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The midday sun spilled across the streets of Loguetown.
The weather was good today, bright and clear, and the crowds that had packed the roads days earlier were mostly gone.
Kyle's squad headed toward the harbor. It was time to pull out and return to headquarters.
As they walked, he was still thinking.
There was no doubt Crocodile's concerns made sense.
What he had said to the world was bound to stir suspicion and displeasure among those at the top. Though the words had seemed spontaneous, they were spoken after careful consideration, deliberately chosen.
Sometimes, words were the sharpest weapons of all, capable of producing effects beyond imagination.
One sentence from Roger had drawn back the curtain on the Great Age of Pirates. So how much impact would his own words have on the world?
Equality.
No matter the era, those two characters represented the highest ideal people yearned for.
Countless great figures had given their blood and even their lives in pursuit of them.
True, absolute equality was unrealistic, an idealistic dream, a beautiful utopia.
From the moment of birth, people were unequal. Backgrounds, talent, upbringing, circumstances. And yet, countless people still strove for it, seeking at least equality of dignity and personhood.
After following Roger, he was now wielding words as a weapon for the first time, swinging them at the world itself.
What consequences would follow?
Kyle had his suspicions, and his own calculations.
Before long, they reached the harbor of Loguetown.
"Vice Admiral Kyle!"
"It's Vice Admiral Kyle!"
"Equal Justice! It's Officer Kyle!"
In an instant, the marines gathered at the port, soldiers and officers alike, all turned toward him, eyes bright with excitement.
Kyle smiled faintly at the sight, something stirring in his chest.
Compared to the entire world, those at the very top were always a minority.
Words like equality and fairness might sound vague, even abstract, but they were the ones that struck deepest at the human heart.
This pirate-dominated world, one that worshiped freedom above all else, was precisely lacking the most basic ideas of democracy and human rights. Or perhaps it was better to say that this world's thinking had yet to be truly awakened.
At the same time, under the banner of freedom, this era would become one of the most intense clashes of ideas.
Kyle narrowed his eyes slightly and nodded to the crowd with a smile.
"Board the ships. We're returning to headquarters."
Then he spoke quietly to those behind him.
As for Barrett's suggestion, he had no intention of following it.
No matter what one wanted to accomplish, becoming a pirate was rarely the best choice. A stable environment, one that allowed steady growth, was far more suitable for building both himself and the forces under his command.
The group lifted their feet and prepared to board the warship.
Just then, from the onlooking crowd, a white-haired boy suddenly burst forward.
"Hey, kid!"
"Get back!"
The marines' expressions changed instantly, shouts ringing out as several officers moved to intervene.
Kyle was alerted by the commotion. He turned his head, and when he saw the white-haired boy, he paused, then raised a hand to stop the others.
When the boy finally ran up to him, panting for breath, Kyle smiled gently.
"Young man, is there something you want to say to me?"
Smoker steadied his breathing, staring at the smiling officer before him. After a moment, he took a deep breath and shouted,
"I… I want to become a marine!!"
His voice echoed across the harbor.
For a moment, the marines were stunned, then laughter broke out.
No one would reject a young person eager to enlist.
"Oh?" Kyle raised an eyebrow slightly."What's your name?"
"Smoker!"
"I saw you on the broadcast. I heard what you said!"
As he spoke, the courage Smoker had forced up began to drain away. This was a heavily guarded marine zone, surrounded by officers, and the man in front of him was a legendary powerhouse who had captured Roger and Golden Lion Shiki.
What had he just done? He had actually broken through and run straight up to him.
"I… I want to become the kind of marine you talked about. A marine of justice."
His thoughts were in chaos, his words growing more frantic.
"Is that so?" Kyle said calmly."If you want to join the marines, the Loguetown branch holds recruitment every year. Pass the selection, and you'll become a qualified marine."
As he spoke Smoker's name, Kyle matched the boy's face with the image of the man he would one day become.
Smoker, the Smoke-Smoke Fruit user.
Also one of the unluckiest guys around. Ever since his debut, he had practically never won an important fight. Every appearance ended in misery.
Heart stolen by Law. Defeated by Vergo. Instantly crushed by Doflamingo. Completely overwhelmed by Barrett.
When he first appeared, people compared him to Garp. But two years into the story, he just kept falling behind.
That said, Smoker's character was beyond question.
"Huh?"
Smoker froze at Kyle's words.
"That's… that's not what I meant!"
He hurriedly explained.
"I want to follow you!"
"I want you to guide me, to help me become a truly just marine!"
As he spoke, Smoker dropped to both knees, pressing his forehead to the ground.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
What the white-haired boy was doing was no different from formally seeking a master, pledging himself to someone's command.
So would Vice Admiral Kyle accept this ordinary-looking boy?
Silence fell.
For a moment, everything was quiet.
Behind Kyle, Crocodile, Barrett, T-Bone, Rosinante, Ivankov, and even Buggy, who had just been forced into a marine trainee uniform, all stared at the kneeling boy.
"Follow me?"A soft chuckle finally broke the silence."Because of what I said?"
Smoker's forehead remained pressed to the ground as he shouted back, "Yes! Equal Justice is the true good I want to pursue!"
His voice rang out, causing more than a few marines to stiffen.
Kyle laughed.
"What justice truly is," he said,"is something you need to decide for yourself."
"Not something you learn by simply listening to what others say."
"Smoker."
After speaking, Kyle turned and boarded the warship.
Crocodile and the others followed one by one, leaving Smoker kneeling there, dazed.
"My own understanding?"
"So… Equal Justice is wrong?"
Confusion flooded the white-haired boy's mind.
After a long while, he finally looked up, gazing at the young vice admiral standing on the deck above him. Anxiety, disappointment, and frustration welled up inside his chest.
From the moment he had heard those words, a seed had been planted in his heart. He had dreamed of that equality Kyle spoke of, a world without people standing above others.
He had waited all night, and today, he had finally gathered the courage to say it out loud.
And yet… he had been rejected?
Bewilderment, dejection, and loss crashed over Smoker, striking him hard.
Then, suddenly, Kyle grinned down from the ship.
"Smoker."
"I've decided to give you a chance."
"A chance to pursue the justice you believe in."
Smoker's head snapped up, excitement and joy surging across his face.
"Get on board, kid!" Crocodile called down with a laugh."We don't have all day to waste here."
"..."
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