One Piece: The Strongest Asura

3 days ago

Zallor had expressed his dream: a simple one, driven by the desire to become the strongest. But achieving such a goal was nearly impossible. There were so many people in the world, and few dared to call themselves the strongest. If he weren't careful and died, he'd become just another forgotten dust in history. People didn't care much about what incredible things occurred; they only cared about who stood atop the peak of the world.

"It's good to have dreams," the patriarch of the Zallor family said. "But to survive in this world, you must watch out for two types of people: the madmen and the old ones. They're the most dangerous. What you need to focus on is strengthening yourself, becoming stronger. That's your mission! In the future, my family will depend on you! You are the hope—the only hope left for the Zallor family. So, cherish your life. To reach the peak, you need your life to enjoy it."

The patriarch's words were heavy with meaning. He couldn't afford to lose Zallor. Without him, the family's future was bleak. They had once had great potential, but now that potential had been lost, and even the life and death of their strongest candidate were uncertain. This was the helplessness of the weak—unable to even control their own fate.

"Of course, I've sworn never to be defeated again," Zallor replied with unwavering determination. "This is my promise. I can't afford to lose."

Zallor's resolve was as strong as steel, as if he had made this decision decades ago. He had sworn to his comrades, Mihawk and Luffy, never to lose again. He had never been defeated by a swordsman, but when facing a member of the Seven Warlords, he had been helpless. His body was no longer at its peak, and even if it were, defeating someone like Kuma would have been nearly impossible. Kuma's abilities were so strange that even Mihawk might not have been able to defeat him. Why he had been knocked away was still a mystery.

"You've grown into an adult," the patriarch continued. "I can't manage you anymore. This basic martial art can only take you to level 10. After that, you'll need to find a new method. Here in Annan City, the strongest swordsman is the city lord, North Valley. His power can easily crush any swordsman in this city—there's no doubt about it. But I believe you could defeat him. Why? Because you can train with ancient techniques. These ancient arts can make your power far beyond ordinary, and with qi, you'll be extraordinary!"

The patriarch knew that Zallor was someone beyond the ordinary. From the first time he saw him, he understood that Zallor was an exceptional talent. The ancient arts focused on the body, strength, and technique—qualities that few possessed due to the immense willpower required. Training might be slow, but the power gained would be immense. It was both a strength and a weakness. He needed to train, and train he would.

"What are martial arts? How do I use them?" Zallor asked, confused. He had always thought cultivation was simply about building a strong, unshakable heart—one that remained true to its dreams, regardless of worldly matters.

"Ah, you've just learned the language. I shouldn't expect you to understand this right away. Martial arts are a way to store energy in your body. Essentially, they transform your body to make you stronger. After you complete the training, however, there's a vulnerability—if someone destroys the area where you store your qi, you're finished. But very few people can manage to do that, unless they are much stronger than you."

The patriarch explained, almost forgetting that Zallor, while physically present, was still a stranger to this world's ways. He hadn't yet mastered the written language of this land.

"To put it simply, martial arts are methods to store energy in your body, right? That sounds useful. I'll give it a try," Zallor said, eager to increase his strength. Who wouldn't want power that could make them stronger?

"Follow me. Training with qi requires deep concentration and quiet. I've prepared a meditation room for you," the patriarch said, leading Zallor to a simple room. The purpose was to focus the mind, without distractions.

Once inside, the patriarch demonstrated the basics. Sitting cross-legged, he closed his eyes, and before long, his hair began to float as if moved by an invisible wind. A stream of qi rushed toward Zallor, and he could feel its presence—though not very strong, it was tangible, real.

"I can't feel natural forces," Zallor thought, "but this is definitely internal power. This is incredible! If I can harness this, my swordsmanship will be on a whole new level. My strength will be incomparable to what it was before!"

Zallor was filled with excitement. This was the power he had been searching for. If he could control it, he could protect himself and those he cared about.

"This is qi," the patriarch explained. "Your task is to draw it into your body and use it as your own power. Do you understand?"