Chapter 120: What's with Me?

Leaving the restaurant Jessica had opened, Asa walked from Bubble Park into the lawless zone, spanning areas 1 to 29.

This was a chaotic part of the Chambord Islands, where dragons and fish mixed freely. High-ranking officials of the World Government came here for entertainment, while pirates, human traffickers, and underground criminal syndicates roamed openly.

Human trafficking shops, illegal auctions, and pleasure streets could all be found here. In short, this was a place where the laws of the world held no sway.

As long as you had Bailey, you could buy almost anything—Devil Fruits, legendary swords sought by swordsmen, and even slaves desired by nobles.

Passersby wore fierce expressions, each radiating a menacing aura that warned others not to trifle with them.

From Mangrove No. 30, Asa passed through areas 10 to 19 and arrived at Area 6, located in the central zone, where the renowned Gibson family had established their storage facilities.

As a long-standing name in the warehouse industry, the Gibson family had an excellent reputation. Over the years, not a single stored item had reportedly gone missing.

Now leaders in the New World's warehouse sector, the Gibson family collaborated with both pirates and marines. Their private defense force on Chambord was one of the strongest in the region.

Asa had a solid understanding of the world's current affairs and had heard of this family more than once. He wasn't worried about anything Jessica might've stored being stolen.

People who built their business on trust would never discard their lifelong reputation—unless the reward far outweighed the cost.

Jessica had likely stored those two Devil Fruits. But Devil Fruits alone weren't valuable enough for the Gibson family to betray their legacy.

At Mangrove No. 6, rows of metallic storage warehouses stood neatly in order. Bubble carts moved back and forth, while countless workers carried goods up and down ramps.

Asa walked in calmly. A staff member immediately approached him with a professional smile. Upon seeing the polygonal key in Asa's hand, the staff member led him directly to a secure storage area.

The key opened a personal vault within the warehouse.

Because the stored items were few and small, renting an entire warehouse would've drawn too much attention. Jessica wisely opted to rent only a safe.

Guided by a security officer, Asa soon opened the vault and retrieved two familiar items—the Strong City Fruit and the Door-Door Fruit, which had been separated from him for over three months. Tucked beneath them was a neatly folded letter.

…

There were no surprises, no ambushes, no complications. Asa effortlessly retrieved what was his.

Back when he was arrested, he had assumed the Devil Fruits would either be destroyed by Jessica or confiscated by the Navy. He hadn't expected to reclaim them so easily. It felt... unreal.

Still, it was a blessing.

Goal accomplished, Asa left Warehouse No. 6, then opened the letter Jessica had left behind and began reading carefully.

The message, from top to bottom, conveyed one thing: Jessica had witnessed Asa's capture and imprisonment firsthand and felt powerless and guilty. She believed she had been a burden.

But she didn't want to remain a burden. She chose to temporarily leave the Thor Pirates and enlist in the Navy's recruitment program. She hoped that by growing stronger, she could one day reunite with Asa in the New World.

She had written this letter after reading the news of Asa's escape. By now, she had likely already entered training camp.

Asa read the letter word by word, a faint smile playing on his lips. He was genuinely pleased by her determination.

It didn't matter if someone started out weak. No one was born strong. What mattered was the will to climb, to grow. With courage and effort, even failure held no regrets.

"As long as a person is willing to work hard... they are never worthless." Asa burned the letter and looked up at the bubbles glowing in the sunlight, shimmering with color.

If you never try, you'll never have a chance. But by trying, you create the opportunity.

A mountain's summit can only be reached by climbing step by step.

If Asa hadn't leapt into the rising sea current that day, he would never have encountered the Thunder Fruit.

"Yes... as long as you give your all, you'll never regret the outcome, no matter what happens. We meet again, Hippolyte D. Asa."

A calm, elegant voice spoke from behind. It was mature, intellectual, and captivating.

Asa didn't need to turn around to know who it was. He had sensed them the moment he landed on the island.

Nico Olivia and three elderly, bearded archaeologists had quietly come to Chambord, still chasing the secrets of history.

They could fool the Navy, but not Asa—who monitored the entire island via electromagnetic waves.

"Yes, we meet again," Asa said, finally turning around. "It's honestly surprising you're still alive."

"We've long been prepared for death!" Before Olivia could respond, one of the older archaeologists interjected solemnly.

"Death is nothing to be proud of," Asa said, narrowing his eyes. "There shouldn't be any Poneglyphs in the Chambord Islands. Are you trying to get yourselves killed by coming here?"

"As long as the death is meaningful—it is something to be proud of!"

Another old man bristled, ready to argue, but Nico Olivia quickly stepped in.

"There are no historical texts here," she said, "but there's going to be an auction soon. On the list is a diary—one that records events from eight hundred years ago. That's why we're here."

"Oh? Well, good luck with that," Asa replied, preparing to leave. He had no interest in such pointless matters.

"Wait!" Olivia called out, stepping forward to stop him.

Asa's expression turned colder. "You've thought this through, right? Blocking my path comes with consequences."

"Don't you want to know what the D. in your name means?" Olivia pressed. "Don't you want to know why the world erased the events of eight hundred years ago? Why those with the initial D. are always extraordinary?"

"Gol D. Roger, the great pirate of the New World… Vice Admiral Garp, Vice Admiral Tsuru, and even Jaguar D. Sauro—all of them bear the D."

"Whether Navy, pirate, doctor, musician, or scientist—those with the D. possess talents that surpass ordinary people!"

"You're really not curious?"

She looked at him with burning intensity. Olivia knew the road ahead would be dangerous—potentially fatal. But she didn't want to die without uncovering the truth. That's why she needed Asa—desperately.

But Asa slowly lifted his head, his expression indifferent, eyes filled with contempt. His voice was calm and dismissive.

"Get out of my way. As long as I can live happily, what happens to the world tomorrow has nothing to do with me."

He was done with such meaningless things.

(End Of Chapter)

Gimme Powerstones :)))

Also Check out my Patreon at [Patreon.com/GGFanfiction]