180. Absalom

Thriller Bark?

Atlas descended slowly, with Baby-5 trailing behind him, cautiously examining the colossal ship renowned as the largest in the world.

The massive island ship sails through the Calm Belt without fear of Sea Beast attacking. It seems to be the only vessel capable of safely navigating the Calm Belt, apart from Marine warships equipped with seastone technology.

Upon first glance, there were no zombies as anticipated, but the architectural style of the surroundings leaned towards darkness. Perhaps due to the sunlight, Atlas sensed an overall mysterious and hazy atmosphere emanating from the entire island ship.

"Come with me, Baby-5. We should go inside and explore."

Atlas didn't pause at the entrance. He wasn't there as a guest to Moria, so being overly polite wasn't necessary. Breaking in was the appropriate course of action.

"Sure!"

Baby-5 is exceptionally obedient, and her curiosity about Thriller Bark is evident. Growing up in North Blue, she's only encountered tales of ships as large as islands in storybooks.

Boom!

The door was forcefully kicked open, and Atlas strode into the massive pirate ship.

The guards seemed lax, perhaps because it was daytime and Moria didn't have any special zombie guards around. It could also be that the number of shadows didn't align with the number of corpses Moria obtained in Wanokuni, preventing the appearance of the zombie army more than ten years later.

Despite the lax defense, when Atlas and Baby-5 reached a spot near the middle of Thriller Bark, they were eventually spotted by Absalom, the one in charge of daily security.

Absalom possesses the powers of the Clear-Clear Fruit, granting him transparency abilities. Despite not having a robust physique, he is more than capable of effectively patrolling Thriller Bark.

In the end, the Thriller Bark Pirates' destination is only the first half of the Grand Line - Paradise. It's a region where even Haki is uncommon. Without Observation Haki, seeing Absalom is practically impossible.

"Marines..."

Absalom, utilizing the powers of the Clear-Clear Fruit, narrowed his pupils. Despite being a young pirate recently making his mark, and formerly just a small-time thief who occasionally peeked into women's bathhouses, he was no stranger to marines wielding influence across the world.

"Does this military rank... surpass the rank of colonel?"

Upon observing Atlas' epaulettes, Absalom felt a bit uncertain. After all, the highest-ranking officer in the Four Blue's branch was a colonel, so it was understandable for Absalom not to recognize the insignia.

However...

After catching sight of the petite Baby-5, Absalom completely forgot about the Marines and everything else. As a person with a strong affinity for desires, often frequenting red-light districts, Absalom, who had been residing on Thriller Bark lately, was truly feeling quite frustrated.

"Hehe, age doesn't matter; I like them all anyway!"

Absalom eagerly licked his chapped lips, and his hands made familiar kneading movements in excitement. Wearing a lewd smile, he silently walked towards Atlas and Baby-5.

Certainly, all of this remains unknown to Baby-5, who is innocently looking around.

"Ah..."

Atlas adopted a sarcastic expression, his eyes flashing red as he calmly watched Absalom approaching slowly.

"Huh? Is it just my imagination?"

Absalom abruptly halted and stared at Atlas with a hint of surprise.

'Could this Marine actually see me?'

'Impossible? Even though Moria could occasionally 'sense' him, he never delved into the details of something called Observation Haki.' Absalom always believed it was just a unique ability of Moria.

"It must be an illusion!"

Absalom shook his head from side to side, attempting to dismiss this absurd notion from his mind.

But the next moment, it was too late for him to regret.

Because Atlas, who was initially in front of him, suddenly appeared behind him! ! !

"Is your name Absalom?"

Despite the smile on his face, there was a lack of emotion in his voice.

Creep~Creak~

Absalom's face abruptly stiffened, and he slowly turned his neck. Simultaneously, a foreboding sensation gripped his heart. No, it wasn't just a premonition; it was a fact that had already unfolded!

This guy could see him! !

"Can you... see me!!?"

Absalom asked instinctively.

Boom!

Without uttering a word, Atlas swept his legs without expression, creating a scream in the air. Immense power was directed into Absalom's waist, and his entire lower body, including his third leg, instantly turned into a ball of blood mist!

"Ah!!!"

The intense pain nearly caused Absalom to lose consciousness, accompanied by a shrill scream escaping his mouth. Already feeble-minded and physically weak, panic surged through Absalom's heart. The specter of death loomed over him, and he was on the verge of being unable to sustain the powers of the fruit.

"What kind of monster is this..."

Absalom, now partially disabled, was horrified. Veins bulged in his thin arms as he attempted to crawl toward the Marine. Despite Moria instructing him to go to Hogback for a body transformation, the plan had not yet commenced due to the lack of materials. He remained thin and shriveled.

"Huh? Where do you think you're going?"

Observing this, Atlas took a step forward, advancing with his right foot, and pressed Absalom's back firmly against the ground!

'I can't break free!'

Absalom's face reddened, feeling an immense force pressing on his back. His fruit ability could no longer be sustained, and he appeared in front of them like a pitiful reptile.

"Ah! Why is there a person here!?"

Baby-5 was stunned by the unfolding scene. Despite the appearance of a prolonged battle, it happened in the blink of an eye. Baby-5 felt a moment of disorientation, and suddenly, Atlas was standing not far away. A severed figure lay beneath his feet, blood scattered around.

"I am Lord Moria's subordinate. If you kill me, Lord Moria will not let you go!"

Seeing the overwhelming difference in strength, Absalom couldn't help but invoke Moria's name, attempting to use the threat to deter Atlas.

In Absalom's perspective, Moria was already a world-famous pirate from the West Blue, with a bounty reaching a staggering 320 million berries. Just the mention of Moria's name should be sufficient to intimidate the Marine intruding before him.

It must be acknowledged that the frog in the well always has such a narrow perspective.

Bang!

Atlas pressed his feet forcefully, and Absalom's entire body was firmly embedded in the ground. His muscles and bones shattered, and a significant amount of blood flowed from beneath him. His eyes bulged, still reflecting a look of disbelief.

"Oh, Moria, it's him I'm looking for!"

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