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After a day and a half of sailing, Jason and his party finally arrived at the junction of the Calm Belt and the Grand Line. The three sisters, Hancock, Marigold, and Sandersonia, finally felt a sense of relief. They were apprehensive because out at sea, they could encounter patrolling warships at any time, and their boat was small and nearly full. If they encountered strong winds and waves, it was likely to capsize. Three of the four people on board were Devil Fruit users, so if the ship sank, they would be in a near-death situation. Additionally, the Calm Belt was home to giant Sea Kings, which posed a constant threat.
Jason, however, appeared unbothered by these concerns. Ever since Hancock and her sisters agreed to row, he hadn't moved from his spot on the boat. His reasoning? "You have to conserve energy to deal with emergencies. What if the Marines catch up or there are strong winds and waves? I'd need to be ready to handle those situations."
Marigold and Sandersonia found his reasoning sensible, considering rowing was a trivial task. While Hancock was initially suspicious of his true motives, Jason reassured her by claiming that if he kept exercising, they might run out of food, so she eventually let him slack off.
As they entered the Calm Belt, Jason became more vigilant, prepared to deal with any Sea Kings that might attack. Alone, he wouldn't fear being eaten, as he believed he could easily cut his way out. But with others at risk, his responsibility felt greater. Part of his excitement, however, stemmed from the idea of capturing a Sea King to tow their boat—a practical form of free labor.
After half a day in the Calm Belt without encountering Sea Kings, Jason lost some interest. He remarked, "Hancock! Why didn't your elders come to pick you up? Did you forget? You picked them up, right?"
Hancock's face darkened at his jest. Marigold quickly explained, "No, Mr. Jason, it would take at least a week to sail from Amazon Lily to Mary Geoise, even without course deviation. Granny Nyon likely didn't anticipate such a quick resolution, so she hadn't set off early."
Jason nodded, realizing he had underestimated the journey's logistics. His thoughts shifted back to the lack of Sea King appearances. "Why haven't we seen any Sea Kings yet?"
Marigold, anxious, replied, "It's best if they don't show up—they're very dangerous here."
"You don't understand," Jason mused, losing interest in further discussion.
At night, they didn't continue their journey. With no lights on the boat, they could only gaze at the stars above. While the sisters likely pondered their futures, Jason reminisced about his past life. Despite being in this world for eleven years, he couldn't help but wonder if his parents back in his original world also saw the same stars, moons, and sun.
Suddenly, Jason tensed, sensing a predator's aura. His demeanor shifted, causing the sisters to feel uneasy. Then, a smile broke on his face as he realized their location—only a Sea King could be approaching.
The surface of the sea abruptly rose. Their boat was caught in a mass of water, and two massive jaws appeared as if ready to devour them whole. The sisters screamed in terror.
Jason calmly assured them, "Don't worry, this is the good news I was talking about!"
"No way! We're about to be eaten!" Marigold and Sandersonia cried, while Hancock remained defiant, glaring at the giant mouth.
Jason leapt from the boat with a Moonwalk technique, landing beside the Sea King's jaws. He recognized it as a frog-like creature and, using his Haki, kicked out, breaking a massive tooth and causing the Sea King to stagger in shock.
"Ouch!!" It howled in pain, opening its mouth wide again, and Jason's companions watched in awe.
Hancock, particularly, was impressed by Jason's strength, realizing how strong he must be to defeat such a massive creature. She vowed silently to grow stronger herself, to protect her sisters in the future.
After subduing the Sea King, Jason deemed it suitable for towing their boat and communicated with the Sea King, knowing Sea Kings had intelligence akin to humans. He offered the creature two choices: pull their boat to a specified location and earn freedom, or face slaughter. The Sea King agreed to the former without hesitation, thus sparing its life.
Jason, thrilled by this outcome, beckoned the sisters to secure the boat as it would now be pulled by the Sea King.
With the newfound mode of transport, their journey speed increased significantly. The predicted over-a-day journey was cut down to half. Jason stood triumphantly on the Sea King's head, posing grandly as the wind rushed by.
Soon, a ship appeared in the distance. "Look, there's a boat in the distance! It should be the one sent to pick you up!" Jason shouted to the sisters.
Gloriosa was sailing alone in the Calm Belt on Amazon Lily's unique giant snake pirate ship, which was lent to her due to her high status as the former ruler of Amazon Lily. Only Hancock, with her characteristic arrogance, had a complicated relationship with Gloriosa.
Because the giant snake ships of Amazon Lily are uniquely unbothered by Sea Kings, Gloriosa was able to confidently sail alone. She didn't have to steer the ship, giving her a chance to be deep in thought about the sisters' difficult pasts.
However, as a colossal Sea King approached, Gloriosa grew anxious. Could the Sea Kings have started attacking Amazon Lily ships? If so, the future could be perilous for the island.
But just as she expected the worst, the monstrous Sea King halted. Overhead, she heard a voice call out, "Granny New!"
Looking up, Gloriosa saw the face of a young man with Hancock and her sisters next to him. The three girls were waving and crying tears of joy.
Relief washed over Gloriosa. It wasn't an attack; it was Jason and the girls riding on a Sea King.
"Well, I'll be! I never thought someone could ride a Sea King. Are you Jason, the one escorting them back?" Gloriosa asked as she regained her composure.
"That's right, it's me!" Jason answered, suggesting the sisters board Gloriosa's ship. "The handover's complete! Hancock, be well and live life to the fullest when you return home!"
The sisters, filled with gratitude and emotion, loaded onto the larger ship, thanking Jason for his generosity.
"Then I'll see these kids home safely! I can't thank you enough, Brother Jason!"
"No need," Jason replied lightly, "it was on my way. Now, I should be off—I'm eager to see my wife!"
With farewells exchanged, Jason directed his Sea King to head off once more. Just as it began swimming away, Hancock's voice stopped him.
"Mr. Jason!"
Jason turned, surprised to see the sisters standing together on the ship's deck, their expressions solemn and grateful.
"Thank you for everything you've done for us. We'll never forget your kindness!" They proclaimed in unison, bowing deeply three times, even Hancock joining them, her usual pride set aside.
"Don't mention it. Just live a good life. And Granny New, make sure they aren't treated poorly!"
With that, Jason turned away, directing the Sea King forward into the horizon. "Yahoo!"
The three sisters watched as Jason and the massive creature shrank to a dot in the distance. Gloriosa stood quietly at their side, reflecting on Jason's remarkable feat. "That man is something special... using a Sea King like a boat."
"Yeah, Mr. Jason is incredibly strong!" Marigold exclaimed. "He took down a Sea King like it was nothing."
Hancock, with newfound resolve, murmured, "I will become stronger than him, for my sake and my sisters'."
"Yes, Onee-sama!" Sandersonia and Marigold echoed her sentiment, igniting a shared determination among them.
"Alright, let's get back home," Gloriosa instructed, guiding her ship toward Amazon Lily.
...
Two days later, near Cocoyashi Village in the East Blue, Jason found himself in shallow waters impassable for the Sea King. Reflecting on their swift travel, he considered his options: initially planning to offer Robin a taste of Sea King meat, he instead decided to release it, appreciating its hard work. "You've earned your freedom—off you go!"
The Sea King fled gratefully, vanishing beneath the tranquil waves. Jason resumed his journey, rowing ashore resolutely, laden with two substantial bags.
"Robin Baby! I'm back!" Jason announced as he forcefully swung open the gate to his yard.
Robin, who had been sitting on a swing, reading, leapt to her feet at the sight of him. Her face broke into a warm smile.
"Jason! Welcome home!" she greeted, enveloping him in a welcoming embrace that made all the adventures feel worthwhile.
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If you enjoy please support me on my patreon Future 80+ chapters at patreon.com/Phoenizbeelze
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