Watching Roger's Execution at the Start

Then he turned to Shiryu and introduced them. "These are Rear Admiral Tokikake and Navy Supernova Atlas..."

"A swordswoman?" Before Magellan could finish, Shiryu of the Rain glanced at the Sandai Kitetsu at Atlas's waist. A flicker stirred in his cold eyes, and he raised a sharp brow.

"Care for a spar?"

"Hm?"

Atlas looked at Shiryu, who had let a trace of killing intent slip. That was a little unexpected. Was he already losing control of his murderous urges? It seemed life in Impel Down had begun to twist his mind.

"Shiryu, what are you doing?!"

Magellan could no longer hold back and snapped at him.

"Tch. It was a joke. Why so tense?" Shiryu knew he was in the wrong, but he still argued.

As Shiryu turned to leave, he glanced at Hannyabal among the group and sneered. "Useless."

"Hey! I'm still your superior!"

Hannyabal kicked up a fuss, but Shiryu, already disappearing into the darkness, ignored him.

"Sorry you had to see that." Looking at the noisy Hannyabal and the murderous Shiryu of the Rain, Magellan flushed with embarrassment.

"Hahaha, we understand. Working with every sort of criminal in Impel Down is bound to produce a few unusual personalities!" Tokikake chimed in smoothly, saying exactly what Magellan needed to hear.

"This enormous elevator is unique to Impel Down. It lets us travel between floors with ease. Our destination today is Infinite Hell on Level 6."

Before long, the elevator brought them to Level 6.

Unlike the prisoners above, those here did not scream or beg. They simply watched Atlas and the others through half-lidded eyes. An ordinary person would have trembled under the weight of their presence.

But Atlas had the resolve to become the World's Strongest Man. Even without Conqueror's Haki, her spirit was second to none of theirs.

As for the others, Magellan would one day be an Admiral-level Chief Warden of Impel Down, and Tokikake would become an Admiral candidate. Hannyabal, meanwhile, was already shaking in his boots.

"I... I'm the Chief Warden of Impel Down!"

Hannyabal tried to sound tough, then hurriedly added, "Ah! I let my ambition slip again..."

Atlas and the others ignored him. They were practically immune to his antics by now.

After Crocodile was locked up, Tokikake hurried Atlas out of Impel Down. They politely declined Magellan's invitation to dinner and set course for Marineford.

Marineford, Impel Down, and Enies Lobby formed a strategic triangle, with none too far from the others. The warship soon reached Marine Headquarters.

Knock, knock, knock...

"Come in!"

Tokikake and Atlas paused as they entered. Sengoku sat behind his desk as usual, wearing his frog-shaped glasses and braided beard. But a tall man with a cigar in his mouth and a Marine cap on his head now occupied a chair across from him.

"Admiral Sengoku!" they said together.

"Vice Admiral Akainu," they added.

"Crocodile's been delivered to Impel Down?" Sengoku broke off his conversation with Akainu to ask about the mission.

"Reporting, Admiral Sengoku! Crocodile has been successfully imprisoned in Impel Down!"

"Good. But do you know how much trouble you've caused me, you little brat?" Sengoku gave Tokikake an approving glance, then turned a stern face on Atlas.

The World Government had only just established the Seven Warlords of the Sea system, and the Marines had arrested Crocodile without conclusive evidence. It was a slap in the World Government's face. Only Sengoku knew how much pressure the Five Elders had put on him.

"But you did well, Atlas!" Sengoku's gloomy expression vanished, replaced by praise. The abrupt change left Atlas blinking.

"You're too kind. I only did what I should," Atlas said modestly.

"Exactly. Fighting pirates is the Marines' duty," Akainu said from his chair. Then his brows drew together, and an iron-hard intensity filled the room. "Your biggest mistake was failing to kill Crocodile when you had the chance."

Atlas only smiled and let the remark pass. If she had killed Crocodile, Sengoku would have been the least of her worries.

"Now, Atlas. Your performance in the Graduation Assessment was outstanding. Headquarters has decided to honor you at a Medal Ceremony in the next few days. Be ready."

"And where would you like to be posted after graduation?"

"Admiral Sengoku, I'll follow whatever orders you give me!"

"Good. Once the ceremony is over, you'll go to the New World with Akainu." Sengoku nodded. He had made the decision long ago.

"Are you sure you want to come with me to the New World? Powerful fighters there are everywhere. It's nothing like your little skirmishes in Paradise. One careless move, and you'll never leave."

Akainu's face remained impassive as he warned Atlas.

"Heh. The pirates in Paradise are too weak. I'm going to become the World's Strongest Man! So Whitebeard had better stay alive until I can knock him off that throne! Hahaha!"

Atlas grinned without a care, her words brazen.

Approval flashed in Akainu's eyes. "You have conviction and nerve. I hear you're fairly strong, too. I'd like to see whether you deserve a place aboard my ship!"

Strength ### Marineford's Training Ground.

Atlas had removed her justice coat and stood facing Akainu. No other Marines were watching; only Sengoku and Tokikake stood on a viewing platform nearby.

Back in Sengoku's office, Akainu had proposed testing Atlas's strength, and everyone had agreed. Sengoku wanted to see how much she had improved. Tokikake simply wanted to watch the spectacle: a monstrous Marine Vice Admiral against the Navy Supernova whom Teacher Zephyr believed might one day surpass the three monsters.

"You're a swordswoman?" Akainu asked, glancing at the Sandai Kitetsu at Atlas's waist.

"More or less." Atlas shrugged, answering lightly.

"As it happens, I know a little swordsmanship myself. Let's compare skills."

"But..." Atlas looked him over. Seeing no weapon, she frowned in confusion.

Akainu's expression did not change. "A sword needn't be such an inconvenient thing."

Smoke billowed from his hand. Scalding magma dripped onto the ground, pitting it, and a broad blade nearly two meters long formed in his grip. The sword was made entirely of molten rock, its rising heat searing the air around it.

Damn it. He made that look cool!

Atlas's mouth twitched as she stared at Akainu and his magma greatsword.

Clang!

Atlas slowly drew the Sandai Kitetsu. Black-and-red Armament Haki wrapped around it, making the cursed blade look even more sinister.

"Admiral Sengoku, you'd better prepare to rebuild the Training Ground!" Atlas called. Sengoku, who had been about to settle in with some Senbei to enjoy the show, bristled.

Before Atlas could even take her stance, Akainu charged and swung at her!

Damn it, Akainu! No fair!

Bang!

Atlas blocked in a hurry. The blades met not with the clear ring of steel, but with a heavy thud.

"Good strength," Akainu remarked.

They held their ground for a moment before Atlas was forced several steps back.

"Dragon Tail!"

Atlas steadied herself, drew back her left leg, and sent a blood-red slash flying from her blade toward Akainu.

Slash!

A great gash opened across Akainu's chest, spilling hot magma. His upper body turned molten and fell to the ground.

"A powerful slash." Akainu's body slowly re-formed without so much as a wound. Atlas had always been curious about Logia transformation. Even his clothes transformed with him. No wonder Kizaru's uniform had only gotten a little dirty during the Paramount War.

"High praise, Vice Admiral Akainu!"

The words had barely left Atlas's mouth when Akainu's hands became enormous fists of molten rock. A burst of force drove both fists straight at her.

Great Eruption!

What the hell? Wasn't this supposed to be a sword fight?

Startled, Atlas swung the Sandai Kitetsu up into the air.

One Sword Style: Cicada Rain: Ascending Tower!

A dense storm of slashes crashed into the two gigantic magma fists.

Boom!

The fists burst apart under Atlas's attack, but countless volcanic projectiles kept falling. To be fair, Akainu was holding back. He had only thrown two magma fists. Perhaps he did feel a little sorry for Sengoku; otherwise, the cost of repairing the Training Ground alone would have ruined his day.

Atlas took a deep breath and sheathed the Sandai Kitetsu. Dense Armament Haki raced across her body. Black and red spread over her chest, shoulders, back, legs, and arms, while two dark lines traced from the corners of her eyes to her neck. A sharp, weighty pressure filled the air around her.

"Bring it on!"

Atlas shouted and slid one foot back. Power surged through her core; the muscles of her back shifted beneath her skin, and her fist swelled, turning red.

Iron Body Fist: Martial God Arm: Smash!

Under the guidance of Atlas's powerful Observation Haki, a flurry of punches struck every volcanic projectile dead on.

Akainu's volcanic projectiles packed a punch. Beyond the force of an eruption, their scorching heat kept burning through Atlas's fists. Even her current Armament Haki could not completely shut out the magma's temperature.

Whoosh!

While Atlas focused on the projectiles raining down, Akainu closed in. His speed was every bit as terrifying as his strength.

He had truly integrated the Magma-Magma Fruit into his hand-to-hand combat. Every punch and bodily strike echoed the devastating force of a volcanic eruption.

"Speed is power! Have you... ever been kicked by me?"

Atlas made a snap decision. She abandoned the few remaining projectiles and raised her leg to kick the charging Akainu.

If any part of Atlas's body was strongest now, it was her legs. The Ox Talisman had already increased her muscle density to a terrifying degree, and the Rabbit Talisman had further transformed her lower body.

Her build differed from that of most powerful fighters in the pirate world. Even Garp favored an immensely strong torso over comparatively weaker legs. Atlas was far more balanced—and her legs might be stronger still.

Boom!

Fist met leg. Atlas slid back only a single step.

Bang! Bang, bang! Bang, bang, bang!

They clashed several more times, and Atlas began to struggle. Her Armament Haki absorbed some of the damage, but she had to admit Akainu's was far stronger than hers.

At thirty-eight, Akainu was in his prime and still improving. He had trained for far longer than Atlas, who had awakened Armament Haki only recently. Holding her own against him this long was already remarkable.

Atlas knew exactly what she lacked: a truly devastating attack, or a wide-area strike like those a Logia user could unleash.

"Iron Body Fist: Martial God Arm: Hundred Pierces!"

Atlas suddenly stepped back, turned sideways, twisted her hips, and punched. A strange penetrating force surged through her fist.

Bang!

Their Armament Haki-clad fists collided.

Akainu felt Atlas's force pass straight through his Haki defense and strike his body, like a bare fist hitting steel.

Atlas was driven back again and again, leaving a string of deep footprints in the hard ground. The sleeve on her arm tore apart and fell away...

Rank Conferment ### "Not bad!" Akainu shook out his fist and nodded approvingly. He had praised Atlas so many times that his subordinates would have been stunned to hear it. The usually stern Vice Admiral Akainu rarely complimented anyone, let alone this often.

"Hell Hound!"

Akainu's attacks were always explosive and sudden. Both his arms turned to magma and shot forward.

Atlas did not dare underestimate him. In the original anime, that move had blown away half of the elderly Whitebeard's face. Even if Akainu was not yet as strong as he would be more than a decade later, its power was nothing to scoff at.

Iron Body: Martial God Arm: Cross Hunt!

Atlas crossed her arms before her and used Life Return to swell them rapidly. Armament Haki vanished from the rest of her body, compressing around her arms until it was almost tangible. The black and red grew vivid and eerie, and her giant-like arms nearly hid her entire body.

Bang!

Scalding magma slammed into Atlas's black-and-red arms. Molten rock sprayed outward, ravaging the ground as thick smoke rose.

The impact nearly broke Atlas's stance. She could only fly backward, unable to stop herself.

"Hey, hey, hey! That's enough, Vice Admiral Akainu!"

Seeing Akainu apparently preparing another move, Atlas hurriedly called for him to stop.