Ayr slowly raised his gaze as Diamanti charged toward him, weapon in hand and eyes full of resolve.
"What kind of nameless insect dares challenge me?"
His voice was filled with disdain—bordering on divine fury. This wasn't just an attack—it was an offense to his supremacy.
In that instant, a violent surge erupted from his body—Conqueror's Haki, pure and unfiltered.
BOOM!
The moment his will was unleashed, it engulfed the entire island, like a tsunami of overwhelming power. The sky above split open, dark clouds scattered by the force of his Haki alone.
The sheer pressure shattered trees, cracked the ground, and made the air feel like molten lead.
Ayr's glare locked on Diamanti—his Haki condensed into black lightning that snaked through the air with a hiss—and then struck!
"ROLL!"
Ayr's voice thundered across the sky like a celestial cannon. It was not just a command—it was judgment.
Diamanti's body spasmed as if struck by a divine force. His eyes rolled back, foam bubbled at his lips, and within seconds—he collapsed, unconscious.
Even Doflamingo, a fellow Conqueror's Haki user, staggered backward. His head pounded as if his skull was about to burst.
He nearly blacked out.
His sunglasses slid slightly off his nose, revealing stunned eyes as he turned to survey the scene.
Almost his entire crew—knocked out.
Not with a fist.
Not with a technique.
But with a look.
How terrifying was Ayr?
Doflamingo froze. Cold sweat drenched his body, his muscles locked in place.
He knew— if he took one more step…
He would die.
His crew would die.
Everything—the kingdom he built, the underworld empire, the dream of becoming Pirate King—would turn to ashes.
At the breaking point, fear overpowered pride.
Even someone like Doflamingo—a man who had stared down Admirals and dared to manipulate celestial dragons—understood:
They were ants before Ayr.
Gritting his teeth, Doflamingo lifted Diamanti over his shoulder. His heart burned with rage and shame, but he turned away.
He gathered what few men were still conscious and retreated silently from the field of death.
They returned to their earlier vantage point—hidden in the cliffs, watching the battle unfold from afar.
Though his pride had been crushed, Doflamingo still had a goal.
He had to know who would end up with the Op-Op Fruit.
Time passed. Diamanti began to stir. He sat up groggily, blinking at the fractured sky and rubble around them.
"Young Master... you retreated?" His voice was laced with disbelief.
Doflamingo didn't answer. He just nodded quietly, eyes never leaving the battlefield.
Inside, a piece of his lifelong ambition shriveled and died.
---
On the main battlefield…
Of the original four Marine legends, only one was still in proper shape.
Garp—down, his body mangled, completely out of the fight.
Zephyr—still standing, but barely. One arm gone, blood trickling down his coat. His power had dropped below half.
Sengoku—exhausted. His golden Buddha form flickered as stamina faded.
Only Crane remained relatively uninjured—but she wasn't made for close combat. Her strength was in strategy, not brute force.
Together, their fighting power was shattered.
And they knew it.
They had failed to beat Ayr even when they were whole. Now, it was hopeless.
The four stood in silence. Wind howled between them.
Sengoku clenched his fists.
"We thought that if the four of us risked everything... we could stop him."
His voice cracked under the weight of defeat.
"But even if we gave our lives, all we could do was slow him down."
Zephyr, teeth gritted, his broken arm bound in cloth, spoke next.
"Crane… you have to run. Take the fruit and go. Sengoku and I will buy time."
There was steel in his eyes—willingness to die if it meant a slim hope.
But Crane slowly shook her head.
"No. That won't work."
She looked at them, sadness in her eyes.
"Three of you couldn't stop him before. Now… it's not even a contest."
They didn't want to hear it.
But deep down, they knew she was right.
Her voice softened.
"Sengoku. Zephyr. We… need to let it go."
Her tone was quiet—but final.
Something inside her—the hope, the belief in justice prevailing—was dying.
"You… what do you mean?"
Sengoku and Zephyr stared at her, shocked.
For the first time in decades… Crane looked defeated.
And that was more terrifying than any blow from Ayr.
{🥳 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!}