At Long Ring Long Land—
Kuzan crouched beside the crater, holding Enel's bounty poster and carefully comparing it with the corpse below.
After a long look, he let out a slow breath.
"Almost 4.9 billion…"
"And he dies just like that?"
Karl shook his head.
"His crime was enormous. His actual combat strength wasn't unmatched."
"Destroying Mary Geoise relied heavily on the Goro Goro no Mi."
"Still… if he had focused purely on escape, I might not have been able to stop him."
Kuzan raised a brow.
"So he's like Borsalino?"
Karl paused, then nodded.
"Similar. But more erratic."
"Admiral Kizaru moves in straight lines."
"Enel's trajectory is harder to predict."
Kuzan chuckled softly.
"That does sound troublesome."
He waved at nearby Marines.
"Secure the body. We're heading back."
The soldiers carefully used wooden poles to lift Leiyu out of the corpse. No one dared touch the demon blade directly.
"Vice Admiral Karl, your sword."
Karl accepted it with a polite smile.
"Thank you."
"No, sir! It's our duty!"
Kuzan watched this exchange with quiet approval.
Not hawkish.
Not extreme.
Balanced.
He liked that.
On the Warship
Karl sipped water while Kuzan casually froze some ice cubes for him.
"You've earned great merit this time."
"Won't be long before you're sitting beside us."
"Impressive."
Karl laughed modestly.
"Didn't you Admirals climb the same way back then?"
Kuzan smiled faintly, then looked toward the horizon.
Seemingly casually, he asked:
"If Fleet Admiral Sengoku retires…"
"Who do you think should succeed him?"
Karl blinked.
Really? You're campaigning already?
Sengoku hadn't even stepped down yet.
"Well…"
"If I had to choose… Admiral Kizaru, perhaps."
"Kizaru?" Kuzan paused, then laughed quietly.
He pulled down his sleep mask.
Conversation over.
As long as Karl wasn't aligned with the hardliners—
That was enough.
Marineford – Fleet Admiral's Office
"So fast?" one elderly voice murmured.
"He's already executed Enel?"
Sengoku spoke with unmistakable pride.
"Vice Admiral candidate Karl."
"He fought Enel for three days and three nights at Long Ring Long Land."
"When Enel attempted escape, Karl decisively eliminated him."
"Three days and three nights," huh?
Creative editing.
Another old voice spoke up:
"Charloss visited yesterday."
"He mentioned a Marine who saved his son."
"That Marine was Karl."
Sengoku nodded immediately.
"Yes."
The Five Elders exchanged glances.
Five Elders
"This merit will not go unrewarded."
"However, our priority is stabilizing the impact of the Mary Geoise incident."
"Karl's reward requires further discussion."
The call ended.
Sengoku exhaled slowly.
That response meant—
It was practically secured.
To restore the World Government's prestige—
They needed a new symbol.
And what better symbol—
Than a new Marine Hero?
Crescent Bay – Marineford
The warships docked.
Karl stepped off—
And froze.
Sengoku himself was waiting.
Reporters.
Officers.
A full reception line.
Now this was scale.
In the crowd—
Ain watched proudly.
She leaned toward Tashigi and whispered,
"See?"
"That's my boyfriend."
Tashigi blinked.
"If other women knew… they'd die of jealousy."
Ain lifted her chin smugly.
"Let them."
Sengoku stepped forward and firmly grasped Karl's hand.
"You've worked hard."
"You've exceeded expectations."
"Where's Enel?"
Karl gestured.
"Here."
A stretcher lay nearby, covered in white cloth.
Sengoku lifted it.
Those long earlobes—
Unmistakable.
He exhaled in relief.
"It's him."
"Good."
"Karl. Come with me."
Inside the Office
Flashes from journalists illuminated the scene outside.
The speed was shocking.
The bounty poster had barely circulated—
And Enel was already dead.
If this efficiency became standard—
Pirates would have nowhere left to breathe.
Sengoku poured tea.
"You remember what I told you before?"
Karl's eyes sharpened.
"The Marine Hero matter?"
Sengoku smiled faintly.
"This incident's impact is deeper than the newspapers show."
"The World Government is practically paralyzed."
"Paralyzed?"
Sengoku leaned back.
"Over one hundred government officials dead."
"Many in critical roles."
Administrative halt.
Operational freeze.
Embarrassment beyond measure.
Sengoku almost laughed.
Almost.
"The Celestial Dragons' aura has shattered."
"The Government's prestige is damaged."
"They urgently need to restore face."
"That's why the order to hunt Enel was absolute."
"Whoever captured him becomes the hero."
"You. Kuzan. Borsalino."
"But fortunately—"
"You succeeded."
He sipped his tea.
"Wait a few days."
"Let me build momentum."
"Soon…"
"You will be the new generation's Marine Hero."
Karl stood upright.
Serious.
Determined.
"I won't disappoint you."
Inside—
He was already imagining calling Kizaru "Old Monkey" in public.
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