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Marineford – Training Grounds
Kanos Atlas and Sakazuki stood face-to-face, their Justice cloaks removed. The surrounding area was quiet—no Marines came to spectate.
Only Sengoku and Gaji watched from the nearby stands. Earlier in Sengoku's office, Akainu had proposed testing Atlas' strength, and everyone had agreed.
Sengoku wanted to see how much progress Atlas had made, while Gaji just wanted to enjoy the show.
After all, one was the fearsome Marine Vice Admiral known as a monster, and the other was a rising star once considered by Zephyr-sensei to have the potential to surpass the "three monsters" of the previous generation.
"You're a swordsman?" Akainu asked in a deep voice, eyeing the Sandai Kitetsu at Atlas's waist.
"Eh~ You could say that," Atlas replied casually with a shrug.
"Good. I dabble in swordsmanship myself. Seems like a fair match."
"But…" Atlas glanced over Akainu's form and frowned slightly. "You don't have a weapon?"
Akainu remained as expressionless as ever. "A blade doesn't need to be inconvenient."
As he spoke, thick smoke billowed from his hand, and molten magma dripped onto the training ground, leaving scorched craters.
A massive greatsword nearly two meters long materialised in his hand, formed entirely of magma, its intense heat distorting the air around them.
Damn it, he's pulling out all the stops! Atlas gritted his teeth. That sword looked terrifying in Akainu's hand.
Shing!
Atlas slowly drew the Sandai Kitetsu, the ominous blade wrapped instantly in black and red Haki. The cursed sword's presence became even more sinister.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku! You'd better be ready to rebuild the training ground!"
Atlas shouted toward the stands, making Sengoku—who was just about to enjoy a rice cracker—choke in frustration.
Before Atlas could even take a stance, Akainu was already charging in and swinging his magma blade.
What the hell?! No fair! Atlas barely managed to block.
Bang!
Their blades clashed—not with the usual metallic clang, but a muffled, heavy thud.
"Good strength," Akainu commented.
The two held their ground for a moment, but eventually, Atlas was forced a few steps back.
"Dragon Tail!" Atlas yelled, stepping back and slashing forward.
A crimson arc shot from his blade and sliced across Akainu's chest, splitting him open and splattering molten magma. But the upper half of Akainu's body quickly reformed.
"Impressive slash," Akainu said nonchalantly, fully healed.
Atlas had always been curious about how Logia users could even elementalize their clothes. No wonder during the Paramount War, Kizaru's uniform was only slightly dusty.
"Thank you, Vice Admiral Akainu!" Atlas responded.
Just as he spoke, Akainu's hands morphed into enormous magma fists. A surge of explosive force erupted from within him as the fists shot straight at Atlas.
Great Eruption!
Oh, come on! Weren't we doing a swordfight?! Atlas quickly countered with a rising slash.
One-Sword Style: Sword Rain—Ascending Steps!
A flurry of slashes collided head-on with the twin magma fists.
Boom!
The fists exploded under the barrage, sending volcanic bombs raining down. Honestly, Akainu had held back—he only used magma fists and no full-body attack.
He was probably being considerate of Sengoku, who would have to pay for the repairs. Atlas took a deep breath and sheathed his blade.
His body surged with black and red Haki, covering his torso, shoulders, back, arms, and legs.
Two black lines extended from the corners of his eyes to his neck, and a dense, intimidating aura surrounded him.
"Good!" Atlas shouted as he stepped back, tightened his core, and swung his fist.
His back muscles tensed like a rat scurrying beneath his skin, and his fist swelled red-hot.
Iron Fist Technique – War God Arm: Shatter!
His strikes tore through the sky, precisely hitting each falling volcanic bomb using Observation Haki.
But Akainu's attacks were relentless—the heat from the magma still seeped through Atlas' Haki, scorching his arms.
Suddenly, as Atlas focused on blocking the magma bombs, Akainu charged straight at him. His strength and speed were monstrous.
He had truly integrated the Magma-Magma Fruit into his hand-to-hand combat—every punch carried the power of an erupting volcano.
"Speed is power. Tell me—have you ever been kicked by me?" Akainu said coldly.
Atlas quickly abandoned defence, raised his leg, and kicked toward the charging Akainu.
Among all the muscles in Atlas' body, his legs were the strongest, enhanced by the Ox Talisman and modified further by the Rabbit Talisman.
Unlike many powerhouse Marines who emphasised upper body strength, Atlas's lower body was even more developed, making his physique extraordinarily balanced.
Boom!
Their leg and fist collided. Atlas only staggered slightly!
Bang! Bang bang! Bang bang bang!
They clashed several more times. Atlas was beginning to feel the pressure. Even with his hardened Armament Haki, Akainu's overwhelming force was too much to handle.
Akainu's strength and mastery of Haki far surpassed his. After all, Akainu—currently in his prime at 38—had decades of experience.
Atlas had only recently awakened his Haki, and to be holding his own to this degree was already impressive.
Atlas also knew his biggest weakness: he lacked high-damage finishing techniques or wide-range attacks, like those of the Logia users.
Iron Fist – War God Arm: Hundred Pierce!
Suddenly, Atlas stepped back, twisted his waist, and punched! A strange penetrative force was transmitted through his fist.
Boom!
Their Haki-clad fists collided again. Akainu felt Atlas's punch bypass his Haki defence and strike directly, like a bare fist hitting steel.
Atlas, however, was sent skidding backwards, leaving deep footprints in the ground. His sleeves were torn from the impact.
"Not bad," Akainu said, shaking his fist. He had already praised Atlas several times—a rarity for someone so stern.
Hellhound!
Akainu's attacks were always brutal and sudden. His arms transformed into magma and extended instantly.
Atlas tensed—he remembered how this attack had blown off half of Whitebeard's face in the original story.
Even if Akainu wasn't at that level yet, it was still incredibly dangerous.
Iron Body – War God Arm: Cross Hunt!
Atlas crossed his arms in front of his chest, expanded his arms using Life Return, and condensed all his Haki onto them, forming massive black-red limbs like those of a Giant.
Boom!
The searing magma slammed into his arms. Lava splattered everywhere, scorching the ground and sending smoke into the air.
Atlas nearly lost his balance from the impact and was sent flying backwards.
"Hey hey hey! That's enough, Vice Admiral Akainu!"
Atlas saw Akainu preparing another move and quickly called out. If they kept going, the destruction would cost Marineford a fortune. Even Atlas felt bad for Sengoku.
Atlas had to admit—he was struggling. Not only was he outmatched in strength and Haki, but Akainu's Logia powers were difficult to counter.
The Magma-Magma Fruit truly lived up to its status as a top-tier Logia. And Akainu's creative use of volcanic pressure to boost his attacks was nothing short of genius.
"I acknowledge your strength, Kanos Atlas. Very impressive," Akainu said, finally pulling back.
Though rarely expressive, his eyes were filled with approval. Atlas had impressed him, not just in power, but in his ruthless approach to pirates.
With some polish, this rising star could very well become the next monster among Marines.
Marineford – Early Morning
The red sun rose above the horizon, casting golden light through the morning mist. The skies were clear and endless, just like Kanos Atlas's mood: pure and unclouded.
He stepped out of the dorm building, calm and steady.
After returning from his mission, he'd gone back to the recruit barracks, though Smoker and the others had left with Zephyr-sensei on a mission. For now, he had the place to himself.
As he expected, Rosinante had also applied for early graduation after his departure.
Although he wasn't strong enough for it, he probably volunteered after learning of Doflamingo's crimes, most likely to infiltrate as an undercover agent at Sengoku's request.
The award ceremony would be held at the plaza in front of Marineford's main headquarters, right across from the crescent-shaped harbour.
It was the very heart of Marineford—where the legendary Marineford War would take place years later, and where the Golden Lion had once stormed the base before being taken down by Sengoku and Garp, then locked away in Impel Down.
Marineford – Plaza
The Golden Lion truly was a ruthless man. To escape, he severed both his legs, which were shackled with Seastone, shattering the myth of Impel Down's inescapability.
By now, a large crowd had gathered in the plaza, though most were just there to watch the spectacle.
After all, Marineford wasn't only home to countless stationed Marines—it also housed the families of officers in the residential quarters behind headquarters.
It was considered one of the safest places in the entire world. Of course, Atlas wasn't the only one being honoured today.
But since he didn't know most of the others on stage, there was no need for pleasantries. He walked straight toward the podium.
Under the gaze of countless eager eyes, Kanos Atlas made his way through the crowd and stepped up onto the platform.
Today, Atlas wore a pure white suit, sharp and clean, with his Justice cloak billowing in the wind behind him.
Officers of the Marine captain rank and above weren't required to wear standard uniforms and could instead choose civilian attire paired with the cloak of justice.
Atlas had this suit specially tailored, perfectly fitted to his frame.
The material was incredibly comfortable—he couldn't even tell what it was made from, but it felt weightless.
It had cost a pretty penny, but since Marineford covered the expenses, he had no regrets spending extravagantly.
After standing on stage for around three minutes, Sengoku and Akainu finally arrived, one behind the other.
As expected, Sengoku would be officiating the ceremony. Akainu had likely just tagged along out of interest.
The previously noisy plaza quieted almost immediately. All eyes turned toward the stage, and most of them locked onto the young man named Atlas.
His appearance wasn't traditionally handsome, but his sharp, rugged features carried a distinct aura of iron-blooded discipline, the kind unique to soldiers.
But what truly drew everyone's attention was that, at his young age, Atlas stood in the lineup for Commodore.
That meant today, he would officially become a proud Commodore of Marine Headquarters.
Sengoku opened a folder and began reading out names from the list of honorees.
"Pimentel! Physical evaluation: pass! Combat assessment: pass! Approved for graduation! Promoted to Marine Lieutenant!"
A tall, burly man jogged up from the back of the formation to receive his rank from Sengoku.
"Pelasa! Physical evaluation: excellent. Combat assessment: satisfactory! Approved for graduation! Promoted to Marine Lieutenant Colonel!"
"Darius…!"
"Leo Gago!"
"Belding!"
To Atlas's mild surprise, the recipients weren't all from outside the training program.
Some of them were recruits from the previous class of the elite training camp. He'd ended up graduating alongside them.
The ceremony progressed smoothly. Most of the ranks being awarded were majors and lieutenant colonels, with a few seasoned veterans receiving full colonel titles.
Suddenly, Sengoku turned toward Atlas with a smile, and in a loud, clear voice, he announced:
"Kanos Atlas! Physical evaluation: excellent! Combat assessment: outstanding! Approved for graduation! Promoted to Commodore!"
Boom!
The announcement sent a shockwave through the crowd. Though many had already suspected it, hearing it confirmed by Sengoku himself still left them stunned.
Even though the headquarters recruit camp was known as the "elite training camp"—a cradle for Marine officers—no one had ever heard of someone graduating in just two years and being directly promoted to Commodore.
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