"Surrender, kid, or I won't be merciful."
Garp cracked his knuckles with a confident smirk, his towering figure exuding raw strength.
Ayr, however, merely laughed.
"Do you think I'm an idiot?"
Garp's grin widened. "Then you intend to resist? Fine, no need for words—fire!"
At his command, the Marines behind him raised their weapons.
"Boom! Bang! Bang!!!"
Dozens of rifles fired simultaneously, a storm of lead tearing through the air toward Ayr.
The sheer number of bullets darkened the space before him, a deadly barrage that should have been impossible to evade unscathed.
But Ayr didn't move.
He didn't raise his sword.
He didn't coat himself in Armament Haki.
He didn't even attempt to dodge.
He simply stood there.
Garp watched with mild amusement. "I thought you were strong, but it looks like you're just too slow to react."
His laughter was cut short in the next instant.
His eyes widened, the amusement replaced by something rare—seriousness.
The bullets struck Ayr's body—hundreds of them—but not a single one pierced his skin.
Instead, the bullets flattened upon impact, as if colliding with an indestructible surface, then fell harmlessly to the ground.
It was as if they had struck diamond.
Ayr stood completely unharmed.
This was the power of his Sage Body, which had reached its mid-term state.
His physical durability had increased to a near-unbelievable level.
Even if Ayr used Armament Haki and slashed his own wrist with his own blade, the most it would leave was a tiny crack.
What could mere bullets possibly do to him?
"I-Impossible!"
"It didn't work? Not even a scratch?"
"He didn't even use Armament Haki! He stopped our bullets with just his body!"
"What the hell is this guy's physique? Is he even human?!"
The Marines were frozen in shock.
For them, firearms were the ultimate weapon.
They believed that as long as an opponent wasn't using Haki, they could be taken down with sheer firepower.
But now, they were witnessing something that shattered that belief completely.
Their strongest weapon had done nothing.
Not a dent. Not a wound.
Ayr didn't even flinch.
Garp exhaled sharply, then let out a chuckle.
"Rocks… Are all your crew monsters like this?"
His grin widened, his battle instinct flaring to life.
"I'm getting excited!"
With a swift motion, Garp shrugged off his Justice cloak, letting it fall to the ground. His muscles flexed as he rolled his shoulders.
He had thought capturing Ayr would be simple—just another pirate with a 100 million bounty.
But now, he realized this wouldn't be easy.
And that made him thrilled.
Because if there was one thing Monkey D. Garp loved…
It was fighting the strong.
"You all, stand back."
At his command, the Marines stepped away, knowing better than to interfere.
"Alright, brat—let's get started!"
The moment he spoke, Garp's foot smashed into the ground, propelling him forward with explosive speed.
He was a blur—faster than any Marine should be at this age.
In an instant, he was upon Ayr.
His fist shot forward, coated in thick Armament Haki, carrying the force of a cannon blast.
If there was one thing that defined Garp's legend, it was his fists.
He had no interest in swords.
No interest in Devil Fruits.
To him, only raw strength mattered.
Even in his youth, his fists were already being forged into weapons of absolute destruction.
And it was those same fists that would one day earn him the title—Garp the Fist.
The sheer pressure from his incoming punch cracked the ground beneath him.
If it landed clean, even Ayr's durability wouldn't protect him completely.
But Ayr wasn't idle.
His blade was already moving, coated in his own Armament Haki, and slashed directly toward Garp's incoming strike.
"BANG!!!"
The clash shook the air, sending a shockwave roaring outward.
The sheer force of their collision cracked the earth further, the terrain collapsing several meters deep in an instant.
Both of them stood their ground, neither giving an inch.
The raw power radiating from their clash was like two ancient beasts roaring at each other.
Neither had held back.
Neither had hesitated.
This was a direct clash of strength.
Garp grinned. "It's been a long time since someone could take my Iron Fist head-on."
The thrill in his voice was unmistakable.
He had joined the Marines not just out of justice, but because he lived for battles like this.
Titles, promotions, orders—none of that mattered.
What mattered was facing strong opponents.
And Ayr, right now, was one of them.
Ayr's grip on his sword tightened.
So this is the man who will one day be called a Marine Hero.
His Haki-infused blade could cut through mountains, carving deep into the earth like slicing butter.
But Garp had blocked it.
He could feel it—Garp's strength wasn't normal.
And yet…
Despite the even clash at first…
Ayr's pressure kept increasing.
His strength, his momentum—it kept building.
And after half a minute, the balance finally broke.
Garp's feet slid back.
Then—
"Tch…!"
Garp was pushed back.
Ayr's sword had won the exchange.
Silence.
The Marines watching from a distance were frozen in disbelief.
"T-This can't be real…!
"Colonel Garp… lost in strength?!"
"No way! Colonel Garp's strongest trait is his raw power! Even Colonel Sengoku isn't as physically strong as him!"
"And yet… this pirate, with just a 100 million bounty, is stronger than Garp?!"
"Who the hell is this guy? Is he a commander of the Rocks Pirates?!"
Every Marine present was shaken.
Garp was one of the four prodigies of Marine Headquarters.
Among his peers, none could surpass him in physical power.
His fists were legendary.
His strength alone had put him above countless Marines of his generation.
And yet…
Against this man…
He had been forced back.
—