One piece: Without a system, I have to survive!

The dust settled, the smoke clearing, leaving behind a battlefield littered with debris and signs of devastation.

I could barely stand, my body screaming in protest, but I kept my eyes on the wreckage where Zephyr once stood.

Was it over?

I couldn't believe it. We had actually done it. We had taken down one of the strongest figures in the Navy. But the victory felt… hollow.

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Smoker was the first to move, his smoke form dissipating as he walked cautiously toward the clearing.

"Stay alert," he muttered, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of movement.

Selene and Shira were right behind him, looking just as battered but with a glimmer of relief in their eyes.

I stumbled forward, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle in my bones.

"Did we… do it?" I asked, voice shaky.

"I think so," Shira answered, her eyes narrowing as she studied the area. "But something feels off."

We had destroyed Zephyr's mechanical arm and shattered his energy shield. He should have been… gone.

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A low rumble echoed in the distance, causing us all to freeze.

It wasn't over.

"He's not dead…"

Smoker's voice was cold, his face grim.

The ground beneath our feet shook once again as the silhouette of Zephyr reappeared from the smoke.

But this time, he was different.

His body was heavily damaged—his arm was completely gone, replaced with a jagged, glowing core in its place. His face was scarred, his eyes burning with rage.

"You fools..." Zephyr's voice was low and menacing, tinged with hatred.

We backed up, the tension in the air thickening.

"You think you can defeat me?" Zephyr laughed bitterly. "I am the last of the Admirals, the last weapon of the Navy. You will not leave here alive."

His words sent a chill down my spine.

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I could feel it—the sheer intensity of his presence. He was more dangerous than ever. His wounds had only made him more determined.

"We need to finish this… now," I muttered under my breath.

But Smoker held up a hand, signaling for us to stay back. "This fight's not over yet. We still have a card to play."

I looked at him, confused. "What do you mean?"

Smoker pulled out a small, glowing device from his pocket.

"It's a remote trigger," he explained. "I planted this on him during the first wave of the fight. It's set to explode once I give the command."

I raised an eyebrow. "So, you're saying we just blow him up?"

Smoker nodded. "Exactly. But we need to be careful. He's unpredictable, and if we don't time it right—"

"I get it," I interrupted. "Let's do this."

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With our plan set, we began to make our move. The others created a distraction, attacking Zephyr from different angles to keep him occupied. Meanwhile, I stayed back with Smoker, waiting for the right moment.

Zephyr's rage-filled eyes locked onto Shira, and with a swing of his core, he sent her flying across the battlefield.

Selene, seeing the opening, darted forward, slashing at his exposed side. But Zephyr didn't flinch.

"You think I will fall so easily?" he sneered, grabbing Selene by the wrist and throwing her to the side.

My heart sank as I watched her hit the ground hard.

"Now, Smoker!" I shouted.

Smoker clicked the remote in his hand.

CLICK.

A blinding explosion erupted from within Zephyr's core, sending a shockwave through the battlefield.

Zephyr screamed, his body convulsing as the explosion tore through him.

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It seemed like the battle was finally over. Zephyr's form crumbled, his power flickering out as his body was consumed by the explosion.

But as the smoke cleared, I saw something that sent a chill down my spine.

Zephyr was still standing.

Barely.

His body was mangled, parts of his face burned and scarred, but the core was still glowing.

"You… you cannot stop me. I am the endgame. The weapon created for destruction…"

His words were slurred, barely audible, but we could all feel the last remnants of his power as he attempted to rise.

And then—

Silence.

Zephyr's body slumped to the ground.

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It was over.

But as I walked toward the fallen Admiral, I felt a sense of unease settle over me. There was something off about this whole battle, something I couldn't quite explain.

"Is it really over?" I muttered.

Smoker stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "We've won the battle, but there's more to this story. We need to find out what Zephyr was truly after."

I nodded, unsure of what to expect next. But one thing was clear—our journey was far from over.