Naval Headquarters, Marineford.
Sengoku's office.
The three veteran Marines, Sengoku, Garp, and Vice Admiral Tsuru, were all in a small office together at that moment.
Oh, and there's also the laid-back Kizaru hanging around.
"So, did Atlas manage to take down Shiki all on his own?"
After hearing Kizaru's report, Sengoku remained silent for a moment and then asked slowly. Even though he was aware that Kizaru was likely goofing off nearby at the time, he didn't bother to pay much attention to it.
"Yeah~ I didn't anticipate Atlas to be so powerful at such a young age. It's quite intimidating." Hearing this, Kizaru shifted his focus from his nails to Sengoku's face, showing a hint of surprise as well.
"Bwahahaha! You truly are the kind of kid I admire. You've got the strength to take down Shiki so swiftly."
Before Sengoku could respond, Garp chomped down on the senbei in his mouth, looking somewhat proud."
Quiet down, Garp, and drop that senbei!"
Sengoku and Garp still share a strong bond, as always.
He grabbed the senbei from Garp's hand, poured it all into his mouth with a few splashes, and chewed on it with irritation.
"Ah! My senbei!"
"Quiet down, that's my senbei! Garp, you scoundrel!"
Sengoku clenched his teeth and turned to Kizaru, confirming once more, "Is Atlas kid in any way?"
Kizaru thought for a moment, "It can't be said that he wasn't injured. The blow Shiki used before his death was still quite terrifying, but... Atlas healed on his own in just a short time."
"Is his recovery ability that powerful?"
Sengoku was surprised. While he had heard about Atlas's monster-like self-healing ability from Zephyr before, it wasn't this extraordinary. A formidable figure like Shiki couldn't take his life by putting his life on the line.
"So, his status should be different now, correct?"
Vice Admiral Tsuru suddenly interrupted.
Initially, Atlas's strength was more than that of an average Vice Admiral, but lacking any notably outstanding achievements and with the World Government suppressing the Marines, Atlas had no opportunity for promotion.
And now, there's a fantastic opportunity!
It can not only extend Marine's influence but also add another Vice Admiral codename alongside the three formidable Vice Admirals. I believe the pirates' dread of the Marines will surely intensify.
Furthermore, a figure like Shiki the Golden Lion was taken down by a Marine rookie. Regardless of what the Five Elders might think, they couldn't deny Atlas his own codename. If they did, not only would Sengoku and other Marine leaders disagree, but the World Government's standing among mid-level Marines would also significantly diminish.
"Tsuru, are you suggesting..."
Sengoku glanced at Vice Admiral Tsuru with a hint of uncertainty.
"That's correct, just as you suspected, that kid should also have his own codename!"
Vice Admiral Tsuru nodded slightly.
"But, what about the Five Elders..."
"The Five Elders can't overlook the accomplishment of taking down Shiki, unless they want the Marines and the World Government to distance themselves from us."
After a moment of silence, Vice Admiral Tsuru glanced discreetly at Kizaru and said with a smile, "Atlas's inclusion might add a bit of pressure on these three youngsters."
Kizaru's expression remained unchanged. He sighed and said slowly, "Indeed, the young ones these days are quite formidable. It does give an old guy like me quite a bit of pressure."
"Bwahahaha! That works out perfectly. When that kid returns, he can head straight to the New World to assist me in guarding it. It's been a while since I visited home to see my grandson!"
"Garp, you scoundrel! Didn't you just wrap up your vacation not too long ago? Dream on if you think you're going back to East Blue again!"
Sengoku bellowed, pointing out that Garp runs off to East Blue every three days. Even if the situation in the New World is currently stable, the risk without Garp is still significant. What if Whitebeard or some other Sanko suddenly attacks a Marine Base one day? Marine defenses would suffer heavy losses!
"Then... should we not settle on Brother Atlas's codename?"
Perhaps feeling guilty for witnessing Atlas being beaten so severely earlier, Kizaru took the initiative to speak favorably about Atlas.
"When the time comes, the planning team will prepare the strategy and present it to me. I'll personally meet with the Five Elders and submit it."
"So, what format should the codename take?"
Vice Admiral Tsuru inquired. As a member of the headquarters, it would be easier for her to seek clarification from Sengoku.
"Color and animal..."
This codename is quite distinctive. The three Admiral candidates of this generation are mostly named after colors and animals, such as Akainu and Kizaru. However, the three Admirals of the previous generation weren't as specific. Their names were mainly based on personal characteristics. Codenames like Zephyr's 'Black Arm' were derived from his formidable armament haki.
So, this format implies that Atlas is essentially being recognized as a potential Admiral. However, even if Sengoku becomes the Marshal in the future, there will still be only three Admiral positions at the Naval Headquarters.
As long as there are no unforeseen events, establishing an additional Admiral position due to Atlas is unlikely. This is because the title of Admiral not only signifies a symbol of status but also holds certain privileges. The most apparent demonstration is that Marine Admirals possess the authority to initiate Buster Call missions!
So, in the future, Atlas must compete with Akainu and the others for one of the three Admiral positions!
"I have an idea now..."
"As for the color, let's tentatively go with white. It happens that the young lad prefers to wear pristine white suits. And for the animal codename, I think dragon works well. Vice Admiral Hakuryu!"
"Hakuryu"×3
"Bwahaha! That's a solid name. I'm sure that kid Atlas will like it!"
Garp found it quite impressive.
For instance, the current three leading candidates for Admiral are a dog, a monkey, and a pheasant. Compared to the title of Atlas, they pale in comparison.
"Don't jump to conclusions just yet. The staff department will draft a few more options for reference, and then let Atlas choose from them."
"Also, spread the news about Atlas taking down Shiki. The more widely it's known, the better. Reach out to as many newspapers as possible, and if we can involve Morgans, that would be ideal. I'm sure he won't overlook such significant news."
"You're attempting to pressure the Five Elders into making a decision..."
"Hehe! There's no other choice, just an additional layer of assurance."
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