Chapter 53: Subdued? Armed and Domineering

Asa's massive steel arm was formed differently from Kidd's Magnet Fruit.

The steel fused seamlessly with his arm, moving as one entity rather than a collection of separate pieces. His fist, wrist, and elbow all functioned exactly like a normal arm, but with the resilience of solid metal.

That ironclad fist met Chinjao's Happo Navy's legendary technique head-on!

"BOOM!!!"

Asa unleashed his full strength, colliding with Chinjao's Dragon Drill and Spikeless Nail.

In that instant, all the air around them was forcefully expelled, creating a near-vacuum at their point of impact.

Cracks raced across the ground, spreading outward like spiderwebs. The small island trembled, splitting apart as seawater surged through the fissures.

The shockwave from their clash tore through the Happo Navy's encampment, flattening the ground as though a bulldozer had rolled through.

"AAAHH!!"

Chinjao's face twisted into a demonic snarl as he roared, his strength swelling as he attempted to crush Asa completely.

Veins bulged on Asa's forehead, his face reddened with exertion. He held firm against the overwhelming power of Happo Navy's ultimate technique—"Spikeless Drill – Spikeless Nail".

Under everyone's stunned gazes, Chinjao's once-dented, bald head was forced back into its original form by the sheer force of Asa's iron fist—his legendary drill-shaped skull was restored!

The two warriors separated after the clash, each retreating a hundred meters.

For a moment… silence.

Then, Chinjao's expression contorted with a mix of disbelief and euphoria. His thick fingers trembled as they traced the sharp cone of his newly restored head.

Then—

"Ah ho ho ho ho!"

His laughter echoed through the battlefield, wild and unrestrained. Tears streamed down his wrinkled face, and the once-stiff hairs of his gray beard drooped, softening his fierce appearance into that of an elderly man.

"The drill head of the pillar?!"

"Grandpa's drill head… it's back!!"

The thousands of Happo Navy warriors gasped, their eyes nearly popping out of their skulls, overcome with shock and joy.

Asa, staring at his own steel-coated arm as it disintegrated into falling metal scraps, was utterly dumbfounded.

"Wait… did my punch actually just benefit him?"

Chinjao, still in a frenzy of laughter, suddenly dropped to his knees. His newly restored drill head slammed into the ground as he kowtowed before Asa, his voice overflowing with gratitude.

"Thunder Fruit Benefactor!! I cannot thank you enough—please, you must accept my token of appreciation!"

"Huh?" Asa raised an eyebrow. This was the last reaction he had expected. He had slaughtered dozens, if not hundreds, of Happo Navy members. This was supposed to be a battle to the death. And yet… here was Chinjao, bowing before him?

"What kind of gift?"

Chinjao choked back his tears as Lao Cai helped him up.

"Benefactor! Please, I beg of you! Accept my gift of gratitude! You have returned my drill head to me—such a grand favor cannot go unanswered!"

His eyes gleamed with sincerity as he declared,

"My benefactor is young and powerful. You are destined to be one of the world's future overlords."

"An overlord cannot lack loyal subordinates. I beseech you—allow the Happo Navy to serve under your banner! We will follow you through fire and war!"

His words were filled with fervor, his tone unwavering.

The hatred he once harbored toward Garp had now transformed into pure devotion toward Asa.

"Huh?…" Asa blinked in disbelief.

He never imagined things would take this turn.

He wasn't some "chosen one" who made warriors bow just by existing. He wasn't Luffy, who could casually amass thousands of followers after one major battle like in Dressrosa.

Sure, he would need a crew when he eventually entered the New World. But for now, he hadn't even finished building Thor—his personal Ark Maxim. The thought of commanding a fleet hadn't even crossed his mind yet.

"Let's put that on hold for now," he said. "When I form my pirate crew, we'll talk."

Asa didn't outright refuse, knowing he would need manpower to conquer territory in the New World someday. He had once considered pulling a Blackbeard, breaking into Impel Down to recruit subordinates. But in the end, he dismissed the idea—prisoners were too ambitious, too difficult to truly command.

"Understood!" Chinjao nodded eagerly. Since Asa hadn't rejected him outright, he dropped the subject for now.

Turning to his gathered men, he shouted,

"Lads! Back to the ships! Tonight, we celebrate!!"

"OOOHHH!!!"

The Happo Navy erupted into cheers.

Out at sea, dozens of warships from the Kingdom of Flowers were lined up in formation. Warriors sang and danced aboard, knocking back drinks and devouring food in celebration.

The atmosphere was filled with warmth and festivity.

Asa, seated at a grand banquet table, downed a large bowl of wine. Beside him sat Chinjao, Lao Cai, Abu, and several other Happo Navy commanders.

"Chinjao, I was hired by Poulos, heir to the Kingdom of Vilas, to drive out the Happo Navy," Asa said between sips. "Since things have turned out this way, how about convincing the Kingdom of Flowers to withdraw their pursuit of Vilas?"

Asa was a man of his word. He had accepted a reward, and he wouldn't tarnish his credibility by backing out of a deal. If he failed to keep his promises, no one would follow him in the future.

"Ah ho ho ho ho!!" Chinjao roared with laughter, one hand clutching his drink, the other still feeling the tip of his restored drill head. "Benefactor, consider it done! One word from me, and the Kingdom of Flowers will withdraw from Vilas immediately!"

"That settles it, then!" Asa grinned, satisfied, and raised his cup.

"Cheers!"

"Cheers!!"

With that, the warriors drank deep into the night.

As dawn approached and the Happo Navy fleet began their return journey to the Kingdom of Flowers, Asa saw his chance.

He turned to Chinjao, his eyes sharp with anticipation.

"Chinjao, I noticed you, Lao Cai, and Abu all possess powerful Armament Haki. Can you teach me?"

There was no shame in seeking guidance. Wasting time due to arrogance was the real weakness.

"Ah ho ho ho ho! So that's why my benefactor never used Armament Haki against me!" Chinjao laughed heartily. "Very well, I'll demonstrate it for you right now."

He stood, slightly drunk, and began his lesson.

Armament Haki was a power that, unlike Conqueror's Haki, could be cultivated through training. Its fundamental principle was simple:

By accelerating blood flow and releasing energy from within, one could coat their body in an invisible armor of pure force. This vastly enhanced defense and attack power, making it possible to combat even Logia users.

Beyond simply covering the body, Armament Haki could be imbued into weapons, enhancing their destructive capabilities.

However, training required immense physical strength.

Even children could theoretically train it, but experienced warriors knew better—pushing a young body too hard would stunt its growth and cripple its potential.

This was precisely why Garp, one of the world's most powerful Armament Haki users, had never taught Luffy or Ace in their youth.

Instead, he allowed them to mature first before considering training them in Haki.

And now, Asa was about to take his first steps into the path of Armament Haki mastery.

(End Of Chapter)

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