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

Patrick excelled in swordsmanship, his movements agile and unpredictable, making it difficult for anyone to guard against him.

On the other hand, Kong, known as Steel Bone, thrived in head-on clashes. His approach was brute force, and once caught in his grip, it was nearly impossible to escape.

Adding to his physical prowess, Kong's mastery of Haki was formidable, granting him extraordinary defensive strength.

Patrick understood that this battle would ultimately come down to endurance.

In this aspect, Patrick felt confident, as Kong was significantly older than him, naturally placing the Fleet Admiral at a disadvantage in stamina.

However, what Patrick did not realize was that Kong had been preparing for this confrontation for quite some time.

The Fleet Admiral had meticulously adjusted his physical condition to near perfection. While not quite at the peak of his youth, he was more than capable of matching Patrick's relentless pace.

Because Kong wasn't just any fighter—he was the Fleet Admiral of the Marines.

He had the authority to call for reinforcements, a luxury Patrick, fighting alone, did not have.

Such is the disadvantage of solitude.

Though unshackled and free, when danger strikes, there's no one to lend a hand.

Oblivious to this reality, Patrick fought on, aiming to outlast Kong's stamina and then escape unscathed.

But reality often proves harsh.

Their battle raged on for an entire day and night, with no victor in sight even by midday of the following day.

The aftermath of their duel had devastated the coastal areas of the island, leaving nothing but a barren wasteland.

The once lush vegetation was obliterated, and even a nearby hill was reduced to rubble by the shockwaves of their clash.

The very air around them seemed to seethe with turbulence, whipping up waves that crashed violently onto the desolate shores.

Meanwhile, Karl advanced toward his target.

Having spent a day and night navigating on his small boat, he finally spotted Marine warships stationed ahead.

The fleet appeared oddly hesitant, lingering on the ocean's surface as if wary of something.

Upon seeing this, Karl instantly deduced that the target was nearby.

After briefly greeting the Marines and abandoning his small vessel, Karl soared toward the island in question.

As he approached, a sharp slash streaked toward him from the island's perimeter in a sudden ambush.

Karl swiftly drew his Sandai Kitetsu, countering the attack with a slash of his own that neutralized the strike.

At the same time, Karl took in the chaotic scene on the island, where two figures locked in fierce combat also took note of his arrival.

"Detected presence of the Red Count—Patrick Redfield. Eligible for system sign-in!"

Hearing the system notification, Karl grinned and launched himself at Patrick, sending the man flying with an explosive blow!

Combining his monstrous strength with flawless swordsmanship, Karl's surprise attack left Patrick unable to defend himself in time.

Karl held nothing back in this assault, unleashing his full power to seize the opportunity for a quick sign-in.

Patrick, caught off guard, was stunned to find this young Marine possessing power comparable to Kong's.

What shocked him even more was Karl's mastery of swordsmanship, which surpassed all expectations.

Patrick had spent his entire life perfecting his blade skills, yet Karl, at just around twenty-five years old, had already achieved a level equal to his own.

It was a bitter pill to swallow.

"You're Karl! The one who defeated Golden Lion and stole his Devil Fruit powers?!

You're also the executioner who put Roger to death?!

And you even defeated Douglas Bullet, didn't you?!"

Patrick's voice trembled as he finally recognized Karl.

For the past five years, Karl had vanished from the public eye, leading many to believe he had disappeared for good.

Even Patrick assumed that this rising star had ultimately faded into obscurity.

But to see Karl reappear now, aiding Kong in a coordinated assault, was utterly devastating for Baroric.

His composure shattered.

Facing a Fleet Admiral's ambush was bad enough.

But now, standing against the very man who had vanquished legends like Golden Lion and Bullet—a Marine whose strength had surely grown in the intervening years—felt utterly hopeless.

Patrick's resolve wavered, yet he refused to surrender. With a swift motion, he brandished his black umbrella, unleashing a circular slash that severed everything around him.

Karl's conjured earthen dragons were sliced into fragments, and Karl himself was momentarily forced back.

But Karl clenched his left fist, manipulating the scattered earth with his Devil Fruit powers. The fragments reformed into even larger earthen dragons that hurled themselves toward Patrick.

Using Soru, Karl surged forward, grabbing Patrick's wrist and immobilizing his arm to prevent him from wielding his black umbrella.

"What?! Are you planning to take me down with you?!"

Patrick's eyes widened in alarm.

"What do you think?" Karl smirked as energy began to coalesce in his hands.

Through his Observation Haki, Patrick sensed Karl's intentions—to disable him by crushing his dominant hand, rendering him unable to wield his weapon.

The earthen dragon also aimed directly at his right arm.

Patrick had no time to hesitate. Summoning his full strength, he broke free from Karl's grip, forcing the Marine to retreat, though not without leaving a scar on his wrist.

"Sign-in with Patrick Redfield complete. Acquired Observation Haki Sub-Ability: Mind Reading!"

"Mind Reading: By physically touching an opponent, you can briefly access their inner thoughts. Repeated use on the same individual is limited within a short timeframe."

"System Note: Sub-abilities can be acquired infinitely without drawbacks but cannot be leveled up."

The acquisition surprised Karl, but his delight was short-lived as Patrick launched another attack.

Patrick had already destroyed Karl's previous earthen dragon, which lacked Haki reinforcement, making it easy to dismantle.

Undeterred, Karl activated his Devil Fruit powers again, lifting chunks of earth and debris to form a massive sphere that began encasing Patrick.

Dirt, rocks, and even animal waste coalesced into the sphere, some of it splattering onto Patrick's face.

Karl grinned, pouring his full power into the ability.

"False Planetary Devastation—"

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