Chapter 162

### Chapter 162: Chapter 162

For Carl, time was not an issue.

As a Vampire Fruit user, he had the means to extend his life indefinitely, feeding on blood without the need for the Op-Op Fruit.

But his loved ones didn't have that luxury. If he were the only one to gain immortality, it would become a curse rather than a blessing.

He wanted his loved ones to share eternity with him.

Carl had an idea—one that involved Vegapunk's Green Blood.

As a Devil Fruit, the Op-Op Fruit could theoretically be replicated using Green Blood. And if cloning technology was incorporated, it might even be possible to mass-produce Op-Op Fruit users.

In Carl's mind, the ideal candidate for the next Op-Op Fruit user was undoubtedly Law.

But before any of that, he needed a way to prolong Law's lifespan.

Stussy listened quietly as the two men conversed, absorbing every word.

In some ways, joining CP0 was even harder than entering Marine Headquarters. CP0 was considered the Celestial Dragons' strongest shield, directly serving their interests. Naturally, this made them more trusted than the Marines.

Ordinarily, gaining entry into CP0 was a near-impossible task. But for Carl and Saturn, a few casual words were enough to decide the matter.

And then, they were discussing the Celestial Dragons' secrets… and even the concept of immortality itself.

She gently touched Carl's hand and whispered,

"Master, should I step aside?"

Carl waved his hand dismissively. "No, just listen."

He then turned back to Saturn.

"Saint Saturn, I've always wondered… in the past eight hundred years, why has no head of the Figarland family ever undergone the anti-aging surgery?"

Saturn fell silent for a moment. His sharp gaze locked onto Carl's before he spoke in a deep voice.

"I can only say… it is because the talents of the Figarland family are too great."

Carl narrowed his eyes, immediately understanding what Saturn meant.

It was simple—someone feared the Figarland family's potential.

And that someone had to be Imu.

It made perfect sense. If the Figarland family were granted eternal life, who knew how many more individuals like Casillas would emerge?

For any ruler, that was unacceptable.

Carl snorted coldly. "Since they won't give it to me, I'll take it myself."

In his generation, the Figarland family would truly stand at the pinnacle of the world!

—

On their way back, Carl spoke to Stussy, who remained nestled in his arms.

"Stussy, after you join CP0, keep an eye on a man named Doflamingo. I'll give you his details later."

"Understood, Master."

"Do your best. And remember, I'm behind you. If anyone forces you to do something you don't want, just say my name."

Stussy smiled playfully.

"Master, I like you being behind me."

"…Huh?"

Carl immediately caught the double meaning in her words. He smirked and teased,

"Oh? Do you want to be on top of me instead?"

"Stussy listens to her master~"

—

Over the following weeks, Carl split his time between training with Garling and indulging in his personal life with Stussy.

Stussy, as the wielder of the Blood-Blood Fruit, was essentially an extension of Carl's power. And like any Devil Fruit, she needed proper development.

Ever ambitious, she often spent nights exploring the fruit's abilities with Carl, pushing its limits.

One night, she made a surprising request—she wanted Carl to brand her with the "Hoof of the Soaring Dragon" symbol on her back.

But she left a blank space in the middle of the mark.

A space that, when viewed from a certain angle, formed Carl's name.

—

A month later, Carl was finally ready to leave.

Truthfully, with Darian gone and Stussy's presence adding to his pleasure, he had been tempted to stay longer.

But duty called.

And, as it turned out, the Marines were in chaos.

Roger had been acting erratically due to illness, his movements growing unusually aggressive. His crew was making a direct approach toward Whitebeard's territory.

Ordinarily, pirates of their caliber rarely crossed paths. But when they did, their encounters inevitably led to battle.

The Marines weren't just worried about a fight.

The real concern was that these two legendary figures would drink together afterward… and reach some kind of agreement.

If Roger and Whitebeard aligned their interests, it would be catastrophic.

The problem was that the Navy was woefully understaffed for a confrontation of this magnitude.

Garp—who had once tirelessly pursued Roger—was now imprisoned.

Fleet Admiral Kong was still suffering from injuries sustained in his battle with Redfield, making it unwise for him to engage in direct combat.

As for the Admirals, Sengoku was preoccupied with high-level responsibilities, leaving only Zephyr available for deployment.

But sending Zephyr alone against Roger and potentially Whitebeard?

That was practically a death sentence.

Carl was needed.

Desperately.

When he didn't return, Kong grew increasingly anxious. He feared that the World Government had detained Carl for some secretive reason, so he directly contacted the Five Elders for answers.

The response?

Carl had just completed a classified mission.

And now, he was on a special, government-sanctioned vacation in the Holy Land.