Watching Roger's Execution at the Start of My Pirate Life

The year-end assessment consisted mainly of one-on-one matches based on a list supplied by the instructors. After all, the instructors who had trained the recruits knew their abilities best, so the matchups were fairly balanced.

Several arenas had been set up temporarily on the Recruit Camp parade ground. Temporary or not, they were still too sturdy for these Marine recruits to destroy. The productivity of the pirate world was nothing to scoff at, especially here at Marine Headquarters—Marineford, where superhuman fighters were everywhere.

Rows of tiered seats stood before the arenas. At the very top sat Sengoku, an Admiral at Marine Headquarters and currently the Navy's only Admiral. Kong had largely stopped managing naval affairs, and the internal transfer of power was effectively complete. All that remained was for the World Government's appointment to arrive before the Navy held its investiture ceremony.

Below Sengoku sat Vice Admiral Kizaru, wearing tea-colored sunglasses and a leering expression. The other two monster Vice Admirals were away on missions, and even Kuzan, whom Atlas had met before joining the camp, had not come.

Rear Admiral Gion, who was temporarily serving as a swordsmanship instructor at the Recruit Camp and as Atlas's sparring partner, had also come to watch the much-discussed year-end assessment.

Atlas barely knew the other officers scattered through the stands. He could not even name them.

The other recruits, meanwhile, grew excited. It was rare to see so many Marine officers at once, especially Sengoku, the Navy's strongest fighting force. Even some recruits from headquarters had never seen him this close.

"Wow! That's Admiral Sengoku! It's my first time seeing him in person. He really does look imposing..."

"How come Vice Admiral Garp isn't here...?"

"Whoa, Vice Admiral Kizaru came too. Is it just me, or does he look more handsome the longer I stare...?"

Atlas had no idea which little darling had said that last line. All he could say was that they had a unique eye for beauty.

Soon, Zephyr appeared before the recruits with Shuzo. After giving Sengoku a slight nod, he turned toward the recruits whispering among themselves.

"All of you! Quiet! Form ranks!"

At Zephyr's order, the recruits snapped into formation as if by reflex, moving in perfect unison without a hint of disorder.

Zephyr nodded in satisfaction and continued, "This year-end assessment will test the results of your training over the past year. I don't want any of you becoming parasites in the Navy, just coasting along! You are the Navy's future and the hope of the world's people. Give every test your all. Don't let your sweat and hard work go to waste!"

Every word came from Zephyr's heart. The old man had devoted his life to the Navy and placed great hopes in every student, wishing to see them shine in the cause of justice.

"Shuzo, I'll leave the rest to you." With that, Zephyr strode over and dropped into a seat beside Sengoku.

"What spirited youngsters. Just looking at them makes me feel years younger," Sengoku said, gazing at the young faces below.

"They're the Navy's future, all right." Zephyr smiled, then asked, "Speaking of which, where's Garp?"

"That bastard went to the New World—and swiped my rice crackers on his way out!" The mere mention of Garp made a vein throb on Sengoku's forehead and gave him a headache.

"Hahaha! That sounds exactly like Garp. But let's watch the recruits for now." Zephyr could only shake his head at the pair's endless bickering. Garp's usual lack of seriousness was clearly giving Sengoku no end of trouble.

"Oh? The one you really want us to watch is your star pupil, Kanos Atlas, isn't it, Teacher Zephyr?" A voice that practically begged to be punched interrupted their conversation. It belonged to Kizaru Borsalino, lips pursed in his usual leering expression.

"Of course. Unlike you, Atlas doesn't rely too heavily on his Devil Fruit powers, Borsalino!" Zephyr's tone sharpened. His longstanding complaint about Borsalino was that he neglected physical combat. In Zephyr's eyes, Borsalino had even more natural talent than Sakazuki, but his go-with-the-flow attitude wasted it.

That was why Zephyr and Kizaru had never quite gotten along.

"Oh, Teacher Zephyr, don't say that. A powerful Devil Fruit can make someone a top-tier fighter too. Don't be so harsh," Kizaru drawled, still pursing his lips. "All right, enough. Watch the matches," Sengoku cut in as the two looked ready to argue again. He had finally taken a day off and had no desire to spend it caught between them.

On the parade ground, Shuzo held the roster and began assigning fighters to the arenas.

"Arena One! Smoker versus Hina!"

"Arena Two! Grus versus Helbert!"

There were ten arenas across the parade ground, enough to finish the assessment in a single day.

Life Return: God of War Arm Smoker and Hina were already locked in battle in Arena One.

Both were Devil Fruit Users whose fighting styles leaned heavily on their powers.

But Hina had yet to master Armament Haki. Smoker had the advantage from the outset. A Logia really could force an even match against just about anyone.

"Smoke: White Fist!"

"Bars-Bars: Gun Shield!"

Smoker and Hina knew each other too well. Each understood the other's habits and fighting style, though Smoker had a slight edge in raw physical ability.

"Birdcage!"

Countless black iron bars closed in, trying to trap Smoker.

Smoker turned into smoke and slipped away. If Black Cage had sealed him in completely, though, even his elemental form might not have gotten him out.

Shave!

Both used Shave to close the distance at the same moment. Smoker's stronger physique gave him a slight edge in speed.

"Smoke: White Fist: Finger Pistol!"

Before they could meet, Smoker's fist shot forward. His Finger Pistol was about to strike Hina hard.

"Jail-Jail: Iron Body!"

A thick cage of black iron snapped around Hina, shielding her figure. Smoker's flying Finger Pistol struck to no avail. Ever since Atlas had taught them that lesson, Smoker had focused on Finger Pistol, Shave, and Iron Body, while Hina had trained mainly in Iron Body, Shave, and Kami-e.

Rankyaku and Geppo were still difficult for them at this stage. Both built on the footwork required for Shave and demanded tremendous leg strength.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

They clashed several more times, but Smoker turned into smoke and evaded every one of Hina's attacks.

"Oh, what a scary young man. A Logia, no less!" That drawl could only belong to Kizaru, back to his usual needling.

"Even at its weakest, a Logia Devil Fruit gives its user a formidable foundation," Sengoku commented with a nod.

The outcome had effectively been decided already. Smoker's fruit might once have been called the disgrace of the Logia class, but its sheer unfairness could not be underestimated.

As expected, Smoker won. He hardly looked victorious, though. His clothes had been shredded into strips, and bloody marks covered his body.

As the day wore on, the assessment neared its end. No opponent had been assigned to Atlas yet, and he had no idea what Zephyr was planning.

"Atlas, to the center of the parade ground!" Atlas paused, then understood. His fights caused too much commotion for an arena to contain. As for his opponent, he had a guess.

Under everyone's gaze, Atlas walked slowly to the center. Shuzo stood opposite him, bare-chested, evidently unwilling to ruin another shirt.

Atlas watched Shuzo in silence, eager to begin. They had fought more often than anyone else over the past year, but Atlas had never truly beaten him. This time might be different...

"That kid's gotten strong enough for Shuzo to face him personally?" Sengoku sounded surprised. His official duties had kept him too busy to follow Atlas closely, and he trusted his old comrade Zephyr to handle the boy's training.

"Don't be so sure Shuzo can win," Zephyr said, plainly pleased. Nothing felt better than showing off a prized student to an old comrade.

Shave!

Atlas and Shuzo rushed in at the same instant, both intent on close combat. Atlas chose not to take advantage of his swordsmanship to attack from a distance.

"Iron Body Fist: Shatter!"

A storm of fists flew toward Shuzo. Unruffled, he locked on with Observation Haki, a red gleam flashing in his eyes.

Kami-e: Soft Mud!

Shuzo's body became as pliant as mud, weaving freely through the flurry of punches.

Atlas saw no point in continuing. He stepped back and shaped both hands like pistols.

"Flying Finger Pistol: Gatling!"

Vacuum bullets poured out without restraint, their immense force cracking through the air.

"Iron Body: Steel: Armament!"

Shuzo's pupils contracted. Blood surged through his body as Armament Haki covered him from head to toe. Flying Finger Pistols hammered his blackened body, throwing off sparks. The sheer force still drove him backward.

Shuzo had little choice. When Zephyr taught him Haki, he had warned that coating the entire body was foolish because one's reserves were limited. For someone who had not trained enough, it weakened their defenses; it also consumed far too much Haki.

But Atlas's barrage was too dense and too fast, and each shot carried real power. To stay in fighting shape for what came next, Shuzo had to expend a great deal of Haki.

"Rankyaku: Ran! Shave!"

Shuzo had no intention of remaining a target. He raised his right leg, unleashing a dense, chaotic barrage of vacuum slashes, then used Shave to race toward Atlas.

"Now we're talking! Hahaha!" Atlas laughed and took Shuzo's Rankyaku head-on with his powerful Iron Body. Clear bloody cuts opened across his skin, then slowly vanished, leaving faint white lines.

"What..." Sengoku stared from the stands. Reports had told him Atlas's healing ability was monstrous, but he had not expected this.

Shuzo, long accustomed to it, showed no surprise. He closed the distance fast, hoping to land a crushing blow while he had the chance.

"Life Return: Iron Body: God of War Arm!"

Atlas neither dodged nor retreated. His raised right arm suddenly swelled, shredding its sleeve into scraps. His blue-black fist met the charging Shuzo head-on. The God of War Arm was the result of Atlas's recent Life Return training. He could now channel his consciousness into his arm. His mastery was still incomplete, but he had made real progress.

The explosive force caught Shuzo off guard. Despite the protection of his Armament Haki, the terrifying blow sent him flying.

"Now that's a surprise, kid! Hahaha!" Zephyr laughed heartily.

Beside him, Sengoku was speechless. Atlas had given him more than enough surprises for one day.

The strongest justice... Sengoku fell into a daze. Perhaps the kid really could achieve it...

Combat Training Marineford, Recruit Camp parade ground.

"What terrifying strength..." Shuzo slowly picked himself up in the middle of the ground, his expression complicated. He had lost count of how many times he had said those words since meeting Atlas. Every fight brought him face-to-face with that helplessly overwhelming power.

"I lost... Congratulations, Atlas!" Shuzo sounded a little dejected, but he was happy for him too.

"Thank you for the match, Instructor Shuzo," Atlas said modestly. He owed much of his rapid progress to Shuzo's sparring. There was no way he would gloat now.

Besides, this was no fight to the death. They had gone far enough to know where they stood.

March, Sea Circle Calendar 1504. Marine Headquarters Recruit Camp parade ground.

A young man about two meters eighty tall stood at the center, his expression resolute. Smoothly defined muscles fit his frame like armor hardened by a hundred battles, making him a daunting sight.

Opposite him stood a burly, dark-skinned man. His hands gleamed with black-purple Armament Haki as he hammered away at the young man.

They were Atlas and Shuzo. At Zephyr's suggestion, Atlas had shamelessly volunteered to be Shuzo's punching bag.

As Armament Haki struck his flesh, Atlas's understanding of it deepened. He had a feeling that all he needed was one opportunity for his own Armament Haki to fully Awaken.

"That's enough. Today's combat training day, isn't it? Let's stop here." Shuzo let the Armament Haki fade from his hands and addressed Atlas, who looked as though he had enjoyed every hit.

Combat training was part of the Recruit Camp's second year. The first year demanded enormous resources to train recruits; sending them into battle then would have been a slaughter. But they could not be raised in a greenhouse either, so from the second year onward, recruits were regularly exposed to the cruelty of war.

In the original story, Zephyr lost his arm while leading Ain, Binz, and the others through combat training. They encountered that fool Whitebeard II and Miss Bakkin. Zephyr was stretched thin protecting the recruits, and an asthma attack struck him at the worst possible moment.

"Heh-heh-heh-heh... Boys, we're almost at the Sabaody Archipelago!"

A heavily scarred man with his coat hanging open stood at the bow, clutching a spiked club. He laughed wildly at the crowd of pirates below.

"Yeah! Yeah!"

"Hahaha! Here we come, New World!"

"Captain, let's knock Whitebeard off his throne as the World's Strongest first... Hahahaha!"

"Of course! Our captain's a Supernova with a ninety-million-Beli bounty!"

The pirates roared with laughter. They firmly believed their captain was the man who would become Pirate King!

Marine Headquarters, Marineford harbor.

Rows of solemn Marine soldiers stood at the harbor. At their head was Zephyr, chief instructor of the Recruit Camp.

"Recruits, justice must be nurtured with blood. Today, I'll lead you through your first combat training mission of the year. This is no exercise. You're going to a bloody battlefield!"

Zephyr swept his gaze over their faces, then continued, "Our target is the Mad Dog Pirates. Their captain, Dias, is a Supernova with a ninety-million-Beli bounty. Their first mate, Carlos, has a bounty of fifty-five million, and their second mate, Buhara, has a bounty of fifty million Beli. The other pirates have bounties of varying amounts. That is all the intelligence I can give you."

Before long, Zephyr led the recruits toward the Sabaody Archipelago.

"Teacher Zephyr, are we heading to the Sabaody Archipelago?" Atlas asked with a smile, leaning against the ship's rail beside him.

"That's right. According to our intelligence, the Mad Dog Pirates plan to have their ship coated at Sabaody, dive to Fish-Man Island, and then head for the New World. It's a pirate tradition, after all!" Zephyr said with a wry smile.