Grand Line, Arabasta waters.
The sun is shining brightly and the sky is blue.
A pirate ship darted across the sea in haste, as if it had stumbled upon a natural foe, while a Marine warship leisurely trailed behind, resembling... a cat toying with a mouse!
"Sir, their trajectory appears to be... headed towards Alubarna?" Luke expressed a bit of uncertainty. After all, he wasn't a navigator and wasn't well-versed in the waters near Arabasta.
Atlas nodded. He had overheard the conversation between Antolic and the enigmatic Mr. Crocodile long before, so it wasn't surprising. Atlas's knowledge and insights covered a broad spectrum. While not on par with [Fujitora[ Issho, it was only slightly inferior to Enel, the user of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit. However, refinement levels needed improvement, and foreseeing the future was still a distant skill to master. There was progress yet to be made.
Occasionally, they would employ Rankyaku to deliver slashes, intimidating the pirates. Even if this group of pirates was aware that Atlas was using them to expose the masterminds, they were powerless to resist. This was their sole opportunity for survival, and Antolic understood that those behind the scenes were the Seven Warlords of the Sea!
Tobu Shigan Dangan!(Flying Finger Gun Bullet)
The colossal vacuum bullet struck the head of the lookout for the Antolic Pirates at a terrifying speed. In an instant, red and white fluids sprayed in all directions, splattering onto the already terrified individuals below. Pirates, even those accustomed to taking the lives of ordinary people, found the prospect of death equally unbearable. In the face of death, everyone stands on equal ground!
"What an astonishing display of Shigan!" Luke remarked with emotion from the side. Despite having witnessed Atlas's monstrous physical abilities before, seeing this immensely powerful flying Shigan once again still left him astounded.
"Well, it's just a small test." Atlas nonchalantly curled his lips. "The next steps are up to you. Give me a call when you reach Alubarna, Luke." With that, he headed towards the restaurant. After all the commotion, he felt a bit hungry, having lived through quite a bit.
"Alright, sir!" Luke responded with a deep voice. Atlas, the commander, excelled in every aspect, but he wasn't fond of dealing with the finer details.
...
Soon, the Antolic Pirates successfully reached Alubarna, and each one of them displayed a joyful expression after the ordeal. While they remained unaware of the identity of their hidden benefactor, the satisfaction on the captain's face suggested that they would likely elude the devil' pursuit unscathed.
Indeed, in the eyes of these pirates, Atlas was a devil! Despite having the capability to deal with them all at once, the intermittent mental torment inflicted by sniping down one or two individuals at a time weighed heavily on them.
Sabaku no Himawari(Desert sunflower)
Suddenly, the sand dunes beneath the feet of this group of pirates started to flow rapidly, as if possessed by life, and a massive gravitational force caused them to sink continuously. The pirates erupted in sudden exclamations.
"What's going on? Captain?"
"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu... I don't want to die just yet!"
"Captain, think of a solution quickly"
Antolic, too, appeared desperate. The sensation of plummeting from heaven to hell left him profoundly uneasy. He desperately extended his hands, attempting to grasp onto something in a futile effort to delay the sinking process.
Suddenly, a tall figure draped in a fur coat materialized in front of him, accompanied by a sky filled with dust and howling wind.
"Lord Crocodile, why..."
The quicksand had already submerged Antolic, but in the end he did not get an answer from Crocodile, only a pair of indifferent eyes staring at him.
"Okay, you can retreat to the warship."
"yes!"
Atlas, summoned by his adjutant Luke, was well aware of the situation, yet he didn't intervene to halt it. As a pirate, the understanding was clear: when your time comes, it comes.
Atlas walked slowly toward Crocodile, his face devoid of expression. He observed the Shichibukai (Seven Warlords of the Sea), individuals canonized by the World Government, with a stoic demeanor.
Crocodile, at first glance, embodies the appearance of a villain. He is clad in a fur coat, an unusual choice for someone resistant to heat. His thick hair is slicked back in a simple, large, and ordinary hairstyle, with a horizontal slash across his face. Scars traverse his entire countenance. A gold earring graces his right ear. His emotionless, dead fish eyes are standard, and a large cigar dangles from his mouth. A gold hook replaces the palm of his left hand, creating a distinct and consistent pirate image, reminiscent of Atlas's previous life.
"Your jest has stretched too thin, Marine brat!" Crocodile declared as he noticed Atlas's silence. He lifted his chin slightly, gazing at Atlas with the same unchanging, dead fish eyes for thousands of years. With a bite on his cigar, he spoke, the cigar bobbing up and down.
"Indeed? Shichibukai, Lord Crocodile, shouldn't you provide me with an explanation?" Atlas wasn't one to be intimidated by this sand crocodile, asking with a smile on his face. Even though Shichibukai were granted the privilege of private plunder by default, Alabasta, being a member country of the World Government, should be excluded from such activities!
Certainly, Atlas currently lacks conclusive evidence to prove that the group of pirates just now was ordered by Crocodile. But is this really important to Atlas? Ah!
"Huh? Explanation?" Crocodile curled his lips mockingly. "You're so naive, Marine brat!"
"Is that so? Whether you admit it or not doesn't matter. My fist will make you explain obediently later."
Atlas twisted his wrist, the smile on his face undeterred. Crocodile might not be as weakened as he would be over ten years later when defeated by Luffy. At this point, he hadn't entirely lost faith in himself and might still possess a hint of Haki. Nonetheless, Atlas wasn't afraid at all. If needed, he could certainly teach this sand crocodile a lesson in proper behavior.
"Hehehehe...hahahaha..."
Seemingly hearing some ridiculous remarks, Crocodile first let out a deep laugh, which eventually turned into a wild and wild laugh.
"It's so boring, what a ridiculous little brat!"
"Haha, even the sea's trash dares to find me amusing!" Atlas retorted without yielding, a mocking expression on his face.
Click!
Seemingly being angered by Atlas, Crocodile looked ugly and actually bit off the cigar in his mouth and dropped it to the ground.
"I'll grant you three minutes. If you exceed it, I won't entertain you any longer!" Crocodile declared, tossing an hourglass from his hand. Judging from the sand's flow rate, the hourglass precisely measured three minutes.
Crocodile's current demeanor resembled that of dealing with an unreasonable child. After all, on the surface, Atlas was just a small captain. While Marine rank didn't precisely equate to strength, the disparity wasn't vast. Therefore, Crocodile didn't take Atlas too seriously.
"Three minutes? That's enough!"
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2nd Bonus chapter for review (It would be better for me to have a bonus with every even number of reviews. Teehee)
Read 20 chapters in advance in Patr*on: patr*on.com/Cosmic_Kaminari