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By the time Aokiji and Kanos Atlas reached the Totto Land archipelago, the clash between the Big Mom Pirates and the Pirate Alliance was already in full, blazing swing.
The entire archipelago thundered with the roar of cannon fire and the screams of battle. Smoke choked the skies, while the sea below was stained red with blood.
From the overall situation, it was clear that the Pirate Alliance was being completely overwhelmed by the Big Mom Pirates.
Big Mom alone—despite having just given birth—was more than they could handle. Yermak and Francis, tasked with holding her off, were suffering miserably.
They were nearly powerless before her. Her "Iron Balloon" physique left them helpless, and the wide-area devastation wrought by her two great Homies only worsened their plight.
What a crazy old hag! Yermak cursed inwardly. Big Mom spared no thought for her forces, unleashing lightning and fire with wild abandon. Her attacks slaughtered Pirate Alliance members in droves—and caught plenty of her troops in the carnage.
Not that she cared. To her, soldiers were just Homies to be replaced at will. Human life had never mattered to her in the slightest.
"Arara~ Looks like I've arrived at a bad time." As the battle raged at its fiercest, Aokiji's warship suddenly slid into the warzone.
"Uh, please, carry on. I won't disturb you," he said with an awkward smile, arms crossed as he surveyed the stunned pirates from the deck.
"Mamamama! The Marines are here, too? How interesting! Now listen up, little bugs—taste my fists! Thunderfire Assault!"
Bloodlust blazing, Big Mom ignored the solemn-faced Aokiji. Lightning and fire wrapped around her fists as she burst forward with speed that defied her massive frame, appearing before Yermak and Francis in an instant!
Boom!
The terrifying fusion of thunder and flame exploded toward the two captains. Yermak barely had time to turn into his elemental form—not that it mattered.
The attack's range was far too great to escape. In a single strike, she had nearly beaten them half to death.
Francis, however, endured. His Ancient Zoan hide and regeneration allowed him to recover quickly.
"Ice Age!"
Aokiji seized the opening. With a single breath of icy air, a vast stretch of the sea—and every pirate upon it—froze solid in an instant.
Of course, despite his earlier words, he had no intention of watching from the sidelines. Both pirate forces were already exhausted. The time for the hunt had come.
"Hey! Marine! This is our war—are you looking to die?" Big Mom snarled, her predatory eyes locking onto him.
"Arara, my sincerest apologies, ma'am… but this is my justice! Ice Sabre!"
A slender blade of ice formed in his hand, and he hurled it straight at Big Mom's face.
This is our chance!
Yermak and Francis exchanged a glance and silently broke away from the battlefield. Most of their men were already dead, and they had gravely underestimated Big Mom's strength.
Katakuri was utterly dominating Blood Scythe, who looked ready to fall. Klaus, though holding the advantage, was surrounded by several of Big Mom's children and had no path to escape.
Retreat had already been on their minds. With Aokiji taking Big Mom's attention, they knew if they didn't flee now, they'd be leaving their bones in Totto Land forever.
"Arara, looks like we Marines will be taking over from here," Aokiji said, glancing at the fleeing captains without moving to stop them.
"Ice Ball!"
"Sorry—no pirates allowed past this point!"
Atlas's medium-sized Marine warship blocked their path. His sharp Observation Haki had tracked them effortlessly.
"A Marine? A Commodore?" Yermak sneered, even in retreat. He didn't believe a mere Commodore could threaten him.
Francis, equally displeased, frowned. Why would the Marines send someone of such rank to a battle of this scale? He had been waiting for an opening to backstab Yermak, but the Commodore's appearance ruined his plans.
Not that Francis cared about the Marine's safety—he was prepared to let him die.
"Blast Finger Pistol!"
Atlas didn't waste time. He fired an explosive burst of flame straight at Yermak!
Boom!
The blast passed clean through Yermak's elemental body and struck the sea behind him, sending water geysering into the air.
Reverting to his human form, Yermak's expression darkened. The earlier ease was gone—he had felt the attack's terrifying power. This Marine was no ordinary fodder.
"How interesting. Francis, it seems we'll have to work together again! What are you—?!"
Yermak froze. Francis was walking straight toward the Marine ship, completely lowering his guard. Even more shocking, Atlas didn't stop him, as if he weren't even an enemy.
Hey, hey, hey! Didn't you say no pirates allowed? Are you blind? Don't you see this giant walking right past you?!
"Damn it… that bastard Francis is an undercover agent!" The pieces fell into place in Yermak's mind. Remembering how Francis had stirred up this war, he finally understood.
"So this was all a Marine scheme? Hmph-heh-ha! Sengoku truly lives up to his name as 'The Strategist'!"
Yermak's face twisted into an ugly smile, a mix of anger and resignation. He felt like a mouse being toyed with by a cat.
"My apologies, Mr. Yermak—pirate with a 700 million Berry bounty… You piece of sea trash."
Atlas's voice was cold as he regarded the flamboyantly dressed pirate.
"You know too much. I'm afraid you'll have to die."
At this point in history, bounties weren't inflated like they would be a decade later, when Luffy set sail and currency value plummeted.
A 700 million bounty was the mark of a truly formidable pirate.
"Hmph-heh-hahaha! Such a boastful brat!"
Though he had glimpsed Atlas's strength, Yermak's pride as a great pirate would not allow him to yield without a fight.
"Thundercloud: Descent!" Yermak let out a savage laugh.
A mass of dark clouds gathered overhead, lightning crackling within. Without warning, a massive pillar of lightning roared down from the heavens, aimed straight at Atlas's head.
Boom!
The blinding electrical force swallowed Atlas whole. Yet Yermak showed no joy—he knew this man would not fall so easily.
"Hmm? That was refreshing. Been a while since I had a proper stretch."
When the lightning faded, Atlas stood unscathed, his body sheathed in a dense layer of Armament Haki.
The top half of his uniform had been burned away by the intense heat, revealing a physique like forged steel beneath.
Atlas twisted his neck, loud cracks echoing from his bones. To his mild surprise, the baptism of lightning had slightly enhanced his physique—though the gain was almost negligible.
"My turn." Atlas flexed, then exploded forward.
The sea beneath him caved in under the force, and in the blink of an eye, he appeared before Yermak.
"Armament: Shatter!"
His right arm swelled with raw power, friction against the air igniting fiery sparks along his skin.
"Cloud Shield: Armament!"
Almost instantly, a massive wall of clouds solidified with Armament Haki appeared before Yermak.
Clang!
The impact felt strange—firm yet yielding—lacking the sharp ring of metal-on-metal typical of Haki clashes. The shield's flexibility absorbed nearly a third of Atlas's force, while the rest was blocked by its hardened surface.
"Heh! I ate the Logia-type Cloud-Cloud Fruit. I'm a Cloud Man! My Cloud Shield blends the softness of clouds with the hardness of Armament. You'll never break it!" Yermak said smugly.
Like many pirates, he couldn't resist boasting about his abilities mid-battle.
"Is that so?" Atlas replied flatly. In the same instant, he drove more power into his punch, activating the explosive might of the Dragon Talisman.
Flames erupted from his fist.
BOOM!
"Hah… that's better." Atlas exhaled as Yermak was sent flying.
In the distance, Yermak managed to steady himself. Looking down at his tattered gentleman's suit, a nameless fury burned within him.
"Hey, hey, hey… You've done it now, Marine!"
A thick fog surged from the sea. An enormous mass of clouds—like a floating white continent—lifted Yermak high into the air.
From it, massive tendrils of cloud wrapped around Atlas, tightening like the grip of a colossal hand.
Bang!
A burst of flame tore a gaping hole in the prison of clouds, but under Yermak's control, it sealed itself almost instantly.
Seeing this, Atlas used Moon Walk and Razor to break free in an instant.
"Blast Finger Pistol: Gatling!"
A fierce glint flashed in Atlas's eyes as he unleashed a storm of explosive, Haki-infused bullets from his index finger, firing them in a relentless barrage.
Yermak reacted without hesitation. Thick clouds coiled around his arms, hardened with Armament, forming two massive black fists that slammed into the incoming barrage.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A chain of explosions erupted, a shockwave blasting outward with Yermak at its centre.
Atlas seized the moment, diving into the smoke. His form began to shift—shrinking to a leaner, two-meter frame. His Haki deepened, intricate markings spread across his torso, and two tear-like streaks ran from his eyes down to his neck.
Life Return: Armament—Paper Arts Martial Body!
Unlike the "War God Body," which emphasised raw strength perfect for the Ox Talisman's power, this form prioritised speed, agility, and razor-sharp reactions.
"Serpent Dance!"
Yermak's Observation Haki had already locked onto Atlas's approach. A swarm of massive cloud serpents surged forward, faintly coated in Armament, aiming to snare him.
Is my Observation Haki just for decoration? Atlas's eyes narrowed, a deep crimson glow flooding them as he pushed his Observation Haki to the limit.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Empowered by his Paper Arts Martial Body, Atlas slipped past every serpent with flawless precision.
Since his battle with Katakuri, the range of his Observation Haki hadn't grown, but its accuracy had sharpened to a razor's edge.
"Blast Axe!"
Atlas burst through the clouds, now hovering high above Yermak. His right leg rose high like a drawn bow before he brought it crashing down, wreathed in explosive flames.
BANG!
Even though Yermak summoned a cloud wall at the last moment, he was still smashed from the sky by the devastating force.
Thump!
A dull crash echoed as Yermak avoided falling into the sea, saved only by the floating cloud platform he had created earlier to ensnare Atlas.
(T/N: Please give me some power stone, I hope it can at least reach top 100)
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