Chapter 1159: Watch My Back

Valeria immediately pulled out her sword and pressed it against the woman’s neck. The woman recoiled in shock, and the rest of the crew exclaimed when they saw this. Jason waved his hand, and a new wave of shadow hands shot out from the shadows and wrapped around the mouths of all the men there. They were immediately silenced, and Valeria narrowed her eyes at them for another moment before she took her sword back.

Jason turned back to talk to Ronna.

"Can you do what I ask?"

"Who are you!? Do you not know what lies beneath these waters!?"

Ronna spoke up even louder with a tense expression on her face, and Jason waved her concerns away. Jason didn’t really care about the rest of it, and he was only interested in completing this mission as quickly as possible.

"I didn’t ask you to tell me anything. I just need a yes or a no. Can you take me where I want to go?"

"NO! I CAN’T TAKE YOU THERE!"

Ronna shouted with a frown as she felt a wave of anger rising from deep inside her, but Ronna’s entire body shook from fear as she saw Jason’s aura change completely. The easy-going, nonchalant personality was gone, and it was replaced with a brutal intensity that forced Ronna to immediately go silent. When Jason spoke again, his voice came out in a calm tone, but there was a hidden threat in there that sent shivers up Ronna’s spine.

"I am only going to give you this one chance. You see, I don’t see people like you as equals. You’re a pirate, a murderer, so your life is worth nothing as far as I am concerned. The only reason you are not already dead is because I am not a thoughtless murderer, but I can promise you that I will not hesitate to take your worthless life to further my goals. Now, tell me, can you take me there, or not?"

Ronna grit her teeth as she looked up into Jason’s emotionless gaze, and in that moment, Ronna realised that she had no choice. Although Ronna and her men were just transporters, there was no way she could explain something like that to Jason without looking like she was lying. Jason would really kill her if she didn’t do what he said.

Ronna’s head fell, and she spoke in a dejected tone.

"I... I understand. We’ll take you there."

Jason smiled.

"Good choice."

....

"We should’ve just killed them."

Valeria said this with a small scowl as she watched the vast ocean pass them by quickly. The ship had begun moving again, and the large crew of pirates were doing their best to prepare all their magical weapons and defensive runes since they knew that they were entering into beast-infested waters. Ronna was at the steering wheel and moving the ship in the right direction. Jason was standing beside Valeria with his hands folded, and he chuckled softly before responding to her.

"We’re not mass murderers, Valeria. They might be pirates, but I won’t kill for no reason."

Valeria was shocked when she heard this, and she turned slightly to glance at Jason with a curious expression on her face. Jason turned to look at Valeria and raised a brow at her, and Valeria turned away again without saying a word. In truth, Valeria couldn’t believe that Jason was real. The chances of someone turning out like Jason, with all the power that Jason had, were so small that it almost seemed impossible. Jason’s ability was one of the most overpowered ones that Valeria had ever seen. The ability to resurrect anyone and make them your slave after killing them. It was so simple on paper, and that was what made it so effective.

But that same simplicity was usually what led people into becoming absolute monsters. Valeria knew that if Jason’s power had ended up in the hands of a lesser man, then the Primordial Expanse would be dealing with one of the most ruthless, undefeatable tyrants that they had ever seen. Anyone who could grow an immortal army by constantly killing would surely become a mass murderer and kill everyone in their path to power. Even Valeria herself couldn’t deny that she would be tempted to simply kill as many people as she wanted with a power like what Jason had.

So the fact that Jason was still capable of retaining his rationality as well as his morals even in the face of so much unparalleled power was something that Valeria just couldn’t believe. Did a man like this really exist?

Valeria had spoken with Harold many times when they were back on Earth, and Harold always told Valeria that Jason might be the best candidate to support for the title of Avaran King in the future. That was the reason why their father had chosen Jason as his successor. Valeria didn’t believe it at the time because she always thought that Jason was just too young and inexperienced to be King. But with what she was seeing now, Valeria was realising that there was a chance Harold might be right. This man might turn out to be exactly who the people of Avaran need to bring them together once again and lead them into a new age.

’But first we need to deal with Gregory and his allies. They are the biggest obstacle standing in our way.’

Valeria leaned to the side and bumped Jason’s shoulder with her own, and when Jason looked at her, she gave him a judging look.

"You’re too good to your enemies sometimes. That could get you in trouble around these parts. Just letting you know."

Jason grinned at her boyishly and spoke calmly.

"Well, I have you watching my back, don’t I? I think I’ll be alright."

There was a small shade of red that came up to Valeria’s cheek, but she easily covered it up with a huff, and she turned away. The resemblance between Jason and their father was something that Valeria couldn’t even try to overlook, but at the same time, Valeria didn’t think she could ever mistake Jason for their father. Although they looked alike, Jason had a strange warmth to him that their father lacked during their childhood. Their father had an appearance that was cold and intense, like a war general who would always win the difficult battle. But although Jason was also a powerful warrior, it didn’t seem like his lifestyle had affected him as much as it affected their father. Jason was more down to earth and welcoming, almost... kinder. Valeria couldn’t deny that she preferred Jason far more.

ROARRR!

Valeria’s thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a loud roar that echoed through the ocean, and Valeria’s hand went to her sword as she sensed a powerful mana signature racing towards them from the water below. They were under attack.

"Man your battle stations, men! A monster approaches!"

Ronna’s loud voice echoed through the ship, and the crewmen all began to race across the deck as they got their weapons ready. A massive defence shield suddenly came to life around the ship, and this defensive shield was the one thing that prevented the ship from flipping over and falling into the ocean as a massive creature the size of a fucking house suddenly burst out from the water with a loud cry.

ROARR!

The creature looked like a sea serpent with multiple tendrils growing out from its sides. Its head was made up of one large eye and a massive mouth that opened up to reveal sharp teeth within. The moment the monster appeared, one of the crew members on board fell to his back in fear and shouted with wide eyes.

"Jormunga! It’s the Jormunga!"