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

After a brief reunion with Koushirou, Karl discussed the logistics of maintaining contact between the Navy and the Isshin Dojo. With these matters settled, he left the dojo.

Currently, the Isshin Dojo was still newly established, with only a handful of students enrolled. Karl decided to spend some time in the East Blue to enhance its reputation. After all, as a Navy officer, he was already somewhat of a celebrity in these waters.

Meanwhile, Loguetown was under Bellemere's jurisdiction. Establishing a direct link between Loguetown and the Isshin Dojo was a straightforward task for Karl. With this goal in mind, he set off for Loguetown, planning to handle the matter on his way.

Karl harbored a particular concern: he didn't want Kuina to meet an untimely end. With her exceptional talent, she had the potential to become a formidable contender for the title of the world's greatest swordsman.

Leaving Shimotsuki Village behind, Karl flew at full speed, arriving in Loguetown in no time. He didn't notify Bellemere or anyone else in advance of his arrival.

The sight of Karl in Loguetown sent the Navy personnel into an uproar. Even the soldiers who had been fresh recruits five years ago had now matured into seasoned veterans.

Among them, those originally trained under Karl's guidance had become reliable leaders. Some had even been promoted to base commanders of other Navy outposts in the East Blue.

Ever since Karl took charge of Loguetown, it had essentially transformed into a training camp for the East Blue Navy. Each year, soldiers from Loguetown earned promotions, with the more promising ones being sent to the Grand Line for advanced training.

Unfortunately, the requirements set by Navy Headquarters were stringent. In the past five years, only Smoker and Buggy had met the criteria to further their training at the main base.

Nevertheless, the majority of these soldiers had received Karl's personal training. Even in his absence, they maintained a rigorous regimen.

Now, seeing these men and women proficient in at least one of the Navy's Rokushiki (Six Powers) techniques—and some with talent excelling in two or three—filled Karl with pride.

A strong sense of accomplishment washed over him.

Though they couldn't rival the elites and geniuses at Headquarters, these ordinary soldiers had already surpassed expectations through sheer hard work.

"Commodore Karl, you should have informed us of your arrival! I could've prepared a proper welcome!" Bellemere interrupted her drill to salute Karl formally.

Karl nodded, but his gaze soon shifted to two young girls in the distance, who were practicing Rokushiki techniques with surprising determination.

[Detected: Nami. Sign-in available.]

[Detected: Nojiko. Sign-in available.]

The system notification rang out in his mind, but Karl ignored it for now. Instead, he curiously gestured toward the girls, asking Bellemere, "What's their story? Where are their parents or guardians?

"While I don't oppose young recruits, surely this is something that should have been discussed with me beforehand?"

Karl's tone was mild, devoid of reproach. Truthfully, it was hard to find fault when faced with such endearing children.

He wasn't alone in his affection; it was an unspoken truth. Adorable little Nami and Nojiko were impossible to resist.

However, the East Blue had long since diverged from its canonical counterpart. If circumstances allowed, Karl hoped the two girls could lead peaceful lives.

"Mister Marine, you've got it wrong! It wasn't our mom who brought us here—it was our own decision!" Nojiko interrupted, overhearing Karl's conversation with Bellemere. She stepped forward to defend her guardian.

Meanwhile, Nami timidly peeked out from behind her sister, her shyness adding to her charm.

"Bellemere is your mother?" Karl chuckled. "When did you have kids, Bellemere?"

Although Karl knew Bellemere wasn't married, he couldn't resist teasing her. His playful jab made Bellemere's face flush with embarrassment.

"Stop joking around," Bellemere sighed. "Nami and Nojiko are war orphans I found on the battlefield.

"Their village was destroyed by pirates. Though I led my squad to eliminate the culprits, we arrived too late.

"Out of the entire village, only these two sisters survived.

"So I brought them back with me. As for calling me 'mom'—I've tried correcting them countless times, but they refuse to change. What can I do? I'm still young, you know."

A hint of sorrow crept into Bellemere's voice as she recounted the tragedy.

Karl recalled the original storyline; the events weren't too far removed from this version.

Looking at Nami and Nojiko's saddened expressions, Karl placed a hand gently on their heads.

"Stay here for now, girls. I'll take care of your official status.

"For the record, I'm also a war orphan. Pirates wiped out my village, too.

"In a way, we're kindred spirits. From now on, you can call me Uncle Karl—no need for formalities."

Nami and Nojiko widened their eyes in surprise. Even Bellemere looked astonished.

"You're a war orphan too?"

"Did I never mention it?"

"No! I've followed you for so long, and you've never said a word!" Bellemere shook her head.

Karl scratched his head, a little embarrassed. Truthfully, he couldn't recall if he had ever shared this detail with her.

Just then, the system chimed again:

[Sign-in successful for Nami. Reward: Top-tier Navigator Talent.]

[Note: Talent does not equate to mastery. The host must learn the skills independently.]

[Sign-in successful for Nojiko. Reward: Perfect Farming Skills.]

Karl froze, realizing he'd inadvertently triggered the sign-in while patting the girls' heads.

His original plan had been to wait until they were older and more skilled before claiming their rewards.

Caught off guard by Bellemere's interruptions, he had absentmindedly left his hands on their heads, causing this unexpected twist.

Still, it wasn't all bad. With Nami's navigator talent, Karl could study the craft himself, albeit with effort. As for Nojiko's farming skills…

Well, at least they'd be useful if stranded on a deserted island.

Karl let out a dry laugh and ruffled the girls' hair affectionately.

To his relief, Nami and Nojiko didn't seem to mind. In fact, they warmed up to him, drawn by their shared history and Bellemere's evident respect for Karl.

Bellemere, witnessing the harmonious scene, felt a weight lifted off her shoulders. She had worried Karl might reject the girls, but her fears were unfounded.

Still, for reasons she couldn't quite place, Bellemere found Karl's expression… oddly unsettling. His movements were growing quicker, too.

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