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Mary Geoise, the Room of Authority.
Five old men of differing appearances were seated in a row. Opposite them was Sengoku, with his frog-like glasses and braided beard.
The atmosphere between the two sides did not seem very harmonious.
"The Golden Lion is dead? Why didn't you Marines report this to the World Government immediately?" Saint Saturn, with his white hair and black top hat, questioned Sengoku.
The other members of the Five Elders said nothing, but their gazes were equally accusatory.
Ever since Kong had stepped down, Sengoku had taken over all Marine affairs.
Although the man before them outwardly obeyed the World Government's orders, the Marines he had been leading in recent years were showing signs of insubordination.
"I have come here today precisely to report this matter to you all..." Sengoku said neither servile nor overbearing, maintaining his composure in the face of Saint Saturn's questioning.
"Then why did the World Economy News Paper know before we did?" Saint Saturn's face was grim.
"Alright, let's leave this matter for now. Tell us, what is it you've come to see us about, Sengoku?" Saint Nazarov interrupted Sengoku, who was about to explain.
He knew that Sengoku, known as "The Strategist," would have prepared countless excuses before coming to see them.
Questioning him here would only widen the rift between the Marines and the World Government and serve no purpose.
"I have come to discuss the matter of Kanos Atlas's promotion."
"Oh? Is this Kanos Atlas the Marine who defeated the Golden Lion?" None of the Five Elders was a fool.
Hearing Sengoku mention a name unfamiliar to them, they immediately connected it to the recent events concerning the Golden Lion.
"That's right. Atlas's merits are more than sufficient. He was also the one who arrested the former Warlord, Crocodile."
"Oh? Is that so?" Saint Saturn squinted, a look of realisation dawning on him.
"He was also the Marine stationed on the Sabaody Archipelago, was he not?" Saturn recalled the numerous complaints from the Celestial Dragons at the time.
They had been busy dealing with the aftermath of Fisher Tiger's attack on Mary Geoise, so they had instructed their subordinate officials to handle it.
He hadn't expected Sengoku to shoulder all the pressure personally...
"There are only three Admiral Candidate positions in the Marines, are there not?"
"It is only an Admiral Candidate, not a true Admiral. His merits are more than enough to qualify!" Sengoku did not back down, meeting Saint Saturn's gaze head-on.
Silence! A protracted silence!
The five old men first weighed the pros and cons in their minds, then exchanged glances.
Saint Nazarov spoke coolly, "Sengoku, regarding the promotion of Kanos Atlas to Admiral Candidate..."
"The five of us approve. However...We do not wish for something like this to happen again!"
"Rest assured, the Marines will always carry out our duties," Sengoku guaranteed nonchalantly, then turned and left the seat of the world's highest authority.
"Damn it! The Marines under Sengoku are becoming increasingly disobedient. He outwardly submits to us, but his clandestine actions are becoming more frequent!"
"That's right. Ever since we forced him to issue the Buster Call on Ohara, he seems to have held a grudge against us," Saint Ju Peter, who had been silent until now, commented.
Saint Nusjuro said, "But the Marines cannot do without Sengoku at present. We can only delay his rise."
"In the end, the Marines are merely the public face of the World Government. What Sengoku can do is limited to this extent."
It was only an Admiral Candidate. They were clear on that.
The actual authority of an Admiral Candidate was not significantly greater than that of an ordinary Vice Admiral, so they weren't too concerned about adding another one.
--Grand Line, nearly 7,000 meters above the sea--
A warship, held aloft by Atlas's ability, was sailing slowly.
They weren't in a hurry to return, so they decided to indulge the three brothers and take in the beautiful scenery from a high vantage point.
At this altitude, an ordinary person's physical abilities would be greatly diminished due to the thin oxygen, but the soldiers on the warship had all been selected through rigorous training.
Even the three boys only felt a slight discomfort.
"Reporting to the Vice Admiral! There seems to be... a sea ahead!" the lookout in the crow's nest suddenly shouted down to Atlas.
"A sea? How is that possible? We're 7,000 meters above the ground! What kind of joke is this?"
Even Smoker, who had seen many strange things on the Grand Line, couldn't help but be incredulous at such an absurd report.
"Calm down, Smoker. He's telling the truth. If I'm not mistaken, that should be the legendary White Sea up ahead," Atlas said.
He was also surprised. He hadn't intentionally steered toward a Sky Island; he had been following the Eternal Pose to Marineford, only occasionally taking a detour to satisfy the boys' curiosity.
He never expected to stumble upon the White Sea so coincidentally.
"Mr. Atlas, what is the White Sea?" Sabo, who always asked questions when he had them, was incredibly curious about this term he had never heard before.
Not just the three boys, but many of the soldiers on the ship also perked up their ears, waiting for Atlas's explanation.
Atlas did not disappoint them. He began to explain based on what he had heard and remembered.
"The White Sea is formed from Sea Clouds within the Cumuloregalis Clouds. Ships can sail freely on it."
The sea we live on is called the Blue Sea by them. And the legendary Sky Islands are said to be on the White-White Sea, ten thousand meters above the White Sea."
"Most of you have probably heard the North Blue fairy tale of 'Noland the Liar,' right? In truth, Noland wasn't lying."
"The City of Gold really did exist; it was just pushed up to the White-White Sea by the Knock-Up Stream."
"Eh!?" Most people in the world considered Sky Islands to be a myth. Only a small number of people were aware of their existence, and even fewer had actually visited one.
Atlas was just unsure which Sky Island they had arrived at. There was more than one Sky Island above the White Sea.
The largest was known as God's Land, primarily consisting of Angel Island and Upper Yard, and it should still be under the rule of the so-called "God," Gan Fall.
Enel's home, Birka, was just a small Sky Island in the southern region.
If they were in God's Land, Atlas would have rerouted without hesitation.
He had no intention of helping Gan Fall resolve the ancient feud between the Shandians and the Skypieans.
However, his Observation Haki did allow him to 'see' a very interesting scene.
White Sea, Birka.
A nervous Enel slowly opened his palm. White arcs of electricity danced in it, the brilliant light illuminating his cheeks.
His already pale face now looked exceptionally terrifying. Finally...
He recalled all his experiences on Birka, and a look of madness surged onto his face. Simply because he didn't have wings, he was ostracised by everyone on the island.
Bullying and humiliation had become a part of his daily life.
But the legendary God's Fruit he had found in the temple a few days ago had ignited the flames of revenge in his heart.
He would have his revenge, a brutal revenge on all those who had tormented him. He would make them taste the meaning of despair!
The seeds of hatred had long been sown, and the power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit was the fuse that would detonate all his rage!
"Waah~ Is this the White Sea Uncle was talking about?" The huge warship was moored quietly in the sea of clouds.
Luffy was ecstatic. Everything in the outside world was new and exciting to him.
The restlessness etched into his very bones made him run around nonstop, and he even wanted to jump off the ship to experience the wonderful sea of clouds for himself.
Fortunately, Ace was quick-witted and grabbed the eager Luffy.
"Hey! Luffy, that bastard Marine isn't here right now. No one knows anything about this place. If you fall off, no one can save you!"
After spending so many days with the Marines, they had gained some understanding of the world's power systems. There were no Marines on board with the ability to fly. If Luffy fell from the White Sea, he would be lost for good.
"Alright, alright, Ace, don't scare Luffy. He's just curious."
"Yeah, yeah, Sabo is the best to me," Luffy pouted, looking displeased.
"Hey, Smoker, where did that bastard go?"
"Who knows..."
"Who's there?!" Enel, who was in the throes of madness, suddenly felt alarm bells ringing in his head. A strange presence had appeared behind him.
As for how he could sense something behind him, that was a secret of his.
He didn't know if it was because he had been beaten so much, but one day he had suddenly awakened a special ability that allowed him to sense the movements and presence of others, and even to dodge their attacks in advance.
In his eyes, others' attacks seemed to move as if in slow motion. This was how he had managed to survive until now.
This magical ability had undoubtedly greatly increased his chances of survival.
"How perceptive. It seems you've already awakened Observation Haki, haven't you?"
Hearing the voice, Enel instinctively retreated and turned, his eyes warily sizing up the man before him.
He was dressed in a pure white suit, with a coat of an unfamiliar style on his back. He was tall and seemed to be even younger than himself, a strange smile on his face.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kanos Atlas, and I am a Marine of justice."
Seeing that the man before him remained silent, Atlas smiled slightly and began his introduction.
Enel wore a white bandana and had long earlobes. He was bare-chested, wearing baggy pants.
He didn't have the numerous gold ornaments he would have a decade later, nor the small drums with tomoe symbols on his back.
His expression was not yet arrogant, but rather showed a hint of vigilance toward this stranger.
"You're not a sky person?"
Although he didn't understand what this self-proclaimed Marine meant by "Observation Haki," seeing that he had no wings, it was clear he wasn't a local of Birka.
In all of Birka, he was the only one without wings.
"That's right. I come from what you call the Blue Sea." Atlas didn't mind Enel's questioning.
Enel had probably just eaten the fruit not long ago, so he hadn't yet shed his past cautiousness and developed the god-like arrogance he would have when facing Luffy and the others.
"The Blue Sea?" Enel was slightly puzzled; the name was vaguely familiar.
As an outcast, the information he gathered came from snippets of others' conversations, so his knowledge of the outside world was severely lacking.
But then, as if remembering something, he asked urgently, "Do... do all you Blue Sea people have no wings?"
"We don't." Atlas shook his head slightly.
In any world, arrogance and prejudice are objective realities, especially on a Sky Island like Birka that was almost completely cut off from the outside world.
An individual different from everyone else would naturally be ostracised.
"The Blue Sea... the Blue Sea..." Enel slowly savoured the two words, an irrepressible idea welling up in his heart. I'm going to the Blue Sea!
"What is your purpose here, Blue Sea dweller?" Enel didn't reveal his thoughts but instead asked about the Marine's objective.
Atlas pointed at Enel. "My purpose is you. Do you want to go to the Blue Sea? Then join the Marines!"
Atlas knew that the current Enel had just eaten the Rumble-Rumble Fruit and hadn't yet grown to the point where he could wipe Birka off the map.
His arrogant personality had not yet fully developed, making this the perfect time to lure him into joining the Marines.
Of course, if he refused to listen to reason, Atlas would have to use reason on him.
"Huh? You want me to join the Marines?" Enel was slightly surprised. Although he didn't know what the Marines were, he figured it was some faction in the Blue Sea.
But he was the man who had eaten the forbidden Fruit; how could he so easily submit to another?
"I'm telling you, that's im—"
POW!
Before Enel could finish his refusal, Atlas's leg swept out, kicking him clean in half. Blue and white arcs of electricity danced on his severed body.
"You detestable Blue Sea dweller! How dare you sneak attack me! But your attacks are useless against me!"
Enel deactivated his elemental form, his body quickly regenerating.
He was furious, but seeing that Atlas's attack did not affect him, a look of smugness appeared on his face.
SWISH! POW!
Without another word, Atlas hardened his leg with Armament Haki and delivered an uppercut kick straight to Enel's chin.
There wasn't much force behind it, but Enel felt as if a heavy blow had struck his entire head, and his body fell backwards, stunned.
"It seems you still don't understand your own position..." As his vision blurred, the last thing Enel saw was Atlas shaking his head slightly, and a single, light taunt.
Atlas looked at the unconscious Enel and felt a bit amused. This guy had only awakened Observation Haki by chance and knew nothing about Armament Haki, yet he had faced his attack without even trying to dodge.
His already weak constitution gave out, and he was knocked out instantly.
(T/N: Please give me some power stone, I hope it can at least reach the top 100)
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