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Ace.
A famous blade.
One of the Twelve Supreme Grade Swords.
Yes. This was another transaction.
But Kyle knew very well that this deal involved far more than just a sword.
On the warship, Bullet, Crocodile, T. Bone, Rosinante, Evans, and the others all fell silent, staring at the scene before them in shock and disbelief.
For nearly a year, everyone in Kyle's unit had known what their superior was doing.
They were surprised. Envious, even. After all, being personally taught by someone like the Pirate King was an opportunity almost no one could ever dream of.
At the same time, it was a top-secret matter that could never be revealed.
They had all helped Kyle keep it hidden. Not a single detail about Roger had ever leaked.
Some of them even believed that over the past year, their commander and Gol D. Roger had formed a genuine bond. That even as a Marine, Kyle might never actually arrest him.
But the scene unfolding before them shattered all those assumptions.
"Roger!" Bullet was the first to react, grinding out the name through clenched teeth.
"Oh? Bullet. Long time no see," Roger greeted cheerfully."You still look full of energy."
He didn't act like a prisoner at all.
"What are you trying to do?" Bullet shouted.
Nearby, Crocodile quietly smoked his cigar, eyes narrowed. He was just as curious.
His gaze flicked back and forth between Roger and Kyle, unable to tell what the two of them were planning.
"Isn't it obvious?" Roger grinned and raised his shackled hands."I turned myself in. Got caught, didn't I?"
Bullet froze, then his expression darkened.
He knew Roger well enough to understand that while the man sounded like he was joking, that was exactly why it had to be true.
That was when Kyle spoke.
"Slow down, everyone."
"Set course for Marineford."
After a pause, he added in a firm voice, "We have indeed captured the Pirate King, who was fleeing in the South Blue."
"Gol D. Roger."
The words instantly defined the mission. The impact hit everyone like a hammer.
Captured the Pirate King.
If that news got out, it would shake all of Marineford. No, the entire world would erupt.
Roger, the man at the center of it all, simply smiled and sat down cross-legged with a soft thud.
He was tired.
The warship set sail immediately, but at Kyle's request, the news was not reported to headquarters right away.
Because he had promised Roger one thing. To let him say goodbye to old friends.
From Baterilla Island's port, even at full speed, it would take about five days to reach the Calm Belt.
So when they passed through it and arrived at the port of the Sabaody Archipelago for resupply, it was already two in the afternoon, five days later.
"I can only give you one hour," Kyle said quietly as he unlocked the shackles.
"Roger."
"Haha, that's plenty," Roger laughed."A farewell between men doesn't take that long."
With that, he leapt off the warship and vanished into the crowd of Sabaody in the blink of an eye.
Kyle stood at the bow, staring silently into the distance.
Behind him, Rosinante and the others were stunned by how bold their commander was.
"That's the Pirate King," someone whispered."You're just letting him go without any precautions?"
"What if he actually runs?"
Before the sentence could finish, Bullet cut in sharply, his face cold.
"Shut up, Rosinante."
"Roger isn't that kind of man."
Kyle spoke as well, but instead of responding directly, he turned to Crocodile and held out his hand.
"Got a cigar? Give me one."
Crocodile froze for a moment, then understood and handed him one.
At a time like this, the person with the most complicated feelings was probably their superior. Nearly a year had passed. Even if both sides admitted it was only a transaction, what about everything beneath the surface?
Just as Roger acknowledged Kyle and was willing to teach him swordsmanship, their commander had also acknowledged Roger in his own way.
Crocodile had sat silently behind them more than once, listening to their unrestrained conversations. He had listened as his superior spoke about the world, about dreams, about those unusual ideas of his.
A world from a dream, where people were equal. Strange concepts. No nobles. Incredibly advanced technology.
He had also heard Roger, brimming with excitement, talk about the hardships he faced on his journey through life and the thrilling adventures he had experienced.
The battle at God Valley against Rocks. Meeting Garp. Finding a child inside a wooden chest. The sky island ten thousand meters above the sea. The colossal elephant carrying a nation on its back. The unbelievably powerful swordsmen of Wano, and more.
"Tch."
The flame flared, slowly lighting the cigar at Kyle's lips.
"Hah."
He took a sharp drag and immediately started coughing.
"This cigar of yours is awful," he said hoarsely."Burns the nose."
Crocodile chuckled. "Well, a Marine's salary isn't exactly generous."
After that, he watched the young commander quietly smoke, exhaling white clouds toward the front of the ship. The smoke obscured his face, making it impossible to guess what he was thinking.
Time passed bit by bit.
Bullet leaned over the railing, irritable, staring at the constant flow of people in the harbor. Evans and the others waited in silence.
"Sir, should we report this to headquarters?"
T. Bone asked hesitantly.
He had always believed that capturing Roger was no small matter. It would shake the entire world. A single rear admiral's unit might not be able to bear that weight.
And if their commander kept it hidden for too long, it could easily lead to backlash later, even a reckoning from certain people at headquarters.
Kyle stayed silent. He slowly exhaled smoke, then suddenly turned around and took the cigar case from Crocodile's arms, flipping it open.
His eyes locked onto a figure in the harbor ahead.
"Report it to headquarters," he said.
After a brief pause, he took another deep drag from the cigar.
"Tell them this."
"We have captured the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger."
T Bone jolted as if struck by lightning. It took him a moment to react before he snapped to attention and shouted loudly.
"Yes, sir!"
Kyle then slowly stood up and looked ahead as a figure burst out from the crowd, leaping onto their warship.
It was Roger.
After personally locking the shackles onto Roger once more, the man suddenly laughed.
"Kyle, you know, my name isn't actually Gol D. Roger."
"Even though the whole world calls me that."
Kyle smiled and nodded. "I know."
"Your name is Gol D. Roger."
Roger froze for a second, then burst into laughter.
"Of course."
"You might know even more than I do."
After a brief pause, he grinned and lowered his voice.
"So then, do you want to know where the final island is? Do you want to know what ONE PIECE really is?"
Even though he spoke quietly, everyone on the ship still heard him.
Bullet, Crocodile, Evans, all of them changed expressions.
The truth behind the legendary great treasure?!
"..."
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