

With Blackbeard's men now seeking a warlord title, it was clear they were planning a move against Ace. Jack had no time to waste—he needed to stop Blackbeard before it was too late.

"Understood, sir!" Lena saluted, but she hesitated, lingering as if she wanted to say something.

"Just say what's on your mind," Jack said casually, reclining on his chair.

Lena hesitated for a moment before speaking directly. "Commodore, is it really fine for us to leave like this? Didn't Sengoku-sama request that you remain at headquarters for a while?"

Jack nodded. "I know. I had planned to stay longer, but if we ignore this situation, things could spiral out of control."

Lena fell silent, nodding in understanding. She knew Jack rarely explained his decisions in detail, yet so far, he had never miscalculated. That was why many in the navy regarded him as a brilliant strategist.

—

A few days later, Jack followed Ace's Vivre Card, but despite tracking its direction, he still found no sign of him.

"What if Ace has already been captured by Blackbeard?" Jack muttered to himself. "Should I try convincing sensei to become a pirate? If I join forces with Luffy and Whitebeard, maybe we can rescue Ace."

He tapped his chin in thought.

"But knowing the old man, he'd never agree. He's spent his entire life hunting pirates—it would be absurd for him to suddenly become one. Maybe I should try convincing him to join the Revolutionary Army instead… but speaking of the Revolutionary Army..."

Lost in his musings, Jack stared at the vast blue sky.

Suddenly, a lookout's urgent voice snapped him back to reality.

"Report, Commodore! Pirates spotted ahead—it's the Kidd Pirates!"

Jack frowned slightly. "Kidd Pirates… That name sounds familiar."

"Commodore! The Kidd Pirates are a crew from the South Blue with a notorious reputation. They've committed numerous brutal acts. Captain Eustass Kidd's bounty has already surpassed 100 million, and their combat leader, Killer, has a bounty exceeding 30 million!" Lena reported.

Jack smirked. "Oh? A fine catch. Get closer!"

By now, he had fully recalled who they were—the same pirate crew that earned the title of Supernova alongside Luffy. In fact, at the time of their arrival in the Sabaody Archipelago, Kidd was the only rookie pirate with a bounty higher than Luffy's. He also seemed to be a Magnet-Magnet Fruit user.

Meanwhile, on the other side, the Kidd Pirates had already spotted Jack's approaching warship. However, for Kidd, who had just entered the first half of the Grand Line, an encounter with the navy was hardly something to fear.

"Boss, they've seen us. Should we retreat?" asked Heat, one of the core crew members.

Kidd scoffed. "Retreat? Why the hell would we run? It's just a single warship. If it dares to approach, we'll sink it!"

Killer, the crew's first mate, interjected. "Kidd, that ship belongs to Commodore Jack of the Navy Headquarters. We should steer clear of him."

Kidd's smirk faltered for a moment. "Huh? You mean that navy genius, the so-called Pirate Nemesis?"

For the first time, a trace of seriousness appeared on his face. He might have been arrogant, but he wasn't reckless.

"That's right. He was the one who captured Crocodile, the former Warlord of the Sea in Alabasta. As a result, he was promoted to Commodore of the Marine Headquarters." Killer nodded, confirming the intel.

Kidd clicked his tongue in frustration, his face etched with impatience. "Damn it. Just our luck to run into someone troublesome. Forget it—now's not the time to pick a fight with him. We're pulling out!"

Meanwhile, on Jack's warship, the sudden shift in the Kidd Pirates' course did not go unnoticed.

"Sir, the enemy appears to be retreating!" a marine reported.

Jack smirked. "Retreat? I've yet to see a pirate ship that can outrun my warship. Full speed ahead—let's catch up and sink them first!"

In terms of speed and firepower, the navy held a clear advantage over most pirates—especially with The Pearl, Jack's warship. However, when it came to individual strength, pirates were often more formidable.

Sure enough, it didn't take long for The Pearl to close the gap, bringing the Kidd Pirates within firing range.

"Sir, should we open fire?" A marine soldier stepped forward, awaiting orders.

Jack preferred capturing bounty targets himself, so his crew knew not to fire unless he gave explicit permission—especially when the enemy's strength remained unclear.

Jack grinned as he stretched. "Same plan as always. I'll go in first. Fire at will once I'm on board—I don't have any devil fruit abilities, so there's no need to worry about friendly fire. Lena, you take command once I'm over there."

With that, he strode toward the deck, his excitement evident.

"Sir, why take such a risk? It would be safer to bombard them first, weaken their defenses, and then attack once they're in the water or we've closed the distance!" Lena protested, clearly disagreeing with Jack's approach.

But Jack paid her no mind. Without hesitation, he leaped into the air, using Geppo to propel himself toward the Kidd Pirates' ship.

"Boss, someone's flying over from the warship!" Heat shouted in shock.

Having only recently entered the first half of the Grand Line, the Kidd Pirates had never encountered the Rokushiki—a martial art mastered by high-ranking marines. Watching Jack seemingly walk on air sent a wave of unease through the crew.

Hovering above them, Jack looked down and called out, "Who here is Eustass Kidd?"

Kidd stepped forward, his expression dark. "That would be me. You marines sure are getting cocky."

Jack smirked. "Oh? A dangerous pirate like you? Guess this is where your journey ends." Without another word, he dove straight toward Kidd.

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