Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Swordsmanship
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"Tekkai (Iron Body)!"
Grus's face showed a flash of panic when he saw Atlas charging at him, but he immediately pinned his hopes on the Tekkai technique, in which he was most proficient, to at least absorb some of the impact.
"Boom!"
Unsurprisingly, Grus was sent flying like a ragged sack of potatoes, crashing hard onto the ground — another one down!
Seeing this, the remaining four immediately huddled together, trying to form a tight formation to avoid being picked off one by one.
But they were far too naïve… They had no idea just how powerful Atlas truly was.
"Soru. Tekkai Gō. Rampaging Bull!"
Atlas charged at Smoker and the others like a wild, berserk bull. The ground beneath him seemed to churn like loose soil in a landslide.
"White Wall!"
"Cage-Cage: Spear-Shield!"
Of course, Smoker and Tashigi didn't just stand idly by. A black spear-lined iron shield and a dense wall of white smoke instantly rose in Atlas's path.
Devil Fruits are miraculous powers, capable of turning the tide in a battle when both sides are evenly matched. Unfortunately, they were not even close to Atlas's level!
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion rang out. Smoker's White Wall and Tashigi's spear-shield shattered like paper in an instant.
Atlas, still charging full speed, crashed into them head-on, sending each of them flying backwards, slamming into the ground and struggling to get up.
They were no longer able to fight.
"Now do you understand?" Atlas's voice rang out cold and clear.
"What you should be doing now is mastering the Six Powers (Rokushiki) techniques that suit you best, not teaching them all in half-measures."
"Look at yourselves — none of you can even use a single technique properly. Be thankful that the one sparring with you today is your comrade."
"On the battlefield, the only thing you'd lose… isn't face — it's your life."
Instructor Juzuo, who had been watching the whole match, was stunned by how quickly and decisively the group was defeated.
He hurried forward, eager to offer words of encouragement so their spirits wouldn't be completely crushed.
"Alright, Senior Juzuo. I'm heading out now. Don't forget your promise!"
Atlas called out with a smile, seeing that Smoker and the others weren't seriously hurt, and prepared to leave.
"Yeah, yeah. Go on."
"Shigan: AK-47!"
The crisp, thunderous sound of finger-gun strikes echoed across the Marine training field. Passing Marines paid no attention, going about their business as usual.
Since his fight with Smoker and the others, Atlas had spent over two hours training daily with Juzuo. His mastery over the Six Powers had grown sharper by the day.
But only Juzuo — who sparred with him regularly — truly knew just how terrifying Atlas's strength had become, and it wasn't just his current power... it was how fast he was improving.
It completely shattered Juzuo's understanding of what a "monster" was.
At first, Juzuo had been able to hold the advantage using Armament Haki. But now, the more they fought, the more strained he became.
It felt like Atlas's physical body was growing stronger every single second. Even Atlas himself was surprised.
Maybe it was all the beatings he took since coming to Marineford, but it seemed like the Ox Talisman's digestion speed had accelerated.
He had a hunch: it wouldn't be long before he fully absorbed the power of the Ox Talisman. His body was evolving at a terrifying pace.
Visibly, he now stood at a staggering 2.8 meters tall and weighed over 300 kilograms.
If he could use Life Return (Seimei Kikan), he would discover that the density and number of bones and muscles inside his body far surpassed any ordinary human.
Bang!
Another clash. Atlas stood completely unharmed, not even shifting an inch. His opponent, Juzuo, had used Armament Haki to coat his fists.
"Hey brat, how have you still not awakened Armament Haki yet?" Juzuo asked, half annoyed.
"Huh? You and Teacher Zephyr never taught me!" Atlas spread his hands helplessly.
He did know a little about the three types of Haki, but that was just from watching anime in his previous life. Nobody in boot camp had explained it to him yet!
"Huh? Really? Maybe… I forgot?" Juzuo scratched his head, a bit embarrassed. Luckily, just then, an assistant approached and broke the awkward silence.
"Instructor Juzuo, Rear Admiral Gion has gone to see Chief Instructor Zephyr."
Juzuo nodded and turned to Atlas. "Alright, I'll explain Haki to you next time. For now, let me introduce you to a swordswoman."
Atlas had already overheard. Gion — future Marine Admiral candidate "Momousagi" (Pink Rabbit) — had arrived at the training grounds.
He didn't know much about her, only that she would eventually become a top-class swordswoman.
While maybe not quite on the level of a full admiral, she was undeniably powerful.
Given the current timeline, Gion was likely on the verge of being promoted to Vice Admiral. Her swordsmanship, though, was certainly far above Atlas's current level.
Zephyr's Office
Gion sat with her long legs crossed, revealing a spider tattoo on her pale thighs. Her famed sword, Konpira, lay casually at her side.
Her flawless face beamed with amusement as her soft red lips moved while chatting with Zephyr.
"It's been a while, Zephyr-sensei. You seem to be in good spirits lately. Did someone amazing show up in boot camp?"
Zephyr chuckled. "Indeed. Kanos Atlas is even more monstrous than Kuzan was at that age."
"Oh?"
Gion's eyes lit up. "Now I want to see what kind of monster impressed even you, Zephyr-sensei."
She knew Zephyr wasn't one to exaggerate.
"That's why I asked you here." Zephyr's tone shifted slightly.
"Atlas isn't just a genius in martial arts — he also has natural talent in swordsmanship. I was hoping you could mentor him in that area."
Seeing that Gion had no objections, he continued.
"He's already at the level of a swordsman, but our current instructors can only teach basic techniques. Atlas has already surpassed its level."
"No problem at all," Gion smiled.
"I was interested in that kid anyway. Besides, if Marineford gains another top-tier fighter, that's less pressure on the rest of us. I might even get some time off for a vacation."
She stretched lazily, her perfect figure briefly highlighted by the motion.
Knock knock… Knock knock… "Come in!"
Juzuo and Atlas entered one after the other.
"Zephyr-sensei," Juzuo greeted him, then turned to Gion with a grin. "It's been a while, Rear Admiral Gion. You're still as beautiful as ever, haha."
"Thank you, Instructor Juzuo," Gion replied politely. Their connection was more due to both being Zephyr's disciples than any deep friendship.
"Oh, right, let me introduce a swordsmanship prodigy to you." Juzuo gestured behind him at Atlas.
Gion blinked, then exchanged a knowing glance with Zephyr. She covered her mouth and laughed softly.
"So, you must be the monster Zephyr-sensei told me about — Kanos Atlas."
"I was just talking to her about you," Zephyr said with pride.
Gion looked Atlas up and down, curious.
He looked to be about eighteen years old, roughly her height, with a well-built, muscular body that didn't feel bulky — instead radiating raw, refined power.
His torn uniform indicated he'd just finished a sparring match, likely with Juzuo. Her eyes then fell on the sword at his waist — the Sandai Kitetsu.
"A Cursed Blade?" Gion's eyes narrowed at the calm expression on Atlas's face.
Very few swordsmen would willingly wield a cursed blade. Most avoided them like the plague.
"That's right. Sandai Kitetsu," Atlas replied, his first words since entering the office.
Slowly, he drew the blade. Its eerie aura and cold gleam made the room feel like it had dimmed.
"What a fine sword," Gion couldn't help but praise it. Even among Grade-class swords, this one was top-tier.
"Alright, enough showing off your blade," Zephyr interrupted.
"Gion, since you've got time on your hands, why not come help out with the boot camp sword training?"
In truth, the camp did have swordsmanship instructors, but they could only teach beginner-level techniques.
Atlas had already reached the level of a swordsman capable of cutting steel, and the current instructors weren't qualified to guide him any further.
"Understood, Zephyr-sensei. I'll be staying at headquarters for a while after my next mission anyway, so I'll come help out."
"Besides, we must help the next generation. The Marines are passed down one step at a time, after all."
The next day at the Marine recruit training ground, the freshly exercised recruits quickly assembled into neat rows and columns.
The original swordsmanship instructors stood obediently off to the side, though Atlas barely recognized any of them—he hadn't attended a single swordsmanship class since arriving at the camp.
Standing at the front of the field was Rear Admiral Gion.
"Greetings, everyone. I'm your new swordsmanship instructor, Gion. I currently hold the position of Rear Admiral at Marine Headquarters," she said with a warm smile, looking over the recruits standing at attention.
"Now, those interested in learning swordsmanship, step forward."
Quickly, about forty recruits stepped out of line. It wasn't many.
Although the beauty of the new instructor tempted some, none dared to risk their future on a whim—after all, choosing a weapon style was a critical decision that could determine the path of their entire career.
"Good. Those with prior swordsmanship experience stand to my left. Those without, to my right."
Gion nodded in satisfaction. With her refined Observation Haki, she could easily tell who was genuinely skilled and who was tagging along.
To her relief, she didn't spot any pretenders—yet.
"My time here to teach swordsmanship is limited. To ensure the best results, those without any prior training will continue learning with your original swordsmanship instructors."
It was a reasonable arrangement. With her level of skill, it would be overkill for Gion to teach beginners—it would be like using a broadsword to slice tofu.
"Alright, those with experience, follow me."
Atlas and the others quietly followed Gion to a corner of the training grounds—a section explicitly designated for swordsmanship training.
"I'll be assessing your current level. Choose your sparring partners and begin. I'll be watching."
Gion paused for a moment, then added, "Use real swords!"
"Wha—!!"
The recruits were visibly stunned. Usually, they only practiced with wooden swords. Using real blades meant the risk of serious injury, and no safety net.
"What? Do you have a problem with that?" Gion's expression suddenly turned cold. Her smile vanished, and her eyes narrowed dangerously.
This was no delicate woman—they all knew her rank was earned through real combat, through mountains of pirate corpses.
"No, ma'am!" the recruits answered in unison, alarmed.
CLANG! CLASH! SHIIING!
Soon, the sounds of steel-on-steel echoed across the field. The matches were quick and clumsy. Most of the recruits lacked the edge for a real fight.
Meanwhile, Atlas stood alone, untouched—not because he didn't want to spar, but because no one dared face him.
"I've seen enough," Gion finally said, turning to address them.
"First, your basics are weak and need to be relearned. Second, your swords lack killing intent—they have no edge, no bloodlust!"
She glanced over the silent recruits. "My swordsmanship was forged on the battlefield. It's a sword style meant for killing."
"Now then—Atlas, step forward!"
"Yes, ma'am!" Atlas quickly stepped out of the line.
"This is Konpira, one of the 21 Great Grade Swords," Gion said, gently stroking the blade at her side.
In response, Atlas calmly drew his sword: the Sandai Kitetsu—a cursed blade known for its thirst for blood.
"One-Sword Style: Falling Star!"
A powerful slash surged straight toward Gion. The technique mimicked the explosive descent of a meteor, combining strength with raw destructive force.
"Good form!" Gion's eyes lit up. In an instant, her arm was wrapped in Armament Haki, and the blackened Konpira glinted menacingly as she countered.
"One-Sword Style: Steel-Cleaving Flash!"
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