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Year 1509 of the Sea Circle Calendar. Marine G-5 Base, Strategy Office.
The office was empty, stripped of unnecessary decorations, and far from the grand conference hall one might expect of Marine top brass.
Behind the desk sat the great staff officer of Marine Headquarters—Vice Admiral Tsuru.
The legendary Marine, her sharp eyes glinting with wisdom, was carefully sizing up Kanos Atlas, who sat across from her in the guest chair.
Vice Admiral Tsuru was deeply pleased with Atlas.
She had dedicated her entire life to justice—growing from a graceful young woman into a white-haired elder. To see another remarkable young man rise to become a pillar of the Marines, following in the footsteps of the three "Monster" Vice Admirals, filled her with genuine pride.
"Vice Admiral Tsuru, did you call me here to assign me a mission?" Atlas asked. He had just accepted a task and was about to depart when Gion stopped him on his way to the port. He was still thoroughly confused.
"Don't be so hasty, Atlas. Tell me—what are your thoughts on the current situation in the New World?"
Tsuru ignored his question, instead posing a far broader one, which caught Atlas slightly off guard.
After a moment's thought, Atlas answered slowly but firmly. "At present, the pirate forces in the New World are dominated by the so-called Emperors of the Sea. Any other pirates who enter must either join one of those three crews or be crushed by them or by us Marines."
"After the great reshuffle in the New World, we seized control of the former Pirate Alliance's territory and struck a heavy blow against the Whitebeard and Big Mom Pirates. In truth, we've come out as the greatest winners."
"Still, this situation carries serious risks. First, it forces weaker pirates to band together under the Emperors, swelling their ranks. For pirates, there's no shame in joining if you can't win."
"Second, the World Government…" Atlas touched on a dangerous subject. Tsuru's expression remained composed, and she gestured for him to continue.
"Our Marine power is stronger than ever. We've always held the firmest grip over the first half of the Grand Line, where Marineford lies. Until now, only the New World was pirate-dominated. But with us establishing a foothold there, the World Government will surely grow wary of our strength."
Strictly speaking, Atlas had already drawn a line between the Marines and the World Government.
If the Five Elders ever heard him speak this way, they would certainly become suspicious. After all, the Marines were the Government's military arm—they could never be allowed to drift too far.
"So, the Five Elders are seeking candidates for the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Since its creation, the only Warlord had been the one you threw into Impel Down. Now, they seek to restore balance," Tsuru said slowly.
No Marine with a true sense of justice enjoyed being bound by the World Government—especially under the whims of those arrogant Celestial Dragons.
Even Garp had publicly called the Dragons "trash" more than once.
Yet, the Marines' very existence depended on Government funding. Without it, they could not operate for long.
"Enough," Tsuru said, bringing the matter to a close. "Let Sengoku and the others worry about clashing with the Government. I summoned you mainly because your transfer orders have arrived from Headquarters."
"As you know, the New World has largely stabilised. The three Emperor crews have each suffered losses and won't be waging large-scale wars anytime soon. Thus, Headquarters intends to withdraw some forces back to Marineford."
"And…" Tsuru studied Atlas's perfectly upright posture, her lips curving into a smile. "You've earned more than enough merit. It's time for you, along with Tokikake and Gion, to return and be promoted to Vice Admiral."
"Vice Admiral?" Atlas had suspected this outcome.
His achievements had long exceeded the requirements, but his youth and lack of seniority had held him back. That was why he hadn't been promoted directly from Commodore a year earlier.
Over the past year, however, he had been fighting nonstop. The merits he accumulated more than compensated for his lack of seniority.
"The warship is ready for you. Go back, prepare yourself, and head straight to Headquarters."
Aboard the warship…
"Oi, oi! Are we really this unlucky? To run into weather like this!" Tokikake complained, his face twisting at the massive storm ahead.
Though he was prepared for the New World's bizarre climate, he had finally gotten the chance to be "alone" with the goddess of his heart, only for a storm to ruin it.
"Helmsman, prepare! Navigator, change course and steer clear of the storm! If we're caught in it, the entire ship will be lost!"
Gion seized the opportunity to issue crisp orders—while also escaping Tokikake's relentless attempts at flirting.
"Reporting, Rear Admiral Gion! The storm is too close—we don't have time to avoid it! Our only option is to minimise damage and ensure we make it to Marineford safely!" the navigator shouted as he rushed from the cabin.
"I'll take care of it. We can't let the ship get damaged, or Admiral Sengoku will be nagging again…"
Atlas, who had been leaning calmly against the railing with his eyes shut, finally opened his mouth. He turned to the navigator.
"You focus on steering. Just keep the helm steady."
"Yes, Commodore Atlas!" The navigator saluted and darted back to the cabin.
The moment he disappeared, Atlas turned his back to the others—then suddenly leapt off the warship!
"Hey! Little Kanos, what are you doing?!" Gion exclaimed, baffled. She couldn't connect his words with his reckless action.
"Just watch, Rear Admiral Gion!" Atlas replied without explanation.
His muscles swelled, his body surging as he invoked the full height of his Life Return technique. In an instant, he towered eight meters tall—the maximum form he could achieve, fused with the power of the Ox Talisman. This was his purest state of raw strength!
"Impact: Blast!"
Atlas pressed both hands against the warship. Explosive flames roared from his feet, merging overwhelming strength with violent propulsion.
And before the stunned eyes of the entire crew, the Marine warship was driven forward at breathtaking speed—pushed across the sea by Atlas's bare hands!
"Is… is this some kind of joke!?"
"Is this Commodore Atlas's power? He pushed a warship with his bare hands!"
"Hey, hey! He's doing this out at sea, where there's no leverage! That's even more terrifying than just pushing it on land!"
"Even if our ship is only medium-sized, this display of strength is way too exaggerated!"
Under Atlas's steady push, the warship drifted out of the storm's centre, carrying the crew away from certain doom. Even after reaching safety, they were still shaken by what they had just witnessed.
"Alright, don't just stand around gawking. Get back to your duties!" Tokikake barked, dispersing the crowd of stunned sailors.
He turned to Atlas, who looked calm and relaxed, and gave him a hearty punch to the chest with a grin spreading across his plain but warm face.
"Amazing, little Kanos! I can barely keep up with your strength now. You are the monster among monsters that Master Zephyr always talked about!"
"You're giving me too much credit, old friend. I have a few flashy tricks," Atlas replied lightly.
Of course, his feat still couldn't compare to Whitebeard, who would one day stop the massive Moby Dick with a single hand. That legendary act, halting a charging ship many times larger than this warship, was in a different league entirely.
It was worth noting that Charlotte Oven, the Heat-Heat Fruit user whom Atlas had killed, had once tried to replicate Whitebeard's feat after seeing it in a war broadcast. His reckless attempt ended in humiliation—he failed and was simply crushed beneath the ship.
"Alright, enough false modesty from both of you," Gion interjected with a cool tone. "Pay attention to the ship's safety. I hope we can reach Marineford without further trouble."
Marineford
"It's been a long time… we're finally back in Marineford."
Gazing at the towering fortress, with white waves lapping endlessly against the crescent-shaped bay, Atlas felt a rush of nostalgia mixed with the weight of how much had changed.
Compared to when he first left for the New World, his growth in both physique and Haki had been overwhelming.
The warship soon docked at the port. Marines on duty hurried forward to greet them, and Atlas recognised a familiar face among them.
"Rear Admiral Gion, Rear Admiral Tokikake, Commodore Atlas! Headquarters has recalled you from the New World?" Captain Haiz asked, looking a little self-conscious.
He had been the one to show Atlas around the recruit camp years ago. Now, Haiz remained a Captain, while Atlas had risen to Commodore and was on the verge of becoming Vice Admiral.
Though only one rank separated them, the difference between a commissioned officer and a flag officer was like night and day. To reach the flag ranks required extraordinary merit—an achievement only the strongest and most exceptional Marines could claim.
"Captain Haiz, long time no see. How have you been?" Atlas asked politely, remembering him clearly.
"I'm doing well, very well. So, are you all back for the promotion ceremony?"
"Most likely. The New World has stabilised for the moment, so they've recalled us," Atlas answered.
"I'm so envious. Atlas, you're about to become the youngest Vice Admiral in Marine history…" Haiz said with a sigh. His words carried envy but no malice—only admiration. He had long since passed the age of arrogance and understood that some people were simply extraordinary by nature.
"We'll catch up later. For now, we have to report to Admiral Sengoku. I'll get a drink with you sometime!" Atlas said with a wave before following Gion and Tokikake toward Sengoku's office.
…Knock, knock, knock…
"Enter!"
The three filed in. Atlas instinctively scanned the room. The office hadn't changed—he'd only been here a few times, but he still remembered the "Reigning Justice" calligraphy hanging on the wall, and the goat endlessly chewing on official documents.
"You've finally returned. Is the situation in the New World stable?" Sengoku asked, his familiar frog-like glasses and braided beard still in place. He seemed in high spirits. After all, the strategy in the New World had been his design, and its success had greatly elevated his standing within the Marines. He was confident that the Five Elders would soon grant him the position of Fleet Admiral.
"Reporting, Admiral Sengoku. With Vice Admiral Garp and the others stationed in the New World, there are no major issues. The Marines have secured the occupied territories, and most of the new bases are already completed," Gion reported smoothly. As the most senior among the three, she naturally took the lead.
"Excellent. For now, the three of you will remain at Headquarters. Your promotion ceremony will be held in a few days. Tsuru will be returning soon as well. Once she's back, personnel will rotate to the New World, and you'll receive your new assignments," Sengoku explained succinctly.
Even though they had expected this, hearing Sengoku confirm it directly still set their hearts racing.
At present, Sengoku was the only active Admiral, as Kong had long since stepped down from direct command. That meant the three of them now stood just beneath him in authority.
Of course, Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru also held the Vice Admiral rank, but theirs was a special case. They were "codename" Vice Admirals—more accurately known as Admiral Candidates. Though not an official rank, their status was still above that of an ordinary Vice Admiral.
"Atlas, stay behind. The two of you may go." Sengoku said, casually feeding the document he had just finished to his goat before addressing Tokikake and Gion.
Without protest, the two turned and left.
Click.
As the office door shut, Sengoku's gaze sharpened, locking on Atlas.
"Admiral Sengoku, if there's something you wish to say, please speak plainly," Atlas said at last, uneasy under the older man's stare. It made him feel like he was being judged for abandoning a lover.
"Ahem… I asked you to stay because I want to discuss your future post. Gion will likely serve under Tsuru, while Tokikake will remain at Headquarters. As for you…"
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