Lucas’s calm voice carried across the sea with the ocean breeze.
As the two massive ships drew closer together...
Both the pirates and the Marines stood frozen in disbelief.
Before the encounter...
They had imagined countless possibilities.
But none of them had expected Lucas to open with something so utterly outrageous.
This was Whitebeard Pirates territory.
They were the Marines.
The two sides were sworn enemies.
Yet Lucas’s very first sentence...
Was asking to meet Whitebeard.
Wasn’t that the equivalent of delivering himself straight into the tiger’s den?
"Admiral Lucas!"
Gion immediately grew anxious.
"For the sake of a 10-million-Berry performance bonus..."
"Isn’t this taking things a little too far?"
She had thought her earlier worries were ridiculous.
Now she realized...
Whenever Lucas was involved...
Even the most absurd things could become reality.
Chaton also stiffened.
No longer content to remain in the background, he hurried forward.
"Atmos!"
"It’s been a long time."
"This is Admiral Lucas, the Marines’ newly appointed Admiral."
"We’re only here for routine surveillance."
"We have no other intentions."
"What Admiral Lucas just said..."
"Was only a joke."
"Please don’t take it seriously."
As Admiral Candidates...
Both Chaton and Gion were responsible for monitoring the movements of the Four Emperors.
Naturally...
They had crossed paths with the Yonko Commanders many times before.
Elsewhere...
They wouldn’t have been intimidated.
But this...
Was Whitebeard’s territory.
That made all the difference.
If the Whitebeard Pirates attacked in full force...
Even another Yonko crew would struggle to withstand them.
"Chaton!"
"Shut your mouth!"
Atmos roared angrily.
"I don’t care whether he’s a new Admiral or an old one."
"Anyone who dares disrespect the Whitebeard Pirates..."
"And casually speaks our old man’s name..."
"Must pay the price!"
"I’ll make your new Admiral understand..."
"The dignity of a Yonko cannot be insulted!"
Boom!
Atmos stomped heavily onto the deck.
His massive frame unleashed astonishing strength.
Using the recoil...
He shot forward like a cannonball.
With a flick of both hands...
Two gleaming broadswords slashed downward with overwhelming force.
Despite his enormous, buffalo-like build...
His movements weren’t sluggish in the slightest.
Instead...
His explosive speed caught everyone off guard.
The dozens of meters separating the two ships vanished in the blink of an eye.
The sudden attack instantly drew everyone’s attention.
Pirates and Marines alike fixed their eyes on the two men.
Meanwhile...
The pirates accompanying Atmos quietly tightened their grips on their weapons.
With their commander personally making a move...
They had no doubt he could handle this so-called paper tiger of a young Admiral.
What they were truly worried about...
Was Gion and Chaton joining the fight.
Even if they trusted Atmos’ strength...
Facing an Admiral and two Admiral Candidates simultaneously...
Would be another matter entirely.
Yet...
The next scene completely overturned their expectations.
"Everyone!"
"Get back!"
"Don’t get caught in the blast when Admiral Lucas sends him flying!"
Chaton shouted.
He and Gion immediately retreated across the deck.
Of course...
They had considered helping.
But then they remembered...
From beginning to end...
Lucas had never personally lifted a finger.
Would their intervention even matter?
Watching the deck suddenly clear out...
Atmos blinked in confusion.
He hadn’t expected the Marines to retreat as though fleeing from a plague.
But there was no turning back now.
The arrow had already left the bow.
Looking at Lucas...
Who still stood motionless, seemingly stunned...
Atmos let out a furious roar.
His muscles bulged like solid rock.
The power behind his twin swords increased even further as they came crashing down.
"Kid!"
"You’re a Marine Admiral!"
"If you die..."
"Then blame your own lack of skill!"
"You didn’t even know how to dodge!"
Boom!!
The twin blades crashed downward.
The deafening impact echoed across the sea.
Violent shockwaves swept outward like a hurricane.
Yet...
Lucas remained standing exactly where he was.
Completely unmoving.
The pirates’ eyes widened in disbelief.
He...
Had blocked it!
Atmos’ full-powered slash...
Had been stopped by the radiant Thousand-Armed Kannon behind Lucas.
Even Atmos’ expression changed dramatically.
His previous strike had only been a test.
He hadn’t used his full strength.
Even so...
It had been powerful enough to split a Sea King dozens of meters long clean in two.
Yet Lucas hadn’t even moved.
Not a single step.
Not even a finger.
The contrast was almost impossible to accept.
Especially because...
The serene appearance of the Thousand-Armed Kannon stood in complete opposition to the arrogant young man before him.
"So..."
Atmos’ face darkened.
"This is a Devil Fruit ability."
"No wonder you’re so fearless."
"You’re a Devil Fruit user."
"But..."
"You’re not the only Devil Fruit user on these seas."
"I’ll show you the strength of a Whitebeard Division Commander!"
ROAR!!
Atmos let out a thunderous bellow.
The armor covering his upper body exploded apart.
Jet-black fur erupted across his body like steel wire.
In an instant...
He transformed into a massive buffalo-human hybrid.
The source of his title—
Buffalo Atmos—
Was none other than the power of the Ox-Ox Fruit, Model: Buffalo.
Already enormous...
His body expanded even further.
Gripping both greatswords...
He swung again.
The blades tore through the air with explosive force.
The sonic booms cracked like a string of fireworks.
"Kid!"
"I’ll tear apart your paper tiger!"
"Is that so?"
Lucas smiled as he adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses.
"So..."
"Peaceful negotiations aren’t going to get you to take me to Whitebeard."
"In that case..."
"I’ll show you something."
"Even a paper tiger..."
"Bites when cornered."
BOOM!!
The Conqueror’s Haki slumbering within Lucas erupted.
Under the control of Nen ManipUlti on...
The overwhelming pressure surged forward like a tidal wave toward Atmos.
Every member of the Whitebeard Pirates instantly recognized what it was.
As members of a Yonko crew...
They were more than familiar with Conqueror’s Haki.
What they couldn’t understand was this—
Conqueror’s Haki was only supposed to overwhelm an opponent’s spirit.
How could he possibly use it...
To stop Atmos’ devastating slash?
Had this new Admiral...
Lost his mind?
Even Buffalo Atmos couldn’t help freezing for a moment.
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