Chapter Sixty-Two: Severed Waves

On a certain day in the year 1507 of the Oceanic Calendar, history was destined to be made. For on this day, the name of Asura echoed across the world—a day when the title of the world’s most notorious criminal stunned all, sending ripples of shock through every corner. Aside from Kaido, the future “Red-Haired” Emperor, who silently kept an eye on Chu Yi, the one known as Asura became the focal point of countless ambitions. Many sought to recruit him, defeat him, or even kill him, hoping to elevate their own names by doing so.

Yet, as the world watched, no one could have imagined what Chu Yi was actually doing in that moment. After listening to Rayleigh’s words, Chu Yi spent only a short while pondering before wandering to the shore of the Sabaody Archipelago, where he sat in silence. The advice from Rayleigh had left him somewhat lost, for he needed to carefully consider what path he should take in the days ahead.

And so, Chu Yi remained seated by the water’s edge for an entire day.

Night descended.

Starlight spilled across Chu Yi’s silhouette, casting him in a quiet loneliness. Beside him, Hancock kept silent vigil, never leaving his side from the moment his contemplation began. Whenever her gaze fell upon his steadfast figure, Hancock could sense the weight pressing upon Chu Yi’s shoulders, an invisible pressure that left her own heart faintly breathless.

“Sister, please eat something!”

Just as Hancock was empathizing with the burdens Chu Yi carried, the figures of Sanda and Mary appeared before her, speaking in plaintive tones.

“Sister, Brother Chu Yi has been staring at the sea all day, and you’ve stayed with him the whole time. If you keep this up, neither of you will be able to endure it.”

“Well, maybe…”

Sanda nudged Mary with her elbow, and Mary caught on, quickly nodding, “Maybe I should call Brother Chu Yi over. With him here, maybe you both can eat properly!”

“No!”

Hancock understood their intentions without difficulty. But whenever she thought about how helpless she felt in the face of Chu Yi’s burdens, she was overcome with a sense of uselessness, making it impossible for her to eat. Moreover, in front of her sisters, Hancock could not allow herself to show weakness.

Taking a deep breath, Hancock forced a smile and began to gather her words to comfort her younger sisters. Yet before she could speak, Tiger appeared behind Sanda and Mary, saying, “Young lady, you should eat something. I’ll go talk to the kid over there.”

“Thank you, Tiger!” Hancock replied gratefully.

“There’s no need for such formalities,” Tiger answered with a faint smile.

To Hancock, Tiger’s smile brimmed with kindness, but to Sanda and Mary, it seemed terrifying, fierce, as if the very next moment Tiger might devour them whole. Watching Tiger approach Chu Yi, carrying the bowl of rice Sanda had prepared, Hancock couldn’t help but worry. Tiger hardly seemed like someone who could offer comfort.

If only… if only Uncle Rayleigh could come and talk to Chu Yi!

At that thought, Hancock’s eyes lit up, and she was about to ask Mary to find Rayleigh. Unexpectedly, as if he could sense Hancock’s wish, Rayleigh appeared at her side before she could even speak.

“Worried about Chu Yi, young lady? Don’t fret, he’ll be fine!”

“It’s not Chu Yi I’m worried about, it’s… it’s…”

Hancock faltered, unable to express herself fully, but Rayleigh understood and chuckled, “You feel powerless, unable to help him, is that it?”

“Yes!” Hancock nodded earnestly, feeling dejected. “Chu Yi and Tiger both say I have talent, but every time, I have to rely on them. I don’t want that! I hope that someday, I can fight alongside them as an equal! Uncle Rayleigh, can you help me?”

“Me?” Rayleigh pointed to himself and shook his head. “I’m afraid I can’t.”

Seeing Hancock’s disappointment, Rayleigh laughed and asked, “Hancock, let me call you as Chu Yi does. If I’m not mistaken, you and your sisters are from Amazon Lily, and you were captured by the Celestial Dragons by accident, right?”

“That’s right, Uncle Rayleigh,” Hancock replied curiously. “But what does that have to do with making me stronger?”

“It has everything to do with it. You’ll understand soon enough,” Rayleigh said, his tone mysterious. He pointed toward Chu Yi. “But before I help you, I need to have a proper talk with Chu Yi!”

With that, Rayleigh’s figure flickered, arriving at Chu Yi’s side before Tiger could reach him.

Once there, Rayleigh spoke little. He simply placed an arm around Chu Yi’s shoulder, to Tiger’s surprise, and said with a smile, “Chu Yi, this isn’t like you at all! When you killed the Celestial Dragons, you never hesitated. When you destroyed Mariejois, you never hesitated. So why now, when all you need is to make a simple decision, do you falter?”

“Uncle Rayleigh, you don’t understand.”

Turning to face Rayleigh, Chu Yi glanced at Hancock in the distance and the approaching Tiger. “In this world, I have only two people I consider family: Tiger, who has accompanied me in madness, and Hancock, who is always at my side. After hearing your words today, I realized that since I don’t currently have the strength to protect them, why not part ways with them for a while?”

“After all, the World Government is only hunting me—not Tiger, not Hancock, isn’t that so?”

“But…” Chu Yi’s smile grew bitter, his eyes filled with deep reluctance. “But whenever I think about being apart from them, I hesitate. I simply can’t bear to leave them. Yet, just before you arrived, I suddenly realized: if I can quickly become stronger, gain the power to protect them, then we’ll be reunited all the sooner. If that’s the case, then I must become stronger as quickly as possible!”

“After all…”

“I have what it takes to grow stronger rapidly, don’t I?”

Almost as soon as Chu Yi finished speaking, a succession of “boom” sounds rang out, drawing Rayleigh’s attention.

What was that sound?

It was the shattering of Chu Yi’s shadow clones!

Clearly, even as he pondered deeply, Chu Yi did not forget to train. Throughout his day of contemplation, he had, just as he once did at Mariejois, sent forth over a thousand shadow clones to cultivate. Now, as the clones dissipated, it was time to assess the results of a day’s training!

Then, as the physical prowess from the shadow clones fully returned to Chu Yi’s body—

Whoosh!

The Blade of Asura materialized, condensed in Chu Yi’s palm.

The next moment!

Swish!

He swung his sword, and its light flashed forth!

Following the arc of the sword’s radiance, Rayleigh’s pupils narrowed, reflecting the scene: Chu Yi, wielding the Blade of Asura, cleaved through the surging wave before him with a single stroke. As Rayleigh nodded silently, recognizing the promise in Chu Yi’s swordsmanship, Tiger’s startled cry from behind unsettled the composed Rayleigh once more.

“Kid, just how are you training? Yesterday you grasped sword intent and entered the realm of Swordmaster, and today you’re already splitting waves with your blade, touching the threshold of Grand Swordmaster?”