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This only deepened the world's impression of Kyle.
Almost everyone now knew the name. A Marine called Kyle, the man who had captured two of the three legendary pirates.
The very next day.
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
The solid ice melted under the sunlight, turning back into seawater and flowing into the inner bay once more.
Headquarters was already buzzing with activity.
Golden Lion Shiki's sudden attack the day before seemed to have been pushed aside. Compared to the captured Shiki, there was something far more important to deal with today.
"Kyle, you're in charge of the fleet's northwest sector."
"Keep tight surveillance on all movements. Nothing is allowed to approach."
"Further deployment will be decided once we reach Loguetown."
Sengoku's voice rang out, heavy and authoritative.
Early that morning, the headquarters had begun making arrangements for escorting Roger to Loguetown.
"Yes, sir!"
Kyle nodded.
Even without a powerful enemy in sight, the atmosphere at headquarters was tense and solemn.
About fifteen minutes later, as Kyle stood on the warship waiting, he spotted three familiar figures.
"Kyle!"
Kuzan stood on the dock with a relaxed smile and called out to him.
Beside him, Borsalino wore his usual sleazy grin and waved lazily.
The last one was Sakazuki (Admiral Akainu). His expression was dark beneath his Marine cap, arms crossed, eyes fixed coldly ahead.
"So for the Loguetown operation, you three have been assigned under my command?"
After they boarded the ship, Kyle asked curiously.
"That's right, Commander Kyle!"
Kuzan replied with a grin.
"Working under someone as strong as you should make things a lot easier," Borsalino said with a sigh.
Then his gaze drifted toward the others on deck.
When he spotted Crocodile and Douglas Bullet, his smile stiffened for a moment before he sighed again.
"Looks like everyone under you is a monster too, Commander Kyle."
Sakazuki finally spoke, his voice icy. "I don't understand the point of this arrangement, but I will obey all orders from above."
Kyle glanced at him and said nothing.
The tension between the two was obvious to everyone on board.
"You ate the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, didn't you?"
Kuzan noticed and casually changed the subject.
Borsalino, meanwhile, turned his eyes elsewhere, pretending not to see or hear anything happening around him.
At the same time, deep within Impel Down, Level Six.
"Shiki!"
Under the dim candlelight, Roger sat cross-legged inside his cell. When he saw Golden Lion Shiki being thrown into Impel Down in prison garb, his expression shifted slightly.
"Vice Admiral Kyle is incredible! Not only did he capture Roger, he personally defeated Golden Lion Shiki!"
"Two legends, both taken down by him alone!"
"And most importantly, he's still young!"
The guards' chatter reached Roger's ears, causing his gaze to sharpen.
After studying the unconscious Shiki for a moment, Roger slowly let out a breath.
"Kyle, huh?"
He fell silent.
As the man who had personally trained that young fellow for a year, Roger knew better than anyone how terrifying Kyle's strength was, and how limitless his potential could be.
That strange, near-immortal bloodline meant that no matter how powerful the enemy, Kyle was naturally placed in an unbeatable position.
The closer one came to the summit, the more overwhelming that advantage became.
Footsteps suddenly echoed ahead, and Roger lifted his head.
Two figures appeared, both familiar faces.
"Garp!"
"Sengoku!"
Roger laughed.
"It's time to go, Roger," Sengoku said gravely.
Roger remained calm, a faint smile still on his face.
"You'll be escorted to the East Blue, to Loguetown, where you'll be publicly executed," Garp said.
"Loguetown, huh?"
Roger murmured, sounding almost nostalgic.
"It began there, and it ends there."
Suddenly, he grinned.
"The town of beginnings and endings."
"That's a good place. I like it!"
Sengoku froze for a moment, clearly not expecting Roger to react so lightly to the place of his own death.
Soon, guards stepped forward, opened the cell, and escorted Roger out.
He climbed the long staircase, step by step, until sunlight finally fell across his face. Under heavy guard, he emerged from Impel Down.
He squinted slightly, the brightness stinging his eyes.
After boarding the warship with Garp and Sengoku, Roger found a comfortable spot and sat down cross-legged.
"Golden Lion Shiki attacked Marineford yesterday," Garp said suddenly. "He demanded that we hand you over."
"Oh?"
Roger looked up with a smile.
"He didn't believe that we'd captured you," Garp continued.
"Heh. That sounds like him," Roger chuckled.
"There's something I don't really understand," Garp said after a brief silence.
"You don't understand?"
Roger let out a soft laugh and slowly looked up at the blue sky.
"Timing."
"There just wasn't a good time."
After saying that, he fell silent again.
He hadn't been born into the right era, nor did he have enough time to overturn the world himself.
But that was fine. Remarkable people would be born, and they would inherit everything.
What would the future look like?
It was a shame he wouldn't see it, but that didn't matter. The role of the older generation was to carve out a better starting point for those who came after.
Wasn't that how it was supposed to be?
That was what inheritance meant.
An hour later, the warship escorting Roger arrived before the Gates of Justice.
Kyle's ship merged into the surrounding fleet. On deck, the three future admirals all wore different expressions. Kuzan lounged on a deck chair, snoring softly. Borsalino stared off into space. Sakazuki stood with arms crossed, lost in thought.
Kyle hadn't expected the three of them to be acting under his command this time.
But on second thought, it made sense. He was a vice admiral now, while they were still rear admirals.
His domain spread outward, and in an instant, the entire fleet's status was under his control.
As the flagship transporting the Pirate King, Roger's ship sat at the very center, surrounded by layers of warships. Veteran vice admirals led the vanguard.
Kyle's unit was responsible for the northwest sector.
Sailing west through the Grand Line, crossing the Calm Belt, would lead them into the East Blue.
The Marines' ability to navigate the Calm Belt was proof of their advanced naval technology.
The journey passed without incident. By evening, the fleet arrived at Loguetown in the East Blue.
The sight of so many warships and high-ranking Marines instantly shattered the town's usual calm, filling the air with a suffocating tension.
Standing at the bow, Kyle stared at the town ahead.
He knew that from this day on, Loguetown would no longer be just another forgotten port.
About fifteen minutes later, Kyle received new orders.
"For the next few days, you and your unit will be responsible for guarding Roger."
Kyle was briefly taken aback, but he quickly nodded.
That night, the unit settled in, staying in a civilian house only a few dozen meters away from where Roger was being held.
"..."
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