The last time Whitebeard had seen Ayr was during the apocalyptic Battle of Mariejois, where the Celestial Dragons' dominion was almost shattered. Now, years later, they shared a drink not as enemies, but as men bonded by war, power, and something stranger—resurrection.
There was one thing that disturbed Whitebeard deeply—the Devil Fruit Ayr mentioned. A fruit that could resurrect the dead permanently. That kind of ability was far beyond any Paramecia or Mythical Zoan.
"I'll definitely help you with this, Ayr," Whitebeard said solemnly, placing his drink down. "But… if I'm right, you want to use this Devil Fruit to resurrect Rocks D. Xebec completely, don't you?"
Ayr didn't deny it. Instead, he smiled.
Whitebeard frowned. "Does such a Devil Fruit really exist? You've mastered forbidden powers like the Outsider Rinne Tensei Technique, and now you want to bring another Devil Fruit like that into the world? A fruit that can recreate life?"
He recalled the old tales in the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia. "The Huangquan Fruit—or as some called it, the Yellow Spring Fruit—it was considered a myth, a sea legend. A Devil Fruit capable of drawing a soul back from the underworld."
Ayr nodded. "That's the one."
Whitebeard had seen many strange powers in his time. Brook, the skeleton musician from the Straw Hats, was proof of what death-defying fruits could do. He had eaten the Yomi Yomi no Mi, and though his soul returned, his body had already decayed—leaving him trapped as a living skeleton. But Brook's return was delayed, and it cost him his flesh.
In contrast, Ayr's use of the Outsider Rinne Tensei Technique—akin to Edo Tensei in the shinobi world—could forcibly restore a body and bind a soul. But this resurrection wasn't permanent. It came at the cost of time. Those revived had one week before fading again.
Whitebeard leaned forward. "So you want the Yellow Spring Fruit to bring Rocks back fully? No rot, no decay, no timer?"
"Yes. My Rinne Tensei can't hold a soul forever. But with the Yellow Spring Fruit… we can retrieve Rocks' soul permanently. Not as a puppet, not as a remnant, but as himself."
Whitebeard rubbed his chin. "This fruit… I've only seen a brief mention in old texts. No one's ever been confirmed to have eaten it. Not even the Marines listed it in their archives."
"That's because it's never been consumed," Ayr said. "It's somewhere out there, unclaimed."
"But if someone has it now, and they die—"
"—Then it will respawn in the sea, like any other Devil Fruit," Ayr finished for him. "Which is why I'm already searching. But I want you to join the hunt."
Whitebeard laughed. "Gu la la la… Of all the people in the world, you choose me? I should be honored."
"There's no one else," Ayr replied. "You have the strength. The reach. And most importantly, the will to see this through."
Whitebeard remembered the time when Brook died and returned. His Devil Fruit only brought his soul back—not his body. That required another power. With Huangquan, the theory was different. It retraced the soul from the underworld and restored both mind and flesh, much like the Rinne Tensei, but without a time limit.
And, Ayr's ninjutsu—the Outsider Rinne Tensei—had limitations. It required chakra and concentration. It couldn't revive endlessly. Eventually, it burned out.
"Even with your current power, Ayr, there are things you can't do alone," Whitebeard said. "And finding this fruit… no one has succeeded in a hundred years."
"That's why I need more eyes on the sea," Ayr replied. "More ships. More territories. Your influence can make that happen."
Whitebeard smiled. "Fine. I'll help you. But let me be clear—I'm not doing this for Rocks. I just want to see if such a thing truly exists."
"I expected nothing less," Ayr said, raising his glass. "Let's drink to that."
The two downed their sake. Ayr wiped his mouth, then asked casually, "By the way, Edward… have you ever thought about why Brook remained loyal to Luffy, even after death?"
Whitebeard narrowed his eyes. "You mean… the spiritual effects of Devil Fruit resurrection?"
Ayr nodded. "Brook's soul was tied to his will—Luffy's dream. Similarly, those revived by Rinne Tensei seem to have their emotions bound, or even enhanced, toward the caster."
"You mean Rocks became loyal to you because of your technique?"
"Partially. But the Huangquan Fruit... it's said to enhance loyalty in those resurrected—turning even bitter enemies into devout followers."
Whitebeard let that settle in. "So you want Rocks back. But this time… under your command. As a king, not as a tyrant."
"Yes."
"And what about Brook?" Whitebeard asked suddenly. "He still holds the Yomi Yomi no Mi. It's similar to the Yellow Spring Fruit. You planning to kill him?"
Ayr's eyes flickered. "If that's the only way… then yes. I've already sent agents to the Devil's Tri-Sailboat in the Grand Line, where Brook travels. If he falls, his Devil Fruit might not be what I need—but the information could be."
Whitebeard sat back. "So you are that desperate."
"I am determined. There's a difference."
The sea had changed. In this world, where Celestial Dragons ruled from above and pirates raged below, only someone like Ayr could shift the balance.
Ayr intended to resurrect Rocks D. Xebec—not as a memory, not as a ghost, but as a living weapon, a general in his army.
Whitebeard stood up, the last of his drink in hand. "You've got the ambition of the Pirate King and the madness of Blackbeard. But unlike either, you're not chasing dreams. You're building them."
Ayr smiled. "Then help me finish this one."
Whitebeard chuckled. "Alright, Ayr. I'll lend my ships, my men, and my eyes to find this fruit. But don't make me regret it."
"You won't."
And so, the alliance between Ayr and Whitebeard was forged—not out of friendship, but out of mutual belief in impossible things.
Ayr would bring back Rocks.
And when he did, the world would tremble.
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