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59.55% One Piece: The Defender of Justice / Chapter 295: 295. Old Acquaintances

Chapter 295: 295. Old Acquaintances

Bonus 6

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Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

As the crimson sun ascends, a briny breeze sweeps across the colossal fortress, bathed in a soft, diffused sunlight.

Following several days of respite, Marineford has now fully recovered its former grandeur.

The demise of the Whitebeard Pirates has only heightened the imposing aura and gravitas of this fortress of steel.

Today, on the expansive grounds of the headquarters,

A somber assembly stands in remarkably disciplined formation. The justice-laden white cloaks ripple in the sea breeze, yet the upright figures stand resolute, their faces bearing a grave and solemn demeanor.

Today marks the Marine's joint promotion ceremony.

The medal presentation was set to commence promptly at eight o'clock. Currently, it is 7:30 in the morning, leaving just half an hour before the ceremony kicks off.

A couple of minutes pass.

Atlas, clad in a crisp and tidy pure white suit, adorns himself with a matching justice cloak. The white cuffs of his attire sway gently as he strolls.

Deliberately, he proceeds to the forefront of the assembled Marines, where rows of seats are impeccably arranged.

He locates the assigned spot and takes a seat.

On the left and right stand Akainu and an unoccupied seat. Glancing at the nameplate, it appears to belong to Kizaru.

Kizaru returned to Marineford a few days ago. After all, a significant occasion like the award ceremony shouldn't be easily overlooked.

Regarding the ongoing situation in the New World —

It must be acknowledged that pirates are, in the end, just pirates. Essentially, all the notorious pirates are seizing territory once owned by the Whitebeard Pirates. Among them, the Big Mom Pirates are proving to be the most aggressive.

Particularly, Fish-Man Island, a place she has long coveted, has not been spared. She has even dispatched her subordinate, Baron Tamago, to personally deliver an ultimatum to the inhabitants of Fish-Man Island.

...About raising the flag of the Big Mom Pirates and transforming into her exclusive dessert processing factory from now on.

Alternatively, she opts to dispatch her own forces to conquer the entirety of Fish-Man Island.

The outcome became evident. Jinbei, having already coordinated with Atlas, confronted and defeated Baron Tamagoand his associates, promptly ejecting them from Fish-Man Island.

This conduct unquestionably infuriated Big Mom.

However, presently, the entire Charlotte family is preoccupied with annexing and assimilating vast territories, leaving them with no time to attend to the relatively smaller Fish-Man Island.

However, considering Big Mom's inherent temperament, this issue is unlikely to be overlooked so effortlessly.

Shifting his focus, Atlas glanced at the team members positioned behind him.

White Chase-Smoker, Epee-Kyros, Enel...

"Snort!"

As if attuned to Atlas's scrutiny, Enel emitted a cold snort, his gaze meandering.

"Tsk, tsk."

Enel is a character who truly thrives when exposed to a bit of spotlight.

During the Summit War, harnessing the Rumble-Rumble Fruit's versatile capabilities and less-than-stellar physical prowess, he managed to eliminate a cadre from the Red Hair Pirates.

Subsequently, he grew his wings.

Upon healing from his injuries, he hastily approached Atlas to issue a challenge.

The ultimate outcome, naturally, was a thorough defeat at the hands of Atlas.

Despite the healing effects of the horse talisman, the agony proved inevitable.

"Hey! Atlas, it's been a while!"

Through an unoccupied seat, Gion's mature voice resonated.

"Ah? Didn't we recently cross paths at the headquarters meeting?" Atlas raised his eyebrows slightly and spoke with a smile.

"Brother Atlas, you're still as clueless as ever." Gion's face stiffened, then he rested his forehead on his hands and sighed.

This guy hasn't changed at all...

"By the way, when you encounter an old acquaintance, why not offer a greeting?"

Gion patted Hina's rotund form behind him and remarked with a wry expression.

"It's Hina. It's been a while since our last meeting."

Atlas also scratched his head in embarrassment.

Since graduating from the elite training camp, he has largely refrained from engaging with others aside from Smoker and Rosinante. Most of his time is dedicated to apprehending pirates or training.

Even if he takes a break from his hectic schedule to visit the headquarters, Hina and the others are not present.

After all, they are just officers at the school level now, and their freedom can't be compared to Atlas's.

"It's true that we haven't seen each other in a while. Hina didn't expect you to rise to the rank of Marine Admiral so swiftly."

Hina's expression appeared somewhat complex.

She initially believed that everyone started from the same line. She even thought Atlas was slightly superior to them and amusingly challenged him.

However, in a later confrontation initiated by Atlas alone, she finally acknowledged the disparity between the two.

However, she never anticipated it.

This guy skyrocketed to the rank of Admiral at an astonishing pace. He was forcefully included when all three Admiral positions were already filled!

A sense of powerlessness welled up in Hina's heart.

The disparity between individuals can indeed be substantial.

"This, it's just luck, merely luck."

"Conquering Whitebeard and occupying the throne of the strongest man in the world can't be attributed to mere luck, and..."

Hina looked earnest, paused, and then continued:

"Now, some people outside have started bestowing upon you the title of the strongest creature on land, sea, and air."

"...."

Atlas was slightly taken aback. Why did this sound peculiar?

Suddenly, his ears twitched slightly, and he instinctively glanced into the crowd.

There, he spotted Grus winking at him and whispering something. Judging by the shape of his mouth, it seemed to be the word "boss." (T/N: He was introduced in the training camp arc)

"This kid..."

Atlas shook his head and chuckled, giving a wave in Grus' direction.

In this scenario, even if this guy's father is the Rear Admiral of the headquarters and is on the verge of being promoted to Vice Admiral, there's no way he can freely move around.

"Hey! Boss, I finally spot you."

Grus trotted over, a smile on his face.

"It's tough being under my father's command. Boss, consider transferring me to your unit sometime. This guy Smoker has been climbing the ranks so swiftly."

"Join my command? You must be ready to face hardships, and the peril level in the New World is incomparable to that of the Grand Line."

Atlas scrutinized Grus.

He exuded vitality and a robust zest for life. It seemed that this guy's father didn't overly shelter him just because he was an only son.

Flowers cultivated in greenhouses can't withstand the wind and rain.

"There's no issue at all. If one day you fall on the battlefield, it'll be a death worth honoring!"

Grus pledged, emphatically beating his chest.

Yet, he failed to notice that behind him, a middle-aged man observed with gleaming eyes.

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Read 35 chapters in advance in Patr*on: patr*on.com/Cosmic_Kaminari


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Chapter 296: 296. Checking In At Work

Bonus 7

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"Hey there! Let me ask you, little brother. How about joining my crew? I'm currently in need of a skilled assistant."

Aokiji shifted his chair, peering past the upright-seated Akainu. He wore a smile as he addressed Grus.

"Are you talking to me?!"

Grus double-checked to confirm that Aokiji's gaze was indeed directed at him, feeling a bit flattered.

Aokiji had gained fame within the Naval Headquarters even as a recruit and was on the verge of being appointed as the next Admiral. When such a high-ranking officer unexpectedly approached him, he found himself immediately bewildered.

Yet, he doubted that it was his exceptional skills that had caught the other party's eye.

Within the Marine Headquarters, there are many with similar talents and backgrounds as him.

Even with his father's standing, he felt inadequate in the presence of Aokiji.

Despite the Vice Admiral and Admiral roles differing by just one position, the gap in power and strength was immense.

There were only three Marine Admirals, well, now there were four.

In contrast, there were dozens of ordinary Vice Admirals.

"Yes," Aokiji responded calmly.

Observing the seriousness in the boss's demeanor, Grus swiftly sought assistance with a glance at Atlas, who was seated nearby.

"Alright, Senior Kuzan, stop teasing him. Let him join my command directly. My fleet isn't complete yet," Atlas intervened.

"Ah, that's truly unfortunate," Kuzan sighed. Seeing this, he lowered his blindfold, reclined in his chair, closed his eyes, and began to commune with the deity-like fish.

"Your crew isn't full yet? In that case, I'll allocate half of the quota from this recruitment camp to you," Akainu stated with a deep voice, turning to address the matter.

Each year, every Admiral holds priority over the emerging talents from the recruitment training camp. Numerous recruits get assigned to major Marine Bases for further training.

After reaching a certain level of experience, some individuals are selected to serve as base commanders across the globe, a prestigious position.

However, Atlas took a unique route compared to the usual. Following his training in the fortress, he was immediately thrust into the New World.

He had only ventured into East Blue and North Blue from the Four Blues.

Yet, there was a chance that he might be dispatched to Grand line, similar to what happened with Smoker in the initial timeline.

Typically, a Logia user wouldn't be assigned to the Four Blues, especially the East Blue, known as the weakest sea.

"Sakazuki-senpai? Not necessary. I've made prior arrangements," Atlas replied, taken aback.

Why did he always sense a gentleness from Akainu? It felt as if the lines on the senior's face had softened a bit.

"Alright, regardless, as Marines, combating crime is our topmost duty. No matter the methods, there can be no space for evil!"

Akainu nodded, saying nothing more after mentioning this casually. After all, Atlas had once served on his ship, but now the younger recruit's foundation was still developing. As a former superior, Akainu wouldn't skimp on necessary support.

—Soon, time ticked away, minute by minute.

It was now 7:45, and Sengoku, Kong, Garp, and Zephyr were all running late.

Kong currently holds the position of Commander-in-Chief of the entire army, making him more than qualified to confer the title of Marine Fleet Admiral to Sengoku, both in terms of rank and experience. 

Regarding Zephyr, although he has taken a step back from the frontline and the Fleet Admiral position is now filled, he has completely retired from active duty. Logically, he wouldn't be present at this promotion ceremony. However, being a mentor to many top Marine executives, it would be unjustifiable for him not to attend.

"Bwahahaha! You, young one, finally possess some of the grace I had back in the day. To think you've become an Admiral at your age!" Garp chuckled, poking at his nose with his little finger as he walked towards Atlas with a smile.

"Hey! Garp, spare us the flattery. When you were Atlas's age, you probably didn't even know which small-time pirate you were chasing after," someone retorted.

Sengoku scoffed with disdain.

"Bwahahaha! Same old banter. They're all remarkable talents from our East Blue, but mark my words, my grandson will be no less than this kid in the future!"

Garp remained unfazed. He lightly pressed his thumb on his little finger and exerted a bit of force—

A mysterious dark object shot towards Sengoku!

Ever since Atlas brought Ace and Luffy to Naval Headquarters, Garp had been wearing a constant grin. No matter the topic, he somehow found a way to bring up Luffy and Ace, almost as if he was afraid people might forget he had two grandsons.

"Alright, alright, I know your grandsons are quite the troublemakers. Can you rein them in a bit? I've been receiving reports about them causing disturbances in the school all day long!"

Sengoku's head ached whenever Garp brought up Ace and the others. Logically, he wouldn't typically intervene in matters concerning the Marine family's schooling.

However, the three brothers were creating such a ruckus, engaging in fights or heading towards one almost every day. Practically everyone in the school was affected. Furthermore, they were disrupting the classes proposed by Atlas, sleeping through moral and ideological sessions, and doing their homework haphazardly, except for the younger one, Sabo.

However, due to their connection as Garp's grandsons, the school authorities found it challenging to manage them. They could only discreetly report the issues to Sengoku.

"Hahaha! You don't need to fret over such things. With Ace and those troublemakers around, maybe they can inject some life into the otherwise dull Marine Academy."

"Really, Atlas?" Garp exclaimed.

As they approached their seats, Garp laughed and attempted to pat Atlas on the shoulder.

"That's true. With measured discipline, appropriate challenges might help spur their growth," Atlas calmly avoided Garp's attempt to share his "Passion."

"As long as Admiral Sengoku issues the order, defeating any one of the three , regardless of the means, earns you a month's vacation..."

"...Sounds like a decent deal. It might help channel the excess energy those three troublemakers have," Sengoku chuckled, shaking his head.

The three mischievous brats possessed talents that were hard to overlook, the type that attracted attention from every direction. But even so, it was a bit ambitious to try making enemies of the entire school.

Simply overwhelming them with a human sea tactic could subdue those troublemakers.

"Bwahaha!! This seems... quite interesting. You've got quite a creative mind, kid!" Garp remarked.

While conversations continued, Kong had already made his way towards the podium. The time was now 7:59, less than a minute left before the commencement of the medal ceremony.

Buzz—! ! !

Suddenly, a multitude of light particles materialized next to Atlas, rapidly forming Kizaru's appearance, accompanied by a leisurely voice:

"It's exactly eight o'clock. I shouldn't be late~~"

As expected. How can Kizaru clock in for work in advance.

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Read 35 chapters in advance in Patr*on: patr*on.com/Cosmic_Kaminari


CREATORS' THOUGHTS
CosmicKaminari CosmicKaminari

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