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Once a man grasps power, seizes authority, and possesses fame, it is very difficult to let go. And he will never be satisfied. This is a fundamental desire that every person has: To never be content with the present, to always want something better.

Arthur is the same.

The only difference is that when he wants something, he puts it out in the open, never hiding his intentions. If he can't have it, he'll take it. Despite currently holding a power that stands at the pinnacle of the sea, he is still coveting an even higher level.

However, every living being in the world has its own shackles. Whether they are humans, giants, minks, or any other race, once they touch that invisible barrier, taking another step forward becomes next to impossible.

To put it bluntly—people like Whitebeard, Arthur, and Garp, who stand at the peak of the sea—have reached the summit.

What they face next is decline.

Although Arthur is young, he has reached the peak too early. The only advantage of his Youth is that he can maintain his peak state for longer. Even with Pure Gold in his hands—he cannot overcome the shackles that all living beings possess.

This is the limit that nature itself, places on all things.

The pinnacle of the physical body is Kaido. The most destructive power belongs to Whitebeard and Arthur. This is already an insurmountable chasm.

The old before them, and the newcomers after them, can at most only reach this level. They cannot surpass it.

So, can this limit be broken? Arthur has a very—very insane idea. This is probably the only way he can think of to break through the shackles in the world of One Piece.

In ten years, when that fruit appears—can his hypothesis be realized?

If it can be realized, Arthur will become the strongest in history, the kind that can never be surpassed. Everything... will have to wait until that fruit appears to be revealed.

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The [Thor] carried Arthur and Vegapunk towards Punk Hazard.

This island, where Vegapunk had once stayed, had multiple laboratories built on it for researching the Lineage Factor and artificial Devil Fruits.

The island was occupied by the World Government—used to imprison criminals who couldn't be taken out of the New World, and to conduct cruel human experiments.

"So, World Government researchers could land at any time?" Arthur frowned. "Do you need me to send two men to protect you?"

Vegapunk was one of the most important crew members of his Thunder God Pirates. His safety could not be compromised. If something happened to him, what would happen to the Thor War Fortress?

"No need! In my own laboratory, no one can capture me," Vegapunk said confidently.

"If it weren't for the lack of experimental materials back then, and the desire to use the World Government's resources to collect them, I would never have been 'imprisoned' in the first place."

"No matter what, you cannot have an accident," Arthur nodded. "The prisoners on the island... I'll clean them up for you first."

Looking down at the winter island of Punk Hazard—covered in ice and snow—Arthur's Observation Haki spread out, monitoring the hundreds of prisoners hiding in the steel laboratories, waiting for death.

Vegapunk's safety was more important than anything. His life was countless times more important than these insignificant grunts.

"Zzzzzzzzzzzzz~"

Lightning flashed and thunder roared, instantly enveloping the island. The falling bolts of lightning mercilessly drowned the hundreds of prisoners.

In an instant, they were struck into charcoal by the lightning, without even a chance to resist.

Arthur was getting stronger and stronger, so strong that a single bolt of lightning could kill a great pirate with a bounty of tens or even hundreds of millions of Berries.

However, even having reached this level of strength, he also felt that he had reached his limit. One day, when his Electric Field Enhancement made his body rival Kaido's, and he had reached the dual pinnacle of his physique and his fruit's ability—he would face the tragedy of having no road left to walk.

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"Are you sure you don't need me to send people to protect you?"

Arthur asked again. The only people he cared about this much were Jessica, who was still at Marine Headquarters, Shiryu, and Vegapunk.

"No need! Anyone who wants to capture me must be someone I want to be captured by... And don't think that researchers don't have ways to protect themselves," Vegapunk refused once again.

"In that case, as you wish." Seeing his confident appearance, Arthur chose to believe him.

"In a few days, I will bring a scientist who researches metal minerals over. His name is Myskina Acier."

"Myskina Acier?" Vegapunk showed a rare look of surprise. "Two hundred years ago, a crazy scientist who researched the miraculous substance 'Pure Gold' was also named Myskina Acier... Could it be this person? Is he still alive?"

For scientists, Acier was a milestone figure among researchers of metallic substances, a great and famous name that would not disappear with the passage of time. And the World Government had never blocked the news, so his name would be recognized even after several hundred years.

Even Vegapunk, as the world's number one scientist, couldn't create something like Pure Gold, so he also held great admiration for Acier's name.

"It's him. I will bring him here to assist you, to build the Thor War Fortress together." Arthur had not forgotten that he had told Acier several years ago that he would get him out of the anglerfish's stomach.

Although it had been delayed for a few years, it wasn't too late.

"Captain, what about you?" Vegapunk suddenly asked out of the blue. "I feel that you've been a bit... different lately. A bit suppressed? Would you mind sharing?"

His feeling was not wrong. Arthur was indeed feeling lost about the road ahead.

"If you didn't know how to move forward, and even lost the thing you've been chasing all along, what would you do?" Arthur was silent for a moment, then asked.

"How could a person not find something they're interested in, Captain? If you really can't find it, then just find a new goal."

The [Thor] slowly descended onto the icy and snowy island of Punk Hazard. Watching Vegapunk step through the steel doors of the research lab, Arthur returned to the [Thor], which was parked on the water's surface.

The struggle for supremacy in the New World was still ongoing.

It would probably take a year or two to completely end. As long as Kaido and Big Mom didn't show up, he wouldn't lower himself to interfere in his subordinates' affairs.

A little bit of territory was insignificant. It didn't affect his status as the Thunder Emperor at all. And with Shiryu, Naguri, Byrnndi World, and the others there, the probability of failure was very low.

The Supernovas had not yet entered the New World.

With nothing to do, Arthur wanted to go for a stroll in the first half of the Grand Line, "Paradise," and visit a certain country—to complete the first step of his "Ultimate Strength" plan.

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