One Piece: Raijin

"Pirate Hunter?" Mozambia took a deep look at Asa and asked.

The Marine adjutant beside him immediately raised his flintlock gun, ready to shoot at Asa if he showed any signs of resistance.

"That's right. These days, if you want to do well, you need a side job!" Asa ignored the hostility of the sailors and responded casually.

Mozambia waved his hand, signaling his men to lower their weapons, and continued leading the fleet back. At the same time, he asked, "Bounty Hunter, can you tell me your name?"

"No problem! I am Hebole D. Asa..." Asa glanced around briefly before unceremoniously sitting down on a deck chair.

His nonchalant attitude once again displeased the highly disciplined Marines.

"Hebole D. Asa? The lightning user who destroyed the gang's base?" Mozambia was genuinely shocked this time.

"No wonder he's so strong. His speed is comparable to Vice Admiral Kizaru's. So, he's actually a Thunder Fruit user," he muttered, his tone carrying a mix of jealousy and admiration. Having a powerful Devil Fruit was an undeniable advantage in strength development.

Asa's name was now well-known across the West Blue, and news of his exploits had begun spreading towards the Grand Line.

After all, the ability to destroy a medium-sized island in a single strike was far beyond the capabilities of most pirates. Furthermore, lightning could be used for both offense and defense, allowing Asa to attack or retreat as needed. Strictly speaking, he was already close to being invincible in the world.

After traveling back with a boatload of Marines to the branch base and collecting his 45 million beri bounty, Asa didn't linger for a moment—he left immediately.

Mozambia repeatedly tried to persuade him to stay and sought information from him through various means, but Asa only gave vague responses. Making it clear that he had no interest in joining the Marines, he was eventually allowed to leave.

With 45 million beri in hand, Asa strolled leisurely through the towns on the island.

The first thing he did after getting his reward was to buy new clothes. After all, he had been adrift at sea for three days without even taking a bath. While he didn't smell bad, he certainly wasn't in his cleanest state.

Carrying a chest full of beri, he stepped into a clothing store. The charming shopkeeper, eager to please, personally selected a set of clothes for him. With his well-proportioned physique, he could make anything look good.

Dressed in a white shirt and trousers, topped with a blue cloak matching the color of his lightning, his tall frame of two meters became even more imposing. His unbuttoned shirt exposed a well-defined chest, and with his striking features, he looked like a completely different person.

It was a clear demonstration of the saying: "Clothes make the man."

Ignoring the subtle attempts of the landlady to flirt with him, Asa changed his outfit and walked out of the shop in a relaxed manner.

For a long time, he had been puzzled as to why so many people in the pirate world wore cloaks. But today, he finally understood.

Not only did they provide protection against the sea breeze, but they also made one look effortlessly cool.

With his blue cloak billowing behind him, Asa strolled through the bustling streets. He happily bought a variety of food and a few extra sets of clothes in the same style. After sending his purchases back to the pirate ship, he continued wandering around, waiting for his companions to arrive.

Unbeknownst to him, General Zephyr had also entered the West Blue with him as his target.

Enjoying his stroll, Asa stopped at various shops, purchased a few more items, and even stocked up on premium liquor for his ship.

Outside the branch island's waters, a warship bearing the insignia of the Marine Headquarters finally arrived at the dock.

Rows of uniformed Marines disembarked, quickly forming two lines on either side of the road, leaving a clear pathway wide enough for several people to pass through.

A moment later, a tall, muscular man with purple hair, wearing only trousers and a Justice cloak draped over his shoulders, stepped off the ship. Beside him walked a man clad in a yellow-striped suit—Vice Admiral Kizaru.

Behind Zephyr and Kizaru, several members of the Cipher Pol No. organization—a secret intelligence agency under the direct command of the World Government—followed. Each was dressed in a unique manner, their appearances varying in height, weight, and build.

Despite their different attire, they all exuded the same chilling aura—one that showed an utter disregard for human life. Even Zephyr and Kizaru preferred to keep their distance from them.

"General Zephyr, Vice Admiral Kizaru! We, CP0, will be taking the lead in this operation, so we won't trouble you further," the masked CP0 member in a white robe stated. His voice was indifferent, as though he wasn't seeking Zephyr's opinion but issuing a command.

CP0, the intelligence agency under direct orders from the Five Elders, wielded an authority that even the Marine Fleet Admiral, Kong, had no control over.

After all, to the World Government, the Marines were just a public front. The ones who truly followed their orders were always the agents of Cipher Pol No.

This was why the Five Elders trusted Cipher Pol No. more than the Marines—they could perfectly handle all the dirty and arduous tasks.

A prime example was the operation five or six years ago, around the year 1490 in the Earthly Calendar. The "World Destroyer" Bondi Walder, a notorious pirate with the Momo Momo no Mi, had terrorized the New World, his ability to double his power making him nearly unstoppable.

The Marines had struggled to subdue him, but in the end, it was Cipher Pol No. that orchestrated an internal betrayal within Walder's crew. The traitors severely injured him with firearms, allowing him to be captured and frozen in Impel Down's deep-sea prison.

Cipher Pol No. had infiltrated countless organizations, and no one ever knew when their agents might be lurking nearby.

"The target is a Thunder Fruit user. This Devil Fruit grants extreme speed. Only Kizaru can effectively keep up with him. You're not qualified," Zephyr stated bluntly.

He despised CP0, believing them to be ruthless and unjust in their indiscriminate killings. However, for the sake of the mission, he still offered them a warning.

Just moments ago, Mozambia had contacted them via Den Den Mushi, confirming that Hebole D. Asa was still on this island. The Marines and CP0 wouldn't even need to put in much effort to "persuade" him to surrender.

"General Zephyr need not concern himself with that. We have our own methods," the masked CP0 agent replied indifferently before leading his team away.

After all, he believed that once they revealed the symbol of the World Government, Asa would have no choice but to comply.

Didn't Bondi Walder's own crew betray him out of fear of the World Government? With such a precedent, aside from a few top-tier pirates, no one dared to oppose them.

"So, they've finally arrived," Asa muttered as he leisurely walked through the streets, taking a sip from his gourd of wine. His Observation Haki was so refined that he had heard their conversation clearly from a distance.

Now, he understood something crucial—the World Government was unaware of the true potential of the Thunder Fruit. Or at most, they only had a surface-level understanding of its capabilities.

They didn't even know that radio waves could greatly enhance Observation Haki, yet they dared to discuss their plans in front of him? Did they not realize how easily they had just exposed themselves?

No wonder the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia contained only vague descriptions of the Thunder Fruit. At first, Asa assumed the World Government had deliberately withheld its detailed abilities to keep outsiders uninformed.

But now, it seemed like even they had very limited knowledge of this invincible fruit.

"So, Vegapunk wants the power of the Thunder Fruit for research? No wonder they came looking for me," Asa mused, stroking his chin. Something about this whole situation felt much more complicated than it seemed.

(End Of Chapter)

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