152. Floating

Pere~Pere~Pere~Pere~

Out of nowhere, Kizaru caught the noise of a Den Den Mushi.

"It's probably Sengoku-san checking in to ask about what's going on..."

While talking, Kizaru lifted the tiny Den Den Mushi on his left wrist, saying, "Moshi moshi... Oh? Moshi moshi... It's me, Kizaru."

Scratching his head in puzzlement, Kizaru glanced back and forth at the Den Den Mushi in his hand and mumbled, "Weird. Is it not working?"

Smoker awkwardly interrupted and pointed to Kizaru's suit pocket, "Vice Admiral Kizaru, do you think it's possible that the Den Den Mushi making the sound isn't the one on your wrist..."

"Oh~" Kizaru suddenly grasped the situation, put it in his pocket, connected the call, then turned to Smoker and expressed his gratitude, "Thanks, little brother~"

"Hey! Kizaru, how's the backup for Atlas going?"

As Kizaru anticipated, Sengoku's voice came through the Den Den Mushi. It sounded composed, yet his worry was evident."

'When I arrived, Sengoku-san, the fight had already concluded."

Kizaru replied unhurriedly.

"Huh? What's the status of the battle? Did Shiki manage to escape?"

Sengoku clearly lacks information about Shiki's current status. After all, Shiki's location has been so effectively concealed that there's been no information whatsoever for the past eight years.

"No~ Brother Atlas is too formidable; he has already taken down Shiki."

Kizaru casually cast a brief glance at Atlas, who remained calm and composed, and remarked.

"What!?"

On the other end of the line, Sengoku was shocked. Having personally clashed with Shiki dozens of times, he possessed a profound understanding of Shiki's strength. Even if it had waned due to injuries and age, he was someone Sengoku had to face with all his strenght. Taking him down would require Akainu and the others to expend half their lives, even with their current strength!

Is it possible...

Considering this, Sengoku quickly inquired, "How is young Atlas? He's not severely injured, is he?"

Kizaru's expression turned somewhat peculiar upon hearing this. He remembered that after Atlas took the sword from Shiki before he passed away, his severe injury actually healed quickly. This kind of unheard-of self-healing ability was simply extraordinary—something akin to the Mythical Zoan awakened by Kaido. However, the results are never as impressive.

"It's nothing, Brother Atlas is in good shape now~"

Sengoku was taken aback and leaned his head back against the cushion behind him. The only thing reverberating in his mind was what Kizaru had just conveyed.

In excellent condition...

By the way, how old is that youngster, Atlas?

...

East Blue, Logue town.

At the rear of the island where Logue Town is situated, there's a secluded coastline that rarely sees visitors.

Perched on a lofty rock, Atlas sat cross-legged on a stone surface he had fashioned flat. His posture was erect, yet his gaze seemed somewhat distant, lost in contemplation.

Smoker and Ace have been quartered at the Marine Base in Logue Town. They will depart to return to headquarters in a day or two. This break is officially coming to an end.

On the flip side, Kizaru followed Sengoku's directives and returned to the headquarters. Despite not holding Admiral positions, the strength of the three individuals under Akainu undoubtedly reaches Admiral level, necessitating an Admiral at the headquarters to follow orders. Kizaru himself is content with this type of duty.

After all, it's uncommon for pirates to engage in such foolish endeavors by attacking Naval Headquarters, with only a few instances in history. Consequently, Kizaru is pleased to remain at the headquarters and carry out his duties. He has no desire to venture into the New World for a life-or-death battle or to fish for trouble. Doesn't laying around in Marineford sound more appealing?

"It appears that the hue of the pattern is slightly deeper compared to the other talismans..."

Atlas's attention zeroed in on a few talismans, and he became perplexed all of a sudden. The rooster talisman's appearance did undergo a subtle change.

Ever since the clash with Shiki, he has grown increasingly enthusiastic about the abilities of the Float-Float Fruit. At the very least, it grants him aerial combat capabilities without relying on Geppo. That alone makes it worthwhile.

Yet, when it comes to sheer expressiveness, the Rooster Talisman doesn't appear to be as potent as the Float-Float Fruit. However, its purpose is far more profound. It holds some similarities to the Float-Float Fruit but doesn't restrict itself to affecting only inanimate objects. It operates without direct contact with itself, sounding much more potent than the Float-Float Fruit.

The fusion of the Rooster Talisman and the Rabbit Talisman's incredibly swift flight effect will likely bestow upon Atlas a level of maneuverability comparable to that of Vice Admiral Kizaru.

However, in the original story, there are several glaring flaws with the Rooster Talisman.

It's unclear whether the Rooster Talisman is activated through telekinesis or some form of buoyancy. However, in terms of power, even Jade Chan, who is considered a bit of an anomaly in the entire narrative, can only manipulate a few hundred kilograms of objects after using it for a while. She ends up exhausted and breathless, unable to command the elements like Shiki, who could control the weather and manipulate the landscapes.

But... it appears there might be some new developments now?

Atlas emerged from the mental space, extended his palm slowly, and activated the rooster talisman that had been illuminated in his thoughts.

Shishi Odoshi: Gosho Chimakin (Lion's Menace: Imperial Palace Thousand Rolls)

Atlas was too lazy to devise a name, so he simply borrowed the name of Shiki's move.

As soon as he finished speaking, a grand and majestic lion head suddenly manifested on the sea not far away. The fur was intricately detailed, and nearly every fang in the open mouth gleamed with a cold light. This was a perfect replica of the Float-Float Fruit ability.

No! Even more potent!

Because Atlas senses that he can command the power of objects without any physical contact! It applies even to living entities, although it doesn't work on formidable beings like Kaido and Big Mom. A slight interference is sufficient.

"This transformation... should be connected to Shiki's Float-Float Fruit."

Atlas rubbed his chin and gazed at the water lion not far away, gradually dissipating due to loss of control. After a moment of contemplation, he grasped the crucial insight.

Mainly, the alteration in the Rooster Talisman only took place after the demise of Shiki, so Atlas can only attribute it to the powers of the Fruit.

Atlas dove into the churning sea to ascertain whether the Rooster Talisman also carried the demonic curse of the Fruit.

Fortunately, he is not currently afflicted by the sea curse. He likely activated the horse talisman to nullify any negative effects.

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