Chapter 2: Second Uncle! You are really my dear second uncle!
"What!? Let me become a pirate!?"
Marine Headquarters Office Building, Marineford.
In an inconspicuous meeting room, Kyle looked in astonishment at his second uncle Kizaru and at the Fleet Admiral Sengoku, who had just been introduced by his second uncle.
How did they know he was going to be a pirate? Could it be that there was someone in Marine Headquarters with the ability to eavesdrop on people's inner thoughts, someone who had been monitoring him secretly?! Kyle's heart was pounding wildly.
Although he knew that this was unlikely, it had all happened so suddenly that he didn't know what to say. He could only rely on the fluctuations in his eyes while pretending to be lost in thought, trying to cover up the faint joy hidden in his heart.
Sengoku and Kizaru did not find it strange to see Kyle's fan-shaped expression—three parts surprise, three parts doubt, three parts confusion, and one part shock. In truth, this was exactly the reaction they had expected Kyle to show.
Sengoku, meeting Kyle for the first time, nodded affirmatively. His thick fingers tapped lightly on the table as he fixed Kyle with a sharp but unreadable gaze, the kind that had once cowed even the Seven Warlords of the Sea during a meeting.
"To be precise," Sengoku said in his deep voice, "you will not become just a pirate. You will be a spy working under the guise of a pirate."
Kyle froze.
"I know this may be sudden for you," Sengoku continued, his tone calm but carrying the weight of authority, "but the current situation on the seas is complicated. The underground world hides countless crises. In order to protect more innocent lives, our Navy must adapt and act in ways beyond open justice. Intelligence is the foundation of all operations, and without someone to walk in the shadows, those of us in the light are blind."
As he spoke, a barely perceptible sadness flashed across Sengoku's eyes, a shadow of grief that had not faded. Perhaps he was thinking of Rosinante, the kind-hearted Corazon who had sacrificed himself in an undercover mission to stop Doflamingo. The pain of losing that adopted son never fully left Sengoku, and Kyle could see the heaviness in the Marshal's voice.
But quickly, Sengoku concealed the sorrow and straightened his back, his gaze returning to Kyle with an expression full of expectation.
Kyle swallowed and forced himself to raise questions at the right moment. "This… I understand the reasoning, but why me? You know, I'm not a Marine anymore, and I haven't practiced in years since leaving boot camp."
"That's not the point, Kyle," Sengoku cut him off firmly. "I heard about you from Zefa." The mention of Zefa's name carried weight in the room—Zefa, the Black Arm, a former Admiral who had once trained generations of Marines, including the three Admirals themselves.
Sengoku's tone softened slightly. "I think, with your natural talent, it won't be difficult for you to regain strength. Besides, the Headquarters will provide you with full support."
As he spoke, Sengoku suddenly produced a notebook that looked quite old and worn from his coat pocket. He placed it gently on the desk.
"This is the training plan Instructor Zefa tailored for you seven years ago. Although it may not perfectly fit your current condition, it is still of great reference value. At the same time, it contains a complete set of Marine Rokushiki our Six Styles and Haki training methods. I believe you, having once been in the elite training camp, are already familiar with these techniques."
Kyle's eyes widened as he stared at the notebook.
"...…"
If it weren't for the rational voice in his head reminding him to maintain the original Kyle's gloomy personality, he would have leapt across the table to snatch the notebook straight from Sengoku's hands.
Girl! They were handing him advanced techniques like the Navy's Six Styles and Haki right from the beginning!? And this wasn't some locked-away military secret, it was literally a written manual, a treasure that any pirate or revolutionary would kill for!
It was too tempting.
Of course, this notebook only answered one of Kyle's questions.
Sengoku pressed the notebook flat against the table with his palm, his voice turning heavy. "Espionage work is not an easy path. Over the years, the Navy has sent out many intelligence agents. Unfortunately, only a handful successfully returned to report their findings."
His eyes hardened. "The ones who failed either died in the cruelty of the sea or perished in battles among pirates. Some, worse still, were killed at the hands of their own comrades after their identities were exposed."
Kizaru tilted his head lazily to the side, his half-lidded eyes hiding sharp observation. His usual drawl broke the silence, "Ooh… that sounds really scary, doesn't it~ Kyle-kun?" His voice was calm, but the weight of his words made Kyle's back shiver.
Sengoku's words landed heavily in Kyle's heart.
"Of course," Sengoku continued, "this is not even the most terrible thing."
Sengoku's eyes suddenly became sharp, and he crossed his hands and placed them heavily on the table.
"The scariest thing is…" His tone dropped into a low growl.
"Some intelligence personnel, either under coercion or bribery, chose to join the enemy camp and deliberately fed false intelligence back to the Marines. That misinformation has caused the Navy to make catastrophic judgments, leading to immeasurable consequences. Entire fleets lost, entire towns burned, all because of one traitor's whisper."
The weight of his words seemed to shake the small meeting room. Kyle immediately recalled the stories in the memories he inherited incidents where Cipher Pol agents had gone rogue, and even the tragedy of Rosinante, who had played spy against his own brother Doflamingo. Betrayal in this world was always written in blood.
"So after learning enough painful lessons, the Marines have become extremely cautious in selecting intelligence personnel." Sengoku's fingers drummed the desk once before he exhaled deeply. "But this caution has created another problem a severe shortage of manpower in espionage. We don't have enough men we can trust to move in the shadows."
He let the silence hang before adding slowly, "Fortunately… Admiral Kizaru personally recommended you to me."
Having said that, Sengoku suddenly raised his head and stared straight into Kyle's eyes.
"...…"
Kyle remained silent, but inside, his mind raced. He understood. Sengoku's meaning was clear Kyle had no living family, no exploitable weaknesses, and a background that was politically spotless. He was not someone who could be easily controlled or blackmailed. On paper, he was the perfect candidate.
But Kizaru's recommendation…
Kyle's heart sank into deep thought. He pieced together Sengoku's words with fragments of the original body's memories, and slowly the truth surfaced.
It was probably two years ago, when he had just turned eighteen.
That day, Kizaru, who loved drinking tea but could never resist sake on special occasions, had come to Kyle's home carrying two pots of alcohol and simple dishes to celebrate his nephew's coming-of-age ceremony. For the first time in his life, Kyle drank until his face was red. And in that drunken haze, he had poured his heart out to the only relative he had left.
He confessed how much he hated pirates. How the memory of his parents being cut down on that doomed ship still clawed at him. How the hatred was endless, but the trauma was so deep that the very thought of wearing a Marine uniform made him tremble.
Such contradictions had left the original Kyle broken in spirit, trapped in a loop of self-denial and collapse.
Looking back now, Kyle muttered inwardly, "So that's why Kizaru has been pushing me to exercise since two years ago…"
"Did he want the original me to redeem myself through this backhanded method? To heal by stepping into darkness under the Navy's light?"
If you can't serve as a Marine… then serve as a pirate for the Marines.
Let your nephew face his trauma by diving into the most dangerous espionage work possible…
Second uncle, you really are my dear second uncle!
Kyle almost laughed aloud. Was this something a normal family member would ever come up with?! But then again, this was the world of One Piece. In a sea filled with Warlords, Yonko, and madmen like Blackbeard, what was normal anymore?
And according to the "narrative logic" of this world, he, Kyle, who had understood the truth in this moment, could only respond in one way.
"Second uncle… thank you!"
Kyle suddenly turned around and bowed deeply toward Kizaru.
This was the first time he felt just how wide the gap was between anime characters and ordinary people.
"Um…"
Kizaru, sitting there with his trademark lazy slouch, was caught slightly off guard by the sincerity. In response to Kyle's thanks, he didn't say much, but the corners of his lips tilted upward. A rare, relieved smile appeared across his weathered face. For a moment, two tears glimmered in the corners of his eyes before the steam of the teacup in his hand obscured them.
"My nephew… Kyle… you've finally grown up," he whispered into the rising steam, his voice softer than usual.
On the other side, Kyle straightened from his bow, turned his gaze toward Sengoku, and let the gloom in his eyes fade away. A faint, dangerous light began to sparkle in them.
"So… what do you need from me?"
He clenched his fists beneath the table, feigning a hint of curiosity. In truth, setting aside his uncle's outrageous methods, he was genuinely excited.
Following the orders of the Marines while living the life of a pirate…
What a role to play!
They can roam the sea freely without being held accountable for their crimes, and they can even get support from the Navy when the higher-ups deem it convenient for their own goals.
Is there any other profession in the world that is more free than this?
He is definitely the spy king!!!
Seeing Kyle's reaction, a bright white light immediately reflected in the black frame of Sengoku's spectacles, the same calculating gleam he once had when plotting countermeasures against Gol D. Roger and later against the Roger Pirates' remnants.
He smiled and said slowly:
"Considering your current strength, the Navy does not have any strict requirements for your preliminary work."
"But there is one thing I can give you to practice on first."
Sengoku took out another document and introduced it with the same gravitas as when he briefed the admirals on threats like Shiki the Golden Lion.
"Recently, a group that sells weapons of mass destruction has emerged in the underground world of the East Blue."
"That's an extremely powerful shell, one capable of rivaling the prototypes that once threatened even Navy headquarters!"
"Some unknown pirate groups could easily penetrate Navy ships on the sea with that kind of shells, something reminiscent of the destruction seen during the Oharan incident."
"If there is a chance, I hope you can find out the organization that sells the shells!"
"This can be considered your first mission!"
"Are you…willing to accept it!?"
A letter of consent was pushed in front of Kyle by Sengoku.
Once Kyle signs his name on it, it means that his household registration and status as a hero's child will be cancelled in Marineford, and he will no longer be able to enjoy the large monthly subsidies issued by Marineford.
At the same time, it also means that he will use his life to protect the justice of the Navy in another way.
"..."
Looking at the letter of intent in front of him, Kyle fell into deep thought.
East Blue? Extremely powerful shells?
Could this be the Buggy Bomb?
It is now the year 1520 in the Haiyuan Calendar, one year before Monkey D. Luffy sets out from Foosha Village.
The real Buggy Bomb should have been completed shortly before Luffy went to sea.
In other words, the organization Sengoku was talking about is most likely the Buggy Pirates, who sell failed products to accumulate research funds!?
This job is worth taking!
Thoughts flashed by.
Kyle did not stop maintaining his persona just because of thinking.
After seeing the letter of intent, his silent eyes suddenly lit up.
Then his arms began to tremble slightly, as if they were struggling with something.
A layer of sweat broke out on his forehead.
Finally, as if he had made some important decision, Kyle suddenly let out a long breath and raised his head.
A gleam of determination flashed in his dim pupils. He clenched his fists and said as if he had used up all his strength:
"I am willing to accept this mission!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he picked up the pen on the table and signed his name on the letter of intent.
At that moment, his aura suddenly changed!
In the past, he was like a victim who fell into a deep well. He neither struggled nor gave up, allowing time to completely drown him.
And now, it was as if he saw a rope hanging from the mouth of a well, like the same rope Ace once grasped when Whitebeard offered him a place to belong.
And he will reach out and try hard to grasp the hope of escaping from the predicament!
All I can say is that Kyle's failure to enter the entertainment industry in his previous life is a loss to the entire entertainment industry!!!
When Kizaru, who was not far away, saw Kyle's performance, his cloudy eyes became even moister.
Although he would visit Kyle whenever he had time, he knew that Kyle had never revealed his true self to him.
Seeing his nephew regain his life, the depression in his heart was finally relieved.
"Kyle…" Kizaru murmured softly.
Don't be fooled by his always nonchalant look, the same lazy drawl with which he once faced Hawkins or Basil in Sabaody.
But he could not put on a relaxed expression towards his own nephew no matter what.
If he had arrived at the battlefield earlier that day, perhaps his sister and brother-in-law would not have died.
And Kyle wouldn't have become like this because of losing his parents.
Unfortunately, there is no if.
"Kyle."
After seeing Kyle sign, the silent Kizaru suddenly spoke.
Kyle looked in his direction.
Through the brown lenses, he saw a pair of eyes with complicated expressions.
Three parts of self-blame, three parts of expectation, three parts of worry, and one part of relief…
He is also an old fan chart player.
"Second uncle."
Kyle opened his mouth, muttering a title that was both strange and familiar to him.
"I will work hard!"
"Well, I believe you."
There is no need for much explanation about the feelings between men.
Just a name and a look are enough to represent everything.
Although Kyle felt a sense of novelty when he saw Kizaru who was completely different from his impression.
But relying on the memory of his original body, he still perfectly expressed the expression he should have at that moment.
"Huh~ Fortunately, I have the memory of my original body to help me. Otherwise, I really don't know how to respond to these two old foxes."
Kyle secretly rejoiced in his heart.
…
…
Three days later.
A merchant ship bound for the East Blue left the port of Marineford.
The waves hit the ship like piano keys, making rhythmic sounds, like the lull of Calm Belt beasts beneath the surface.
In the guest room of the merchant ship, Kyle stared with his eyes wide open, his hands in the air, excitedly looking at the green fruit with strange patterns on the table, and his throat choked involuntarily.
"Be good!"
"I didn't expect that on the tenth day of my time travel, I would actually be able to see the legendary Devil Fruit!"
"And it's a priceless Paramecia-class Storm Fruit!!!"
"As expected of my second uncle!!!"
The Devil Fruit in front of him was the one that Kizaru secretly stuffed into Kyle's package when he was leaving.
Paramecia-type——Storm Fruit!
It allows the eater to have the terrifying ability to control air currents and create huge storms, not unlike how Dragon, Luffy's father, manipulated the weather at Loguetown.
It can be said to be one of the top abilities in the Paramecia system!
And now, this priceless Devil Fruit actually appeared in front of an unknown person like him.
I have to say, it's easier to get things done if you have someone in the court!
Under normal circumstances, it is absolutely impossible for this fruit to appear in front of him.
After sighing, Kyle continued to check his other "start-up funds."
As for this Devil Fruit, he hasn't decided whether to eat it or not.
After all, besides his second uncle, he has another golden finger.
Kyle plans to wait until the system is activated and then decide whether to become a Devil Fruit user based on the situation.
After all, eating a Devil Fruit is equivalent to creating an extra weakness out of nowhere, just like how even admirals like Aokiji and Akainu can be trapped by the sea.
Still need to consider carefully.
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