Ayr gripped the blade tightly, his aura steadily rising.
With a swift motion, the blade cut through the air so fast and violently it seemed to tear the space itself. A chilling light flashed as a surge of sword energy exploded forward.
Boom!
The sword strike ripped through the earth, trees, and the air itself, carving a deep path a hundred meters long.
The force shook the surroundings, flattened, trees splintered, and a wide scar split across the landscape, reaching the horizon.
It was as if one swing could destroy the world.
Ayr looked at the scene before him and muttered, "The quality of a sword really does affect the power behind the strike."
If he had used a regular weapon, the sword energy wouldn't have been nearly as strong.
Now, holding a renowned blade, the difference was obvious.
If he ever managed to get his hands on one of the Great Grade swords—or better yet, a Supreme Grade—his strength would climb even further.
The thought made him more determined.
He would find an even better blade one day.
⸻x—————
The destruction caused by Ayr's swing didn't go unnoticed. Although the area was vast, Garp happened to be the closest Marine nearby.
He immediately dispatched a scout to check out the source of the disturbance.
When the scout returned, Garp raised an eyebrow. "Who caused all that noise?"
"Report, Colonel Garp. The damage was caused by a pirate named Ayr, bounty 100 million Berries. He's confirmed to be a member of the Rocks Pirates, according to reports from other Marine units."
Ayr had been spotted leaving the Rocks ship earlier, and Marines positioned across the island had been sharing key information through binoculars and signals.
That's how the scout knew he belonged to the Rocks crew.
"A Rocks member…?" one Marine nearby spoke nervously. "Should we report this to Colonel Sengoku? Our location could be at risk."
The scout shook his head. "Unlikely. From what I saw, Ayr seems to be… training. He hasn't noticed our presence."
If Ayr had detected Marines nearby, he wouldn't be slicing open the mountain. He'd be coming straight for them.
And so far, none of the other Rocks members had made a move—another sign that their position was still safe.
"Even so, shouldn't we notify Colonel Sengoku?" another Marine asked, clearly uneasy.
"No need," Garp said, cutting them off.
"Huh? But Colonel Garp—"
"Don't forget why we came here," Garp said, smiling. "We're here to gather intel on the Rocks Pirates. And now, one of them is right in front of us."
The others went quiet.
"If we can capture him, we'll know a lot more than just observing from a distance."
Garp still remembered Sengoku's orders—don't act without approval. But he also knew Sengoku too well.
If he reported this now, Sengoku would order a full retreat, no question.
To Garp, that would be a waste.
He was confident Ayr was alone and hadn't sensed their presence. His bounty was only 100 million Berries, nothing compared to the pirates Garp had already brought down in the past.
If not for his habit of disobeying orders and rising too fast, Garp might've been a rear admiral already. But he didn't care about titles.
He just wanted results.
"Colonel Garp, we understand your strength, but… if Sengoku finds out we didn't report this, we'll all get chewed out again," one Marine said cautiously.
"Yeah, Sengoku clearly told us—report everything."
"If I get scolded, so be it," Garp said, grinning. "If we catch this guy and get valuable intel on the Rocks crew, it'll be worth it."
His words made the other Marines pause. They exchanged uncertain glances.
Garp pressed further. "If we pull this off, HQ might even launch an operation to take down the Rocks Pirates, and we'll be the ones who made it possible."
There was a long silence… then one Marine stepped forward.
"You're right, Colonel Garp. We joined this mission to stop the Rocks Pirates. Let's do it."
"I agree! Even if it's risky, it's worth it for Marine justice."
"I don't care about promotions, but I won't pass up a chance to strike a blow against Rocks."
"Same here!"
"Count me in!"
"Me too!"
The Marines rallied behind Garp, fired up and ready.
Their mission had just taken a sharp turn, from recon… to capture.