For the next few days, Carl maintained a disciplined routine, moving between his residence, the Marine training grounds, and the canteen. His schedule was simple yet relentless.
On the third day, he finally mastered all six techniques of Rokushiki (Six Powers) at a level comparable to a Vice Admiral. Each move he executed, whether it was Tekkai (Iron Body), Rankyaku (Tempest Kick), or Soru (Shave), was performed with astonishing precision and overwhelming power.
Of course, the ones he had the highest proficiency in were Soru and Geppo (Moonwalk), as these two techniques were the most practical for his fighting style.
The Marine instructor in charge of training the lower-ranking soldiers watched Carl in stunned silence. Over the past three days, he had personally witnessed Carl progress from crashing into walls due to his lack of control to executing each technique with near-flawless mastery.
This wasn't just talent.
It was sheer monstrosity.
"Huff—" Carl stopped, standing still as he took a deep breath, his muscles twitching slightly from exertion.
Suddenly, a golden light descended from above.
A familiar voice, slow and lazy, echoed across the training ground.
"Ohhh, Carl, so you're here~"
It was Admiral Kizaru, appearing before Carl in an instant, his entire body shimmering with the residual light particles from his Pika Pika no Mi (Glint-Glint Fruit).
"Old man?" Carl raised an eyebrow. "Are you looking for me?"
"Your appointment letter has arrived~" Kizaru pursed his lips, smirking as he continued, "So, you can pack up and head to Sabaody Archipelago~"
"It's official now?" Carl nodded, running a hand through his hair. "I'll leave soon."
Of course, he wasn't in a rush to depart. He still had unfinished business—his special check-in wasn't fully completed yet.
However, Kizaru's eyes gleamed slightly as he studied Carl's movements.
"You've mastered the Six Powers in just three days~" Kizaru commented, his usual nonchalant tone carrying a trace of genuine surprise. "Young people nowadays are really terrifying~"
Carl's mouth twitched. This same old man, who always pretended to be amazed, had singlehandedly dismantled several Supernova captains at Sabaody—all with a single kick each.
The contrast between his words and actions was jarring.
"You should report to Fleet Admiral Sengoku later~" Kizaru continued, casually flicking his fingers. "I'll head back now."
"Oh, by the way, if anything happens in Sabaody, just contact me directly with the Den Den Mushi~"
And with that, Kizaru's body flickered, his form instantly dissolving into particles of light before vanishing at the speed of sound.
Carl let out a small sigh.
"Sabaody, huh…" He muttered to himself. "That place is about to become a complete powder keg…"
He already regretted taking the position.
The infamous Eleven Supernovae were just days away from gathering in Sabaody, making it a hotspot of chaos.
Not that they posed an actual threat to him.
But it would definitely be a hassle.
"Forget it," Carl shrugged. "If I can't avoid trouble, I'll just deal with it when it comes."
With that thought, he turned and walked toward Fleet Admiral Sengoku's office.
To be honest, he didn't think much of the so-called Supernovas.
The majority of them were still too green.
If Kizaru could send them flying with a single kick, why couldn't he?
They weren't even on the same level as veteran Shichibukai like Donquixote Doflamingo.
And the only real wildcard among them was that peculiar pink-haired girl…
Her Devil Fruit ability was strange.
That was the only thing that required caution.
Just as Carl was walking through Marineford, a mechanical voice suddenly echoed in his mind.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host! You have successfully checked in at the Special Check-In Location: Naval Headquarters Marineford.]
[Reward: The ability 'Tough Body'! (Note: This ability originates from Charlotte Linlin in this world.)]
[The reward has been issued. Please check accordingly.]
Carl halted in his tracks.
Almost instantly, he could feel something change inside his body.
It was as if his entire physique had merged with Armament Haki.
"There's not much improvement in raw strength…" Carl murmured, clenching his fist. "But… I can tell how terrifying my defense has become."
With this level of endurance, he almost felt like he could take a direct hit from Whitebeard's Gura Gura no Mi (Tremor-Tremor Fruit).
Well… that was just a theoretical thought.
The so-called 'Tough Body' was the monstrous natural durability of Big Mom, Charlotte Linlin.
She was known for walking through bullet storms and cannon fire without a scratch.
Her infamous nickname, Steel Balloon, came from this very ability.
Of course, even Big Mom had her limits.
Strong enough attacks—especially those infused with Advanced Armament Haki—could still hurt her, even if they didn't necessarily break through her defense.
"As expected of a Special Check-In Location…" Carl's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "By the way, does this mean that all check-in rewards from these locations will originate from this world?"
[Response: Not necessarily. Rewards can come from anywhere.]
"I see…" Carl nodded. "Well, no complaints. Time to report in."
Sometime Later – Fleet Admiral's Office
"This is your official appointment letter."
Sengoku slid a document across the desk toward Carl, his sharp eyes holding an unreadable expression.
Then, in a more serious tone, he added, "Colonel Solomon Carl, Sabaody's situation is extremely complicated. You have full authority to use force when necessary."
"Er…" Carl blinked. "Understood."
Sengoku's knowing look made Carl feel slightly uneasy, as if the Fleet Admiral was privy to information he wasn't aware of yet.
"Oh, and one more thing," Sengoku continued. "Your assigned subordinates and warship are already prepared. It's docked at the port right now. You'll find it there."
The soldiers assigned to Carl had all been handpicked from Kizaru's faction.
That meant there wouldn't be any chain-of-command issues—no insubordination from officers hesitant to follow him.
They had spent the past three days assembling his unit.
After all, up until now, Carl had been a lone officer.
An appointment letter could be issued in mere minutes, but assembling a fully equipped crew took time.
"I see."
"Then, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, I'll be taking my leave."
Carl turned and exited the office.
Sengoku remained seated, staring at Carl's retreating figure, his fingers tapping against his desk in thought.
"An Admiral-level combatant…" Sengoku murmured. "Such an existence is perfect for Sabaody."
Under normal circumstances, even Vice Admirals struggled to maintain order in Sabaody.
But someone with Admiral-tier power?
That was a completely different story.
With that kind of force stationed there, even the most lawless elements would think twice before acting recklessly.
Elsewhere
Carl returned to his quarters first, grabbing his box of cigars before heading toward the Marineford port.
A large warship came into view.
It wasn't the kind of tiny vessel he had used in East Blue.
It was about the same size as the ships used by Smoker and Hina—the standard for a Marine Colonel.
Aboard the ship, an officer stepped forward and saluted.
"Colonel Carl, my name is Brett Dean," the Marine Major introduced himself. "We have a total of 1,000 soldiers on board—"
The briefing lasted for a few minutes, covering all key details about the warship.
Carl simply nodded.
"Alright. Set sail for Sabaody Archipelago."
"Yes, sir!"
As the ship departed, Carl lazily reclined in a chair on deck.
"…By the way, Major Brett," he suddenly asked. "Do we have a proper cook on board?"
He had no intention of surviving on dry rations for the entire voyage.
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