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The warship didn't stay long at G-5. As soon as resupply was finished, it headed straight back toward Marineford.
Kyle learned that the real purpose of this trip into the New World was to keep tabs on the movements of two major pirate crews in real time—to prevent any sudden disasters.
He knew exactly what "sudden disasters" meant.
Nothing more than the Golden Lion and Law's crews joining forces. If that happened, it wouldn't just throw the seas into chaos—it would shake the entire world.
As for what happened afterward—Garp dragging them all into a wild chase after Roger that eventually turned into a massive battle—that was just the legendary Marine hero's personal brand of stubbornness and romance.
Sengoku and Zephyr had already left. G-5 was now under the command of a vice admiral Kyle didn't recognize.
Standing at the bow beside Garp, he squinted into the sea breeze.
"Your rear admiral insignia will be awarded at Marineford by Fleet Admiral Kong himself," Garp said with a grin.
"Yeah," Kyle replied.
When he'd first been rescued, he'd felt tense and uneasy around Marines. But over time, getting to know the people around him, seeing how things worked, he'd gradually accepted it.
At the very least, the Navy had a solid training system and excellent resources for growth.
Until he could stand as a world-class powerhouse with true freedom, this was a good place to anchor himself.
"To fight Rayleigh for seven days and nights and come out even… your body's hiding something big, isn't it?" Garp suddenly laughed, tossing a donut into his mouth and crunching down on it.
Kyle stayed silent.
"Hahahaha! You brat," Garp chuckled. "I'm not interested in digging out your secrets. I just hope that one day, when you've grown strong enough that this world can't throw a real enemy at you anymore…"
He paused, letting out a soft sigh.
"…you'll still know what you really want."
"Yesterday's gone, kid. It's history. Living in the moment matters most."
Kyle blinked, then nodded slightly.
Garp really did treat him like family—not just teaching him how to fight, but how to live. Despite being rough and loud most of the time, the old man had his sharp, thoughtful moments.
The voyage back to headquarters was peaceful. No surprises.
Sitting on the deck, Kyle quietly reviewed the results of his recent fight.
Conqueror's Haki — LV 99 (MAX)
Tekkai — LV 50
Rankyaku — LV 35
Soru — LV 60
Geppo — LV 20
Shigan — LV 45
Seeing everything laid out so clearly gave him a solid sense of where his strength stood. Aside from Conqueror's Haki being maxed, his mastery of the Six Powers had climbed sharply.
"Spreading my points around pushed everything up evenly," he thought.
Even without using Conqueror's coating, he wasn't weak at all. His battle with Rayleigh had pushed him through a transformation—he was finally stepping onto the stage of true top-tier fighters.
Meanwhile, on the Oro Jackson racing over the waves—
"Hahahaha! What a fight!" Roger bellowed, his whole torso wrapped in bandages. "Only Garp can get my blood pumping like that!"
Rayleigh smiled lightly, covered in white bandages of his own.
Crocus frowned from the side. "Roger, you can't keep doing this. Your body won't last."
A seven-day battle would drain anyone—but for Roger, already carrying a fatal illness, it was brutal.
"Hahaha! When I meet an opponent like that, my hands just itch," Roger laughed. Then his voice lowered. "As for this body of mine…"
He paused.
"…everyone dies eventually."
Before Crocus could scold him further, he looked toward Rayleigh with interest.
"By the way, I heard that Navy kid fought you to a draw? Rayleigh, you serious?"
Rayleigh's expression turned solemn at the mention of Kyle.
Shanks and Buggy, who had been roughhousing nearby, froze. Douglas Bullet, who had been brooding with his head down, snapped his gaze up as well.
"I went all out," Rayleigh said quietly. "But that kid is strange. He's almost impossible to kill."
"And the scary part? His growth speed is ridiculous."
Rayleigh took a deep breath.
"When we started fighting, he was strong but still limited. By the seventh day, his physical strength, power, and reflexes were already catching up to mine."
"I've never seen anyone like him."
"If he keeps growing… he may become a threat none of us can ignore."
Silence fell. Buggy opened his mouth as if to protest, but wilted. Bullet clenched his fists so hard his knuckles cracked.
"…Is that so?" Roger said at last, and then burst into laughter.
"This world always gives birth to unbelievable geniuses—each era has its stars. Whether they mean to or not, they end up leading the world in some direction."
He slowly looked up at the bright blue sky.
"And since he's walking beside Garp, I doubt he'll turn into a man who terrifies the world."
"If I could… I'd actually like to live longer. Just to see what the world looks like once that kid reaches his peak."
He laughed again, louder.
"Think he'll obediently stay in the Marines like Garp?" Roger asked Rayleigh. "Not after he sees how dark this world really is."
Rayleigh paused, then shook his head with a smile. "Who knows?"
The Oro Jackson echoed with laughter despite everyone being covered in bandages.
Then a low voice cut through the noise.
"Roger."
Roger turned. Bullet stood there with a dark expression. "What is it?"
"I've wanted to ask this for a long time." Bullet's voice was steady, but heavy."Do you still have the power to conquer the world? To stand as the strongest?"
Roger's smile faded. After a moment of honest thought, he shook his head.
"I'm afraid not, Bullet."
After fighting Garp again with a sick body, he understood his limits all too well.
Bullet trembled. His fists tightened, cracking loudly.
"Then I challenge you again," he said. "And after that… I'll decide whether I stay on this ship."
The deck erupted.
"Bullet, are you insane?!"
"Damn it, you're actually thinking of leaving?!"
Roger raised a hand, stopping them. He still smiled, but his eyes carried unmistakable authority.
He stared at Bullet for a long time, then drew the sword at his waist and pointed it at him.
"Come."
"Go live the way you want. That's the ideal you've always followed."
Bullet's shoulders shook. Then he lifted his head sharply.
"No matter what happens… you'll always be the man I admire most, Roger!"
Roger roared with laughter.
The internal duel began—and ended quickly.
That day, Douglas Bullet walked away from the Roger Pirates. No one knew where he went.
And on that same day, the dog-headed warship carrying Kyle reached the coast of the Sabaody Archipelago.
He looked at the familiar island, and his eyes gradually turned cold.
"..."
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