At that moment, Carl was making his way toward the port.
But his pace was slow, almost leisurely, as if he wasn't in a rush at all.
"If they don't face fear themselves, they'll never understand how powerful the enemy truly is. I'll take my time… let them struggle a little, learn some hard lessons. That way, they'll be motivated to train seriously in the future. As for whether they'll get killed… heh, my Observation Haki is always active."
Carl had no problem letting his crew fend for themselves.
If he had to step in every time they were in danger, they would never grow. Sometimes, a little tough love was necessary.
The same went for Luffy—letting him fight an Admiral would teach him just how far he still had to go. Real combat was always the best teacher, as shown in the original story.
With Carl around, he had to create reasons for not interfering too soon, allowing his crew to undergo real battle experiences.
Just then, he noticed a familiar figure.
"Huh? That girl… Tashigi?"
A young woman with glasses, wearing a floral shirt and sporting short black hair, was furiously punching a wall. Tears welled in her eyes as she muttered angrily to herself.
"Damn it! Damn Roronoa Zoro!"
"Why?! Why is a legendary sword in the hands of someone like him?!"
"It's because I'm a woman, isn't it? That's why no one takes me seriously! You totally look down on me, you damn pirate hunter!"
Carl smirked, overhearing everything. So, this fake Kuina had already met Zoro, and her resentment toward him was still as intense as ever. Kuina's death was a tragic loss, but if Zoro and Tashigi ended up as rivals—or something more—it could be interesting to watch.
Then, an amusing idea popped into his head.
"What if I bring her to the port… and she sees Zoro all bloodied and beaten? That reaction would be priceless. And since we're in Loguetown, it's only fitting that Smoker and Tashigi make an appearance early, right?"
Deciding to stir the pot, Carl stepped forward.
"Hey there, little Marine. Are you crying?" he asked, putting on the act of a friendly passerby.
"Huh?! No, I wasn't crying! I was just—"
Tashigi quickly wiped the corners of her eyes, flustered. But as she looked up, her gaze landed on Carl's waist—where three swords hung.
Her eyes widened.
With a gasp of excitement, she lunged forward, staring directly at his swords, her face practically pressed against his stomach.
"This girl…! She's completely hopeless!"
Awkwardly, Carl took two steps back, creating some distance.
"Ah! S-Sorry! I got too excited!" Tashigi stammered. Then, straightening herself, she cleared her throat. "Sir, could I… take a look at the swords on your waist?"
"Oh, sure. Go ahead and take a look," Carl said casually, standing still as Tashigi eagerly examined his swords.
Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she carefully studied the hilts. She quickly pulled out a small booklet, flipping through its pages while muttering to herself.
"This is… the Obsidian, a fine-grade sword!"
"And this one… Sandai Kitetsu, a Third Generation Kitetsu!"
"And this… yet another quality blade!"
"So many famous swords!" Tashigi gasped, looking up at Carl with admiration. "Sir, are you a swordsman who uses three blades? Oh—n-no, I don't mean to compare you to that green-haired pirate! I just think it's incredible that you have so many legendary swords!"
Carl watched her with amusement, unable to even introduce himself.
Tashigi's dream was to collect every famous sword—but unfortunately, she lacked the strength to wield them properly.
And, of course, Carl placed part of the blame on Smoker. The guy had no clue how to teach people—always brooding, puffing cigars, and dragging his subordinates along for the ride. If he had sent Tashigi to train under someone like Hina or Gion instead, she'd be much stronger by now. Instead, she spent her time acting arrogant while constantly getting into trouble.
"Tashigi's been completely held back by Smoker."
With a soft chuckle, Carl asked, "So, you really love famous swords, huh?"
"Of course!" Tashigi declared without hesitation. "My dream is to collect every legendary sword and take them away from the hands of villains!"
"Heh. That's a good goal—but you do realize that if you're not strong enough, instead of taking their swords, you'll just end up losing yours, right?"
"I… I know," Tashigi admitted, her enthusiasm dimming. "I realized it after fighting that green-haired pirate, Zoro. I thought I could take his sword, but the truth is… I couldn't even hold my own against him."
For the first time, she truly understood how much power mattered.
"Well, the three-sword style user you mentioned isn't all that strong anyway," Carl said with a smirk. "Right now, he's getting wrecked by Vice Admiral Onigumo at the port."
Tashigi's eyes widened. "Vice Admiral Onigumo?! The Marine fleet is back?!"
"Kizaru is here too. Want to go see for yourself?"
"Absolutely!"
With that, Carl successfully lured Tashigi toward the port.
As they walked, she suddenly realized something. "Oh, I never got your name, sir."
"Carl," he replied simply.
"I'm Tashigi!" she said with a grin. "Let's talk about famous swords again sometime!"
The port wasn't far, and Carl and Tashigi arrived quickly.
Luffy, locked in an intense battle with Kizaru, instantly sensed Carl's arrival. A wide, brilliant grin spread across his face, nearly dazzling Kizaru.
"Ohhh? You can still smile at a time like this?" Kizaru mused lazily. "Well then, let's make sure that smile stays in Loguetown forever."
"Yasakani no Magatama!"
Whoosh! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Countless beams of light rained down toward Luffy. He dodged as best he could, his Observation Haki barely allowing him to evade the onslaught.
Yet despite the intense pressure, Luffy felt a weight lifted off his shoulders. Carl's here! That meant he no longer had to worry about his crew's safety—he could focus entirely on fighting Kizaru.
Carl, meanwhile, surveyed the battlefield with perfect clarity.
Zoro and Sanji were still holding their own against Onigumo, but miserable didn't even begin to describe their condition. Bloodied, battered—barely standing.
Usopp had been launching attacks with his massive slingshot, but against Vice Admiral Hina, it was practically useless. Time and time again, she would leap into the air, grab him, and slam him into the ground. If not for his Mythical Zoan fruit, he'd have already lost consciousness.
As for Nami, Jango, and Lijie—they were struggling just to hold their ground. The Marine fleet's bombardment was relentless, and in the chaos, Lijie had even been shot.
"This… this is terrifying!"
Tashigi's face turned pale as she took in the scene. "Even Roronoa Zoro, who I couldn't match in a fight, is being completely overwhelmed by a Vice Admiral!"
But before she could say more, she realized—Carl was no longer beside her.
In the blink of an eye, he had appeared in front of Usopp. With a single draw of Obsidian, a surge of black lightning crackled through the air.
Boom!
The strike sent Vice Admiral Hina hurtling backward.
"Teacher Carl!!!"
The Straw Hats' voices rang out in unison—relieved, ecstatic, reinvigorated.
Carl merely grinned. "So, how was it? Did you finally understand the true terror of the Marines?" His tone was light, but there was no mistaking his intent. "Consider this a special lesson—to teach you just how terrifying the Grand Line truly is."
The realization hit them all at once.
Carl knew they were in trouble. He had always known.
And yet, he let it happen—just to make sure they felt the power of the Marines firsthand.
"This guy is a total devil!"
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