Yay, Bonus chapter goal fulfilled 🎉
As promised,here is the chapter
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At the entrance of Mariejois, a bunch of soldiers in gray and white armor stood in a row, paying close attention.
These soldiers aren't part of the standard Marine forces; they're more like a private army raised by the World Government. Specifically, they're private soldiers connected to Mariejois.
It's unclear whether they fall under the command of Kong, the overall leader of the military.
Suddenly, there was a series of loud thuds, like "Boom! Boom! Boom!"
A tremendous rumbling echoed, and two individuals, a man and a woman, emerged before the door.
The man had a determined and stern expression, his body defined with muscles.
The woman stood tall and had an appealing, curvaceous figure.
The soldier beside the gate nervously gulped, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead as he spoke with a slightly breathless voice, "Vice Admiral Hakuryu, you're bringing..."
"Shichibukai Boa Hancock."
Atlas glanced up, his tone impatient.
"So? Why don't you open the door quickly?"
"Huh? I'm so sorry, right away!"
The soldier suddenly snapped into action, stood upright, delivered a solemn military salute, and then directed his colleagues beside him.
"It's okay, don't worry."
Atlas' expression softened, and he nodded slightly, signaling that he wasn't in a hurry.
Squeak!!
A harsh mechanical sound resonated as the door of Mariejois slowly opened. White light seeped through the gap and illuminated Atlas!
Snap!!
Stepping into Mariejois, Hancock followed with an equally disgusted expression on her face.
The first sight greeted by them was an exceptionally broad path, adorned with splendid palaces on both sides. Thick vegetation covered the surroundings, and the air felt fresh and green in every direction.
On either side of the road, there are well-proportioned cobblestones, nearly identical in size, smooth and gleaming. Walking on them is incredibly comfortable. In the center, there's an endless stone pathway with many neatly arranged cave entrances.
All the structures here are essentially man-made, yet they're no less impressive than any natural landscape on the sea. This is not only due to the renowned craftsmen who built them but also because a considerable amount of money is invested in yearly repairs and maintenance.
This upkeep is also one of the significant expenses covered by the celestial gold collected from the franchise kingdom every year!
"Vice Admiral Hakuryu? This is a moving walkway. It's one of the Celestial Dragons' favorite structures. Would you like to give it a try?"
The guard accompanying him held several connecting rods and offered them to Atlas with utmost respect.
"No need. This type of thing isn't suitable for us Marines."
Atlas's expression turned cold. He strode forward without paying much attention, passing by the guard.
In his Observation haki.
Countless subtle mechanisms were intricately concealed beneath the stone pathway. Even without direct visual inspection, Atlas was well aware of how this so-called moving walkway operated.
It wasn't an automated passage. With the advanced technology prevalent in the One Piece world, and even elevators were within the realm of possibility, however, what the Celestial Dragons truly enjoyed wasn't merely the novelty of such devices; the suffering of human emotions was also a source of their amusement.
These privileged individuals didn't genuinely consider humans as equals in their hearts!
"It's as disgusting as ever!!"
Hancock, trailing closely behind, also cast a disdainful look around at this place that had haunted her nightmares throughout her life.
"——?!"
The guard soldier's expression changed drastically upon hearing this. He opened his mouth to speak, but refrained from doing so.
After all, it was the current Shichibukai who dared to express such sentiments.
If he provoked her, his demise would likely be in vain.
Pirates like this have always been uninhibited and possess peculiar personalities.
"Okay, let's go; the other Shichibukai must be getting a bit impatient waiting."
Atlas turned to signal Hancock to quicken their pace.
Mariejois is neither large nor small. Four enormous, towering metal gates divide Mariejois into five distinct areas.
The central spot is the residence of the Celestial Dragons and the meeting place of the Five Elders - the Center of Power.
The Empty Throne is also located deep within Mariejois.
This time, the meeting place for the Shichibukai was arranged in the outer area of Mariejois, making it a rare occasion to encounter Celestial Dragons.
Despite being nominally an agency under the World Government, anyone with a discerning eye can see that these individuals are still lawless fanatics at heart. The consequences of conflicting with the Celestial Dragons can easily be imagined.
The World Government, including the Five Elders, are not fools and will naturally not permit the Shichibukai to freely enter and exit the core area of Mariejois.
Soon, after traversing the dazzling scenery, the two finally arrived at the designated meeting hall.
Swish, swish!!
The moment their feet entered the hall, dozens of scrutinizing eyes focused instantly, scanning the two individuals unabashedly.
"Snort!!"
Seeing this, Hancock coldly snorted, circled around Atlas with her long legs, and headed directly towards the vacant seat at the conference table.
"You're finally here, long time no see."
Taking a moment to observe the dust-covered Atlas, Mihawk's keen eagle eyes showed a slight fluctuation, and the sword intent emanating from his body became sharper.
"Fortunately, it seems like you've made considerable progress."
Atlas responded with a smile and nodded slightly.
"Your sword... is quite impressive."
His gaze shifted downward, ultimately settling at Atlas's waist.
The only blades he deemed worthy were the Great Grade Blades and the Supreme Grade Blades. As for the Kaminari at Atlas's side, though unfamiliar to him, he relied on a swordsman's innate sense.
He dared to conclude that this was, at the very least, of the caliber of a Skillful Grade Blades!!
In this world, a blade's quality can be inherent or acquired.
Much like Whitebeard's Murakumogiri and Roger's Ace, they aren't black blades, but they are top-notch, sharp knives. It can only be said that the materials and craftsmanship reach the pinnacle.
Hawkeye's Yoru and Shimotsuki Ryoma's Shusui are acquired, and the initial level of the former may be slightly higher than that of the latter.
Nevertheless, both are black swords, yet they are categorized as the supreme sharp sword and the great sharp sword.
"How about a duel?"
Mihawk stared at Atlas with stern eyes, his hand already reaching for the long knife behind his back. There was a tendency to resort to swords if they disagreed, and his fighting spirit was intense.
"... It's better not to do it. Business is more important now."
Atlas slowly shook his head and declined, "Besides, you are still a little bit behind now."
After saying that, he raised his right hand and indicated the distance with his index finger and thumb.
Well, it is only 100 million points behind. (T/N: It is some Chinese slang)
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Read 35 chapters in advance in Patr*on: patr*on.com/Cosmic_Kaminari