225. Backstab Sengoku

"Master Marine, do you have to head to the island?"

The elderly man in the green robe folded his umbrella and his smile grew stranger.

"Sure thing. Why wouldn't you want to go?"

Atlas received a Eternal Pose to come here, and he had been desiring the power of the Lightning-Quenching body for a long time.

For an average person, attempting a method so close to suicide would be truly daunting.

Thanks to the Horse Talisman's self-healing ability, Atlas can enhance his body's strength without any worries.

Given his current power, traditional training methods would only result in slower progress, eventually reaching a point of stagnation. Similar to other formidable individuals in the pirate world, his improvement would rely on the gradual accumulation of time.

Another effective approach is to engage in battles with powerful opponents, which significantly enhances both Haki and physical strength.

However, the only worthy adversaries at the moment are the Sea Emperors of the New World.

Whitebeard and his crew aren't foolish; they wouldn't willingly come out to spar with him.

And to pick fights on their turf?

Even from the start, he was only provoking clashes from a distance. Venturing deep into their territory would not only risk his life, but even if he managed to escape, he'd likely emerge with significant damage.

Moreover, back then, he held the position of a mere Rear Admiral, so embarrassment wasn't a significant concern.

Imagine if a potential Marine Admiral, a representative of the Marine force, ventured into the Three Emperors' territory to reprimand them. Sengoku would likely dispatch him westward with a resounding shockwave!

"Then what about you?" 

The elderly man in the green robe eagerly rubbed his hands upon hearing this and offered the umbrella to Atlas.

"But I don't need an umbrella!"

Atlas declared, brushing past the perplexed green-robed individuals and soared directly towards Raijin Island.

Boom!

A thunderstorm swept across the ground, and a dense thunderclap instantly engulfed Atlas' form!

After a considerable duration, the thunderous pillar subsided.

A surprising sight awaited the elderly man in the green robe!

Atlas proceeded further into the island unscathed, eventually vanishing from view.

"This guy--!?"

....

Naval Headquarters, Marineford.

Kizaru, sporting a black bucket hat, lounged behind his desk with a lit cigarette in his mouth, exuding a laid-back vibe.

A square plaque adorned the white wall behind him, proudly displaying the words 'Ambiguous Justice'!

"Vice Admiral Kizaru, Rear Admiral Canal's ship... is destroyed!"

Facing Kizaru was a Marine delivering a report.

Cloaked in justice coat, his hair towered high, almost brushing the ceiling. Atop his abundant hair rested a small white Marine hat, creating an impressive hairstyle.

"....."

Kizaru remained silent, adjusting to a more comfortable position as he leaned back.

"Oh~ Why the need for such a fierce battle? Just request him to disclose the location~~"

He felt quite troubled at the moment.

Sengoku had already made it clear. If he managed to apprehend Fisher Tiger this time, Sengoku assured him the title of Admiral and a promotion to the position of Admiral at Headquarters, shedding the "alternate" label.

After all, Sengoku didn't become Admiral overnight, and the four of them held the position of alternate Admirals for a while.

Similar to Sentomaru, his subordinates might desire his promotion to the throne more than he did, as only then could they see opportunities for their own advancements.

Otherwise, if the leader holds the rank of a general, his subordinates cannot attain that rank, correct?

However...

Kizaru clearly has no desire to make a move. He enjoys his current comfort—spending his days leisurely drinking tea and fishing, earning a day's wage.

Once you become an Admiral and have to follow orders from the Celestial Dragons, how can you maintain the same level of ease as now?

Otherwise, he would have captured Tiger by now, considering he had received information about Tiger and his gang.

"It's said that the moment we came into view, we were swiftly surrounded from the sea..."

The Marine, with an impressively voluminous hairdo, explained.

As a Marine, adhering to the directives of superiors is a fundamental expectation. Given his positive rapport with Rear Admiral Canal, it's only natural for him to advocate for him at this juncture.

"Oh~ That sounds frightening~~ Truly befitting of a fish-man flourishing in the sea~~~"

Kizaru pursed his lips and leisurely released a cloud of white smoke. After a prolonged silence, he inquired, "Are there any new fish-men aboard the Sun Pirates~~~"

"Except for Arlong and his crew, who are pirates operating near Fish-Men Island and appear to have aligned with them. Assessing their combat capabilities in the sea is challenging."

"Moreover—, there's the whale shark man Jinbei, who we identified and pursued three years ago."

"No new members have joined recently!"

Despite being perplexed by Vice Admiral Kizaru's conduct, he displayed intelligence by refraining from raising any questions.

Clearly, they had detected signs of the Sun Pirates three years ago, yet Vice Admiral Kizaru merely insisted on having them keep an eye on each other's activities, occasionally implementing seemingly harmless measures.

Meanwhile, on the other side...

In the Grand Line, on a certain island.

The Sun Pirates, having recently overcome the Marine harassment, were now taking a breather. Across from them were the indigenous people of the island.

Their numbers were not substantial. Adorned with bird feathers on their heads as headdresses, they primarily wore gray and white robes, giving the impression that they were relatively isolated from external influences.

This aspect highlights the remarkable characteristic of this world. Despite the fragmented geographical landscape, there exists no generational language gap, only variations in customs and culture.

"May I make a request?"

Out of the blue, the head of the indigenous community and a scruffy little girl approached Tiger and his crew, who were seated on the ground.

Over the years, the Sun Pirates have been dedicated to fighting against human trafficking, extending their kindness to numerous individuals, naturally including the natives of this island.

Otherwise, considering Tiger's reputation endorsed by the World Government, they might have avoided crossing paths with him altogether. How could they muster the courage to approach and speak to him?

"Hmm? What's happening?"

Tiger expressed slight surprise and then inquired softly.

"This child..."

"She escaped from Mariejois three years ago during the liberation of the slaves."

"However, the hometown of this child's parents is too distant from here. Given our limited navigation skills, we truly cannot escort her back."

The leader of the indigenous people gestured towards the seemingly carefree girl beside him, shaking his head with a wry smile.

The girl had been rescued from the sea a year ago and miraculously survived. However, the imprint of the Celestial Dragon's symbol on her back served as a poignant reminder for them...

She's an escaped slave from Mariejois!

Despite their benevolence in providing shelter to the girl, that was the extent of their assistance.

Encountering Tiger and his crew, they can now securely entrust the young girl to them.

"My name is Koala, and I am eleven years old!"

"Three years ago, thank you so much!"

Despite feeling a bit uneasy around the tall and peculiar fish people, Koala mustered a smile and bowed, expressing her gratitude.

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