At this point, Carl's face could be considered a world-class pass, especially when it came to the CP organizations directly under the World Government.
So the moment Carl revealed his face, Jabra and the others practically fell to their knees from the inside out.
It wasn't just about Carl's unmatched strength—more importantly, he was a Celestial Dragon, and not just any Celestial Dragon, but one of the most powerful among them.
Even if they forgot their own names, they could never forget his identity.
Jabra and the others, who had just risen to their feet, immediately dropped back down with a loud thud. Behind them, Burūno was even more exaggerated—he moved forward on his knees until he was right in front of Carl.
Carl was already used to such displays. With one hand in his pocket, he looked down at Burūno and the others with amusement.
"CP9 putting on a circus act in a place like this? You guys sure are talented."
Burūno and the others wiped the cold sweat from their foreheads upon hearing this. Carl then turned his gaze to Kalifa, who was still kneeling on the ground.
"And you—I heard your cleaning skills here are famous. You alone can do the work of an entire crew."
Kalifa's body trembled, her voice filled with unease as she responded,
"You flatter me, Saint Carl. We were just desperate… We had no other choice…"
Carl waved his hand, cutting her off. "No need to explain. Earning a living with your own abilities is commendable. But with your skills, I imagine there are faster ways to make money. Like becoming pirates, perhaps?"
At those words, Burūno and the others abruptly lifted their heads, staring into Carl's eyes as they shouted in unison,
"No! We would never become pirates! Not even for a moment!"
Carl smirked and casually lifted his hand. "Good. Then stand up."
For Burūno and the others, Carl's words were the highest decree. They dared not hesitate and immediately stood up.
Swallowing nervously, Burūno asked, "Saint Carl, are you here to capture us?"
The moment the words left his mouth, Kalifa stomped on his foot with her high heel. Burūno's face turned beet red, but in front of Carl, he didn't dare make a sound. He clenched his teeth and endured the pain.
That one stomp seemed to knock some sense into him—he realized just how foolish his question had been.
Who was Saint Carl? He was a Fleet Admiral! The sole heir of the Figarland family!
Would someone like that really come all this way just to capture a handful of small fries like them?
Even CP9, in Carl's eyes, was nothing more than a minor nuisance—perhaps not even that.
And setting aside Carl's prestigious Celestial Dragon lineage, just looking at his battle record alone.
Carl chuckled. "Capture you? Why would I do that? You're not criminals."
Burūno and the others were momentarily stunned before cautiously asking,
"Saint Carl… do you not know that we're… fugitives?"
It was an honest question. In Carl's presence, they didn't even entertain the thought of lying.
Carl swept his gaze over them and said, "How can members of CP0 call themselves fugitives?"
"CP0!?"
Even Kalifa was dumbfounded, blurting out, "Saint Carl, we're CP9…"
Carl raised an eyebrow, his expression turning serious in an instant.
"Hmm?"
Kalifa immediately shut her mouth, not daring to utter another word.
She finally understood—Carl's meaning was clear. From this moment on, they were no longer fugitives. Instead, they had been promoted directly to CP0.
No need for official documents. Carl's word alone was enough. This was true power.
Realizing this, an indescribable emotion surged through Burūno and the others, making them tremble.
The truth was, their status as fugitives had been a result of the World Government's own mistakes. Spandam had shifted all the blame onto them to escape responsibility.
They had no complaints, nor had they even dared to feel resentment. From the moment they were born, they had been branded as tools of the World Government. That was a truth that would never change.
They never expected an apology. True rulers never admit fault.
All they had ever hoped for was the restoration of their status, to be able to return to the fold of the World Government.
And now, not only had Carl granted their wish, but he had elevated them even higher—promoting them from CP9 to CP0 in a single step. This was an unimaginable rise.
Even someone as talented as Lucci, a once-in-a-century prodigy, had no idea when he would finally make it into CP0.
Not to mention, their mission to retrieve the Pluton blueprints had been a failure—a mistake that had effectively sentenced them to death.
At this moment, they had no words to express their gratitude toward Carl.
Because even their lives, which they once held dear, seemed insignificant in comparison to someone like him.
There were too many people willing to lay down their lives for Carl, including individuals of far higher standing than themselves.
Yet Carl had no interest in their gratitude. He was merely setting things right—rewarding those who deserved it and punishing those who did not.
Before Carl had even arrived, Spandam had already been stripped of his position by Spandine and confined to house arrest.
Carl had only briefly mentioned the incident in Water 7, and Spandine had immediately understood. Without needing further elaboration, he had personally ensured his son's complete demotion.
It was the wisest move. Spandine knew that as long as Carl was speaking to him about the matter, it meant he was still in Carl's good graces. That alone ensured that neither he nor his son would be easily discarded.
After all, Spandam's blunder had been severe—his actions had involved the ancient weapon, Pluton. If the Five Elders ever chose to hold him accountable, his fate would be sealed, and his future utterly destroyed.
But by punishing Spandam in advance, and with Carl saying nothing further, it was clear that Carl was satisfied with his decision.
And as long as Carl was satisfied, nothing else mattered.
Looking at the overwhelmed Burūno and the others, Carl chuckled.
"Don't just stand there. Weren't you going to buy medicine for Lucci? Let's go—I'll come with you."
With that, Carl vanished into a swirling vortex of darkness.
Through the emerald-green space of the Door-Door Fruit's ability, Burūno and the others saw Carl reappear on the other side.
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+230 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg