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Marineford, the Recruit Camp.
After yesterday's great battle, the recruit camp was not the scene of devastation one might expect.
With the manpower and resources of Marine Headquarters, repairing the training grounds in a single day was an easy task. After all, this was a world of extraordinary power.
On the training grounds, in addition to Chief Instructor Zephyr and the other instructors, Atlas had arrived as promised.
"Ahem..."
"Today, I've brought you all a temporary instructor—Vice Admiral White Hō. I believe you all witnessed his strength firsthand yesterday."
Zephyr habitually scanned the field. Seeing the expectant looks in the recruits' eyes, he smiled slightly, his gaze finally resting on a man and a woman at the very front of the crowd.
The man was dressed strangely, resembling a ninja. He carried a longsword and a giant shuriken on his back, with a Marine uniform casually thrown over his body.
The woman, by comparison, looked much more normal. She wore a female Marine uniform top and shorts that exposed her thighs, with flowing, sea-blue, wavy hair and black high-heeled shoes.
Zephyr had read their files. They were the two with the highest level of skill among this year's recruits. The man was named Binz, and the girl was Ain.
They were users of the Paramecia-type Growth-Growth Fruit and the Paramecia-type Return-Return Fruit, respectively—both very fine abilities.
He nodded with satisfaction, then gestured to Atlas and stepped back, leaving the stage entirely to him.
"I'm sure you are all familiar with me. My name is Kanos Atlas. As a former student of Teacher Zephyr, I have been invited here to instruct you for a few days."
Atlas understood the cue and began with a simple self-introduction.
He was confident that whether it was his reputation abroad or his battle with Zephyr yesterday, it was enough to give these recruits a full understanding of his strength.
At the very least, he was more than qualified to be their instructor.
"For the next few days, I will be in charge of your swordsmanship training."
Atlas and Zephyr had discussed this. The recruit camp was not lacking in martial arts instructors, and in that regard, there wasn't much difference between what Atlas and Shuzo could teach.
Swordsmanship, however, was a different matter. The sword instructors at the recruit camp were more than capable of teaching the basics, but they struggled with higher-level concepts.
It was just like back then, when Atlas himself had needed Gion to come and teach him. This was also why Atlas hadn't brought Zoro to Marine Headquarters for special training.
Swordsmanship?
The recruits in the crowd looked puzzled. In yesterday's battle, they had clearly witnessed the terrifying physical prowess of Vice Admiral Byakko.
Although the longsword at his waist served as a reminder that this young Admiral Candidate was not only a master of martial arts but also a powerful swordsman, they still subconsciously believed that Atlas's physical skills were superior to his swordsmanship.
Atlas naturally noticed the slightly unnatural expressions on the recruits' faces and couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle. But his hand had already quietly moved to the Futsunomitama at his waist.
Sometimes, actions are far more persuasive than words.
SWISH!
The longsword was unsheathed, and a blood-red slash shot into the sky!
The sharp aura of the blade stung their eyes, and the slash, wreathed in Armament Haki, seemed as if it would cleave the very heavens!
Then, the recruits witnessed a scene they would never forget for the rest of their lives.
The sky... split open!
CLICK!
He sheathed his sword.
Looking at the shocked expressions of the crowd, Atlas said coolly, "The most ferocious swordsmanship has no flashy moves, only the ultimate, forward-moving power to cut what is before you, until there is nothing in this world that you cannot cut!"
That last move indeed had no flair. It was just the ultimate Haki combined with the ultimate strength, which was just enough to split the sky, achieving a similar result to his 'Crimson Skyline' through a different method.
WOOAH—!
After the silence, the entire field erupted in an uproar. The gazes directed at Atlas were now filled with a fervent adoration.
Although yesterday's battle had been impressive, this was the first time they had ever witnessed someone split the sky with swordsmanship alone.
"Now, I want you all to demonstrate the basic forms you have learned."
The sky-splitting slash was merely to establish his authority. The real teaching, of course, would focus on the fundamentals.
Then and now, Atlas had always been someone who placed great importance on the basics.
But the harsh reality was that Atlas's instruction might only be helpful to a select few. The sword instructors were sufficient for polishing the basics.
What they needed was a seed—the seed of understanding how to cut iron.
"Right, your hand, a little higher. A bit more force. Savour the feeling of swinging your sword with all your might each time."
"You over there, your elbow is too high. Relax a little. Don't be so stiff."
With the aid of his Observation Haki, Atlas could see the flaws in every single person's movements on the field and quickly correct them. Most of them had a decent foundation, but...
Atlas looked at the female Marine in the front row, who was swinging her sword with a serious expression.
Among all the recruits present, her foundation was the most solid, and she was the one most likely to comprehend the state of "cutting iron" in a short amount of time.
"You, step forward!" Atlas gestured for the female Marine to come out.
"What's your name?"
"Sir, Recruit Ain, reporting!"
...Ain? The name sounded familiar. A female swordsman, user of the Paramecia-type Return-Return Fruit?
"Take the sword in your hand and attack me with all your strength."
Atlas didn't dwell on it. Combat was the best and most effective way to learn. There was more than one way to understand how to cut iron.
"Huh?"
"Yes, sir!" Ain was stunned for a moment, but as a soldier, she reacted quickly, her longsword instantly flashing from its scabbard!
CLANG!
The sound of metal on metal rang out. Fist met sword, and sparks flew.
"Hiss~"
An immense force travelled from the blade to the web of her hand.
Ain's arm went numb, and upon closer inspection, several almost imperceptible nicks had appeared on the once-flawless blade!
Atlas, of course, hadn't used his bare flesh to block the blade.
Without Armament Haki, almost no one could withstand a sharp weapon with their body, not even Garp, the pinnacle of pure physical prowess!
The longsword in Ain's hand was not a famed blade, just one of ordinary quality. Under the combined assault of Atlas's formidable strength and Armament Haki, it was already showing signs of giving way.
"Continue!"
CLANG!
CLANG!
Atlas showed no mercy, throwing one punch after another, forcing Ain back step by step, to the point where she could barely hold onto her longsword!
CRUMBLE!
After another clash of fist and sword, the familiar clang of metal was absent. The blade finally gave way under the immense force, instantly shattering into a shower of iron filings!
"..." Ain stared at the hilt, all that was left of her longsword, at a complete loss.
Silence!!
The entire field fell silent!
The rest of the recruits were already numb from the display.
Suddenly, a ball of peach-colored flame ignited in her palm and instantly enveloped the hilt.
The scattered fragments of the blade vanished, and even the hilt in Ain's hand disappeared into thin air.
It seems this sword wasn't even twelve years old... Atlas thought, shaking his head.
Ain's Return-Return Fruit regressed time in twelve-year increments, and it wasn't limited to living things.
It could even be used on inanimate objects, making it one of the more game-breaking, god-tier fruits.
"How about this? Since I'm the one who broke your sword, I'll give you a new one."
As he spoke, Atlas beckoned with his hand, and the sound of something tearing through the air was heard!
SWISH!
A longsword in a blue, patterned scabbard hovered before Ain. It was about the same length as her previous one, perfectly suited to her height.
"For me?" Ain was incredulous. As a swordsman, her yearning for a famed blade was second nature.
"My apologies for breaking your sword. This one was a recent spoil of war. It should serve as a fitting replacement."
The sword had been found in the hands of a samurai on Thriller Bark. When Moria had stolen the corpses from Wano, he had also taken a large number of famed swords.
This Riyu was one of them.
"As you can see, the name is Riyu. It is one of the 50 Skilful Grade Swords, but..." Atlas grasped the hilt and applied a bit of force.
SHING!
The gleaming blade was like the brilliant Milky Way. It was long, with a slight curve and a blood groove, giving it an exceptionally fierce appearance.
"This is a Cursed Sword. The whisper of the night before the dawn... perhaps that is the origin of its name..." With that, Atlas turned the hilt outward and handed it to the still-dazed Ain.
"...This is for me?" Ain took Riyu, her hands trembling, her mind automatically ignoring the words "Cursed Sword," her face still a mask of disbelief.
"Isn't this too valuable? It's one of the 50 Skilful Grade Swords!"
"It's nothing. If you want to repay me, become my adjutant on my ship after you graduate..." Hearing this, Atlas seized the opportunity.
Ain's potential was considerable. With her excellent swordsmanship and a remarkable Devil Fruit—the regression of which was by no means limited to just 12 years—the combat power she could develop was not to be underestimated.
"Yes, Vice Admiral White Hō!" Ain readily agreed. Atlas was the most talented Marine of his generation, and his attitude toward pirates was one she greatly admired. She could not possibly refuse such an invitation.
"Continue!"
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The training continued. While giving Ain special instruction, Atlas also took the time to drill the other recruits on their fundamentals.
For the next few days, Atlas spent almost all his time at the recruit training camp, and the time passed drop by drop.
......
Calm Belt, Amazon Lily.
Amazon Lily is a nation of pirates, where virtually every citizen is a warrior. The island has no arable land to support them through production.
For the Kuja to survive, there is only one way: plunder!
The entire country is composed of women, a place that could be considered a dreamland for every man.
However, several hundred years ago, the country enacted a law called the "Men Banned."
Any man who entered the territory of Amazon Lily would be eliminated! That was why even Rayleigh could not set foot on the island when he escorted the Hancock sisters back.
The supreme leader also serves as the captain of the island's sole pirate crew, controlling the entire island's armed forces and also being responsible for going out to sea to plunder for the sustenance of all the residents.
And today, the new leader of Amazon Lily, Boa Hancock, would embark on her first-ever raid. This was a tradition for every new leader of the Kuja.
The timing of the Kuja Pirates' raids was often irregular. There were too many uncertain factors on the great sea; no one could be sure that the supplies from one raid would last until the next.
Most of the time, the Kuja Pirates raided passing merchant ships and other pirate crews. One should not underestimate them just because they are all women.
In the first half of the Grand Line, Amazon Lily is one of the few powers with a complete tradition of Haki.
Therefore, even though their combatants are women, in Paradise, where Haki is almost unheard of, they can do as they please.
This is especially true of their new leader—Boa Hancock, a rare user of all three types of Haki!
"Hebihime-sama, it seems we've spotted a pirate crew ahead. It appears to be the Benard crew, with a bounty of over 100 million," a member of the Kuja Pirates reported to their new empress, Hancock, from the deck of their ship, which was being pulled by two giant Yuda sea serpents.
Amazon Lily was not completely cut off from the outside world. With the ubiquitous News Coos, it was a simple matter to keep track of famous pirates on the sea.
The Kuja Pirates' ship did not rely on wind power like ordinary pirate ships, but was pulled by two giant sea beast serpents. This was what allowed them to enter and exit the Calm Belt freely.
"Very well. That ship shall not be allowed to escape my sight. My perfect self will not tolerate any blemishes!"
Hearing the report, Hancock placed her hands on her hips, leaned back slightly, and her arrogant voice echoed in the ears of the Kuja crew.
Compared to her green self of two years ago, the current Hancock was undoubtedly more full-figured and charming. Both in terms of her presence and her strength, she had made significant progress.
"So beautiful, Hebihime-sama."
"Whatever Hebihime-sama says is right!"
"Wow, she is truly the perfect Snake Princess!"
The crew members on the ship all had hearts in their eyes as they looked at the arrogant Hancock with adoration.
"Captain, it looks like the legendary Kuja Pirates' ship is up ahead!" the lookout of the Benard Pirates reported frantically to his captain, having spotted something incredible.
As pirates, they naturally yearned for Amazon Lily, an island inhabited entirely by women. But the Calm Belt served as the island's natural barrier.
Aside from the Marines with their Seastone technology, very few dared to challenge the Sea Kings of the Calm Belt.
To now see the rumoured Kuja Pirates in person... even if they sold them to the slave market after they were "done" with them, they could fetch a handsome price.
Therefore, the entire Benard crew was ecstatic.
(T/N: Please give me some power stone, I hope it can at least reach the top 100)
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