Back on the way to Jaya, the Navy's headache flared again.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, we've confirmed it—Jaya Island has been occupied by Tiger God Karl." Brannew slid a dossier across the desk.
Photos and notes spilled out: a growing fortress-harbor carved to resemble Marineford's crescent bay, ramparts tightening around Mock Town like a fist.
"Did we learn why he took Jaya? His objective?" Sengoku rubbed at the bridge of his nose. Karl just would not sit still.
"No, sir. Our operatives can only move within Mock Town." Brannew grimaced. "That Rumble-Rumble man's Observation Haki covers the entire island. If our agents so much as whisper, he senses it and calls lightning. We're reduced to passing messages on paper."
Sengoku stared. "He can monitor the whole island down to that level?"
"Yes, Fleet Admiral."
"Wahahahaha! Sengoku—I'm back!" Garp strolled in with a bag of senbei, dust of the East Blue still on his coat. "What's cracking?"
Sengoku swallowed his irritation and tossed him the file. Garp read—serious for once—then grunted.
"Jaya, huh? And no motive? I'll go. I'll ask him myself."
"Denied!" Sengoku shot up. "That crew's top tier. You going alone is reckless."
"Relax." Garp chomped a cracker. "After last time, I know what kind of man Karl is. He won't make it ugly." (And besides, his niece is with me…)
"You're sure?"
"I'm sure."
Sengoku exhaled. "Fine. You go to Jaya and find out why he's building a fortress—in the first half of the Grand Line. We need clarity."
"Roger!" Garp turned on his heel.
Minutes later aboard the Dog-Head warship, he barked, "Bogard! Recall the men. Set our course for Jaya!"
"Yes, Vice Admiral Garp!"
One day later, Karl returned to Jaya. Jerry settled the rescued shipwrights and their families into the new apartment blocks beside Mock Town, while Karl headed straight for the office tower—Swiftwind Express headquarters, freshly opened even if the wiring wasn't finished yet.
"Daphne, I'm back."
She looked up from a stack of plans, eyes bright. "You're back! The shipwrights—are they settled?"
"All set. Jerry handled housing." He slipped an arm around her waist. "The island's coming together. Looks like we're down to the shipyard layout."
"That's right. I want Jerry's take before we pour foundations." She leaned into him, the stress easing off her shoulders. "If we're done for today… let's go home. I'm finally caught up."
"Good. In a few days we head to Tiger Roar Island. You're coming too. Enel can guard Jaya, but I'll relax if you're with me."
"Got it. Tonight—celebration feast?" she teased.
"Absolutely. And—your Six Powers training? Don't bury yourself in paperwork. In this world, strength makes loyalty simple."
"Relax. I've got Shave and Tempest Kick down, and with the battlesuit I'm not easy prey."
"Then it's time to start Haki. Your body's improved fast on Ellie's tonic—you'll pick it up."
Daphne laughed softly. "Ellie's medicine is wild. No training, and yet my physique climbed. This world's science tree is crooked. There are robots on the moon, remember?"
Karl's eyes lit. "Right—we should go to the moon and bring some of those robots back…"
They reached home. In the lab, Ellie was still at it, sleeves rolled, goggles up.
"Ellie, I'm back—"
"Hubby, come see!" Ellie tugged him to a bench, face flushed with excitement. "I'm this close! Once I finish mapping these Devil Fruit gene factors, I can replicate them. And—I found a way to break the factor lock."
Karl beamed. He understood none of the graphs—but he understood Ellie. "You're incredible. My treasure."
"Heehee. I am confident." She paused. "Oh—Hancock called me. She asked when you're coming to pick her up."
Karl blinked. "Why does she always call you and not me?"
"Because she's shy, obviously," Ellie said, rolling her eyes affectionately. "You know her."
"…Fair point. I'll fetch her in a couple days. We're heading to Tiger Roar Island anyway."
Ellie nodded, the goggles sliding back down. The lab hummed.
Outside, the fortress bay glinted like a new Marineford. Above it all, thunderheads idled—Enel's silent net.
Far at sea, a dog-headed prow cut the swells toward Jaya.
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