A week later, as the morning sun rose over the back mountain of Marineford, Atticus stood on the hilltop, staring at the boundless sea. The breeze was cool, carrying the scent of salt and freedom, yet his expression remained calm and distant.
After several days in the infirmary, his wounds had healed completely. His strength had even grown, refined through adversity. Today marked his first day out of the hospital, and as always, he came to this place for the quiet and clarity it offered.
The battle with Akainu had forced him to confront an uncomfortable truth. He was still far too weak. Compared to veterans like Sengoku or Garp, the gap was enormous.
If Sengoku or Garp had fought Akainu that day, the magma user would have been defeated in less than ten blows.
Yet he, Atticus, had been forced into a prolonged, grueling clash that ended in a draw. It left a bitter taste in his mouth. He needed overwhelming power, not merely enough to survive. Only irresistible strength would allow him to rescue Hazel and traverse the seas freely.
Shiki the Golden Lion lingered in his mind. A man who once battled Gol D. Roger evenly, paired with the ridiculous power of the Fuwa Fuwa no Mi. In the future, it would take the combined strength of Sengoku and Garp to bring him down. If Shiki chose to flee, not even those two monsters could stop him.
Thinking of such overwhelming power made Atticus exhale softly, a mix of frustration and determination weighing on him.
"A long road still lies ahead," he muttered.
"What's with the gloomy look? Really doesn't suit you."
A familiar voice came from behind. Zephyr approached with two bottles of sake, wearing a small, teasing grin.
"Master," Atticus replied, turning with a faint smile.
"Atticus, I'm sorry I couldn't help you the last time." Zephyr sat beside him and handed over a bottle, his tone carrying genuine regret.
"It's not your fault, Master. You held off Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Garp for me. My own strength wasn't enough to slip past Fleet Admiral Kong and finish Akainu." Atticus shook his head. He didn't blame Zephyr for anything.
Zephyr sighed deeply. "At least you gained the recognition of the Five Elders. That counts for something."
"Maybe." Atticus murmured, his eyes falling back toward the horizon.
"Oh, right." He suddenly straightened as something came to mind. "Master, who won between Kizaru and Aokiji?"
Zephyr let out a helpless chuckle. "Neither of them. It was a draw. Kizaru's light abilities are too tricky, and Aokiji's ice is equally hard to deal with. After fighting half a day without a clear victor, they decided to settle it with rock-paper-scissors."
Zephyr's face twisted slightly, as if still unable to believe what he had witnessed. Even the memory made him shake his head.
"Rock-paper-scissors?" Atticus blinked before bursting into laughter. "Only those two could think of something like that."
"So, who won?" Atticus asked, curious.
"Aokiji."
"Huh. So that guy actually got lucky. That means my next match is against him, right?"
"Correct. The match is set for half a month from now. You still have ten more days to rest," Zephyr nodded.
"That mutt Akainu doesn't have any objections? He beat Aokiji last time," Atticus said.
"No one cares about second or third place," Zephyr replied casually. "All three of them are Logia users. Their battles usually end in one decisive move. If it were a real fight to the death, none of them could guarantee coming out alive. That's why they don't bother with rankings that don't matter."
"I get it. To them, second or third means nothing. Winning by a single move wouldn't convince anyone. They're all too proud. But first place… that's different. And if it's Aokiji, I won't hold back."
Atticus's voice was firm. In truth, he already respected Aokiji and subconsciously regarded him as a friend.
"Master, are you free today?" Atticus asked.
"What's wrong?" Zephyr raised an eyebrow.
"Train with me."
Zephyr chuckled. "Alright, but only for the afternoon. We have to go home for dinner. Aunt ordered it specifically. If I don't bring you home, I'll be sleeping outside."
"I miss her cooking too."
Their shared laughter echoed across the hill.
"Master, here I come! Soru!"
The ground shook violently as the back mountain rumbled once again.
---
Days passed. Then nights. The cycle repeated until several weeks slipped by. On this day, the shattered island battlefield once more hosted the concluding events of the months-long competition.
On the highest platform, Fleet Admiral Kong's expression remained dark. He still hadn't recovered from the chaos of the previous match.
"Hahaha… hahaha…"
Garp's shameless laughter filled the air.
"This time, I want to see how Atticus plans to beat Aokiji. Fire and ice, clashing head-on. What a show," Garp said, grinning like a child at a festival.
Most ignored him, directing their attention toward the arena. They too wanted to see whether fire could overwhelm ice or ice could counter fire.
Standing in the center, Atticus remained completely calm. His eyes were focused, his posture relaxed, yet a quiet intensity radiated from him.
Across from him, Aokiji stood lazily with one finger in his ear, looking bored out of his mind.
"Aokiji…"
"I forfeit."
Before Atticus could even finish speaking, Aokiji cut him off without hesitation.
"Huh?"
Garp shot out of his seat. "You little brat, what did you say? Forfeit? Before the match even starts? You worthless bum!"
"Is forfeiting against the rules?" Aokiji asked with a blank expression, tilting his head like he genuinely didn't understand the problem.
"I…"
Garp took a step forward, ready to give him a lesson with his fists, but Tsuru grabbed him before he could launch himself.
"Reason." Atticus narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Do you take me for a fool? I know you want to beat me up. And when you fight, you're a maniac. If I fight you, I'll be stuck in the infirmary for a week." Aokiji casually picked his nose, then pointed at Akainu, who was wrapped in bandages from neck to toe.
Akainu had been bedridden for half a month and had only managed to limp to the arena today. His condition made the audience collectively wince.
Everyone stared at Aokiji with a mixture of disbelief and speechlessness.
"Besides, you're my friend. You want first place to find your sister. Your sister is my sister too. Doesn't matter who gets first if it's all for the same purpose. Instead of fighting, I'd rather go take a nap."
He finished with a yawn, as if nothing about this situation was remotely serious.
Atticus inhaled slowly. Then, under everyone's stunned gazes, he approached Aokiji and embraced him firmly.
"Thank you." His voice was steady, sincere.
Despite Aokiji's lazy personality, if they truly fought, even Atticus would have to give everything he had. As a Logia user, Aokiji was as proud as anyone else. He wasn't afraid. He simply refused to fight a meaningless battle against someone he considered a friend. He understood exactly why Atticus was desperate for first place.
Aokiji returned the hug with a small grin. "As long as you consider me a friend, that's enough."
"We've been friends from the moment we met." Atticus pulled back and gently punched his shoulder.
"That's good."
"Bastard! Aokiji, you useless punk, have you even thought this through?" Garp roared, fists shaking with irritation.
"Old man, why are you so serious?" Aokiji replied lazily.
"You just wait. I'll give you some love education later!"
"Tch…" Aokiji tried acting fearless, but his slight flinch betrayed him.
"Then Atticus wins this match. The award ceremony will be held tomorrow in Marineford," Kong announced. His expression was stiff, clearly weary of yet another unpredictable conclusion.
---