Chapter 313: Get Me Closer!
The file's report was detailed. After the first patrol team also went missing, the Garrison Corps had contacted Fish-Man Island, and the Ryugu Kingdom had responded quickly. They had no record of a Curtain Call merchant caravan or patrol team entering their waters. After hearing about the situation, King Neptune had even dispatched the royal army to help search the surrounding area, but they had found no trace.
In other words, both the missing merchant caravan and the Garrison patrol teams had disappeared on the route from Dressrosa to Fish-Man Island, before they had even coated their ships. And there were only a few islands in that area. The search area was drastically reduced.
"The patrol teams have enough manpower, but they lack a high-level fighter to lead them. That's why they're requesting an officer of the Combat Corps' Division Captain level to help with the search."
"A reasonable proposal," Shane said, closing the file and tossing it back. "But a Division Captain might not be enough. Let's just send a top officer to take a look."
"Eh? Who will you send?" Angewomon asked, tilting her head.
"Jack's been complaining about being bored lately, following me around and dealing with administrative work, hasn't he?" Shane said flatly. "It's the perfect time for him to stretch his legs. Tell him not to hold back. I want to see what kind of blind pirate dares to lay a hand on my people."
He had confidence in Jack. From the way he had handled the New Fish-Man Pirates on Fish-Man Island last year, he knew that Jack, though rough around the edges, was more than capable of handling things on his own. He only tended to get reckless when he encountered a rare, strong opponent in battle.
"Yes, Master!" Angewomon received the order, took her leave, and, in a flash of lightning, shot into the sky and disappeared.
Shane, after watching her disappear into the clouds, turned his attention back to his training. He stretched his joints and then raised his arms, assuming the opening stance of the Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist. Though he had been training for over twenty hours, with his physique, he didn't feel the slightest bit of fatigue. At this rate… he was even faster than he had planned! In a week at most, he would be able to master the Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist!
Two days later.
New World, near the entrance, in a fog-shrouded sea.
"Are we still not out of here?! This damn fog is endless!" Jack paced back and forth on the ship's prow, his face a mask of frustration. He had arrived yesterday morning and had been investigating with the Garrison Corps fleet for a day and a night. Until last night, everything had been going smoothly, but since dawn, when they entered this thick fog, things had gone wrong.
The Log Pose was spinning wildly, and the Den Den Mushi signal was unstable, making it impossible to communicate with the outside world. The fleet had been circling in the fog for hours, and now, they couldn't even determine their own position, let alone find a way out.
What the hell! This was his first time leading a long-distance mission on his own. Before he left, he hadn't thought it would be a big deal. He had even confidently boasted to everyone! He couldn't get himself lost and have Boss Shane send another officer to rescue him… That would be a huge disgrace for the great Jack, with his bounty of 1.42 billion Berries!
"The situation is not good, my lord," the fleet's navigator came over, his face beaded with sweat. "I have over twenty years of sailing experience, but even in the New World, I've never encountered a fog this large… It's like something out of a ghost story. I've never heard of anything like this in these waters before. It's almost as bad as the Florian Triangle!"
"Hmm? You're saying that normally, even in the New World, a fog of this scale wouldn't just suddenly appear?" Jack stopped and turned around, frowning.
"Theoretically, yes…"
"Forget theoretically! Just tell me, yes or no!"
"Y-yes…"
"Then it's man-made!" Jack had been waiting for that. "A Devil Fruit user… that's the only possibility! I should have realized it sooner!"
Eh? The navigator and the others were stunned. Wasn't that a bit of a leap…
"Order! All ships, drop anchor!" Jack ripped off his coat, and two jets of hot air shot from his nostrils. "I'll deal with this sneaky bastard myself!" With that, he leaped over the railing.
SWOOSH!
To everyone's astonishment, Jack used Moonwalk to shoot hundreds of meters into the air. After a quick look around, he let out a roar and charged off in a certain direction, his twin sickles swinging wildly at the fog, yelling, "I've found you! Get out here!"
The crew exchanged a look. "Uh… did Lord Jack find the source of the trouble?"
"I don't think so…" another man murmured. "Look, he's already changed direction and is still running around and slashing…"
"So he's just blindly searching?" another crewman said, exasperated. "Moonwalk and all that slashing must be draining his stamina."
"I guess that's just Lord Jack's style…"
The crew stood there, dumbfounded, watching Jack fly from one end of the fog to the other. An hour passed. A normal person would have been exhausted, but Jack seemed to be getting more and more into it, his stamina seemingly endless…
"Ah!" Just as they were about to give up, a piercing female scream came from the fog! In the next instant, the thick fog dissipated, and their vision cleared. A figure in a white uniform and a strange mask fell from the sky, crashing onto a massive reef, a gaping wound on their chest from Jack's sickle, blood gushing out.
"That getup? CP0? So it was you guys!" Jack sneered, diving down and stomping on the CP0 agent's back. "You finally couldn't hide anymore and let me find you! Your fog ability isn't all that great, is it? Hey, tell me, are you a Paramecia or a Logia?"
The CP0 agent, of course, didn't answer. They struggled, and the two of them were soon locked in a chaotic brawl.
He really did find them! On the deck of the distant ship, the crew was dumbfounded. At the same time, someone noticed that in the now-clear sea, dozens of ships had appeared. Not just the Curtain Call's, but a mishmash of others as well. They had all been trapped in the strange fog, circling like headless flies.
Strange… The fleet's commander, a middle-aged officer from the Garrison Corps with a thick beard, stroked his chin, confused. It seemed this wasn't an attack specifically targeting them, but a blanket blockade of the entire area, to prevent any ships from getting any closer.
"The chart!" the bearded officer said decisively.
"Yes, sir!" Someone immediately brought the sea chart and spread it on the table. This was the latest revised version, with extremely detailed and accurate maps of the waters near the Curtain Call's territory, far superior to anything that could be bought on the market. In just a few days, it had become a huge hit among the Four Corps. The cartographer was said to be Lord Shane's sister, Nami, which had surprised many and made them see the somewhat spoiled young lady in a new light. They had thought her greatest skill was her itchy fingers and her penchant for stealing things. They had never known she had such an incredible talent…
The bearded officer stared at the chart, measuring and calculating with his fingers, and then slammed his hand down on a spot. "This is it! Judging by the shape of the fog and the routes of the missing ships, there's only one possibility! These CP agents are carrying out an indiscriminate blockade to intercept any ships that might pass this island!"
A blockade? The others all looked at where his finger was pointing. It was one of the three islands one had to pass after entering the New World.
Raijin Island!
Half an hour later.
The dozens of trapped ships had figured out the situation and were now adjusting their course to continue their respective journeys. However, before they left, they all came to express their thanks.
"We really owe you all this time!" a white-haired old captain said, standing at the prow of his ship and bowing deeply to Jack's flagship. "If it weren't for you, we old bones would have probably been trapped in this damn place until we ran out of food and water."
"If we were only delayed for two days, I should be able to deliver my cargo on time," another captain remarked. "It's all thanks to Lord Jack's help. I've long admired you as one of the five top officers of the Curtain Call. I never knew Lord Jack was so young! So promising!"
"That's right, that's right!"
"I heard the troublemakers were World Government agents, but they were no match for you, hahaha!"
"Of course! Never mind agents, even a Marine Vice Admiral would be lucky to survive an encounter with Lord Jack!"
These captains didn't really know the difference between a CP0 agent and a Marine Vice Admiral, but it didn't matter. They were just heaping praise on Jack.
"Alright, alright, that's enough. Get going," Jack waved a hand impatiently. To be honest, he was enjoying the praise. Though it had been an accident, he had helped people. He was a little happy. But then he looked down at the CP0 agent's body, and his expression turned grim.
Sigh… Was he too rough, or was this woman just too fragile? He had deliberately not used his sickles, but after a few punches, she still couldn't take it.
Jack squatted down and, with a final shred of hope, poked the female CP0 agent's body. Still no movement. She was really dead. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. He had needed to interrogate her, to find out why they were blockading this area. But now, she was dead. His mission was complete, but to go back without any answers… he was not satisfied.
Just then, the bearded officer noticed his frustration and, after a moment's hesitation, walked over and whispered his theory.
"Raijin Island?" Jack turned his head, skeptical. "Are you sure? I've been to that damn place with the boss. The lightning never stops. There's no one living on it."
"It is strange," the middle-aged officer nodded. "But it's the only answer. Please trust my professional knowledge in this matter."
Jack stroked his chin, deep in thought. "Sir…" the middle-aged officer was about to say more, but Jack had already stood up and slung an arm around his shoulder, a wide grin on his face. "Say no more! If you're so sure, then I believe you! What are we waiting for? Let's go, let's go check out Raijin Island!"
He kicked the CP0 agent's body into the sea and turned to his fleet. "All hands! Set course for Raijin Island! I want to see what these dogs of the World Government are secretly up to!"
A few hours later.
The silhouette of Raijin Island finally appeared on the horizon. As they drew closer, the thunderclouds grew thicker, and lightning snaked through them. A heavy, oppressive atmosphere hung over the sea. So I'm back here. Jack smacked his lips. The last time he was here, he was just a rookie who had just entered the New World.
"Sir! Unidentified object ahead!" the lookout in the crow's nest yelled. "Nine o'clock, a small boat is heading for Raijin Island!"
"Hmm?" Jack immediately went to the prow and took a monocular telescope. Through the rain, he could vaguely see a figure in a simple small boat, rowing towards the shore of Raijin Island. It was too far to make out any details, but he could tell that the person's hair was red.
Red hair. And that height, that aura, and the fact that the World Government is secretly blockading the area…
"Red-Haired Shanks!" Jack's face changed. It couldn't be anyone else! His mind raced. His Celestial Dragon identity, his father being one of the Five Elders, and the fact that he's tried to stop us several times before… he must be colluding with the World Government! They were having a secret meeting here, planning to team up against the Curtain Call! It had to be!
"I won't let you succeed!" CRACK! Jack sneered, crushing the telescope in his hand. "Since I've run into you, I have to stop you, no matter what! Full speed ahead! Get me closer!" That CP agent was no match for the great Jack! This Red-Hair will be a much, much better opponent!
"Yes, sir!" The helmsman was about to accelerate, but Jack raised a hand to stop him.
"Wait!"
"Hmm?" The helmsman turned, confused.
"He is a Yonko. It's too risky for you all to go. You could get killed," Jack said, remembering some of the boss's teachings. "Alright, this is far enough. You're a rescue team. Your mission is complete. Turn back and report to headquarters! Just leave me a small boat. I'll go check out the situation myself!"
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