The harbor's chaos gradually subsided as the surviving Black Shark Pirates and some Marine soldiers scattered in disarray. The air was thick with the heavy smell of blood and gunpowder.
Roger kicked away a pirate at his feet who was still foolishly trying to sneak attack, shook the blood droplets off his sword, and grinned, revealing two rows of gleaming white teeth: "Guhahahaha! That wasn't very satisfying, Rayleigh!"
Rayleigh sheathed his sword, his gaze behind his glasses sweeping over the devastated battlefield before finally settling on Kyle, who was unconscious against the wall. His tone was calm: "You want to pick him up?"
"Guhahahaha! This kid's pretty impressive!" Roger strode over to Kyle and unceremoniously hoisted him up with one hand. "That Devil Fruit ability, and that reckless fighting spirit—I like it!"
Rayleigh watched Roger's enthusiastic expression and helplessly rubbed his forehead with a sigh, but said nothing more.
He knew his captain too well—once Roger decided on something, not even ten Sea Kings could pull him back.
Just like how he'd sweet-talked Rayleigh into joining along with his ship back in the day.
"Yosh! Marine reinforcements will probably arrive soon—we shouldn't stick around!"
Roger shouldered Kyle and called to Rayleigh. The two nimbly leaped onto a sailing ship docked at the harbor's edge that wasn't much better than the Black Shark Pirates' broken vessel.
Time passed, and Kyle slowly awoke to gentle swaying.
Harsh sunlight streamed through the cabin's porthole, a bit dazzling.
He moved slightly, and a tearing pain shot through his ribs, making him gasp.
"Hiss... survived?" Kyle looked around to find himself lying in a crude hammock. The cabin was small but reasonably tidy.
"Yo, you're awake, kid!" A cheerful voice came from overhead.
Kyle looked up sharply to see an enlarged smiling face—it was young Roger!
He was sitting cross-legged on a nearby wooden barrel, holding a half-eaten piece of meat on the bone, grinning down at him.
"You saved me?" Kyle struggled to sit up.
"Guhahahaha! It was nothing! I'm Gol D. Roger." Roger waved dismissively, then pointed at Kyle's ribs. "Your wound—Rayleigh already gave it basic treatment. Pretty gutsy of you, taking on a whole ship of pirates alone and nearly wiping them out. What kind of Devil Fruit power was that? Pretty interesting—can you make things shatter?"
Kyle looked into Roger's eyes, which seemed to see through everything, his heart skipping a beat. He knew that hiding anything from such a legendary figure wouldn't mean much.
"Kyle, Iron Kyle. Logia-type Wave-Wave Fruit." He tried to keep his voice steady.
"Logia-type?" A flash of surprise crossed Roger's eyes, quickly replaced by intense interest. "Amazing! Having this kind of strength and courage at such a young age—not bad, not bad!"
He tossed the bone aside, clapped his hands, then looked at Kyle with burning eyes, his mouth spreading into an infectiously charismatic smile: "Little Kyle, I've taken a liking to you! Interested in setting sail with us? Come see what this ocean is really like!"
Roger extended his hand—a broad, powerful palm roughened by years of sword-wielding.
The invitation came so suddenly, yet felt so natural.
Kyle's heart began racing uncontrollably.
Fake charmers: Pretty legs, tiny waist, sultry looks
True charmers: Hey kid, want to change the world with me?
Damn, legendary charmer Roger was making his move—anyone who could resist this was superhuman.
He looked at the undisguised appreciation in Roger's eyes and that ambition that seemed ready to embrace the entire world, feeling a surge of passion rise from deep within.
He forced himself to sit up from the hammock. Though his rib wound still sent waves of pain, his gaze was remarkably firm.
"I..." Kyle took a deep breath, his voice trembling with excitement yet crystal clear, "I long for freedom! I want to see a broader world! I crave the power to make dreams come true! If... if I could go with you all..."
He didn't finish, but that yearning for adventure, that longing for the unknown, and that spirit resonating with the "freedom" radiating from Roger had already been clearly conveyed.
Roger's smile grew even brighter, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
Rayleigh, who had been silently standing at the cabin door polishing his sword, now looked up. His gaze lingered on Kyle for a moment before turning to Roger with an almost imperceptible nod.
"Guhahahahahaha!" Roger burst into thunderous laughter filled with joy and satisfaction. He grabbed Kyle's outstretched hand in a firm grip.
"Good! Well said!" Roger's voice boomed like a bell. "From today on, Kyle is the third member of the Roger Pirates!"
"Third member?" Kyle was momentarily stunned.
"That's right!" Roger proudly patted his chest, then pointed at Rayleigh. "Me, Captain Gol D. Roger! That guy with glasses over there is First Mate Silvers Rayleigh! With you, that makes three!"
Kyle looked at this future Pirate King, currently grinning like a child who'd gotten his favorite toy, feeling a complex mix of emotions.
So this was Gol D. Roger?
No legendary inscrutability, no deliberately crafted kingly authority—just that genuine boldness and carefree spirit, along with an indescribable warmth.
He was like a massive beacon, easily igniting the passion of those around him, making people instinctively want to follow him, to adventure with him, to witness those magnificent miracles.
From just this brief contact, Kyle had already deeply felt Roger's unique leadership charisma.
"Welcome aboard, Kyle." Rayleigh also approached, showing Kyle a slight smile that, while still composed, had lost some of its initial scrutiny.
"Please take care of me from now on, Captain Roger, Rayleigh-san!" Kyle said solemnly, his excitement and anticipation nearly overflowing.
A legend was about to set sail from this small pirate ship.