The first ray of dawn pierced through the lingering dark clouds, casting its light upon the devastation of Marineford. The island, once a symbol of absolute justice and order, was now nothing but ruins. The massive scar carved by "Dragon Slayer" was like a hideous abyss, brutally splitting the plaza, the fortress, and even the town behind it in two.
Marines moved silently through the rubble, clearing debris and carrying the wounded. The air was thick with the earthy smell of rain, the scent of blood, and an unshakable, heavy feeling of humiliation.
Inside a makeshift medical tent, Kuzan lay on a bed with his waist thickly bandaged. He weakly stuffed ice cubes into his mouth, trying to numb the burning pain inside him.
"Hiss… Damned bastard…"
On the neighboring bed, Borsalino had a large ice pack on his head and was either asleep or unconscious. Sakazuki was the only one not lying down. He stood shirtless, the gruesome wound on his chest having been hastily treated and wrapped in layers of bandages. He had refused any anesthesia or pain relief. He simply stood ramrod straight at the tent's entrance, gazing at the massive slash that cut through Marineford, his eyes so dark they seemed to drip with gloom.
Not far away, Staff Officer Tsuru held a newly compiled battle damage report. She handed it to Sengoku, who was sitting on a piece of rubble with his brow furrowed in a tight knot.
"Over one-third of Marineford's buildings were completely destroyed," Tsuru's voice was calm as ever, but it couldn't hide the weariness in her words. "One hundred and thirty-seven officers of Colonel rank and above were severely wounded. That doesn't even include the three warships sunk by the Golden Lion's fleet."
Sengoku took the report, glanced at it, and then crumpled the paper in his fist with a crackle. His Golden Buddha form was long gone, and his graying hair was disheveled in the morning breeze.
"Where's Garp?"
"Over there," Tsuru said, tilting her chin.
Sengoku followed her gaze and saw Garp sitting cross-legged on a large, shattered piece of the fortress wall. He was loudly munching on a bag of rice crackers as if he didn't have a care in the world.
Munch, munch, munch!
"Garp!" A vein throbbed on Sengoku's forehead. "At a time like this, you still have the appetite to eat!"
Garp crunched down on another rice cracker and replied indistinctly, "How am I supposed to have the strength to rebuild if I don't eat, Sengoku? Want some? They're pretty good. Oh, and I've got tea!"
"I'll eat your head!" Sengoku was so angry he nearly choked.
Just then, a News Coo fluttered its wings and descended from the sky, dropping a fresh, ink-scented newspaper at Sengoku's feet. The headline on the front page was printed in a shockingly large font.
The Tragedy of Marineford! 'Sky Admiral' and 'Wave Guiding King' Join Forces, Marineford Reduced to Rubble!
The accompanying photos showed the terrifying slash that stretched across the entire island, a picture of Golden Lion Shiki bound in Sea Stone chains, and a blurry side profile of Kyle's final, dragon-shaped attack.
"Morgans, that bastard…" Sengoku picked up the newspaper, his hands trembling with rage. And this was only the beginning.
On the Grand Line, inside a rowdy bar, the boisterous music and the patrons' laughter came to an abrupt halt when the owner slammed a newspaper down on the counter.
"Hey, hey, get a load of this!"
All eyes turned to the paper. When they saw the headline and the photos, the entire bar fell into a deathly silence.
"You've… got to be kidding me. Marineford… was torn up like this?" a drunken bounty hunter muttered, rubbing his eyes as his stupor vanished instantly.
"Golden Lion Shiki… that legendary pirate! He actually teamed up with the 'Wave Guiding King' Kyle?"
"My God, this world is going crazy! First, the Pirate King Roger is about to be publicly executed, and now even Marineford has been torn down!"
After a brief silence, an even more frantic uproar erupted. Fear, excitement, and disbelief fermented among the crowd. The old order was collapsing, and a new era seemed to be roaring in with a violent momentum that no one could have predicted.
In the Holy Land, Mary Geoise, inside the Room of Authority, the atmosphere was as oppressive as the deep sea. The Five Elders, who stood at the apex of the world's power, sat around a table. Spread before them were the battle damage report from Marineford and a copy of the World Economic News.
"What an utter disgrace!" The bald Gorosei holding a sword spoke with a chilling voice. "Marineford was turned upside down by two pirates on its own turf! What becomes of the World Government's prestige?"
"The Golden Lion is no longer a concern; he has been captured. But that Aaron Kyle…" The long-bearded Gorosei tapped his knuckles lightly on the table. "His Wave-Wave Fruit has been developed to an extremely dangerous degree. What's more… he was a member of Gol D. Roger's crew."
"This threat must be eliminated!"
"Gol D. Roger's execution is already creating enough instability. The post-execution tour is canceled!"
"Kong has already submitted his resignation, taking responsibility and stepping down as Fleet Admiral."
"Hmph, a wise move. Now is not the time to assign blame. Issue the order immediately: the bounty on 'Wave Guiding King' Aaron Kyle is to be reinstated. No, it must be redrafted!"
"And the amount?"
After a brief silence, a voice spoke, cold and final.
"Set it at… three billion, one hundred and sixty million Berries."
"It is decided. Let all the jackals of the world hunt him. Let this sea offer him no place to hide!"
[Wave Guiding King] Aaron Kyle
One of the core members of the original Roger Pirates, proficient in all three types of Haki, suspected user of the Logia-type Wave-Wave Fruit, and one of the masterminds of the "Dragon-Lion Rebellion."
Bounty: 3,160,000,000 Berries
Dead or Alive. Extremely Heinous.
Back at Marineford's temporary command center, Sengoku slammed his fist on the table, making the teacups clatter.
"Three billion, one hundred and sixty million?! Are those bastards in the Gorosei insane?! Do they want every pirate in the world to see Marineford as a stepping stone to fame?!" The new bounty poster had been issued, faster and with a more exaggerated figure than Sengoku could have imagined.
"Now, now, Sengoku, don't get so worked up," Garp said indifferently. "A higher bounty just makes the enemy we defeated seem more significant, that's all."
"Is this about significance?!" Sengoku roared, pointing to another interview that had just been published. "And you! Garp! What in the world did you tell those reporters?!"
The article's headline read: [Marine Hero Garp Exclusive Interview: The Wave Guiding King Has Not Reached His Peak, He's Younger Than We Imagine!]
In the article, Garp's original words were printed verbatim:
"Huh? Kyle? Oh, he's very strong, like a monster. I even wanted to take him as my disciple back then. Ah, is this going in the newspaper? Don't count that last part, cut it out, cut it out! But, you know, I feel like he wasn't even using his full strength. His power probably hasn't peaked yet. And that kid has some way to slow down his aging, unlike old geezers like me and Sengoku. Hahaha..."
Sengoku clutched his heart, feeling his blood pressure skyrocketing. "Do you have any idea what your words imply?!" he roared. "Now the whole world believes that a monster, younger and with more terrifying potential than Roger and Whitebeard, has appeared! At this critical moment when the old era is about to end, you personally lit a brand new powder keg!"
"I was just telling the truth," Garp said, picking his nose with an innocent expression. "Do you want me to lie?"
"I…" Sengoku was choked into silence. He knew Garp was right. In that final clash, both of them had sustained minor injuries while their opponent had calmly retreated. It truly didn't seem like he had used his full strength. What was even more terrifying was that, judging from Kyle's aura, he was still in his prime. A monster in his prime, with strength capable of withstanding two legends, and with unfathomable potential.
"Damn you, Garp…" Sengoku sank back into his chair, rubbing his aching temples. "What are you trying to do? Are you trying to praise him to his doom, or are you genuinely… worried about the future of the Marines?"
Garp didn't answer. He just picked up another rice cracker, his gaze unconsciously drifting towards the sky that had been sliced in two. The storm had only just begun.
That afternoon, new bounty posters bearing the face of "Wave Guiding King" Aaron Kyle flew with the News Coos to every corner of the world. The man in the photo had black hair and golden eyes, his expression calm. But the background was the burning ruins of Marineford. Upon seeing this poster, countless ambitious individuals, schemers, and desperadoes felt the flames of greed and fanaticism ignite in their eyes.
Meanwhile, in a quiet section of the Calm Belt, far from all the commotion, a uniquely shaped single-masted sailboat floated on the sea. Inside the cabin, Kyle, who was sitting cross-legged, stirred slightly and slowly opened his golden eyes. The final move, "Dragon Slayer," had consumed a great deal of his energy, and it took a full night of meditation to recover.
He got up and walked out of the cabin, stretching his limbs until his joints emitted a series of crisp cracks. After quickly scanning the latest newspaper, Kyle's face darkened. That damned Morgans really was a master of journalism; for the sake of sales, he'd publish anything.
"Wave Guiding King Single-Handedly Deceives the Golden Lion, Marineford Runs Red with Blood!"
"Remnant of the Old Era, Source of Disaster in the New! A Man Who Dominates Two Ages!"
Each visually striking photo was paired with inflammatory text, painting him as an ambitious mastermind who had orchestrated the entire conspiracy.
I've been framed! Kyle thought to himself with a sigh. I'm just a passing, free-spirited little pirate. What bad intentions could I possibly have?
----------------
You can read advanced chapters here: patreon.com/GregariousLion