One Piece: Gambling to The Top

After leaving the meeting, Josh exchanged words with Hancock, before telling her to stick close to his place. They took a ship from the navy, which took them back to Water7. Because the Navy had control over the fastest sea roads, Josh and Hancock got back quickly to Water, where girls are waiting. 

On their way, Josh was thinking about the news. Surely, he should feel shocked. But, he had spent 6 months lazing around, while it was three days outside. Josh found himself calm about this situation and he knew what to do. 

Once he arrived at his home, he entered and stretched his arms. 

The girls came to welcome him. He just talked a bit with them, and they noticed that he wasn't in a good mood. 

They looked at Hancock, who shook her head and gave them a brief report about what had happened at the meeting. 

"Jimbe decided to break a fight. Joshy beat him easily, and now, we are all going to enter an all-out war against Whitebeard." 

Mikita and Melissa were quite ignorant about the topic. Robin, however, couldn't hold her flinch. On the other hand, Kalifa was shocked. 

"This is bad. They are doing a trap to Whitebeard, risking it all. Josh, I think you shouldn't go. The war is too dangerous." 

Josh turned his face to stare at Kalifa. He didn't feel like bothering to explain his causes. Instead, he smirked.  

"You finally called me Josh, instead of master, or Sir. Good job, girl." 

Josh patted her on the shoulder. 

"Josh, this is a serious thing!" Robin talked. "I think, with our current strength, we can settle somewhere. Hancock won't mind us going to Amazon Lily, and that place is full of Sea Kings. No one will bother us for the rest of our lives." 

"I won't mind," Hancock said, leaning on the wall. 

"But, Amazon Lilly is full of amazons." Mikita stomped on the ground. "There are other options." 

"Enough," Josh said, walking to the corner. "I'm about to lose important income sources, and If we went in a war, I'm going to kill someone from the marines, because I'm the kind of the person who doesn't leave the best chance to strike. But I need to think this through. Kalifa, prepare me some tea. The rest, just do something until I join you up." 

Upon seeing his face, the girls understood that Josh didn't want to be bothered. However, girls are still girls. They have the instinct to bother the man when he needs not to be bothered with them. Even if they said they understand, their instinct would bother them to bother him. Josh ended up ignoring them while focusing on the writing board. 

Josh started thinking while looking at the whiteboard. When Kalifa brought him the tea, he just took a sip. Josh now was thinking. Should he not bother himself with Ace and the war, while leaving things to Jimbe. Josh had given Jimbe a few healing pills, while he had hoped he would regain his strength on the way down to Impel Down. But the staff of Impel Down can look through his clothes and take these things away. Or, Jimbe may take the pills after he is handcuffed in the deepest level of Impel Down. If Luffy came then, Jimbe may have a chance with his full power along with Ace. 

On the other hand, Josh thought if he could leave the job to Luffy. Josh had changed many things in the timeline. He wondered if Luffy even exists and if he even has a chance to enter Impel Down. 

After asking Robin about a pirate named Monkey D Luffy, Robin answered him that he is a pirate with a 120 million Berries bounty, recently entered the Grand Line. 

Robin was a girl who knows many things and keep collecting Infos. She has a perfect memory as well. She knows almost every pirate around. 

'There is no choice, then.' Josh let a sigh and he wrote in on the board. 

Mikita let her face closer to the board, placing her chin on Josh's shoulder, and she read. 

"Prison Break x Pirates?" 

The other girls were surrounding Josh, who had been ignoring them and looking at the board. Although it was immature behaviour — from their side —  Josh didn't seem to mind it. 

"I don't really know if I should even bother?" muttered Josh. 

"Bother with what?" Mikita couldn't understand what is in his head. 

"I'll be with you on whatever decision you make. I already managed to make 700 million." Marianne said. "I don't need to sell my things legally. Besides, I'm grown up now, no one can stop me from earning money and supporting you."

Josh only grabbed her cheek, proud of her.  She blushed slightly and nodded. His mind was focusing on his dilemma more. He thought if he should do that or not. 

What would he benefit from freeing Ace? After all, within less than 70 hours, he would have to become a pirate and commit a big crime that sends him to the deepest level of Impel Down. 

"That's it!" Josh yelled. Feeling his genius kicking in, Josh couldn't feel more proud of himself. 

Josh could do a crime, a major one. 

Now, think about it. 

How Josh earned most of his wealth. 

He had been selling jewels and Gold and pirates to the banks, and banks were giving him money. 

It means that Banks has a very large wealth of gold and money. 

Not to mention the parallel market. 

If Josh was going to help Ace, he should go big and stop the war.

And by being selfish, he would get more money than ever. 

Within three days, the plan would be like this. 

Josh wrote it on the board, only the head points which the girls couldn't understand. 

Josh will pretend to be a pirate, changing his look. He then will steal billions of Berries and Gold, leaving them to be sold later. And then, he would hand himself to impel Down, and he takes Ace out.

'And I will sell them the Gold back once I stop the war. I will be three times stronger. It's good not having to rely on girls to get money.' 

With that, Josh should have more than ten billion. It should give him enough points that he would guarantee that he and his crew have the strongest crew in the world. 

"Girls, it's time for me to become a pirate." 

Josh started walking around the room. The demonic energy made an appearance around him. 

If Josh had learnt something about demons during his training time, it would be that he had missed out on more details. 

One of the basic abilities that devils are known for is that they can change their form. 

Josh was using his Greed attribute to change his look. 

Since he was going to become a pirate, he thought of the best pirate, and he wanted to look like him. 

The girls' jaw almost dropped as Josh walked to a near mirror and he looked at his reflection. 

Josh became more tanned. His hair turned black, with braids falling on his shoulder. He grabbed a red bandanna from thin air and put it on his head, staring at his blue eyes turning black.  His body became leaner. Some of his teeth were replaced by golden teeth. Most importantly, his moustache and beard grew more. 

 Josh stared at his reflection, admiring his look now. 

He felt he became someone else. Someone whom he knew how he act. 

Looking at his shaky head, Josh muttered with a different voice. 

"Drink me up hearties yo ho!"

He became the best pirate he could think of. 

"Who are you trying to be?" Mikita asked, tilting her eyebrows, not seeming to be surprised by Josh's new ability. 

Josh turned his head to her. His attitude had changed completely. 

"I'm Captain Jack Sparrow." He said, taken by the role. 

---

A/N: Advanced chapters ahead at patŕeon

www..patréon.com/Blazuki