"What...is this a joke!?"
"Is this the power of the Rear Admiral Atlas? The power to push a warship with bare hands!"
"Hey! Being out at sea with no stress markers, isn't it more scarier?"
"Although our warships are only medium-sized warships, this kind of power is too exaggerated!"
Shortly after, Atlas steered the warship away from the heart of the storm. A contingent of Marines managed to evade the ship's demise and the loss of lives, but they were left astounded by Atlas's recent actions.
"Okay, don't stand here and watch, go do what you have to do!"
Tokikake addressed the onlookers and dispersed the crowd. As he observed Atlas, who appeared at ease before him, he forced a smile onto his unappealing face. Extending his fist, he struck Atlas on the chest and exclaimed with a grin, "Incredible, Brother Canos! I can hardly match your current prowess. You truly embody the monstrous strength that Teacher Zephyr often says!"
"Brother Tokikake, no need for modesty. I simply possess a few more flashy tricks up my sleeve."
Atlas's maneuver paled in comparison to Whitebeard's solo feat of halting the Moby-Dick during the Summit War over a decade later. The Moby-Dick dwarfed this standard warship in size, making it even more astonishing to witness him stand firm and block the rapidly advancing Moby Dick.
It's unclear whether Charlotte Oven had witnessed the live broadcast of the Summit War. He attempted a ship stop, seeking to showcase his strength, but his endeavor ended in failure, resulting in his immediate demise. Crushed, just like that.
"Alright, you two, enough with the modesty. Focus more on ensuring the safety of the warship and let's hope to reach Marineford soon."
...
"It's been such a long time, and I'm finally back in Marineford..."
Observing the tall and imposing structure ahead, with the white waves persistently brushing against the crescent-shaped harbor, Atlas reminisced about his experiences in the New World. Suddenly, he felt a notable difference, realizing that both physically and in terms of Haki, he had undeniably grown significantly compared to his initial venture into the New World.
Shortly after the warship securely docked at the port, a Marine on duty approached him. Atlas recognized him as an old acquaintance.
"Gion Rear Admiral, Tokikake Rear Admiral, Atlas Rear Admiral, were you all recalled from the New World by the headquarters?"
Initially, Haise felt a bit embarrassed. He was the one who personally brought Atlas to visit the recruitment camp. However, after all these years, he remained a colonel in the headquarters while Atlas had risen to the rank of Rear admiral. The question lingered: when would he be promoted to Vice admiral?
"Colonel Haise, long time no see. How are you lately?"
Atlas naturally remembered Haise, so he said hello politely.
"It's fine. You guys are returning to Marineford to receive rewards this time, aren't you?"
"That seems to be the case. The situation in the New World is relatively stable now, so they summoned us back first."
"I'm quite envious. Atlas, you'll soon become the youngest Vice Admiral in Marine history..." Haise didn't conceal his envy, but there was no trace of jealousy. He had moved beyond that stage, acknowledging the disparities between individuals.
"Stop talking, let's go report to Sengoku Admiral first. I'll meet you for a drink when I have time!"
Atlas halted the pleasantries, raised his hand to bid Haize farewell, and trailed behind Gion and Tokikake towards Admiral Sengoku's office.
...
Knock..knock..knock
"Please come in!"
The trio entered after hearing the sound, and Atlas instinctively glanced around.
The setup remains unchanged. In fact, Atlas has visited Sengoku's office only a few times. What left the strongest impression on him was the "Reigning Justice" banner hanging prominently from the ceiling and the goat casually nibbling on documents.
"You're all finally back. The situation in the New World is quite stable, isn't it?"
Sengoku still sports the same distinctive frog-like eyes and pointed mustache, radiating an air of authority. After all, the New World war had been meticulously orchestrated by him, elevating his prestige within the Marines. It's likely that the Five Elders won't keep him in the position of admiral for much longer.
"Reporting to Admiral Sengoku, Vice Admiral Garp is overseeing affairs in the New World. There shouldn't be any significant issues. Our Marine forces have fully assimilated the occupied territories, and the construction of major Marine Bases is largely complete."
The speaker was Gion. Among the three, Gion was the elder, correct? Let's consider it a bonus; after all, Gion tends to grab more attention.
"Excellent. You'll remain at Naval Headquarters for the time being. A medal ceremony will be organized for you in a few days. Tsuru will return shortly, and Marine will deploy personnel to be stationed in the New World. Regarding your transfer orders, expect them to be issued in the coming days."
Sengoku briefly outlined Marine's recent activities and the positional changes of the three of them.
Despite being mentally prepared for a while, the three of them couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement upon hearing Sengoku's personal confirmation. Currently, Marine has only one Admiral, Sengoku, and Kong has long ceased to involve himself in the specific affairs of the Marine. Hence, the three of them can be considered second only to him.
"Atlas will stay here for a moment, you two can go back first."
Sengoku casually put the document he had just read into the goat's mouth, and then said to Tokikake and Gion.
Upon hearing this, the two turned around and left without any hesitation.
Click!
Observing the two vanish behind the closed office door, He then turned his attention to Atlas standing in front of the desk.
"Sengoku Admiral, feel free to ask if you have any questions."
Unable to resist, Atlas inquired. He couldn't help but find Sengoku's peculiar eyes unsettling, giving him the appearance of someone who always had a scheming nature.
"Cough...cough...! The primary reason for keeping you here is to discuss with you your future assignment. Gion will likely be on Tsuru's ship and Tokikake will be stationed at the headquarters. As for you..."
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