In the Headquarters, Carl was lying on his back in a chair, swirling a glass of red wine in his hand. Ever since he became a vampire fruit user, he had developed a strong affinity for red liquids. Now, as an Admiral, his permanent residence had shifted from the G1 branch to Marineford.
However, he still served as the head of the G1 base, since with Kamui, he could appear at either location instantly. With Momonga stationed at G1, they could handle most of the pirate forces. If anything escalated beyond their control, they simply needed to inform Carl.
Carl had just taken a sip of the red wine when there was a knock on the door. Sengoku the Buddha entered, holding the hand of a young boy.
The boy was short, with fair skin and golden hair that obscured his eyes. He seemed nervous, clutching Sengoku's hand tightly as they stepped inside.
Carl took one look at the boy and immediately recognized him as Don Quixote Rocinante. However, he feigned ignorance and pointed at the boy, asking,
"What is this?"
Sengoku smiled kindly as he patted Rocinante's head. "He's my adopted son, Rocinante."
Rocinante glanced up, his large eyes peeking through his messy hair as he observed Carl nervously. Sengoku pushed him forward slightly, still smiling.
"Rocinante, didn't you always say you wanted to meet the Black Dragon Admiral? Why are you shy now?"
Carl chuckled, stood up, and approached Rocinante, kneeling down to his level. He gently ruffled the boy's hair and said, "Hello."
Rocinante, flushed with nervousness, bowed and introduced himself, "Hello, Admiral Black Dragon, I am Rocinante!"
Looking at the young Rocinante, Carl noted how different he was from his older brother, Doflamingo. Despite being siblings, the two couldn't have been more different—apart from their shared blond hair.
Carl thought of Garling and Darian, then felt a sense of relief. He stroked Rocinante's hair and smiled.
"No need to be so formal. How old are you?"
"Eleven years old," Rocinante replied in a soft voice.
"Oh, then I'm not that much older than you. From now on, just call me Brother Carl."
Rocinante looked at Sengoku for reassurance, who nodded. Hesitantly, the boy smiled and called him Brother Carl.
Sengoku placed a hand on Rocinante's shoulder, beaming.
"Carl, this kid looks up to you so much. He's been pestering me to bring him here. Sorry for the intrusion."
Carl shook his head. "It's no bother at all. He's a sweet kid, and I like him."
Sengoku's expression softened as he glanced at Rocinante, a hint of pity in his eyes. "Yes, he's a kind child, but one who's had a difficult past…"
Carl asked, "What happened to his biological parents?"
At the mention of his parents, Rocinante's cheerful demeanor faltered, and he lowered his head. Sengoku sighed, recounting Rocinante's tragic story.
Sengoku saw no reason to hide it—Rocinante's family had renounced their status as Celestial Dragons, and the World Government had abandoned them, leaving them to fend for themselves. Now, Rocinante was nothing more than an ordinary orphan.
After hearing the story, Carl glanced at Rocinante, feigning surprise. "I didn't expect this child to be a Celestial Dragon. He certainly doesn't act like one."
"Indeed," Sengoku nodded.
"He grew up in Mary Geoise, yet he retains the innocence of a regular child, which is rare. His brother, on the other hand…"
Rocinante tugged on Sengoku's trousers and whispered, "Please don't say it, Mr. Sengoku."
Although his face was hidden by his hair, both Sengoku and Carl could sense the pain in the boy's trembling body. Witnessing his brother murder their father had left deep emotional scars.
Carl thought that Rocinante's salvation had been meeting Sengoku. Without him, the boy might have gone down a darker path like Doflamingo.
Doflamingo had even approached Carl in the past, hoping to form an alliance, but Carl had declined. He had no interest in wealth—power was what mattered. Carl saw Doflamingo as a potential future asset, someone to control the underworld on his behalf.
Doflamingo both feared and respected Carl, just as he did Kaido. The fear was ingrained, stemming from the overwhelming authority of the Figarland family in Mary Geoise.
As Rocinante remained lost in painful memories, Carl gently tapped his forehead with a finger and whispered,
"Don't dwell on the past. From now on, the Navy is your home."
Wiping his tears, Rocinante nodded earnestly. "I'll become an excellent Navy officer, just like Mr. Sengoku and Brother Carl!"
Sengoku smiled with relief. Bringing Rocinante to meet Carl had been the right decision. Sometimes, the influence of a role model could surpass even that of a parent, especially for an orphan like Rocinante.
Carl suddenly asked, "Sengoku, did you give Rocinante a Devil Fruit?"
Sengoku blinked in surprise. "No, why do you ask?"
Carl sighed in relief. "It's nothing, just curious. Devil Fruits are not something to eat carelessly."
In Carl's mind, the Silence Fruit from the original story had held Rocinante back. With the right training and a better Devil Fruit, Rocinante could have become a formidable force, especially growing up in the Marine Headquarters.
He thought, if Rocinante received proper guidance, he could turn out much stronger than in the original timeline, perhaps even rivaling Doflamingo one day.
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+95 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg