One Piece: Signing In as a Pirate Begins with Roger's Execution

Karl kept his eyes fixed on Patrick's movements, carefully analyzing any flaws in his technique, aiming for the opportunity to strike and injure his opponent.

Though Karl's current strength wasn't significantly weaker than Patrick's, his mastery of advanced Armament Haki, particularly Ryuo, remained incomplete. His Observation Haki, while proficient, hadn't improved much over the years and was still at an advanced level. There was still a slight, yet undeniable gap between him and the pinnacle of top-tier power.

However, even with these limitations, Karl's current strength was enough to pose a genuine threat to Patrick.

Despite his earlier claims about feeling pity for Patrick and his hesitation to gang up on him alongside Kong, Karl's actions spoke differently.

The moment Baroric attempted a counterattack, Karl would leap forward, swiftly teaching him a lesson in "not moving recklessly."

This was what Karl called justice in a two-against-one fight.

As one of the Marine principles stated: "If you can outnumber your enemy, never fight fair."

This principle was also one that Karl firmly believed in.

Solo duels introduced too many uncertainties, increasing the risk of the enemy escaping. Karl never advocated for one-on-one fights. A righteous battle, in his eyes, was one where the Marines outnumbered their opponent.

The fight dragged on. Forced into a two-against-one confrontation, Patrick was simply no match for the combined might of Karl and Kong.

Had it been a one-on-one duel between Patrick and Kong—a battle of titans—it might have lasted ten days and ten nights without a clear winner. But with Karl in the mix, the tide had shifted dramatically. After just three days of relentless combat, Patrick was visibly at his limit.

The high-intensity battle, compounded by the need to fend off two opponents simultaneously, was taking a severe toll on Patrick's body. He was now covered in wounds from head to toe, his face grotesquely battered by Kong's brutal strikes.

Still, Kong wasn't unscathed. To prevent Patrick from escaping, Kong had taken several direct hits, leaving his own body littered with injuries.

Kong's heavy breathing and visible exhaustion were clear signs of his age. If he had been 20 or 30 years younger, he wouldn't have been struggling this much.

As for Karl, he had suffered only minor damage. Apart from his Marine uniform being shredded, he was relatively unharmed.

"Damn Marines! Besides ganging up on me, what else can you do?!" Patrick roared, his voice trembling with fury. "If you have the guts, face me one-on-one! I'll take you all down, one by one!"

"Ha! Dream on," Karl scoffed.

Patrick's frustration boiled over, his composure shattered. His once-menacing aura was now replaced by a disheveled and pitiful appearance. Yet neither Karl nor Kong showed him the slightest hint of sympathy.

Patrick's crimes were too numerous to count. The lives he'd taken far outnumbered those claimed by both Roger and Whitebeard combined. For a man like him, no matter how tragic his current state, mercy was not an option.

"Hmph! A lowly pirate lecturing me? As long as it upholds justice, what's wrong with a two-against-one fight?" Kong declared with righteous authority, his expression unyielding.

Karl nodded in agreement, giving Kong a thumbs-up. "Well said, Fleet Admiral. This is what Marine justice looks like!"

"You… bastards…" Patrick muttered, collapsed on the ground, completely incapacitated.

Kong glanced at Patrick with cold disdain before turning to Karl. "Keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't cause any trouble. I'm going to summon reinforcements."

With that, Kong launched himself into the air using Moonwalk, heading toward the nearby sea. The Den Den Mushi they'd been using for communication had been destroyed during the battle, so Kong had no choice but to go personally.

Karl stayed behind, crouching next to Patrick.

"So, Mr. Patrick Redfield, do you have any last words?" he asked with a calm smile.

"Hah! You're just sending me to Impel Down, aren't you? Fine by me! Whether I rot there or die of old age, it doesn't matter. But mark my words, brat—if I ever escape, you'll be the first one I kill!" Patrick spat, his eyes blazing with hatred.

Karl glanced at Patrick's battered body, his gaze lingering on the wounds he himself had inflicted. He chuckled softly, flashing a charming grin as he drew his Sandai Kitetsu, its blade glinting menacingly as he pressed it against Patrick's chest.

"Well, since you put it that way, there's no way I can let you go, is there?"

"You… you wouldn't dare!" Patrick's voice trembled slightly, though he quickly regained his composure. "You know it's against Marine law to execute a defenseless prisoner. If you do this, you'll be violating your own code of justice! Isn't it ironic? The very laws you uphold now protect the likes of me!"

"Hahahaha!" Patrick laughed maniacally, convinced Karl wouldn't follow through.

But then, a sharp pain pierced his chest. Blood gushed from his mouth and heart, staining the ground.

Patrick's eyes widened in disbelief as he realized Karl had done the unthinkable.

"Execution… begins," Karl said coldly, a smirk playing on his lips. He stood up, yanked his blade free, and delivered another swift slash for good measure.

Blood sprayed everywhere, painting the battlefield red. Karl gazed at Patrick's lifeless body, noting the defiance still etched in his eyes.

With a wry smile, Karl muttered to himself, "Do you really think a Celestial Dragon like me cares about rules?"

His voice carried a hint of bitterness. Over time, Karl had learned to accept—and even joke about—the detestable identity he could never escape.

Sometimes, that identity proved useful, like now. Unlike ordinary Marines—even admirals—who were bound by law, Karl was free to execute pirates without consequence.

He could kill whoever he wanted.

[Task Complete: Defeat Patrick Redfield. Bonus mission reward: Mastery of Advanced Armament Haki (Ryuo).]

"Ryuo, huh?" Karl murmured, his smirk widening. "Not bad at all."

After a series of unlucky encounters, it seemed fortune had finally smiled upon him. Before Kong could return, Karl accessed his system interface to review his abilities.

[Abilities: Superhuman Strength (Perfect), Swordsmanship (Perfect), Marine Rokushiki (Perfect), Life Return (Advanced), Conqueror's Haki (Perfect), Armament Haki (Exceptional), Observation Haki (Advanced), Iron Body (Perfect), Indomitable Will (Perfect), and more.]

Karl's smile deepened. His hard work was paying off.

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