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Time swiftly passed, and the seventh day since Jason and the others arrived on Baterilla Island had come. It was noon, and Jason, Rouge, Lordling, and the two others, along with a small cat, were gathered around a modest round table, sharing a meal.
Suddenly, Jason's usual carefree expression shifted. In an instant, his demeanor grew serious.
Noticing this change, Rouge furrowed her brows in concern.
"What's wrong, Jason?"
At the same time, Lordling, who had been lazily drinking milk nearby, perked up, his eyes filled with curiosity.
"Bruubruubruu."
The Den Den Mushi rang out. Jason, who had been eating heartily, immediately set down his chopsticks and retrieved the transponder snail from his pocket.
After seven days of quiet, the call had finally come.
"Hello."
He answered quickly, his voice heavy with anticipation.
"Action."
A young voice came from the other end, making Jason exhale in relief, though his expression only grew graver.
During the past few days, he had keenly observed the shifting patterns of Marine patrols in Baterilla's southern district. When they first arrived, Marines had been stationed every few dozen meters, but today, their presence had drastically thinned. Jason had tracked their movements carefully, aware of the implications.
This was undoubtedly Rojen's doing.
To ensure their safe departure, Rojen had chosen to confront the Marines alone.
Jason understood the danger all too well.
"Are you still safe?" His voice was urgent.
"Don't worry." The response came with a hint of cheerfulness, followed by a clear directive:
"Everything is in your hands now. Get her out of South Blue.
Next destination, "
"North Blue!"
The call ended abruptly.
Jason sat still for a moment before carefully placing the Den Den Mushi back in his pocket. His simple, relaxed expression had completely disappeared.
Turning to Rouge with newfound seriousness, he hesitated briefly before speaking.
"Miss Rouge, we…"
"Should leave now."
Rouge wasn't surprised. She simply smiled and asked, "Was that him? Your captain?"
"Yes!"
Jason didn't hesitate.
"Then I'll follow your lead."
Rouge nodded.
Without delay, the three of them gathered the few necessities they needed. Lordling tied a small bundle around his neck before gracefully leaping onto Jason's shoulder.
"Creak!"
The wooden door groaned as it swung open. In the next moment, they stepped out onto the street.
Next door, a pregnant woman named Mary was taking a leisurely stroll. When she saw Rouge and Jason, she paused in surprise before offering a warm smile.
"Rouge, are you heading out for a walk too?"
"Yes, it's been a while. He's getting restless."
Rouge chuckled, affectionately touching her swollen belly.
"Hehe, this stage of pregnancy can be tough," Mary said with a knowing laugh. Her gaze then shifted to Jason, curiosity flashing in her eyes.
"And who might this be?"
"My younger brother," Rouge answered smoothly. "He's been here to take care of me."
Jason offered a simple smile.
Mary nodded, accepting the explanation without suspicion.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Rouge bid Mary farewell. With unhurried steps, she, Jason, and Lordling turned left down the street. A quarter of an hour later, they arrived at a dirt path leading into the southern woods.
Up ahead, a group of Marines stood stationed at the forest's entrance.
Rouge's expression tensed with worry.
"Meow."
Lordling lifted a paw and pointed at Jason.
Jason nodded firmly. "Leave it to me."
They had never expected to leave the island peacefully. Fighting their way through was always the most viable option.
With long strides, Jason advanced toward the stationed Marines.
The Marines, who had been standing idly, finally took notice of the towering figure approaching them. Their expressions turned wary.
"Who are you? This area is off-limits. Turn back immediately."
Though they were taken aback by Jason's sheer size, they still followed protocol and issued a warning.
Jason remained silent, merely quickening his pace. Within seconds, he had closed the distance to just ten meters.
Only then did the Marines realize something was off.
'Click-click-click!'
A series of metallic clicks echoed as they raised their rifles, aiming at him.
"Stop! One more step and we'll open fire!"
Jason halted.
A collective sigh of relief swept through the Marines, until the ground beneath them began to tremble violently.
The quake was sudden and forceful.
In the next moment, an enormous shadow engulfed them.
Jason was already standing right in front of them. Some sharp-eyed Marines gasped when they noticed the destruction behind him, the ground where he had just stood was now a shattered crater, as though a cannonball had struck it.
"Fire!" someone shouted in a panic.
Too late.
"Down you go!"
Jason roared, swinging his massive arms like battering rams.
His sheer force bulldozed through them.
Before they even registered what was happening, they were sent hurtling through the air. Seconds later, bodies slammed into the ground, motionless.
Each swing sent four or five Marines flying. After just six powerful strikes, the entire squad lay sprawled on the ground, unconscious.
The officer in charge of this post had been the first to go down.
Jason had fought only a handful of times since joining Rojen, but every time, it ended the same, overwhelming, one-sided devastation.
Just how strong was he? Even Jason himself didn't truly know.
But Rojen did. That's why he trusted Jason without hesitation. Against an Admiral or Vice Admiral, Jason might struggle. But when it came to breaking through enemy lines? There was no safer choice.
As for direct confrontation, that was Rojen's role.
With the Marines neutralized, Rouge and Lordling quickly caught up to Jason. They cast a brief glance at the fallen soldiers before slipping into the cover of the trees, vanishing into the forest.
---
Meanwhile, in the northern district of Baterilla, atop a rooftop,
The sea breeze howled as a lone, cloaked figure emerged.
Standing at the edge, he overlooked the port below, where Marines patrolled in tight formations.
He muttered to himself, "Quite a lot of them."
Then, a smirk.
"But numbers don't matter."
"Leave the escape route to me."
"Jason, Lordling, I'm counting on you both."
With deliberate slowness, the figure reached up and removed his mask, revealing a sharp, youthful face.
Rojen.
Just then, a gust of wind tore through the sky, whipping his cloak dramatically behind him.
The once-clear sky darkened as thick storm clouds rolled in over Baterilla.
'Rumble!'
Lightning crackled overhead, casting eerie flashes across the island.
Eyes smoldering with determination, Rojen's voice was low yet commanding:
"The winds are rising. A storm is coming."
"And it's coming because of me."
(End Of This Chapter)