One Piece: The Dragon Knight of the Grand Line
Chapter 41: Dragon Knight
CHAPTER 41: CHAPTER 41: DRAGON KNIGHT
Fresh news is the easiest to become the talk of the seas.
The reason Karl became a "topic" this time still wasn’t his own strength.
It was the little dragon at his side.
Dragons, in most people’s eyes, are creatures of legend.
Especially after Kaido spread his wings and took the Emperor’s throne, sightings of his azure-dragon form have been rarer still.
Kaido and his men can become dragons because of Devil Fruits.
A pure-blooded dragon like Little White is truly rare in this world.
So when that material was scooped by minor tabloids and sold to the World Economy News, Karl appeared again—page two, just behind the front page—and was given a new title: "Dragon Knight."
As a bounty hunter making page two of the World Economy News, Karl made history.
Unlike last time, when people talked only about Carina, the focus of public chatter still wasn’t Karl—it was the little dragon.
Of course, plenty of sober heads fixed their eyes on him, too.
"A dragon? Another brat with ridiculous luck—he actually got a dragon!?"
"That dragon—is it a real dragon?"
"A legendary creature rarer than dinosaurs—does it have talents? Like in myths, does it have special powers?"
"That dragon—maybe I can snatch it and present it to Lord Kaido..."
"Pity the brat’s still in ’Paradise.’ Keep him watched! Once he hits the New World, I’ll make sure he loses both man and beast."
"......"
"Dragon Knight? So besides that Barrier-Barrier Fruit user, they actually have a dragon?"
"There’s no footage of the Dragon Knight fighting in tandem with the dragon, and from start to finish he handled those pirates alone. Looks like this year’s ’Paradise’ may produce a bounty-hunter Supernova."
"......"
In the hotel suite, after Nami finished the day’s paper, she couldn’t help grumbling. "They’ve ignored the strongest person twice now. Do those people need their eyes checked?"
"It makes one thing clear—the world is very big," Carina said seriously, eyes on her book. "Karl’s taijutsu and swordsmanship, in reporters’ and the public’s eyes, are common fare, nothing special."
"If they’d captured Karl using Gale Burst Shot, they wouldn’t be hyping Little White," she added.
"Right. If they’d filmed Karl crossing blades with a famed pirate, he’d be today’s headline," Nami said.
"Headline or not, whatever. Fame is just a matter of time for me," Karl yawned, watching Perona play with Little White. "Those guys with the treasure on their ship—let me ’refill’ off them. When are we heading back to Water 7?"
A Sabaody run had left Karl loaded. Heading back to Water 7 now would be returning in triumph.
He’d not only figured out his second trait, he’d bumped his Armament Haki two tiers—learning "Emission" and "Internal Destruction," two of the few ways to hurt the super-monsters.
Even facing Kaido and Charlotte Linlin now, Karl no longer needed to draw the mysterious spear to wound them.
He’d also mastered "Cutting Steel" and become a swordsman.
Once he got the chance to steal Rokushiki, raising his martial forms another grade, then with mind, skill, and body all without weak points, he’d be first-tier Warlord level.
If he later awakened Conqueror’s Haki and learned Conqueror’s coating, then even without a Devil Fruit he’d be at Admiral and Yonko class.
"We’ve done what we came to do and bought what we meant to buy. Time to head back," Carina agreed with a nod.
That day they checked out of the suite, returned to the port, and sailed the triangular-sail sloop away from the Sabaody Archipelago.
Their departure, besides Shakky and Rayleigh who were watching, made no ripples.
A week later, the outlaw zone’s bounty hunters and slavers—and some pirates lying low—finally realized that the terrifying "Dragon Knight" was no longer on Sabaody.
No one knew if he’d headed to Fish-Man Island or simply moved on.
By then, Karl’s crew was already on the return to Water 7.
Crossing the Florian Triangle again, Perona didn’t go back to visit Moria.
They hadn’t been gone from Thriller Bark for long; if she returned with Karl now, she and Lord Moria would definitely end up fighting again.
Having seen Karl’s strength, Perona didn’t want Lord Moria to be thrashed once more.
Back in Water 7, Carina and Nami immediately took Perona to the Galley-La Company to add some inspirations before the new ship left the yard.
Karl, meanwhile, unfurled his Observation Haki, searching for Bruno, the CP9 member with the Door-Door Fruit, who had split from Lucci and the others and was running a bar in Water 7.
Karl had hurried back not only because Sabaody held no opponents for him besides Rayleigh.
He’d come to steal CP9’s "Rokushiki."