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

Marco noticed Whitebeard suddenly fall silent, and a trace of worry flashed through his eyes.

"Gurararara... All right, let's hold a banquet!"

"Pops..."

New World, G-5 Base.

The vast Training Ground was surrounded by Marines on leave, packed so tightly that not even water could pass through. Standing at the center of the dense crowd were Garp and Atlas.

Ever since witnessing Atlas's "Flying Finger Pistol: Explosion" last time, Garp had been unable to forget it. He was certain that Atlas was not a Devil Fruit User, so he pestered Atlas every day to spar with him. In the end, Atlas had been dragged to the training ground by Garp.

"Hey, who do you think will win between Vice Admiral Garp and Commodore Atlas?"

"What the hell kind of question is that? Vice Admiral Garp is a Marine hero. Even Roger was captured by him..."

"But Commodore Atlas is really powerful. He's so young, yet he actually defeated Jozu of the Whitebeard Pirates."

"Is our target this time the Whitebeard Pirates? Or the Big Mom Pirates? We've been fighting Whitebeard pretty frequently these past few months."

"Who knows? Most of Headquarters' forces have been deployed to the New World this time. I'd say a war will break out soon..."

The Marines who had come to watch the spectacle gradually shifted their discussion from the battle before them to the situation in the New World. Naturally, they had no idea what the Marines' true objective was. They merely assumed that the Marines were preparing to move against a pirate crew that ruled the New World, such as the Whitebeard Pirates.

"Gahahaha, Atlas, let me see that special Finger Pistol of yours!" In the training ground, Garp charged straight at him, swinging both iron fists.

"Iron Body Fist: Armament!" Atlas's blood began flowing faster throughout his body, while Armament Haki covered and hardened his fists. The sinister black-and-red Haki made his fists seem even more imposing.

Bang!

A violent collision rang out. Cracks spread visibly across the previously intact ground. Although both men had deliberately restrained their strength, their ferocious power still damaged the earth.

"Looks like both your strength and Haki have improved tremendously!"

Garp was somewhat excited. He had always thought highly of a pure martial-arts genius like Atlas. In the eyes of people from their old era, Devil Fruits were merely external objects; only one's own strength was genuine strength. Of course, they did not reject Devil Fruits. After all, they were mysterious treasures of the sea that could change a person's destiny. Not everyone possessed Atlas's monstrous physical talent.

"People have to grow, you know, old man Garp!"

Atlas gave a rather smug smile. His arm suddenly swelled, and black-and-red Haki covered it completely.

Iron Body Fist: Martial God Arm: Shatter!

Countless fist shadows instantly engulfed Garp. The incredibly dense impacts were almost suffocating.

"Gahahaha, good! Bring it on!"

Garp struck back with his iron fists as well, refusing to dodge. He forcefully caught every one of Atlas's punches.

As Atlas's old strength faded before his new strength could gather, Garp stepped forward in a bow stance and drove an iron fist into Atlas's chest.

Atlas had been prepared. He promptly covered his chest with Armament Haki, but Garp's punch still sent him flying dozens of meters.

Atlas's Armament Haki was now terrifying in both quality and quantity. However, covering his entire body would still disperse its defensive power. Focusing it on a specific area remained the most efficient approach.

"Gahahaha, now let this old man see that strange ability of yours!"

Without giving Atlas even a moment to rest, Garp used Shave and rushed forward, his iron fists swinging.

"Ah la la, Flying Finger Pistol: Explosion!"

Terrifying explosive flames shot straight toward the advancing Garp, but Garp did not dodge at all. Armament Haki flowed across his body as an immovable aura radiated from him.

Boom!

A violent explosion erupted. Garp slowly emerged from the flames and dust. His clothes had long since been reduced to strips of fabric hanging from his body, and his originally black hair was slightly curled. He looked utterly disheveled, yet Atlas's explosive force had not injured him at all!

Atlas's use of the Dragon Talisman was still limited. Against a top-tier powerhouse like Garp, he was still somewhat lacking. After all, Garp's mastery of Armament Haki was essentially at the highest level in the world.

"What an incredible ability, brat! Feel the will of this old man's love!"

Garp let out a fierce laugh and charged forward once more. His iron fists whistled through the air, and the terrifying shockwaves made Atlas's face sting.

"Ah!"

A scream rang across the sky. Atlas helplessly rubbed his cheek, then used the Horse Talisman's power to swiftly eliminate every bruise and swelling.

"Old man Garp, are you taking revenge because I ruined your clothes?" Atlas muttered unhappily.

"Gahahaha... Of course not! I merely wanted you to experience the will of my love. After all, you're a holder of Conqueror's Haki!"

Seeing that Atlas's cheek had already returned to normal, Garp was secretly astonished. The brat's recovery ability was considerably stronger than when he had seen it last time.

"Speaking of Conqueror's Haki, I'm still completely confused about how to use it."

Atlas scratched his head in frustration. Ever since Whitebeard's stimulation had awakened his Conqueror's Haki, he had secretly released it a few times. By now, he could barely target its release.

As for using it to inflict physical damage, he still could not do that. The technique of coating attacks in Conqueror's Haki was even further beyond him.

"Gahahaha, have Sengoku teach you later. After all, I don't have Conqueror's Haki!" Garp laughed with a carefree expression.

"Vice Admiral Garp! Vice Admiral Tsuru is looking for you to discuss something, and Commodore Atlas as well!"

At that moment, a messenger hurried over, interrupting the old and young men's conversation.

"Little Tsuru? What does she want with me? Don't tell me Whitebeard is acting up again?"

Garp muttered strangely, but he still headed toward Vice Admiral Tsuru's Staff Office without the slightest hesitation. Atlas hurried after him.

Chapter 74: Request for Aid

Bang!

"Little Tsuru, what do you want with me?"

Garp reached the office door at the Staff Office, shoved it open, and shouted loudly. He and Vice Admiral Tsuru had been comrades who had risked their lives together since they were young. They were so familiar with each other that he naturally did not care about something as trivial as knocking. Besides, Garp was not the sort of person who would obediently knock on doors.

"Sit down first, then we'll talk." Vice Admiral Tsuru glanced calmly at the boisterous Garp and continued, "How did you end up looking like this?"

"Ah~ I just gave that brat Atlas a little guidance. Couldn't be bothered to change clothes." Garp did not care in the slightest. He even picked his nose with an indifferent expression.

Atlas, who had followed behind him, felt awkward when he heard that. He had been the one who wrecked Garp's clothes.

"Hello! Atlas, nice to see you again!"

Suddenly, as Atlas stepped out from behind Garp's tall figure, a crisp and pleasant voice greeted him.

"Rear Admiral Gion?"

Atlas was somewhat stunned. He had not expected Gion to be dispatched to the New World so quickly. It seemed that an all-out war in the New World was about to break out.

"Little Gion, you two know each other?" Vice Admiral Tsuru shifted her gaze to Gion and asked curiously. As Gion's elder sister, she was very concerned about her personal life. Still, wasn't this brat Atlas a little too young?

"I spent some time at Headquarters as a swordsmanship instructor in the Recruit Camp, and happened to meet Atlas there. He left quite a deep impression on me!" Gion answered with a smile.

"Gahahaha, since you already know each other, there's no need for introductions."

"I called you here for two main reasons. Sengoku called and made some adjustments to our deployment in the New World. Tokikake and Kuzan should be coming over after a while as well. The pace of the war will have to accelerate, so we need to make preparations early."

"Also, keep a close eye on the recent movements of Whitebeard, Big Mom, and the Beasts. Be ready for war at any time. As for that so-called Pirate Alliance, leave them alone for now. Do your best to preserve their strength."

Vice Admiral Tsuru casually picked up the steaming teacup on the table and took a small sip before continuing. "Our actions against the Whitebeard Pirates over the past few months have already made them believe that we are determined to eliminate them. Those fellows are itching to make a move."

"Ah~ Got it." Garp's expression gradually turned serious. Although he usually seemed unreliable, he had always been able to distinguish what mattered when it came to major affairs. If his actions caused the Marines to suffer losses this time, he would be unworthy of the "justice" behind him.

"So what's the second matter?" Garp asked at the appropriate moment.

Atlas was also immediately drawn to Garp's question. Tsuru had summoned both him and Garp to the office. The first matter concerned Garp, so the second should be related to him.

"Here's the situation. King Riku of Dressrosa has requested aid from the Marines."

"Requested aid? Ordinarily, Dressrosa's military strength should be enough to deal with harassment from ordinary pirates, shouldn't it?" Garp asked in confusion. As a nation capable of establishing itself in the New World, Dressrosa's standing army could not be weak.

"According to King Riku's request, it seems that an officer of the Big Mom Pirates wants Dressrosa to become their dessert-processing site, supplying sweets exclusively to Big Mom. After all, Dressrosa is a land surrounded by food and music. As for which officer it is, we do not know yet."

Vice Admiral Tsuru turned to Atlas. "So I want you to go to Dressrosa and investigate the situation. Dressrosa is also a World Government Member State, and the Marines have a duty to help defend it against pirate invasion. Besides, the Marines cannot allow the Big Mom Pirates to expand their territory unchecked."

"Ah~ Leave it to me. I've heard about Dressrosa for a long time. I'll just treat it as a trip to relax."

Atlas smiled faintly, completely unconcerned. Aside from Katakuri, who might give him some trouble, he did not take the other officers of the Big Mom Pirates seriously.

As for Big Mom herself, Atlas guessed that she was probably still busy having children. It could be said that before the age of sixty, Charlotte Linlin was either giving birth or on her way to give birth. Her strength seemed to grow naturally, making her the strongest known talent in the pirate world at present.

"Oh, right. I also want Gion to accompany you to Dressrosa. There probably won't be any large-scale war recently, and she can serve as insurance in case you encounter someone troublesome."

New World, Totto Land Kingdom, offshore of Toast Island.

This was a peaceful and tranquil stretch of sea, yet it was filled with an eerie absurdity. Sweet fragrances permeated the air, while the island's buildings were shaped like all kinds of bizarre foods, making it look as though they had stepped out of a fairy tale.

A man with golden-orange hair stood at Toast Island's harbor. More precisely, his hair faded from orange at the bottom to red at the top, and his hairstyle formed three flame-like points.

His outfit looked very strange. He wore nothing on his upper body, exposing a mass of muscular flesh. A yellow cloak hung from his back, and he wore gloves on his hands. His entire body was a monotonous orange, including his shoes and socks.

The man was Charlotte Linlin's fourth son, Charlotte Oven. He was a triplet together with Katakuri and Daifuku. It had to be said that Big Mom's fertility was truly astonishing; most of her children were twins or triplets.

Oven's target this time was Dressrosa. He had heard that the desserts there were also quite famous, so he had taken it upon himself to seize Dressrosa directly. He wanted to celebrate the birth of his soon-to-arrive younger brother or sister, while conveniently expanding the family's territory.

As one of Big Mom's earlier-born sons, Oven placed great importance on family and blood ties. He was very protective of his younger siblings—but only as long as they remained loyal to the family.

Although the Big Mom Pirates were one of the rulers of the New World, the New World did not belong entirely to pirates. Apart from the bases occupied by the Marines, some World Government Member States and non-member states also controlled portions of territory.

Of course, unless a non-member state possessed great strength—such as the Giant Kingdom of Elbaf—the others could not survive in the New World at all unless they sought shelter under a great pirate like them.

Chapter 75: Reinforcements

New World, G-5 Base harbor.

Atlas and Gion chatted and laughed as they walked toward the pier.

A standard Marine warship lay quietly moored at the harbor. Neither Gion nor Atlas had a specially made warship of their own here, so neither of them had any objections.

Soon, the two boarded the warship one after the other and embarked on their journey to Dressrosa.

"Commodore Atlas! Rear Admiral Gion!"

The moment they boarded, countless Marines surged over. They then stood at attention and saluted, their expressions solemn and their eyes filled with respect. They were the five hundred Marine soldiers Vice Admiral Tsuru had selected at G-5 Base, all of them elite forces who had witnessed Atlas's strength multiple times during battles against the Whitebeard Pirates.

Many of them had also been saved by Atlas, intentionally or otherwise, during those battles. As a result, they held him in great esteem.

However, the highest-ranking officer aboard this warship was Gion. Although Gion had yet to reach the strength of the Admiral candidate Momousagi, her rank was still one level higher than Atlas's, and her seniority exceeded his by quite a bit.

Atlas did not mind. He did not care who was in command. Momousagi would not interfere with him anyway, so he still had plenty of freedom.

Gion made a round of inspection and nodded slightly. Then she looked toward the distant sea, and her cool voice rang out:

"Has the adjutant arrived? Count the personnel and notify the helmsman to prepare for departure!"

"Reporting, ma'am! The adjutant is Bolton, Marine identification number—"

A broad-built officer wearing a standard Marine cap soon stepped out from the crowd and loudly reported, "He holds the rank of Marine Captain!"

"Very well. Count the personnel, then raise the sails and set off. Destination: Dressrosa!"

Gion waved her hand, issued her orders, and then turned away with Atlas.

"Yes, ma'am!"

A sonorous response came from behind them. It had to be said that Marines stationed in the New World for long periods were indeed of a higher overall caliber than those in Paradise and the Four Seas. Not to mention that the New World's climate and environment were even harsher than Paradise's, the New World was also teeming with powerful individuals.

After fighting powerful pirates of all kinds for so long, anyone who had survived until now was undoubtedly an elite among the Marines.

New World, Dressrosa Kingdom.

King's Plateau was home to Dressrosa's royal palace. It was the highest point in the entire kingdom, symbolizing supreme royal authority and serving as the residence of the Riku Royal Family. Unlike other palaces, it was not extravagantly luxurious. Instead, it seemed rather simple and unadorned. From the outside, it looked more like an ordinary resort, though it was surrounded by high walls.

In the main hall of the palace, the king of this country, Riku Doldo III, sat on his throne with his brows tightly furrowed and worry clouding his face.

King Riku had a powerful build and explosively outward-splayed hair. His expression was dignified, but the flickering of his eyes revealed a deep and calculating mind. His political skills were certainly not lacking.

"Your Majesty, please don't worry. The Marines have already agreed to our request for aid."

Army Commander Kyros could not help offering words of comfort from the side.

"I did indeed request aid from Vice Admiral Tsuru of the Marines. The Marines she dispatched should be on their way already. What worries me is that the Marines have been making frequent moves lately and have limited forces to spare, while the enemy we face is an officer of the Big Mom Pirates."

King Riku spoke with concern.

"Your Majesty, it's all my fault. I'm too weak and can't help you with anything..." Kyros said guiltily. As the army commander of the Dressrosa Kingdom, he could do nothing but helplessly wait for Marine reinforcements while facing an invading enemy. Moreover, he was Princess Scarlet's husband, which suddenly made him feel that he had failed his wife.

"Kyros, what nonsense are you talking about! You've already shouldered so much for this country. Besides, our opponent is the Big Mom Pirates, one of the rulers of the New World—a great pirate even the Marines fear. You have nothing to blame yourself for."