One Piece : From Slave to Fleet Admiral

At the departure point of the Sea Train's first rail line, Franky sat where he had parted ways with Jake.

The sea breeze was strong, carrying a damp chill that soaked through his floral shirt.

Yet, at this moment, he paid no mind to the discomfort of his wet clothes clinging to his skin.

His gaze remained fixed on the direction where Jake had disappeared.

Time ticked by—less than two hours remained until dawn.

If Jake didn't return by then, Franky would report the situation to the Marines and then head to Gourmet Town himself to search for Jake.

The reason was simple: it was because of the information he had shared that Jake had ended up in such danger.

Just as Franky was about to lose his patience, a familiar figure came rushing toward him from the distance.

Recognizing the figure, Franky's face immediately broke into a grin.

"Hey, Jake! I knew you'd make it back alive!"

Hearing Franky's shout from the shore, Jake stomped hard on the floating ice beneath his feet, launching himself and Monet onto the five-meter-high platform where Franky stood.

Catching his breath, Jake couldn't suppress a smile as he said to Franky.

"Don't worry. The situation got complicated, but we achieved most of our goals. Can you extract the footage from the surveillance Den Den Mushi?"

In response, Franky pulled out the warehouse equipment Jake had handed him earlier and said.

"It's already been adjusted. If you need to check, just input the specific number into the Den Den Mushi."

"Thank you, Franky! Please keep today's matter confidential from Tom-san and Iceberg-san. If this goes well, we'll become the greatest heroes in driving out the Big Mom Pirates and protecting both Tom's Workers and Gourmet Town!"

Listening to Jake's words, Franky's face instantly flushed red.

Being young and impulsive, he couldn't resist the temptation of becoming a hero—especially since he was usually seen as a troublemaking punk that everyone found annoying.

The chance to prove himself in front of everyone completely overwhelmed his ability to think rationally.

"Don't worry, Jake! I won't breathe a single word about this! Besides setting up the Den Den Mushi footage, is there anything else I can do for you?"

Hearing this, Jake handed Franky a box and said with a smile.

"Keep this safe. Don't reveal it to anyone until I tell you to."

As he spoke, he passed the box containing the black truffles to Franky—half of the stock, while the other half remained with him.

You shouldn't put all your eggs in one basket—better to avoid total loss.

Who knew if those two would come looking for him at the base?

Anything was possible, and caution was always wise.

Taking the box from Jake, Franky solemnly declared.

"I'll protect this box with my life!"

Ten minutes later, Jake reported everything he had witnessed to Sakazuki first.

After all, Sakazuki was his direct superior.

Though he had spent more time interacting with Borsalino, proper protocol had to be followed.

After Jake finished his report,Sakazuki responded.

"I'm currently in the New World and likely won't make it back within three days. Once you're done reporting to me, go inform Vice Admiral Borsalino and see if he can reach Water Seven within that time. If I recall, his mission is in the South Blue—with his speed, he should be able to make it."

"Additionally, I'll contact T-Bone via Den Den Mushi and have him organize Marine forces to continuously enter Gourmet Town during this period. We must prevent Big Mom's pirate crew from slaughtering civilians.

Also, during this time, every decision T-Bone makes must be approved by you—every single one. I know his temperament well. When it comes to the Yonko's, we can't act recklessly!"

At this point, Sakazuki paused briefly before continuing in a lower voice.

"But if its absolutely necessary, you may eliminate the entire pirate crew—just leave no loopholes for the Yonko's to exploit."

"Also, send me a copy of the footage you recorded today via transmission Den Den Mushi. Doflamingo's actions have crossed a line. Later, I'll make time to visit the North Blue and create some momentum for you, so the Donquixote Family doesn't target you too harshly there."

"Finally, since you kept those black truffle cake ingredients, wait until Borsalino arrives before revealing them. Don't let the villagers know you took the truffles. Even if your intentions were good, the granary was still burned down. You were there—even if you couldn't defeat those guys and chose to retreat. But desperates villagers might not see it that way."

"In situations where they dare not resent the pirates, they will most likely choose to resent you instead. I know you might find this hard to understand, but Jake, listen to me—often, good people end up with guns pointed at their heads."

"Yes, Vice Admiral Sakazuki!"

As Jake listened to Sakazuki words, his feelings were somewhat complicated.

While he knew the situation would likely unfold as Sakazuki had described, it still left him unsettled.

However, Jake also felt a deeper sense of gratitude and understanding towards Sakazuki.

Unlike the extreme embodiment of justice he portrayed in the original story, Sakazuki was actually a dedicated and responsible leader when it came to his subordinates.

Even during the Marineford War, he had given that deserter a chance to return to the battlefield rather than reducing him to ashes outright.

The once-flat anime character now stood before him as a fully fleshed-out, three-dimensional figure, reinforcing Jake's belief that this world was both real and extraordinary.

Just as Sakazuki was about to end the call, Jake voiced a small request.

"Um, Vice Admiral Sakazuki, if we really end up clashing with the Big Mom Pirates in three days, could you help me get in touch with Morgans, the head of the World Economic News? I'd like him to broadcast the footage i take."

Hearing this, Sakazuki paused, then replied.

"Media exposure is indeed a great way to make a name for yourself. But are you sure you can handle that level of fame? Even for me, getting Morgans to cooperate isn't simple—it comes at a steep price."

"I'm confident. I won't let you down!"

"In three days, Morgans will be there."