One Piece Gunslinger

"Yeah, I knew I should have an ice cream when visiting this open square under the direct sunlight. It was a shame I didn't get to buy ice cream back in Loguetown," Jack thought to himself as he licked his ice cream.

"Um, one ice cream costs three thousand Berries, sir, please pay the bill." Just as Jack was about to take out his wallet to pay, he heard the vendor's enthusiastic voice.

"You're robbing me!" Jack yelled. "You dare to charge three thousand for an ice cream!"

Huh? This scene seems so familiar.

"Nonsense, robbing people doesn't make money as fast as selling ice cream! Enough talk, you've already eaten it, so give me the money now." The vendor's previous enthusiastic smile vanished, replaced by a menacing expression. "Otherwise, I'll call the patrolling guards!"

"Holy crap! Why are there these heartless vendors everywhere I go?" Jack felt like a mythical beast was running through his mind, finally remembering the terror he felt when he was dominated by ice cream vendors in Loguetown.

However, this ice cream vendor in Dressrosa truly lives up to his reputation as an ice cream vendor from the Grand Line; he's a bit more skilled than the one I encountered in Loguetown. Not only are his ice cream prices higher than before, but he doesn't even warn you beforehand, avoiding scaring you away with exorbitant prices. You only realize your mistake after you've already bought it.

However, Jack cannot produce 3,000 Berries right now. If he could, he could certainly have produced 2,000 Berries back in Loguetown.

After returning to the Revolutionary Army, Jack figured he wouldn't need Bailey for the mission, so he grabbed some change from his desk and left.

So when Jack opened his wallet, he was shocked to find that there wasn't as much as three thousand inside.

"Damn it! If I ever buy ice cream again, I'll be a dog!" Jack looked at the few remaining Baileys in his wallet and made a solemn vow in his heart.

Actually, the moment Jack opened his wallet, he remembered that he had ordered a coffee on Lovers' Avenue and didn't have any money left.

"Is my lifelong reputation going to be ruined by this little ice cream? No way, I have to find a chance to run away right away."

Jack had already successfully infiltrated Dressrosa. If he were to attract attention because of a small ice cream and have his identity exposed, ultimately causing the Revolutionary Army's entire plan to fail, Jack would have no face to return to his hometown.

Just as Jack was planning to run away before the vendor called for help and things got out of hand, looking around to figure out an escape route, a budding, graceful figure walked up to him.

"Let me pay for this gentleman's money," she said softly, then, ignoring the surprised looks from Jack and the vendor, she took out three thousand Berries, ready to help Jack out of his predicament.

"Hey, wait a minute," Jack immediately said. "Why are you paying for my three thousand Berries? It seems like we don't even know each other."

“It’s alright. I just hope that tourists from other countries won’t have a bad impression of Dressrosa because of this. Dressrosa should be a warm country full of flowers and laughter.” Then she insisted on paying for Jack’s ice cream.

Although the person was wearing a golden helmet that covered the upper half of her face, Jack recognized her at a glance as Princess Rebecca of Dressrosa. However, she was quite different from the image Jack remembered, and her figure had not fully developed. After all, this was four years before Rebecca appeared in the original manga, and she probably looked no older than fourteen, still a typical loli.

However, Jack was anything but happy about this situation. He thought bitterly, "What the hell! My reputation is ruined by a little girl, and now, to avoid causing a commotion and for the Revolutionary Army's plan to proceed smoothly, I can't even refuse. I can only silently accept this fate. Sabo and Fujitora will definitely laugh me to death when I get back."

Ugh, if I ever mess with an ice cream vendor again, I'll be a dog! Once bitten, twice shy; next time, no matter how useful it is, I'll definitely carry more money with me when I go out.

“However…” Jack also noticed, “Rebecca is wearing a helmet? And what’s that in her left hand? A sword and a shield? And she’s wearing that armor that barely covers her vital parts and is practically useless.”

"Hey, little girl." Jack couldn't help but ask coldly when he saw Rebecca dressed as a gladiator, "How come you're already carrying a weapon at such a young age?"

When Rebecca heard Jack's question, she just gave an awkward laugh and didn't answer it.

"Hmph, granddaughter of a sinner!" But the ice cream vendor's attitude remained unchanged after accepting the three thousand Berries, and she said rudely, "Isn't it normal to bring all the sinners out of prison and force them to participate in the arena duels? Only the blood of sinners can wash away sins."

Upon hearing this, Jack was filled with horror. He reached out his right hand, grabbed the vendor's collar across the ice cream cart, and pulled him close: "How is this possible? She's just a child. What kind of child would go into the arena? Besides, she's so young, what crime could she have committed?"

It must be said that Jack had no idea that Rebecca's fate had changed so drastically. And Jack understood that all these changes were the butterfly effect he had caused.

Jack just couldn't understand why Violet had made such a ruthless decision to kill Rebecca, even though she had promised to join the Donquixote Family and serve Doflamingo in exchange for Doflamingo sparing King Riku and her niece.

Although no direct order was given to kill her, sending a little girl to the arena was tantamount to taking her life.

Seeing Jack's actions, Rebecca felt a surge of warmth in her heart. Aside from the soldier, this was the first time someone had spoken up for her. Even so, Rebecca still spoke up to comfort him, "Uncle, it's not his fault, it's my fault." Then she tugged at Jack's clothes.

"Hmph, so what if she's just a child? The sins of her bloodline have been with her since birth." Even as the vendor remained in that uncomfortable position, he showed no appreciation for Rebecca's actions. "Doflamingo has already shown leniency by letting her live this long. He didn't even put her in prison before."

"FNNDP!"

In his rage, Jack even started speaking in his native dialect, not caring whether anyone could understand him or not. He gripped the collar of his right hand tightly and raised his left hand, ready to slap the vendor hard across the face.

However, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Rebecca's worried and nervous expression, and then saw the vendor's nonchalant expression. Jack didn't strike; instead, he slowly released his right hand, letting go of the ice cream vendor.

"Hehe, I knew you wouldn't dare to fight. The Don Quixote family's guards are patrolling nearby."

Seeing the vendor still looking smug, Jack, who was naturally calm, couldn't muster any anger at all.

Although this ice cream vendor was a bit cunning and his business practices were unethical, wasn't he also a victim in some way?

Ignorance, lack of knowledge, self-deception.

Jack now finally understands how Zhou Shuren felt back then: lamenting their misfortune and hating their lack of resistance. This perfectly describes the vast majority of ordinary people in Dressrosa, who can even say things like, "My father broke the law, so he's guilty."

Jack didn't say anything more, pulled Rebecca away from where they stood, and whispered to her, "I'll pay you back the three thousand Berries I owe you. So..."

"No, no, you don't need to pay it back."

"No! I must repay you three thousand Berries. If I don't, may I be struck by lightning and die a horrible death. So... please, survive in the arena."

Jack then watched Rebecca walk into the arena, glancing at the sign at the entrance: "Duel begins at 2 PM."

Looking up at the sun directly overhead, Jack made up his mind.

At this moment, Ming was unaware that his decision had led to his life hanging by a thread, with less than an hour remaining.

Chapter 246 Local Revolutionary Forces

After watching Rebecca enter the arena, Jack knew that time was running out. Originally, they were supposed to wait two more days before launching the final assault and eliminating the Donquixote Family, as there was still a lot of preparation to be done. But now it seemed they couldn't wait any longer; they had to unleash their attack within those two hours.

So Jack hurriedly went to a secluded place and began to give gifts to the rest of the Revolutionary Army.

"I am in Drosreza, bringing the First Army to provide support."

This was the first thing Sabo heard after connecting to Jack's Den Den Mushi, completely disregarding the fact that he hadn't yet conquered all three countries.

"Hey, I haven't solved this problem yet! What's wrong with you?" Sabo said, annoyed. "Didn't we agree to wait two days until the last day of the World Conference before taking action?"

To everyone's surprise, Jack completely ignored Sabo's complaints and did not answer Sabo's questions. Instead, he said in an unquestionable tone, "I don't care what method you use, you must get here within two hours, or you will be court-martialed."

Jack then shut down the communication.

"Hey, they even used the words 'court-martial,' so Sabo knows just how serious things are." And Jack's serious expression was also conveyed through the Den Den Mushi; Sabo had never seen Jack with that look before. It seems that what's happening in Dressrosa is far more important than the work here.

Although Jack had Sabo drop everything and rush to provide support, he hadn't lost his mind yet, and the battlefield of the First Army was of paramount importance.

He then made a phone call to the Second Army, ordering it to take over the position of the First Army. This continued until the Fifth Army took over the position of the Fourth Army.

As for the Fifth Army, they had just finished dealing with three islands in their mission and were about to head to a new location. Meanwhile, the Sixth Army, which had the easiest combat situation, had already returned to the Revolutionary Army headquarters, pretending to carry out defensive work to prevent the weakness within the Revolutionary Army from being exposed.

However, Jack's actions could easily give those previously besieged areas a chance to escape and then send a message to the outside world if they are unlucky.

After all, the revolutionary army had been silent for two hours, and it would be easy for people to discover that the place was deserted, so they left behind a large iron ball.

Jack then contacted Fujitora: "The plan has changed. You must arrive in Dressrosa within two hours."

Fujitora saw Jack's emotions through the Den Den Mushi, but didn't say much. He simply replied "Yes" and ended the call.

"Oh dear, we have to get there in two hours, this is going to kill me!" he said with a wry smile as he gathered the troops.

Jack's premature move not only put immense pressure on the Revolutionary Army from all sides, but also resulted in insufficient preparation. Compared to launching an attack two days later when everything was fully prepared, this move will undoubtedly lead to more unnecessary casualties.

Even so, Jack still chose to do it without hesitation.

If we only look at the numbers, the revolutionary army sacrificed far more soldiers, thousands of lives to save Rebecca's life, which was undoubtedly a huge loss.

It's unbelievable that Jack, a living Sherlock Holmes who believes "not making a profit is a loss," and the living Harpagon, an ultimate miser, could do such a thing.

However, Jack had already discussed this issue with Sabo back in the Kingdom of Enix: the train problem isn't actually a mathematical problem, nor is it about saving the side with more people. Nor should it always be about sacrificing a minority to ensure the survival of the majority.

Sometimes it is reasonable to sacrifice minor principles for the greater good, but conversely, isn't sacrificing the greater good for minor principles also a way of upholding the greater good?

There is a discussion about this in the movie "Saving Private Ryan".

To save Ryan, several people were sacrificed. Several mothers' sons were traded from the battlefield for one mother's son. From a numerical perspective, it was a complete loss.

However, this matter cannot be considered that way. The sacrifice of these people was partly to save Ryan, and partly to uphold a law: to send the mother's only son to his side.

It is precisely because of this law that people can send their children to the front lines with peace of mind. Upholding this law is tantamount to upholding the beliefs of the entire nation and people.

This also conveys an age-old moral sentiment: cherishing life and helping others.

So when Jack watched Rebecca walk away, he finally made up his mind to save her at all costs. This wasn't just about saving one person; it was about saving the morality of the nation and restoring its faith. Otherwise, even if the Revolutionary Army eventually liberated Dressrosa, people like the ice cream vendor would still exist for a long time.

A law-abiding citizen is ripping off foreign tourists and damaging the country's image. Meanwhile, a criminal is helping the ripped-off tourist, trying to salvage the impression the tourist has of him.

For this reason alone, Rebecca deserves Jack's help.

After quickly issuing all the instructions, Jack put away his "little son" and turned to the corner behind him, saying, "Come out, you lead the way. Time is of the essence, we must act quickly."

Judging from Jack's words, he clearly didn't consider the person in the alley corner an outsider at all, even having that person lead the way. And since he knew that person was hiding in the alley corner, it's likely that person overheard the orders he gave to the Revolutionary Army's various divisions and Fujitora.

That's right, Jack had spotted this person back in the plaza in front of the arena, and the man had followed him into this alley. But Jack ignored him, letting him listen to what he was saying without a second thought.

The man in the alley corner, upon hearing Jack's words, realized he had already been exposed. Without further ado, he stepped out from behind the wall and said, "Ah, time is indeed running out."

Actually, calling the person in the alley corner a person isn't quite right, at least not for now. Because what came out was a toy, a one-legged toy soldier.

Yes, he was Rebecca's biological father, Cyrus.

Rebecca was forced to enter the arena by Doflamingo's order. How could her father not know this, how could he sit idly by, and how could he not take action?

It was while Jack was arguing with the ice cream vendor next to Rebecca that he noticed the toy soldiers following far behind. It seems this father, though not the best, still cares for his daughter unparalleled. (Most dads are the same, tied for first place.)

Otherwise, Cyrus wouldn't have been coerced by Doflamingo using his daughter.

Yes, Jack only learned about this later when he talked to Cyrus on the road. Doflamingo had given the order to have all the sinners enter the arena to fight on a whim, just to coerce the toy soldiers.

Ultimately, it seems to be Jack's fault. Six years ago, Jack shouted in the Kingdom of Yutaka, "If immoral people can form a force when they gather together, then honest people should do the same."

Cyrus wouldn't have been so quick and proactive in building a revolutionary army. Moreover, Cyrus made this phrase the core of his revolutionary army's development and its guiding principle.

And sure enough, with his active efforts and the help of this wise saying, he actually managed to build up a sizable revolutionary force.

This homegrown revolutionary army, besides the dwarf warriors still present in the original work, also includes a large number of toys. Whether they are active in the country normally or toiling in the dark underground port, most of the toys have actually been moved by Cyrus and joined the revolutionary army. However, they still act as usual on weekdays, doing whatever they want without showing any abnormalities.

In reality, the toys in this country are quite easy to win over. After all, they've been turned into toys, forgotten by everyone in the world, and forced to work under the control of their enemies. And yet, they're expected to greet tourists and other citizens of Dressrosa with smiles, creating the illusion of a happy nation.

However, this matter was eventually exposed by accident. Doflamingo learned of the existence of the Revolutionary Army and captured a toy who had joined the revolution. Although he didn't know who the members of this so-called Revolutionary Army were, or how many toys had already defected to the Revolutionary Army.

However, Doflamingo managed to uncover that the Revolutionary Army leader was a toy soldier. There was no way to expect much enlightenment or willpower from these ordinary people. The fact that they mustered the courage to join Cyrus's revolutionary ranks without actively betraying the revolution is already commendable.

Now that we know the Revolutionary Army leader is the Toy Soldier, the rest is easy. No matter how much the Toy Soldier tries to hide, under Doflamingo's wanted list and the Donquixote Family's powerful intelligence network, the Toy Soldier has virtually nowhere to hide; everything about him has been uncovered.

This includes the close relationship between the toy soldier and Rebecca, and the toy soldier's experience of caring for and raising Rebecca.

In fact, under the influence of Sugar's Hobby-Hobby Fruit, Doflamingo completely forgot that the toy soldier was Rebecca's father. But forgetting wasn't a big deal; as long as he knew Rebecca was an important person to the toy soldier, that was enough.

So Doflamingo issued an order, his real intention being to force out the toy soldiers and the local revolutionary army he led.

Little did they know that this action would also anger the real revolutionary army.