Chapter 28
"Okay, okay—don't be so petty, big guy!"
Jepack patted Sanji's shoulder, trying to comfort him.
"You bastard! It's easy for you to say when you're not the one getting kicked!"
Sanji wiped the blood from his face, clearly annoyed.
At that moment, Nami and Guina finished dealing with the remaining Navy soldiers and walked over, asking:
"Jepack, what should we do with these Navy scum?"
After hearing the full story, Jepack pondered the best way to dispose of them.
After a moment of thought, he slowly gave his suggestion:
"Hmm… how about we just toss them into the sea to feed the fish? Feels like a good choice. If they manage to survive out there, then they're just lucky!"
"Yay yay~ I love that idea! I agree!"
Nami shouted excitedly from the side.
"Won't that put us on the Navy's blacklist? We're not pirates. What if they label us as pirates and put bounties on our heads?"
Guina wasn't fully on board, worried the Ten'en might end up branded a pirate ship.
"No worries—we're adventurers, and that's all we'll ever be. Out here, your identity is whatever you make it! Besides, we just cleaned out some Navy corruption—they should be thanking us, not hunting us. And even if they do put bounties on us… trust your captain's strength, okay?"
Jepack spoke confidently, completely nonchalant.
He quickly found a long rope, tied up the rat-faced officer and the dozen or so Navy men into one long chain.
With a kick to each, he herded them out of Baratie's restaurant, grabbed the end of the rope, and used Geppo to shoot into the sky.
After flying a good distance, he found them a beautiful spot (fifty miles of nothing but blue sea), rich in resources (plenty of Sea Kings below), and far from any normal shipping lane—then dropped the whole chain into the ocean.
He dusted off his hands and sighed: "I'm such a good person! Finding a place this perfect isn't easy!"
"GO, GO, GO—back to Guina and Nami! And tonight I'll need them to massage my shoulders again. Been a few days—feeling stiff!"
Jepack thought happily as he flew back to Baratie.
Nami and Guina were thanking Sanji—though a bit half-heartedly (since their man had stolen the spotlight)—still appreciating that he stepped up.
Sanji saw Jepack approaching and instinctively took two steps back, widening the already-safe distance between him and the two girls.
He knew Jepack was a massive jealousy bomb—ready to explode at any moment. One wrong move and he'd get beaten up again for no reason.
Jepack noticed Sanji's reaction and nodded to himself—The kid's learning! He opened his mouth to speak, but Sanji cut him off.
Sanji: "Don't say it, bro! No need for extra thanks!"
Jepack immediately rolled his eyes in signature Hyuga style: "Who the hell said anything about thanks? I'm asking about compensation for the huge hole you put in our ship yesterday. I fixed it, but you still owe me symbolically—like a million or two beri, right?"
Sanji turned and walked away without a word, as if he'd made some grave decision.
"Hey, hey, hey—don't leave! Fifty or a hundred thousand is fine too! What's with just walking off?!"
Sanji walked faster… faster… then whoosh—he vanished in a burst of speed!
Jepack scratched his head in surprise: "That's weird… I thought Sanji didn't know Soru at this point. But that speed just now was definitely entry-level Soru. Strange…"
"Nami, Guina—I've handled everything. Did you two eat enough?"
"Yes."
"Then let's head back to the Ten'en. We're setting sail tomorrow for the next stop!"
Jepack told them the departure plan, then remembered he still hadn't eaten.
He asked the girls to wait on the deck for a moment.
He dashed into the kitchen, dragged the hiding Sanji out, and ordered him to cook a takeout meal—fast.
"Bro, we're leaving tomorrow for the next stop. Make it delicious, got it?"
Jepack said to the bewildered Sanji.
"You're leaving tomorrow? I'm kinda excited… I mean, sad… you're leaving so soon (tone suddenly upbeat)!"
Sanji saw Jepack's slowly rising fist and immediately switched tones.
An hour later, the food was finally ready.
Jepack took the meal, gave Sanji a solemn goodbye, then returned to the deck and left Baratie with the two girls.
Sanji stood there staring at Jepack's back, eyes stinging: "Yameee!! You bastard! You take my hard-cooked food with just a goodbye—no payment?! Damn you, Jepack!!!"
Back on the Ten'en, Jepack couldn't stop grinning. Nami and Guina were curious why.
Jepack explained: "Hahaha~ That blond kid made me food and I didn't pay him a single beri—he didn't even notice! And I acted all serious when I said goodbye. I'm a genius!"
Nami and Guina instantly felt speechless. How could someone be this childish?
Guina: "What a childish idiot! Nami—let's go to the training room. I'll teach you basic sword techniques. We're ignoring this childish king!"
"Okay, Big Sis Guina!"
Watching the two walk away, Jepack muttered under his breath:
"Tonight I'll show you two my real power again—calling me childish!"
Jepack lay back in his deck chair, feeling smug and satisfied…
Soon night fell. Well-fed and content, Jepack headed toward the training room next door.
As he approached, he heard faint, scattered voices of Nami and Guina talking.
"What's big?"
"What method?"
Most of the conversation was questions like that.
Unable to hear clearly, Jepack pushed the door open.
"What are you two talking about? Maybe I can help answer!"
Jepack walked in and approached Nami.
"Stay back~ Don't come closer!"
Nami backed away farther from Jepack.
"You wanted to know the answer, right? Come here—I'll explain it for you!"
Jepack beckoned to Nami.
"Big Sis Guina, save me!"
The two started splashing water and messing around—the situation quickly spiraled into chaos.
Guina suddenly grabbed Jepack from behind, pinning his arms like Uncle Hat grabbing a thief.
Even that couldn't hold him. Moments later, he broke free.
Now Guina joined the playful chaos too!
"Nami-chan~ Don't run away either!"
Laughter and splashing water filled the air.
Before long, the three ended up lying on the deck chairs…
They talked about their own things, listened to each other.
That night, the three grew even closer—understanding one another more deeply.
Another sleepless night.