For once, Aramaki felt shame.
The pride, the ideals, the ambition he'd clung to so tightly now seemed laughable childish compared to what he had just witnessed.
A man like Ayr… he's what a real powerhouse looks like.
He couldn't stop thinking about it his defeat, his arrogance, his ignorance. All shattered in a single swing.
At that moment, Issho slowly stood back up. Though battered and bruised, he remained steady.
He limped forward, respectfully bowed, and said, "Thank you… for showing mercy, Mr. Ayr."
"Even if that was just a casual strike… you held back. You allowed me to survive. You really are the strongest man in the world."
Ayr simply gave a faint smile.
"You're a good man. It would be a shame for someone like you to die here."
"Train for a few more years. When you're ready come find me again."
If anyone else had said that, it would've sounded arrogant an unbearable condescension.
But from Ayr, it came with a quiet dignity. An earned authority.
Neither Issho nor Aramaki felt belittled. Instead, they were moved.
This man this warrior he chose to give them a second chance.
In truth, even being allowed to fight Ayr had been a gift. A test from the very peak of the world.
And now they understood something else.
Ayr hadn't even used his full strength.
It had only been a casual swing yet it nearly killed them both.
Aramaki clenched his fists. He could feel the heat behind his sunglasses… his eyes were wet.
This encounter had shaken him to his core.
Ayr… what an incredible man.
In that moment, Aramaki silently swore to change his life. No more arrogance. No more shallow ambition.
From now on, he would walk a path worthy of a man like Ayr.
Ayr looked over at them both, his tone light but serious.
"So… both of you want to be Marine Admirals?"
Aramaki nodded and replied respectfully, "Yes. Though after today… it feels impossible."
He glanced downward, ashamed.
But Ayr smiled.
"It's not impossible."
The two looked up sharply.
"Go to the Marines. Tell them you fought me and survived."
"If they have any sense, they'll consider you."
Issho's grip on his blade trembled. Even Aramaki's eyes went wide in disbelief.
Did he just say surviving his attack could qualify them to become Marine Admirals?
That kind of confidence... that kind of influence it was unreal.
But Aramaki quickly bowed deeply, this time with sincerity.
"Yes! Understood!"
There was no trace left of the arrogant man who once called himself strong. That façade had crumbled. This was a rebirth.
Issho, too, bowed deeply and turned to leave.
Ayr watched them walk away in silence, then turned his gaze to the calm sea and picked up his fishing rod again.
Those two… they're the kind of people who truly chase strength.
He knew they wouldn't just run to the Marines immediately. Not yet.
They'd challenge other masters. Test themselves. Walk through fire and earn their place.
If they didn't have that kind of heart, they wouldn't have made it this far.
With that thought, he smiled faintly and cast his line back into the ocean.
---
Marine Headquarters – Fleet Admiral's Office
A short while later, Fleet Admiral Kong received a report.
"Two young men went to challenge Ayr," the agent said. "But… they didn't die."
Kong leaned back in his chair, surprised.
"Hm… seems like the new generation is stronger than we thought."
Beside him, Sengoku adjusted his glasses and added, "It's said that Ayr told them 'If you can survive a blow from me, you're qualified to be a Marine Admiral.'"
The room fell silent.
For the Marines, it was a statement of power but also a quiet humiliation.
Even their highest title… was being weighed by a pirate.