"This is Trafalgar Law, captain of the Heart Pirates. For now, he's someone we can trust," Carl said, introducing him briefly before getting straight to the point.
"I got separated from my crew while fighting the Golden Lion. I have no idea if they ever passed through Rapeseed City. And from what I've seen, things seem a bit chaotic here. Sabo, do you know what's going on?"
Law stood off to the side, lips pressed together in silence.
He wasn't surprised to see the Revolutionary Army—Dragon had already mentioned them over the phone.
But he was slightly annoyed by Carl's introduction.
What does he mean by 'trustworthy for now'?
I'm not some shady backstabber, alright?!
Sabo nodded. "I arrived earlier than you and did some investigating.
"Luffy and his crew were here at some point, and I also heard that Ace showed up in this city. Apparently, they had a run-in with a Marine Captain.
"They managed to knock him out and leave, but that's what caused all the Marine activity here."
As he mentioned Ace, Sabo couldn't hide his excitement.
It had been so many years since they last saw each other. After losing his memories and forgetting his brothers, he was more eager than ever to reunite with Luffy and Ace.
Carl paused for a moment, finding the situation oddly familiar.
In the original events, Luffy and Ace did meet here… and the Marine Captain chasing Luffy was Smoker.
That guy must have come after him again. He clearly can't win, but he just won't give up.
If it's Smoker, then he definitely deserved that beating!
"If that's the case, I think I know where the Straw Hats went."
Carl's eyes gleamed with understanding. "They must have headed for Yuba. I heard that's where the Rebel Army's base is."
But Sabo shook his head. "No, the rebels are actually gathering in the neighboring city of Cattelya. They're preparing to launch an attack on the capital, Alubarna. If you want to stop the rebellion, that's where you should go."
"Huh? Is that so?"
Carl was momentarily confused.
The rebels were in the next city… but the problem was that Luffy and the others probably didn't know that!
As far as Vivi was concerned, the rebel army should be in Yuba.
But with the way things were unfolding differently from the original timeline, it was hard to say for sure.
Damn, not having a Vivre Card is such a pain!
Just then, Law's Den Den Mushi rang with a buru buru buru.
Without hesitation, he answered the call.
"Moshi moshi! Captain, bad news! Marine Admiral Akainu is here!"
Beppo's panicked voice came through the Den Den Mushi, filled with urgency.
"Nani?! Why is Akainu here?!" Law's face changed instantly.
Carl immediately grabbed the receiver and barked, "Beppo! Head straight for the big river in Alabasta! Dive immediately and don't let Akainu catch up! We'll meet on the west bank of the river mouth—got it?"
"Understood, Mr. Carl!"
Beppo didn't waste a second and hung up.
Carl turned to the others, his expression serious. "I'm guessing Akainu is after me. We can't stay here any longer.
"Cattelya is too close—it's not safe either. The only choice now is to believe that the Straw Hats really went to Yuba.
"We'll land at Erumalu, rush to Yuba, and if we don't find them there, we'll head straight for Alubarna!"
Neither Sabo nor Law objected.
Sabo was eager to reunite with Luffy and Ace, while Law—though unwilling to admit it—knew that staying close to Carl was the safest option. After all, Carl could actually stand against a Marine Admiral.
With their plan settled, the three immediately took off at full speed.
However, as soon as they left the alley, a few sharp-eyed Marines spotted them.
"Look! It's the 'Lightning Swordsman' Carl from the Straw Hat Pirates! Don't let them escape!"
"Trafalgar Law is with him too! He's another dangerous pirate! Justice must prevail—take them down!"
"Quick! Call Captain Smoker!"
Carl felt his eyebrow twitch in frustration.
Just my luck.
They could easily take down these low-ranking Marines, but with Akainu closing in, there was no time to waste. They had no choice but to keep running.
Of course, to onlookers, it looked like they were fleeing in disgrace after being chased by a bunch of rookie Marines.
How embarrassing.
But there was no time to care.
Meanwhile, at the Rapeseed City port, Akainu stood on the bow of a Marine warship, a cigar clenched between his teeth. Arms folded, he watched as the Heart Pirates' submarine disappeared beneath the waves.
"Admiral Sakazuki! We've spotted the Heart Pirates' vessel. Should we sink it?!" a Marine asked.
Akainu's expression darkened. "It's already underwater. How exactly do you plan to sink it?"
The soldier gulped, unsure how to respond.
Akainu exhaled a puff of smoke and gave his order. "Deploy the warships. Search the coastline. Carl must have entered the city.
"If he wants to regroup with his crew, that submarine has to surface eventually. When it does—sink it."
"Yes, Admiral Sakazuki!"
The Marines immediately moved into action, warships positioning themselves to encircle the coast.
At the same moment, Carl, Sabo, and Law arrived near the shoreline—only to be spotted by the Marines on board.
Akainu's sharp eyes locked onto Carl, his expression dark and murderous.
Carl met his gaze and suddenly burst out laughing. "Hahaha! What kind of luck is this? Running into a Marine Admiral today of all days."
Akainu's voice boomed with Haki-fueled authority. "Carl! If you know what's good for you, surrender now. Otherwise, you're dead the moment I make a move!"
Carl clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Sorry, Admiral Akainu, but I've got important business to take care of. No time to play with you today. How about we grab a drink some other time?"
"Then you can die now!"
The moment Akainu finished speaking, the surrounding warships fired their cannons—boom! boom! boom!—without any concern for the buildings and civilians behind Carl's group.
The Marines didn't care. And Carl and the others didn't have time to worry about it either.
"ROOM! Tact!"
Law raised his hand, his Devil Fruit power instantly creating a transparent dome around the battlefield.
With a simple flick of his fingers, the incoming cannonballs stopped midair—then reversed direction, flying straight back toward the warships.
The Marines panicked, but the trained soldiers reacted swiftly, blasting the redirected shells out of the sky before they could hit their ships.
Carl quickly used Observation Haki to check the status of the Heart Pirates' submarine. Seeing that it had successfully submerged and escaped, he let out a breath of relief.
Without hesitation, he activated his own ability—the massive black-bladed greatsword on his back suddenly split into eight smaller swords, floating around him.
Each of the three took a sword beneath their feet, using them as platforms to ascend into the air, while the remaining five hovered around them in a protective formation.
Carl smirked and waved mockingly at the warships. "Goodbye, Admiral Akainu!"
Akainu's response was instant and ruthless.
"Meteor Volcano!"
Raising both arms, Akainu's fists melted into molten magma. With a powerful launch—Bang! Bang! Bang!—he fired a barrage of enormous magma fists, each one surging toward Carl's group with terrifying speed and precision.
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