Chapter 567 - 740 – Don’t Worry, Mr. Jabra

"That's right!"

Jabra's eyes lit up.

If Ain truly intended to attack him, there was no need for her to say any of this. She could have taken him down before he even had time to react.

"Wouldn't it be more honest to tell us what you want? Then Chief Spandam won't be harmed either, right?"

Jabra asked curiously.

"Something will definitely happen to Spandam, but nothing will happen to the rest of you."

Ain narrowed her eyes, already becoming impatient.

"Why will something happen to Chief Spandam, but not to us?"

Jabra hurriedly asked.

Although he could see Ain's impatience, this concerned not only his own safety, but also the safety of his companions, Fukurou and Kumadori. He had no choice but to be cautious.

Unfortunately, that caution finally exhausted the last shred of Ain's patience.

"You're too noisy!"

Ain irritably reached toward Jabra.

Pink flames flickered across her palm before shooting straight toward him.

"So fast!"

Jabra's eyes widened. He tried to dodge, but it was already too late. He could only watch as Ain's hand touched him.

Damn it!

Jabra thought he would end up frozen like Fukurou and Kumadori.

Instead, something entirely different happened.

He watched as pink flames enveloped his body, which immediately began to shrink.

In only a few seconds, he went from an adult man to a young boy.

"Wh-What is this?"

Jabra stared at his own hands in confusion before looking toward Ain.

"My power can make you younger. It can even erase you from existence entirely."

"If you don't want to disappear, take your two companions and come with me."

Pink flames burned in Ain's hand as she addressed him.

"Make me disappear?"

Jabra trembled and looked fearfully at the flames in her palm.

He had already remained fully on guard, yet Ain's flames had still struck him.

Now that his body had become younger, his strength had weakened as well. If he continued defying her, she might truly erase him completely.

"I understand. I'll obey your orders."

Jabra straightened his body and answered her.

There was no helping it. Staying alive was better than disappearing, even if it meant living without dignity.

Besides, he still needed to protect Fukurou and Kumadori.

"Since you've decided, follow me."

Leaving those words behind, Ain took the lead and leaped onto a massive boulder.

Seeing this, Jabra hurriedly lifted the frozen Fukurou and Kumadori and followed her.

Although becoming younger had reduced his strength, he could still carry both men.

...

"Captain, we're back."

Ain brought Jabra to Arton's side.

"Thanks for your hard work."

Arton nodded to her before looking at Jabra.

"H-Hello."

Jabra forced a smile as he spoke.

His smile looked somewhat distorted from excessive fear.

"Hello, Mr. Jabra."

Arton smiled.

"Don't worry. I bear no ill will toward you."

"I'm only taking you with us to prevent you from revealing our movements."

...

"R-Really?"

A gleam of hope flashed through Jabra's eyes as he hurriedly asked.

The pressure he had felt merely standing beside Ain had already been tremendous.

Now that he stood beside Arton, whose strength was on an entirely different level from hers, the pressure was almost unbearable.

It felt as though Arton could send him into eternal damnation with the slightest movement of a finger.

When Arton suddenly said that he would not hurt him, Jabra naturally began to hope.

"Of course." Arton pointed at Spandam. "I only came here to rescue Miss Hina."

"As for Spandam, he was far too disrespectful, so I don't intend to let him go."

"But you've always been very polite, Mr. Jabra. Naturally, I won't attack you."

"That's right, that's right." Jabra nodded repeatedly. "I have no other good qualities, but I'm extremely polite."

Although Jabra did not consider himself a particularly courteous person under normal circumstances, at that moment, he desperately hoped that he was.

To him, whether he was polite had become a fundamental requirement for staying alive.

"Haha, that's good."

Arton smiled before turning to Ain.

"Release Mr. Jabra's two companions."

"If they remain frozen for too long, their lives may be endangered."

"Yes."

Without hesitation, Ain cast her magic and dispersed the ice surrounding Fukurou and Kumadori.

Jabra immediately became excited.

Although the two men remained unconscious, he could clearly sense that they were still breathing.

"Thank you."

Jabra spoke to Ain.

"Don't thank me. Thank Captain."

"If it were up to me, you would have already died."

Ain's voice was cold.

Hearing this frightened Jabra while making him even more grateful to Arton.

"Thank you, Mr. Arton."

Jabra looked solemnly at him.

"Um, Mr. Arton, how long do you intend to keep us with you?"

"There's no need to rush, Mr. Jabra. I'll let you leave when the time comes."

Arton meaningfully patted Jabra's shoulder.

"You only need to avoid causing me trouble during that time—for example, by informing the Marines or World Government of my location."

"Then neither I nor my companions will attack you."

"Don't worry. It won't be for very long."

According to Arton's estimate, he only needed to keep Jabra, Fukurou, and the others with him until they left Water 7.

After they departed, even if the CP9 agents contacted the Marines or World Government, they would no longer be able to capture him.

The sea was vast. The Marines and World Government did not possess enough forces to seal off every route he could take.

"I understand."

Jabra obediently closed his mouth.

He could not hear a precise length of time from Arton's words, but Arton did not appear to be joking. For Jabra, that was already enough.

"Since you understand, let's go."

"This time, we'll travel across the ice."

As Arton spoke, he looked toward Ain.

Ain immediately walked calmly to the front. As she stepped onto the ocean, a path of ice formed beneath her feet.

The frozen road continued extending forward as she walked.

"This... really feels like Admiral Kuzan."

The corner of Jabra's mouth twitched as he muttered involuntarily.

...

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