One Piece : From Slave to Fleet Admiral

Before Tom even arrived, his rough voice already reached everyone's ears.

"What are you all doing? The ship's operation and maintenance aren't finished yet. If you're all gathered here, what about the train's passage?"

The voice grew closer and everyone turned to see the stern-faced of Tom.

The surrounding shipwrights immediately began clamoring, each trying to explain what had just happened.

But most of their accounts were wildly exaggerated and fragmented.

For example, one lanky man described it like this:

"Boss! That marine saw Franky and without saying a word, just punched him with a glowing fist, knocking him out cold! He even said he'd arrest all of us!"

Another burly man about three meters tall bent down and shouted at Tom.

"Franky was the one who attacked first—he nearly killed that marine! The other guy was just defending himself!"

With so many voices, almost every version of the story was different.

Tom felt a headache coming on.

He raised his hand, silencing the crowd, then turned to T-Bone who had arrived with him and said.

"Don't worry T-Bone. I'll make sure this matter is resolved to your satisfaction. Iceberg! Do you know what really happened?"

Among all those present, the person Tom trusted most was Iceberg, whom he regarded as his true successor.

He knew Iceberg's character best and if he wanted the truth, Iceberg was the only one he could ask.

Hearing Tom's words, Iceberg sighed and explained to both Tom and Lieutenant Commander T-Bone beside him.

"Tom-san, this was Franky's fault. He saw two marines stationed here chatting and thought they weren't doing their duty properly, so he wanted to teach them a lesson. Despite repeated warnings from that marine, Franky still attacked first, which is why he got knocked out."

At this point, Iceberg added deliberately.

"Franky was the one provoking from start to finish. This outcome is entirely his own responsibility. I should have stopped him sooner."

After hearing Iceberg's explanation, Tom's first question wasn't directed at Iceberg but at Jake, to whom he gave an extremely friendly smile before asking.

"Young marine, did my disciple here distort the facts?"

Faced with Tom's goodwill, Jake naturally recognized it and was happy to accept it.

Tom immediately asked Jake if Iceberg's account of the events was accurate, which in itself was a gesture of respect towards T-Bone beside him.

After all, Iceberg had almost entirely shifted the blame onto Franky.

Given how favorable the situation was for Jake, asking whether Jake had been wronged was purely a matter of attitude.

Jake was no fool, either.

In response to Tom's goodwill, he naturally reciprocated with the utmost sincerity.

"Tom-san, the events unfolded much as Iceberg-san described. However, Franky isn't entirely unreasonable. Monet and I were somewhat negligent in our work, so his frustration was understandable. Monet and I share some responsibility in this matter."

Jake took on part of the blame that Iceberg had entirely placed on Franky.

This way, both the Marine's dignity and Tom's Workers' reputation were preserved.

Had he pressed his advantage too far, it would have put Tom in an awkward position—something that wouldn't bode well for his plans to foster goodwill with Tom's Workers in the future.

Moreover, since Tom had already extended considerable courtesy and respect, Jake saw no harm in returning the favor.

After saying this, Jake didn't wait for T-Bone or Tom to respond.

Instead, he addressed T-Bone directly.

"Lieutenant Commander T-Bone, I apologize for making the decision to arrest Franky without authorization. If possible, I'd like to treat the injuries he sustained during the fight right away."

T-Bone was straightforward, but that didn't mean he lacked intelligence.

He simply disliked unnecessary complications.

After hearing Iceberg's full account, he had harbored some dissatisfaction towards Franky.

But upon Jake's explanation, he realized Jake didn't want either side to lose face.

So when Jake requested to treat Franky, T-Bone immediately agreed.

After all, this would give the Marine an unimpeachable justification while showcasing Jake's humility.

"It's fine, Jake. During missions, we allow for some degree of interaction. What you did wasn't negligence—just keep it within reasonable limits. Also, go ahead and treat Franky's injuries quickly. Make sure there are no lasting effects."

T-Bone's words were reasonable.

Patrols were lengthy, often spanning entire days and hardly anyone could maintain razor-sharp focus the whole time.

Some relaxation was normal.

With that, the last shred of criticism that could have been directed at Jake and Monet vanished entirely.

Once T-Bone gave his approval, Jake stepped forward under the curious gazes of the onlookers and approached Franky who was still unconscious.

The next moment, the faint golden glow around him intensified abruptly, bathing everyone in a warm radiance.

Not just Franky—everyone touched by that light felt their fatigue and wounds ease slightly.

And this was exactly Jake's intention.

Although doing so would slightly reduce the healing effect on Franky himself, it allowed more people to experience and witness his abilities firsthand.

If he didn't let everyone feel his healing effects, how would they know he was truly treating them?

How could he slightly conceal his true healing capabilities?

Bathed in the healing light emanating from Jake, everyone present wore expressions of serene tranquility.

Their gazes towards Jake gradually took on a different quality, filled with newfound emotions!