CHAPTER 38

Charlotte Linlin was stunned for a few seconds when she took in the destruction before her. Then, raising a brow slightly, she asked, "Ayr… Were you fighting with that brat, Silver Axe?"

Ayr glanced at Charlotte Linlin and let out a soft sigh. "No choice. That guy just wouldn't stop pestering me for a fight. I've never seen someone so eager to get beaten up."

"What about Silver Axe?" Whitebeard asked as he surveyed the surroundings. Ayr was standing alone, but there was no sign of Silver Axe.

"Probably lying in the sea."

Ayr had launched a Tailed Beast Bomb while in his Four-Tails cloak, unleashing an attack of devastating power. There was no way Silver Axe had emerged unscathed. Even if he had somehow survived the direct hit, he wouldn't be in good shape.

The entire Rocks Pirate Crew took a collective deep breath.

After all, Silver Axe wasn't just some ordinary fighter—he was one of the strongest cadres in the Rocks Pirates. He wasn't far from the main commanders in terms of power. And yet, Ayr, a relatively new recruit, had grown strong enough to defeat him?!

This… this was the very definition of a monster.

Many pirates aboard the ship prided themselves on their strength, calling themselves prodigies. But looking at Ayr, a chilling realization settled in—his growth made them feel insignificant.

A long silence stretched before the Golden Lion suddenly burst into laughter.

"Jihahahaha! You're a real freak, you know that? You've gotten so much stronger in such a short time!"

Ochoku narrowed his eyes and asked seriously, "Just what the hell have you been doing over the past few months? Your growth is completely abnormal."

His question echoed what was on everyone's minds.

No matter how talented someone was, no matter how much of a monster they were, this level of power growth defied all logic. Ayr had shattered the very limits of what they thought was possible.

They had seen prodigies before—warriors who improved at an astounding pace.

But Ayr was on a whole different level. His strength had skyrocketed at a rate so ridiculous that even the most hardened veterans of the Rocks Pirates couldn't comprehend it.

Hearing this, Ayr merely smiled.

"But then again… that brat Silver Axe…" John began. "You didn't actually kill him, did you?"

Ayr pointed toward the whirlpool in the sea, which had yet to fully dissipate. "Who knows? He might be alive."

The entire crew was left speechless.

It was one thing to defeat Silver Axe.

But Ayr wasn't even sure whether he had finished the fight completely?

Rocks stepped forward, glancing at John before giving his order. "Ochoku, go retrieve Silver Axe."

"Yes, Captain Rocks."

Without hesitation, Ochoku dived into the sea, heading toward the still-raging vortex in search of Silver Axe.

With that settled, Rocks turned his gaze back to Ayr. But instead of punishing him for fighting a fellow crew member, he simply grinned.

"Ayr, you've proven your strength." He took a step closer. "How about becoming a cadre in the Rocks Pirates? You've earned it."

In truth, Rocks had been considering this for months—ever since Ayr had gone up against Garp on Hachinosu and made such a spectacle of it.

However, he hadn't fully gauged Ayr's capabilities back then.

Now?

Ayr had single-handedly defeated Silver Axe, one of his top cadres. Not promoting him would be an insult to his strength.

"I'll follow the captain's orders," Ayr replied, a small smirk forming on his lips.

After all, becoming a cadre in the Rocks Pirates meant one thing—more spoils.

When the crew raided allied nations, the cadres took the biggest shares. More money, weapons, resources, and power.

There was no downside to this promotion.

As Ayr's words settled over the crew, the ship exploded with chatter.

"This is insane!"

"Ayr joined the crew just a few months ago, and now he's a cadre?!"

"I've been in the Rocks Pirates for years, and I'm still just a standard crew member… Meanwhile, Ayr's already leaped to the top."

"Well, think about it. He just crushed Silver Axe! Who else could take him on?"

"Yeah… Ayr's a complete monster. This promotion was inevitable."

Within the Rocks Pirates, Ayr was now known as the fastest-rising member in history.

Of course, this excluded Golden Lion, Whitebeard, and Linlin.

Unlike Ayr, they had been part of the crew since the early days—joining when Rocks was still establishing his name. Their strength had granted them immediate positions as cadres.

Ayr, on the other hand, had started from a lower rank and climbed to the top in just a few months.

Charlotte Linlin, tapping her fingers against the hilt of Napoleon, suddenly asked, "By the way, what about the ship of the Gertley Pirates? Did we retrieve the treasure?"

Ayr: "….."

"Uh… it might've sunk."

He scratched his head awkwardly, a wry smile creeping onto his face.

His Four-Tails form was massive—too massive. When he transformed, the sheer size and pressure of his chakra cloak alone had already torn the ship apart.

Then, he followed up with a full-powered Tailed Beast Bomb.

It was obvious what had happened to the treasure—it had been blown into the depths of the sea, lost forever.

"It's just some treasure. If it's gone, it's gone," Rocks said dismissively.

His tone made it clear—he didn't care about a few lost chests of gold.

Because he had gained something far more valuable—Ayr.

Ayr's talent was beyond his expectations. His growth was monstrous, his potential limitless.

Given time, once Ayr had fully matured into his strength…

He could be the key to making the Rocks Pirates the strongest force in the world.

With the allied kingdom's looting completed and Silver Axe salvaged from the sea, the battle officially came to an end.

And with it, the legend of Ayr continued to grow.

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