Sabaody Archipelago, Kyle's Office
Kyle was slumped in a comfortable office chair, occasionally pushing off the floor with his feet to send himself and the chair spinning rapidly.
"Boring, so incredibly boring..."
He stared up at the ceiling, letting the room become a blur as he tried to physically shake the muddled thoughts from his brain. Ever since the battle at Mary Geoise, the World Government had gone quiet. The sea had fallen into a strange calm, and for a man who loved excitement, it was incredibly frustrating.
Creak—
The office door was pushed open gently. Caron walked in carrying a cup of black tea and immediately froze, taking in the sight of his lord spinning like a top. He paused, his metallic jaw opening and closing slightly as his eyes lit up with fervent understanding.
So that's it! Lord Kyle is not spinning aimlessly at all! He is simulating the movement of the stars, comprehending the very fluctuations of the universe! Through this method, he aligns his own "wave" with the veins of the world, achieving the supreme state of unity with nature! We mere mortals see only the surface, while Lord Kyle has long since perceived the essence of all things! As expected of Lord Kyle!
Kyle caught the movement from the corner of his eye. The spinning chair let out a harsh screech as he brought it to an abrupt stop, the inertia nearly throwing him to the floor.
"Cough, cough..." Kyle steadied himself on the desk, primly adjusted his collar, and showed no sign of embarrassment. "Caron. Is there something you need?"
"My lord, your black tea." Caron respectfully placed the teacup on the desk, then handed over a Den Den Mushi that was ringing with a "Buruburu" sound. The Den Den Mushi was designed to look like a bird wearing a top hat, and its expression was one of extreme flattery.
Kyle raised an eyebrow when he saw the caller ID. Morgans. He hadn't even gotten around to settling the score with that feathered fool, and now the bird was delivering himself to his doorstep. Kyle took the Den Den Mushi and answered.
"Lord Kyle!" Morgans's ridiculously exaggerated voice boomed through the receiver. "Your loyal partner, the President of the World Economic News, Morgans, extends his sincerest greetings to you! Your prestige is like a lighthouse in the dark night, illuminating the path forward for us lost sheep!"
Kyle held the receiver away from his ear and casually cleaned it with his pinky. A large part of his recent bad mood was thanks to this bird. The seas had been so calm lately that there was no major news to report, causing the sales of the World Economic News to plummet. The cunning Morgans, desperate to boost his numbers, had decided to create some news of his own.
First, he had written a lengthy article comparing Kyle to legendary pirates like Whitebeard and the Golden Lion, subtly implying that Aaron Kyle was the undisputed "Strongest Man in the World." Kyle had actually quite enjoyed the flattery up to that point. The problem was what came next. At the end of the article, Morgans had suddenly brought up the "Strongest Woman in the World"—Charlotte Linlin.
[When the strongest man meets the strongest woman, what earth-shattering sparks will fly? According to an exclusive report, the Wave Guiding King Aaron Kyle and the Yonko BIG MOM Charlotte Linlin have long admired one another. A hero cherishes a hero; a queen loves a hero. A legendary romance that could change the very balance of the world may be quietly unfolding...]
Unfolding my ass! When Kyle had first seen that newspaper, he nearly pulled out his sword and crawled through the phone line to crack Morgans's bird brain open. What kind of sparks could he possibly have with that old woman who had dozens of children? The only sparks would be from her Homie, Prometheus! Back in God Valley, Linlin could have been called a peerless hero, but her current form was simply unbearable to look at.
Naturally, as soon as the article was published, newspaper sales exploded, and the entire world was gossiping about the fictitious "strongest alliance."
"Morgans," Kyle said, his voice flat and cold, "you flat-feathered beast, you've got some nerve."
On the other end of the line, Morgans shivered, and the Den Den Mushi's expression instantly became one of terror. "A misunderstanding! It's all a huge misunderstanding, Lord Kyle!" he squawked, his words tumbling out in a panic. "Everything I did was to make your name even more famous! It was to make the whole world see that you are the sole protagonist of this era! As for that old hag Charlotte Linlin, how could she possibly be worthy of you? I was merely using her to highlight your greatness!"
"Oh? So you're saying I should thank you?"
"I wouldn't dare! I wouldn't dare!" Morgans's voice was on the verge of tears. "This lowly one knows his mistake! I deserve to die ten thousand deaths! To express my deepest apologies, I am willing to offer some truly valuable information! I only ask that you forgive my foolishness this one time!"
"Information?" Kyle picked up his black tea and gently blew on the surface. "Let's hear it. If it doesn't satisfy me, I'll have you turned into a roasted chicken and sent to Charlotte Linlin's next tea party."
"It will definitely satisfy you! Definitely!" Morgans felt a chill run down his spine, and he began speaking at the speed of a rapper. "Lord Kyle, as you know, my news birds are everywhere. I hear things others don't. I have a few pieces of news that you might be interested in." He cleared his throat, and the Den Den Mushi straightened its back.
"First, regarding the 'Seven Warlords of the Sea.' After their massive loss of face at Mary Geoise, the World Government urgently needs to re-establish its authority. My sources at Marineford say that Fleet Admiral Sengoku is pushing forward with the Shichibukai system to counterbalance the growing number of pirates. Several candidates are already on their list."
"Among them are Boa Hancock, the new Empress of Kuja Island, and 'Heavenly Yaksha' Donquixote Doflamingo. Additionally, there's a man known as 'Sir Crocodile' who has been making a name for himself in the Alabasta Kingdom."
Kyle took a sip of tea. That's hardly news. Hancock and Doflamingo are already my people. Crocodile, though… that's a bit interesting.
"Second, regarding the Revolutionary Army," Morgans lowered his voice conspiratorially. "Ever since the Mary Geoise incident, their influence has grown beyond belief. Monkey D. Dragon's reputation is starting to rival that of the Pirate King himself. However, they seem to have run into a troublesome new enemy."
"The World Government has established a new intelligence agency, code-named CP0, to handle their dirty work. They have a young genius named Rob Lucci, a cold-blooded and ruthless agent whose strength is unfathomable. He has already caused the revolutionaries a great deal of trouble."
"Lucci, huh..." Kyle thought of the man who would one day give the Straw Hats a run for their money. He was surprised the agent had appeared so early.
"Third, and this is what I believe is the most important piece of information!" Morgans's voice grew excited. "It's about a Devil Fruit!"
"Oh?" Kyle's interest was piqued.
"A Devil Fruit capable of overturning the balance of the world! The Logia-type Rumble-Rumble Fruit!" Morgans's voice was full of temptation. "This legendary fruit has recently appeared on a Sky Island! It is said that whoever obtains it will possess the power of a god!"
Kyle put down his teacup, his finger tapping gently on the desk. The Rumble-Rumble Fruit… Eneru.
"And finally, a little rumor I'll throw in as a bonus," Morgans chuckled. "A very interesting rookie has appeared in the East Blue. Someone you might know, in fact. A red-nosed clown claiming to be a former crewmate of the Pirate King. He's defeated several famous pirates and is being hailed as a hero by local villagers. His bounty has already risen to 55,000,000 Berries."
"His name is Buggy."
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