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The warship left the Sabaody Archipelago, heading toward the Navy's exclusive Red Line passage.
Nobody paid much attention to Kyle recruiting five pirates. After all, high-ranking Navy officers taking pirates as subordinates was an old tradition. As long as it didn't draw too much attention, it was fine.
The bounties of the five were quietly revoked the next day after Kyle consulted with Sengoku.
At sunrise, the ship's deck buzzed with the sound of disciplined shouts. Six figures in Navy trainee uniforms were scrubbing and mopping the floors, working in rhythm.
Lieutenant T. Bone watched them closely, a stern presence amid their labor.
Kyle stretched lazily, watching the scene before him, a small smile tugging at his lips. He felt a quiet satisfaction. His own ship, his own crew—finally, he had a start on his path in the Navy.
"I'm Rosinante. Nice to meet you all!"
Holding a mop, Rosinante grinned, clearly pleased to have extra hands. What used to be a solo chore now had five more people to share the work.
"I'm Evans, sniper, 22. Hoping for world peace."
"Smoker, swordsman, 21. I want to protect justice with my blade."
"Mina, navigator."
"Patty, cook and food enthusiast. My dream is to taste all the world's cuisine."
"Hachi, shipwright. I want to see the legendary ship spirits."
The five exchanged glances and introduced themselves reluctantly under Evans' lead.
"From now on, we're comrades!" Rosinante said, flashing a wide grin.
The five relaxed a little at the word "comrade," nodding in acknowledgment. At least that word carried warmth and reassurance.
"I'm T. Bone and my nickname is Funekiri, but you can call me T-Bone. I'm a lieutenant."
T. Bone leaned closer, his face shaped like a zombie's, a little intimidating, yet his tone was polite and gentle.
"Sir," the five said, momentarily startled.
"Kyle Major General is the commanding officer of this unit."
"No need to be formal. He's a good person, kind-hearted too."
T. Bone's zombie-like face curved into a smile.
Kyle listened quietly as the crew whispered among themselves. Friendly chatter helped build cohesion—and T. Bone's words were always tinged with admiration for Kyle, painting him as a figure of awe.
"He was mistreated by nobles...""Then by the Celestial Dragons..."
"After joining the Navy, he..."
"Fought the Roger Pirates and held off the world-famous pirate, the Dark King Rayleigh."
"Roger himself once said Kyle was a force not to be underestimated and praised him highly."
T. Bone's stories left the five former pirates stunned. They couldn't help stealing glances at the figure standing at the bow. They never expected a young Navy officer to have such a strange past—and such experiences not entirely unlike their own.
The ship quickly passed the Red Line and entered the second half of the Grand Line.
During this voyage, Kyle gradually got to know the five through casual conversations.
Evans was a sniper who had begun awakening Observation Haki, able to sense danger and shoot targets far beyond normal range.
Smoker had trained in swordsmanship since childhood, reaching a level capable of cutting through iron, with exceptional physical strength.
Hachi, the shipwright, was also surprisingly skilled in hand-to-hand combat.
Mina wasn't physically strong but had extensive navigation experience.
Patty, true to his word, was a gourmet—great at reading tastes but not much of a fighter.
With them on board, the ship became livelier.
"Training can't be skipped. You'll lead these rookies." Kyle's commanding tone left no room for argument."Of course. I'll also ahelp you work on your weaknesses."
"Yes, sir!" The seven stood at attention, responding in unison.
In just a few days, the five former pirates had begun to radiate a true Navy aura. During training, they were shocked to discover that the tall, sturdy Rosinante was only twelve.
"How is that possible? He's barely a teen, and he's this huge!""What's he been eating?!"
"Talent! Pure talent!" Rosinante laughed, proud and a little mischievous. Despite his height and build, he still had the playful innocence of a child.
At that moment, Kyle strode over, fists swinging.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Each of them ended up with swelling bumps on their foreheads.
"No shouting during training," Kyle barked.
Evans clutched his head, tears forming."This guy's fists… they hurt more than my blades," Smoker groaned.
Rosinante, catching his breath, said, " Kyle sir trained under Vice Admiral Garp. His strength comes straight from his teacher."
Training continued, and no one could escape the rigorous physical regimen required of a Navy trainee. Kyle's methods were both scientific and efficient, blending techniques from Garp and Zephyr with the academy's structured approach.
T. Bone joined earnestly, openly showing his admiration for his commanding officer.
As the ship sailed through the latter half of the Grand Line, it stayed mostly at sea, only stopping occasionally at fortresses for supplies. Kyle also coordinated with headquarters to track and eliminate pirate threats. Their skills grew steadily through real combat experience.
Half a month into this leg of the voyage, a newspaper dropped from a messenger bird right onto the deck.
"Gol D. Roger reaches the end of the Grand Line, becomes the Pirate King, and names the final island Laugh Tale!"
Evans read it aloud, and everyone's expressions froze.
"Roger became the Pirate King?!" Hachi exclaimed.
Kyle's eyes narrowed slightly. He remembered his recent conversation with Garp, who had hinted at this very moment. The news shook the world; newspapers spread across every port like wildfire.
Just then, the Den Den Mushi in his pocket rang.
"Teacher Garp," Kyle answered, voice calm but serious.
"You've seen the latest papers, right?" Garp's tired, heavy voice came through.
"Yes," Kyle nodded.
"I tracked him for two years… and still couldn't stop him."
"You've got to admit, the guy's incredible. Even sick, he carried on."
Garp chuckled, tinged with helplessness. "I thought becoming Pirate King would make him do unimaginable things. Never expected he'd just disband his crew. Now… good luck finding him."
Kyle smiled softly. "Looks like you can finally rest a bit."
"Ha! You brat! Do I look like the kind to rest?" Garp laughed, scolding playfully.
They chatted a while longer, mostly Kyle listening as Garp recounted his battles and pursuits of Roger—from the God Valley incident to Roger's rise as Pirate King. Eventually, the call ended.
Kyle fell silent.
He knew Garp was talking about Roger's story—but in a way, it was also about his own life. And through his teacher's words, he could hear the faint hints of uncertainty, of regrets about the future.
What exactly was he regretting?
"..."
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