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"Let go, I can walk by myself!" Motoyasu finally realized how humiliating it was to be carried like a stranded sea turtle and shouted for release.
"Master Motoyasu, don't strain yourself while injured. It's fine, we're not tired," one of the soldiers carrying him responded, glancing down.
"Don't 'not tired' me, let me down!" Motoyasu twisted again, but the soldiers only tightened their grip.
"Don't you understand what I said? I've recovered. I can walk!" Motoyasu insisted, but as he struggled, the ache in his abdomen, reminding him of Jason's punch, intensified. He reluctantly stopped shouting.
The soldiers, however, ignored his protests, suspecting he might try to escape if released. They carried him straight to Itsuki room.
Itsuki, like Ren, quickly opened the door. Upon seeing Motoyasu being carried, he looked slightly amused. "Motoyasu, what did you get yourself into?"
"Tree... don't look at me like that! I didn't do anything," Motoyasu protested. If he hadn't been restrained, he might have rushed at Itsuki.
"If you didn't do anything wrong, why are these soldiers carrying you?" Itsuki questioned, convinced Motoyasu must have committed some offense.
"Come on... explain it to him!" Motoyasu pinned his hopes on the lead soldier.
"Now that everyone is here, let's move. And one more thing: don't think about escaping. We will use force if necessary," the lead soldier continued, ignoring Motoyasu's plea.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to be an idiot like someone," Ren commented, clearly referring to Motoyasu.
"Ren, are you calling me stupid? Explain yourself!" Motoyasu yelled, feeling ignored as everyone treated him like he was made of air. Itsuki even covered his ears, shaking his head in a sigh of resignation.
Meanwhile, in the hall, Jason sat casually on the steps, gazing at the unconscious king beside him. "What should I do with this old guy? Just kill him?" Jason mused aloud. Truthfully, killing the king was no challenge for him.
Yet, if he killed the king now, it might be too easy on him—perhaps even a relief.
Especially after what the king had just endured, death might almost be welcome.
"Ding! Please choose!" Suddenly, a system prompt interrupted his thoughts:
"1. Kill the king immediately. It's an easy task, and you will be rewarded with 1% completion of the Karp template."
"2. Kill the king in front of the other three heroes. This is slightly more time-consuming but still easy. Reward: 2% completion of the Garp template."
"3. Fully exploit the remaining value of the king, rewarding you with the Navy's Six Powers technique 'Shave' and the advanced use of 'Iron Body'."
Realizing this dilemma triggered a choice task, Jason felt like he'd stumbled upon a new insight. His eyes lit up, but then he pondered deeply.
Each task choice was tempting. The first two were straightforward—disposing of the king was akin to crushing an ant. However, the rewards were minimal.
The third option, with the Navy's Six Powers as the reward, especially 'Shave' and 'Iron Body' extensions, was incredibly appealing. Jason admired how CP9 wielded these techniques against the Straw Hats on Enies Lobby.
Despite not having initially enhanced physical strength, mastering and extending these powerful techniques could significantly boost his combat effectiveness quickly.
Jason quickly realized the vague objective of "squeezing out the king's residual value" and contemplated what resources the king still had to offer. He deduced that the king still had some financial resources and limited authority until the queen returned. With a strategy in mind, Jason decided on option '3'. He could always kill the king later; in the meantime, he might as well make full use of him.
Just then, the hall doors swung open, and dozens of soldiers marched in with the three heroes in tow.
"Master Shield Hero, we've completed the task you assigned and brought them to you," the leading soldier said, trotting forward with a sycophantic smile.
The sight left the three heroes bewildered.
"What's happening? This soldier looked at me like he saw a ghost earlier, but now he's acting like a lapdog around Jason."
"You're asking me? I don't know. Something big must have gone down while we were out cold."
"Let's not overthink it. Since Jason made such a fuss getting us here, he must have something important to say."
The heroes exchanged looks, wondering why the gap between them and Jason was so vast when they were all supposed to be heroes.
"I know!" Jason acknowledged the lead soldier before getting up and facing the three heroes.
"Jason, tell them to let go!" Motoyasu demanded, tired of being carried like baggage.
"Listen to Motoyasu!" Jason instructed with a dismissive wave, and the soldiers released Motoyasu.
With a thud, Motoyasu hit the ground, his tailbone connecting painfully with the floor, leading him to grimace in discomfort.
The soldiers merely shrugged, seemingly innocent, as if to say, "You told us to let go."
While Motoyasu winced, Ren and Itsuki stepped forward, ignoring his plight. "Jason, what do you need from us?" Ren asked directly.
"Hold on, there's still an old man who hasn't woken up." With that, Jason turned away from them and approached another figure.
It was then that the three heroes noticed the unconscious king on the floor, and they wondered why he was unclothed.
Without hesitation, Jason grabbed the king by the hair and delivered a barrage of sharp bitch slaps to his face.
"Stop pretending, wake up!" he ordered brusquely.
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