After spending a few days in New Amazon Lily, Karl had no choice but to return to Marine Headquarters. From this point on, his schedule would become extremely busy. And the exhausting part wasn't fighting pirates — it was all the traveling.
At Marine Headquarters,
Sengoku slapped a stack of bounty posters down in front of Karl with a faint smile.
"Here. These are your next targets. Mostly from the Four Blues… well, except the East Blue. They aren't exactly powerhouses — you shouldn't have trouble, right?"
Karl inhaled deeply and asked sincerely,
"Can't I just go alone? Taking a warship everywhere is way too slow."
Sengoku shook his head.
"No. Do you really think your job is just killing pirates? Especially ones with bounties under 100 million?"
"But—"
"No 'but.' Your mission is to make pirates fear you, make civilians feel safe when they see you, and make the title Marine Hero truly meaningful."
Karl sighed helplessly. He had no choice but to accept.
The "Hero's Tour" Begins
The Holy Light departed Marineford, heading for the West Blue.
Three months later:
The West Blue was swept clean.
Pirates defeated: 143Pirates captured: 1,704
The name of Marine Hero Karl echoed throughout the West Blue. Pirates who survived hid in fear, trembling at the mention of his name. They were just small-time criminals — how could they withstand someone who'd fought in the New World?
Karl finally understood why Monkey D. Garp loved hanging around the East Blue.
Smashing low-level pirates as a max-level player was oddly satisfying.
But that was only the beginning.
South Blue & North Blue Campaigns
Next came the South Blue and North Blue.
Karl ignored the East Blue except for one crew — the Krieg Pirates — and passed that job to Smoker so he wouldn't rot away in Loguetown.
Another three months:
The South Blue was cleared.
Karl didn't encounter Eustass Kid — apparently he had already left early.
Three more months:
Karl's home sea — the North Blue — was pacified. Every pirate captured was sent off to Impel Down.
Ten months in total.
Karl called this campaign his "Hero's Journey." During that time, his name dominated newspapers so often that even he grew tired of seeing himself.
If celebrity gossip reporters existed in this world, Karl figured they would've dug up everything about him by now.
Back at the 108th Branch (North Blue)
Karl raised a glass with Charles, the bald Rear Admiral who had once been his superior.
"Boss Charles, thanks for the help. With just my own men, tracking those scumbags would've been rough."
Charles laughed heartily.
"Don't mention it! You were my soldier. Helping you is only natural. Now, drink!"
Clink.
Karl drained his glass.
"So, anything big happen here while I was gone?"
Charles shook his head.
"Nothing serious. There were two pirate crews gaining fame recently, but they disappeared a week before you arrived."
"Which ones?"
"One was the Heart Pirates. The other was the Hawkins Pirates. Their captain can supposedly read fortunes. He fled the earliest."
Karl smiled faintly.
Doesn't matter. I'll deal with them eventually.
Back to Marineford
Sengoku greeted Karl with a chuckle.
"So, how did it feel?"
Karl shrugged.
"Pretty boring. None of them even dared enter the Grand Line."
Sengoku laughed.
"The results were excellent though. Your influence is already greater than mine as Fleet Admiral."
Karl's eyes lit up.
"Really? So I get more freedom now?"
"No."
"Tch."
Sengoku continued:
"Now that you're back, there's another matter."
Karl raised an eyebrow.
"Let me guess… the Four Emperors are moving?"
"No. This time it's Arabasta Kingdom. A rebellion has broken out due to the Dance Powder scandal."
Karl blinked.
"Arabasta? Isn't that outside Navy jurisdiction?"
Sengoku narrowed his eyes.
"Normally, yes. But the World Government specifically requested you. Do you know why?"
Karl shook his head.
"Because after the incident at Mary Geoise, three World Noble families were wiped out. The World Government wants to invite the Nefertari Family to move to Mary Geoise and join the World Nobles."
Karl's mind clicked.
He remembered — the Nefertari Family were descendants of the original twenty kings who founded the World Government.
Sengoku continued:
"Eight hundred years ago, twenty royal families founded the World Government. Nineteen moved to Mary Geoise. Only the Nefertari family stayed behind to rule Arabasta."
Karl understood.
"I see. But isn't Crocodile already stationed in Arabasta? Couldn't he be involved?"
"I've said that," Sengoku replied, "but the World Government insists we don't act against Crocodile for now. Your primary task is to meet Nefertari Cobra and persuade the royal family to consider moving to Mary Geoise."
Karl scratched his head.
"What am I supposed to do? I'm no diplomat."
"If the Government sent someone directly, it'd look too deliberate. So the job falls to you. Just go, talk to Cobra, and… investigate Crocodile discreetly."
Karl shrugged.
"Fine. I'll head out immediately."
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