The Devil of Sabaody
Carl's name was deeply ingrained in the minds of Sabaody's locals.
For gangsters, pirates, and human traffickers, his name was synonymous with terror.
His reputation wasn't built on heroic speeches or grandstanding—it was piled up with the corpses of those who defied Marine justice.
To the criminals of Sabaody, Carl was the devil incarnate.
However, for the pirates newly arriving at the archipelago, things were different.
These newcomers, unaware of the true hierarchy of terror in Sabaody, believed that the island's Marines were weak.
They had yet to learn the truth.
A Fool Challenges the Devil
"Carl Vice Admiral, that should be Bellamy the Hyena," Bright reported, adjusting his glasses.
"The captain of the **newly emerging 'Bellamy' Pirates'."
Carl exhaled a cloud of smoke.
"…Yeah, I see him."
His gaze landed on the arrogant blond youth standing before him.
"So, this dog… Bellamy, huh?"
"This uncle is Bellamy the Hyena!" Bellamy snarled, his teeth clenched in fury.
Carl waved his hand lazily.
"Doesn't matter what kind of dog."
His voice remained indifferent as he repeated Bellamy's earlier words.
"You said you were going to kill us? Make a name for yourself?"
"That's right!" Bellamy froze for a second before reaffirming his conviction.
"I must become a true strongman!"
"In this way, the Young Master will—"
"Stop, stop."
Carl groaned and dug a finger into his ear, feigning disinterest.
"I don't care about your tragic backstory. Just get to the fighting already."
He sighed.
Why did every single pirate insist on giving an inspirational speech before battle?
One wanted to be the Pirate King, another wanted to be the Bandit King…
And now here was a delusional hyena chasing after some 'Young Master's' approval.
It was getting ridiculous.
Bellamy's Spring-Loaded Assault
"You bastard…!"
Bellamy's face darkened completely.
He prided himself on being a member of the Donquixote Family, and this Marine's dismissive attitude infuriated him.
BOOM!
Bellamy slammed his foot down, his entire calf transforming into a massive, coiled spring.
His legs tensed—
The springs contracted violently—
And then—
BOOM!
Bellamy exploded forward, launching himself with terrifying speed!
"DIE!"
He rocketed forward, his fist coated in Armament Haki as he closed the distance in an instant.
The Absolute Gap in Power
Yet—
None of the Marines flinched.
Instead, they stood completely at ease, watching as though they were observing a casual street performance.
Bellamy's fist, capable of punching through a building, was suddenly halted—
By a single finger.
"…What?"
Bellamy froze in midair.
His pupils shrank to pinpoints.
His spring-powered punch, amplified by Haki, had been completely nullified.
And the worst part?
Carl hadn't even used Haki.
Bellamy's breath caught in his throat.
Impossible.
His full-speed, full-power attack—stopped by a single finger?!
Carl tapped his cigar, casually inspecting the blackened Haki covering Bellamy's fist.
"You actually know Armament Haki?"
He raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
To be honest, since leaving Marine Headquarters, he had encountered nothing but incompetent rookies.
Most of them didn't even have Devil Fruits—just overconfident nobodies who had gotten drunk on their own ambitions.
Carl had been bored stiff dealing with them.
But this blond moron…
He actually had Haki.
A "Serious" Pirate?
"Huh."
Carl chuckled, flicking the ash from his cigar.
"Well, at the very least… you're a serious pirate."
Saa—!
Bellamy gritted his teeth and kicked backward, launching himself away with a burst of spring energy.
"Who the hell are you?!"
Carl raised an eyebrow.
"Didn't I already say?"
He exhaled a puff of smoke.
"A Marine. Guardian of Sabaody."
Bellamy's face twisted into an ugly scowl.
"Bullshit!"
"Sabaody's Marines are trash!"
Carl merely smirked, his eyes calm.
A Desperate Gamble
Bellamy clenched his fists.
He couldn't lose.
Not here.
Not after everything.
He had made a promise to Doflamingo.
If he lost, he wouldn't be worthy of the Donquixote Family's symbol.
His defeat would mean complete and utter disgrace.
"I won't lose!"
A fierce light burned in Bellamy's eyes.
BOOM!
He crouched low—
The springs in his legs coiled to their absolute limit.
Carl rubbed his chin.
"Huh… this move's kinda similar to the Straw Hat brat."
Bellamy sneered.
"You'll soon see Uncle Bellamy's true power!"
With that—
BOOM!
His springs snapped free—
Unleashing a massive burst of force.
"SPRING SNIPER!"
Bellamy vanished from sight.
Like a human cannonball, he shot forward at blinding speed.
The Moment of Impact?
A deafening shockwave tore through the air.
Bellamy's grin widened—
He had done it!
His head had made contact with Carl's chest!
But then—
Saa!
A flicker of movement.
A sharp, chilling sound.
What just happened?
Bellamy's smirk suddenly froze—
And his eyes widened in horror.
Because in that instant—
He realized something was very, very wrong.
A Fool's Final Stand
Bellamy's momentum surged forward—
And then—
He went straight through Carl's body.
"W-What…?!"
His pupils contracted sharply, his mind unable to process what had just happened.
His entire body, unable to stop, hurtled straight past the Marine Vice Admiral—
Toward the sea.
BOOM!
A towering splash erupted as Bellamy crashed into the ocean, sinking like a deadweight.
The Fate of a Foolish Pirate
"Boss!"
"Boss!!"
His crew members shouted in panic.
Bellamy was a Devil Fruit user—
The ocean was his natural enemy.
The moment he touched the water, his fate was sealed.
Meanwhile, Carl stood calmly, precisely one meter to the left of where Bellamy had attacked.
A faint smoke ring drifted from his lips.
"…That was brave, I'll give him that."
In the spot where Carl had originally been standing, an afterimage flickered and dissipated.
Speed.
It was a skill he had refined after studying the techniques of 'Red the Aloof'—Patrick Redfield.
That old man's speed had been unlike anything he had ever seen.
After mastering Haki, Carl had devoted himself to enhancing his movement techniques.
He hadn't perfected it yet.
But—
For now, it was enough.
The Hunt Begins
Bright and the other Marines had already reacted, intercepting Bellamy's subordinates as they tried to jump into the sea to save him.
"Carl Vice Admiral, the arrest is complete," Bright reported, saluting.
Carl's red eyes flickered, his Observation Haki sweeping through the island.
At the bottom of the sea—
Bellamy's presence vanished.
"…He's dead."
Carl exhaled, then turned his attention to the rest of Sabaody.
One after another, malicious auras began appearing within his perception.
Sabaody was filled with "brave" fools just like Bellamy.
Carl smirked.
"Bright."
"Yes, sir?"
"Head back to base. Gather the Marines. I want every single new pirate in Sabaody rounded up."
A cruel glint flickered in his eyes.
"Such 'brave' people… shouldn't be allowed to exist."
"Yes, sir!"
Carl then turned to Coffey.
"You're going too."
Coffey blinked.
"Sir?"
"Consider this live combat training."
A look of surprise and excitement flashed in Coffey's eyes.
"Understood!"
He turned to Bright.
"Lieutenant Colonel, I'll take us there directly!"
Coffey had spent a long time setting up his Mark Fruit's spatial markers all across Sabaody.
Naturally, he had one at Marine Base.
"Alright," Bright adjusted his glasses.
It was times like these that made Coffey's ability absurdly convenient.
An invisible ripple spread from Coffey's body.
The two vanished instantly.
Carl raised an eyebrow.
"That fruit's really something."
If developed further, its upper limits would be terrifying.
Leaving a mark, teleporting, bringing others along…
Even Carl felt a little envious of its potential.
The Purge of Sabaody
Under Carl's orders, waves of Marines descended upon the island.
One by one, the various pirate crews were caught in the purge.
The entire Sabaody Archipelago erupted into chaos.
Shakky's Rip-Off Bar (Area 13, Sabaody)
Inside a dimly lit bar, a woman exhaled a cloud of smoke.
"That guy…"
She flicked her cigarette.
"Why is he back so early?"
Rayleigh had left for Amazon Lily.
He wasn't here.
Squeak—
The door creaked open.
A figure stepped inside.
Shakky's eyes narrowed.
"Solomon Carl."
She set her cigarette aside.
"…What are you doing here?"
Carl took a slow look around before turning his gaze back to her.
"Old man Rayleigh isn't here?"
Shakky's heartbeat skipped.
Her tone turned serious.
"No."
She folded her arms.
"…Why are you looking for an old man like him?"
Carl exhaled a lazy smoke ring, settling into a seat at the bar.
"Relax. I'm a customer too, aren't I?"
He smirked.
"How about a drink?"
Shakky chuckled.
"Heh."
"Not afraid I'll poison it?"
Carl's smile didn't waver.
"If you don't poison me, you're dead."
His voice was calm, but the weight behind it was undeniable.
Shakky's gaze sharpened.
Even if she used poison, this man…
His physique was monstrous.
Even Magellan's Venom-Venom Fruit likely wouldn't kill him.
She sighed.
Turning away, she began mixing the drink.
Snap—
A glass of liquor landed in front of Carl.
Shakky leaned on the counter.
"Alright, spit it out."
She exhaled smoke.
"What the hell do you want?"
Carl took a sip.
"Nothing much."
He set the glass down.
"I just wanted to check in on that old guy Rayleigh."
Shakky's gaze sharpened.
"…"
Carl smirked.
"Also… your bar has good liquor."
But in reality—
Rayleigh was Sabaody's biggest destabilizing factor.
Carl was about to be stationed at Marineford.
Before leaving, he needed to send a warning.
He wouldn't let Rayleigh follow in the footsteps of Golden Lion or Redfield.
Carl stood, flicking his cigar ash into an ashtray.
As he reached the door—
His voice cut through the air like a blade.
"When that old bastard comes back from Amazon Lily…"
Shakky's eyes narrowed.
Carl's gaze remained cold.
"Tell him."
"If he causes trouble in Sabaody—"
Carl's expression remained indifferent.
"I'll make sure his retirement is legendary."
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