Jewel Ice Sheet, located in the northernmost glacial region of the Kano Country in the West Blue.
This icy land had been deserted for years, not due to lack of interest in the rumored treasure it contained, but because no one could crack the unbreakable ice encasing it. Many pirates and greedy adventurers had tried, only to fail and get wiped out by the Happo Navy, buried beneath the frost.
But today… the sheet would meet a true challenger.
"So this is the Jewel Ice Sheet? Hah, it really is just a big hunk of ice!"
"Hmm? What's under there?"
Garp, casually munching on a donut, trudged across the frozen terrain, walking alongside Hammer, whose eyes were locked onto the golden shimmer beneath the ice.
His pupils literally turned into coins.
"I'm rich! Who would've thought the Happo Navy hoarded this much wealth?! It's all mine! Every single coin is mine!"
The surrounding Marines couldn't help but sweatdrop at Warhammer's sudden greed-fueled frenzy, especially his own crew, who had never realized their Vice Admiral was such a money-grubber.
"Garp, where's the spike I made for you? Hand it over!"
Garp sighed, seeing the crazed gleam in Hammer's eyes, and ordered a soldier to fetch the custom spike Hammer had crafted.
Once Hammer had it in hand, he looked like a man holding a divine relic.
Then he gave another order: bring up Chinjao, now tied up and de-drilled.
The pirate had woken up, but was clearly lost without his signature drill-head.
But the moment he saw Garp and Hammer, rage took over.
"DAMN YOU, GARP! How dare you do this to me?! I'll curse you, your children, and your grandchildren for eternity!"
Hearing that recycled curse from his past life, Hammer couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Chinjao's fury immediately turned toward him.
"AND YOU! Hammer, YOU DAMN BRAT! If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be in this mess! I'll curse you and all your descendants too!"
Hammer blinked, looked at Chinjao's scruffy face, and said:
"How old do you think you are compared to me? You think I won't outlive you and see you turn into a bag of bones?"
"You're my prisoner now, and still mouthing off? Fine then. I was feeling generous, but clearly you need some 'special' treatment."
"Take a good look around, doesn't this place look familiar?"
Chinjao's eyes widened as he scanned the area.
"This… this is Jewel Ice Sheet?! How do you know about this place?!"
"Hmph. You thought no one would ever find your 'secret vault'? Please. Nothing remains hidden forever."
With that, Hammer marched toward the treasure buried in the ice, spike in hand.
Chinjao scoffed. "Foolish brat! Don't waste your time. Jewel Ice Sheet is unbreakable! Nothing but my drill-head could pierce it!"
That ticked off Garp.
He flattened Chinjao's drill already and this guy still thought a chunk of ice could stop him?
"Step aside, Hammer. Let me give it a shot. If I crushed his cone, I'll flatten this damn thin too!"
Hammer paused, curious himself to see if Garp could smash it open.
Garp crouched and leapt high into the air, his entire form surging with aura. His right fist glowed black as Armament Haki surged.
"CHINJAO! WATCH THIS!"
The mountain quaked. The ice trembled. But...
Garp landed, shaking out his numb hand, eyebrows furrowed.
"How is this even possible?! My fist couldn't crack it?!"
"I... I don't believe this!"
While Garp fell into existential crisis, Hammer stepped forward, smugly.
"Told you, old man. Sometimes, brute strength just isn't enough."
He placed the custom spike upright on the ice, securing it with a support frame to keep it steady.
Then he raised his right hand.
Suddenly, a barrage of hammering sounds echoed across the sky, hammers formed of compressed air, appeared above.
With the final blow, the spike punched through the icy surface, shattering the top layer and piercing deep into the impossibly hard Jewel Ice Sheet.
The Marines cheered. Shouts of triumph erupted all around.
Chinjao, meanwhile, stood in disbelief.
"Impossible… The Jewel Ice Sheet… was actually broken…"
"How did you do it, brat?!"
Hammer turned with a grin, ready to educate.
"Your drill-head was sharp, I'll give you that. With your strength, it could break through."
"Even Garp's fists, while stronger overall, lacked the necesary piercing power."
"But my spike is different. It's made of diamond, special alloy, and heat-conducting Flameweave stone."
"When I strike it, the impact not only applies pressure, it generates internal heat, softening the ice. Combine that with the classic 'hammer hitting a nail' principle and that's how you break a mountain!"
Simple science, but devastatingly effective.
The hammer-and-nail method truly was one of the most effective ways to breach a surface.
"Chinjao, thank you and your Happo Navy for hiding this treasure for so many years."
"Now, thanks to you, I'm about to be filthy rich! Wahahahaha!"
Chinjao's eyes glazed over. That one line from Hammer was enough to drag his soul straight into hell.
He completely snapped.
"No! That treasure belongs to the Happo Navy! YOU CAN'T TAKE IT!"
"It's MINE! ALL MINE!!"
But Hammer wasn't just anyone, he was a stingy, money-hoarding iron rooster. Not a single feather would escape his grip.
"Hmph. I won. It's my spoils of war. If you don't like it, go ahead, fight me."
"All troops! Start hauling! Not even a single coin is to be left behind!"
"And once we're done, everyone gets 1 million Berries as a bonus!"
Hammer, now a one-man fortune tycoon, turned into Santa Claus on payday.
The Marines were overjoyed, 1 million Beli was a fortune for ordinary soldiers!
Both Marines crew instantly transformed into full-time porters.
Some stuffed treasure in shirts, others used carts or bare hands. A few even used Rokushiki techniques to carry more.
Hammer and Garp watched in awe as three soldiers performed a relay one activated Tekkai, the other two stacked money onto him, and then lifted him up along with the cash like a living vault.
Garp chuckled. "Heh… give a man motivation, and he'll move mountains."
And just like that, Operation Jewel Ice Heist was a success, with only Chinjao as the casualty.
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
[email protected]/DaoistJinzu