Carl finally spotted Smoker and the group of Marines stationed at the far end of the harbor.
"Hey, what's the situation now?" Carl appeared beside Smoker in an instant, his tone casual.
"They escaped…" Smoker's face was dark with frustration. "Damn it! If that man hadn't interfered, I would've executed Straw Hat right here and now!"
Though Dragon had simply tossed him and Luffy aside, the impact carried a force imbued with Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki). Smoker had blacked out for a moment—just enough time for Luffy's crew to flee. By the time he recovered, the Going Merry was already sailing away.
"So that's how it played out," Carl nodded, unbothered. He had no real investment in what happened to Monkey D. Luffy as long as it didn't interfere with his own plans.
Smoker, two cigars clenched between his teeth, turned to him. "What about you? What happened with Dragon?"
Even though Smoker had already acknowledged Carl's strength, he found it hard to believe anyone could go head-to-head with that man. The overwhelming presence they'd felt earlier from the battle had been enough to make even the Marines at the port uneasy.
Carl scratched his head. "We traded blows. I landed a cut on him, but it wasn't anything serious."
The sheer durability of people in this world still amazed him. The top fighters of the One Piece world were beyond reason—each one nearly impossible to kill. If anything, they were like cockroaches that refused to die.
And the best example? Kaido of the Beasts.
That lunatic had been captured eighteen times, fought the Marines and the Yonko repeatedly, and endured over forty executions—only to still be alive, drinking, and trying to kill himself for fun. The absurdity of it all was staggering.
"By the way," Carl casually reached into Smoker's coat pocket, pulling out a box of cigars. "Your cigars are pretty damn good."
Smoker's eye twitched. "Can't you just buy your own?"
Carl lit one, exhaling a thin trail of smoke. "Sure, but they wouldn't taste as good as yours."
Veins bulged on Smoker's forehead, but he held back a response. Instead, he turned his attention to his Marines. "Prepare a ship. We're chasing after Straw Hat. We're heading to the Grand Line."
"Huh?!" A nearby Marine paled. "But, Colonel Smoker, this island is under your jurisdiction! If headquarters asks—"
"Tell them not to dictate what I do." Smoker's tone brooked no argument.
Tashigi stepped forward, gripping the hilt of her sword. "I'm coming too! I won't let Roronoa Zoro escape!"
The Marines around them collectively groaned. Their superior officers were all too stubborn.
Smoker glanced at Carl. "You coming? You're headed for the Grand Line anyway."
Carl considered it for a moment, rubbing his chin. Then he shrugged. "Sure, why not?"
Initially, he had planned to stay in Loguetown a little longer, but after his clash with Dragon, the Revolutionary Army leader had taken an interest in him. Carl wasn't eager to deal with someone constantly trying to recruit him into their cause.
Better to keep moving.
At the port, Carl stood before Roy, his subordinate from the 148th branch.
"Ensign Carl! I won't forget you!" Roy's eyes glistened with tears.
Carl sighed, rubbing his temple. "Come on, it's not like I'm dying. Don't be dramatic."
Roy clenched his fists, his resolve burning. "I swear, when I return to the 148th branch, I'll train harder and become a real Marine! One day, I'll be strong enough to serve under you again!"
Carl blinked. "Uh… yeah, sure. Good luck with that."
With that, he turned and leapt onto Smoker's warship.
"Set sail!"
The ship left the port behind, heading straight for the Grand Line.
The following days were surprisingly peaceful.
Carl spent most of his time lounging on deck, basking in the sun. Occasionally, he swiped more cigars from Smoker's stash.
If they encountered pirates, he left the fighting to Smoker and Tashigi. After all, as a guest on this ship, why should he have to do any work?
A few days later, the crew made a stop at Runes Island, where they captured a suspicious swordsman—Mr. 11.
The man had a rare sword in his possession.
Its blade bore intricate flame-like patterns.
Hana Arashi—one of the 50 Skillful Grade Swords.
Tashigi, ever the swordsman enthusiast, immediately claimed it.
Smoker sighed, rubbing his temples. "That lazy bastard…" He side-eyed Carl, who was stealing yet another box of cigars.
If he weren't a heavy smoker with plenty of stock, Carl would've drained him dry already.
Just then, a Marine sprinted over. "Colonel Smoker! We intercepted an interesting radio transmission!"
Smoker raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
Soon, a call went out across the ship.
"Carl! Tashigi! Hey! You two! Get over here and listen to this!"
Carl sighed, taking a final drag of his cigar before strolling toward the Den Den Mushi.
A Marine held up a black Den Den Mushi—a wiretapping model.
"Listen carefully," Smoker said, biting down on his cigar.
The transmission played.
"…I'm MR. 0… Princess Vivi and the Straw Hat Crew… The mission has been completed… Proceed as instructed, per the order book…"
The message cut in and out, laced with static.
"The rest is inaudible," the Marine informed them.
Carl exhaled a slow stream of smoke. "Hmm."
Smoker leaned back in his chair. "I can pull four key terms from that: Princess Vivi, Straw Hat, order book, and MR. 0."
His gaze turned toward Mr. 11, their prisoner.
"Criminal organizations that use numbered aliases…" Smoker scoffed. "Sounds like something from a third-rate gang."
Tashigi frowned in thought. "Princess Vivi… Alabasta's princess? She went missing recently, didn't she?"
Alabasta was in the middle of a coup. If a criminal syndicate was involved, then this was more than just a civil war.
Smoker smirked. "This is the only lead we have on Straw Hat. Looks like we're heading for Alabasta."
"Understood!" The Marines immediately set course for Alabasta.
Carl said nothing, simply walking back to his deck chair and reclining with a yawn.
As long as they weren't heading to the New World, he had no complaints.
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