In the sky above the New World, Carl's crimson right eye flickered slightly.
Spotting an uninhabited island on the horizon, he activated Geppo (Moonwalk) and soared toward it, gliding with the fluidity of a CP0 assassin. His breathing was heavy, body drenched in sweat. As soon as his boots touched the sandy shore, Carl slumped down and let out a long sigh of exhaustion.
"That final strike… [Extreme・Ghost Sword Art・Storm Style・Change]… it wasn't enough to end her," he murmured, frowning.
The blow had nearly drained his stamina dry—he'd gone beyond his limit, drawing on his [Hell Road] state and compressing the last of his internal destruction Haki into the blade. He didn't stick around after releasing the attack. Using his advanced Kenbunshoku Haki, he had sensed Big Mom's aura falter significantly, though it hadn't vanished completely.
"Her vitality… is terrifying," he muttered. "Just like Kaido and Whitebeard in their primes, the bodies of these monsters are built like ancient weapons. And that wine-loving glutton… she's no ordinary Yonko."
Suddenly, a familiar mechanical chime echoed in his mind.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully signing in on Harrington Island!]
[Reward obtained: Special Prop – "Gourmet Tablecloth"! (Note: This item is sourced from a technological multiverse.)]
[The reward has been issued. Please check your inventory.]
Carl blinked, reaching into the deep pocket of his justice cloak. He pulled out a bundled object—thick and woven, emitting a faint glow of spatial technology.
"Gourmet Tablecloth '7-0-3'?" Carl's brows rose in surprise.
He recognized the name instantly—this was clearly from that childhood anime world where a certain blue robotic cat had access to fourth-dimensional gadgets. He couldn't recall the cat's name now, but he distinctly remembered the power of its bizarre tools.
"If I could extract something like that causality-altering 'Anywhere Door' or 'Phone Booth of Time'… that'd be the true cheat." He smirked, tossing the tablecloth open.
But now wasn't the time to fantasize. His physical condition was in shambles. He needed food, and fast.
[Gourmet Tablecloth]: A magical prop capable of materializing any known dish on request. Speak the name of the food aloud, and it will instantly appear—real, edible, unlimited, and cost-free!
"This… might be the best thing I've gotten so far," Carl grinned. "Let's test it!"
He spread the tablecloth on the grass beside a rock, cleared his throat, and called out: "Curry paella."
In a blink, a plate of steaming curry paella manifested. There was no smoke, no sound of teleportation—just the food, as if the world had always intended it to be there.
"Haki perception didn't catch anything… no spatial vibration, no flow of energy," Carl narrowed his eyes, deactivating his crimson sight.
If this was a tech-based spatial replacement, he might reverse-engineer the mechanism one day. But for now…
"Never mind. Time to eat," he said, plopping down cross-legged.
Carl spoke again, a smirk forming on his face. "I don't need too much… steamed lamb, steamed bear's paw, steamed deer tail, roasted duck, roasted chicken… Give me the Emperor Set!"
Dishes began to pop into existence one after another, surrounding him. Steamy, fragrant, and hyper-realistic—each food item was layered with intricate textures that would put Sanji's banquets to shame.
As he devoured the feast, the quiet island became his private sanctuary—isolated, unknown, perfect for recovery. In the distance, storm clouds loomed over the sea, but Carl simply leaned back, letting his system fuel restore his internal reserves.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the New World…
A golden light streaked through the clouds like a celestial lance.
In the blink of an eye, Borsalino (Kizaru) materialized in the sky above Totto Land, floating with his usual languid posture. His shades glinted as he observed the smoking ruins of Whole Cake Island, now warped and cracked like scorched pastry.
"Oh my, it's really tragic~" Kizaru's voice drawled as he scratched his chin.
He hovered above the decimated island, unable to sense Carl's presence with his own Observation Haki. "But strange… I can't feel Solomon Carl's aura anymore~ Did he leave already?"
Below, the territory was in chaos. Smoke billowed from the ruined Cake Castle, and the scent of scorched sugar filled the air.
Kizaru descended slowly, just as dozens of BIG MOM Pirates emerged from the wreckage.
"Marine Admiral?!" Perospero's caramel-dripping wand snapped upright. "What the hell are you doing here?!"
Behind him, Cracker, Smoothie, and the remaining high-ranking siblings were on full alert. The tension was electric.
"You want to fight us now?!" Perospero snarled, clearly shaken but refusing to show weakness.
Kizaru raised both palms lazily. "Oh no~ I'm not here to stir up trouble. Each of the Four Emperors is like a disaster of nature, after all."
He gave a relaxed grin. "I just came to ask—do you know where my friend Solomon Carl is? I heard he stopped by for a 'tourist visit'~"
Perospero's lip twitched. "Tourist, my ass…"
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That monster is gone," a trace of fear flashed in Perospero's eyes as he gritted his teeth. "We don't know where he vanished to…"
"Really?" Kizaru arched his brow with a lazy tone, raising his index finger. A golden light began to condense at his fingertip, the telltale glow of the Yasakani no Magatama technique. "I didn't happen to see your captain, though"
His tone became subtly inquisitive. "Is something wrong~?"
"What are you trying to do?!" Perospero's pupils shrank like pinpricks, immediately tensing up.
"Of course, I want to confirm whether your mama… I mean your captain… is still alive~" Kizaru's lips curved into an aloof smile.
Sa!
A golden beam of light tore through the air in an instant, shooting down like a divine punishment.
Boom!!
A thunderous shockwave echoed through Totto Land as a massive hand, crackling with Armament Haki, rose up and blocked the beam effortlessly.
The massive figure of Charlotte Linlin emerged from the smoke and heat, her hair blazing with Prometheus' flames, and Napoleon in hand. She glared at Kizaru, fury and exhaustion in her eyes.
"This is my son!" she snarled, stepping protectively in front of Perospero.
"Oh? So you're still alive, Charlotte Linlin," Kizaru drawled, floating slightly higher with an unreadable expression. "This is gonna be trouble~ Where am I supposed to find Carl now…"
The second half of the New World.
An unmarked island known only as Harrington.
On its grassy plains, Carl exhaled slowly, sitting cross-legged as the aftertaste of a full meal settled in. His shirt was loosened, and a half-burned cigar dangled from his lips.
After integrating the Rokushiki techniques, especially Life Return (Seimei Kikan), his body had achieved a state where nourishment could rapidly convert to physical energy.
"Whew—" he muttered, flicking his cigar, finally taking in his surroundings for the first time since he landed.
"So… where am I, exactly?"
Had he not been on the brink of collapse earlier, he would've snatched a permanent log pose from Totto Land before escaping. That was the smarter move.
"But with this baby… at least I won't go hungry," Carl said with a satisfied grin, patting the Gourmet Tablecloth that had just helped him recover.
Tread—
He leapt lightly into the sky, Geppo kicking off the air as he flew in a new direction.
Back in Totto Land.
Since Charlotte Linlin had shown herself, Kizaru didn't push his luck. He had already gotten what he wanted—a visual confirmation of the Yonko's survival.
"…Looks like she survived that," he mused, turning lazily midair.
He didn't engage. With the situation stable, Kizaru instead looped around the outskirts of Totto Land's waters, scanning for residual energy signatures using his Kenbunshoku Haki.
If he couldn't locate Carl, the only option was to return to Marine Headquarters and report. After all, the World Government and Marine Intelligence networks were extensive.
They would eventually track Solomon Carl down.
What he didn't know, however, was that he had just missed Carl's escape route by mere moments.
Carl, meanwhile, continued forward in the opposite direction, his Observation Haki fully extended across the horizon.
Suddenly—
"…That's…!" His eyes widened.
A strange topographical structure entered his perception—a vast area completely unlike the other islands he had seen.
No visible beaches.
Only sheer cliff faces with raging waterfalls crashing down their sides.
"A sky island? No… wait." Carl narrowed his eyes. "Don't tell me…"
There was only one place in the New World that fit this unique structure.
"…Wanokuni," he whispered.
The land ruled by the drunken lunatic Kaido. It matched the structure described in pirate intelligence records: sheer cliffs, waterfalls, no navigable shorelines.
"But I don't sense that overwhelming, fiery breath," Carl muttered. "That guy Kaido's presence should be like a burning meteor—it can't be hidden."
Still, Kaido was known for his frequent drinking binges and erratic behavior. Sometimes he left the country to fight random enemies or find "death."
"It's entirely possible he's not here right now."
Carl's eyes sharpened. "In that case… time to check it out. If I can find a permanent pose to another Yonko's territory, that would be priceless."
Step!
Carl dashed toward the waterfall without hesitation. Since he wasn't a Devil Fruit user, he had no fear of sea water and could traverse areas others couldn't.
A few moments later.
Carl stood at the edge of Wanokuni's inland sea, having scaled the waterfall like a demon fish.
Before him, in the calm waters of the basin, lay the Main Island of Wano and, off to the side, the smaller, ominous Onigashima.
He narrowed his eyes. "The main island and Onigashima… Kaido's base."
He activated his crimson [Hell Road Eye], sweeping the entire area with high-level Haki.
"…Kaido's aura isn't here."
Though Wanokuni was steeped in malicious intent—no doubt from its oppressive shogunate regime and the presence of Kaido's forces—it lacked the devastating pressure that came with a true Yonko.
Carl adjusted his direction and flew toward the main island.
Pat—
His boots touched down in a forest clearing near the outskirts of a remote village.
Carl surveyed the terrain.
"Pretty desolate…"
The outer regions were eerily quiet, the villages impoverished and their people scarce. Only in the heartland did he sense more concentrated life force.
The brutal hierarchy of Wanokuni was clear—prosperity for the capital, poverty for the rest.
Then—
"You, who are you?!"
A sharp, youthful voice cut through the silence.
Carl turned his head slightly, locking eyes with a small girl with lavender-purple hair, perched on a tree branch not far off. She was clutching a slingshot, her eyes filled with tension and suspicion.
"Are you an outsider?"
Carl raised an eyebrow, amused.
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