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"Well, talk about bad timing!"
After leaving the capital, Alubarna, Atlas wasn't in the mood to continue traveling on foot, so he borrowed two Spot-Billed Ducks as transport.
True to their reputation as the fastest creatures in Alabasta, the ducks cut their travel time nearly in half.
The pirate activity was reported in a city on the opposite side of Alabasta.
The island of Sandyin is nearly split in half by a massive strait—one side houses the capital and port cities like Nanohana.
In contrast, the other side includes cities like Erumalu and Rainbase, which would later fall under Crocodile's control.
Due to the harsh desert climate, major Alabasta cities are scattered irregularly and typically built around oases.
Atlas's goal now was to return to the warship and set sail for Erumalu. With some luck, they might run into the pirate crews wreaking havoc in the area.
"Helmsman, prepare to depart! Set course for Erumalu!" As soon as he stepped back on board, his adjutant, Ruslan, efficiently resumed command of the ship's operations.
Ruslan wasn't a combat specialist, but his skills in coordinating the ship's logistics were top-notch, allowing Atlas to focus on his training in the gym during the voyage.
Though Atlas didn't know the full extent of Vice Admiral Jonathan's combat prowess, when it came to strategy, he was one of the best among Marine officers.
The team Jonathan had arranged for this mission suited Atlas perfectly.
Nanohana wasn't far from Erumalu, and with their warship's speed, they estimated they'd arrive in roughly thirty minutes.
But just after they set sail from Nanohana, an unexpected situation left Atlas both amused and exasperated.
They ran headlong into a group of pirates—precisely the Vasili and Antolich pirate crews reported to be plundering Alabasta.
According to Atlas's deduction, their claim of heading to Erumalu was likely just a decoy.
Their real target seemed to be Nanohana, which, as a bustling port city, was far wealthier than Erumalu.
"I'll go wipe them out," Atlas said with a grin, stretching his limbs. "Could use the warm-up... and maybe even have a little fun."
Just as their ship approached the lead pirate vessel, Atlas used Soru and disappeared in a flash, reappearing on the enemy ship without causing a single scratch to his warship.
Thanks to both the quality of the Marine vessel and his refined mastery of Rokushiki, he had complete control over his strength.
He casually removed his Justice coat and tossed it to Ruslan. As stylish as the coat looked, he didn't want to damage another one in battle.
Honestly, he had no idea how characters in the anime could fight through city-destroying battles and still keep their coats intact.
These days, Atlas couldn't fight without shredding at least part of his clothes.
"Oi! Marine! Just you? Don't insult me like that!" sneered a sallow-faced pirate, scowling at Atlas's youthful appearance.
As someone who'd dealt with Marines before, he immediately recognized the G-8 Fortress insignia on the warship.
His initial panic gave way to fury when he saw that Atlas only held the rank of Captain.
"Yeah, looks like he's still suckin' milk! Hahaha!"
"Go home, ya brat!"
Taunts and laughter erupted from all directions, clearly a cover for their earlier panic. Atlas didn't even bother responding.
"Pathetic... just a bunch of small fry," he muttered coldly. Their bounties weren't even worth remembering.
Shigan: Gatling!
Psh! Psh! Psh!
A storm of vacuum bullets tore through the pirates, screams ringing out as bodies fell.
Those lucky enough to survive the initial hits writhed in agony, a far cry from their earlier bravado.
Atlas wasn't heartless. He didn't like wasting time. He leapt into the air using Geppo, raised his palm horizontally, and made a sweeping motion:
No-Sword Style: Tornado Slash!
A flurry of vacuum blades tore through the ship, splitting the pirate vessel in half. The wounded, left unable to move, could only pray the sea spared their corpses from scavengers.
Meanwhile, the second pirate ship watched in terror, having witnessed everything.
"Elias! Turn around! Now—head for Erumalu!" Antolich shouted, his voice trembling with fear.
He rushed into the captain's quarters and grabbed a Den Den Mushi, dialing a familiar number.
"Hello?"
A scarred face appeared on the receiver, chewing a large cigar. His eyes were cold and brooding. Antolich shuddered at the sight and instinctively stood straighter.
"Lord Crocodile…"
"Call me Mr. 0."
"Yes! Mr. 0, sir! A Marine officer is chasing us! Please, you have to help us!" Antolich pleaded, panic lacing every word. His eyes flashed with desperation.
After all, they were working for Crocodile. If they got caught and revealed anything, it could jeopardize his position as a Warlord of the Sea…
He didn't know Crocodile's exact reasons for having them stir up trouble in Alabasta, but if his status as a Warlord were threatened, things would turn ugly.
"…Fine. Head to Erumalu," Crocodile replied after a pause, his tone unreadable.
Click.
Crocodile ended the call, his face darker than ever.
Initially, he had planned to eliminate Antolich and his crew publicly during one of their raids, appearing as a "hero" to the people while silencing his pawns.
But this unexpected Marine had thrown a wrench into his plans.
Back on the Marine warship, having sent the entire Vasili Pirate Crew to the bottom of the sea, Atlas didn't bother chasing the fleeing Antolich Pirates.
Instead, he strolled back on board, casually grabbing his Justice coat from Ruslan.
"Captain! Why didn't you finish them off?" Ruslan asked in confusion. It wasn't that he thought Atlas lacked the strength—this was just a warm-up for him.
"To catch a fish, you need bait," Atlas replied with a smirk, thinking of Vice Admiral Jonathan.
In the waters near Alabasta, under the blazing sun and cloudless sky, a lone pirate ship sped across the waves in a panic.
Behind it, a Marine warship calmly followed—like a cat toying with a cornered mouse.
"Sir, it looks like they're heading for Erumalu…" Ruslan guessed, unfamiliar with the local sea routes.
"Mhm," Atlas nodded. Earlier, he had already "heard" the entire conversation between Antolich and the ever-mysterious Crocodile using his Observation Haki.
His range with Observation was now vast—perhaps not yet at Fujitora's level, but close to Enel's pre-timeskip coverage with the Goro Goro no Mi.
The only limitation was finesse; he was still a way off from being able to glimpse the future.
Occasionally, Atlas would use Rankyaku to send slicing air blades just close enough to terrify the pirates.
Even if they knew he was baiting them to reveal their mastermind, they had no choice but to keep running. Crocodile was their only hope.
Flying Shigan: Barrett!
A massive vacuum bullet shot forward at incredible speed, striking the lookout on Antolich's ship dead center.
A mix of red and white exploded across the deck, splattering the already panicked pirates.
These criminals, so quick to draw their blades against civilians, were just as helpless in the face of death.
"Such terrifying mastery of Shigan…" Ruslan muttered in awe. Even after seeing Atlas's monstrous strength up close, the power of that one strike still shook him.
"Eh~ just a little warm-up." Atlas waved dismissively, walking toward the dining hall. After all that fighting, he was getting hungry.
"Understood, sir!" Ruslan replied firmly. If Atlas had one flaw, it was that he hated paperwork and logistics.
Soon, the Antolich Pirates made landfall in Erumalu, celebrating their narrow escape.
They didn't know who Crocodile was, but judging from their captain's relieved face, they assumed they were safe from that "demon."
Yes—demon. To these pirates, Kanos Atlas wasn't a Marine… He was a monster in uniform.
Even though he could have wiped them out in one go, he deliberately hunted them down, one by one, tormenting them with fear.
Suddenly—
Desert Sunflower!
The sand beneath the pirates' feet suddenly began to shift like a living creature.
The dunes flowed rapidly, creating a powerful suction that dragged them down. Panic erupted instantly.
"What the hell is happening? Captain?! No, no, no! I don't want to die yet! Captain, do something!"
Antolich's face was filled with despair. That feeling of plummeting from heaven straight into hell was unbearable.
He flailed his arms, desperately trying to grab onto anything to slow his descent.
Then, without warning, a tall figure clad in a fur coat appeared before him. A storm of sand and roaring wind followed close behind.
"Lord Crocodile, wh—?!"
But Antolich's question went unanswered. The quicksand had already swallowed him whole. In the end, all he received was a cold, indifferent stare.
"…Return to the warship," came a calm voice.
"Yes, sir!"
Atlas, who had been called out earlier by his adjutant Ruslan, watched the entire scene unfold, but he made no move to interfere.
They were pirates, after all. Dead or alive, it didn't matter to him.
With a neutral expression, Atlas slowly walked toward Crocodile.
His face betrayed no emotion, merely studying the Warlord of the Sea, one of those sanctioned by the World Government itself.
Crocodile certainly looked the part of a classic villain.
Dressed in a heavy fur coat—how he handled Alabasta's heat was anyone's guess—his slicked-back hair framed a prominent horizontal scar across his face.
A gold earring dangled from his right ear. His cold, emotionless eyes looked dead inside, and a large cigar sat clenched between his teeth.
A massive golden hook had replaced his left hand—he was practically the poster image of a pirate.
"You've taken your joke too far, Marine brat," Crocodile said, lifting his chin slightly. That same blank stare locked onto Atlas, the cigar bobbing as he spoke.
"Oh? Warlord of the Sea, Sir Crocodile, don't you think you owe me an explanation?" Atlas smiled faintly, unfazed by the so-called Desert King.
Even if Warlords were allowed certain freedoms when it came to plundering, those liberties didn't extend to member nations of the World Government, like Alabasta.
Of course, Atlas didn't have solid proof that the pirates were acting under Crocodile's orders. But did that matter to him?
Ha. Not one bit.
"Explanation?" Crocodile smirked mockingly. "You're too naïve… Marine brat."
"Oh? Don't worry if you won't admit it. My fists will get the truth out of you soon enough."
Atlas casually rolled his wrist, his grin never fading.
Crocodile might not yet be the weakling who'd get taken down by Luffy years later, and he probably still believed in his power, maybe even retained some use of Haki.
But none of that scared Atlas. He could still teach this desert crocodile a lesson or two.
"Heh heh heh… HAHAHAHAHA!!"
Crocodile burst into derisive laughter, as if Atlas had just told the funniest joke in the world.
"How pathetic. What a ridiculous little brat you are!"
"Hah. And trash like you thinks it can mock me?" Atlas shot back, his eyes full of contempt.
Crack!
Crocodile's face darkened. His cigar snapped cleanly in his mouth, falling to the sand in two pieces.
"I'll give you three minutes. After that, I won't be playing with you anymore."
He tossed a small hourglass to the ground. Judging by the flow of sand, it was timed precisely for three minutes.
Crocodile's expression now mirrored that of an adult humorlessly entertaining a tantrum-throwing child.
After all, Atlas was just a Marine Captain—barely worth noting. Even if Marine ranks didn't always reflect true power, the difference shouldn't have been that big.
To Crocodile, Atlas wasn't worth taking seriously.
"Three minutes?" Atlas chuckled, taking a step forward. "More than enough."
(T/N: Please give me some power stone, I hope it can at least reach top 100)
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