One Piece: The Strongest Asura

The beast-like glint in Zallor's eyes startled even the patriarch of the Zhuo family. For someone as formidable as a fourth-tier swordsman to feel threatened, the power radiating from that gaze was extraordinary. In that instant, he wondered if the person standing before him was truly his son. The thought left him cold. It became clearer why Zhuo Yuan had said those strange things earlier—there were secrets here, layers of them, waiting to be unraveled. What could have happened to Zallor during his month-long disappearance to leave him with eyes as fierce and untamed as a wild beast's?

"Take the young master inside. Check him for injuries and ensure he recovers fully. Report to me once he's well," the family patriarch instructed.

Having issued his orders, the patriarch left to attend to more pressing matters. Chief among them was dealing with the looming threat posed by Jian Yi's faction. Their pressure was suffocating. Were it not for the Zhuo family's considerable local power, they would have already been crushed.

Yet, even that power had its limits. The Zhuo family's strongest warrior was only a fourth-tier swordsman—a mere ant compared to the tenth-tier adversaries they faced. Challenging them directly would be suicidal, and the patriarch knew it.

Back in his quarters, Zallor lay on the bed, his dislocated arm now reset. The language barrier persisted; he could barely understand what anyone around him said. The frailty of his current body left him no choice but to rest, allowing sleep to claim him.

By nightfall, Zhuo Yuan returned, visibly weary but victorious. It had clearly taken considerable effort to eliminate the threat posed by his opponent. Yet, for now, the Zhuo family could breathe easier—Zallor's inexplicable talent remained a well-guarded secret.

For the rulers of this land, controlling talented individuals under the pretext of nurturing future generations was merely a façade. Their true goal was to stifle the continent's growth and maintain dominance. Potential threats, even those unaware of their own potential, were systematically suppressed.

Zhuo Yuan had seen this firsthand. A month prior, a promising young talent from the Zhuo family, with the potential to ascend to the tenth tier, had been taken away. The family's inability to resist had been humiliating.

"Zhuo Yuan, how did it go?"

"Master, it's done. There should be no witnesses, and the threat has been eliminated. The young master is safe for now."

Zhuo Yuan's voice carried a mix of exhaustion and triumph. The information he'd obtained during the confrontation filled him with excitement. "Master, I must tell you—Zallor is no ordinary young man. He managed to release sword energy without any cultivation base. This is unprecedented!"

"What are you saying?" The patriarch's calm demeanor cracked. "Sword energy? From Zallor? Without cultivating qi? Are you certain?"

"Absolutely. When I arrived, I noticed that the axe the young master had been using was shattered—not by ordinary means but through internal force. The ground bore marks unmistakably left by sword energy, and from two opposing directions. That could only mean the energy clashed, yet there were no others present at the scene. Later, when I pursued and interrogated the assailant, he referred to the young master as the first non-qi wielder to manifest sword energy. This confirms it—Zallor is the one who did it."

The patriarch was stunned. If Zhuo Yuan's account was accurate, then his son had accomplished the impossible—an act that defied all known principles of cultivation.

"If all of this is true," the patriarch mused, "what happened during that month-long disappearance? How did Zallor acquire such strength? This secret cannot leave these walls. If it does, it will invite disaster upon him—and upon us all."

"I understand, Master," Zhuo Yuan replied. "No one else will learn of this. My only concern is whether anyone else witnessed the event. If so, it could become a significant problem."

"Let's hope that isn't the case," the patriarch said gravely. "What on earth could have happened to my son during that time? Regardless, this secret must remain buried. It is a matter of survival for the Zhuo family."

Zhuo Yuan nodded solemnly. This was a secret they would carry to their graves. A secret tied to the Zhuo family's future—a future fraught with both peril and potential.

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