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Before they could celebrate, a sudden shout from a CPO operative shattered their confidence.
"H-he's recovering! Look at his wounds!"
All eyes turned toward Ayr.
His abdomen was supposed to bear the marks of Deros's blade, but there wasn't a single wound left. His clothes had been torn, but his body remained completely unharmed—pristine, as if he had never been cut in the first place.
In stark contrast, Deros, despite possessing the legendary regeneration of the Phoenix Zoan Devil Fruit, had not healed entirely. The slashes from Ayr's Demon Slayer—imbued with Armament Haki and Conqueror's Haki—had cut deep into his flesh, leaving injuries that even the Phoenix's fabled recovery couldn't instantly mend.
"H-how is this possible?! His regeneration is even stronger than Captain Deros's!"
"This is insane! The Phoenix Zoan is the most resilient Devil Fruit in the world! What kind of monster is he?!"
The CPO agents were visibly shaken. The sheer impossibility of what they were witnessing left them dumbfounded.
Deros, his breathing uneven, clenched his jaw. "What Devil Fruit did you eat?" he asked, his voice laced with suspicion.
Ayr's gaze remained calm. "Do I owe you an explanation?"
"Tch… I underestimated you," Deros muttered. His grip on his sword tightened.
But before he could resume his attack, a chilling voice cut through the battlefield.
"That's enough, Deros."
The battlefield fell silent.
The speaker was none other than the old man with the First Generation Kitetsu—one of the Five Elders.
Ayr narrowed his eyes. Things had just gotten worse.
When Ayr had used Conqueror's Haki earlier, the Five Elders had been surprised. But now that Ayr had demonstrated unnatural regeneration, the Elder had seen enough.
"There's no need for you to continue, Deros. This one… I will handle myself."
Deros immediately protested, "Lord Five Elders, the battle isn't over yet! Give me more time, and I'll—"
"No need," the Elder cut him off.
With a single movement, the old man slowly unsheathed his weapon.
The First Generation Kitetsu.
The moment it left its scabbard, a dark, eerie mist coiled around the blade—a manifestation of its cursed nature. A violent, oppressive aura filled the battlefield. The very air seemed to distort under its presence.
"Ghost Qi…" Ayr muttered, feeling a wave of suffocating pressure.
This was a level of killing intent that surpassed even Zoro's Asura state. Unlike Haki, Ghost Qi was a raw manifestation of one's battle-hardened spirit, capable of instilling hallucinations and paralyzing weaker foes.
Ayr's muscles tensed.
"This is bad…"
Where the hell are Whitebeard and the others?!
Ayr hadn't been fighting Deros just to win—he had deliberately dragged the battle out, creating as much chaos as possible in hopes of drawing his allies to him. But even after all this time, there was still no sign of Golden Lion, Whitebeard, or Big Mom.
The Elder made his move.
In an instant, he blurred forward.
Ayr barely had time to react. He tightened his grip on Demon Slayer, pouring all of his Haki into the blade.
"CLANG!!!"
The swords clashed, sending out a shockwave that tore through the battlefield. The very ground beneath them split apart, massive fissures rupturing the Holy Land Mariejois. Buildings trembled. Air pressure alone sent CPO agents flying.
Ayr gritted his teeth.
The sheer force of the Elder's attack felt like fighting Rocks D. Xebec himself!
"You're strong," the Elder admitted. "It's a shame you chose to oppose the World Government."
Ayr pushed back against the Elder's sword, sweat dripping down his forehead. "I don't see myself dying here."
The Elder let out a slow, cold laugh. "I've seen many arrogant men like you before. Some even had potential. But do you know what happened to them?"
Ayr remained silent.
"They're all dead," the Elder finished, his blade surging with power.
He lunged forward, his attack swift and decisive.
"SLASH WAVE!!!"
A sudden voice boomed from above.
A massive golden flying slash descended like divine judgment, splitting the earth.
The Elder instantly ceased his attack and leaped back.
"KRRRRKKKK!!!"
The force of the golden slash tore through the battlefield, leaving a deep, jagged trench where the Elder had just stood. The sheer destructive power left a gaping wound in the landscape of Mariejois.
From above, a familiar voice rang out.
"Jihahahaha!!! Took you long enough to get in trouble, Ayr!"
Ayr glanced up and exhaled in relief.
Golden Lion.
Hovering in the sky, clad in his signature coat and wielding his twin swords, Shiki grinned as smoke curled from his cigar. His golden hair swayed in the wind as his Devil Fruit abilities kept him afloat.
"You look pathetic, Ayr," Shiki taunted, laughing. "Getting beaten down by some old man?"
Ayr frowned. "Old man?"
Golden Lion genuinely didn't seem to recognize who he was fighting.
Ayr sighed. Of course.
The Five Elders never showed themselves publicly. Their influence operated from the shadows. It was no surprise that Shiki, despite being one of the most infamous pirates, had never actually seen one in person.
"Jihahaha! Whatever, let's just wipe this place out!" Golden Lion declared, his swords glowing with Haki.
Ayr smirked.
Now things were getting interesting.
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