(T/N: Please consider reviewing this Fanfic, Thanks and appreciate all who support me)
(T/N: Enjoy!!)
<><><><><><>
The New World, Kingdom of Dressrosa.
The once-bustling harbor now looked desolate. The battlefield, still smelling of smoke, was littered with bodies, most of whom, judging by their attire, were pirates.
It was thanks to Kanos Atlas's timely arrival that the Marine side was spared from suffering heavy casualties.
Marines moved back and forth, methodically handling the aftermath of the battle.
Gion calmly issued one order after another, and the Marines operated like a well-oiled machine, carrying out their duties with order and efficiency.
Meanwhile, due to Gion's strong insistence, Atlas was forced to stay put, boredly watching the busy Marines and kingdom guards, occasionally lending a hand.
Suddenly, a curly-haired man in a kingdom guard uniform with a red cape came rushing from a distance.
His expression was hurried, and his increasingly heavy breathing showed his urgency.
"Commander Kyros!" A guard recognized the man, quickly put down what he was holding, and greeted him respectfully.
"What happened here? Where is the officer from the Big Mom Pirates?" Kyros asked, confused.
He had received a call from King Riku and had rushed from his cottage in the flower field where he was with his wife, weapon in hand.
He had expected to find a scene of chaotic battle cries and cannon fire, but from the looks of it, the war was already over.
"Ah, the battle's over!" Atlas, who had been bored, brightened up upon seeing Kyros. It wasn't often he met someone who piqued his interest, so he eagerly chimed in.
"Hm?" Kyros heard the voice and looked at Atlas with a puzzled expression, before him stood a very young-looking Marine Commodore.
He wore a pristine white suit, and his sharply defined face held a composure that belied his age.
He wasn't conventionally handsome, but in the world of One Piece, where oddballs were the norm, he was certainly easy on the eyes.
"And you are?"
"This is Marine Commodore Kanos Atlas!" a nearby guard chimed in at the perfect moment.
"The battle ended so quickly thanks to him! Commodore Atlas was the one who defeated the officer from the Big Mom Pirates!"
The guard's eyes were filled with reverence. They had all seen the battle clearly; the Commodore had overwhelmed entirely the so-called officer of the Big Mom Pirates.
"Thank you so much for helping the Kingdom of Dressrosa!" Kyros exclaimed, his body tense with emotion. He gave Atlas a deep, ninety-degree bow.
To Kyros, Dressrosa was a place he would risk his life to protect. His wife, his unborn child, and the king he was loyal to were all here.
Therefore, Kyros was filled with immense gratitude for the Marine who had saved Dressrosa.
"Kyros?" Atlas studied the man with great interest.
Whether from the statue he had seen in the Colosseum or from the memories of his past life, he knew this guy was the real deal.
After all, a few years from now, when Doflamingo seized control of Dressrosa, Kyros would defeat an officer of the Donquixote Family using his swordsmanship alone.
"I've heard of you. Would you be willing to join the Marines?"
Atlas stated his purpose directly. In his eyes, Kyros was a subordinate with immense potential, and his character and loyalty were qualities Atlas admired.
"This…" Kyros was taken aback. He never expected this Marine to try and poach him, the commander of the kingdom's guard, right then and there.
However, a part of him was tempted. Dressrosa was too small, and his swordsmanship had hit a plateau.
This crisis had made him realize the importance of strength more than ever. He had a wife and child to protect, and a country he loved.
He didn't want to be in a position again where he could only wait for an enemy's mercy or the Marines' aid.
The Marines arrived in time on this occasion, but what if they didn't make it next time? What if they abandoned them?
Kyros didn't know what would become of them, but he knew it would be tragic. Yet, he was hesitant.
His pregnant wife had not yet given birth, and he was reluctant to leave the land he held so dear. Kyros's mind raced, and his eyes flickered with indecision.
"Alright, I'll give you three days to think it over. I'll be waiting for you here then." Atlas could see Kyros's hesitation and understood his concerns.
"But to gain strength, one must make sacrifices. A life of comfort has always been the tomb of the strong."
Three days later…
Thanks to King Riku's warm hospitality, Atlas and Gion had enjoyed a pleasant three-day break. Now, it was time to set sail.
On the deck of the warship stood Kyros, the former commander of Dressrosa, next to Atlas.
When King Riku learned of Atlas's attempt to poach his commander, he had nagged Atlas for quite some time.
However, the king understood Kyros's desires and did not stand in his way.
Standing tall beside Atlas, Kyros gazed at the receding shores of Dressrosa with infinite fondness, his mind replaying a conversation with Scarlett from three days prior.
"Kyros, you are a hero. I don't want you to stop moving forward because you feel tied down by me."
"Believe me, our child will be so proud of you!"
Three days ago, after seeing Kyros return home with a troubled look, Scarlett had persistently questioned him until she learned of his dilemma.
Scarlett and Kyros's love story was a romantic encounter between a beauty and a hero.
Initially, Scarlett had looked down on Kyros for his background as a gladiator from the violent colosseum, but when he saved her from a group of pirates, the two fell in love.
Therefore, Scarlett was fully supportive of Kyros joining the Marines.
That was the image of the hero she held in her heart, not someone held back by romantic ties in the small world of Dressrosa.
Boom!
A massive Sea King, over a thousand meters tall, crashed violently into the ocean, sending colossal waves churning.
The beast's fearsome maw let out a constant wail as crimson blood mixed with the azure seawater, the strong stench of blood filling the air.
In an instant, a multitude of dark shadows swarmed from the depths, rapidly devouring the Sea King's carcass.
On the warship's deck, Gion stood with her arms crossed, creating an impressive curve. She watched Atlas's tall, god-like figure with a sense of awe.
What a terrifying guy. To take care of a thousand-meter-tall Sea King in a mere moment. When she first met Atlas, he was just a recruit in the boot camp.
To think he had reached this level now. Master Z's judgment is as sharp as ever, she thought.
"Hey, Vice Admiral Gion, the obstacle has been cleared. We can go now…" Atlas said as he slowly descended onto the deck using Moon Walk.
"Little Kanos, that was amazing. An attack of that magnitude is beyond me. Your power is becoming more and more terrifying!"
Gion said, her arms falling to her sides. She playfully touched the hilt of her blade, Konpira, with a teasing look in her eyes.
Atlas chuckled but didn't explain. By now, his training in both physical prowess and Haki had made him a true powerhouse.
His Observation Haki was at its peak, not far from being able to see the future, and its range was comparable to Enel's.
In both quality and quantity, his Armament Haki was catching up to the top-tier powerhouses of the seas who had honed it for years, though he had yet to master the advanced technique of internal destruction.
As for his Conqueror's Haki, it had awakened only recently and was still in its most basic stage; infusing it into his attacks was a distant goal.
Regarding the Talismans, the power granted to him by the Ox Talisman was constantly growing.
For example, if Atlas's original strength was a 1, the Ox Talisman multiplied that base. In theory, the Ox Talisman's power is infinite, but Atlas's current musculoskeletal structure couldn't possibly withstand the force needed to destroy a planet.
The same applied to the Rabbit Talisman. In the original story, time travel required scientific means, a feat that was currently unattainable for Atlas.
Just as Kizaru's Glint-Glint Fruit requires a powerful physique and sharp reflexes to support its light-speed movements, the warship continued its voyage, its destination the Marine base G-5.
Suddenly, the Marine in the crow's nest shouted urgently, "Pirate ship spotted ahead! Based on their course, it seems…"
He paused for a moment, a hint of uncertainty in his voice, before continuing, "I think they're heading for us!"
"All hands, prepare for battle! Lookout, get a clear view of the enemy's situation!" Gion commanded calmly, not flustered in the slightest.
In any battle, intelligence is always the top priority. You never know what strange and unpredictable Devil Fruit abilities your enemy might possess; a single careless mistake could cost you your life.
"Reporting, Vice Admiral! The enemy ship appears to be flying the flag of the Big Mom Pirates…"
"Looks like they're here for Charlotte Oven. I wonder which one they sent," Kanos Atlas commented from the side, a look of interest on his face. He hoped it would be Katakuri.
After being in the New World for so long, the numerous battles he'd fought had rapidly increased his strength, making him feel more and more certain that his past choices were correct.
Soon, the warship and the pirate ship came face to face. Standing at the prow of the enemy vessel was the man Atlas had anticipated:
Charlotte Linlin's second son, Charlotte Katakuri, the man hailed as the masterpiece of the Charlotte Family.
Atlas sized up the grim-faced man before him. Katakuri was tall, with short, magenta-colored hair, a robust, muscular build, and long legs.
He had a stitched scar on each cheek, which gave him an even fiercer appearance. A pink tattoo ran from his left arm to his left back.
He wore a fluffy, white scarf around his neck that completely concealed his face from the nose down.
He wore black gloves and a spiked bracelet on his left arm. His style was quintessential punk. His expression was exceptionally stern, and his eyes were fixed intently on Atlas.
"Hey, Marine. Where is Oven?"
Perhaps growing impatient under Atlas's scrutiny, Katakuri's deep, magnetic voice emerged from behind his scarf. Beneath his cold exterior lay a deep concern for his brother.
The Big Mom Pirates are a strange organization, built around the core of a family.
Charlotte Linlin trusts only in familial bonds, so the crew rarely accepts outsiders unless they marry one of her daughters, like Capone Bege and Sanji did in the original story.
But among all her children, Katakuri was undoubtedly the most charismatic, deeply loved, and respected by his younger siblings.
This was because, unlike Oven and others who placed the family above their siblings, Katakuri valued protecting his siblings even more than the family itself.
He wouldn't even bring himself to kill a sibling who betrayed the Big Mom Pirates. In many ways, he was a perfect man.
"You mean that pirate with the flame-shaped, yellow hair?" A smirk played on Atlas's lips as he taunted Katakuri, whose expression grew even darker.
"You're asking to die!" Katakuri roared. His Observation Haki had already allowed him to foresee what Atlas was about to say.
Even though he had an inkling, facing the reality of it was still hard to accept.
He and his older siblings had relied on each other for survival in the early days of the Big Mom Pirates, and their bond was much deeper because of it.
"Hm?" Atlas was a little surprised. He hadn't expected Katakuri to have already trained his Observation Haki to the point of seeing the future.
He wondered just how far into the future he could see. He truly lives up to his reputation as someone who awakened his Haki at age three.
His talent for Observation Haki is almost on par with that of those born with it.
"Now, now, don't be angry. How about…" Atlas began, feigning consolation as he looked at the enraged Katakuri.
"How about I send you down there to join him?! Heh, hahahaha!" It had to be said, Atlas's "consolation" was effective. Katakuri immediately calmed down.
His eyes became shrouded in shadow, and his aura grew colder and more menacing, like a venomous snake ready to strike from anywhere.
(T/N: Please give me some power stone, I hope it can at least reach top 100)
If you want to support me, join my patr**on. Have 20 advanced Chapters for you guys.
patr**n.com/saitamablast > OP:SJ NOVEL TIER