"Chase!"
A Marine warship was anchored just off the coast. Standing at the bow was none other than Fleet Admiral Sengoku, his face stern with tension.
No matter what happened, they had to stop Ayr from acquiring the power of the Op-Op Fruit (Ope Ope no Mi)—the key to immortality.
But even now, the shadow of the Battle of the Holy Land Mariejois still loomed in their memories—bloody, unforgiving, and catastrophic.
And Ayr, now hailed as the strongest pirate in the New World, had become the most dangerous and unpredictable threat to Naval Headquarters.
If it came to a head-on confrontation, even the top brass of the Marines weren't sure they could win.
Today, Ayr's strength could only be described as world-shattering—surpassing even the legends like Whitebeard and Kaido.
That unmistakable, suffocating aura—Conqueror's Haki—blanketed the island like a storm cloud. Sengoku recognized it instantly.
After all, since the return of Rocks D. Xebec, chaos had begun to ripple through the world.
But this wasn't the time to hesitate.
Vice Admiral Garp stood beside Sengoku, his fists clenched, staring hard at the horizon. His voice was solemn.
"We cannot allow Ayr to get the Op-Op Fruit. If he does, it's over."
With him stood Zephyr, Tsuru (Crane), and Sengoku—the four top strategic combat forces of the Marines.
Sengoku paused for a moment, his brow furrowed, before speaking with resolution.
"If Ayr gets the fruit… we won't be fighting a man. We'll be fighting a god."
Far ahead, at the edge of the island, Doflamingo stood frozen in place, sweat dripping down his face.
His eyes locked on the coast where a lone figure approached—Ayr.
"That Conqueror's Haki… so it's you," Doflamingo muttered, barely able to breathe.
Even though he had once held the title of Shichibukai, Doflamingo was still a pirate at heart. And pirates feared monsters like Ayr.
Crane turned to the others, offering a plan.
"If we manage to recover the Op-Op Fruit, I'll evacuate with it. The three of you hold off Ayr."
There was no room left for sentiment or pride. The mission was survival.
Even Zephyr, who had faced countless enemies, admitted with a low voice, "The one person I never wanted to face again… is Ayr."
He had once doubted that any human could surpass the Mariejois massacre—but Ayr had proven otherwise.
What level of power had this man attained?
His Conqueror's Haki had already spread across the entire island, knocking out all of Doflamingo's men in an instant.
They had all collapsed—white-eyed and trembling—unable to withstand the pressure.
Doflamingo himself staggered back and turned to see his subordinates sprawled unconscious.
His mind reeled.
"Monster… Ayr's Haki alone did this?"
At this point, Doflamingo no longer pretended.
"No, no, no… I already resigned from the Shichibukai! I'm not with the government anymore! I'm just a pirate now… just like you!"
But even his plea couldn't hide the trembling in his voice.
Sengoku's voice rang clear, "Doflamingo may have helped delay things. But we're out of time."
They had received intel that Ayr's forces had moved at the same time the Marines learned about the Op-Op Fruit.
"Ayr's intelligence network rivals ours," Garp growled. "He probably knew before we did."
That meant Ayr's presence wasn't a coincidence—he had come to claim the fruit.
"Zephyr," Garp said quietly, "if he gets the Op-Op Fruit, we may as well declare the fall of the World Government."
Zephyr didn't respond. Instead, he stared at the island with grim determination.
Sengoku's voice sharpened.
"We move. Now."
The four high-ranking officers leapt off the ship and anchored on the coast, heading directly toward the island interior.
Even though Ayr hadn't landed yet, his Conqueror's Haki already coated the terrain.
"Pa… That aura… There's only one man alive who can release that kind of pressure. It's him," Crane whispered.
Back in the hut, Doflamingo gathered his stunned men, dragging them to safety. His face was pale.
"I can't believe I was about to stand against that…"
Just then, the figure of Ayr came into view.
His presence was absolute—like Madara Uchiha standing on the battlefield during the Fourth Great Ninja War. One man. A thousand men's weight.
Doflamingo felt his throat tighten.
He turned slowly and raised his hands.
"Ayr… this isn't my fight."
But Ayr said nothing.
His cold gaze swept across the battlefield.
Even from afar, he could sense the movements of Sengoku, Garp, Zephyr, and Crane.
He knew they were coming.
Meanwhile, Zephyr asked the team, "If Ayr is already near the island… and the fruit is with Rosinante or Law… what should we do?"
Crane responded quickly, "We secure the fruit. At any cost."
"All three of us may die if we face him directly," Garp admitted. "But we must."
If Rosinante fed the Op-Op Fruit to Law, it would be too late.
With that power in Ayr's hands—immortality, teleportation, and the ultimate surgical precision—even the strongest in the world would fall before him.
Even Imu and the Five Elders would not be safe.
"Ayr must not obtain it," Sengoku said firmly. "Even if it means we die here."
Zephyr nodded. "Let's go together."
"Let's hope we're not too late."
{🥳 The Fanfic is now fully completed! 🎉
You can access 300+ advance chapters right now on Patreon—available for subscription or purchase! ✨
👉 patreon.com/Oreski
🥰 Your support keeps me motivated and eager to create even more amazing stories! 💖}