Chereads / One Piece: Starting in God Valley as a Slave / Chapter 196 - Chapter 196: Roger’s Low Profile

Chapter 196 - Chapter 196: Roger’s Low Profile

Given Carl's physical condition, the only effect Vegapunk could foresee from low blood pressure was a tendency to slip into sleep mode.

Carl wasn't particularly worried about Vegapunk's prediction, if he truly found himself experiencing "low blood pressure" during a fight, he could speed up his blood flow on his own. And if he really had no choice but to sleep, he'd simply find a safe and secluded place to rest. Whether it was at Navy Headquarters or the Figarland family estate, few places in the world could rival these for security.

Without lingering further, Carl used his Kamui to leave the lab. After spending several months at sea, he returned directly to the Navy Headquarters.

During this time, pirate forces had been relatively subdued compared to before, all because of that clash between the Navy and the pirate crews of Roger and Whitebeard, which had ended in a Navy victory. Both Roger and Whitebeard's crews were the undisputed leaders among the pirate forces, and their joint defeat had dealt a massive blow to the pirates' morale.

Since that battle, the Whitebeard Pirates had retreated to their territory, licking their wounds like a beast nursing its injuries. The Roger Pirates, meanwhile, had gone almost silent, their movements increasingly elusive. Rumor had it someone saw their ship, the Oro Jackson, lifted by a wild ocean current into the sky. Some even speculated they had perished, but most people dismissed this, doubting any current could send a ship so high — let alone truly threaten Roger's crew.

Despite these rumors, the Navy Headquarters maintained surveillance on the movements of these pirate groups. If an opportunity arose, the Navy was more than ready to strike while the pirates were weak.

Upon Carl's return to Headquarters, no one was happier than Kong, aside from Lucia and Ginny. The Fleet Admiral himself arrived at Carl's office with a pile of documents, stacking them on his desk as Carl watched in mild confusion.

Kong was just about to speak when he sniffed the air, his brow furrowing.

"Carl, doesn't anyone clean your office? It smells a bit odd in here!"

Carl coughed twice. His office was an Admiral-level space, with enough attendants to form a whole squad, it was hardly neglected. Besides, his aide Lucia often came in to tidy up, like she had this very morning.

Brushing it off, Kong gestured to the stack of reports on Carl's desk.

"These are the latest intelligence reports on the primary pirate forces. I'd like you to review them, especially the ones on Roger, he's been unusually low-key recently."

Carl glanced at the mountain of documents, massaging his forehead.

"Fleet Admiral Kong, if it's about Roger, just tell me where he is."

Kong sighed.

"If I knew exactly where he was, I'd tell you. The problem is, he's hidden too well, we can't pinpoint his location."

The Roger Pirates were the only elite pirate crew among the major forces, with no fixed base, making them the Navy's biggest headache. And because they had few crew members, the World Government found it difficult to place spies on the Oro Jackson.

Unless Roger actively caused trouble, tracking him was no easy feat.

Carl tapped his fingers on the desk, recalling what he knew of Roger. According to the timeline, it was now Age of Sea Circle 1496, just a couple of months before 1497, the year Roger reached Laugh Tale. So, at this point, Roger should still be focused on finding the Road Poneglyphs. Only by gathering all four could he determine the precise coordinates of Raftel.

Of the four locations, Roger had already visited Fish-Man Island. Now, with Kouzuki Oden on board, Roger had likely already decoded the Poneglyphs on Zou and in Wano. This left only the one in Big Mom's territory.

With this in mind, Carl raised his hand and pulled the stack of documents into his Kamui dimension. Then he addressed Kong.

"Fleet Admiral, I believe we should enhance our surveillance on Totto Land. Roger is likely to show up there."

Kong blinked.

"Totto Land? But that's Big Mom's domain. Roger doesn't get along with her as he does with Whitebeard, why would he go there?"

Carl shrugged.

"Just a hunch. Besides, Totto Land has always been under the Navy's watch. Compared to Whitebeard or Roger's crew, it should be easier to monitor."

Kong crossed his arms, pondering.

"Alright. If Roger does appear in Totto Land, we'll need you to lead a task force to investigate."

Carl waved it off.

"Roger's capture is my responsibility. If he shows himself, I'll go after him — but alone. No need to bring anyone else."

Totto Land was Big Mom's home base. Any large-scale assault would guarantee an all-out war. Though the Navy could win, it would come at a heavy cost. Currently, the Navy's top forces, like Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji, hadn't yet reached their peak and needed more time to grow.

As a massive organization, the Navy's elite forces were constantly tied up with various missions. Launching a war of this scale required considerable preparation. The Navy needed time to develop its full potential. Once Akainu and the others reached their prime, it would be a golden era for the Navy. With their combined strength, they'd be able to take on not just two Emperor crews but even more, if needed.

Understanding this, Kong quickly agreed.

"That's a sound plan. With your abilities, no one can hold you if you need to retreat. Just observe the situation there."

Carl nodded, smiling as he accepted the mission.

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