"Brownie, as the Supreme Commander of Naval Headquarters, do you understand that this failure alone is enough to remove you from your position?"
The Five Elders had initially assumed that, at the very least, Rocks himself had been eliminated. However, judging by Brownie's expression, they could tell even Rocks had survived.
Their patience had run out.
Facing their repeated interrogations, Brownie took a deep breath, adjusted his mentality, and raised his head slightly to meet their eyes. His gaze was filled with reluctant determination.
To hell with it...
No point holding back now.
If he was going to be dismissed, so be it. Let someone else deal with the Rocks crew from now on.
"In this operation, we, the Marines... did not eliminate a single Rocks pirate."
The entire room fell into a dead silence.
"What did you say? Not only did you fail to capture Rocks, but not even a single member of his crew?"
"Damn it, Brownie! Are you joking with us?"
Two of the Five Elders immediately erupted in anger, prepared to lash out at him further.
However, the Elder who wielded the ghostly blade of the First Generation Kitetsu pondered for a moment before interjecting:
"Could it be that... the Rocks Pirates weren't actually on Hachinosu? Was this entire operation based on false intelligence?"
The other Elders paused, considering the possibility.
It made sense.
The Marines had deployed an overwhelming force—three Admirals, the Fleet Admiral himself, four top Vice Admirals, and countless Marine elites.
With such firepower, they should have been able to wipe the Rocks crew from existence.
Yet, according to Brownie, they had not only failed to capture Rocks but hadn't even taken down a single subordinate.
It sounded utterly absurd.
The Five Elders composed themselves and reclined into their seats, crossing their legs.
"So, is that what happened? Did you receive faulty intelligence? The Rocks crew was never on the island in the first place?"
"Next time, be clear and concise, Brownie."
"Forget it... This mission was a misstep. You are dismissed."
They were disappointed but somewhat relieved. If the Rocks Pirates had never actually been on Hachinosu, then the failure wasn't entirely on the Marines.
But Brownie shook his head.
"No... The Rocks Pirates were on Hachinosu."
"WHAT?!"
The blond Elder shot up from his seat, prepared to unleash another tirade.
But before he could, the long, straight-haired Elder raised his hand.
"Let him finish his report first."
Clearly, their assumptions were incorrect. Rather than jumping to conclusions, it was better to hear the full story before passing judgment.
"Continue, Brownie," said the scarred Elder.
Brownie took another breath and continued.
"The Rocks Pirates were indeed present on Hachinosu... but Rocks himself and many key members were absent. Only Ayr, Shiki, Edward Newgate, Charlotte Linlin, and Byrnndi Wald of the Wald Pirates were there, along with several New World pirate factions."
"In the ensuing battle, we eliminated a number of lower-ranked pirates. But none of the major Rocks officers were killed or even injured. We also failed to capture Byrnndi Wald. Worse yet... we suffered severe losses, including an Admiral."
The weight of his words settled over the room like a heavy storm cloud.
For a moment, none of the Elders spoke.
They weren't just surprised—they were stunned.
They had to process this information carefully.
The Marines had assembled an army. Three Admirals, the Fleet Admiral, Vice Admirals, and elite troops—all against a partial Rocks crew.
And not only had they failed to kill any major members, but they had also lost an Admiral?
No matter how they tried to rationalize it, it simply didn't make sense.
"...You," the blond Elder began, his voice shaking with anger.
He was about to explode once more, but the scarred Elder raised his hand.
"Explain, Brownie. What happened?"
"If everything had gone according to plan, we would have overwhelmed them. But... an unforeseen variable changed everything."
Brownie clenched his fists.
"Ayr... that monster in the Rocks crew—he's the reason we lost."
"Ayr?"
"Yes. The same one I reported to you before—the one with unnatural potential. He suddenly unleashed a power far beyond anything we had anticipated. His strength... was not inferior to Rocks himself."
"What?!"
The Five Elders were, for the first time in years, genuinely shocked.
"That's impossible," the blond Elder said.
"According to our intelligence, he's not even twenty years old yet!"
"Even Rocks himself required decades to reach his level of power. How could someone so young possibly match him?"
Their voices were laced with disbelief.
Brownie continued, his face filled with frustration.
"During the battle, he activated some kind of ability. His entire body radiated golden light, his strength skyrocketed, and he gained the ability to float."
"In a two-on-one battle, where I fought alongside Admiral Saber, Ayr was still unmatched. Not only did he hold his ground, but in less than ten minutes, he killed Admiral Saber."
"And after that... the rest of the Rocks Pirates escaped."
The room fell into another heavy silence.
Each of the Five Elders processed the information.
Finally, one of them muttered, "...You're saying he used a Devil Fruit ability?"
"Yes."
More silence.
Then, the blond Elder asked, "Before he activated this ability... what was his power level?"
Brownie took a moment to recall.
"Before using the ability, he was already strong enough to fight Sengoku to a standstill. But after activation... his power multiplied at least tenfold."
"A Devil Fruit that increases one's power tenfold?"
Even for the Five Elders, who had lived for centuries, this was unheard of.
There were Fruits that could temporarily enhance certain abilities—speed, strength, durability.
But an ability that multiplied someone's entire power by such a degree?
This was something entirely new.
"This Devil Fruit... it's absurd."
"It doesn't make sense," the scarred Elder said. "Ayr is strong, yes. But if his Devil Fruit made him that powerful, why didn't he finish off the entire Marine force? Why retreat?"
Brownie exhaled.
"I believe... the ability comes with severe side effects or time limitations."
The Five Elders exchanged knowing glances.
"That must be it," the long-haired Elder muttered. "A Devil Fruit that grants temporary power beyond natural limits must have crippling drawbacks."
"This was Ayr's first time using this ability, wasn't it?" the blond Elder asked.
"Yes," Brownie confirmed.
"Then it makes sense," the scarred Elder said, stroking his chin. "The ability likely has a long cooldown period. He may not be able to use it again for several years."
If a Devil Fruit's ability was too powerful, it had to come with extreme restrictions.
There was no doubt—this was an unprecedented ability.
One they couldn't afford to ignore.
"Spread this information," the long-haired Elder commanded.
"For the next few years, Ayr must die before he gets another chance to use this ability."
"Yes, sir!"
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