Under Jason's various fabrications, Genzo was completely moved by the tragic life stories of the two kids.
Even Robin looked at him oddly. Why hadn't she realized before just how deceptive Jason could be? If she hadn't lived through it with him, she might have believed every word!
Genzo then arranged for the two of them to stay nearby at his home and bought them a lot of food. He reassured them that if they had no other place to go, they could remain in Cocosia Village, where pirates were unlikely to invade.
Naturally, Jason and Robin agreed! While they planned to stay, they didn't want to live in someone else's home. After all, living in their own place would be far more comfortable!
Early the next morning, Jason took Robin to bid farewell to Genzo and headed west of Cocosia Village.
After examining the area, Jason determined this would be where Nami and Nojiko's family would live in the future, so they decided to settle down early.
The pair then began gathering materials to build their cabin. Cocosia Village had no shortage of wood, and soon Jason had enough lumber to construct an entire wooden house, which he cut to size with a sword.
Soon, they found themselves squatting in front of a pile of wood, staring at it.
"Emmm, I really don't know how to build a house!" Jason admitted.
"Then why are you cutting down so many trees?" Robin asked, bemused.
"I'm going to build my own little home soon! I can't help but feel excited about it!" he exclaimed cheerfully.
Robin sighed silently.
"How about we head back to the village and ask some craftsmen to help? A proper brick house would be stronger!"
Jason tentatively suggested this, and Robin readily agreed, glad to avoid the manual labor!
They returned to the village and found Genzo again.
"What? Are you looking for craftsmen to build a house?" Genzo asked, astonished, as he stared at the pile of shiny gold coins Jason produced.
Just yesterday, they had recounted their tragic ordeal, and now they were willing to spend a fortune on a two-story house!
"Damn it, you kids! Didn't you suffer through a shipwreck and have to evade pirates just to get here? Where did you get all that money?" he exclaimed incredulously.
"Hehe! The shipwreck was real, but we still have a lot of our family's money left in our bags. That's why the caravan brought us here!" Jason explained. "We have no relatives, so we're planning to live here from now on and need a proper house!"
Genzo choked back his surprise. He had only felt sympathy for them yesterday but hadn't realized they were practically wealthy compared to the richest villagers!
He had nearly had a heart attack from the shock.
Still, Genzo bore no malice toward the children for wielding such wealth at a young age. Instead, he sighed and led them to the craftsmen, introducing Jason and Robin as distant relatives to dispel any unscrupulous intentions among the workers.
Jason was grateful for this gesture, appreciating Genzo's thoughtfulness.
...
In the end, Jason only needed to spend a dozen gold coins to build a gorgeous house, complete with a backyard! The leftover wood was used for flooring and furniture.
He even spent a few more coins to connect the house to water and electricity.
Jason insisted on giving Genzo five of the remaining gold coins, but Genzo refused. He advised them to save their money for future needs since they had much time ahead.
What he didn't know was that the bag of treasure Jason possessed was a mere drop in the bucket!
Looking at their luxurious two-story brick house, Jason was filled with joy.
They cleaned the house inside and out, planting their favorite flowers and plants in both the front and back gardens.
"Hey, Robin! This is our future home!" Jason declared.
"Um!" Robin replied with a smile.
Days turned into a comfortable routine that felt reminiscent of their time in O'Hara. Jason practiced swordsmanship in the front yard while Robin sat on a swing, engrossed in her books.
The only difference was the absence of their former group of tenacious and friendly scholars.
...
Time flew by, and this idyllic life continued for seven peaceful years.
It was now the year 1509 of the Haiyuan calendar.
There hadn't been a single Marine pursuing Jason and Robin over the past seven years, not due to their evasive tactics, but because Jason had directly bribed Marine Division 16 after his presence was detected by the patrolling Marines.
Colonel Mouse, under the coercion and inducement of force and money, ultimately compromised.
At this time, Jason was already 17 years old, and Robin was 15. She had grown taller, her body maturing with curves, and she now stood at an impressive 180 centimeters! Jason had also reached a similar height!
He was starting to develop the scholarly and wise aura befitting his future self!
"Uncle Jason! Sister Robin!" a tiny voice called from outside the courtyard.
It was 5-year-old Nami and 8-year-old Nojiko!
Two years after Jason and Robin settled here, Bellemere had arrived with her two children. Initially planning to leave upon seeing their home, she was persuaded by Jason to build a cabin of her own nearby, and she began selling oranges to make a living.
"Little Nami! How many times must I tell you? If you want to call 'Sister Robin,' then you can't call me 'Uncle.' You must call me 'Brother,' do you understand?" Jason said, putting away his sword and looking helplessly at Nami's small figure.
"No! Just a little bit!" she pouted, making a face.
"Damn you, kid! Want to test me? I'll spank you!" Jason teased as he advanced toward her.
Nami squealed and darted behind Robin.
"Robin, help me!"
To be fair, Jason was only 12 years older than Nami. They had been playing together since she could talk, creating a sibling-like bond between them, especially with Nojiko.
Of course, Nami had been spanked by Jason many times. Whenever he threatened to spank her, she ran away, only to find that no matter how far she fled, Jason would catch up in an instant!
Then her little backside would pay the price! Eventually, she learned to be clever and hide behind Robin most of the time.
So, when Nami called him "Uncle," it was often out of annoyance, while she would typically just call him by his first name otherwise. When she felt happy, she added "Sister" for Robin!
Robin chuckled, her eyes narrowed with laughter at their antics. The two of them were quite a sight!
"Alright, tell me, why did you come looking for us today?" Jason asked.
Nami peeked out from behind Robin, responding, "Aunt Bellemere sent me to invite you for a meal! She said you treated us to dinner before, and this season's orange harvest has been great! She wants to repay you!"
"Oh, is that so? Do you have enough food to last through the winter? I eat a lot!" Jason said, rubbing his stomach mischievously.
"Of course we have enough food! Don't worry!" Nami assured him.
"Okay, then we'll go over tonight!"
"Great! Let's go play!"
With that, she grabbed Nojiko's hand and dashed away.
"That girl runs fast! I won't be cooking dinner tonight, and she'll cry when I eat everything!" Jason joked.
Robin smiled gently, not reprimanding him. Over the years, Jason had often gone out, and for her safety, he had trained Robin in two forms of Haki. However, she was not particularly fond of using them. As a result, she understood Jason's capabilities very well.
He could hold his own against even a Marine Admiral now; catching a child would be a breeze!
Jason marveled at Robin's growth, thinking, "She's so beautiful! She really is the goddess in my mind!"
As he picked Robin up, he inhaled her sweet scent. Their bond had deepened, making them closer than anyone else in the world.
Robin wasn't put off and immediately responded, their innocent closeness becoming a daily routine. While she had once felt shy about it, she now found comfort in their relationship.
She was incredibly glad to have met Jason; otherwise, she might still have been on the run, desperately evading the Marines or might have already been captured and thrown to sea.
That evening, the duo visited Bellemere's house as promised, where they truly enjoyed their meal. Nami ended up in tears, having barely had a bite of food before Jason devoured the majority!
It wasn't that he ate it all, but rather that he had zero respect for the elderly or the young, always grabbing Nami's favorite dishes, which left her helpless and frustrated.
On their way back, Robin glanced at Jason, who appeared quite pleased with himself, and asked curiously, "Did you enjoy bullying Nami today?"
"Of course! That little girl is always hiding behind you when she's mad at me. Today, I finally had the chance to make her angry again. Don't you think that's funny?"
Robin raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Is that really worth celebrating? You're 17, big brother!"
"By the way, Robin, I need to leave on a trip soon; it might take a while!" Jason announced.
"How long will you be gone?" she asked.
"About three months."
"When are you setting off?"
"Just tomorrow!"
"Okay! I'll be waiting for your return!"
Jason wasn't exactly sure how long he would be away, so he needed to prepare Robin for it.
Robin didn't press further. Over the years, Jason had often traveled, and he always returned with a bounty of treasures—he had even brought back an old man once!
Jason appreciated Robin's understanding nature and her unwavering support in whatever he chose to do. She never pried too much into his affairs, firmly believing he had her best interests at heart.
Of course, there were things he couldn't tell her yet.
Jason estimated that Fisher Tiger, the hero of the Fishman race, would soon begin his mission to liberate slaves. This was a significant event in the original story, and he intended to help!
That night, Jason and Robin fell asleep in each other's embrace. While they had shared kisses, their relationship remained innocent. Jason was not an impatient person, and he understood that Robin was only 15. He decided to wait until she was an adult before moving forward.
The next morning, Jason grabbed his famous sword, Zhenheng, boarded a small boat, and set off. But this time, he was not heading toward the Grand Line; he was making for Windmill Village.
As he traveled, Jason checked his status panel:
"Host: Portgas D. Jason
Age: 17
Swordsmanship: Swordsman level
Haki: High-level Armament Haki, Intermediate Observation Haki, Intermediate Conqueror's Haki
Martial Arts: Marine Six Forms (Complete)
(I guess I'm equally matched with an admiral! Here I come!)
Training tasks: None!"
There had been no danger over the past few years, resulting in minimal tasks from the system. Most of his training had come from personal practice. If he hadn't been so engrossed in conversation, he might have forgotten about this underwhelming system!
After reviewing his panel, Jason sighed and then pulled out a Den Den Mushi.
"Moses Moses!"
"Mr. Garp, I hope you're well!"
This Den Den Mushi allowed him to contact Garp. Ever since Luffy's birth nearly four years ago, Jason had been visiting Windmill Village regularly and staying for a few days.
He had finally gotten to know Garp, and after dropping subtle hints, Jason found Garp uninterested in his status as a wanted man.
After some further testing, Garp had revealed his true identity with little reaction, refusing to rise through the ranks to Admiral for fear of being forced to deal with the World Government. He had also become aware of O'Hara and Jason through Aokiji.
Garp had never killed a Marine, always rendering them unconscious, and he recognized that Robin, being merely a scholar, had committed no wrongdoing. He even went out of his way to learn about the lives of Jason and Robin, finding no justification to arrest them!
Still, he had become quite intrigued by Jason's abilities as described by Aokiji.
So, he poked and prodded at Jason, trying to recruit him for the Marines!
"Jason? Is it really you? Why are you looking for me today? Have you decided to join the Marines? That's fantastic! I can see about getting your bounty removed! If you're not gonna be a Marine, it's such a waste to live the life of an ordinary person!"
With you as a role model, Ace and Luffy will surely join the Marines too! Hahahaha!"
Garp was clearly imagining things, and Jason had to cut in.
"Hold on, Mr. Garp! I'm not looking to join the Marines!"
"Ah? Really? Then what do you need me for?"
The Den Den Mushi's expression suddenly shifted, his big nostrils flaring in confusion.
"Um, I wanted to ask if there's a quick way to reach Sabaody Islands from the East Blue?"
"What business do you have there? Are you planning something unscrupulous?"
"How can you say that? I haven't done anything wrong in all these years!"
"Oh, right! The fastest way takes about a week. If you want to be a Marine, I'll help you!"
"No! are we not friends? Just share the information! If you don't tell me, I'll have to find a pirate ship!"
"How dare you! I'll be the first to catch you!"
In the end, Garp relented! It would be far more dangerous for someone like Jason to become a pirate, leading to the possibility of another Roger!
In reality, the situation was straightforward. The Red Line divided the world into two, with the Grand Line and the Windless Zone separating the four seas. The Windless Zone teemed with countless Sea Kings, making it near impossible for anyone to traverse.
However, the Marines could cover the bottoms of their ships with sea stones to pass through the Windless Zone, while exceptionally powerful individuals like Rayleigh could swim directly across.
Garp's suggestion was for Jason to swim directly! If he was unwilling to join the Marines, Garp had no motivation to assist him!
Ultimately, Jason compromised and settled on swimming over.