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Ayr and the others had no intention of leaving Hive Island so soon.
Yet, as fate would have it, they ran directly into the Rocks Pirates' ship.
Even Rocks D. Xebec, the man who feared nothing, was momentarily stunned.
The sight before him was something he had never expected—Ayr, Whitebeard, Golden Lion, and Charlotte Linlin were not only alive but had returned with Kaido in tow.
For a split second, silence gripped the ship.
Then, Rocks let out a booming laugh.
"Hahahaha! Ayr! Edward! Shiki! Linlin! You lot never cease to amaze me!"
Even Rocks himself hadn't truly believed they would survive.
Golden Lion floated down from the tsunami, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.
"Captain Rocks, we went to Hive Island to bring Kaido back… but the price we paid was almost too much," he said solemnly.
After what they had endured, Golden Lion had made up his mind—if Rocks ever sent him on a mission again, there better be a damn good reward waiting.
This mission had pushed him closer to death than ever before.
If not for Ayr, who had unleashed terrifying power beyond imagination, they would have been corpses left to rot on Hive Island.
Having survived the impossible, Golden Lion wasted no time.
"Captain Rocks, I don't care what you say—if we're not getting a huge reward for this, it's outright robbery," he said bluntly.
"That's right," Charlotte Linlin added, her grin sharp. "We went through hell for this."
Rocks chuckled.
"Hahaha… Shiki, I already heard about Hive Island. Under those circumstances, you all completing the mission and returning alive is a miracle. Of course, I won't treat you unfairly!"
There was nothing more thrilling than finding hope in the face of despair.
These people were still alive.
And as long as they lived, his dream of ruling the world remained within reach.
Ayr's eyes narrowed.
"Then let's hear it, Captain. What's the reward?"
Rocks smirked.
"Two billion berries… and three Devil Fruits of your choosing."
At those words, even Ayr's eyes gleamed.
Sure, two billion berries was an enormous sum.
With that much money, one could theoretically buy more than three Devil Fruits at market price.
But in the world of pirates, Devil Fruits were priceless treasures.
Even if you had the money, finding one was never guaranteed.
And now?
Ayr had already obtained three Devil Fruits from the Hive Island auction.
With Rocks' reward, he would have six in total.
Six Devil Fruits… sacrificed to the Nine-Tails.
Ayr's mind raced. What kind of unparalleled power would awaken from this?
Golden Lion burst into laughter.
"Jihahaha! Now that's what I call a real reward!"
His anger from the Hive Island battle faded, replaced by excitement.
For him, the choice was obvious—the two billion berries.
He already had a Devil Fruit, so he had no need for another.
But the money? That was a different story.
Unlike the new generation, where money had lost much of its value due to massive inflation, in the old era, wealth held immense power.
With two billion berries, Golden Lion could secretly amass weapons, ships, and soldiers, laying the foundation for his own grand ambitions.
Just as the crew celebrated, a sneering voice cut through the air.
"Shiki! How the hell did you lot come back alive?!"
The voice belonged to Silver Axe.
His tone dripped with suspicion and hostility.
"You lot made some kind of deal with the Marines, didn't you?!"
A tense silence spread across the deck.
Silver Axe's words weren't just an insult.
They were an accusation of betrayal.
He couldn't believe that Golden Lion and the others had survived against the overwhelming Marine force.
If they weren't dead… then there was only one explanation.
They had joined the Marines.
That would mean they were now spies sent to keep tabs on the Rocks Pirates.
Golden Lion's eyes turned cold.
"Silver Axe… are you disappointed that we came back alive?"
His voice was sharp, almost mocking.
Silver Axe clicked his tongue. "Don't twist my words. We just want to know the truth—how the hell did you escape Hive Island?"
At that moment, John stepped forward, his eyes filled with a greedy glint.
Originally, when they assumed Golden Lion and the others had perished, John had expected to take a larger share of the loot.
But now?
They were alive… and had claimed even more treasure.
That didn't sit right with him.
"Shiki, what's the matter? You seem hesitant to explain yourself," John sneered. "Did you really sell us out?"
Then, Ochoku joined in.
"It's strange, isn't it?" he said with a smirk. "You lot should be dead… and yet here you are."
Golden Lion threw back his head and laughed.
"Jihahaha! You think I would ever side with the Marines? Don't make me laugh!"
He may not have been loyal to the Rocks crew, but he would sooner die than kneel to the Marines.
Because that was his pride.
Charlotte Linlin chuckled darkly.
"Idiots," she muttered, eyeing Silver Axe, John, and Ochoku. "The only reason we survived is because of Ayr."
Silver Axe's eyes narrowed.
"Ayr? What nonsense are you talking about? No matter how strong he is, there's no way he saved you all."
Golden Lion scoffed.
"How short-sighted can you be, Silver Axe? Did you forget how you lost to Ayr?"
A vein bulged in Silver Axe's forehead.
"You…!"
Golden Lion had struck a nerve. The defeat Ayr had dealt Silver Axe was a deep wound to his pride.
Before Silver Axe could retaliate, Rocks stepped forward.
His presence alone commanded silence.
"Enough."
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried the weight of absolute authority.
Everyone fell silent.
Rocks' sharp gaze fell on Whitebeard.
"Edward. What exactly happened on Hive Island?"
Whitebeard took a deep breath, crossing his arms.
"You've already heard that we faced a Marine force strong enough to crush an entire pirate fleet. We knew there was no escape. We were ready to die."
His voice was deep, filled with the weight of the battle.
"But then… Ayr made a choice."
Rocks raised an eyebrow. "What choice?"
Whitebeard exhaled slowly.
"Ayr used his Devil Fruit—an ability that can only be activated once in his lifetime."
The crew stiffened.
A one-time use ability?
Even Rocks' expression turned serious.
"And?"
Whitebeard's next words sent a chill through the crew.
"He didn't just fight against an Admiral. He fought against the combined forces of a Marine Admiral and the Fleet Admiral himself."
A heavy silence fell.
"And?" Rocks repeated, his voice now dangerously low.
Whitebeard's eyes sharpened.
"And he killed an Admiral."
At those words, even the most hardened pirates of the Rocks crew felt a shiver run down their spines.
Ayr had killed a Marine Admiral.
Suddenly, the impossible seemed all too real.
And Rocks D. Xebec… smiled.
Because he now knew—Ayr was a weapon of war.
And the world would soon learn to fear his name.
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