Ace stepped forward and offered a respectful bow. "It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Ayr!"
Blackbeard, standing beside him as a member of Whitebeard's Second Division, grinned as he spoke perhaps too freely for the occasion. "Lord Ayr! I've heard so many tales... You're a legend out there!"
Whitebeard glanced at Ayr, raising an eyebrow with mild curiosity. "Well? What do you think of these two?"
Though his tone was calm, his words carried an undeniable Haki subtle but commanding. The room quieted, all eyes drawn to Ayr. He paused, reading the atmosphere, his sharp gaze flicking between the two younger pirates.
Ayr finally broke the silence with a faint chuckle. "Ace is solid. Young, strong, maybe a little too impulsive but that's what makes him promising. Whitebeard, your crew's shaping up well."
Ace, flustered by Blackbeard's casual manner, turned to reprimand him. "Hey, Teach! Watch your mouth you're talking to someone who could crush islands!"
Whitebeard smacked Ace lightly on the head. "Calm down, brat. Don't get riled up over everything."
The brief commotion passed, but the tension lingered as Blackbeard's eyes twinkled with something more dangerous something hidden. Everyone in the room had felt it, though few could name it. Ambition.
Ayr noted it too but said nothing, merely observing.
Whitebeard let out a long breath. "He's not just strong, that one. He's got ambition." His voice carried an odd mixture of pride and apprehension.
Ayr's lips curled slightly. "You're not wrong. That one's dangerous though well-disguised."
Still playing humble, Blackbeard stepped forward and lowered his head slightly. "Lord Ayr, I heard a rumor. Is it true that... you're immortal?"
The room held its breath for a moment.
Ayr didn't flinch. "Thanks to the Op-Op Fruit, yes. I performed the eternal surgery on myself. No age, no death."
Blackbeard's eyes flickered, a strange gleam flashing across his face. But just as quickly, he masked it with awe. "Incredible! You really are everything the stories say."
Ace shot him a look. "Don't let your mouth run away again."
Whitebeard roared with laughter. "Gurarara! Looks like you've found yourself a fan, Ayr!"
Marco smirked from the side. "That's all he ever talks about these days."
Ayr shrugged it off. "I'm just another pirate on the sea."
Blackbeard was quick to correct him. "No, you're the pirate. The one who shook the world long before Marineford or the Yonko system. I've always admired your power."
He bowed again, too polite, too careful.
Whitebeard leaned back, sensing the moment pass. "Come on, don't just stand around. Drink!"
The younger ones Ace, Blackbeard, Marco took their leave, giving the old legends space. Whitebeard and Ayr remained at the table, sake flowing freely between them.
"You're not afraid others will come for you?" Whitebeard asked.
Ayr laughed. "Let them try. If someone wants to test my immortality, I'm right here."
Whitebeard chuckled, eyes twinkling. "As expected of you."
And though he said nothing more, Ayr caught it the subtle shift in Whitebeard's tone. He was worried, not for himself, but for what might follow in his absence. And Ayr understood.
This era wasn't ending quietly. It was only just beginning to roar.
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