Jack had to admit he had misjudged the situation.
Franky, whether he was an exhibitionist or just obsessed with swimwear, was truly worthy of being Tom's disciple. In just a month, he had won over more than a dozen master shipwrights at the shipyard. Not only that, but he had also designed numerous warships, even drawing Kaido's attention.
And to top it all off, this guy had handed over the blueprints for Pluton!
Even though Pluton itself had been lost, and Tom had memorized its structure, having the blueprints still provided immense value to the Beasts Pirates. With them, they could build formidable warships, strengthening their naval dominance.
When Jack handed the blueprints to Kaido, the Emperor was ecstatic. Not only did he personally summon Franky, but he immediately promoted him to the rank of All-Star and put him in charge of the Beasts Pirates' shipyard. Furthermore, upon realizing that Franky was a cyborg and a self-made genius at that, Kaido placed him under the Beasts Pirates' Research Division for further study.
Franky's personality didn't exactly fit in with the research division, but he got along surprisingly well with Queen. The two had hit it off so well that Queen even tried recruiting Franky into his rap group. Unfortunately for him, Franky had already formed his own band, and the two ended up scheduling a battle of the bands during the Fire Festival after the New Year.
Meanwhile, after several failed attempts to locate the Red-Haired Pirates, Jack returned to Onigashima, where he resumed his relentless training regimen—eating kidneys and all.
...
Renske, Capital of the Wetna Kingdom, Ailen Island.
As the last remaining ruler on Ailen Island, Hedarn had secured his position thanks to the military might of the Beasts Pirates. Despite technically being under their rule, he felt no discomfort in wielding their power to lord over others.
Before, he had lived in constant fear, always worrying about being assassinated. Now, he was still a vassal, but as long as he pleased the Beasts Pirates, he was the supreme authority on Ailen.
Even at over sixty years old, he could still make sixteen-year-old girls compete for his favor. Such was the power of authority!
However, recently, unrest had been brewing across the land.
It was expected—after all, the destruction of the other two kingdoms hadn't been that long ago. There were bound to be remnants who resisted his rule.
In the past, such rebellions had always been swiftly dealt with. Most of the time, Hedarn's own army could handle them without even needing the Beasts Pirates' intervention.
But this time was different.
Several of his top warriors had been defeated—one of them even a former officer of the Beasts Pirates. That alone made Hedarn feel uneasy.
Even more troubling was the rumor that these rebels were exhibiting unnatural physical strength, as if they had taken some sort of forbidden drug. They were crushing his forces at an alarming rate.
If reinforcements from the Beasts Pirates didn't arrive soon, things could get out of hand.
After receiving Hedarn's desperate plea for help, King arrived at the mines.
There, Enel and several other prisoners were shackled with Sea Prism Stone, working tirelessly with pickaxes in hand. The moment they saw King approach, they flinched, their shovels slipping from their grasp.
"W-What do you want?! I wasn't slacking off!"
King ignored their panic and ordered, "Unlock their restraints."
The guards hesitated but obeyed.
"Follow me."
After Enel and the others had eaten their fill, King finally spoke.
"I have a mission for you."
Enel raised an eyebrow, still chewing.
"King Hedarn has requested our assistance. Lately, the cities of Ailen Island have been behaving... unusually. Massive uprisings have broken out across the Island."
King's gaze sharpened.
"You will lead three thousand men to Renske to support him. Your job is to ensure his safety."
The prisoners exchanged uneasy glances.
"As for me, I'll be conducting my own investigation."
King smirked as he observed their expressions.
"Of course, you could try escaping... but don't forget—I still have your Vivre Cards."
His voice dropped to a chilling whisper.
"Unless you want to experience another punishment like last time, I strongly advise against running."
A collective shudder ran through them. Memories of their previous punishment—being dunked headfirst into a cesspit—were still fresh in their minds. Enel winced, then forced a grin and thumped his chest.
"Relax, King-sama! You can count on me, Enel, to get the job done!"
He smirked. "These are just mortals, after all."
Then he quickly corrected himself.
"Ahem—what I meant to say was, they'll learn soon enough what happens when they anger King-sama."
King stepped forward, placing a firm hand on Enel's shoulder.
"Watch your tone. Don't get carried away."
Enel gulped.
"Understood!"
Satisfied with their reaction, King nodded.
"Alright. Let's move out."
...
After King returned to Ailen Island, Yamato and Ulti had been causing constant chaos, pestering Jack day and night. Unable to tolerate their antics, he used King as an excuse to escape to Ailen Island with them.
Meanwhile, beneath the sea train tracks designed by Tom, small bases had been set up at intervals. Each was manned by five-man Fish-Man squads tasked with guarding the railway's construction. The project was already more than halfway done, and if things stayed on track, the Ailen Island–Onigashima sea train would be operational by next year.
After a quick aerial survey, Jack carried Yamato and Ulti straight to Ailen Island.
Upon arriving, they quickly learned that the island was indeed in turmoil, and that King had already mobilized to provide reinforcements.
Jack, however, remained unfazed.
"It happens every year," he muttered. "People don't just forget about the destruction of their nations overnight."
But he knew the solution.
"All it takes is another round of executions to remind them of their place."
Besides, this would be a good opportunity to see how much Enel had improved.
Brrrrring! Brrrrring!
Jack groaned. He was about to get up and answer, but before he could, Yamato unleashed a burst of Conqueror's Haki, shattering the Den Den Mushi's receiver.
Jack sighed. "Guess I need to get a new one."
Before he could dwell on it, frantic knocking came from the door.
"Jack-sama! Are you awake?! Something's happened!"
Jack frowned, pulling on his pants as Yamato pouted in irritation.
"I've got important business."
He opened the door and took the receiver.
King's voice came through immediately.
"Jack, good—you're there. This saves me the trouble of calling Kaido-sama."
Jack's brows furrowed. "What's wrong?"
"We've found traces of the Revolutionary Army."
Jack's grip on the receiver tightened.
"They're behind this entire rebellion. And their leader... Dragon has appeared."
A rare hint of caution entered King's usually cold tone.
"I already fought him once. He's troublesome."
A brief pause.
"Get over here. Now."
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The fanfic is Finished on p@treon/tambeerg