Sanji lit a cigarette, exhaling a puff of smoke.
"The old man still loves his grandson. We're lucky to have this information in advance. If we got ambushed by a monster like an Admiral, that'd be a disaster."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
They had never seen a Marine Admiral in action, but they had witnessed the likes of Hawkeye and Golden Lion.
Every battle with these powerhouses had been catastrophic.
These weren't just ordinary humans—
They were walking natural disasters.
Surviving against them felt almost impossible.
So, knowing about Kizaru ahead of time was a huge advantage.
Whether they chose to fight or flee, they at least had time to prepare.
But just how strong was Kizaru…?
Everyone turned to Carl, eyes filled with curiosity.
Carl sighed—he had no choice but to explain.
"Marine Admiral Kizaru, real name: Borsalino. If you ever see a guy in a yellow-striped suit with a sleazy face—that's him."
"He's a Logia-type Devil Fruit user—Sparkling Fruit. His speed is nearly the speed of light, and he's known as the fastest man alive."
Carl paused, then added,
"His catchphrases include 'Speed is power, have you ever been kicked at the speed of light?', 'The old man is here', and 'The coat'—basically, he's a total creep."
Everyone: …
Was this really an Admiral?
He sounded… unserious.
But then—
A realization hit them.
Logia Devil Fruit users could only be hurt with Armament Haki…
And most of them didn't have it yet.
Carl cleared his throat.
"Ahem! That aside, the important thing is—Kizaru is insanely strong and ridiculously fast. Even Whitebeard, the world's strongest man, couldn't outright defeat him."
"Oh, and he can also fire lasers, which have devastating power."
"LASERS?!"
Luffy and Usopp's eyes sparkled.
"Wait! You mean, like actual lasers?! That's so cool!"
BAM!
Nami punched them both.
"Is this the time to be impressed?! We're talking about an ADMIRAL!"
Luffy grinned, adjusting his straw hat.
"Hehehe! What's there to be afraid of? Mr. Carl and I are here."
Then, he glanced at Carl with a knowing smirk.
"Besides, Mr. Carl hid himself so sneakily last time. Wasn't that to make sure the Admiral wouldn't come?"
Everyone paused.
Then, their eyes widened in realization.
Carl had fought to raise their bounties, ensuring the Straw Hat Crew's notoriety spread.
But he had left himself out of the picture.
Wasn't that to fool Marine HQ?
Now, they had only sent Kizaru to deal with them.
Instead of an overwhelming force, it was just one Admiral.
This was basically an insult—Marine was underestimating them.
Suddenly, everyone felt relieved.
If it was just Kizaru, then there was nothing to fear.
"However, there should be Vice Admirals and Rear Admirals from Naval Headquarters coming along. They aren't weak, so everyone needs to be cautious. We're about to enter the Grand Line—we can't afford to fall in Logue Town."
Carl's tone was serious, warning everyone not to let their guard down.
"Don't worry, Mr. Carl! I'll take care of the Admiral, and you'll handle the rest!"
Luffy grinned, full of confidence.
Carl sighed but relented.
"Alright, Captain. Got it."
With Carl around, everyone felt at ease.
Even if Luffy couldn't defeat Kizaru outright, he could always escape—and as long as he regrouped with Carl, they'd be fine.
After settling on a rough battle plan, the crew returned to their own tasks.
Carl, meanwhile, found Nami.
"If you have time in Logue Town, buy at least two Log Poses," he advised.
He then explained the island characteristics of the Grand Line and the importance of Log Poses.
As a navigator, Nami immediately took it to heart.
She even gave Carl some extra money, instructing him to buy more if he had the chance.
"It doesn't hurt to have spares. If we don't get them here, we'll be completely lost once we enter the Grand Line."
Carl chuckled and agreed.
The Next Morning
At sunrise, News Coo was already out delivering newspapers.
Carl bought a copy, casually flipping through it—
Until he saw the headline.
His eyes widened, then he grinned.
Morgans really doesn't care about giving face to the Marines or the World Government!
The front page was dominated by massive photos and articles covering Luffy's battle against the Golden Lion.
In the image, the Golden Lion looked utterly battered—while Luffy stood victorious and imposing.
The article explained the Golden Lion's history, ensuring that even those unfamiliar with the legendary pirate understood just how big of a deal this was.
After today, the name of Luffy and the Straw Hats would resound across the entire world.
"Luffy! We're famous worldwide!"
Carl excitedly handed the newspaper over.
Luffy glanced at it, and a massive grin spread across his face.
The rest of the crew gathered around, reading the exaggerated yet truthful coverage.
For a moment, they couldn't help but feel proud.
Look at us!
Even a legend like the Golden Lion—a pirate who once stood on the same level as Roger and Whitebeard—had been defeated by Luffy!
Meanwhile, in the New World
Aboard the Moby Dick—
Marco, the First Division Commander, came rushing toward Whitebeard with a newspaper in hand.
"Oyaji! Big news!"
He was grinning.
"Ace's little brother is amazing—he actually took down that old rooster, the Golden Lion!"
"Oh? Is that so?"
Whitebeard glanced at the newspaper, his gaze falling on the photo of Golden Lion being mercilessly beaten by Luffy.
Then, he burst into laughter.
"Gurararara! That old rooster, Golden Lion, really is getting worse and worse!"
"He couldn't even handle a rookie?"
However, Whitebeard's tone shifted slightly, his eyes filled with interest.
"But Ace's little brother... he's got potential. I wonder if he'd like to be my son?"
(Dragon: …)"
The other commanders gathered around, eagerly reading the newspaper.
After taking in the details, they couldn't hide their amazement.
A rookie from East Blue doing something this insane before even reaching the Grand Line?
It was unbelievable.
"With this, there's no doubt about it…"
The bounty of the Straw Hats would skyrocket—and not by a small amount.
Marco, however, hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Oyaji… about Ace… don't you think something feels off?"
Whitebeard's expression hardened for a moment.
Then, his face split into a wide, confident grin.
"Gurararara! Ace is my son!"
His Haki surged, his overwhelming presence filling the room.
"I'd like to see who dares to lay a hand on him!"
Then, his gaze darkened.
"Teach, that bastard… if he dares to do anything to Ace, I'll kill him myself."
Marco sighed in relief at Whitebeard's unwavering confidence.
But deep down, he couldn't shake the unease growing in his chest.
At first, things seemed fine.
But then, Teach suddenly murdered Thatch over a Devil Fruit.
Ace, furious, had immediately set out to hunt him down.
Looking back… maybe we shouldn't have let him go.
Teach had already proven his ruthlessness.
If he could kill Thatch, why wouldn't he do the same to Ace?
And worst of all—
Whitebeard was getting older.
His body was failing.
If something happened now…
Would Oyaji be able to hold everything together?
Meanwhile – Wano Country, Onigashima
Inside Kaido's fortress, the burly Yonko sat drinking heavily, his massive frame towering over everyone.
His horns cast shadows over his face as he gulped down sake.
BANG!
Jack the Drought burst into the room, holding a newspaper.
"Boss! Boss Kaido!"
Jack was panting, his voice urgent.
"The Golden Lion… was defeated!"
Kaido's drinking stopped mid-gulp.
His eyes narrowed.
"Golden Lion?"
His deep, growling voice rumbled through the hall.
"That old rooster? He finally kicked the bucket?"
Jack shook his head quickly.
"Not dead, but—look at this!"
He handed over the newspaper.
"A newcomer from East Blue—Monkey D. Luffy—took him down before even reaching the Grand Line!"
Kaido: …
A long silence filled the room.
Then—
BANG!
With a single swing of his massive club, Kaido unleashed a Thunder Bagua, sending Jack flying across the hall.
"You idiot!"
Kaido's voice boomed in rage.
"How dare you lie to me?! 'Defeated' isn't the same as 'killed'!"
Jack: "Urgh…" coughs up blood
Kaido snorted, then took another long swig of sake.
But despite his outward fury, he couldn't help but feel a spark of curiosity.
A rookie from East Blue…
Strong enough to beat the Golden Lion?
"Monkey D. Luffy, huh…"
Kaido's grip tightened around his club.
Perhaps…
This rookie might be worth crushing personally.
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