------------
If you enjoy please support me on my patreon Future 80+ chapters at patreon.com/Phoenizbeelze
-----
After discussing a billion-dollar deal with Robin, Jason lay on the bed, feeling refreshed as Robin slept soundly on his chest.
Jason's current physique was far stronger than even the giants, making him an imposing figure that Robin could hardly endure. Feeling the soft touch of her body against his chest, Jason found himself slightly distracted. Robin had long since surpassed the D clan and had moved beyond the four major races of EFGH to join the I clan.
For Jason, Robin was a feast for both his eyes and his soul, and he couldn't get enough of her. But in the end, he was still reluctant to disturb her peaceful sleep.
Gently, Jason climbed out of bed and kissed Robin on the forehead. He walked out to the balcony and gazed at the sky, watching as the sun set in the west.
Jason decided to prepare a special dinner for Robin. It had been a long time since he last cooked for her, and with the palace fully stocked with ingredients, it was the perfect opportunity to prepare a feast!
He recalled Robin's love for sandwiches, cakes, and coffee. After requesting all the necessary ingredients from the temporary butler, Jason got to work.
He planned to start with the cake since it would take the longest to prepare. The sandwiches and coffee could wait, and he would cook the meats he wanted to eat last.
He boiled the milk and sugar, beat the egg yolks and flour into a paste, then slowly added the hot milk, continuing to cook until the mixture thickened into a creamy consistency. After it cooled, he stirred in the butter vigorously until the cream was ready. The next step was to steam the cake.
...
Hours passed, and by the time night fell, Robin woke up groggily and saw Jason still busy outside.
"Jason," she called softly as she sat up. In an instant, Jason appeared before her. She wasn't startled; this sort of thing had become routine for them.
"What's wrong, my dear Robin? Do you need anything?" Jason asked, his voice warm and playful.
"What are you busy with?" Robin inquired.
"Humph! I'm making a love dinner, of course! I've prepared a lot of delicious things! Get up quickly, it'll be ready soon!" Jason pinched Robin's cheek, enjoying the familiar feel. He had loved doing this since they were children.
"Alright!" Robin responded, lifting the quilt and getting out of bed to dress. Jason almost drooled at the sight. They were an old married couple by now, so Robin had nothing to be embarrassed about, but Jason found it hard to resist the tempting view.
"Robin, do you need help getting dressed? Hehe!" Jason teased.
"No, what mischief are you planning now?" Robin asked with a sweet smile, rejecting Jason's playful offer. Jason sighed dramatically and went back to tending to the meat in the pot.
Robin smiled gently. Since they were young, Jason had never forced her to do anything she didn't want to. She felt incredibly lucky to have such a husband! Of course, Jason knew how to take advantage of her playful refusals when she truly wanted something.
When Jason finally brought the last dish to the table, Robin emerged after freshening up. She lit two candles, setting the scene for a romantic candlelight dinner.
Instead of sitting across from each other like in TV dramas, they sat side by side. A cozy candlelight dinner suited an old couple like them better than sitting apart—it wasn't as if Luffy would appear and eat the entire table's worth of food!
Jason proudly presented the large cream cake he had made, cutting off a big slice and handing it to Robin.
"Robin, try this cake I made especially for you!"
Robin took a small bite, and her eyes sparkled with delight. "It's delicious, Jason! You should have some too!"
"Of course, it's great! But don't eat too much; there's plenty more food. The cake is for dessert later. I just wanted you to have a taste now."
"Alright!"
...
The two of them fed each other from time to time, creating an atmosphere of warmth and affection. Jason gradually became lost in Robin's praises. Eating became secondary; savoring the moment with Robin was his true focus.
After dinner, they lay on the balcony, watching the stars above.
"The stars here are more beautiful than any I've seen before," Robin remarked.
"Yeah, that's because this is a desert city," Jason replied.
"Jason?"
"Yes?"
"What will we do after we find all the historical documents?"
"Naturally, we'll return to Cocoyasi Village, have a bunch of children, and live out our days in peace! Of course, if you want to continue traveling the world, I'll be right by your side!"
"Not too many children. I've heard giving birth is very difficult!"
"Then you can decide how many, Robin."
"Hmm~"
...
The next morning, Jason was awakened by King Nefertari Cobra. Groggy, Jason activated the Gate of Opening, realizing it was already mid-morning.
"Oh, King Cobra! What's the matter?"
"Something terrible has happened! The rebels are approaching, Mr. Jason! Didn't you say you had a way to quell the rebellion? What should we do now?"
Before Cobra could speak further, Bell, the adjutant, chimed in anxiously.
"Don't panic! How many rebels are there?" Jason asked calmly.
"There are at least 2 million rebels! They're advancing towards Alubarna from 15 kilometers south!" Bell replied.
Jason smirked. "2 million? Where did all those people come from? Even fitting 200,000 into Alubarna is a stretch, let alone 2 million!"
"I know, I know. They're coming from the south, right? I'll handle the south gate. You can take care of the other four gates however you see fit."
"But... Mr. Jason! Are you going alone?" Bell asked, concerned.
"Yes, I alone am enough. You can withdraw the soldiers from the south gate. I'll be there before the rebels arrive."
"Understood, Mr. Jason! We're counting on you!"
Bell seemed like he wanted to say more, but Cobra interrupted, and the group left with their guards.
Jason knew from his observations over the past few days that 2 million was an exaggeration. At most, there were 200,000 to 300,000 rebels. Even if the southern gate faced the brunt of the attack, it would still be no more than 70,000 to 80,000—mere cannon fodder for someone like Jason.
Luffy's Haki, honed over two years, could incapacitate 50,000 enemies instantly on Fish-Man Island. Jason's Haki, cultivated for over 20 years and combined with his mastery of swordsmanship, made these rebels no match for him.
Even if there were truly 2 million rebels, divided across the five gates, each gate would face only about 500,000. No matter the numbers, cannon fodder remains cannon fodder. Jason was not afraid.
When faced with overwhelming strength, sheer numbers often don't matter.
"Robin, I'm heading out. I'll be back soon!" Jason called out as he prepared to leave.
"Be careful!" Robin replied, having overheard the conversation. Though she was confident in Jason's strength, she still felt compelled to offer a word of caution.
"Don't worry! Now, give me a kiss for good luck!" Jason leaned in, and Robin didn't hesitate, giving him a quick peck on the lips. Jason pouted.
"That was too quick, it doesn't count! You'll have to make up for it later!" he teased, then grabbed his gear and leaped out of the window. It had become his habit to avoid using doors whenever possible.
The streets were deserted, with most residents evacuated or hiding in their homes. Groups of soldiers hurried through the streets, preparing for the impending battle.
"East, west, south, southeast, southwest! Defend all the city gates! We cannot let the rebels enter the royal capital of Alubarna!" Jason shouted, rallying the troops. Lorraine passed by, glancing at the scene, and casually made his way to the south gate. It seemed King Nefertari Cobra hadn't entirely trusted him, as the royal army had not yet withdrawn.
A man who appeared to be a captain approached Jason.
"Are you Mr. Jason?"
"Yes, that's me. What's up?"
"The soldiers have been instructed to cooperate with you in the defense," the captain confirmed.
"I see. I won't need them soon, just have them watch. Do you have a loudspeaker I can use?"
"Here it is."
The captain handed Jason the speaker and then turned to leave. Soon, the royal army began to move, and only a single soldier remained to bring Jason a deck chair.
Jason observed the king's army without comment. It was clear they were paying lip service to the idea of cooperating with him. Even if they had plans, they probably wouldn't listen to him.
But Jason didn't mind. He attached the loudspeaker to his waist, walked to the edge of the city gate, and sat down. He watched the dust clouds kicked up by the approaching rebels a few kilometers away.
Within five minutes, the rebel army finally arrived within sight of the south gate. Jason almost laughed out loud.
Usopp's tall tales had nothing on this. Though it looked like a vast black sea of troops claiming to number 2 million, there were probably fewer than 400,000. Of course, there could be more who hadn't arrived yet.
As the rebel army neared the royal capital, they began to split up, attacking the other gates. Only about 100,000 remained at the south gate. Once the division of labor was complete, those 100,000 charged toward the gate where Jason waited.
"Everyone, prepare to defend! We must not let them breach the city gate!" The commander of the king's army shouted as the soldiers rushed to fortify their positions.
Jason, however, paid no mind to the commotion behind him. He stood up, drawing his sword, "Soul," from its sheath.
"One Sword Style: Breaking Through the Sky!"
A stream of sword energy erupted from the blade, growing larger as it soared through the air. By the time it neared the ground, it had expanded to over a thousand meters in length. The rebels, who had initially charged with determination, abruptly halted when they saw the massive sword energy descending upon them.
"Boom!!!"
A colossal cloud of dust billowed up from the impact, lingering for a full two minutes before it finally began to settle. When the dust cleared, a deep ravine stretched before the rebel forces, cutting through the ground over a thousand meters long, two meters wide, and an unknown depth. The trench ended just 20 meters shy of the rebel vanguard.
Both sides stood in stunned silence. The king's army, witnessing Jason unleash such a devastating attack, could only stare in awe, their voices caught in their throats, producing only hushed gasps of disbelief.
On the other side, the rebels were equally baffled. Some of their swordsmen had seen powerful techniques before, but nothing could have prepared them for this. They could scarcely believe their eyes. Just as the shock began to settle in, Jason's voice boomed through a loudspeaker.
"Listen up, rebels! You are surrounded by me alone! Your only option is to lay down your weapons and surrender! If you don't, the next attack will land on you!"
Jason's voice carried an odd combination of authority and casual confidence as he held the loudspeaker in one hand and his sword in the other. The rebels, now fully aware that the attack had come from the lone figure atop the city wall, began to murmur among themselves.
"Was it really him who made that attack?"
"It seems so!"
"But how? Is he a monster?"
"Don't be scared! We have 2 million soldiers! We can overwhelm him in a single charge. Let's go!"
Despite some initial hesitation, the sheer number of rebels gave them confidence, and they began to surge forward again, all the while keeping a wary eye on Jason.
Jason simply shrugged and unleashed another slash. This time, the rebels saw it clearly—the attack indeed came from the man on the wall.
"Danger!"
"Stop!"
"Help! I don't want to die!"
The second slash deepened the ravine even further. The rebels in the front tried to stop, but those behind them pushed forward, causing many to tumble into the ditch.
The king's army, witnessing the second attack, erupted into a massive cheer.
"Tai Ku La! Mr. Jason!"
"Unbelievable! Yoho!"
Annoyed by the noise, Jason turned around and yelled, "Quiet down! You're too loud!"
The king's army instantly fell silent, and Jason nodded in satisfaction. But as soon as he turned back to the wall, the soldiers resumed their cheering with even greater enthusiasm. His face darkened with frustration, and he leapt off the city wall.
Startled by the sudden move, the soldiers rushed forward to check on him, only to see Jason land gracefully on the ground below. Meanwhile, the rebel army, having regained some composure, prepared for another charge.
"He jumped down! Don't be intimidated by his strength! There are hundreds of thousands of us here; we can crush him! For Utopia, charge!"
"Yes! For Utopia! Defeat the tyrant King Cobra! Liberate Alabasta!"
The rebels, driven by their fervor, charged forward once more. Hearing their slogans, Jason smirked, pitying them for being manipulated by Baroque Works.
As the rebels drew closer, Jason remained calm. When the first rebel in the front line lunged at him with a sword, Jason narrowed his eyes. In an instant, a powerful wave of Conqueror's Haki erupted from him, sweeping across the nearly 100,000 rebels at the south gate. The world seemed to lose its color, turning to shades of black and white.
The sword aimed at Jason stopped half a meter from his head.
"Plop!"
The first rebel collapsed to the ground, followed by others, falling like dominoes. In the end, only a few hundred of the 100,000 rebels remained standing, their faces drenched in sweat. They trembled, barely able to stand, their weapons clattering against the ground.
"What happened? I nearly blacked out!"
"What did that guy do?"
"I don't know, but he must be a devil! Did he just wipe out hundreds of thousands of us?"
The rebels, still under the illusion that their numbers were in the hundreds of thousands, were paralyzed with fear.
The king's troops on the city wall were equally shocked. They stared wide-eyed, barely breathing, as they tried to comprehend the magnitude of what had just occurred. But they knew one thing for sure: the south gate was secure.
Jason's voice echoed once more, cutting through the stunned silence.
"Now do you understand? No matter how many of you there are, you're no match for me. The only reason you're still alive is because I chose not to kill you. Stay where you are! There are others as strong as me guarding the other gates, so you have no chance! If you cross that ravine, I will kill you!"
With that, Jason turned his back on the rebels, heading back to the city gate. This time, the king's army dared not cheer. Their previous admiration for Jason had now turned into a deep-seated fear.
Finally, the commander of the king's army, still trembling, approached Jason cautiously.
"Mr. Jason, you mentioned there are others as strong as you at the other gates. Is that true?"
"Of course... it's a lie! Do you think warriors as strong as me are just growing like cabbages all over the place?"
The captain's initial relief turned to disappointment as Jason's words sank in, but he didn't dare to protest.
Jason had done enough. He had crushed one-third of the rebel army by himself, and now it was time to return to King Cobra and continue his search for the historical Poneglyph. After all, Luffy and his crew would be arriving soon, and Jason intended to enjoy the show with a full stomach.
------------
If you enjoy please support me on my patreon Future 80+ chapters at patreon.com/Phoenizbeelze
-----