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A heavy, silent solemnity hung over Marineford.
As the ship passed through the Gate of Justice, the atmosphere grew even more oppressive.
Inside the inner bay, nearly a hundred warships were lined up in perfect order. Countless Marines stood at attention, all eyes fixed on the arriving vessel.
"They're all ready for war…"
Rosinante whispered, his voice trembling.
The sight before him struck his young heart with overwhelming force.
Warships filled the bay as far as the eye could see. On Marineford Plaza, an enormous formation of elite Marines stood waiting in silence.
Everyone was on full alert. Any sudden movement from this ship would be met with immediate, merciless fire.
At that moment, the Gate of Justice slowly closed behind them, sealing off any retreat.
This was Marine Headquarters' highest level of vigilance, and also the bare minimum of respect afforded to Gol D. Roger.
Even with his hands bound in shackles, they faced him at full strength.
"Vice Admiral Kyle, please proceed to Port Number Eight!"
The guiding call came from ahead as the ship neared the docks.
Kyle nodded and signaled Kaku to change course.
He could hear the tremor in the officer's voice. The man issuing the command was clearly nervous. In truth, every Marine present was.
The sea breeze swept past, tugging at the white Justice cloak on Kyle's back.
The ship docked slowly. Under the tense watch of the welcoming Marines, Kyle led the way down the gangplank, Roger following behind him.
"So this is Marineford," Roger said with a sigh. "First time here."
He glanced at the fortress-like defenses and the grim-faced elites, then chuckled softly.
"Everyone's pretty on edge."
Kyle lit his cigar and took a drag, frowning slightly at the harsh taste.
He still wasn't used to it.
"This is the least respect we can show you," he said.
"Respect?" Roger smiled faintly. "That's an interesting way to put it."
Kyle said nothing.
Behind them walked Crocodile, Bullet, Evans, and the others.
"Vice Admiral Kyle!" a Marine officer shouted nervously. "Please escort Gol D. Roger to the main headquarters building!"
"Fleet Admiral Kong, Vice Admiral Garp, Admiral Sengoku, and Admiral Zephyr are all waiting there!"
The officer's eyes darted between the young vice admiral and the familiar mustached face behind him. His heart felt like it was about to leap out of his chest.
The Pirate King. Gol D. Roger.
It was really him.
Kyle nodded and stepped forward.
They walked in silence, the only sound the faint clink of shackles with each step.
Bullet's eyes flickered as he stared unblinking at Roger's back.
There was something like anticipation in his gaze, but Roger himself remained calm the entire way. Not until they reached the headquarters building and saw the towering figures waiting there did anything change.
And even then, Roger's expression stayed serene.
"Gol D. Roger," Kong said, arms crossed as he looked down at him. "We finally meet."
There was awe in his eyes, and genuine emotion in his voice.
Though they stood on opposing sides, Roger's strength and resolve were worthy of respect.
"Steel Bone Kong," Roger replied with a smile. "First time we've met face to face."
"I regret it took so long," Kong said with a sigh.
Then his gaze shifted to Kyle, and he smiled openly.
"No matter the circumstances, capturing Roger is an enormous achievement. You've done the Navy, and the world, a great service."
Kyle smiled faintly but said nothing.
"Transfer him to Impel Down," Kong ordered.
"Garp, Sengoku, Zephyr. I'm entrusting this to the three of you."
He paused, taking a deep breath, his expression turning grave.
"We need to carefully consider how to announce this to the world. And how to decide Roger's final fate."
The three men stepped forward, surrounding Roger.
Garp exchanged a look with Kyle. He seemed to want to say something, but in the end, he only patted Kyle on the shoulder.
"You've grown up."
Compared to the skinny, green rookie he'd first met, Kyle had become broad-shouldered, solid, and composed. A true officer.
In his eyes was a depth that spoke of someone who had already begun to think seriously about the world, and his place in it.
Perhaps this student he had once admired had already made his choice about his own life.
Kyle grinned and stepped aside, then looked toward Roger.
Surrounded by what was effectively Marine Headquarters' strongest force, Roger showed no fear at all. He wore that same faint smile, as if nothing in the world could trouble him.
Roger was taken away.
He didn't look back at Kyle even once.
Soon, only Kong and Kyle's group remained.
"You handled this beautifully, Kyle," Kong said approvingly.
His gaze shifted to the long blade at Kyle's waist.
"That sword?"
Kyle smiled. "A spoil of war."
"I see."
Kong paused, then nodded with a smile.
"It'll become a badge of honor for you as a Marine."
"The rest is up to us. Take some time off and get some rest."
Kyle gladly accepted the leave.
After parting ways with Kong, he returned to the headquarters quarters with Crocodile and the others.
Three days later, the world exploded.
A single piece of news spread at breathtaking speed, igniting chaos across the globe.
"The Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, has been captured?"
"You've got to be kidding! That's the man who sailed around the Grand Line, reached the final island, and claimed the crown!"
"The freest man in the world? Captured? Impossible!"
"Who did it? Who could possibly have the power to capture Roger?"
The world buzzed with heated debate. The sudden revelation sent shockwaves everywhere.
South Blue. Baterilla Island.
A woman with long pink hair and freckles stared blankly at the newspaper in her hands, unable to speak for a long time.
"Roger…"
But soon, she calmed herself.
She lowered her gaze to her belly, gently resting a hand there.
Not long after, the identity of Roger's captor was revealed.
"Marine Vice Admiral… Kyle?"
"He's the one who caught Roger? Who even is this guy? I've never heard of him."
"Where did this brat even come from? How could someone like him possibly capture Roger?!"
No one believed it.
Compared to Gol D. Roger, a legendary figure among the Marines' strongest foes, Kyle felt far too young. Almost absurdly so.
Unlike pirates, who carried bounties that spread their names across the seas, most Marines had their identities deliberately concealed. Their achievements were buried in reports, their names rarely public knowledge.
To the world at large, Kyle was a complete nobody.
But that didn't last long.
Those with sharp eyes and hidden networks quickly dug up everything about him.
"A direct disciple of Hero Vice Admiral Garp?"
"He once fought the Dark King Rayleigh to a standstill and was personally acknowledged by Roger as an enemy he couldn't ignore!"
"So this guy is actually that strong? Where the hell did he come from?"
The world was stunned.
And from that moment on, Kyle's name was known across the seas.
"..."
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