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Gol D. Roger had become the Pirate King, and the news of this earth-shattering event quickly rippled across the world.
Even Kyle, far away from the whirlpools of the Grand Line, felt its tremors.
First came the orders from Marine Headquarters:
"Prepare thoroughly. Take decisive action to prevent certain pirates, emboldened by Roger's rise, from running amok."
"Vice Admiral Kyle, you are authorized to act with greater severity… even ruthlessness, if necessary."
This order was unlike any other, and Kyle's eyes narrowed. Normally, aside from a few exceptionally ruthless officers like Sakazuki, the Marines preferred capturing pirates rather than outright extermination.
"So the plan is… to strike fear into them as fast as possible and prevent larger disturbances across the seas," he murmured.
Indeed, in recent days, even beyond the first half of the Grand Line, Kyle and T. Bone had clearly sensed the pirates' frenzy. In just half a month, they had run into ten powerful pirate crews—and every encounter had erupted into fierce battles.
Roger's ascension had lit a fire in the hearts of pirates everywhere. Countless pirates—and even those who hadn't yet set sail—looked to him as an example.
While Kyle roamed the seas, suppressing pirates, far away, on an unnamed island beneath a cherry blossom tree in full bloom, two figures sat facing each other.
"Kurararara!"
"Roger… you dare come here alone?"
A tall man with blond hair and a crescent-shaped mustache above his lip laughed heartily.
"Hahaha!"
"Newgate… we've clashed countless times. Though we're opponents, I've always considered you… one of the few friends I have."
Roger laughed too.
Across from him sat none other than Whitebeard himself, Edward Newgate—one of the world's three living legends.
"Speak. Why have you come?" Newgate asked.
"A man like you, just crowned Pirate King, doesn't come here without a reason," he said, lifting his drink and downing it in one gulp.
Roger's expression turned serious for a moment as he stared at him, then his voice dropped.
"I've reached the final island and claimed the greatest treasure… the ONE PIECE!"
He paused briefly, then his mustache twitched and he burst into laughter again.
"Newgate! You want to know the location of the final island, don't you?"
Whitebeard froze for a moment, his eyes narrowing. To someone who had spent years battling Roger for supremacy, he knew just how difficult it was to uncover the final island's location—and now Roger was offering it freely?
But in a heartbeat, he laughed, shaking his head.
"Not interested!"
Roger was momentarily stunned but quickly laughed in return.
"That's the Newgate I know."
They clinked their cups together once more, the sound ringing out beneath the cherry blossoms.
"I'm retiring soon," Roger said."Before I go, there's one more thing I should tell you."
He smiled as if remembering something.
"Oh?" Newgate asked, smiling as he listened.
"There's a young Marine… Kyle."
"If you ever rule this sea, watch out for him."
Roger's tone was serious, almost solemn.
"Kyle?" Newgate frowned, racking his brain for the name. He couldn't recall any Marine by that name, and scoffed.
"Just a kid. Nothing for you to worry about!"
Roger shook his head with a wry smile and said no more.
Moments later, the forest was silent, Whitebeard alone beneath the cherry trees. As for Roger—the newly crowned Pirate King—his whereabouts were unknown.
Whitebeard drank the rest of his cup, his expression complex, a thousand thoughts running through his mind.
"Old friends in these seas… they're disappearing one by one."
From Roger's visit, he sensed something profound. After decades of climbing, Roger had reached heights ordinary men could never touch—and now, at the peak, he chose to step away.
"Farewell, Gol D. Roger," he murmured.
A gust of wind swept through, petals twirling and falling into the wine jar. Whitebeard's silhouette vanished into the forest.
Meanwhile, in the Etherwall Sea, Kyle reunited with Kuzan aboard a Marine ship and received new orders from Headquarters.
"What's up, Kyle? Trouble?" Kuzan asked with a grin, glancing at the bounty Kyle held.
It showed a young man with slicked-back hair and a cigar dangling from his mouth, along with his name and bounty.
Crocodile?
"No trouble. Just… memories,"Kyle said with a small smile.
He hadn't expected to hear about Crocodile here. And the orders showed that previous Marine encounters with him had failed three times. Fortunately, Kyle's current location was close.
"Two years apart, and look at you—promoted too," Kuzan said, noting Kyle's rank of Vice Admiral.
"Hahaha! Kyle, the three of us have grown a lot in the past two years. I might not lose to you now!"
"Is that so?" Kyle chuckled."But I don't have time for a sparring match."
He raised the bounty in his hand.
"There's a rookie I need to catch."
Kuzan nodded knowingly.
"Then we'll meet again at Headquarters."
Their ships passed each other in the waves. Kyle watched Kuzan's back, reflecting on the passage of time. Everyone was evolving—himself included. Meeting Kuzan had made him feel the weight of that power firsthand. The past two years had clearly seen Kuzan's strength soar, combined with his ice powers.
Kyle lowered his gaze to the bounty once more.
"A rookie… Crocodile?"
A faint smile curved his lips. He already had a plan forming in his mind. Crocodile wasn't just strong. Beyond his loss to the young Luffy, he was infamous for being unpredictable—winning or losing with anyone, he was a 50-50 player.
He was clever, a master strategist, and later in the Cross Guild, he became the brains, the right hand of the organization.
A capable support player—train him right, and he could reach vice-king-level strength.
"Sir, Headquarters reports that the pirate Crocodile is currently on Rien Island, ten nautical miles northwest of our position," Mina reported after contacting HQ.
Kyle nodded.
"Set course for Rien Island."
"...."
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