Chapter 62: Another Hijacking

Smoke and dust filled the air as the restaurant collapsed in an instant, burying five people beneath the rubble.

"Zzzzzzt!"

Electricity crackled violently, and Asa burst out of the debris.

"Hahahahaha! If you think you can kill me that easily, Kizaru, you're dreaming! But I'm done playing with you..."

Asa's figure flickered as he instantly shot into the sky.

Tuo raised his hands, his arms swelling with muscle as surging currents of electricity gathered at an alarming rate!

"This is the same attack that destroyed an entire gang's base! Stop him!"

"Kizaru!!"

"Yasakani no Magatama!!"

There was no need for further instruction—Kizaru instinctively knew what to do. If he didn't counter this attack, he could be in real danger.

Light bullets swarmed toward Asa from all directions. At the same time, Syd Nass and Vice Admiral Tsuru leaped into the sky using Moonwalk, launching a frantic assault on Asa!

"Too late!"

The Heaven's Judgement attack was only halfway charged. If Asa was interrupted, he wouldn't be able to unleash it properly. With no hesitation, he made his decision—he threw it down with both hands.

"Hahahahaha! Go to hell, Kizaru!!!"

A dazzling electric light erupted from the massive thunderball, completely eclipsing the sun. The residents of Ergo, the City of Wine, gazed up in horror and confusion.

Kizaru's Yasakani no Magatama was obliterated by lightning—it posed no threat at all!

"Unforgivable."

Vice Admiral Tsuru's calm demeanor finally cracked, showing a rare flash of anger. Though this thunderstorm was not as destructive as the last one, if it struck Ergo, at least half the island would be wiped out, and more than half the population would die.

The three officers pushed themselves to their limits, unleashing their strongest combined efforts to divert the attack.

"BOOM!!!!"

The explosion shook the heavens, its blinding light lingering long after the impact.

"Cough!"

Vice Admiral Tsuru emerged from the smoke, glancing in the direction where Asa had disappeared. "I didn't do much this time," she murmured.

"I don't blame you, Vice Admiral Tsuru," Syd Nass said with an ugly expression as he stepped forward. "But Lieutenant General Kizaru, I think you owe us an explanation—why did your laser suddenly change direction just now?"

He knew very well that Kizaru's laser beams could only travel in straight lines unless reflected by his Yata Mirror.

"Asa's ability to manipulate light has grown stronger..."

Kizaru, now fully reformed from photons, replied with a rare look of discomfort.

This was troubling. Having his power countered so effectively made him feel uneasy.

Previously, Kizaru had thought Asa's electromagnetic interference could only cause minor disturbances. But now, Asa had completely deflected his laser beam mid-flight.

"Don't call me for any missions involving capturing Hibole D. Asa ever again," Kizaru muttered, rubbing his temples. "If someone else wants to chase him, be my guest..."

For the first time, the power of the Glint-Glint Fruit, which had once dominated the battlefield, had encountered a true nemesis. And that discovery left a bitter taste in Kizaru's mouth.

Like eating... shit.

Meanwhile, Buster Choate—still dust-covered—was chugging his drink in silence. He shot a glance at Kizaru, Vice Admiral Tsuru, and Syd Nass, all of whom wore grim expressions.

"Drinking is the best thing in the world. You three want a sip?"

His forced smile looked even worse than if he had just started crying.

But his fate was already sealed.

"Buster Choate, you committed a heinous crime by destroying three Navy warships. On behalf of the Navy, I am placing you under arrest..."

With no Asa left to vent their frustration on, the three officers turned their full wrath onto Choate.

In the distance, Ergo's port was completely destroyed by Heaven's Judgement. The island looked like a half-eaten biscuit, a massive chunk missing from its coastline.

At sea—10,000 meters above, hidden within the clouds—

A flash of lightning flickered.

"If I hadn't gambled on controlling electromagnetic waves, I might have really lost this fight," Asa muttered to himself, still feeling the lingering thrill of life and death.

He had always relied on the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's abilities and its world-class speed as his trump card.

But this time, the triangle formation of two high-ranking Navy officers and a CP0 agent had completely cornered him.

Kizaru restrained him.

Vice Admiral Tsuru controlled the battlefield.

Syd Nass attacked directly.

That combination had cut off all escape routes.

When Syd Nass grabbed his wrist, Asa had genuinely thought his journey was over.

Thankfully, he had stayed calm at the last second and activated the magnetic field to divert Kizaru's laser.

"The development of electromagnetism must not be neglected... Next time I see Kizaru, I'll make sure to teach him a proper lesson." Asa's eyes flashed with irritation.

This monkey was really starting to piss him off.

Meanwhile, Kizaru—back on Ergo—had already made up his mind to never chase Asa again. Not because of fear, but because it was just too much trouble.

He always came back empty-handed anyway.

"The battle drained too much of my stamina, and my mind feels fried. Time to hit the next island and rest up..."

Not only had Asa just fought Syd Nass, but he also had to constantly be wary of surprise attacks from Kizaru and Tsuru.

It had left him mentally exhausted.

But his main goal still remained—he needed to meet Vegapunk and figure out how to integrate the Fortress-Fortress Fruit into matter.

Without proper storage, he had no way to keep food reserves, and he was sick of going hungry all the time.

"I have to find a way to sneak into the Navy's Scientific Research Institute!"

Asa grabbed a bottle of wine that had somehow survived the restaurant's collapse and downed it in two gulps.

That was his current priority.

More important than reaching the New World.

His plan was simple—develop a storage device before setting sail for the New World. That way, he wouldn't constantly have to risk his life for food.

"There's a ship below. Let's hijack it and head for the next island—Carnival City!"

Asa thought to himself as he dived downward, breaking through the clouds to reveal the endless blue sea.

Below him... was a pirate ship.

"There's gotta be food on board. Bad luck for them!"

Since setting sail, Asa had hijacked multiple ships, ditching them when he was done.

He switched ships faster than Garp smashed cannonballs.

The problem was, **his real ship—the Thor—**was still incomplete on Skypiea. Until it was finished, he had no choice but to steal ships.

But seriously—these pirates were unlucky.

Did they keep running into him by chance?

Or was he just permanently hungry?

A true cursed soul.

"Whoosh!!!"

Asa plummeted toward the ship, the sheer force of his descent finally catching the attention of the pirates.

"What the hell?"

"Captain, something's falling from the sky!"

"It's a person!!"

As Asa plummeted toward the ship, the navigator couldn't help but pull out his telescope for a closer look. The moment he confirmed what he was seeing, he let out a horrified scream.

"BOOM!!"

Asa slammed into the deck with tremendous force, his legs punching straight through the wooden planks, leaving behind two gaping holes. The entire ship lurched violently, as if struck by a cannonball.

Back in Ergo, the City of Wine, Asa had been only 50% full. But after the exhausting battle, his energy had plummeted to 30%.

Now, food was an urgent priority.

"What the hell just happened? Are we under attack? Why wasn't I informed?!"

A short and stocky man stormed out of the cabin, his expression filled with panic.

For most pirates, a sudden tremor like this could only mean one thing—a direct cannon hit.

"Captain! This isn't an attack… a man just fell from the sky!"

The navigator, still holding his telescope, pointed a trembling hand at Asa—whose feet were still lodged in the deck.

"A person... fell from the sky? Do you take me for an idiot?"

The short and sturdy captain raised his hand, ready to slap the navigator for talking nonsense, but then—his eyes landed on Asa, who was slowly pulling himself out of the deck.

"...There's actually someone there?!"

The captain's face paled, his expression shifting as if he had just seen a ghost.

Asa patted the dust off his white pants, flashing a casual grin.

"Ah, sorry about that! I was so hungry I decided to drop in for a little robbery."

The short and stocky captain's pupils contracted. A chill ran from his spine to his scalp, and cold sweat beaded on his reddened cheeks.

He suddenly realized—this man's clothes, his posture, his presence…

"You... You're the infamous pirate with a bounty of 300 million—Hibole D. Asa!!"

Asa's grin widened.

"Oh? You've heard of me? That makes things easy. Now… bring me all your food!"

At that moment, Asa couldn't help but appreciate the benefits of being a wanted man.

At the very least... it made some pirates sensible enough to be afraid.

(End of Chapter)

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