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

"Of course not. If I could alter people's memories and personalities, I wouldn't have to go through all this trouble. I wouldn't need to hold daily prayer meetings to maintain their faith," Capone Bege explained nonchalantly.

"My ability is simple: I implant my thoughts into their minds, and while I'm at it, I can instill some knowledge as well. How much they absorb and retain, however, depends on their individual aptitude and learning capacity."

Karl finally understood after this brief explanation. While Capone Bege's ability seemed impressive, it came with significant limitations.

After all, it was essentially a power to drill a hole into someone's mind.

A literal brain-opener!

If it could do everything, it might truly be invincible. But even as it stood now, the ability was formidable, though it required careful use.

Unfortunately, Karl also noted that Bege's Haki was subpar, and his body seemed far from well-coordinated. A simple glance revealed that Capone Bege hadn't been training his physique properly—his plump, rounded figure attested to that.

"Capone Bege, speaking of which, have you been practicing the Six Powers training regimen I gave you?" Karl's abrupt question felt like a pop quiz from a strict schoolteacher, instantly flustering Bege.

"I… haven't," Bege stammered, avoiding Karl's gaze and lowering his head.

Karl sighed at the response, momentarily unsure how to reply. "Forget it. We'll address this later. For now, your ability is decent, but if your physical skills don't improve, you'll be nothing more than cannon fodder on the Grand Line. Remember this: a strong Devil Fruit power is only one part of the equation. Your physical foundation is the key. Without a strong base, your body—the tower that houses your abilities—will collapse without warning."

To emphasize his point, Karl flashed forward, grabbing Bege's throat in an iron grip.

"This is how easily you can be subdued without proper training," Karl declared, his tone stern.

He held him there for a few seconds before letting go. Despite Karl's restraint, Capone Bege still staggered back, coughing and gasping for air. His constitution was woefully inadequate. Yet, compared to five years ago when they had first met, Bege had improved substantially.

"Tell me about the West Blue," Karl continued. "Are there any pirates in the area? I have a mission to capture a hundred pirates alive for delivery to Impel Down. If there are any troublesome ones nearby, I'll handle them."

"The pirates in the West Blue are scarce nowadays," Bege said, massaging his neck. "And most who remain can't escape the intelligence network of the Red Church. I'm afraid I won't be of much help."

Karl sighed. He hadn't expected much, as the West Blue's current peace rivaled that of the East Blue. To hunt pirates, he'd have to head to the more turbulent North or South Blue.

"By the way, Lord Karl, Kuro will be arriving soon. Since you're already here, why not stay a few days to catch up?" Bege suggested, noticing Karl's disappointment.

Karl nodded in agreement. It had been three years since he last saw Kuro, who had since gained the nickname "Thunder Strategist." However, even with his recent notoriety, Kuro's strength still had its limits, especially in the Grand Line's New World.

Thus, Karl decided to stay in the West Blue. During his stay, he planned to visit the Marine branches in the region, hoping to capture some pirates along the way. Kong had tasked him with delivering 100 pirates to Impel Down, though Karl had no intention of personally escorting them. He could delegate that to the local Marine branches and simply report to Sengoku afterward.

Having "connections" had its perks.

However, when Karl arrived at one of the Marine branches, the scene before him left him stunned.

The outer walls of the branch were decrepit, appearing as if they hadn't been repaired in decades. Worse, the branch had only a single warship!

For context, even the weakest Marine branches in the East Blue had at least four or five ships. Loguetown, thanks to Karl's influence, boasted over a dozen warships. Yet this West Blue branch was practically impoverished.

Scanning the training grounds, Karl estimated fewer than 500 personnel were present. With such a small force, they'd be lucky to defend themselves against pirates, let alone apprehend any.

"What's going on here?!" Karl finally exploded after surveying the branch for nearly ten minutes. He descended from the sky, landing directly in front of the commanding officer.

The Marines panicked at his sudden arrival, scrambling to arm themselves. But their weapons were laughable—many carried rusted blades and firearms that weren't even standard Marine issue.

"Who are you?! How did you get here? And where did you get that Marine uniform? Identify yourself immediately!" the base commander barked, drawing a pistol and pointing it at Karl.

"I'm Commodore Karl from Marine Headquarters," Karl declared, his voice heavy with displeasure. "The real question is why your branch is in such a deplorable state. And put down that weapon before I lose my patience."

To punctuate his words, Karl unleashed his Conqueror's Haki in a controlled burst.

In an instant, the surrounding Marines collapsed, overwhelmed by the sheer pressure. Only the base commander remained standing, though his legs trembled uncontrollably.

"You… you're really Commodore Karl?" the commander stammered, barely able to keep his composure.

"There's no need to question my identity," Karl replied coldly. "Just answer my question: why is this branch in such shambles?"

Karl had suspected the West Blue's Marine branches weren't as well-maintained as those in other seas, but the reality was far worse than he'd imagined. Capone Bege's description of well-equipped Marines clearly didn't apply here.

This was a disaster.

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