In One Piece, Watching Roger's Execution at the Start

"All right, I understand. Have you cleared this with Zephyr?" Sengoku finally emerged from his thoughts and asked. Zephyr was the Recruit Camp's chief instructor, after all. Graduating early required his approval.

"Yeah, I've already spoken to Instructor Zephyr. He supports my decision." Atlas had come prepared. In fact, Zephyr had asked her to speak to Sengoku after hearing about his plans for the New World.

Sengoku understood. After two years in the Recruit Camp, Atlas could no longer bear to sit idle. Someone like her belonged on a brutal battlefield. By the time she finished speaking, he had decided where to send her after graduation.

"All right. You can go. I'll let you know what your graduation trial entails."

Atlas had originally told Zephyr she wanted to graduate immediately. She had learned everything she thought the camp could teach her, and she had awakened Armament Haki. Staying any longer seemed like a waste of time. She would be better off gaining experience in the field, where she might even temper her Haki further.

But Zephyr had rejected the idea outright. Her Armament Haki had only just awakened; she needed to master its basic applications before graduating. Her Life Return still needed work, too. For now, she could only channel her consciousness into her arms. If she stayed at camp, Zephyr could advise her on that as well.

Once Atlas fully mastered Life Return, she could move through Paradise almost unchecked. Even against a great pirate from the New World, she would be able to put up a fight.

"Your graduation trial will take place at the G-8 Fortress. Its commander is Vice Admiral Jonathan. People call G-8 'a fortress too big for its own good,' but don't underestimate him. Learn what you can from him while you're there..."

In the waters near Marineford, a speedboat flying the Marine flag raced across an empty stretch of sea. At the helm, Atlas stared ahead, bored. She was bound for the G-8 Fortress, where she would spend the next three months completing her graduation trial.

Ordinarily, Marine Headquarters sent warships to deliver recruits taking the trial to their assigned vessels. Atlas, however, had requested early graduation, so Headquarters was hardly going to dedicate a warship to transporting her alone. Sengoku and the others also trusted her strength. At his direction, she had been given a decommissioned Marine speedboat instead.

"Argh! How long is this junk heap going to take to reach G-8?" Atlas groaned. Even a decommissioned speedboat shouldn't have been this useless.

Thoroughly bored, Atlas picked up the nautical chart beside her. Marine surveyors had drawn it, and it was far more precise than anything sold on the market. Marines put their lives on the line to uphold justice; sometimes, a detailed chart could save one of those lives.

"Water 7 is just past Enies Lobby. I can upgrade this junk heap there." Atlas planned the detour, then took out the Eternal Pose to Water 7 that Zephyr had given her before she left.

Water 7 was the Marines' preferred shipbuilding center. Some of the finest shipwrights in the world gathered there, and even many great pirates sailed ships built in its yards. She wondered whether the Sea Train had been completed yet.

Atlas looked forward to finding out.

The days passed. After several days at sea, Atlas could finally make out the distant outline of Water 7.

The city's main buildings formed a rounded fortress with an architectural style reminiscent of a mosque. A vast fountain rose above them, kept running by unusual currents.

The island itself resembled a fortress. Seven great waterways led into the city from above, allowing ships to enter Water 7, while harbors beside the channels provided places to dock.

Water 7's special status brought crowds of all kinds through its ports. Atlas's Marine uniform would hardly stand out. Of course, if some foolish pirate wanted trouble, she wouldn't mind adding another achievement to her record.

But Atlas took none of the seven waterways. Following Zephyr's directions, she went around the front of the city and headed toward Scrap Island.

It looked different from the Scrap Island Atlas remembered. All manner of discarded materials lay piled across it, leaving it desolate and run-down. Perhaps the Franky Family had yet to be founded, which would explain the disorder.

Scrap Island had once housed Tom's Workers, Water 7's largest shipyard. After Tom was exposed as the builder of Roger's ship, the World Government sentenced him to death. He asked to finish building the Sea Train before going willingly to his execution.

The World Government granted his request and even promised to spare him if he finished it on time.

After Atlas landed on Scrap Island, a blue-haired boy with spiky hair approached her. He wore nothing but red briefs and looked about her age. Eyeing her Marine uniform warily, he said, "Who are you? We aren't taking shipbuilding jobs right now."

Flam had little affection for the World Government or for the Marines, one of its subordinate organizations.

"Huh? Kid, are you in charge here? I'm looking for Mr. Tom!"

Atlas studied the odd boy. She had considered buying a new speedboat, but she was short on money. She had come here to try her luck. Perhaps Tom would take a liking to her and repair hers.

"What do you want with Tom? He isn't here." At the mention of Tom, panic flashed across Flam's face. He was careful not to reveal that he was Tom's apprentice, hoping instead to send Atlas away.

"Well, I'd like Mr. Tom to modify my boat. One of his apprentices would do, too!" Atlas gave Flam's suddenly rigid figure a meaningful once-over.

"Yeah, that's right. I'm Tom's star apprentice, Flam!" With his secret out, Flam abandoned the pretense and introduced himself.

"But we don't have time to modify your boat." Flam wasn't deliberately making things difficult. Tom was building the Sea Train, and Flam had been helping him. Tom's life depended on the project. Tom himself might not seem concerned, but his apprentices certainly were.

"Ah, all right. Sorry to bother you, kid." Atlas didn't press him. She had never liked forcing people to do things, and Flam's refusal was clear enough. She would have to find another way. Perhaps some "kindhearted" pirates could be persuaded to part with their money, she thought, consoling herself.

"Wait, young Marine. I can modify your boat." As Atlas turned to leave, a deep voice sounded behind Flam.

Atlas narrowed her eyes at the man before her. He had blue-purple hair, a little beard on his chin, and a shipwright's uniform. His work clothes were dirty; he had clearly stepped away from a job. Yet a snow-white mouse's head poked out of a pocket in his black uniform.

What an odd combination, Atlas thought.

"Iceburg..." Flam looked puzzled. He had nearly sent the Marine away, so why had Iceburg come?

"Hello. I'm Iceburg, one of Master Tom's apprentices." Before Flam could ask, Iceburg extended a rough hand to Atlas.

"I'm Kanos Atlas, a captain from Marine Headquarters." Atlas stepped forward and shook his hand without hesitation. Then she looked at him curiously, waiting for an explanation.

"Tch." Flam gave a scornful snort beside them. Clearly, he wasn't impressed by her rank.

Atlas let it pass. She expected to receive a new rank officially once she returned to Headquarters and reported for duty.

"Captain Atlas, I can modify your boat for free. In return, I'd like you to agree to one condition," Iceburg said, ignoring Flam's displeasure.

"Oh? Let's hear it." Atlas was curious. What help could a mere captain offer them? Tom's troubles involved people and institutions far above her rank, such as the World Government and Roger.

"If the day comes when we're no longer around, I want you to look after Flam."

"Hey! Iceburg, what nonsense are you spouting on your own?" Flam protested at once.

"Why entrust him to a lowly captain like me, Mr. Iceburg?" Atlas had to admire Iceburg's judgment and foresight. Despite the World Government's promised pardon for Tom, Iceburg plainly didn't trust its word.

"Strength. I can sense the bearing of someone strong in you."

"Is that so? Then I'll leave my boat with you and collect it in three days. But let me make one thing clear: I'm a Marine."

Without waiting to see whether Iceburg understood, she turned and left. She still needed somewhere to stay while he worked on her boat.

"As if I'd need a smug jerk like you looking after me!"

Flam's indignant shout followed Atlas as she walked away.

Three days later.

Atlas met Iceburg on Scrap Island as agreed. Flam hadn't come with him. Neither of them mentioned the condition from three days earlier. It was an agreement between them, and Iceburg trusted Atlas to honor it.

"Come on. Your speedboat is still where you left it."

They skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the boat's mooring.

Atlas soon saw the speedboat she had been waiting for. It looked nothing like the vessel she had brought in. Its pure-white exterior reminded her of a small yacht, though the layout had barely changed: it still had a separate bedroom and storage room.

The exterior was dramatically different, but Atlas couldn't see what Iceburg had done to the propulsion system. She turned to him with a questioning look.

"Your hull is too small to fit a new engine, so I installed some Impact Dials at the stern. But given the material the hull is made from, it may not withstand their force for very long."

Iceburg glanced at Atlas. Worried she might not know what an Impact Dial was, he explained further. "These dials come from the White Sea on Sky Island. Few make it down to the Blue Sea, so they're scarce and expensive."

"That's fine. I won't need to sail it for long." Atlas waved off the concern. She only needed it for the trip to G-8. If it fell apart after she arrived, she didn't care.

"Oh, right. How fast can it go?"

"It can reach seventy nautical miles per hour."

"That fast?" Atlas was startled. Seventy nautical miles was roughly 129 kilometers. For this little speedboat to cover that distance in an hour was remarkable. With its help, she should reach G-8 before long.

Taking a few days to prepare had saved her time after all.

"Yo-ho-ho-ho... the iron-walled fortress G-8."

"Pirates, don't think you can come near!"

"One hundred and eighty-eight cannons are aimed at you!"

"The porcupine that keeps the peace!"

"Our pride and joy, G-8!"

After several days of travel, Atlas finally reached the G-8 base. Iceburg had done excellent work on the speedboat; the journey had taken far less time than she expected.

Before she even entered the fortress, however, she heard singing. What an unusual base, she thought.

From the front, G-8 fully deserved to be called a fortress. It was built around a ring-shaped island lined with steel watchtowers and military defenses. Only one gap broke the ring, serving as both entrance and exit. An enormous steel gate barred the way. Anyone trapped inside would be hard-pressed to escape. Luffy's escape in the original story had taken the luck of a protagonist.

The terrain wasn't its only defense. Nearly every corner was heavily guarded, and more than a hundred cannons stood atop the fortress's iron walls. Whether there were really 188, as the song claimed, she couldn't tell. In any case, it lived up to the reputation of a G-series Marine base.

"Hey! I'm Atlas, a recruit from Headquarters! Admiral Sengoku sent me here for my Recruit Camp graduation trial!" Atlas called up to the Marines patrolling above.

"Huh? I'll ask my superiors right away!"

At the mention of Admiral Sengoku, the sentry dared not delay. He hurried off to report, though he did not open the gate.

This was a military base under the direct control of Marine Headquarters. A few words from a stranger were hardly enough to make them throw open its defenses.

Soon, a large, hairy-faced man in a Marine cap and Justice Coat appeared atop the fortress. He looked anxious. He rushed forward and leaned so far over the edge that Atlas feared he might fall.

"Hey! Are you Captain Kanos Atlas?"

"I am. Please open the gate and let me in," Atlas answered calmly.

Rumble! Creak! The massive steel gate slowly rose from the seawater, leaving just enough room for Atlas's speedboat to enter.

"Hello, Captain Atlas! I'm Major Drake, stationed here at the fortress. Come to me if you need anything. Instructor Zephyr spoke to me personally."

Drake regarded the young woman with wonder. It was hard to believe she was the monster Zephyr had said could match a Vice Admiral. Comparing her with himself made him feel as if he had wasted all his years.

Drake?

Atlas was baffled. Wasn't that the name of the future fallen Rear Admiral? At this point, he should still have been suffering abuse aboard his undercover father's ship. And he didn't look like this, either. They probably just shared a name.

"Ah, hello, Major Drake. I look forward to working with you!" Atlas snapped out of it and greeted him.

"I'll take you to your quarters so you can rest." Drake was evidently impatient by nature. Before they had exchanged more than a few words, he was hurrying her toward the dormitories.

About half an hour later, they reached the dormitory building. Drake had arranged a private room for Atlas. Zephyr's personal request had earned her at least that small privilege.

Knowing she had traveled a long way, Drake gave her a few instructions, then left her to rest.

Atlas washed up, pulled off her clothes, and collapsed into bed. She hadn't slept properly for days. Even her extraordinary body had its limits.

Night fell, blanketing G-8 in darkness, though the fortress remained brightly lit. Soldiers made their rounds in orderly patrols.

"Mmm."

Fresh from sleep, Atlas stretched comfortably. Looking out at G-8 under the night sky, she decided to have dinner at the mess hall, then walk around and get to know the place. She would be living here for three months.

She darted out of the dormitory and followed the signs to the mess hall.

"Aw! Why is it all vegetables? I don't like broccoli or carrots!"

"What's the second rule of the Eighth Branch?"

"Okay, okay, I know. Look, I ate them."

Atlas stopped at the entrance, surprised by the exchange between a man and a woman. She hadn't expected anyone else to be eating this late.

She thought little of it. All kinds of people existed in the world; perhaps they simply liked late dinners.

Atlas pushed open the dining hall doors. A man and woman sat together at a table. The man had burgundy hair, a thick mustache, a square face, and a Marine uniform. The woman was beautiful and wore a chef's hat, marking her as a member of the kitchen staff. They seemed close.

When the doors opened, Jonathan and Jessica looked up in surprise. They had deliberately chosen a time when they expected the dining hall to be empty.

"Hey, Marine! Are you new here? Do you know the fortress rules?" Jessica demanded when she failed to recognize Atlas.

Beside her, Jonathan said nothing. His eyes darted about as he sized Atlas up.

"I'm Kanos Atlas, a recruit from Headquarters! As for the fortress rules, sorry, it's my first day here. I don't know them, Vice Admiral Jonathan." Atlas was puzzled. Major Drake hadn't told her G-8 had any special rules.