CHAPTER 26

"Wind Style: Rasenshuriken!!!"

As Ayr's voice echoed across the battlefield, an astonishing surge of energy flared from his hands.

First, a compact, swirling sphere formed, the size of his palm, spinning violently as its chakra composition stabilized. Then, four deadly blades of wind chakra extended outward, shaping the sphere into a menacing shuriken.

The air trembled around Ayr as he lifted the Rasenshuriken high. With each passing second, its size expanded, humming with an ominous, almost sentient energy.

The Marines watching from afar were frozen in disbelief.

"D-Damn… what the hell is this guy!?"

"The last attack was already terrifying enough… But this one… This one feels even worse!"

"There's no way! Colonel Garp can't win! This guy isn't human—he's a monster from the New World!"

"Damn it, what were the Marines in the New World even doing when they collected intelligence on this guy? Why does he only have a 100 million berry bounty!?"

It was Ayr's relatively low bounty that had initially convinced them Garp would handle him with ease. Because of that belief, they hadn't immediately reported the battle to Sengoku and the others.

But now, in the face of this overwhelming force, the truth was undeniable.

Ayr's bounty? A joke.

Ayr's power? Beyond reason.

A Marine intelligence failure of catastrophic proportions.

"Ayr!!!"

Garp roared, his body tensing.

The sheer destructive force radiating from the Rasenshuriken made him hesitate. His instincts screamed at him to retreat. The previous attack—the Super Big Ball Rasengan—had already pushed him to his limits. And now, this?

He was unsure if he could withstand another direct hit.

He clenched his fists. Should he dodge? Should he retreat?

No.

He was a Marine. He was Vice Admiral Garp. If he ran now, the fear of Ayr would haunt him forever. His conviction would be shattered.

He gritted his teeth. No matter what, he had to fight!

"BRING IT ON!" Garp bellowed, his gaze burning with unyielding determination.

Ayr's lips curled into a smirk.

"Then, take this," he said, his voice laced with amusement. "I hope you can survive, Garp."

Ayr surged forward, Rasenshuriken in hand, closing the distance in an instant.

At this point, his Wind Style: Rasenshuriken was still incomplete. It lacked the necessary mastery to be thrown—a technique that required Sage Mode. But even as a melee attack, its power was devastating.

It was, after all, an S-Class Ninjutsu!

Garp reacted instantly, his body moving on instinct. His entire frame was coated in a thick layer of Armament Haki, reinforcing every inch of his muscles. He clenched his fist and swung forward with all his might.

BOOM!!!

The collision between Garp's Haki-infused fist and Ayr's Rasenshuriken unleashed a cataclysmic explosion.

A massive white energy sphere erupted at the center of the battlefield, its shockwave rippling outward with enough force to shake the entire back mountain.

The tremors were so violent that they were felt across the island.

Even far away, figures of legend took notice.

---

Elsewhere on the Island

Rocks D. Xebec, Golden Lion Shiki, Whitebeard Edward Newgate, Charlotte Linlin, Silver Axe, Ochoku, and John—all notorious powerhouses—felt the overwhelming burst of energy and turned their attention to the back mountain.

"Hm? A battle?" Rocks raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Jihahaha! Someone's raising hell over there!" Golden Lion laughed as he floated above the island, peering toward the disturbance.

"The back mountain… is it one of our own? Or is there another strong opponent on this island?" Whitebeard mused, his expression serious.

"Oh? A fight in the back mountain? Maybe some of the crew had a little… disagreement." Charlotte Linlin chuckled, rubbing her chin.

Conflicts within the Rocks Pirates were common knowledge. The crew's elite members often fought amongst themselves.

"Back mountain, huh?" Silver Axe grinned, adjusting his weapon. "Might be fun to check it out."

"Let's go," Ochoku said, already moving.

John narrowed his eyes. "Could it be Marines…? That'd be a real pain."

One by one, they all set off toward the battlefield.

---

The Devastation

Back on the battlefield, the aftermath of the collision was apocalyptic.

The once-solid ground was now a cratered wasteland. A massive pit lay at the center, scorched black as if burned by intense heat.

For over 100 meters, the earth was torn apart, filled with countless deep fissures, some extending into unseen depths.

Dust and smoke filled the air, swirling alongside chunks of debris that rained down from the sky.

Even in the distance, several Marines lay lifeless. They had been caught in the Rasenshuriken's destructive radius, unable to escape its lethal reach.

The technique had claimed lives.

Shhhhhhhh…

The soft sound of shifting rubble broke the eerie silence.

Through the lingering smoke and dust, a figure slowly rose.

"…Still standing?"

Ayr arched an eyebrow as he gazed toward the crater.

Even though his Rasenshuriken was only a half-finished version, it was still an S-Class Ninjutsu.

Using it had drained nearly half of his stamina.

For Garp to still be standing… was monstrous.

"AYR!!!"

Garp emerged from the wreckage, bloodied but defiant.

His uniform was in tatters. Wounds covered his body, crimson staining his skin. Yet, despite his battered state, his eyes gleamed with unwavering resolve.

But the moment he took a step forward, his body faltered. He staggered, barely keeping himself upright.

The previous attack had pushed him to the brink. His body was screaming in pain. The only thing keeping him on his feet was sheer willpower.

Ayr remained calm, watching him with a neutral expression.

"Don't be stubborn, Garp." His voice was almost casual. "You're not my opponent."

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