In an instant, Ayr considered countless possibilities.
If he could grant immortality to others…
What kind of force could he create?
Zephyr, on the other hand, was in a far worse state.
He hadn't spoken a word since hearing the rumors.
After issuing his command, Ayr stepped past Nagli and exited the chamber.
Everyone nearby moved cautiously. The atmosphere had changed.
This wasn't an ordinary event. It was something that would shift the balance of the world.
And there were others — four figures whose status in the Marine ranks surpassed nearly all others, save for Commander-in-Chief Kong.
These were:
Sengoku, the Buddha.
Garp, the Hero.
Zephyr, the Black Arm.
And Crane, the Tactical Mind.
The news had already reached them — Ayr may have achieved immortality.
Most people who heard it dismissed it as a wild myth.
But these four, they knew better.
Seated near them was a rising figure, the director of Naval HQ's Criminal Investigation Bureau — a dark horse known for precision and resolve.
Garp remained wrapped in bandages, his face grim.
Inside the quiet room, Ayr looked at Nagli with calm eyes.
"You…" he asked softly. "Do you also desire to live forever?"
The words struck Nagli like lightning. He hesitated, voice trembling.
"Sir, may I… may I become immortal too?"
For a moment, the silence was deafening.
Then Ayr turned his back to him — as steady as a mountain — and spoke.
"Very good."
This wasn't flattery. This was the truth, spoken from power.
It was now possible. The Surgery of Eternal Youth could be used — not just for Ayr, but perhaps as a reward, given to the loyal.
The possibilities ignited ecstasy in Nagli's heart.
Meanwhile, in the top-secret war room of Marineford, the air was dense with tension.
The upper echelon of the Navy had gathered.
Kong sat at the head of the table, expression unreadable.
He knew the truth. Or enough of it.
Ayr had obtained the Op-Op Fruit. And he had used it.
The entire meeting room was eerily quiet.
Then, Nagli re-entered Ayr's quarters. He pushed the door slowly, still shaken.
"My lord… was the operation… successful?" he asked at last.
Ayr didn't hesitate. "From now on…" he said, "I will never grow old."
The declaration echoed.
In that moment, Nagli stood frozen — heart pounding.
"Immortal… life…" he whispered, before dropping to one knee.
"Lord Ayr… long live!"
In a distant corridor, the four Admirals who had fought Ayr on the battlefield sat in silence.
They had tried to claim the Op-Op Fruit too. And failed.
One of them had lost an arm — the right sleeve of his uniform now hung limply.
It felt like they were being judged, not debriefed.
The investigation was brutal. The World Government demanded answers.
"This cannot be allowed to stand," one Elder of the Gorosei had warned.
"We must determine whether the Admirals displayed any dereliction of duty during the operation."
The Op-Op Fruit's true potential was no longer a myth — it had been activated.
The Marines' strongest forces had failed to stop Ayr.
That fact alone created shockwaves from Marineford to Mariejois.
Back inside Ayr's chambers, Nagli stood in reverence.
"You must continue your service," Ayr said. "Remain loyal — and one day, this gift may be yours."
Nagli could hardly contain himself.
"With this… we could even convert enemies to our cause," he said with awe.
"Your power, my lord — it could forge a legion of the undying."
Ayr nodded slowly.
It was true. With the Op-Op Fruit in his possession, and loyal subordinates willing to pay the price, he could build an army of immortals.
The Ageless Legion — soldiers who never aged, who never died.
Those who survived the battlefield would become eternal.
Even Ayr, despite his composure, felt a thrill.
This was a secret so powerful, even the Celestial Dragons would tremble if they knew.
He turned away and whispered: "Of course."
He walked across the room and opened a hidden chamber.
Inside lay a reinforced vault. Carefully, he lifted the reborn Op-Op Fruit, still gleaming with fresh vitality.
He thought for a moment, then placed it inside the vault and locked it.
This fruit — now dormant — would remain hidden,
until the next worthy soul was ready.
Meanwhile, outside, the skies darkened.
Even nature seemed to recognize the coming storm.
A storm that would be named Ayr.
A man no longer bound by time.
A man preparing to create something the world had never seen.
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