Confronting the invigorating morning light, Atlas and his group departed Foosha Village at a leisurely pace.
What differed from before was the addition of three young figures on the boat, and they happened to be three particularly hearty eaters.
"Hey! You brat, don't compete with me!"
Inside the restaurant, Smoker ground his teeth, glowering at the diminishing food on his plate. Not only had his private wine collection been pilfered yesterday, but now they were even challenging him for food. Smoker couldn't fathom why Brother Atlas insisted on bringing these three youngsters to the headquarters. They were too young to enlist in the army at their tender age.
The three paid no mind to Smoker, their hands transforming into afterimages as they voraciously swept the food from the table.
There was no helping it. The more they drank yesterday, the more intoxicated they became, eventually falling asleep in the depths of Mt.Colubo. Fortunately, Atlas's knowledge was extensive enough; otherwise, the three would have ended up like a certain creature.
However, in an effort to impart a lesson to the three mischievous youngsters, Atlas refrained from using the Horse Talisman to alleviate their hangover. Consequently, they slept until the following morning. With ravenous appetites, the three, having gone without food for a day, felt an overwhelming hunger upon awakening.
As for concerns about overeating being detrimental to health? Don't be ridiculous; can the digestive capacities of the three of them be gauged by common sense?
...
Vacation time always zooms by, but Atlas's journey to East Blue was undeniably successful. Not only did he acquire a Meito of the highest caliber, but he also naturally recruited several exceptional individuals for the Marines. The Marine reserve force, brimming with potential, now awaits arrival in Logue town to complete the handover of the warships and then smoothly return home.
On the deck of the warship, Atlas reclined on a wicker chair. He eschewed his usual pristine white suit, leaving his upper body bare. His robust physique basked in the sun, with a pair of ample beach shorts covering the essentials. Across from him, under the blazing sun, were the three brothers also exposed to the sun.
"Hey! You're destined to become a formidable Marine in the future, so put in more effort!"
The three youngsters wore Marine's specialized weight-bearing clothing, engaging in a frenzy of squats under the scorching sun. Sweat cascaded down along the contours of their skin, eventually coalescing into small rivulets beneath them. Fortunately, the warship, originating from the Four Blue's branch, possessed ample durability, ensuring there would be no water leakage or the like.
"Smoker, give them some water. Don't let them collapse before completing their training."
Atlas turned to issue instructions to Smoker, who was chuckling on the side.
Despite the impeccable physiques of the three brothers, potential injuries resulting from overtraining had to be taken into account. The motto of "train until you can't train anymore," especially for Luffy, doesn't mean they can endure prolonged dehydration. Hence, they still needed to replenish fluids.
While he may not be as proficient as Zephyr in terms of training and instruction, his superior Observation Haki and the buggy Horse Talisman are advantages that Zephyr lacks.
"Vice Admiral, at our current speed, we still have one day until we reach Logue town. Should we maintain this pace or sail at full speed?"
The navigator on the warship hurried over to make the report.
As it was currently vacation time, Atlas had been sailing at a relatively moderate speed.
"Sail at full speed. Anyway, the task is nearly complete. The pirates in Sabaody should be causing trouble again, right?"
Atlas rose to his feet, a cruel smile gracing his face.
Although the lingering power from earlier remains, pirates are a persistent bunch. Even with Majors and Kyros, they alone cannot quell the returning pirates, even with Kyros now officially proficient in Armament Haki.
The Armament Haki is not invincible. As long as one's physical fitness is up to par and the awakening method is known, many individuals can successfully harness the Armament Haki within their bodies.
In truth, the majority of pirates reaching Sabaody Archipelago with a bounty of around 100 million can awaken their Armament Haki. However, among the pirates in the park, only a handful naturally possess Armament Haki, let alone attempting to learn how to utilize it.
"Yes, Vice Admiral!"
The navigator promptly received the order.
Just as the navigator was about to return to the cabin to relay Atlas' instructions, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a shadow rapidly expanding in his peripheral vision.
"Vice Admiral Atlas, what is that..."
An island!
That's right! It was an island. A sudden wave of cold sweat trickled down the navigator's forehead. A horrified expression etched across his face, and his pupils constricted sharply in shock.
Because the landing point of that island is in the sea area near the warship!
"Wow~ What a massive island!"
"The outside world is truly magnificent..."
The trio also observed something peculiar in the sky, immediately halting their movements and exclaiming in astonishment.
The soldiers on the ship naturally noticed the gradually enlarging outline of the island above their heads. Their faces turned pale, yet they managed to maintain composure, fixing their gaze on the backbone of the warship.
"Hey! Are you kidding me? How could we come across something like this in East Blue!"
A hint of panic flickered in Smoker's eyes. This natural disaster-level power was something he had never encountered before, despite his extensive experience in the first half of the world. He could only instinctively look to Atlas for guidance.
"It's truly troublesome. It appears I've encountered a major player this time..."
Atlas stood up abruptly, his countenance swiftly darkening.
Shiki the Golden Lion!
On the entire sea, the only individual who could whimsically manipulate a massive island like this was the blind hero Issho and Shiki. However, Issho would not engage in such an act relying solely on his own Devil Fruit ability!
The criminal that the Marines wanted to apprehend the most, the man who shattered the myth of Impel Down. It was rumored that after escaping from prison, this individual only met Whitebeard once before vanishing. However, Atlas was aware that the Golden Lion had not gone off to study "IQ"; rather, he was just another individual who had lost confidence in himself.
Hibashira bakuhatsu (Flame Pillar Explosion)
As soon as he finished speaking, a column entirely composed of explosive flames surged into the sky from Atlas. Resembling a majestic fire dragon, it hurtled towards the distant island with fangs and claws.
Boom!
A deafening explosion resonated, and the massive island was instantly engulfed by the pillar of flames. Countless ashes descended from the sky, and the atmosphere above them cleared once more. Also plummeting were the hearts of the Marines, nearly leaping out of their throats.
In this scenario, it was naturally impossible for Atlas to employ slashes. If he were to switch to Hawkeye's sword skills, he could potentially obliterate the island in all directions without affecting the warships. However, Atlas's approach wasn't limited to such measures, purely because the Dragon Talisman was a more stylish choice.
But....
Atlas gazed at the azure sky and grinned.
'Shiki? This is a battle achievement handed to me on a silver platter...'
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