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Not far away, the old man wielding a blood-stained blade—his robes soaked and torn—spoke through clenched teeth, his tone venomous.
"Only you… dare question Lord Imu's command?"
The moment he uttered Imu's name, silence fell. The mere discussion of the mysterious supreme ruler of the world was taboo. Everyone nearby froze, sweat pouring down their foreheads. No one dared respond.
The blade-bearing Elder scoffed coldly and limped toward Garp, Kong, Sengoku, and Zephyr, the elite of the Marines. He settled onto a jagged piece of rubble, breathing heavily, and gave them a grim look.
"That man… Ayr. From now on, his fate lies in your hands."
The order was absolute.
Due to Lord Imu's decree, the Five Elders were forbidden from leaving Mariejois unless absolutely necessary. This meant unless Ayr stormed the Holy Land again, none of the Five Elders could lift a finger against him.
Ayr had escaped. He returned to the sea—a ghost in the waves.
This left Garp and the next generation of Marines with the impossible task.
Kong's face was a mask of disbelief and helpless fury. He exhaled deeply.
"You place too much hope in us. Even with four of you together, you failed to defeat him. Three of you died. How can we—mere Vice Admirals—possibly defeat a monster like Ayr?"
Truthfully, Kong wanted to scream to the heavens.
What the hell was this?! The Five Elders, those ruling from the shadows, were defeated by one man. Imu, who had the strength to act, chose restraint. And now they were placing their faith in the military.
If not for the disparity in status, Kong would've cursed them out right here.
"There's still hope," the old man said firmly. "You've forgotten something."
He lifted his gaze toward them, deadly serious.
"Ayr's power… has side effects."
Everyone stilled.
"In the Battle of Hachinosu, he used that strength-boosting technique once. He didn't dare use it again until the Valley of the Gods. That tells us something. That technique—whether it stems from the Fairy Eyes, Ten Tails Jinchūriki, or the Sage Body—puts immense strain on him."
He leaned in closer.
"Today, Ayr not only used that same boost, but he also relied on several forbidden powers, ones not seen since ancient times… including Susanoo derived from Rinnegan evolution and full-scale Fairy Eye activation. Such techniques tear at the body. You must understand—he'll pay a heavy price."
The old man's tone brooked no argument.
"There will be a long recovery period. You have a window. Train. Grow. Strike."
Garp, Zephyr, Sengoku, and Kong exchanged glances. Even with that reassurance, Ayr's overwhelming dominance today shook them. He fought the Five Elders, forced Imu into action, and still escaped alive.
Could that really be temporary?
Still, the blade-wielding Elder continued:
"Lord Imu would not permit his escape lightly. There must be a reason. Don't disappoint him. Strike Ayr down with your own hands."
Though he said this with resolve, internally, he doubted their success. But Imu's will was law.
Suddenly, magma bubbled at the edge of the group.
Akainu—young and still maturing—stepped forward, fists trembling as lava oozed from his knuckles. His jaw clenched.
"If none of you can… then I'll kill Ayr myself when I grow stronger!"
His words rang with conviction. NaĂŻve? Maybe. But filled with belief.
The others blinked in surprise.
This kid… he watched Ayr destroy the battlefield today and still spoke without hesitation?
If even Akainu didn't fear him, what excuse did they have?
Garp inhaled sharply.
"…If there's even a sliver of hope… then we must try. I'll defeat Ayr with my own fists."
Ayr's strength, for all its terrifying display, had limits. That was what they had to believe in. Today's destruction wasn't his baseline—it was amplified, temporary. A storm with an eye.
If they could endure the storm… perhaps they could reach him.
Zephyr stepped forward. "Then… when can we go after him?"
The elder pushed himself to his feet with his sword, voice grave.
"When your strength rivals ours."
The implication was stark.
Ayr's true power, even weakened, was monstrous. If Garp and the others didn't grow to the level of the Five Elders or stronger, they'd die the moment they engaged him.
Sengoku nodded. "Understood."
He knew this path wouldn't be quick. But it was the only way.
They would train under the direct tutelage of the world's top powers. Patience now… vengeance later.
—
Elsewhere, far from Mariejois, Ayr floated in the sky, carrying Whitebeard as they soared above the ocean.
Not until they landed on a distant, deserted island did Ayr finally release his breath.
Safe.
For now.
Ding!
Congratulations to the Host. Fairy Eye Progress +800.
The system's voice echoed in his mind.
This assault on the Holy Land had been risky… but worth it.
He didn't just take ten Devil Fruits.
He had advanced his Fairy Eyes—by 800 points!
Now, his Fairy Eye stood at 5800. Just 1200 more, and he would unlock the Late Stage of the Fairy Eye—true visual omnipotence.
Ayr exhaled and deactivated his Ten Tails Jinchūriki state.
At the same time, the temporary strength-boosting experience card expired.
The dual enhancement—Ten Tails combined with multiplier boosts—allowed him to nearly rival the Prime of the Sage of Six Paths.
Even so, he hadn't reached the peak of Ten Tails Jinchūriki power.
Why?
Because his Fairy Eye wasn't yet strong enough. It was still mid-tier. He only accessed a fraction of the full beast's power.
When he reached the final stage… when his Fairy Eye rivaled the Rikudō Sennin himself…
Then he would no longer need to borrow boosts. His base form would become apocalyptic.
On the beach, Whitebeard stood silently, waves brushing at his ankles.
He stared into the horizon.
"…We're alive."
He still couldn't believe it.
Back there, while dueling the scarred Elder, he thought he was done for. That he'd die at Mariejois, buried in darkness.
But Ayr had carried him through hell—and back.
Three Elders dead. One escaped. Imu revealed. They lived.
Whitebeard chuckled bitterly. "It's safe now… but we shouldn't linger."
Ayr nodded. He clapped his hands.
Wood began to grow and twist. Using Wood Release, he molded the base of a boat.
Though he couldn't yet construct a ship like those of Wano's craftsmen or Franky's caliber, he could shape a functional vessel—one that could get them moving fast.
"We move now," he muttered. "Before the world catches up."
Because next time, they would not be as merciful.
And neither would he.
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