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"Gurararara… The Marines are truly blessed. After the three monster admirals, they've managed to raise yet another monstrous rookie."
Whitebeard's gaze drifted over his carefree crew, a shadow of worry flashing in his eyes. Recently, he had begun to feel the creeping weight of age on his body.
He wondered if Marco and the others could still laugh so freely once he was gone. In the end, not even he could defy time forever.
He had thought about grooming a successor for the Whitebeard Pirates, but Marco's laid-back nature and lack of ambition made him unfit to bear the crew's burden after Whitebeard's death.
"Pops…" Marco noticed Whitebeard had fallen silent, and a faint unease stirred in his chest.
"Gurararara… Alright, let's have ourselves a feast!"
"Pops…"
New World — G-5 Base
The expansive training field was packed with off-duty Marines, forming a dense wall of spectators. At the centre stood only two men: Garp and Kanos Atlas.
Ever since witnessing Atlas's Flying Finger Gun: Detonation, Garp had been hooked.
He was certain Atlas wasn't a Devil Fruit user, which only made the mystery more enticing. Eventually, he pestered Atlas into agreeing to a sparring match, dragging him straight to the training grounds.
"Hey, who do you think will win? Vice Admiral Garp or Commodore Atlas?"
"Are you stupid? This is the Marine Hero we're talking about! He even cornered Gol D. Roger!"
"Still, Commodore Atlas isn't just some rookie. He beat Whitebeard's Jozu at such a young age."
"Whatever the case, most of our forces are already deployed to the New World. War could break out any day now…"
The crowd's chatter gradually shifted from the sparring match to the rising tensions in the New World.
They didn't know the exact orders, only that Marine forces seemed to be targeting the Emperors—Whitebeard among them.
"Hahahaha! Atlas! Let me see that special finger technique of yours!"
Without hesitation, Garp charged, both fists swinging with overwhelming force.
"Armament!"
Atlas's blood surged as his fists turned jet black with hardened Haki, the ominous red-black aura radiating crushing pressure.
Boom!
The impact split the ground with jagged cracks. Even though both men were holding back, the sheer force still tore up the training field.
"Looks like your strength and Haki have come a long way."
Garp grinned, clearly delighted. He had always admired prodigies of pure martial skill like Atlas. To the old generation, Devil Fruits were merely tools—true strength came from within.
Of course, they didn't reject Devil Fruits either. They were treasures of the sea, capable of changing a man's fate. But few were born with the monstrous physique of someone like Atlas.
"Everyone grows, old man Garp."
Atlas smirked, muscles tightening as black and red Haki engulfed his arms.
Iron Fist: Consecutive Punches!
A furious barrage rained down on Garp, each blow heavier than the last.
"Hahahaha! Good one!"
Garp laughed heartily, meeting every strike head-on. When Atlas's momentum began to wane, Garp lunged in and drove a powerful fist into his chest.
Though Atlas had reinforced himself with Haki, the blow still sent him flying dozens of meters.
His Haki was formidable in both quantity and quality, but fully coating his body weakened its overall density. Partial armament was still the most efficient defence.
"Hahahaha! Come on, show me that weird ability of yours!"
Without giving him a breather, Garp used Soru to close the distance in an instant.
"Ararara… Finger Gun: Detonation!"
A surge of explosive fire roared toward Garp, but he didn't dodge. His body gleamed with Haki, and an unshakable aura erupted from him.
Boom!
The explosion echoed across the field. When the smoke cleared, Garp emerged—uniform in tatters, hair curled from the heat—but completely unharmed.
Atlas's use of the Dragon Talisman was still limited. Against a top-tier fighter like Garp, it lacked the killing edge.
Garp's Haki was on a level few in the world could match.
"Not bad at all, kid! Now feel the love of my fists!"
With a wicked grin, Garp charged again, his punches tearing through the air with such force that the wind stung Atlas's skin.
"Ah!"
Atlas yelped as a blow landed square on his cheek. He rubbed the swelling away with the Horse Talisman's healing power, erasing the bruise instantly.
"Garp, are you hitting me because I ruined your clothes?" Atlas muttered.
"Hahahaha! No way! This is just the love of an old man for a promising brat! And besides—you've awakened Conqueror's Haki!"
Garp seemed both amused and intrigued. Atlas's recovery speed had noticeably improved since their last spar.
"About that Conqueror's thing… I still don't really get how to use it." Atlas scratched his head in frustration.
Since awakening it during his clash with Whitebeard, he had only managed a few unstable bursts. Controlling its direction—let alone infusing it into attacks—was still beyond him.
"Hahaha! You'll have to ask Sengoku. I don't have Conqueror's Haki myself." Garp shrugged like it didn't matter.
"Vice Admiral Garp! Vice Admiral Tsuru requests your presence! Commodore Atlas, you too!"
A Marine runner rushed in, breaking up the match.
"Tsuru, huh? What does she want now? Is Whitebeard stirring up trouble again?"
Garp muttered as he made his way toward Tsuru's strategy room, with Atlas following closely behind.
Bang!
"Tsuru! What's the matter?" Garp kicked the door open without hesitation, his voice booming into the room.
He and Tsuru had been comrades since their youth, so formalities like knocking had long been abandoned. Not that Garp was the type to knock in the first place.
"Sit down first." Vice Admiral Tsuru gave him a side glance before asking, "What happened to you?"
"Ah, just gave that kid Atlas a bit of guidance. Didn't bother changing." Garp replied lazily, even picking his nose like it was nothing.
Atlas trailed in awkwardly—he was, after all, the one responsible for destroying Garp's clothes.
"Hello, Atlas-kun! We meet again!" A crisp, pleasant voice suddenly called out. From behind, Garp stepped aside to reveal a familiar figure.
"Vice Admiral Gion?" Atlas blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected Gion to be sent to the New World so soon. If she was here, the situation must be escalating fast.
"You two know each other?" Tsuru asked, turning to Gion with curiosity. As her elder, she had always taken an interest in Gion's personal affairs… though Atlas might be a little young.
"I served as a sword instructor at HQ's recruit camp for a time. That's where I met Atlas—he left quite the impression," Gion said with a gentle smile.
"Hahaha! If you know each other, no need for introductions."
Tsuru's tone grew more serious. "I called you both here for two reasons. Sengoku just sent new orders—there are changes to our deployment in the New World."
"Aokiji and Tokikake will be joining us soon. The war is accelerating, and we must be ready."
"Also, keep a close watch on Whitebeard, Big Mom, and Kaido. Be prepared to respond at any time. As for that so-called Pirate Alliance—leave them alone for now. Let them preserve their strength."
Tsuru casually lifted a steaming cup of tea from her desk, took a sip, and continued,
"These past few months, our operations against the Whitebeard Pirates have convinced them we're determined to wipe them out. That has stirred up some very restless characters."
"Ah, I get it." Garp's expression grew noticeably more serious. Though carefree by nature, he knew when to draw the line.
If the Marines suffered losses because of his carelessness, it would be a betrayal of the justice he upheld.
"So, what's the second matter?" Garp asked, timing his question perfectly.
Atlas perked up as well—since the first issue was clearly for Garp, the second was likely about him.
"It's like this," Tsuru began. "King Riku of Dressrosa has requested aid from the Marines."
"Requested aid? Dressrosa's military should be more than capable of handling ordinary pirates."
Garp frowned. Dressrosa was a well-established New World nation—it wouldn't have a weak standing army.
"According to King Riku's report, a high-ranking officer from the Big Mom Pirates intends to turn Dressrosa into a dessert production island—exclusively to supply sweets for Big Mom.
"Given Dressrosa's fame as a land of food and music, it's an obvious target. The officer's exact identity is still unknown."
Tsuru then turned to Atlas. "That's why I want you to go to Dressrosa and assess the situation. As a member nation of the World Government, we are obligated to help them repel pirate invasions.
"Besides, we can't allow the Big Mom Pirates to expand their territory unchecked."
"Alright, leave it to me. I've always wanted to see Dressrosa. I'll treat it like a little vacation," Atlas replied with a calm smile.
Aside from Katakuri, the rest of the Big Mom commanders didn't concern him much. As for Big Mom herself, he figured she was still busy giving birth.
Before the age of sixty, Charlotte Linlin was either giving birth or preparing for it. Her strength seemed to grow naturally with age—she could be considered the most innately gifted pirate in the world.
"Oh, and one more thing," Tsuru added. "I want Gion to accompany you to Dressrosa.
"There likely won't be any major battles soon, but in case you encounter someone troublesome, it's best to have backup."
New World, Totto Land – Offshore of Toast Island
The sea lay calm and peaceful, yet carried a strange, whimsical atmosphere.
The air was thick with a sugary fragrance, and the island's buildings were shaped like all manner of fantastical foods, as though lifted straight from a fairy tale.
At the port stood a man whose hair faded from orange to crimson, styled like three jagged blades of fire.
He wore no shirt, exposing a set of muscular abs, with a yellow cloak draped over his back. His gloves and shoes matched the same orange tone as the rest of his attire.
This was Charlotte Oven, Big Mom's fourth son, and one of the triplets alongside Katakuri and Daifuku. Big Mom's ability to give birth was truly fearsome—most of her children came in pairs or triplets.
Oven's target this time was Dressrosa.
He'd heard its desserts were exceptional, so he decided to seize the island both to celebrate the birth of yet another sibling and to expand the family's domain.
As one of Big Mom's elder sons, Oven's loyalty to the family ran deep. He valued kinship greatly—but only when that kinship remained loyal to the Charlotte name.
Though the Big Mom Pirates were one of the dominant powers in the New World, the region wasn't ruled solely by pirates.
Alongside Marine bases, several nations—both allied and unaffiliated with the World Government—held their own territories.
Of course, unaffiliated nations rarely survived here without protection. Unless they were exceptionally powerful—like Elbaf, the Giant Kingdom—most had no choice but to seek shelter under the banner of a great pirate to endure in the New World.
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