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At this moment, both the Rebel Army and the King's Army heard Vivi's voice echo across the battlefield.
"It's Princess Vivi's voice!"
"Princess Vivi?"
"Didn't she already escape? How could this be?"
Surprised murmurs spread through the ranks as everyone searched for the source of the voice. Finally, all eyes turned to the figure standing atop the clock tower. Simultaneously, Crocodile, who had just been sent flying into the sky by Luffy, came crashing down into the crowd below.
The loud impact reverberated across the square, drawing everyone's attention.
"Huh? It's Mr. Crocodile!"
"Why is Mr. Crocodile here? What happened?"
A group quickly formed around the unconscious Crocodile, confusion evident in their voices as they questioned the situation.
"You idiots! You're still calling him Mr. Crocodile! Let me tell you what kind of 'good deeds' he's been up to!"
Usopp, who was heavily bandaged and looked half-mummified, seethed with anger upon hearing their conversation. Despite his swollen body, he began to stomp over furiously but was stopped by Sanji.
"Hey! Hold on! It's better to leave this matter to Vivi!"
Sanji's words brought Usopp back to his senses, and the group looked up toward Vivi, who was standing high above with tears in her eyes.
"From this moment on, rain like this will fall on every inch of this country once again! The devil has been defeated! This country's nightmare is over!"
The members of the Straw Hat crew exchanged smiles, their hearts swelling with pride for their comrade. Vivi, a princess, had shown strength greater than any they had ever seen.
In the underground temple, Luffy lay on his back, grinning in exhausted triumph. He had defeated Crocodile, fulfilling the hopes of his friends.
Jason squatted beside him.
"Hey, how can you still laugh when you're hurt this badly?"
"Ang! I won't die anyway! I'm leaving the rest to you! Hee hee hee!"
With that, Luffy's eyes closed, and he drifted off to sleep. Jason poked him a few times, but there was no response. He then pulled at Luffy's cheek, stretching it.
"Looks like he's really out cold!"
Robin, watching with a mixture of exasperation and amusement, pinched Luffy's ear lightly.
"How are you still in the mood to play when he's so badly injured? Let's head up!"
"Right, right! Let's get moving!"
Jason put on a sheepish grin, which drew a knowing smirk from King Cobra. Despite the situation, Cobra wasn't worried. He had seen Luffy's resilience firsthand—Luffy's vitality was unmatched. Unless he was completely torn apart, Luffy wouldn't die so easily.
On the surface…
"The nightmare is over? Are you kidding me?"
"That's right! How can it be over? We saw the King's Army attacking Narohara with our own eyes! How do you explain the King's Army's actions on this land?"
"Yes! Mr. Kosha was nearly killed by you! How do you justify the lives lost in this war?"
The Rebel Army's rage, which had briefly subsided with the rain, flared up again. They raised their weapons, aiming them at the King's Army once more.
"King's troops! Put down your weapons and don't resist!"
Jaka's voice cut through the tension, drawing everyone's gaze.
"Ah? What's happening?"
"There are rebels here! You should also put down your weapons, cough, cough~"
An old man with wild hair stepped into the square, carrying a child in his arms.
"It's the perverted uncle from Whiskey Peak!"
"Captain!"
The figure was none other than Igaram, the captain of the Alabasta Kingdom's Royal Guard. Ignoring the calls of his subordinates, he looked down at the child in his arms.
"Hey! Can you still speak?"
"Huh? Isn't that the boy who was attacked by the King's Army in Narohara?"
People began to recognize the child, and they watched as he slowly lifted his head, straining to speak.
"No! It wasn't the King's Army that attacked me. I saw it with my own eyes—it was Mr. 2 from Baroque Works, disguised as the king!"
"That's right! This entire war, and everything that has happened in this country, was planned from the very beginning!"
Kosha, the rebel leader, stepped forward to explain further.
As Kosha began recounting the Baroque Works' treachery, Jason had already carried Luffy and Cobra back to the surface. Robin, not one to handle such rough work, followed behind them.
By this time, Vivi had descended from the bell tower. Seeing that Nami and the others were gone, she hurried to catch up with them.
Meanwhile, Nami and the rest of the Straw Hat crew had started to slip away quietly, sensing that the truth was beginning to surface. Concerned about Luffy, they set off to find him, and soon crossed paths with Jason and the others.
"That's… Jason!"
Zoro, ever vigilant, was the first to spot Jason and the group in the distance.
"Hey! It's you! I brought Luffy back to you!"
Jason called out, gently placing Luffy down by the roadside.
Zoro opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say anything, a figure lunged forward from his side—Nami!
"Asshole! Why didn't you come to help us while you were here? Do you know what kind of hell we went through? You're so strong, yet you just stood by and did nothing!"
Jason dodged Nami's punches, trying to calm her down.
"Hey, hey! Why the sudden attack? You're still as feisty as ever!"
"Although I'm not sure what happened, please stop! Things aren't as you think!"
Cobra, seeing Nami's fury, intervened to prevent any further misunderstanding. He knew the parties involved were familiar with each other but sensed there was confusion that needed clearing up.
Nami hesitated after hearing Cobra's words. It wasn't that she wanted to stop, but she was exhausted. Turning around, she threw herself into Robin's arms and began to cry, venting her frustrations.
"Sister Robin, I've missed you so much after not seeing you for ten years! Uncle Jason is so mean! He didn't even bring you back to see me! He bullied me when we met two days ago! And today, he didn't come to help! I'm so hurt! Waaaaah~"
Jason's expression darkened, while Robin gently patted Nami's back.
"Yes, it's all his fault. When you've recovered, feel free to hit him—I won't stop you!"
Sanji, seeing Nami nestled in Robin's gentle embrace, had his eyes turn into heart shapes, glowing even brighter. He began to approach, but Jason casually pushed him back, making Sanji stumble.
Cobra coughed, drawing attention back to him.
"You must be the pirates who escorted Vivi back to Alabasta. Thank you for everything you've done for this country! Though I'm not entirely sure what your connection is with Mr. Jason, I assure you that he has helped us a great deal!"
"Father! Everyone's here!"
Vivi's voice called out from the distance as she hurried over. Sanji's eyes widened in shock when he heard her.
"Father? Are you Vivi-chan's father?!"
"You're the king?!"
All eyes shifted to Cobra.
"Yes, I am. Though I don't know what your exact relationship with Mr. Jason is, he has been through unimaginable battles as well!"
"Huh? How could that be? This guy doesn't even look injured!"
Nami, still clinging to Robin, questioned skeptically.
"Well, it's true! The number of rebels originally storming Albana was far greater than what you see now. Mr. Jason single-handedly held back 100,000 rebels at the southern gate. He protected Vivi from Crocodile when he attempted to kill her. So, please don't misunderstand him!"
"For real?! No way! 100,000 people?"
Nami's face was a mix of disbelief and awe, her anger evaporating.
"Can someone really do that?"
"It's true. Kosha and I were at the south gate when it happened! We didn't know who it was at first, but later Kosha told me it was Jason! He saw it with his own eyes!"
Vivi also vouched for Jason, and only then did everyone begin to accept the truth.
"Is that so? You're really strong. You're truly worthy of being Luffy's friend. Friends of monsters are monsters themselves! I'm becoming more and more interested in surpassing you!"
Zoro found a corner and sat down, a cold smile on his face. Nami, now realizing she had misunderstood Jason, felt a bit embarrassed. She remained silent, her face flushed with guilt.
Seeing Nami in such a state, Jason couldn't resist teasing her. With a pained expression, he clutched his chest dramatically.
"That's right, it was 100,000 people. Although I look fine on the outside, I've actually suffered serious internal injuries and might be about to die!"
"Hey! Are you about to die? Doctor! Someone get a doctor! Oh wait, I'm the doctor!"
Chopper, horrified by the possibility, rushed to examine Jason, his tiny hooves fumbling as he tried to help. Nami, too, was momentarily overwhelmed with worry, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. The thought that Jason might have seriously injured himself protecting them was too much to bear.
Only Robin saw through Jason's act, rolling her eyes with a mix of exasperation and amusement. An arm sprouted from Jason's shoulder, her Devil Fruit power at work, and gently but firmly pinched his ear.
"No nonsense!"
"Ouch! Okay, okay, I was wrong, Robin! I'm fine, I was just joking!"
At Jason's confession, Nami's worry instantly transformed into fury. Her expression darkened as she balled her fists, a violent aura emanating from her.
"When I'm better, I'll make sure you really get some internal injuries! You jerk!"
The rest of the group had similar reactions, black lines forming on their faces at Jason's antics.
Cobra, noticing their wounds, suggested, "You've all suffered a lot. Why don't you come back with me so we can bandage your injuries?"
But no one agreed.
"Compared to that, you'd better head to the square quickly!" Zoro said.
"Yes," Sanji added, taking a drag from his cigarette. "This country has finally regained its vitality. It wouldn't be complete without speeches from the king and the princess, right?"
"But everyone..." Cobra started, his voice filled with concern.
Sanji cut him off with a grin, "Nothing to worry about. We're pirates; we don't want to get too involved with any country!"
"I'm hungry! I want to eat!" Chopper chimed in, rubbing his little tummy.
Nami stretched and yawned, "I'm so tired. I want to go back and take a nap first!"
Seeing the group's nonchalance, Princess Vivi smiled, understanding their desire for freedom. She nodded at her father, and together they turned and walked towards the square. As their figures disappeared around the corner, the Straw Hats could no longer hold out, and one by one, they collapsed to the ground, utterly exhausted.
Jason quickly stepped forward to check on them.
"They're okay! Just tired. Let's move them somewhere dry. If their wounds get soaked, it'll be troublesome!"
Robin nodded in agreement. "You all risked your lives for your comrades' wishes, and even in your exhaustion, you wouldn't let Princess Vivi worry. Nami's companions are truly trustworthy!"
"Yeah," Jason agreed with a chuckle. "I think so too. Hehehehe!"
Meanwhile, in the square…
After Kosha's explanation, the people gathered in the square finally understood that Crocodile was the true villain behind all the turmoil. While some initially doubted the truth, their skepticism was crushed with the arrival of Tashigi. She brought news that the Marines had just seized a Baroque Works ship, which was loaded with evidence, including barrels of the forbidden substance Dance Powder.
The Marines publicly announced, under the authority of Marine Headquarters, that Crocodile would be stripped of his title as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and that all members of Baroque Works would be arrested.
Kosha, wracked with guilt over the destruction caused by the rebellion, could barely lift his head. Vivi stood beside him, unsure of how to comfort him, when King Cobra stepped forward.
"If you recognize your mistakes and feel remorse, you should seek to make amends. The war has happened, and it's over. What's done cannot be undone. But now that the fighting has ceased, let's all work together to rebuild and live peacefully."
Cobra's words stunned everyone, and they understood that he was offering them his forgiveness.
"The king's wisdom is beyond our reach!" Jaka, one of Kosha's most trusted men, sighed, wiping away tears.
Back with Jason and the Straw Hats…
Jason had moved Luffy and the others to a dry spot, away from the rain, and stood looking out at the downpour.
"The rain is so heavy! I wonder when it will stop."
"Yes," Robin replied, watching the rain with a thoughtful expression. "After all, it hasn't rained for three years. It's only natural for the rain to last a bit longer."
As they took shelter, Tashigi and a group of Marines passed by. Upon seeing the sleeping Straw Hats, one Marine suggested capturing them. Before Tashigi could respond, Jason stepped in.
"No, I won't let you take Luffy and the others."
"Don't worry!" Tashigi said, reassuring him. "We won't do anything right now. But don't think we're afraid of you! Next time we meet, I'll defeat you and take that famous sword of yours!"
Tashigi's eyes gleamed with determination as she glanced at Jason's sword. As a swordswoman who carried a collection of famous sword illustrations, she had recognized Jason's supreme-grade blade long ago and had been eyeing it ever since.
Jason shrugged, unimpressed. "Sure, whatever makes you happy."
With a final glance, Tashigi and the Marines left.
The rain continued for some time before it finally stopped. Jason was still pondering how to transport Luffy and the others when, to his relief, palace guards arrived. They had been sent out to search for the Straw Hats after discovering they hadn't returned to the palace and had finally found them still resting where they had been left.
The group was taken to the palace, where they slept for an entire day. Luffy, however, remained unconscious for three days before he finally woke up. When he did, he was greeted by the sight of his friends engaged in a lively breakfast, with Jason and Robin sitting close, feeding each other small bites of food.
Luffy's stomach growled loudly. Without hesitation, he stretched out his arm and grabbed a sandwich from Jason's plate. But before he could take a bite, Jason appeared beside him with lightning speed and gave him a firm flick on the forehead.
"It hurts! Ouch! Jason, why'd you hit me?"
Jason raised an eyebrow, looking at Luffy in disbelief.
"You've got some nerve asking that. You just stole Robin's favorite sandwich!"
"Who asked you to take my food?" Robin added, smiling sweetly.
"Hey, Luffy," Zoro said, grinning. "You mean it actually hurts? Aren't you rubber? How can it hurt?"
"I don't know," Luffy admitted, rubbing his sore forehead. "Jason's hits hurt just like Grandpa's!"
Another loud flick echoed in the room as Jason bonked Luffy again.
"That's because he uses Haki, you idiot!"
Luffy clutched his head, wincing. "It hurts, it hurts! You never told me that!"
"Didn't I? My bad then," Jason said with a laugh.
Robin, watching the exchange, burst into laughter, her voice like a bell ringing through the room. Just then, Zoro returned from outside, his expression serious. Chopper immediately jumped in front of him, concern etched on his face.
"Did you go to train again? Didn't I tell you not to move around yet?"
Zoro brushed him off with his usual cool demeanor. "That's my business."
He walked straight to Jason, his eyes filled with determination.
"I've felt the power you showed me, and I've used it to cut through steel. But I can't control that power yet. I want you to teach me."
With that, Zoro bowed deeply, a rare gesture that showed the depth of his respect and the seriousness of his request.
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If you enjoy please support me on my patreon Future 80+ chapters at patreon.com/Phoenizbeelze
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