The next day.
"Divine Sword Drawn! Marine Hero Karl Defeats Dracule Mihawk in One Fell Stroke and Ascends to the Peak of Swordsmanship!!!"
"A New King Crowned? White Crow Vice Admiral Karl Defeats Former World's Greatest Swordsman Dracule Mihawk and Seizes the Supreme Title!"
…
The exaggerated headlines all conveyed the same message—
the man who had occupied the throne of the World's Greatest Swordsman for nearly ten years—
Hawk-Eyes Mihawk—
had become history.
Now—
Karl was the new World's Greatest Swordsman.
And because of that—
Karl's phone calls started early in the morning.
"Karl."
"I heard you knocked Mihawk off his throne?"
"That fellow's alright, isn't he?"
"No matter what, he's still one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
"If he died, this old man would have a hard time explaining things to the World Government."
"Don't worry, Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
"He definitely won't die."
"But he'll probably suffer for a while."
"That's good."
"Oh right, there's something I need you to handle."
"Have you heard of Drum Island?"
"I have."
"The Winter Island among the Four Seasons Islands, right?"
"Though I've never actually been there."
"What happened? Pirates invaded it?"
"That's right."
"Marshall D. Teach led a pirate crew and invaded the country."
"Oh, and now he's officially formed his own pirate crew."
"They call themselves the Blackbeard Pirates."
"Oh?"
"I see."
"Then what's the point of me going now?"
"They're not still on Drum Island, are they?"
"No."
"According to intelligence, they were searching for something on the island."
"But after failing to find it, they destroyed the country."
"It's said King Wapol was so frightened he fled."
"You know the relationship between Teach and the Whitebeard Pirates."
"So the Marines are paying close attention to his movements."
"Alright."
"In that case, I'll go take a look."
"I don't have much to do recently anyway."
"Good."
"Then I'll leave it to you."
A completely naked Ain sleepily raised her head from the bed.
"Mmm…"
"Who is it…?"
"Ah?"
"Are people not letting others sleep anymore?"
Sengoku instantly realized something.
"Cough cough…"
"Ain is sleeping beside you?"
"Sorry for disturbing you."
Click.
He immediately hung up the Den Den Mushi.
The moment Ain heard Sengoku's voice—
she instantly woke up completely.
"That was Fleet Admiral Sengoku?!"
"Yeah."
"The news about me becoming the World's Greatest Swordsman has practically spread across the entire world already."
"A bunch of people called earlier."
"Sengoku just happened to call at the exact moment you woke up."
Ain looked at the man before her.
An indescribable pride rose in her heart.
Look.
This was her man.
"You're not sleeping anymore?"
Karl casually played with Ain's soft chest, even crossing them into a silly cross-eyed shape.
Ain's beautiful eyes turned misty as she pressed down on Karl's mischievous hand.
Her breathing gradually became heavier.
The dam collapsed.
Karl could only once again devote himself to the great task of "controlling the floodwaters."
No helping it.
Karl simply had the fate of working like an ox or horse.
After all—
Ain would "feed" him afterward.
By the time the sun was high in the sky—
Karl checked the time and decided to have lunch at Baratie before leaving.
But the moment he stepped out—
he saw Sanji kneeling before Zeff, seemingly saying something.
The surrounding people all had tears glistening in their eyes.
Sanji knelt on the ground and shouted tearfully:
"Thank you for taking care of me all this time!"
"I will never forget your kindness for as long as I live!"
Looking closer—
one would notice tears pouring from Sanji's eyes like a flood, soaking the floorboards beneath him.
Red-Leg Zeff's expression remained unchanged—
yet his eyes were equally moist.
The chefs of Baratie cursed through tears:
"You damn brat!"
"Once you leave…"
"It's gonna feel so lonely, idiot!!!"
Nami leaned against the railing of the Going Merry, silently wiping away tears.
Zoro also seemed to recall the moment he parted with Koshiro.
His eyes reddened slightly as he mocked:
"Tch."
"Crybaby cook."
Usopp's reaction was the most exaggerated of all.
He looked even sadder than Sanji himself.
People always said women were made of water—
but in Karl's opinion—
Usopp fit that saying even better.
After saying farewell—
Sanji decisively turned around and boarded the Going Merry.
He waved goodbye toward his family.
"Goodbye, Sanji!"
"You better find the ALL BLUE, you bastard!!!"
Zeff looked at the departing Going Merry with endless emotions in his heart.
As long as one possessed a belief strong enough to face death without fear—
then surely—
the ALL BLUE could be found.
Find it, Sanji!
"Vice Admiral Garp's grandson's pirate crew is getting bigger and bigger."
"Are we really just going to ignore them?"
Karl smiled faintly.
"If you're truly worried, then keep a close eye on the Straw Hat Pirates."
"They really are different from other pirates."
"Then why become pirates at all?"
"Wouldn't becoming adventurers be better?"
Karl shook his head.
"Do you think the World Government sees any difference between adventurers and pirates?"
Ain silently shook her head.
"Don't overthink it."
"Just pretend they don't exist."
"And if you think about it another way…"
"Vice Admiral Garp probably wouldn't raise his grandson into some unforgivable monster, right?"
"Then what about Garp's son, Dragon?"
"Wait…"
"I just remembered…"
"Revolutionary Army Leader Dragon was once a Marine too."
…
Loguetown.
"You really make big headlines wherever you go."
"You just went out for a meal and casually became the World's Greatest Swordsman."
Smoker sounded slightly jealous.
After all—
despite serving in the Marines for so long—
he had barely appeared in newspaper headlines a few times.
And the few times he did—
it was all because he happened to be associated with Karl.
Not just him—
ever since Karl arrived at Marine Headquarters—
no Marine had more exposure than him.
Not even the three Admirals.
After all—
those old monsters had already enjoyed their glory years long ago.
"What can I even say?"
"I really did just want to eat a meal there."
"Who would've thought Mihawk would suddenly show up in the East Blue?"
"Oh right."
"What happened to the Krieg Pirates?"
"Did you catch them all?"
Karl shook his head.
"No."
"But they're probably dead."
"At the very least, Krieg himself should be dead."
Smoker frowned slightly.
"I see…"
"That works too."
"Most of his subordinates were nobodies anyway."
"No big loss."
Karl patted Smoker's shoulder.
"I came to say goodbye this time."
"We're leaving."
Smoker froze briefly before smiling.
"New mission?"
"Yeah."
"I'm not as relaxed as you are."
"After all, I'm a Marine Hero."
"Tch!"
"I can't be bothered with you."
"Let me tell you something."
"I already submitted a transfer request to Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
"Before long, I'll be transferred to the Grand Line."
"Oh."
Smoker's eyes widened.
"That reaction is way too perfunctory, bastard!"
"Get lost!"
"Hurry up and leave!"
"I get annoyed just looking at you!"
"Hahahahaha!"
"Then hurry and come to the Grand Line soon."
"Ain, let's go!"
…
Rare Animal Island.
A scruffy man hiding inside a treasure chest scratched his head as he stared at the heavily injured man before him.
"This guy's injuries are seriously bad…"
"There've really been lots of visitors lately."
"First Straw Hat Boy…"
"Then 'Shorty Buggy'…"
"And now this guy too…"
"Hm?"
"That's a really nice sword."
"Could this guy be a swordsman?"
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