"I won't give you an opportunity next time, Yermak!"
Atlas wouldn't allow Yermak even the slightest chance to catch his breath. His body swiftly expanded in size, the lines on his face curled up and gathered on his forehead. The muscles on his back became sharply defined, eventually shaping a grimace, with the heat continuously emanating from his body.
The disheveled Yermak gradually climbed up from the dense clouds. Suddenly, a black object plummeting at high speed entered his field of perception before he could examine it closely.
Boom!
The tremendous acceleration punched a hole directly through the clouds, and water waves, tens of meters high, splashed up, striking Yermak forcefully on the side.
Dodged!
Yermak, however, showed no surprise. Instead, cold sweat adorned his forehead. Though he wasn't entirely struck by Atlas, his left arm was now crippled! Yermak could distinctly feel that his left arm had been shattered, rendering him completely incapable of fighting.
"Isn't this guy a Devil Fruit user?"
Yermak was a bit taken aback. Evidently, Atlas's explosive ability led him to mistakenly believe that Atlas was a Devil Fruit user. However, judging from the current situation, it was clear that he had made an error in his assessment.
At this moment, Atlas, lurking at the bottom of the sea, was highly confident that his attack had undoubtedly inflicted some damage on Yermak.
"Bang!"
A massive water splash burst forth, and Atlas, resembling a swiftly moving tiger-headed shark, aimed directly at the spot where Yermak stood, its head armored and hardened for impact!
Kumo Kabe (Cloud Wall)
Yermak didn't anticipate the opponent's attacks to be so rapid and forceful, one after another, almost leaving him no room to catch his breath. The intense sense of crisis prompted him to instantly deploy his military-colored cloud shield!
Boom!
Violent collisions erupted around him. This time, Yermak wasn't fully shielded. The potent explosive flames, coupled with the thrust of his head, struck his body relentlessly.
The dispersed shockwaves and the ensuing storm nearly shattered the surrounding clouds into irregular fragments, slowly drifting atop the rolling sea.
Yermak stood atop a larger fragment of wreckage, and simultaneously, the ominous premonition in his heart intensified. After a brief confrontation, he realized that he was no match for the Marine before him...! Despite having been consumed by Big Mom.
Kumo no ryōiki (Cloud Domain)
As Atlas came to a halt, his vision was promptly obstructed by the diffused clouds and fog. It resembled Smoker's Smoke-Smoke Fruit to some extent, but the two were nearly distinct substances. Smoker's Smoke-Smoke Fruit consisted of small solid particles, whereas Yermak's clouds were composed of water vapor and tiny ice crystals, signifying... it had an effect akin to refrigeration!
Sure enough, just as Atlas contemplated, the surrounding temperature had already started to plummet, but... this was far more severe than Kuzan's Ice-Ice Fruit!
"Huh? Want to escape?"
Yermak isn't the type of pirate who would engage in a fight to the death if the odds are against him. Escaping when the situation turns unfavorable is a common practice for pirates like him. Cruelty, cunning, and greed—these traits that define a pirate are perfectly embodied in Yermak.
Atlas had already pinpointed the opponent's position upon seeing it. His leg muscles surged with force, and his figure nearly transformed into an afterimage as he swiftly attacked Yermak.
Yermak naturally observed Atlas's movements, and his heart tightened. Activating his Devil Fruit ability, a substantial amount of clouds and mist began to solidify. The Armament Haki responded accordingly, and he hurled it in the direction of Atlas!
Kumo Kabe: Yari("Cloud Wall: Spear!")
The sharp tip of the spear gleamed with a black sheen, and its frightening sharpness caused discomfort to Atlas's cheek.
How much Armament Haki does this guy possess?
Atlas clicked his tongue slightly, but his advancing figure did not halt at all.
"Don't forget! I'm still a swordsman!"
Atlas smoothly drew the Sandai Kitetsu from his waist, swelled his arms, and slashed forward.
"Itto-ryu Raikiri!"
The blood-red slashes, entwined with the black-red Armament Haki, possessed greater power than before. This was something Atlas had only recently come to realize. Through extensive training with Armament Haki, he had become more adept at its application. Now, he could even attempt to manipulate the trajectory of the slash.
The potent cutting ability swiftly cleared the obstacles for Atlas.
Yermak, noticing the movement behind him, panicked, and his hands and feet momentarily stiffened.
Almost simultaneously, Atlas's pupils trembled, and a powerful aura burst forth from his body. Resembling a woodland monarch with teeth and claws, he surged straight towards Yermak!
"This is... Conqueror's haki!"
Yermak's expression briefly flickered into a daze, and the back of his head felt as if struck by a colossal hammer. A profound dizziness overwhelmed him, causing his body to momentarily freeze!
'Chance'
Atlas seized this opportunity and swiftly materialized behind Yermak. Before the other party could turn around, the gleaming blade of the Sandai Kitetsu ghost flashed past, blood splattering in all directions. A face of shock fell into the sea with a thud.
Yermak Pirates Captain Yermak....Dead.
"Hey~ Quite the spectacle."
Atlas sneered, and the tip of the blade slowly lifted Yermak's head out of the water.
When the surrounding clouds and fog dispersed, a massive warship in the distance rapidly sailed towards Atlas. After all, Yermak's fruit had not awakened yet. Although Atlas felt that it was on the verge of awakening, he still lacked the ability to permanently alter the environment.
"Commodore Atlas! Mission accomplished, please return!"
Soon, the warship led by Kuzan reunited with Atlas, and a Marine officer emerged from the ship, reporting to Atlas.
"Alright, let's head over and rejoin my warship. I instructed them to keep a safe distance during the battle." Atlas nodded, then surveyed his surroundings, furrowing his brow.
"Where's Vice Admiral Kuzan? Why hasn't he returned?"
Atlas wouldn't believe that Kuzan perished at the hands of Big Mom or fled. Although Kuzan hadn't reached his peak, he undeniably possessed the strength of an Admiral. However, the World Government, for reasons unknown, had yet to hold the award ceremony, officially appointing Sengoku as the head of the Marine.
As an elder in the Marine, Sengoku, as long as he remains in the position of Fleet Admiral, it's implausible for the three formidable Vice Admirals to officially ascend to the rank of Admiral. (A/N: This is my conjecture, and it aligns with common sense, as I'm uncertain whether they were promoted to Admiral simultaneously or with a time gap; please forgive me!) (T/N: A/N is the author, whose story is being translated)
"Vice Admiral Kuzan stayed behind to buy us time for retreat. He should be here soon!"
"Okay, I understand!"
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Wow, I can't believe it! My fanfic has reached 1k collections! This is such a huge milestone for me and I'm so grateful to all of you who supported my work. Thank you for your kudos, comments, bookmarks and subscriptions. I never thought I would get this far with my humble story, but you proved me wrong. You are amazing and I hope you enjoy the next chapter as much as I enjoyed translating it. Thank you, thank you, thank you! 💖
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