"Jie ha ha ha ha, let's fight!"
"Hehehe…"
Teach and Moria laughed as if they wished for nothing more than absolute chaos.
Carl's gaze swept over them indifferently. "Be quiet, pirates, or do you want to dance too?"
The laughter of the two suddenly froze.
"Jie haha…" Blackbeard grinned strangely. "Do you really want to take on three Shichibukai at the same time?"
"Fuhihihi," Moria's chuckle turned eerie. "Now that's really, really interesting."
Carl didn't bother responding. He simply took a step forward.
Crackle—!
Dark lightning laced with Haoshoku Haki sparked around his body, distorting the air itself.
Blackbeard's pupils shrank. He could feel it—this Marine's Haki was monstrous, overwhelming!
Moria involuntarily trembled.
Even Doflamingo, watching from the wall, felt a cold sweat trickling down his temple.
This guy… is a real monster!
In Carl's right eye, the number 'six' rotated silently, changing into 'four.'
A wisp of purple-red Haki—almost like an eerie battle aura—seeped from him.
At this moment, he resembled a true demon from hell.
Only Mihawk, unfazed by the oppressive pressure, felt a stirring of battle intent.
The other footsteps in the hall hesitated before retreating instinctively.
"Carl, stop."
A composed voice echoed from behind.
Crane stepped forward, her expression as calm as ever. "This is Mariejois, after all. If you go too far, there will be consequences."
Then, she turned her gaze toward the three Shichibukai. "And you three as well—if you want to fight, wait for the battlefield. For now, Shichibukai and the Marines are allies under the World Government."
The suffocating tension slowly dissipated.
The 'four' in Carl's right eye shifted back to 'six,' and the countless floating blades vanished as if they had never existed.
"I don't care, as long as it stays quiet," Carl said indifferently, sitting back down. He waved at the nearby Marines. "Bring me something to eat."
Seeing Teach eating anko pie earlier had made him a little hungry.
"Yes, sir!" A Marine saluted before rushing off.
The three Shichibukai finally exhaled.
Moria practically collapsed onto his chair, while Blackbeard wiped the sweat from his forehead. He forced a dry smile. "Zehahaha… That was scary. I thought I was going to be killed… I didn't expect the Marines to have a monster like you."
Carl took a long drag from his cigar, then shot Teach a meaningful glance. "Stop joking."
Teach's grin stiffened. His expression darkened, and he locked eyes with Carl for a long moment before falling silent.
Doflamingo slid down from the wall, hands in his pockets, and swaggered toward the exit. "What a letdown. I'm going to rest."
For him, walking through Mariejois felt as natural as moving through his own home.
After all, he was once a Celestial Dragon.
Just as Carl's meal arrived, the remaining Shichibukai left the hall one by one.
The last to go was Mihawk. He paused, his sharp eyes studying Carl.
"Although… you give me the impression of a true swordsman—no, a swordsman—" Mihawk said slowly, "you wield abilities beyond pure swordsmanship. That is a pity."
For Mihawk, being the world's strongest swordsman was not just about strength—it was about absolute purity in the way of the blade.
If Carl relied on powers outside of swordsmanship, then in Mihawk's eyes, he could never truly reach the pinnacle of kenjutsu.
Carl simply blinked.
The thought process of these swordsmen is always hard to understand.
"Forget it," he muttered, turning to his meal.
The chefs of Mariejois were truly exceptional.
After all, they prepared meals for the Celestial Dragons on a daily basis.
With the Shichibukai gone, the banquet hall fell into silence.
Crane gave Carl a rare smile. "You handled that well."
"Although the Shichibukai are technically our allies, they are still pirates at their core," she continued. "Only by displaying overwhelming strength can they be kept in line."
That was precisely why she had requested Carl accompany her to Mariejois.
She had heard of his power during the recent meetings, but witnessing it firsthand was another matter.
And judging by the results…
The deterrent effect was remarkable.
"By the way," Crane's gaze shifted toward Carl's waist. "Are those swords really Sakura Ten and Kogarashi?"
Carl hesitated for a second before clicking his tongue. "Yeah, but let me be clear—I just found them."
Crane chuckled, though it was unclear whether she believed him. "In any case, the Golden Lion is dead…"
Her expression softened slightly, tinged with nostalgia.
After all, she was part of the same generation as Sengoku and Garp.
They had fought against the Rocks Pirates together.
And Golden Lion Shiki had been one of Rocks' top men.
Carl's expression turned wary. "Crane, I don't know any Shiki. Don't go around saying stuff like that—don't try to use this to promote me, either."
He was already a Marine Colonel.
If he got promoted again, he'd be a Commodore, then a Rear Admiral, and before he knew it—boom, he'd be thrown into the New World.
Crane gave him a knowing smile. "You really are a subordinate of that monkey, Kizaru. You're cut from the same cloth."
Carl didn't deny it.
Crane sighed lightly. "Well, as long as you act for Marine justice, that's all that matters."
Whether or not Carl had personally taken down the Golden Lion didn't change the reality that Shiki was gone.
And to the Marines, that was all that mattered.
If Carl didn't want recognition or promotion for it, then that was his decision.
It was no different from Garp—the man who brought down the Rocks Pirates and captured the Pirate King.
With those achievements, Garp could have become an Admiral long ago.
Even Fleet Admiral wasn't out of the question.
But Garp refused, choosing to remain a Vice Admiral for life.
In the end, the Marine spotlight was left to people like Akainu and Aokiji.
And when their generation faded, that would be the time when Carl would inevitably have to step up.
After the formalities ended, Carl was led to an opulent guest room to rest.
Half a Day Later…
Finally, the Empress—Boa Hancock—arrived.
The World Government had decided not to wait any longer.
It was clear that something had happened to Bartholomew Kuma—he was not coming.
Thus, his Shichibukai status was revoked, and his bounty reinstated.
A Marine's voice rang out from outside Carl's room.
"Colonel Carl! Vice Admiral Crane requests your presence in the banquet hall—the Empress has arrived."
Carl exhaled smoke from his cigar.
"…Got it."
He stood up from the bed and headed toward the hall.
Inside, the five remaining Shichibukai sat in silence.
When Carl walked in, all eyes turned toward him.
"Beibobobobo… Solomon Carl, how bold of you to keep all of us waiting," Doflamingo sneered.
Carl ignored him entirely.
The more attention you gave this damn flamingo, the more obnoxious he became.
His eyes drifted toward the woman seated atop a giant serpent.
Long, silky black hair. A high-cut cheongsam. Flawless, pale skin.
Boa Hancock.
She was undeniably stunning—so much so that it was almost inhuman.
But more than her beauty, her mere presence carried a lethal charm that could enchant any man.
Carl's right eye flickered—
The number 'six' silently became 'one.'
At that moment, an invisible mental force swept through him.
The "Sweet Sweet Fruit."
A devil fruit ability that was almost a cheat—capable of making anyone fall for her and turn to stone willingly.
Hancock frowned. "Who permitted you to look directly at your concubine, filthy man?"
Carl calmly took a drag from his cigar.
Interesting.
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