Chapter 196

Chapter 196: Roger's Low Profile

Given Carl's physical condition, the only real consequence Vegapunk foresaw from his low blood pressure was an increased tendency to slip into a sleep-like state.

Carl wasn't particularly concerned. If it ever became a problem during battle, he could simply accelerate his blood flow at will. And if sleep truly became unavoidable, he'd just find a secure place to rest—either Marine Headquarters or the Figarland family estate. Few places in the world offered better protection.

With that settled, Carl activated Kamui and vanished from Vegapunk's lab.

After months at sea, he returned directly to Marine Headquarters.

The world had been oddly quiet in his absence. Ever since the Navy's decisive victory over Roger and Whitebeard's crews, pirate activity had dwindled. Roger and Whitebeard were the undisputed kings of the sea—when they suffered a crushing defeat, the morale of pirates everywhere plummeted.

The Whitebeard Pirates had since retreated to their territory, licking their wounds like a wounded beast. Meanwhile, the Roger Pirates had all but disappeared. Their movements were increasingly elusive, giving rise to wild speculation.

Some claimed to have seen the *Oro Jackson* vanish into the sky on a powerful ocean current. Others believed Roger had perished altogether. But few bought into that theory—no mere current could claim Gol D. Roger's life.

Despite the rumors, Marine intelligence continued monitoring pirate movements. If an opportunity presented itself, the Navy was prepared to strike again while these legendary crews were still vulnerable.

Upon Carl's return to Headquarters, no one was happier than Kong—aside from Lucia and Ginny, of course.

The Fleet Admiral personally arrived at Carl's office, dropping a thick stack of documents onto his desk. Carl eyed the pile with mild confusion.

Before saying a word, Kong sniffed the air and frowned.

"Carl, does no one clean your office? It smells a bit off in here."

Carl coughed, glancing around. His office was an Admiral-class suite, complete with an assigned squad for maintenance. Lucia even stopped by this morning to tidy up.

Brushing the comment aside, he turned his attention back to the towering stack of reports.

"These are the latest intelligence updates on key pirate forces," Kong explained. "I want you to review them, especially the ones concerning Roger. He's been unusually low-key lately."

Carl sighed, rubbing his temples.

"If it's about Roger, just tell me where he is."

Kong exhaled heavily.

"If I knew that, I'd tell you. The problem is, he's hidden too well. We can't pinpoint his location."

Among the major pirate forces, the Roger Pirates were unique. They had no fixed territory, making them the hardest to track. With such a small and elite crew, infiltration was nearly impossible—unlike Whitebeard's massive fleet, which had far more openings for spies.

Unless Roger actively caused trouble, keeping tabs on him was a nightmare.

Carl tapped his fingers on the desk, recalling the sequence of events from history.

The year was Sea Circle Calendar 1496. In just a few short months, it would be 1497—the year Roger finally reached Laugh Tale.

At this point, his primary focus should be gathering the Road Poneglyphs.

Roger had already visited Fish-Man Island. With Kozuki Oden aboard, he had likely decoded the Poneglyphs on Zou and in Wano. That left only one more: the one held by Big Mom.

With that in mind, Carl flicked his wrist, storing the stack of reports inside his Kamui dimension.

"Fleet Admiral, I believe we should increase surveillance on Totto Land. Roger is likely to show up there."

Kong raised an eyebrow.

"Totto Land? That's Big Mom's territory. Roger doesn't get along with her like he does with Whitebeard. Why would he go there?"

Carl shrugged.

"Just a hunch. Besides, Totto Land is already under surveillance. Compared to Whitebeard or Roger, Big Mom's movements are easier to track."

Kong folded his arms, considering.

"…Alright. If Roger does surface in Totto Land, we'll need you to lead a task force to investigate."

Carl waved off the suggestion.

"Roger's capture is my responsibility. If he shows up, I'll go alone. No need to drag anyone else into it."

A large-scale operation in Big Mom's territory would be disastrous. The ensuing war would be costly, and the Marines weren't fully prepared.

Right now, top officers like Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji were still developing. Given time, they'd reach their peak, ushering in an era where the Navy could take on not just two Emperor crews—but *all* of them if necessary.

Understanding Carl's reasoning, Kong nodded.

"Fair enough. With your abilities, you can always retreat if needed. Just observe the situation for now."

Carl smirked, accepting the mission.