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

New World, Marine G-5 Base.

"Hahaha! Not bad, kid. Looks like you haven't slacked off on your training!" Garp rubbed his itching Iron Fist, as though eager to let Atlas feel his "fistful of love."

"Thank you for the praise, Vice Admiral Garp. I still have a long way to go," Atlas said with a smile, pretending not to see Garp limbering up his fists.

"All right, Garp, sit down. Don't start!" Vice Admiral Tsuru spotted the signs of trouble and hurried to stop him. Of everyone present, she was the only one who could keep him in line.

"Hahaha! I just wanted to give the kid a few pointers." Garp obediently found a seat and scratched his head, looking a little embarrassed.

"If you really want a fight, you can go a few rounds with Whitebeard later!" Vice Admiral Tsuru finally revealed why she had gathered everyone.

The little office held nearly half the Marines' fighting strength in the New World: Garp, Akainu, Vice Admiral Tsuru, and Atlas. Tokikake and Gion would probably arrive before long.

"Whitebeard..." Atlas felt a flicker of excitement. Not because she admired him, but because he was the man she intended to defeat one day. Whitebeard was at his peak now, and even after growing older over the next decade or so, he would still hold the title of World's Strongest Man.

"Right. Gear up, everyone. Our target is the Whitebeard Pirates!"

Akainu never wasted time. When it came to eliminating pirates, he was always first in line.

The enormous Moby Dick lay motionless on the sea. Behind it floated ships of every size, belonging to the pirate crews that followed Whitebeard.

Whitebeard stood on the Moby Dick's whale-shaped bow, Supreme Grade Sword Murakumogiri in hand. A white captain's coat hung from his shoulders, and his long golden hair fell freely down his back.

"Hey, Garp! Come to get a taste of my fist today?"

"Hahaha! Whitebeard, this old man's loving Iron Fist can't wait any longer!"

Garp refused to back down. He and Whitebeard had been old rivals for years. In the old days, Garp might have chased Roger across the world, but he had crossed paths with Whitebeard plenty of times too.

"Hey, Whitebeard!"

At that moment, Atlas stepped forward aboard the warship and shouted at him.

"Hm?"

Everyone aboard the Moby Dick turned toward her shout and glared. Whitebeard was like a father to them. How dare this Marine brat yell at their Pops like that?

"My name is Kanos Atlas! Remember it! One day, I'll drag you down from the throne of World's Strongest! So stay alive until then!"

Atlas ignored the pirates' hostility and declared her intention to challenge Whitebeard.

"Hahaha! That's the spirit, Atlas! Well said!"

Garp roared with laughter, making no attempt to hide his pride.

"Gurarara! Interesting kid. You want my head? Let's see if you've got what it takes!"

Whitebeard did not grow angry at Atlas's bold declaration. Instead, he laughed. Clearly, he did not consider her a threat. After all... he was Whitebeard.

Without warning, an overwhelming force erupted from Whitebeard. For an instant, the world seemed to turn into a black-and-white painting as dark red lightning flashed through the air. The mental Impact felt like a hammer striking the back of everyone's head. Marines with weaker strength or resolve collapsed one after another.

Garp and the others seemed entirely unaffected by Whitebeard's Conqueror's Haki. Atlas, however, could feel that he was targeting her. Terrifying pressure closed around her, far stronger than Kaido's Conqueror's Haki.

You think a little Conqueror's Haki will make me submit?

I'm going to challenge Whitebeard!

Get the hell off me!

Defiance blazed through Atlas's mind. This was a clash of wills. She knew that if she fell here, she would never have a chance to challenge Whitebeard.

Crack!

Something seemed to shatter inside Atlas's mind, and a fierce force burst from her body!

Atlas's Conqueror's Haki had awakened!

In an instant, the winds shifted and the sky darkened. A powerful wave of Haki surged from Atlas, sweeping over everyone indiscriminately. The Marines still struggling to stay upright and the pirates watching from Whitebeard's side toppled like dominoes.

For a few seconds, Atlas's Conqueror's Haki held its ground against Whitebeard's oncoming force. Then it was driven back into her body.

"Hahaha! You never cease to surprise me, kid!"

Garp and the others' pupils contracted before they burst out laughing. Conqueror's Haki of this caliber was rare!

"Gurarara! Not bad, kid. To think the Marines have someone like you. Come be my daughter!"

Whitebeard was surprised too, and tried to recruit Atlas. It was not because he feared her; he genuinely admired her.

"Hey, Whitebeard! Don't act like we're not here!"

Garp complained when Whitebeard tried to recruit Atlas right in front of the Marines.

"Tremor-Tremor: Tsunami!"

Whitebeard planted his feet and raised his right hand. A white sphere formed around it, and he slammed it into the air. Space shattered like a mirror, countless cracks spreading across it. Waves hundreds of meters high surged from the sea, threatening to swallow the Marine warships whole.

"Gulp!"

Someone swallowed in fear. Tension swept across the warships. Marines who had never fought Whitebeard before stared in terror, swallowing hard. One muttered in a daze, "So this is the power of the World's Strongest Man?"

Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit deserved its reputation as the strongest Paramecia Devil Fruit. Every movement carried the force of a natural disaster, and in his hands, its power had been developed to its limit.

"Wash-Mirror!"

Vice Admiral Tsuru calmly raised a hand and activated her power. The towering waves instantly subsided like a hound brought to heel. The roaring sea became smooth as glass, without a ripple in sight.

"We're alive! Oh..."

"A hundred-meter wave just went flat! It feels like a dream!"

"That's the Navy Headquarters' chief strategist for you! Vice Admiral Tsuru!"

The Marines cheered at their narrow escape, reassured by the strength on their side.

"Gurarara... You're as formidable as ever, Tsuru!"

Facing Jozu

"Whitebeard! Are you ready to die here today? Meteor Volcano!"

Akainu's arms rapidly expanded into molten rock, launching a barrage of magma fists at the pirates aboard the Moby Dick.

Whitebeard remained on the bow with Murakumogiri in hand, his expression unchanged.

"Azure Flame Goose!"

Marco, dressed like a street tough, suddenly flew out. Countless phoenix tail feathers gathered in his hands, then became a barrage of flaming fists that collided with Akainu's Meteor Volcano. Brilliant red and blue bursts lit up the clear sky. Marco turned toward the Marines with a smile.

"How could we let you disturb our king the moment you arrive?"

"Gurarara... Magma kid, are you trying to light the candles on a birthday cake?"

"Hmph!" Akainu snorted without answering.

"Hahaha! Whitebeard, picking on your juniors is a bad habit!"

Garp kicked off the air with Geppo and soared toward Whitebeard, Iron Fist raised.

"Gurarara... Warm-up's over, Garp!"

Whitebeard swung the massive Murakumogiri. The power of his Tremor-Tremor Fruit met Garp's Iron Fist head-on!

Boom! Boom!

Thunderous blows rang across the chaotic battlefield. Waves churned and collisions shook the air. Whitebeard and Garp clashed again and again, their power seeming ready to tear the sky apart. No one nearby dared approach them.

Elsewhere, Sakazuki fought Marco and Vista alone. Marco's power was downright unfair: his Mythical Zoan Phoenix form gave him tremendous staying power, even if he had not yet reached the level where he could briefly go toe-to-toe with an Admiral, as he would a decade or so later.

The Whitebeard Pirates had a serious gap in strength. Marco and the others had not reached their peaks, while Whitebeard was already showing signs of decline. Only Diamond Jozu stood on Marco's level; the other commanders lagged well behind.

For now, the Marines and the Whitebeard Pirates were evenly matched. Neither side could gain the upper hand. That might change once Gion and Tokikake arrived.

Atlas moved through the battlefield, taking one pirate's head after another. Then she spotted a heavyset man dressed in black trading blows with an ordinary Marine major.

Her eyes lit up, and she strode toward Blackbeard.

"Hey, Marine brat! I've had my eye on you for a while!"

A dark-skinned, browless man in armor with his chest exposed stepped into Atlas's path. He was Diamond Jozu, commander of the Whitebeard Pirates' Third Division and user of the Glitter-Glitter Fruit!

Atlas studied the burly man, her expression turning grave. In raw strength, Jozu had a slight edge over her right now. But with the Talismans at her disposal, she had no reason to fear him.

The more Atlas used the Talismans, the more she realized how little she understood them. As she grew stronger, their terrifying power revealed itself bit by bit. It made sense: the Talismans had shown nothing like their full potential in the hands of Shendu or anyone else. It was as though their power was gradually awakening inside her.

"Shining Charge!"

When Atlas did not answer, Jozu's arm swiftly became coated in glittering diamond. It gleamed in the sunlight as he charged straight at her!

"Iron Body! Armament Haki! Hollow Wood!"

Danger!

A heavy impact rang through the sky. Atlas rubbed her aching chest. She had been hurt, but not for long. The Horse Talisman's powerful healing let her shrug off an injury like this.

"No wonder you dared say you'd challenge Pops. You've got some real skills."

Jozu narrowed his eyes at the apparently unharmed Atlas.

"Diamond Jozu, I heard you're the quiet, brooding type. Why are you so chatty today?"

Jozu nearly stumbled. What? Me, brooding? What a joke! I just don't talk much!

"Shut up! What the hell are you talking about, brat?"

Flushed with anger, Jozu coated his huge diamond arm in Armament Haki and suddenly threw a punch at Atlas. "Bastard! Have a taste of Diamond Jozu's fist!"

"Heh. Iron Body Fist: Armament Haki: Shatter!"

Atlas's blood surged faster, and Armament Haki hardened her fist. She slammed it into Jozu's enormous punch!

"That all you've got? Is that limp punch supposed to be a massage?"

Their fists locked. Atlas and Jozu planted their feet and began a contest of strength!

"Heh!"

Atlas smiled contemptuously. Her arm muscles swelled, and a mighty force surged through them toward Jozu.

Ox Talisman! Divine Strength!

Boom!

Jozu's massive body flew backward and crashed into the Moby Dick's deck, kicking up a cloud of dust! Atlas did not expect him to be hurt, though. Everyone knew that if there was smoke, there was no damage.

"No way... Commander Jozu, he..."

"Hey, hey! You've got to be kidding! That kid's so young!"

The Whitebeard Pirates stared in shock. Had that young Marine beaten Commander Jozu in just two exchanges?

"Hey! What the hell... are you talking about? I haven't lost!"

Jozu slowly emerged from the dust, his face dark—though it might have been that dark to begin with. The diamond coating his body still shone without a scratch, and the pirates breathed a collective sigh of relief.

"Shining Charge!"

"Come on, then! Iron Body! Armament Haki! Tieshan Kao!"

Bang!

The Glitter-Glitter Fruit gave Jozu a diamond-hard body. Even without Armament Haki, his defenses were extraordinary. If Atlas had not possessed far more Armament Haki than most people, he might have worn her down outright!

Bang, bang, bang!

Atlas and Jozu traded fists furiously, blows raining onto each other. Jozu's sheer toughness kept Atlas from breaking through his defenses, while her powerful Armament Haki and monstrous healing left him at a loss. The two walking fortresses charged back and forth.

Trusting their defenses, they all but abandoned any attempt to guard, trading punch for kick at close range.

"Gurarara... Not bad, kid! You can hold your own against Jozu!"

Whitebeard noticed their fight and spoke in surprise.

"Fist Bone: Meteor!"

Garp swung a fist at him. "Hahaha! Whitebeard, has no one told you not to get distracted in a fight?"

Bang!

Whitebeard brought Murakumogiri across his body just in time, barely blocking Garp's Iron Fist.

Garp: Can Finger Pistol Really Hit That Hard?