Watching Roger's Execution at the Start

Just as Big Mom had the terrifying defenses of an Iron Balloon, he, Atlas, would have a gift for raw strength—power even more extraordinary than Whitebeard's in his youth! His body would be tough, too, though not to the same absurd degree as an Iron Balloon.

"Captain Smoker, Lieutenant Commander Atlas—V-Vice Admiral Garp is here! Colonel Randall wants you both over there!"

A Marine ran up to Smoker, panting as he delivered the message.

"Got it. I'll call Atlas."

"No need. I heard."

Atlas's Observation Haki covered enough ground for him to hear the Marine. He dragged his dripping body ashore.

But Atlas was surprised. Why had Garp come to pick them up for Marine Headquarters in person?

Atlas and Smoker quickly changed clothes and ran to Loguetown's port.

There, Randall was speaking respectfully with a Marine who looked about his age. It was the Marine hero, Garp!

"Hey, Atlas, you brat! You've kept this old man waiting."

Garp had spotted Atlas too. He picked his nose with one hand and waved with the other.

"Vice Admiral Garp, what brings you here in person?"

Atlas motioned for an excited Smoker to follow, then strode toward Garp.

"Ah, I happened to be taking leave in the East Blue to see my grandson, so I figured I'd pick you up while I was here."

Garp spoke as though it were nothing.

"Atlas, Smoker, you two brats had better do well at Headquarters. Don't bring shame on Loguetown!"

Randall's expression turned stern as he gave them one last reminder.

"Yes, sir!"

"Yes, sir!"

Atlas and Smoker answered with respectful salutes.

"Right! Time to go. Wonder if Sengoku saved any Donut for me? Hahahaha..."

With no regard for appearances, Garp turned and headed aboard, leaving them with the sight of his broad back.

Atlas and Smoker waved goodbye and followed him...

"Wow, Vice Admiral Garp, I'm a huge admirer of yours! Could I have your autograph?"

"Vice Admiral Garp, could you tell me how you captured the Pirate King?"

The moment Smoker boarded, he latched on to Garp and started firing off excited questions. Atlas was tempted to pretend he didn't know the kid.

"Hey! Quiet down, you little brat!"

Apparently fed up with the pestering, Garp brought an Iron Fist down on Smoker's head. A warm lump instantly rose amid his white hair, making him look ridiculous.

"Vice Admiral Garp, sir! We're about to pass the Red Line and enter the Calm Belt!"

A messenger arrived to report the warship's progress.

"Good! Got it!"

The Marines weren't taking the route through Reverse Mountain into the Grand Line. They were sailing straight through the Calm Belt to Marine Headquarters.

To avoid attacks from the Sea Kings there, they relied on Dr. Vegapunk, the scientist said to possess knowledge five hundred years ahead of humanity.

Seastone embedded in the bottom of the ship fooled the Sea Kings' senses, making them mistake the warship for part of the sea.

It couldn't prevent every attack, though. If their luck was bad enough for a Sea King to swim straight into them, there was nothing the Seastone could do.

Splash!

As if on cue, a Sea King nearly eight hundred meters long surfaced right in the warship's path...

But the Marines aboard remained perfectly calm. Why would they be afraid? This was Garp the Hero's ship!

"Ah! Atlas, you brat! I'll leave it to you. This old man's taking a nap. Zzz..."

The moment Garp finished speaking, he fell asleep standing up.

"What!?"

The nearby soldiers' jaws nearly hit the deck. Was he seriously leaving it at that!?

Marine Headquarters! Marineford

"...You really do whatever you please, Vice Admiral Garp..."

Atlas was helpless to object, but he drew Sandai Kitetsu from his waist and lowered its point.

"One Sword Style: Soaring Dragon—Divine Strength!"

A blood-red slash flew down toward the gigantic Sea King. Tremendous force tore through its body.

In an instant, blood stained the sea red, and the Sea King's enormous corpse slowly floated to the surface.

A sharp intake of breath swept the deck.

That single slash had nearly cut the huge Sea King in two. Everyone aboard the warship stared in shock.

"Ah, sorry. I used a little too much strength. Looks like we've got something extra for dinner tonight."

Atlas slowly sheathed his sword and turned to the others with a smile.

"Atlas, we should test our swordsmanship against each other sometime."

Bogard, standing nearby, was stunned as well. The last time he had seen Atlas, the young man had yet to reach the Iron-Cutting Realm. His swordsmanship still couldn't be called refined, but the power of that slash had left Bogard speechless.

"Hahaha, definitely, when we get the chance."

Atlas nodded. In a sense, he had been training in isolation. He had never crossed swords with another Swordsman. Bogard might be Garp's adjutant, but Atlas wasn't about to underestimate him. After all, Garp's previous adjutant was now Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral Kuzan!

They wouldn't spar aboard the warship, though. Swordsmen could cause terrifying damage. If the two fought here, whether the ship would make it safely to Headquarters would be another matter.

After several days at sea, the Dog-Head Warship finally reached its destination.

Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

Seeing Marineford in an anime in his previous life had never made much of an impression on Atlas. Standing before its towering structures now was something else entirely.

Rolling waves battered the crescent-shaped harbor. Fine warships lined its sturdy walls, while solemn soldiers and fluttering seagull flags lent the place an imposing air.

This was Marine Headquarters, Marineford! Countless pirates feared this place. Both Golden Lion, an overlord of the old era, and Pirate King Roger, who had ushered in a new one, had met their downfall here!

The seas had grown ever more chaotic since Roger's execution in Loguetown five years ago, but the Marines' prestige had also reached its peak!

And this was where Atlas would step onto the world stage. He would be the one to end the Great Pirate Era!

Garp's ship slowly docked at Marineford's port, immediately causing a stir. The Dog-Head Warship was too distinctive to miss; practically every soldier at Marine Headquarters recognized it.

A colonel on duty at Headquarters soon came jogging over. He stood respectfully before Garp, gave a textbook salute, and said, "Vice Admiral Garp, sir! Headquarters Colonel Haze reporting for orders..."

"Show these two rookies around Headquarters!"

Garp laughed and gave Colonel Haze a heavy pat on the shoulder before pointing to Atlas and Smoker.

Haze paused. Who were these two? What made them important enough for Vice Admiral Garp to bring them to Headquarters himself?

"Yes, sir!" Haze answered loudly. Though curious, he asked no questions. He could get the story out of the two rookies later.

"Come with me. I'll show you around Marineford so you can get your bearings. You're here for the Recruit Training Camp, right?" Haze asked the two beside Vice Admiral Garp, his tone warm.

"Yes, Colonel Haze!"

Neither Atlas nor Smoker dared be careless. Atlas might be a lieutenant commander, but that rank was from the East Blue. By regulation, an equivalent rank at Headquarters was three grades higher than one in a regional branch, so Atlas was effectively a Headquarters lieutenant now.

"Hahahaha! I'll leave these two brats with you, then. I'm off to see old Sengoku."

With that, Garp headed toward Sengoku's office.

"Come on. I'll take you to report to the Recruit Camp first..."

Once Garp was out of sight, Colonel Haze beckoned Atlas and Smoker along.

In Sengoku's office, Sengoku was discussing the Marines' next moves with Vice Admiral Tsuru. A curly-haired man wearing an eye mask sat nearby, looking so languid he seemed ready to fall asleep at any moment. It was Marine Vice Admiral Kuzan!

Bang!

The door flew open with a crash, interrupting Sengoku and Tsuru. When Sengoku saw Garp, a vein throbbed on his forehead and his expression darkened.

"Garp! So you do know how to come back!"

Garp ignored the accusation. "I was just taking leave to see my grandson. I'm going to train him into a mighty Marine."

"You've got some nerve bringing that up! Not one member of the Monkey Family gives me any peace!"

Hearing Garp mention how he raised his family only made Sengoku angrier. He had just received intelligence that Dragon had founded an organization called the Revolutionary Army. The World Government was watching it closely, and the Five Elders had already demanded answers from Sengoku.

"Oh, Kuzan, you're here too!"

Seeing Sengoku's anger, Garp pretended not to hear him and quickly changed the subject, using Kuzan as a shield.

"Ah, Mr. Garp."

Kuzan looked resigned, but he pushed his eye mask up onto his forehead and joined the conversation.

"Hahaha! I found a monster in the East Blue with even more talent than you!" When Kuzan showed little interest, Garp couldn't resist bragging about Atlas.

"Oh? Really? If Vice Admiral Garp thinks that highly of him, I'd like to meet him sometime."

That caught Kuzan's interest. There was little doubt that he, Akainu, and Kizaru would be the Marines' next Three Admirals. After them, though, the prospects looked thin. Even Gion and Tokikake fell a little short.

"Kanos Atlas?"

Sengoku pulled a report from the top of a towering stack of documents on his desk. Atlas's photograph was printed on it...

Meanwhile, Haze had guided Atlas and Smoker through their recruit registration. The three had just left the Recruit Camp and were about to look around the training camp cafeteria.

"Lieutenant Atlas, Admiral Sengoku wants to see you. Please come with me."

A breathless soldier suddenly blocked their path.

All three paused. Then Smoker and Haze looked at Atlas with envy. He had only just arrived at Headquarters, yet Admiral Sengoku had already summoned him. His future looked bright.

After all, Sengoku was currently the only serving Admiral at Headquarters, and Steel Bone Kong had long since handed him responsibility for all Marine affairs. Sengoku's succession as Fleet Admiral was all but certain; it was only a matter of time.

"Yes, sir!" Atlas was surprised too, but he answered promptly.

Sengoku's Summons

Knock, knock...

Atlas stood outside Sengoku's office and knocked politely. He barely knew Sengoku; he certainly couldn't barge in as he had back in Loguetown.

Randall: Thanks a lot! You call this polite?

"Come in!"

A low voice sounded from inside. Atlas immediately pictured a stern middle-aged man.

Only after entering did Atlas realize that this small office held a good half of the Marines' top brass. His expression turned serious at once. Even with Garp making faces at him, he gave the senior officers a textbook salute and said, "Recruit Kanos Atlas reporting to Admiral Sengoku, sir."

"Mm... Good. Atlas, the future of the Marines rests with young people like you!"

Looking at Atlas's youthful face and powerful build, Sengoku couldn't help saying so. After hearing Garp's assessment of Atlas, he was even more pleased with the young man.

"Ahahaha! Old man Sengoku, I found where you hid your Senbei!"

Sengoku had been about to offer Atlas a few more words of encouragement when Garp's triumphant laughter cut him off.

"Hahaha, Sengoku, I ate all your Senbei!"

Garp kept taunting Sengoku, paying no attention to the vein throbbing on his forehead.

"Bastard. Shut up."

Sengoku held back his anger and, with as much calm as he could muster through clenched teeth, asked Atlas, "Now then, Lieutenant Atlas, what does justice mean to you?"

Four pairs of eyes fixed on Atlas. Even Kuzan, whose eyes had been nearly closed, opened them a little wider, curiosity glinting in his gaze.