One Piece: Signing In as a Pirate Begins with Roger's Execution

After visiting countless Marine branch bases, Karl had to admit this was the first time he'd seen Marines so actively pursuing pirates. 

The East Blue, being Garp's home sea, had always been relatively calm with fewer pirates. If it weren't for Admiral Crete's cowardice, Garp might have long eradicated his influence entirely.

As for the other pirates, most had only recently ventured out to sea within the past year. Karl had taken care of quite a few himself, making the East Blue unusually peaceful.

Thus, the sight of this Marine branch dispatching forces to hunt pirates was intriguing.

Not long ago, Kuro had informed him that Admiral Crete had sent someone to deal with Buggy. The twist? This individual wasn't even a pirate.

And now, seeing Marines mobilizing against Buggy, Karl couldn't help but suspect a connection between them and Admiral Crete.

After all, Karl had explicitly instructed Buggy to keep a distance from Marine bases to avoid unnecessary conflicts. Moreover, Buggy had never set foot in these waters, making it nearly impossible for him to have provoked the local Marines.

This raised a critical question: Was the objective here purely to capture pirates, or was there another motive at play?

"Hello, Major in command! I'm Karl, the commander from Loguetown, here for an official visit!" Karl greeted loudly, interrupting the Marines' preparations before they could set sail.

"Major Karl?!"

Hearing the name, the Marine officer in charge was momentarily stunned, a flicker of surprise crossing his face before he quickly put on a welcoming smile.

"Hahaha, Major Karl! What an honor! I'm Gasparade, a fellow Major and the commanding officer here. Please, give me a moment to arrange docking for your warship."

"No need for that. I can handle it myself," Karl replied casually. Turning to Bellemere, he gave her instructions. "Notify Buggy to stay alert. If the Marines come after him, tell him not to fight—just run."

"Understood!" Bellemere saluted and promptly went to relay the message.

With a single Geppo (Moonwalk), Karl leaped into the air, landing directly in front of Gasparade. His sudden appearance left Gasparade wide-eyed and visibly shaken.

As for Bellemere and the others, there was no need for them to disembark at the port. Karl's inspections of Marine bases were always brief, so docking the warship was unnecessary.

"Major Karl, your reputation precedes you!" Gasparade began with forced enthusiasm. "They say those from Marine Headquarters are exceptional. You're so young yet incredibly talented—an outstanding leader with unparalleled strength. Truly a force to be reckoned with, respected and admired across the seas—"

"Enough with the flattery." Karl cut him off, narrowing his eyes. "I've visited many branch bases, yet you're the only one mobilizing troops like this. Are you putting on a show for me?"

Gasparade's forehead began to glisten with sweat. He stammered, "Major Karl, please don't misunderstand! I merely noticed pirates causing trouble and thought to take action against them. There's nothing more to it, I assure you."

"Trouble?" Karl raised an eyebrow. "The Buggy Treasure-Hunting Crew, correct? I've heard of them. What exactly have they done? Are they on any bounty posters?"

"Well…" Gasparade hesitated, dabbing sweat from his forehead.

Karl gave him no time to think. "Have they harmed civilians? Attacked Marines? Committed any atrocities?"

"N-no… none of that," Gasparade stammered.

"In that case, what justification do you have for targeting them? Or are you after the treasure they've uncovered, planning to claim it for yourself?"

"I—I wouldn't! Never! That's absurd!" Gasparade's voice quivered as he realized Karl was far sharper than he'd anticipated—not just some Headquarters officer looking for easy credit.

Karl shook his head and clapped a hand on Gasparade's shoulder. "If they've done nothing wrong and are merely treasure hunters, we Marines have no right to apprehend them. Without evidence of crimes like pillaging or murder, labeling them pirates tarnishes our sense of justice."

Karl paused, then continued with deliberate emphasis. "Now, someone like Admiral Crete—that's a real pirate. A disgrace to the uniform. He's the type we should be taking down. In fact, I plan to deal with him personally. Other branch commanders have already agreed to support me. What about you?"

Gasparade's face stiffened, his expression shifting uneasily. He seemed torn, reluctant to commit. Karl immediately picked up on this unusual reaction. It stood out—other commanders, though surprised by his boldness, hadn't been this hesitant.

Suspicious.

"Major Karl, perhaps we should discuss this further inside?" Gasparade suggested with a strained smile.

"No need," Karl replied, sweeping his gaze over the assembled Marines. "I'm only here to ask if you're willing to lend your support. Judging by your reaction, though, I assume the answer is no. Very well, there's nothing more to say."

With that, Karl turned to leave.

Gasparade, relieved by Karl's apparent lack of reprimand, didn't even try to stop him, instead waving him off enthusiastically. "Safe travels, Major Karl! Visit us again soon!"

"Oh, we'll see each other again soon enough," Karl responded with a cold smile, ascending back to his warship with Geppo.

Back on the ship, Karl addressed Bellemere. "Set course for Loguetown. Whoever leaked my plans will reveal themselves within the next two days."

Standing at the prow, Karl gazed back at the branch base and Gasparade, who was still waving him off at the port, a smirk playing on his lips.

Once Karl had departed, Gasparade heaved a sigh of relief, then immediately summoned his troops.

"Listen up! I want the Buggy Treasure-Hunting Crew found and eliminated—now! There's no room for error!"

"Yes, sir!" the Marines chorused as they boarded four warships, setting off to hunt down Buggy's crew.

Gasparade, meanwhile, retreated to his office. With trembling hands, he retrieved a Den Den Mushi from his safe.

"Big brother! We've got a problem! That brat Karl really intends to come after you!"

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