Marineford — Fleet Admiral's Office
"This operation was handled very well. The capture plan was a great success," Sengoku said with a hearty laugh.
"Especially you, Karl. Vice Admiral Momonga and the others seem to really like you."
Karl scratched his head shyly.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, you flatter me. Most of the credit goes to Admirals Kizaru and Aokiji, as well as the Vice Admirals. I only did a few insignificant things."
Sengoku stroked his beard, smiling.
"You're being far too modest. Momonga, Doberman—no, even Onigumo and Momousagi—all of them spoke very highly of you. This time—"
Karl simply smiled, nodded, and responded with the occasional "Mm", radiating a faint but unmistakable aura of polite, well-mannered green-tea energy.
"Ah, right," Sengoku continued, turning to Kizaru.
"Borsalino, the Butcher Pirates have been very active lately. Go take care of it. This is the intel."
Kizaru accepted the documents and flipped through them.
At the top was the wanted poster of the Butcher Pirates' captain:
'Butcher' Olig — Bounty: 120,000,000 Berries
The vice-captain's bounty followed—48 million Berries.
It was obvious at a glance: a newly arrived New World pirate crew. Nothing particularly impressive.
Kizaru frowned slightly.
Under normal circumstances, this kind of mission would be handled by a Vice Admiral. Sending an Admiral was clearly overkill.
But then, seeing Sengoku's gaze drifting meaningfully toward Karl, Kizaru suddenly understood.
So that's it…
This mission wasn't really for him.
It was a test.
Although Karl had demonstrated his value during the Kaido operation, support contributions alone weren't enough to fully convince the top brass.
To the Marines, defeating pirates was the clearest proof of strength.
This mission was Sengoku's way of giving Karl a chance to truly prove himself.
If Karl personally defeated the Butcher Pirates, his status would skyrocket—transforming him from a promising aide into a bona fide Marine commander.
Once that clicked, Kizaru couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Sengoku really cherishes this kid…
Which also meant the talent he had painstakingly secured might soon be flying solo.
Why was Kizaru so certain?
Because according to the intel, Olig hadn't even mastered Haki.
Against someone proficient in the Six Powers and already awakened both Armament and Observation Haki, Olig stood no chance against Karl.
"Karl," Kizaru said calmly, handing over the intel,
"go get some proper rest. We set out tomorrow."
Then he cast Sengoku a helpless look and leaned back, crossing his legs—neither pleased nor displeased.
Sengoku gave a quiet nod.
Good.
Kizaru had understood his intentions.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, I'll be taking my leave," Karl said politely.
"Mm."
As Karl walked out, Sengoku watched his retreating figure with clear satisfaction.
"Kizaru, I know you're anxious—but hear me out. There is a reason for this…"
Originally, Sengoku had planned to let Karl continue training steadily under Kizaru before assigning him independent command.
But after receiving Tsuru's evaluation following the Kaido incident, he changed his mind.
Karl's potential was far greater than he'd anticipated.
Staying under Kizaru was safe—but safety could also become a cage.
Kizaru's usual opponents were far stronger than Karl, which meant Karl rarely got chances to fight. Left like that, his talent would be wasted, reduced to nothing more than a high-end support tool.
That wasn't something Sengoku wanted to see.
So after careful consideration, he deliberately arranged this mission.
If Karl failed, he'd continue training under Kizaru.
If he succeeded, he'd begin standing on his own feet and growing into true top-tier combat power.
Back at the Marine family quarters, Karl dropped onto his bed and stared at the ceiling.
"Haah… looks like I won't be happily slacking off with the monkey much longer."
The moment Kizaru handed him the intel, Karl had already understood everything.
He'd seen this maneuver before.
Charles used the same trick back then.
"Captain Olig… bounty 120 million. Specializes in close combat. Brutal personality. Vice-captain…"
After reading the report, Karl had just one conclusion:
Troublesome—but that's all.
With dual Haki awakened, dealing with Olig wouldn't be particularly difficult.
"Eh? Karl, you're back already!"
Monica came home from work, eyes lighting up when she saw him. Like a swallow returning to its nest, she threw herself into his arms and greedily captured his lips.
"I was only gone a few days. Miss me that much?"
Monica shot him a glare.
As if I wasn't worried you might not come back…
"Tsk, you're so annoying… you know the answer…" she muttered, pouting sweetly as she rested her head against his chest.
"Heh, no rush. The night's still long. Let's grab something to eat first."
After strolling through the streets, enjoying a lavish dinner together, the two returned to their love nest to research the mysteries of life's continuation.
The next morning, Karl tearfully bade farewell to an unwilling Monica and boarded the warship.
In the lounge, Kizaru put on an exaggeratedly melancholic expression.
"Ahhh~ Karl, you really are Sengoku's favorite. This mission was clearly prepared just for you."
Karl smiled faintly, took a sip of coffee, and replied calmly,
"Can't be helped. Gold always shines eventually. Honestly, this is a good thing."
Kizaru puckered his lips.
"Oh? And how so?"
"Admiral Kizaru," Karl explained,
"the extreme mobility of the Glint-Glint Fruit means you're often dispatched to emergency situations, unlike Admirals Akainu or Aokiji, who frequently handle standard capture missions."
"As your adjutant, I actually don't get many chances to temper myself."
Kizaru nodded.
That was the truth. He'd lived that life himself.
"So I believe Fleet Admiral Sengoku intends for me to become more independent," Karl continued.
"In name, I'm still your adjutant—but in practice, I'll handle non-emergency missions on your behalf. When something truly important happens, we'll still act together."
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Kizaru applauded sincerely.
What Sengoku had explained to him privately sounded almost exactly the same—but hearing it from Karl himself carried a different weight.
"Didn't expect you to see this so clearly," Kizaru said with a smile.
"Yes, that's precisely Sengoku's intention."
He then handed Karl a newspaper.
Karl froze the moment he saw the headline and quickly read through it, drawing a sharp breath.
This wasn't a public paper, but an internal Marine report, detailing the full battle at G-2 Base, emphasizing Karl's contributions extensively.
"Now you see how much Sengoku values you," Kizaru said lazily.
"You're famous in the Marines now, kid."
At the same time, somewhere in the West Blue, Akainu read the same report.
His expression didn't change—but there was a faint trace of regret in his eyes.
North Blue — 108th Branch
Charles stared at the newspaper, breaking into a wide grin.
"That brat… he's really taken off."
Pausing for a moment, he laughed proudly.
"Still—he's a talent I personally promoted. Hahahaha!"
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