Mutation (A 4,000-Word Chapter)

"Gaia."

The name came out of nowhere.

Human features suddenly appeared on the flat ground, with Gabriel standing right on the mouth.

Then the mouth opened, revealing a darkness like an abyss.

Without a sound, Gabriel vanished before everyone's eyes.

"—?!!"

The once-lively tavern fell silent. Pirates who had been clinking glasses stared in shock at the spot where Gabriel had disappeared.

"Hey! Did I see that right? Gabriel... vanished?"

"What the hell was that face on the ground?"

"I couldn't tell. Some kind of Devil Fruit Ability?"

"What a creepy power. That guy must be strong. Good thing I didn't rush him."

A face had appeared out of nowhere and silently swallowed a living man.

The eerie power sent chills down the pirates' spines. Then came a wave of relief.

"Move aside! Move aside!"

Seeing Atlas approach without slowing, the pirates who had been arguing with Gabriel scrambled out of his way, clearing a wide path.

But Atlas was no kindly gentleman.

The face appeared again, this time covering the entire tavern. A mouth opened precisely beneath each pirate's feet.

The room spun. Every pirate felt the ground vanish beneath him and plunged into boundless darkness. A terrifying crushing force closed around their bodies, and their screams were swallowed underground.

"...You're Marine Admiral White Hou?!"

Behind the bar, a balding middle-aged man watched Atlas draw closer. With the tavern deathly quiet, it took him a long moment to force out the words.

Anyone bold enough to run a tavern in the pirate world had to have nerve. Otherwise, they could never handle the endless stream of pirates.

They often dealt in information, too.

Just like Shakky in the Sabaody Archipelago.

"I need an Eternal Pose to Marineford. And... a suit."

Atlas got straight to the point. "You can take