Before long, Jack received an official appointment from Navy Headquarters, assigning him to the G-5 branch. His role was to serve as deputy under Vice Admiral Vergo, assisting in the Navy's efforts to establish a stronger foothold in the New World.
A few days after arriving, Jack quickly brought the unruly G-5 soldiers—who behaved more like pirates than marines—under control. It was also then that he met Vergo, the highest-ranking officer at the base. Known as "Demon Bamboo Vergo" he was an undercover operative for the Donquixote Family, had a habit of eating hamburgers, and was notorious for always having food crumbs stuck to his face.
Initially, Jack had almost forgotten about Vergo's existence, but upon meeting him, he quickly recalled that this man was of no benefit to the Navy. Determined to expose Vergo's true identity, Jack began searching for evidence of his espionage.
However, the G-5 base was stationed deep in the treacherous waters of the New World, where battles against pirates were frequent and intense. With little time to personally monitor Vergo, Jack entrusted Lena—who had accompanied him—to assist in the investigation.
Within just a few days at G-5, Jack fully grasped the terrifying strength of the New World's pirate crews. His body now bore several fresh scars—proof of the harsh reality he faced. In a short span, he had already encountered two separate fleets from the Four Emperors' pirate groups, each battle pushing him to his limits.
Although the Four Emperors themselves did not take action, the powerful officers serving under them had earned their titles for a reason.
The first of the Four Emperors' forces Jack encountered belonged to the Beasts Pirates. Perhaps due to his connection with Doflamingo, he soon discovered that Jack the Drought—one of Kaido's infamous Three Disasters—was roaming near the G-5 base just a day after his arrival.
Jack was prepared to strike, but Vergo stopped him, offering a reason that made him pause and reconsider.
Even if the two of them managed to defeat the enemy, what would be the outcome? At best, he would be imprisoned in Impel Down. But once Kaido caught wind of it, he would undoubtedly come to retrieve his subordinate. The G-5 branch stood no chance against Kaido, and even Impel Down would struggle to hold him back if he decided to launch a rescue.
Thus, it was best to avoid provoking them unless absolutely necessary. As long as he didn't cross a certain line, the Navy would not initiate a direct confrontation.
In the New World, the Navy could act against ordinary pirates, but when it came to the high-ranking officers of the Four Emperors, even they had to tread carefully.
Glancing at the indifferent expressions of the surrounding marines, Jack realized they had grown accustomed to this way of life—resigned to yielding when faced with the overwhelming might of the Four Emperors.
Unable to hold back, Jack took matters into his own hands, confronting the beast pirates alone. Not only did he defeat them, but he also sank his entire pirate crew. Yet, Jack deliberately refrained from finishing him off entirely. Though it may have seemed like mercy, the truth was that he lacked the means to either kill or capture him alive.
Despite overpowering his enemy, his opponent's resilience left him speechless. As an Ancient Zoan-type Devil Fruit user and a fishman with the power of the Mammoth Fruit, Jack possessed an absurdly high level of endurance and durability.
He ultimately decided to let him go. The Navy was simply not yet prepared to go to war with two of the Four Emperors.
While the system's judgment rewarded Jack with significant experience, he frustratingly earned no diamonds from the battle. His frustration only grew when he returned to the base and discovered that Jack had a staggering bounty of one billion berries. That meant a potential reward of 100,000 diamonds—more than enough to make him regret letting Jack escape. If he had known earlier, he might have dragged his injured body back just to claim the bounty, Kaido's wrath be damned.
Nevertheless, the battle had one undeniable effect—the G-5 marines finally recognized Jack's overwhelming strength. As a result, he was able to assert his authority over them far sooner than expected.
Before Jack had even fully recovered from his injuries, another powerful foe appeared before him—one of the Four Sweet Commanders of the Big Mom Pirates, Charlotte Snack, also known as the Minister of Fries.
However, unlike Jack, Snack wasn't here to pick a fight. He and his crew were merely passing through, en route to Fishman Island to purchase Big Mom's beloved desserts. Since Fishman Island was under Whitebeard's protection, even the formidable Big Mom Pirates had to resort to buying their treats rather than taking them by force.
Initially, Jack had no intention of provoking them. He was well aware of how terrifyingly strong Katakuri, one of Big Mom's top commanders, was, and unless circumstances forced his hand, he had no desire to challenge an opponent he couldn't yet defeat.
But upon learning that Snack's bounty was only 600 million berries, Jack's mindset shifted. The prospect of such an accessible target was too tempting to ignore. His resolve hardened when he recalled that Snack was later defeated by the mysterious monk Urouge and subsequently stripped of his status as a Sweet Commander. With that in mind, Jack saw an opportunity he couldn't pass up.
Wasting no time, he gathered his men and boarded the Pearl, launching a direct assault on the Big Mom Pirates' supply ship—without bothering to inform Vergo.
Sure enough, after a grueling battle, Jack emerged victorious. Though the fight had been costly, the sight of 60,000 diamonds deposited into his account made every wound worth it.
"Rear Admiral Jack, now that you've captured one of the Four Sweet Commanders of the Big Mom Pirates, what exactly is your plan? Just days ago, you defeated Jack the Drought, and the Fleet Admiral was already displeased. Now, you've gone and provoked the Big Mom Pirates as well. Do you think our G5 base has been living too peacefully?" Vergo asked, his face devoid of emotion as he stood before Jack.
Even when Vergo arrived later and reprimanded him harshly, Jack remained in high spirits.
"Apologies, sir! Capturing pirates is the duty of a marine—I cannot go against my sense of justice," Jack replied, lying through his teeth without the slightest hesitation.
Yet, despite his obvious ulterior motives, no one could outright accuse him of wrongdoing. After all, the navy existed to hunt down pirates—it was simply part of the job.
"Even so," Vergo continued, "you're a Rear Admiral now, not just an ordinary soldier. You need to consider the bigger picture. Actions like these will only provoke the Four Emperors. You should return to headquarters for the time being. Charlotte Snack will remain here under my custody."
In truth, Vergo had been looking for an excuse to send Jack away. He had long suspected that Jack was secretly keeping tabs on him, and this incident provided the perfect opportunity to remove him from the G5 base.
Unbeknownst to Jack, Vergo had been aware of his movements of attacking the pirates from the very start. As the highest-ranking officer at G5, it would have been a disgrace if he hadn't noticed Jack's attack in advance.
To ensure Jack's departure, Vergo feigned ignorance, allowing him to act freely. Regardless of whether Jack won or lost, Vergo would have the perfect excuse to send him away—so he chose not to interfere.
"Well, as much as I'd love to stay, you're the superior officer, so your word is final. I'll return to headquarters now," Jack said with a shrug.
Truthfully, he had no desire to leave. In just a few days, his diamond count had surged to nearly 80,000. Even without counting the 60,000 diamonds earned from capturing Charlotte Snack, he had still managed to accumulate nearly 20,000 on his own.
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