Carl drew the Third Generation Sandai Kitetsu and swung it forward, slicing through a wave of molten magma fists.
The severed magma chunks plummeted into the sea, instantly boiling the water upon impact—a terrifying display of power.
Just as Carl was about to move again, a sharp gust of wind whistled from above. A Marine, transformed into a bird-like Zoan form, dove at Sabo with razor-sharp talons extended.
Without hesitation, Sabo whipped out the metal pipe from his back, using it to parry the incoming attack. His right hand shaped into a claw, striking swiftly and mercilessly.
The Marine underestimated Sabo's speed—before he could react, Sabo's Dragon Claw Fist clamped onto his ankle.
Crack!
The sound of bones snapping echoed through the battlefield.
Before the Marine could even scream, Sabo twisted his body, using the momentum to swing his metal pipe like a bat. With a boom, he sent the Marine hurtling straight toward a warship.
Carl, meanwhile, sheathed the Third Generation Sandai Kitetsu and drew Obsidian instead.
The air crackled as dark electric arcs surged around the blade, pulsing with an ominous energy. A powerful sword aura radiated from the weapon, sending chills down the spines of nearby Marines.
Akainu's expression darkened. Without hesitation, he launched himself off the deck of his warship, soaring into the sky.
Carl's eyes sharpened. He raised his blade and slashed down.
"Cracking Sea: Lightning Slash!"
A massive, black electric arc tore through the sky, streaking toward Akainu with devastating force. The sheer intensity of the attack sent waves rippling across the sea, the arcs of lightning flickering ominously.
But Akainu did not flinch. Instead, he roared and met the attack head-on.
"Great Eruption!"
A colossal magma fist surged forward, colliding directly with Carl's lightning slash.
The impact was catastrophic.
The clash of black lightning and molten lava caused the very air to tremble, distorting the space around them. Violent shockwaves tore through the battlefield, sending massive waves crashing into nearby warships.
The sea itself churned, forming a massive whirlpool beneath them.
Onlookers were frozen in place, witnessing a battle between monsters.
The Marines had never seen anything like this before—their eyes widened in sheer disbelief as chaos unfolded before them.
Even Law, standing on his floating black sword, felt his pupils contract.
It was the first time he had truly witnessed the power of world-class fighters.
And in that moment, he realized something terrifying—compared to this level of combat, he wasn't even qualified to watch.
"He can fight an Admiral at this level!"
Even though Carl and Akainu had only exchanged a single blow, that one clash was enough to show how powerful they were.
The others weren't even on the same level!
Sabo also looked at Carl in surprise. He didn't know much about him, only what he had heard from Dragon and read in newspapers. He was aware that Carl had fought Kizaru and managed to escape unscathed.
But now, after witnessing Carl's battle with Akainu firsthand, he realized Carl was far from ordinary.
People often said that Luffy, captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, had Admiral-level strength, but very few truly understood Carl's real power.
If Carl's strength was comparable to two Admirals, then once the Straw Hats entered the New World, it would be impossible for them not to shake up the balance of the Five Emperors!
Boom! Carl's slash and Akainu's Magma Fist collided, erupting in a powerful explosion.
Akainu used Moonwalk to return to the deck, his expression dark as he watched Carl and the others fly higher and higher.
Moonwalk allowed movement in the air but wasn't suited for long-distance flight, making it impossible for him to catch up. That was why his face looked so grim.
He had underestimated Carl.
It seemed that Kizaru hadn't been slacking off last time. Both Luffy and Carl were truly formidable. Kizaru might have suffered a setback but chose not to report his injuries to Sengoku.
For the first time, Akainu understood Kizaru's reasoning—it wasn't an easy fight.
"Sakazuki-san, if my guess is correct, they're headed toward Erumalu is a town in the Arabasta Kingdom. Should we pursue them?" a soldier asked.
"Of course we're chasing them!" Akainu ordered. "Carl is too dangerous, and the Straw Hat Pirates pose an enormous threat. We must deliver justice! Inform the Marine branches nearby—block Alabasta's coastline. We can't let these criminals escape!"
"Yes, Sakazuki-san!"
The Marines immediately carried out his orders.
Akainu kept his eyes on the direction Carl and the others had vanished, his body still radiating killing intent.
Meanwhile, aboard the small black sword flying at high speed, Carl and the others finally let out a sigh of relief.
Sabo couldn't help but exclaim, "I never expected you to be this strong at such a young age, Carl. It's truly impressive!"
Carl waved his hand dismissively. "Just call me Carl. And if you think I'm strong, wait until you see Luffy. That guy is far stronger than you are right now!"
"Hehe, I know," Sabo chuckled. "I've heard about Luffy's battles against Hawkeye, Golden Lion, and Kizaru. He really has become a monster!"
"But he's still no match for Mr. Garp! Hahaha!"
Hearing Carl's joke, Sabo momentarily spaced out...
It reminded him of the days when he, Luffy, and Ace were relentlessly "trained" by Garp. Back then, despite all the beatings, they had truly been carefree.
Meanwhile, Law, clutching his beloved sword tightly, asked in a deep voice, "Master Carl, based on your judgment, how long would I need to train before I can use a slash like the one you just unleashed?"
Carl was taken aback for a moment but gave it some serious thought.
Then, after a brief pause, he answered confidently, "Two years! If you train hard for two years, you should be able to reach that level!"
Two years, huh?
Law fell into deep thought before his expression turned resolute.
Two years was nothing. He had waited for years already, so waiting another two wouldn't be a problem. In that time, both he and his crew could grow stronger, and by then, maybe he would finally have the power to take down Doflamingo!
Carl could more or less guess what Law was thinking, but he didn't say anything.
As for how he came up with that timeframe, it was simple—it was based on the original timeline.
In the original story, Law also trained for two years before gaining the strength to challenge Doflamingo. However, Law had spent a lot of that time making careful calculations and strategizing, which likely meant his actual combat training had suffered.
If he focused solely on improving his strength, he could definitely reach an even higher level.
That was why Carl had given such a confident answer!
Besides, if things didn't go as planned, the Straw Hats could always step in. Knowing Luffy and his reckless nature, he was bound to clash with Doflamingo sooner or later. In the end, it would still turn into another grand battle to liberate a nation.
The only question was how the confrontation with Doflamingo would unfold.
As Carl and the others flew across the wide Alabasta river, they soon spotted the opposite shore.
However, to their surprise, they didn't see the Heart Pirates' submarine. Instead, they spotted the Straw Hats sailing forward on the Going Merry—with people aboard.
"Just as expected! Looks like Carl was right!"
Sabo was excited when he saw two familiar figures.
Carl let out a relieved sigh. Luckily, they had caught up.
Reuniting with the main crew always brought a sense of security. Earlier, when facing Akainu alone, Carl had no choice but to flee. But now, if Akainu showed up again, things would be different. This time, Carl might be able to walk away at his own pace.
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