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The New World, Kingdom of Dressrosa
The once-bustling harbour now lay silent and desolate. The battlefield still reeked of smoke, littered with bodies—most of them pirates, judging by their attire.
Thanks to Kanos Atlas's timely arrival, the Marines had been spared heavy casualties.
Marines moved back and forth, methodically tending to the aftermath.
Gion calmly issued one order after another, and the soldiers carried them out like a well-oiled machine, working with precision and efficiency.
Meanwhile, under Gion's firm insistence, Atlas was forced to remain in place. He stood there with visible boredom, watching the busy Marines and kingdom guards, occasionally lending a hand.
Suddenly, a curly-haired man in a kingdom guard uniform and a red cape came rushing toward them from a distance.
His expression was tense, his heavy breathing betraying his urgency.
"Commander Kyros!" a guard called out, quickly putting down what he was carrying to greet the man respectfully.
"What happened here? Where's the officer from the Big Mom Pirates?" Kyros asked, bewildered.
He had received a call from King Riku and rushed from his cottage in the flower fields—where he had been with his wife—weapon in hand.
He had expected the chaos of battle, cannon fire, and shouts, but from the looks of it, the fighting was already over.
"Ah, the battle's over!" Atlas, previously bored, perked up when he spotted Kyros. It wasn't often he met someone interesting, so he eagerly spoke up.
"Hm?" Kyros followed the voice and looked over to see a young Marine Commodore.
Atlas wore a pristine white suit, his sharply defined features carrying a calmness beyond his years.
He wasn't conventionally handsome, but in the strange and colourful world of One Piece, he was certainly pleasant to look at.
"And you are?"
"This is Marine Commodore Kanos Atlas!" a nearby guard quickly interjected.
"The battle ended so quickly thanks to him! Commodore Atlas was the one who defeated the Big Mom Pirates' officer!"
The guard's eyes shone with reverence. They had all witnessed how the Commodore had completely overwhelmed the so-called officer.
"Thank you so much for protecting the Kingdom of Dressrosa!" Kyros exclaimed, his body tense with emotion as he gave Atlas a deep, ninety-degree bow.
To Kyros, Dressrosa was everything—his wife, his unborn child, and the king he served were all here.
That was why his gratitude for the Marine who had saved them was immeasurable.
"Kyros?" Atlas studied the man with keen interest.
Whether from the statue in the Colosseum or from his memories, he knew this man's worth.
A few years from now, when Doflamingo took control of Dressrosa, Kyros would defeat one of his officers using nothing but his swordsmanship.
"I've heard of you. Would you be interested in joining the Marines?"
Atlas didn't bother with pleasantries—he saw Kyros as a man with immense potential, and his character and loyalty only added to his value.
"This…" Kyros was stunned. He hadn't expected this Marine to openly try recruiting the commander of the kingdom's guard right on the spot.
But part of him was tempted. Dressrosa was small, and his swordsmanship had reached a plateau.
This battle had made him realise the importance of strength more than ever. He had a wife and child to protect and a country he loved.
He didn't want to be in a position again where he had to rely on an enemy's mercy or wait for the Marines' arrival.
The Marines had made it this time—but what if they didn't next time? What if they abandoned them?
He didn't know what would happen, but he knew it would end in tragedy. Still, hesitation gripped him.
His wife was still pregnant, and the thought of leaving the land he cherished weighed heavily on his heart. His mind raced, his eyes flickering with indecision.
"I'll give you three days to think it over," Atlas said, reading his hesitation. "I'll be waiting for your answer here."
Then, his tone hardened. "But remember—strength always comes at a cost. A life of comfort is the graveyard of the strong."
Three days later…
Thanks to King Riku's warm hospitality, Atlas and Gion had enjoyed a relaxing three-day break. Now, it was time to set sail.
Standing on the deck beside Atlas was Kyros, no longer the commander of Dressrosa's guard.
When King Riku had learned of Atlas's recruitment attempt, he had complained for quite some time.
But he understood Kyros's wishes and chose not to stand in his way.
Kyros gazed at the receding shores with deep fondness, his mind replaying a conversation from three days earlier.
"Kyros, you are a hero. I don't want you to stop moving forward just because you feel tied down by me."
"Believe me—our child will be proud of you!"
When Kyros had returned home troubled, Scarlett had pressed him until he revealed his dilemma.
Their love story was a romance between a beauty and a hero.
At first, Scarlett had looked down on Kyros for his past as a gladiator in the blood-soaked Colosseum. But when he saved her from a group of pirates, she fell in love with him.
For her, the Kyros she loved was a man who pushed forward, not one who let himself be confined by the small world of Dressrosa.
And so, she fully supported his decision to join the Marines.
Boom!
A massive Sea King, over a thousand meters long, crashed into the ocean, sending colossal waves surging in all directions.
Its fearsome maw let out a deafening wail before crimson blood poured into the blue waters. The smell of iron filled the air.
Almost instantly, countless dark shapes surged from the depths, swarming over the carcass.
On the warship's deck, Gion stood with her arms crossed, her gaze fixed on Atlas's towering, god-like figure.
What a terrifying man. To take down a thousand-meter Sea King in mere moments. She could still remember when Atlas was just a recruit in boot camp.
To think he had reached this level now… Master Z's judgment was as sharp as ever.
"Hey, Vice Admiral Gion, the obstacle's been cleared. We can move on now…" Atlas said as he descended slowly onto the deck using Moonwalk.
"Little Kanos, that was incredible. An attack of that scale is beyond me. Your power is becoming more and more terrifying."
Gion let her arms fall to her sides, her fingers brushing the hilt of her blade, Konpira, with a teasing glint in her eyes.
Atlas chuckled without explaining. By now, his training in both physical prowess and Haki had turned him into a true powerhouse.
His Observation Haki was nearing its peak—just a step away from foreseeing the future—and its range rivalled that of Enel.
In both quality and quantity, his Armament Haki was closing in on the level of the seas' most seasoned warriors. However, he had yet to master the advanced technique of internal destruction.
As for his Conqueror's Haki, it had only awakened recently and remained in its infancy; imbuing it into his attacks was still a distant goal.
The Talismans were another matter entirely. The Ox Talisman's power continued to grow with him.
If Atlas's original strength was a "1," the Ox Talisman multiplied that base. In theory, its potential was limitless, but his current body could never endure the force required to shatter a planet.
The same limitations applied to the Rabbit Talisman. In the original tale, time travel demanded advanced technology—a feat far beyond Atlas's current reach.
Just as Kizaru's Glint-Glint Fruit required a strong body and sharp reflexes to handle light-speed movement, the warship pressed on toward its destination: Marine Base G-5.
Suddenly, the Marine in the crow's nest called out urgently, "Pirate ship spotted ahead! Based on their course, it looks like—"
He hesitated briefly, uncertainty in his voice, before finishing, "—I think they're heading straight for us!"
"All hands, prepare for battle! Lookout, get a clear read on the enemy!" Gion ordered calmly, unfazed by the news.
In any fight, information was the priority. You never knew what strange and dangerous Devil Fruit abilities an opponent might have. One careless mistake could cost your life.
"Reporting, Vice Admiral! The enemy is flying the flag of the Big Mom Pirates!"
"Looks like they're here for Charlotte Oven. I wonder who they sent," Kanos Atlas remarked, a spark of interest in his expression. He hoped it was Katakuri.
After spending so long in the New World and fighting countless battles, his strength had soared, reinforcing his belief that his past choices were the right ones.
The warship and pirate vessel soon came face-to-face. At the prow of the enemy ship stood the very man Atlas had anticipated:
Charlotte Linlin's second son, Charlotte Katakuri—the pride of the Charlotte Family.
Atlas took in the man's grim demeanour. Katakuri was tall and powerfully built, with short magenta hair, long legs, and a stitched scar on each cheek that only made his expression fiercer. A pink tattoo stretched from his left arm to his back.
A fluffy white scarf hid his face from the nose down. Black gloves covered his hands, and a spiked bracelet adorned his left arm. His style screamed punk, but his eyes were cold and locked onto Atlas.
"Marine. Where is Oven?"
Katakuri's deep, magnetic voice rumbled from behind the scarf. Beneath that icy tone was genuine concern for his brother.
The Big Mom Pirates were an unusual crew, bound together by blood. Charlotte Linlin trusted only in family, rarely accepting outsiders unless they married into it—like Capone Bege and Sanji had.
Of all her children, Katakuri was the most respected and beloved. Unlike Oven and others who prioritised the family's interests, Katakuri placed his siblings above all else.
He would never harm a sibling, even one who betrayed the crew. In many ways, he was the perfect man.
"You mean the pirate with the flame-shaped yellow hair?" Atlas smirked, taunting him. Katakuri's expression darkened.
"You're asking for death!" Katakuri roared. His Observation Haki had already revealed what Atlas was about to say, but knowing didn't make hearing it any easier.
He and his elder siblings had clung to each other for survival in the Big Mom Pirates' early days, forging a bond far deeper than most.
"Oh?" Atlas raised a brow. He hadn't expected Katakuri's Observation Haki to have reached the level of future sight.
He wondered just how far ahead Katakuri could see. Truly worthy of someone who awakened Haki at age three—his talent was nearly unmatched.
"Now, now, no need to get worked up. How about…" Atlas began, feigning sympathy as he regarded the furious Katakuri.
"How about I send you down to join him? Heh… hahahaha!"
As strange as it sounded, Atlas's "consolation" worked. Katakuri's rage subsided in an instant. His eyes grew shadowed, his aura turning cold and sharp—like a venomous snake, ready to strike from anywhere.
(T/N: Please give me some power stone, I hope it can at least reach top 100)
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