Chapter 46: Your Purpose?

Seeing the results he desired, Asa grinned, feeling somewhat satisfied.

From this perspective, his Devil Fruit ability and the use of electromagnetic waves could indeed harm Kizaru. If he continued to develop it, he could eventually overpower Kizaru and leave him helpless.

This was a direction worth exploring...

"Is that all you've got, Kizaru?" Asa sneered, his face full of disdain, attempting to provoke him and exploit any potential openings.

"You're too arrogant, kid..." Kizaru tried to step forward, but Zephyr blocked him, forcing him to restrain his anger.

Since his debut, no one had ever managed to gain the upper hand against him due to his speed. And now? He had been caught off guard?

What a disgrace!

Seeing this, Asa sighed and shrugged off his blue cloak. He understood that unless this battle ended in complete exhaustion on both sides, there would be no true victor. He had no choice but to withdraw.

If he depleted his stamina, there was no guarantee that Zephyr wouldn't seize the opportunity to take him down. Even if Zephyr adhered to his principles, the World Government's CP0 was still lurking in the shadows.

They had no moral compass and would resort to any means necessary.

Exposing his back to the enemy like that? Asa wasn't foolish enough to make such a mistake.

"That's enough for now, Admiral Zephyr. I'll be leaving. See you on the sea tomorrow!" Asa called out as he turned away without hesitation. Greater challenges awaited him out at sea.

This battle had revealed his limitations, and now it was time to move forward.

Kizaru wanted to chase after him, but Zephyr firmly gripped his sleeve, preventing him from advancing.

"Let him go. We've done all we can, but we still couldn't stop him."

"Tch!" Kizaru scoffed in frustration, forced to let Asa slip away.

Zephyr watched Asa's retreating figure before calling out loudly, "Hebole D. Asa, what is your purpose for setting sail?"

"Hm?" Asa hesitated before answering without turning back, "To live freely, challenge strong opponents, lead a life without regrets, and enjoy every moment!"

"I hope you won't become an enemy of the World Government."

"Hahahaha! That depends on whether the World Government becomes my enemy!" Asa teleported back to his ship, his laughter still echoing in the distance.

His words carried no deep meaning. What did the World Government have to do with him? If they displeased him, he'd strike them with lightning.

Fear? That wasn't in his dictionary.

"Although I couldn't recruit him, at least I didn't turn him into an enemy. And now, I have a better understanding of his Devil Fruit abilities."

Reflecting on Asa's words, Zephyr pondered.

It was often difficult for those involved to see clearly, but as an observer, it was obvious. The reason he had Kizaru fight Asa instead of taking action himself was to gauge Asa's true strength.

Zephyr had faced countless opponents in his lifetime. As the saying went, he had eaten more salt than most had eaten rice. He had already pieced together Asa's current capabilities.

"He doesn't seem to have Armament Haki, so why do his lightning attacks still hurt you?" Zephyr asked seriously.

Kizaru lit a cigarette and thought for a moment. "I don't quite get it either. His iron sand sword and lightning carry a strange power. It's dangerous. Even my light was affected during battle, which is why I avoided close combat."

"However, this power isn't overwhelmingly strong—just disruptive. As long as I don't come into direct contact with it, he can't do much to me."

"A special power?" Zephyr frowned. "Could the Thunder Fruit not only control lightning but also possess hidden abilities we're unaware of? Why isn't there any record of this in the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia? Could he have developed it himself?"

Records on the Thunder Fruit were scarce. For hundreds of years, it hadn't been seen—until Asa appeared.

"This kid is truly dangerous, and he's growing stronger." Zephyr sighed.

He deeply regretted that such a powerful young man hadn't joined the Marines to uphold justice. Moreover, the World Government's mission had failed. When he returned, he would undoubtedly be scolded by the Five Elders.

"The pirates' strength is only increasing… Roger has returned to the Grand Line, and Charlotte Linlin, Kaido, and others are monsters in their own right."

On the surface, the Navy appeared to suppress piracy, but in reality, the situation was far from under control. The New World was teeming with rising pirate forces, leaving the Navy with little room to maneuver.

"Hebole D…"

"Why!"

Zephyr and Kizaru hurried back to the naval base, their brows furrowed in deep concern.

"Sensei, should we notify the World Government and issue a bounty on him?" Kizaru asked abruptly, still bitter over the first defeat of his career.

"I can't make that decision. Contact the World Government and Marshal Kong. Let them decide."

Zephyr didn't want Asa to turn against them—at least, not yet. His true alignment remained uncertain; whether he leaned toward the Marines or the pirates was still unclear.

Issuing a bounty would force Asa to oppose the Navy. And if that happened, the New World would soon gain another monstrous figure.

With Zephyr and Kizaru gone, Asa also didn't linger on the island. His purpose there had been to wait for the Navy's arrival.

Now that he had fought, he was satisfied.

His battles with CP0 and Kizaru had given him a clearer understanding of his own strength.

Currently, he was about on par with the strongest Vice Admirals. His mastery of the Thunder Fruit allowed him to stand toe-to-toe with an Admiral like Kizaru, though he still fell slightly short of the real deal. Against an average Vice Admiral, he held the overwhelming advantage.

Of course, battles weren't decided purely by power levels. Factors like strategy and abilities played a major role. Thanks to the Thunder Fruit's mobility and destructive potential, Asa could remain undefeated against almost anyone.

In the world of pirates, combat strength wasn't clearly ranked. However, the intelligence agency under the World Government had a testing method called "Doriki" to measure physical power.

Asa had no interest in such measurements. They were useless beyond determining basic strength.

If battles were decided by raw strength alone, then giants would always be stronger than humans from birth.

Even Kaido, who might not technically be a giant, had the world's toughest physique—yet he still couldn't defeat Whitebeard.

Back aboard his ship, Asa examined the rudder he had accidentally broken with a kick. Adjusting the helm, he set sail once again.

On the vast sea, the sails billowed as the ship cut through the waves.

Bored, Asa lay on the bow, drinking and eating meat to replenish his lost energy and stamina.

With his physique, his stamina could be restored within minutes. However, mental exhaustion was a different story—he needed proper sleep to recover.

What annoyed him the most was the ship's course. The moment he let go of the helm, strong winds would blow the ship off track. Every time, he had to get up and manually correct its direction.

It was irritating.

"I need a helmsman… I can't handle everything myself," Asa muttered in frustration.

The West Blue was in chaos, teeming with pirates and criminal syndicates. He would likely run into a group within a few hours.

When that happened, he would simply grab someone and force them to steer the ship.

(End Of Chapter)

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