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After eliminating Bellamy's group, Jason felt a wave of relief wash over him. He glanced at the sky and realized that quite some time had passed since he first set out. It was about time to head back.
Carrying the fruit he had gathered, Jason walked out of the tavern. The crowd of onlookers quickly scattered, their faces pale with fear. From the moment Jason had stormed into the tavern, many curious bystanders had gathered outside, peering in to witness the commotion.
When Jason kicked Bellamy out of the tavern, even more people rushed over, eager to see what was happening. Half the street had turned out to witness Jason cut down a group of notorious pirates with a single knife in his hand.
As Jason emerged from the tavern, everyone watching was struck with shock and fear. They worried that he might turn his wrath on them next. It wasn't until they saw him leave the vicinity that the murmurs began.
"Was that person just now... a monster? That was the Hyena Bellamy and his gang! And he took them out all by himself…"
"And he made it look so easy!"
"Shut up already! Do you want to die? What if he suddenly comes back?"
Mogu Town was a haven for pirates, and it wasn't uncommon for a few people to lose their lives. The incident was soon forgotten as everyone dispersed and returned to their usual activities.
(PS: The tavern owner in the previous chapter mentioned that no lives were lost, but that was only true for the tavern itself!)
As Jason walked away, a loud rumble from his stomach reminded him of his hunger.
"Hmmm~ I'm starving! Shopping with Baby Robin is really exhausting! Let's get some food before heading back! I'll bring some extra for Baby Robin too! They should be fine with it!"
Jason found a random restaurant and, after ordering a large amount of food, he sat down and began eating with gusto. The sight of him eating so vigorously left the restaurant owner speechless.
As he ate, Jason remembered something important. He quickly chewed a few more bites before pulling the fruit package he had placed beside him.
Since the package contained various fruits, the most delicate ones—like strawberries, mangoes, and bananas—were on top, to avoid getting bruised.
When he opened the package, his eyes were immediately drawn to a peculiar strawberry. It wasn't much larger than the other strawberries, but its yellow color and spiral patterns marked it as something extraordinary. There was no doubt about it—this was a Devil Fruit!
The moment he saw the fruit, Jason was thrilled. Killing Bellamy today wasn't just about venting his anger; it had also been an experiment. He vaguely remembered that when a Devil Fruit user died, their abilities would not disappear but would instead regenerate in a nearby fruit of the same kind.
"Hehehe! This is perfect!"
He slipped the Devil Fruit into his pocket and continued to eat happily.
After devouring fifty bowls of rice, Jason burped in satisfaction, wiped his mouth, and walked out of the restaurant. After briefly orienting himself, he headed back towards the ship.
Humming a light tune, Jason strolled back to the port. Nami and the others were already waiting for him, visibly irritated when they saw him sauntering over, carrying two large packages.
"Jason!" Nami's voice was sharp.
"Huh? What is it?" Jason responded with a slight tilt of his head.
"You! Do you even realize how long we've been waiting for you? Where have you been? Didn't you go out with Sister Robin? She's already back!"
Nami's chest heaved with anger, her emotions barely contained. The sight nearly caused Sanji's nose to bleed.
"Miss Nami is so lovely when she's angry!" Sanji swooned.
"Oh, I just went to buy some fruit and grabbed a bite to eat on the way!" Jason replied truthfully.
"You've got some nerve saying that so calmly! I really want to beat you up!" Nami fumed.
"Don't be mad, I got this for you!" Jason said, pulling the Devil Fruit from his pocket and tossing it towards Nami. The strange-looking strawberry flew towards her chest, bounced slightly, and then she caught it.
"What's this? A strawberry? It looks so weird!" Nami remarked, eyeing the fruit curiously.
"Come on, Nami! You've been out at sea for so long and met so many people with abilities! Haven't you ever seen a Devil Fruit before?"
"No! Wait... You're saying this is a Devil Fruit?" Nami's eyes widened in surprise, her tone a mix of disbelief and curiosity. The others, overhearing her exclamation, quickly gathered around to get a look at the Devil Fruit.
Even though some of them had abilities, they either ate their Devil Fruit by accident and couldn't remember what it looked like, or they had only seen others with abilities without ever encountering a Devil Fruit themselves. Their curiosity was palpable!
Well, except for Luffy—he remembered all too well how he had accidentally eaten the Gum-Gum Fruit, and how furious Shanks had been. Still, even he couldn't help but be curious.
"This is a Devil Fruit? It's so ugly!" Luffy said, grimacing at the fruit's appearance.
"Yeah, it does look strange with those weird patterns," Usopp added, his eyes narrowing as he inspected it.
But Nami's focus was elsewhere. She tugged at Jason's clothes and asked, "Where did you get this? I heard Devil Fruits are incredibly valuable!"
"Picked it up off the roadside! Each one is worth at least 100 million Berries!" Jason replied with a smirk.
"100 million!?" Nami's eyes immediately turned into Bailey signs, her mind racing with the possibilities.
"Of course it's true! Why would I lie to you?" Jason said, enjoying the reaction.
"Oh, Brother Jason~ Have you had enough to eat? Did you enjoy yourself? Would you like Sanji to cook you some more food? Or maybe you'd like to go out and play for a while longer? Don't worry, I'll make sure everyone waits for you! If Sister Robin is upset, I'll handle it!"
Jason blinked in surprise. The shift in Nami's demeanor was startling.
"I liked you better when you were fierce just now… Please go back to that!" Jason muttered under his breath.
"Uh, no need! I'm going to find Baby Robin!"
"Okay, Brother Jason! Go quickly!" Nami replied with an overly sweet smile.
Jason rolled his eyes and hurried back to find Robin. Once on board the Going Merry, he found Robin and proudly presented the food he had packed, eager to share it with her.
Nami, after making sure Jason was back, turned to the others to prepare for departure. Robin had already provided clues about the Sky Island, and their next step was to find a man named Montblanc Cricket.
As Nami turned around, she noticed that Luffy and the others were staring at her—or rather, at the Devil Fruit in her hands. Instinctively, she quickly tucked the small, baby fist-sized fruit into her chest.
"What are you looking at? This fruit is off-limits! Got it? Now, get ready to set sail!"
"Tsk, how stingy!" Zoro muttered under his breath.
"What did you say?" Nami shot back with a glare.
"N-Nothing!" Zoro quickly corrected himself.
...
As the skilled navigator, Nami had the final say on the course they would take. While Luffy always decided their ultimate destination, everything else fell under her command.
More than half an hour later, they arrived on the other side of Jaya Island, where they spotted a castle in the distance.
However, as they approached, they realized it wasn't an actual castle but rather a large, painted wooden board. The house behind it, though not small, was a far cry from the grandeur the painting suggested.
At that moment, two orangutan-like figures were sitting on the ground, looking worriedly at a man lying unconscious beside them. One of the orangutans was the same one they had encountered earlier!
"Hey! What happened to you guys?" Luffy called out.
"Is there a doctor on your ship? Our boss is sick!" one of the apes cried out, desperation in his voice.
"Huh? A patient? Doctor, doctor! Oh, wait, I'm the doctor!" Chopper realized, fumbling with his small medicine box as he rushed over to help.
...
After a quick examination, Chopper diagnosed the man's condition as diving sickness caused by prolonged underwater activity without proper decompression. He immediately began administering treatment.
Meanwhile, Luffy and the two apes were outside, chatting and laughing as if they had found long-lost friends. Zoro had already found a spot to nap, and it seemed nothing could disturb him. Just then, Chopper burst out of the house, shouting.
"Luffy! That guy is awake!"
Hearing this, everyone crowded into the small room, except the two apes, who got stuck in the doorway trying to enter at the same time.
Montblanc Cricket, the man they had just saved, was clearly embarrassed by the situation but grateful for the help. In return, he shared everything he knew about Sky Island and handed Nami an old logbook belonging to his ancestor, Montblanc Noland, the "Liar."
Nami read aloud the important parts of the logbook, which mentioned Sky Island. Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper couldn't contain their excitement and started dancing around.
After all, the logbook was written by someone who had lived through these events, giving it a certain level of credibility.
But they couldn't forget that the contents were still just the speculations of Montblanc Noland. Even if Sky Island existed, they still had no idea how to reach it. After all, it was an island in the sky.
Faced with the questions and doubts of Luffy and the others, Montblanc Cricket smiled and shared his discoveries and observations from the years he had spent on Jaya Island, along with his theories.
Usopp, who often found himself questioning the impossible, wasn't discouraged. Instead, he was overjoyed and relieved to have met a group of dreamers on Jaya Island—a place where dreams were often ridiculed—and was more than willing to help Luffy and the others pursue their dream of reaching Sky Island.
Soon, evening fell, and the crew of the Straw Hat Pirates indulged in a grand banquet. However, Jason and Robin were notably absent from the celebration. Jason had already consumed a feast meant for fifty people earlier that day, even packing a large bag of food for Robin. The two were not hungry, so they opted to skip the banquet.
Instead, Jason was deep in conversation with Robin aboard the Thousand Sunny, discussing a colossal project that could potentially be worth hundreds of millions. The atmosphere between them was one of light-hearted teasing mixed with the serious undertones of their plans, hinting at the close bond they shared.
After an indeterminate amount of time, Jason found himself lying in bed with Robin nestled in his arms, fast asleep like a content kitten. His thoughts wandered to their next likely destination—Skypiea, the legendary island in the sky. His mind was particularly fixated on the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, a Devil Fruit that had captured his imagination for years, and he couldn't wait to claim its power.
Yet, his thoughts were interrupted by a lingering frustration. His system, the mysterious force that had guided his growth for years, had remained stagnant for a decade, refusing to upgrade. It was an irritating situation; if he couldn't still access the system's panel, he might have forgotten it existed altogether.
Jason's eyes drifted to his system panel, still displaying the familiar data:
Host: Portgas D. Jason
Age: 30
Swordsmanship: Great Swordsman Level
Haki: Advanced Armament Haki, Advanced Observation Haki, Advanced Conqueror's Haki
Taijutsu: Mastery of the Six Powers (Rokushiki)
In the past ten years, Jason had thrown himself into relentless training, advancing his Haki to new heights and even mastering future sight with Observation Haki. He had learned Conqueror's Haki infusion under the guidance of Silvers Rayleigh, a feat that had solidified his status as a powerhouse. But once he had achieved these goals, Jason's motivation waned, and he slipped into a state of complacency.
Life with Robin only exacerbated this. After finally winning her over completely, his focus shifted more towards their relationship than his training. He found himself indulging in their time together more than honing his swordsmanship or combat skills. The daily routines that once included rigorous training had been replaced with thoughts of how to spend more time with Robin, teasing her, and enjoying her company. His swordsmanship had become so neglected that he rarely drew his blade outside of actual combat. If not for the system's rewards, he feared his skills might have deteriorated back to that of a mere swordsman.
Despite his lackadaisical approach, Jason knew that his current strength was formidable. If faced with a Marine Admiral or a member of the Four Emperors, he was confident that he could hold his own and maybe even emerge victorious—especially if he could add the power of a Devil Fruit to his arsenal.
"I don't know when this useless system will finally upgrade! And when it does, will I even need it anymore?" Jason mused aloud, frustration tinging his thoughts.
His ruminations were suddenly interrupted by a strange sound—"Chirp~"—a rough, almost guttural noise that reverberated through the room.
"Hmm? What's that noise?" Jason's senses sharpened as he considered the possibility of an intruder. Could someone have been spying on them during such an intimate moment? The thought made him bristle with anger.
Deciding to investigate, Jason carefully extricated himself from Robin's embrace, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead before slipping out of bed. He quickly dressed and grabbed his sword, ready to confront whatever or whoever had dared to intrude.
Outside, the night was calm, the sky dotted with stars, and the laughter of Luffy could be heard from the nearby building where the banquet was still in full swing. Jason barely gave it a glance as he stepped onto the deck, focusing instead on extending his Observation Haki across the island. The range of his Haki was vast, and he quickly covered most of the island, searching for any signs of life or hostility.
As his Haki spread, Usopp, who was in the adjacent room, shivered involuntarily, though he dismissed it as a chill from the night air. Despite the extensive reach of his Haki, Jason detected nothing out of the ordinary.
"Was it just my imagination? No, I'm sure I heard something," Jason muttered to himself, frowning. He decided to venture into the nearby forest for a closer look, suspecting that whatever had made the noise might be lurking further away.
Jason moved silently through the forest, his Haki now covering the entire island, but still, he found nothing unusual. Frustrated, he was about to turn back when the strange sound came again, much closer this time—"Chirp~"
Jason's eyes narrowed. "You sneaky little... So you waited until I retracted my Haki to show yourself, huh? Well, I've got you now."
He homed in on the direction of the sound, moving swiftly and with purpose.
After a brief search, Jason finally found the source. Perched on a tree branch was an incredibly ugly bird, its appearance somewhat resembling that of a helmeted hornbill, but with grotesque proportions—its head was almost as large as its body, with two ridges on top and a back that looked like a fish's tail. The creature had a peculiar, flat shape, almost like a piece of wood had been grafted onto it.
"Chirp... chirp chirp chirp..." The bird let out another series of grating cries, seemingly unfazed by Jason's presence.
Jason stared at the bird in disbelief. "Is this thing really what caused all that fuss?" he muttered, shaking his head. "No matter who or what you are, I've come this far, so you're coming with me. I'll take you back to Robin—maybe she knows what you are. And if not, well, you might just end up as dinner."
With a swift leap, Jason reached out to grab the bird. The creature, sensing danger, tried to take flight, but it was no match for Jason's speed. Predicting its movement, he snatched it out of the air with ease. The bird struggled in his grasp, but a quick slap from Jason's hand subdued it, rendering it silent.
"That's better," Jason remarked, holding the now-docile bird. He glanced at it one last time before heading back towards the Thousand Sunny, pondering whether it would make a better pet or a meal. Either way, he was sure Robin would have an opinion.