The sea was calm. The sun was warm.
For once, the Roger Pirates were enjoying a peaceful sail.
Kyle leaned lazily against the railing, fishing rod in hand—no bait, no line tension, just the pose. After two years of nonstop chaos, he treasured moments like this.
Roger's bounty had skyrocketed… and with it, the number of Marine "visits."
"Land ahead!" Pitarm shouted from the crow's nest.
"Wait—there are Marine ships! Several of them! The lead vessel's flying a rear admiral's flag!"
Instantly, the deck came alive.
Miller grabbed his spiked hammer.
Mugren crushed his cigar and rested a hand on his pistol.
Spencer sighed, mourning the loss of a peaceful afternoon.
"Kuahahaha! Perfect timing!" Roger laughed as he burst out of the cabin. "Let's stretch our legs!"
Kyle calmly reeled in his rod and smiled faintly.
This was his stage.
"A mere rear admiral fleet doesn't need the captain or vice-captain," Kyle said, stepping forward. "Let the senior handle this."
Eyes turned.
"Oho~" Gaban laughed, throwing an arm around Kyle. "Kyle's going to show off!"
"Don't fall into the sea!" Miller teased.
Roger's grin widened. "Go on then, Kyle! Make it quick—there's a party waiting!"
Rayleigh pushed up his glasses, watching with quiet pride.
Kyle crouched.
"Shock Step – Flash!"
BOOM!
The deck cracked as Kyle launched skyward like a cannonball, rebounding off the air again and again—leaping across invisible shockwave platforms.
"What… is that?" Mugren muttered.
"His Devil Fruit," Rayleigh replied. "He uses shockwaves as footholds."
In seconds, Kyle crossed the sea toward the Marine fleet.
Perfect entrance. Perfect buildup.
Then—
A voice.
Loud. Casual. Cheerful.
"Eh? What's that up there? A weird bird?"
Crunch, crunch.
Kyle froze.
"Hey! You see that ship? That's Roger's crew!"
"Roger! You're not getting away this time! Surrender and face justice!"
Kyle's blood ran cold.
That voice.
That laugh.
That sound of senbei crackers.
"…Oh no."
Karp.
"Sorry, sir—I didn't recognize you!" Kyle screamed internally.
Behind him, the Roger Pirates were cheering.
"Go, Kyle-senpai!"
"Show them!"
Karp laughed. "Oh? That little guy from Roger's ship! Ever thought about becoming a Marine? I'll write you a recommendation!"
Roger doubled over laughing.
"He does that every time!"
Rayleigh sighed. "In Karp's eyes, Kyle is the most 'upright' one on this ship."
Then Karp picked up several cannonballs—barehanded—and coated them in Armament Haki.
"Let's feel the warmth of justice!"
The cannonballs screamed through the sky toward Kyle.
Kyle swallowed hard.
…I might actually die here.
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