The mess hall of the Loguetown Marine Base was usually a cacophony of clattering trays and boisterous boasts. Today, it was unnervingly quiet.
Dozens of seasoned Marines paused, forks halfway to their mouths, their gazes fixed on a single table. There, a thin, waif-like boy was systematically dismantling a mountain of food. Plate after plate of rice, salted meat, and root vegetables vanished with frightening efficiency.
Atlas didn't look up. He didn't see the bets being whispered behind hands or the incredulous grins of the soldiers. His entire universe had narrowed down to the rhythm of chewing and swallowing.
Third serving... His stomach, which had felt like a withered husk only hours ago, was now an engine roaring to life. He felt a strange surge of confidence with every bite. In this world, the size of one's spirit was often mirrored by the size of one's appetite. He wasn't on the level of Garp or the future "Straw Hat" yet, but five full servings later, the hollow ache in his bones finally subsided.
"Burp—"
Atlas patted his stomach, which now possessed a slight, healthy curve. He ignored the lingering stares and stood up, walking toward the dorms with a steady, indifferent gait.
Once inside the quiet of his room, he didn't collapse into bed. Instead, he began a series of slow, deliberate stretches. He didn't possess the Life Return technique—the ability to instantly convert food into raw energy—so he had to rely on blood flow and physical movement to jumpstart his digestion.
As a fine sheen of sweat broke across his brow and color returned to his pale cheeks, Atlas sat cross-legged and closed his eyes. He sank his consciousness deep into the dark sea of his mind.
There, floating in the void, were twelve octagonal stones. Each bore a distinct, stylized engraving of an animal.
They were the Zodiac Talismans.
He recognized them instantly from the memories of his past life—relics of the Fire Demon, Shendu. In this world of Devil Fruits and Haki, these were more than just trinkets. They were fundamental forces of nature. And unlike Devil Fruits, they held a terrifying advantage: the Sea would not reject him. He could be a god among men and still swim in the blue.
But there's a catch, Atlas realized, his mental projection narrowing as he felt the weight of the stones.
In their original world, they ran on Chi. Here, that energy didn't exist in the same form. The Talismans tapped into something else: Stamina.
To wield them was to tax his own flesh. With his current, underdeveloped body, he could feel the limit. If he tried to ignite more than one, his heart would likely explode under the strain.
One, he thought. I can only have one.
He surveyed the circle.
The Rat could grant life to the inanimate—a power rivaling a Yonko's soul-manipulation. The Ox offered raw, divine strength—the ultimate equalizer in a world of giants. The Tiger was the anchor, the balance that would eventually allow him to weave multiple powers together without tearing himself apart. The Rabbit gave the gift of divine speed, the very "Speed is Weight" philosophy that made Kizaru a nightmare.
His mind lingered on the Snake (Invisibility), the Dragon (Combustion), and the Horse—the power of purification. The Horse could heal any wound, erase any sickness. If I chose the Horse, he mused, I could train until my muscles tore and my bones cracked, then reset the clock instantly.
Then there were the "Broken" ones. The Dog for immortality; the Pig for heat-vision; the Monkey for shapeshifting; the Sheep for astral projection; and the Chicken for telekinetic flight.
His breathing quickened. Immortality was within reach. Eternal youth, the prize that kings and pirates killed for, was a single thought away.
But immortality didn't mean strength. A golden cage was still a cage.
Atlas stilled his heart. He didn't need to live forever yet; he needed to survive the next five years. He needed a foundation. He needed a way to bridge the gap between a starving orphan and the monsters currently roaming the streets of Loguetown.
He focused his will. His consciousness reached out, hovering over a single stone.
"This is the one," he whispered into the void.
The chosen Talisman began to glow, a faint, rhythmic pulse that synced with his own heartbeat.