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

"Check-in complete. Armament Haki proficiency upgraded to Mastery!"

Upon hearing the system's voice, Karl released Gloriosa's hand and stepped back a few paces.

Gloriosa's face was flushed, and even a wisp of steam seemed to rise faintly from the top of her head.

This elderly woman, worn down by the ravages of time and nearing the threshold of old age, was actually blushing!

"Why... why would you tell me such things?"

"No particular reason. It's simply because of my personal fondness for you and Amazon Lily.

So please, don't reveal that we've met, or things might become... complicated for me."

Karl shrugged, offering a casual response to Gloriosa's question. Then, he turned and left, boarding his warship. Using his ability, he directed the ship to lift off and fly away.

Before departing, Karl glanced back at the young Hancock, leaving her with a charming smile and a dashing farewell.

As Karl's figure disappeared into the distance, Gloriosa's eyes gleamed with an inexplicable light, and her entire demeanor seemed to brighten.

At the same time, the other female warriors began discussing Karl's appearance.

"What a handsome man! I've seen plenty of Marines before, but none as good-looking as him!"

"Forget the Marines—he's even better-looking than Whitebeard!"

"He's so captivating. It's my first time seeing a man, but I think I've fallen for him..."

"Hey, calm down! You're barely an adult. Don't lose your head over him just yet! As handsome as he is, there might be better men out there in the future."

"Hmph! A bunch of fools drooling over a mere man—what's so great about him anyway?"

While everyone else chattered about Karl, Hancock suddenly shouted, her voice carrying through the crowd. Then, with an angry huff, she stormed back to the cabin.

She still couldn't shake the humiliation of Karl patting her on the head—and almost being overpowered in retaliation.

If not for Gloriosa stepping in to defuse the situation, Hancock wouldn't have known how to handle him.

Karl had left quite an impression on the future Pirate Empress during their first meeting.

Unfortunately, it wasn't a good one. Hancock was already starting to hate him.

Gloriosa sighed, her expression tinged with melancholy. She wasn't sure whether to heed Karl's advice and protect Hancock, but she had a nagging feeling that ignoring him might lead to lifelong regret.

"What a peculiar Marine..."

"Lord Karl, where have you been? Why do you look even more handsome after returning from that pirate ship?

It's as if... something revitalized you."

Bellemere's eyes sparkled as she gazed at Karl with a dreamy expression.

Nearby, Kuro looked utterly bewildered, completely lost as to what Bellemere was talking about.

Karl smacked his forehead, realizing his mistake. He'd forgotten to switch his title from "Lady's Friend" to "Bandit's Bane," resulting in this awkward misunderstanding.

Although the title was quite effective, he preferred to use it sparingly around his own people. Otherwise, Bellemere's reaction just now would be considered mild.

"Eek! What just happened? Why did I say something so embarrassing?!"

Bellemere covered her face in shame and fled to the cabin, too mortified to face anyone.

"Ahem. Let's not mention what just happened. If Bellemere finds out, she might hold a grudge against you forever."

"Understood..."

Kuro adjusted his glasses, finding the situation intriguing.

It wasn't the first time Karl had used Bellemere as a test subject for his abilities, but those experiments had always been conducted in private. No one had ever witnessed it firsthand—until now, due to Karl's oversight.

Still, Kuro was clever. With just this small piece of information, he deduced that Karl's title might be connected to a specific ability.

He silently congratulated himself for choosing to side with Karl back then. If he'd made the wrong decision, he wouldn't have gained the strength he now possessed.

The warship soared through the air at high speed, quickly exiting the Calm Belt.

However, instead of heading toward Enies Lobby, Karl set a course for a different destination.

After about a day of travel, Karl and his crew arrived at a famous island in the Grand Line—Jaya Island.

Jaya's reputation didn't stem from its scenery but rather from its status as a pirate haven.

Viewed from above, the island resembled a massive skull, giving it an ominous and foreboding appearance.

Jaya was also home to a persistent legend: high above its skies lay an island known as Skypiea.

According to tales, Skypiea was inhabited by winged, angel-like Sky People and housed treasures such as the massive Golden City and the Golden Bell of Shandora.

However, most dismissed these stories as mere myths. Few had ever truly found Skypiea or laid eyes on the Golden Bell.

Now, under the cover of night, Karl arrived at Mock Town, the heart of Jaya. His objective was to locate Skypiea.

But before that, he intended to rest and gather information about the fabled island.

"Marines! Marines are here!"

"Everyone, alert! There are Marines in Mock Town!"

The moment Karl and his crew landed, a voice rang out, drawing the attention of every pirate in the area.

The pirates sneered and quickly surrounded Karl and his group, their faces twisted with malice.

"Ha! Marines, daring to show up in Mock Town? You must have a death wish!"

"Only three of you? Are you mocking us pirates?"

"A mere Marine captain strolling in here—how reckless!"

"Enough talk! Let's kill them!"

Without further ado, the pirates charged at Karl and his crew, giving them no chance to speak.

Karl sighed, annoyed by their impatience.

"See? This is what pirates on the Grand Line are like—far more vicious than those in the East Blue.

But these are just small fry. You two, take them out!"

"Yes, Lord Karl!"

Bellemere charged forward, taking down enemies with a single punch each.

Meanwhile, Kuro, donning his mask, vanished from sight.

In an instant, his Spoon technique wreaked havoc, wiping out dozens of pirates in mere moments.

After dispatching the small-time pirates, Kuro instinctively reached to adjust his glasses, only to touch his mask instead.

The mask, crafted by Karl, was meant to conceal Kuro's identity in the Grand Line's dangerous underworld. Safety was paramount, and Kuro's face needed to remain hidden.

In the East Blue, exposure wasn't an issue, as Kuro's presence there was scarce, and those who knew him were trustworthy.

As for his signature moves, Karl had already planned a way to enhance Kuro's abilities with a suitable Devil Fruit, ensuring his techniques would evolve.

Kuro's grin widened beneath the mask. He couldn't wait to grow even stronger.

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