CHAPTER 56

"Forget it, let me do it." Carl reluctantly stepped forward and picked up the Den Den Mushi.

"Ah~ is that so?" Kizaru scratched his head lazily, as if this call was a mere inconvenience.

The Den Den Mushi's face morphed, taking on the likeness of Fleet Admiral Sengoku.

"Hello? Polusalino! What the hell took you so long to answer?!" Sengoku's voice carried its usual authority, but irritation was unmistakable.

Kizaru pouted slightly. "Well~ I accidentally picked up the wrong call for a moment, Sengoku-san. What's the urgency?"

"Hmph!" Though still annoyed, Sengoku composed himself. "How is the situation on your end?"

Kizaru lazily scanned the battlefield around him. "How do I put this…? Well, I suppose you could say the operation was a failure~."

"Huh?" Sengoku was momentarily stunned. "You and Carl were both there, and you failed?!"

The so-called 'Worst Generation'—these Supernovas—were nothing more than rookie pirates. In theory, even sending Kizaru alone was more than enough.

Not to mention Solomon Carl, whose combat prowess was rumored to be approaching Admiral level.

Plus, they had the Pacifista units from the Marine Science Division.

And yet, the mission still failed?!

Sengoku couldn't help but suspect Kizaru was messing with him.

"Well…" Kizaru smacked his lips. "A lot of unexpected factors came up."

"Like 'Dark King' Silvers Rayleigh's interference and… an unusual deviation in Shichibukai Bartholomew Kuma's actions."

Kizaru briefly explained the full events of the Sabaody skirmish.

Across the line, Sengoku's brow furrowed deeply, forming a "川" shape on his forehead.

"That old bastard Rayleigh actually made a move? And Kuma…"

He pondered in silence before letting out a sigh. "Forget it. This is something the World Government will have to handle. It's beyond our jurisdiction now. Return to base immediately."

The call ended abruptly.

Sengoku wasn't wrong.

Now that the matter involved a Shichibukai, the Marines couldn't act freely. The Shichibukai system was a creation of the World Government itself—any interference required their oversight.

Right now, Sengoku's focus was locked on the impending war.

"Oh~" Kizaru stretched his arms, feigning helplessness. "Carl, I'll leave the rest to you. I have to return to Marineford."

Not that it really mattered.

With Carl here, none of the higher-ups in the Marines doubted his ability to clean up the remaining Supernovas.

However, the World Government had strict procedures: If a Celestial Dragon is harmed, an Admiral or CP0 must respond.

So Kizaru had no choice but to leave.

"Yeah, yeah, go on, go on." Carl waved dismissively, his expression relaxed. "It's just a few rookie pirates. Nothing I can't handle."

"How motivated~" Kizaru chuckled, giving Carl a surprised glance.

But he didn't dwell on it. With a brief farewell, he vanished in a flash of golden light.

Once Kizaru's presence fully disappeared from his Kenbunshoku Haki, Carl turned his gaze toward Area 12, where a certain "bear" was still stationed.

With a faint smile, he commanded the figure to move.

"This is it… He was avoiding me the whole time, huh?"

Only after Kizaru left did Carl finally get the opportunity to act freely.

His eyes gleamed red, locking onto the residual hostility lingering across Sabaody.

"This time… I'm reshaping this place."

He would turn Sabaody into his own personal domain.

Marine Headquarters, Marineford

It wasn't until Kizaru returned that the Marine Executive Meeting officially began.

Six figures sat around the circular table—each one a pillar of the Marines.

• Fleet Admiral Sengoku

• Vice Admiral Garp

• Chief of Staff Tsuru

• Admiral Akainu

• Admiral Aokiji

• Admiral Kizaru

Sengoku picked up a document but didn't even bother reading it. Instead, he handed it to the goat at his side—who promptly ate it.

This was the formal complaint from the Celestial Dragons.

"Polusalino, explain to me—why did the main culprit escape?" Sengoku's hands folded, his voice unusually calm.

Kizaru raised an eyebrow. "Oh~, how terrifying, Sengoku-san~. But even I have my limits. It's not my fault that 'Dark King' Rayleigh and that 'Shichibukai' Kuma interfered~."

"Shit!" Sengoku slammed a fist on the table. "That damn Rayleigh should've stayed retired! And that damn bear…"

His frustration was obvious.

"Forget it," he exhaled. "No point in arguing. As I said, this is the World Government's problem now."

He adjusted his glasses, then spoke solemnly:

"The execution is close. Nothing can go wrong."

That's right. The Marines had officially announced the public execution of Portgas D. Ace.

The entire room turned grim.

Everyone knew what this meant.

The world's strongest man—Whitebeard—would come.

"Carl is a crucial asset. We'll summon him to Marineford for the war."

Sengoku's voice carried weight.

"Hmm~" Kizaru casually trimmed his nails. "Then just tell him, old man~."

"Is that the young Marine you keep mentioning?" Vice Admiral Tsuru, the Marines' strategic genius, finally spoke.

"That's right!" Garp laughed mid-senbei munch. "That brat is scary strong!"

"Hmm, to gain such high praise from you…" Tsuru nodded thoughtfully.

"In that case, let's summon the Shichibukai as well."

"Good idea," Sengoku smirked.

"Then it's decided."

Sabaody Archipelago

At that moment, Carl kicked a 40-million bounty pirate into the ground, marking the end of his one-sided rampage.

With Senbonzakura's thin blades, he rounded up a group of unconscious criminals and returned to the Marine base.

"Colonel Carl!" Brett and March hurried to greet him.

"Good timing," Carl said, effortlessly retracting his blades. "Lock up these pests."

"Yes, sir!"

"Alright, I'm heading back to my office," Carl added nonchalantly.

Inside that office, the "bear" awaited.

He had hidden it there earlier, waiting for an opportunity to study its secrets.

Just as he reached the entrance, a sharp voice called out:

"Hey! You, Marine!"

Carl turned.

Pink-haired Jewelry Bonney—bound to a pillar by seastone chains—glared at him.

"How much longer are you keeping me here?! Do your Marines even want your people back?!"

Despite her defiance, fear flickered in her eyes.

She had been captured by this man personally. She knew how terrifying he was—his abilities were nightmarish.

Yet, she still forced herself to act tough.

Carl's lips curled into a smirk.

"As expected of the 'Worst Generation'… You guys really think you're invincible, huh?"

Her self-confidence was so absurd that it almost made Carl laugh.

"So tell me—what exactly makes you think you have the upper hand?"

"Hmph!" Bonney's pride faltered, but she quickly masked it.

"You want your men back? Let me go first!"

Carl nearly burst into laughter.

She thought she could negotiate with him?

Just as he was about to respond—

BZZT!

The Den Den Mushi on his wrist rang.

Carl ignored Bonney and walked toward his office.

"Hey! HEY!" Bonney was stunned.

Carl picked up the receiver.

The Den Den Mushi's face shifted into a grinning old man.

"Carl~ I have news for you."

Carl exhaled a puff of smoke.

"…What is it, old man?"

Kizaru's voice remained as lazy as ever.

"…It's about Ace's execution."

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