One Piece!

Early in the morning, in the villa's backyard, Carlos wore a loose black robe. His legs were slightly bent in a Horse Stance as faint, mist-like pale golden Internal Energy flowed through the meridians of his body. The next moment, Carlos moved.

His five fingers curled like hooks, their tips faintly gleaming with pale golden light. His figure vanished from where he stood in an instant. Both arms swung, claw shadows crisscrossing as they tore toward a stone pillar as thick as an embrace.

Pfft! Pfft!

Power flowed through him, perfectly uniting the force of his movement, waist, arms, wrists, and five fingers. Fierce, razor-sharp strength erupted, instantly leaving five pitch-black finger holes and a claw mark over an inch deep in the stone pillar!

After that strike, a storm of attacks followed in an instant. Carlos's entire body became a weapon—claws, elbows, shoulders, legs, and more relentlessly battered the stone pillar. In less than half a breath, the pillar was smashed into stones of various sizes scattered across the lawn, leaving behind only a stone stump...

Huff...

Carlos let out a long breath, his exhalation so deep that it blew away all the dust hanging before him. Then, pleased, he walked over to a table laden with fruit, drinks, and liquor, sat down, and chugged a bottle of juice.

After finishing the juice, Carlos rose from the chair and sat cross-legged on the grass. Following the Golden Bell Shield's method and its special breathing technique, he cultivated the Internal Energy within his body.

The Golden Bell Shield he cultivated was not some incomplete version. It was a Golden Bell Shield that cultivated both inside and out, from the exterior inward!

The stronger his physical body became, the easier it was to cultivate Internal Energy, and the more Internal Energy he could cultivate. Although his Golden Bell Shield had been impressive in his previous life, it was far inferior to this life's version, which could withstand bullets. Thus, his Internal Energy was also on an entirely different level from his previous life.

This was the conclusion he had reached after noticing the abnormality in his Internal Energy. Therefore, he had to keep training his body with unwavering persistence!

Time passed bit by bit, and soon it was noon. Carlos's eyes were shut tight, sweat covering his head as the Internal Energy within him slowly but steadily increased. Just then, a clamor arose. At first it was faint, but before long, the entire street—even the whole city—had erupted.

Carlos opened his eyes in irritation. What the hell was going on? Was it New Year's or some holiday? Why was it so noisy?

He could not concentrate on cultivation in such a noisy environment. Carlos got up, took a prepared towel, and wiped his face. He pulled open his collar and wiped his chest, revealing bronze-colored muscles with sharply defined lines and perfect proportions. Then he tossed aside the towel and headed for the front courtyard.

Upon arriving in the front courtyard, Carlos shouted, "Someone! What happened outside? Why is it so noisy?"

"Boss, Boss, something huge happened! The Roger Pirates successfully reached Raftel, and Roger became the One Piece!"

"The outside world has already been turned upside down. I'm afraid the entire world has been turned upside down." Noah, who had already become a subordinate leader, walked in flushed with excitement, clutching a newspaper as he shouted.

Carlos was startled. He took the newspaper Noah handed him and glanced at the front-page headline. Sure enough, it reported that Roger had successfully conquered the Grand Line and become the first One Piece. Roger wore a captain's hat and bore a bright, sunny smile. Even his portrait in the paper gave off a sense of warmth!

"Incredible. The first One Piece in history. The Marines and the World Government must be scrambling in panic by now, right?" Carlos praised, then quickly regained his composure and sat down on the brown sofa.

He had known this day would come and had been mentally prepared, so naturally he was not that excited.

"Hehe, definitely, Boss. If the One Piece raises his banner and calls out, countless people will answer. That would surely bring endless trouble to the Marines and the World Government."

"But such matters are not for little fish like us to worry about. We're far too low-level." Noah said with a grin.

"Pathetic. Are you planning to spend your whole life muddling around on this island?" Carlos laughed and scolded him, picking up a bottle of beer from the coffee table and tossing it over.

Noah caught the beer, opened it, and gulped down a large mouthful. Then he sat across from Carlos and said helplessly, "I can't help it, Boss. My skills are limited. My marksmanship is barely passable. Who wouldn't want to see that vast and magnificent sea..."

"It doesn't matter if you're not skilled enough. It's enough that you have the ambition. You're the one I get along with best, so I'll help you grow stronger in the future."

"Then thank you, Boss. If there's ever a chance, I definitely want to go out to sea with you."

"But now there's already a One Piece. Otherwise, with your age, strength, and methods, Boss, you might have become the One Piece too..."

When there was no serious business, Carlos was fairly easygoing, and his underlings were able to relax around him. But once serious business arose, Carlos's demands became extremely strict.

"Hahaha, stop flattering me."

"I haven't thought that far ahead for now. But Roger has already become the One Piece and achieved something so great. I need to achieve something of my own too." Carlos's gaze sharpened, his edge fully revealed as he spoke meaningfully.

"Boss, are you planning to take another step forward?" Noah's eyes lit up with excitement.

As a trusted confidant, the higher Carlos's status and the stronger his influence became, the more benefits Noah would naturally receive.

Although Noah did not know much about what Carlos did, he had a fair understanding of Carlos's ambitions. Carlos was not someone willing to remain beneath others. Otherwise, he would not have risen so quickly, nor would he have had Noah deliver Berries to those above. Merit alone could not have gotten him promoted that fast. He had to feed the people above him in order to rise step by step!

"Another step forward?"

Carlos gave a disdainful smile, picked up a cigarette pack from the coffee table, and put a cigarette between his lips. Noah immediately picked up an exquisitely crafted iron lighter and lit it for him.

Though he was young, Carlos had lived two lives. He did not consider himself some child and had long regarded himself as an adult, indulging in both cigarettes and alcohol.

As for women, he had no intention of getting involved with them for the time being.

"This time, my goal is the very top position!" Carlos exhaled a puff of smoke and no longer concealed his intentions.

"What?"

Noah cried out in shock. He had never imagined Carlos's ambitions would be so enormous. It took him quite a while to calm down, and then he lowered his voice.

"Boss, do you want to become the head of the Mike Family?"

"Idiot. Why can't it be the Lucifer Family, or a new name entirely?"

"If I take power, can the Mike Family still exist?"

"They have only two paths left: destruction or submission!" Carlos said decisively, his words brimming with powerful confidence!

"Boss, you're not joking? Have you really decided to do something like this?"

"I'm very serious!"

Noah's expression shifted repeatedly. He picked up his beer and gulped it down in one go. Then he gritted his teeth and said, "Boss, tell me. What do we do?"

"Good. You haven't disappointed me. Otherwise, you wouldn't have walked out of this villa today..."

Noah's entire body stiffened. A chill ran through his heart, and cold sweat poured down his body.

"Noah, remember this. You are the first confidant I gained while making my way through this world. As long as you do not betray me, then no matter how many people stronger than you come to follow me later, your position will remain unique."

"As long as you remain utterly loyal, I will not treat you poorly," Carlos said meaningfully.

"I understand. Thank you for your guidance, Boss!"

"Please give your orders, Boss. What should we do? This truly won't be an easy matter..." Noah rose to his feet and stood straight, lowering his head as he spoke with great solemnity.

"Come here. Bring your ear closer."

At his words, Noah came to Carlos's side, half-kneeling and tilting his ear toward him. Carlos stopped keeping him in suspense and told Noah his plan...

"Boss, can such a simple, direct, and crude plan really work?"

"In this world, the strong reign supreme. A plan doesn't need to be complicated. It just needs to work!"

"The prerequisite for it to work is strength. My current strength is already enough to suppress all opposition!"

"Then I'll make arrangements immediately according to your plan, Boss!"

"Mhm. Go."