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

"Me? Taking over as the commander of Loguetown? Are you sure I'm up for this?"

To lift Smoker out of his gloom, Karl wasted no time sharing the good news.

"Of course, it's you. You may be young, but with Buggy here to assist you, it'll work out just fine!

Buggy will act as your deputy from now on, and I've already reported this to Fleet Admiral Sengoku.

In a couple of days, someone will come to review your qualifications and capabilities. It's just a formality, so don't stress about it," Karl said calmly, showing no concern about Smoker's readiness.

Despite being only 15 years old, Smoker had grown under Karl's guidance into someone capable of handling significant responsibilities. With Buggy as support, Loguetown was in good hands.

As for the rest of the East Blue, there were no guarantees.

After all, Smoker wasn't Karl. He lacked Karl's strength and backing, and there would inevitably be those who underestimated him. When the time came, it would be up to Smoker's skills to keep those individuals in check.

"But, Sir Karl, if I take on this post, I won't be able to follow you! I don't want to be stuck in some backwater town!" Smoker protested, clearly dissatisfied. He wanted to go to Marine Headquarters and stay at Karl's side.

Hearing this, Karl immediately smacked Smoker on the head.

"Ow!" Smoker clutched his head, his eyes filled with confusion.

"Listen to me, Smoker. The Grand Line is far more dangerous than the East Blue!

Do you remember Doflamingo, the man who defeated you a year ago? There are plenty of people at his level, and many stronger than him!

You haven't even mastered Haki yet. If you go there now, it's a death sentence!

Once you've fully grasped Armament Haki and Observation Haki, come and let me know. Then, I'll allow you to join me on the seas!"

Smoker rubbed his head, looking somewhat dejected. Nearby, Buggy, who had been silent the entire time, seized the opportunity to speak.

"Uh, Sir Karl, won't making me a deputy draw too much attention?

If I run into someone I know, how am I supposed to explain this?" Buggy whined, nearly in tears.

Karl knew exactly who Buggy was referring to but chose not to name names. Instead, he pinched Buggy's signature red nose.

"Your nose already draws attention, Buggy. I'm not bringing you to the Grand Line just yet because the timing isn't right.

When I'm qualified to lead my own unit, I'll personally invite you aboard."

Buggy's expression grew complicated—part relief, part hesitation. Smoker's eyes lit up at the conversation, but Karl quickly knocked him back down with another smack.

"Don't get any ideas, Smoker. If you don't meet my conditions, you'll be stuck here for the rest of your life.

If you want to follow in my footsteps, you have to get stronger! Next time we face someone like Barrett, no one will save you!"

"Understood!" Smoker straightened up, his face flushing with determination at the mention of Barrett.

Their previous encounter had gone awry due to Smoker's rash decision to challenge Barrett alone. They were lucky to escape unscathed; otherwise, the guilt would have haunted Smoker forever.

"For now, this is the arrangement. Smoker, you'll stay with Belle-mère and learn how to manage Loguetown. Buggy, you stick to your usual tasks."

With that, Karl left Belle-mère behind to oversee things and gave Kuro a subtle signal.

Kuro followed Karl out of the Marine base and across the plaza. They walked until they reached Roger's execution platform, where Karl finally stopped.

Kuro adjusted his glasses, puzzled. "Sir Karl, is there a specific reason you brought me here?"

"Kuro, you're strong and have great potential. I have a mission for you."

"A mission?" Kuro asked, intrigued.

"Yes. I need you to infiltrate the Underworld and rise to become one of its leaders."

"The Underworld?" Kuro's face went blank, clearly unfamiliar with the term.

The Underworld was a well-kept secret, known to only a select few, even within Marine Headquarters. Karl's knowledge of it stemmed from his memories of his past life and the events surrounding Zephyr's family's assassination, during which Sengoku had inadvertently let some information slip.

Understanding Kuro's confusion, Karl brought him to a private booth in a nearby café and explained the concept of the Underworld in detail.

At this point in time, the Underworld wasn't as established or influential as it would be in the future. The major players, like Doflamingo and Gild Tesoro, were still in their early stages—Doflamingo was roaming the North Blue, and Tesoro was likely still a slave in Mariejois.

Karl intended to leverage his foreknowledge to plant Kuro in the Underworld, nurturing his skills and influence while strengthening his combat abilities. In Karl's previous life, both the Navy and the World Government had a poor grasp of the Underworld, which had allowed Doflamingo and Kaido to dominate it and traffic artificial Devil Fruits.

This time, Karl was determined to secure first-hand intelligence about the Underworld for himself.

Kuro, despite his nerves, had a sharp mind, making him the ideal candidate for this dangerous task.

After hearing Karl's explanation, Kuro removed his glasses, wiped them carefully, and placed them back on. His hands trembled slightly.

Karl noticed his tension but didn't rush him.

"Sir Karl, are you asking me to become a spy? Is this why you've spent the past year training me without giving me a Marine rank or many assignments?"

"Exactly. Originally, I planned to wait another year before telling you, but plans change. Now is the time.

The decision is yours, Kuro. If you agree, I'll find you a Devil Fruit soon to boost your strength.

If you refuse, I'll assign you to the Marines with Belle-mère, and both of you will become my deputies when I have my own unit."

Kuro felt deeply moved. The past year of intense training and Karl's words made it clear how much Karl valued him.

Having served as a spy before, Kuro knew what the job entailed. After a moment of hesitation, he made his decision.

"I accept!" he declared resolutely.

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