"Clang!" A sharp, deafening clang of metal rang out, making Kyle's ears ache. The gleaming long sword was blocked just inches from his face. Kyle, his vision blurry from blood loss and exhaustion, opened his eyes to see the back of a young man wearing a straw hat. The hat's style, color, and the man's familiar profile immediately made a name flash in his mind.
"Ace… Ace?" Kyle mumbled, his voice dry and hoarse with disbelief. Why is he here? The timeline doesn't make sense!
The young man didn't turn around. He simply flicked his wrist, and a tremendous force was sent through the weapon in his hand. The Black Shark Pirates swordsman, who was already retreating, felt an irresistible force surge through his sword arm. The hand holding his sword was instantly split open, and the weapon flew from his grasp and clattered to the ground. He himself was sent flying backward, his face filled with terror.
"Hey, you okay?" The man in the straw hat finally turned around, grinning to show off his clean, white teeth. In the sunlight, his young, handsome face was full of confidence, but his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, as if they could see right through people.
This smile... this gaze...
Kyle's eyes widened. Wait, I didn't recognize you just now! It's not Ace! It's... Ace's father!
Gol D. Roger! The Pirate King in his youth!
An invisible aura spread from Roger, not an intentional pressure, but it made the pirates around him shiver. They instinctively took a few steps back, their eyes filled with fear, as if they had been targeted by a wild beast.
"You... who are you?" The burly captain of the Black Shark Pirates, still holding his ship's anchor, roared, trying to sound brave. He knew this kid in front of him was a tough opponent.
Roger ignored him, looking at the disheveled Kyle and the chaotic battlefield. "Incredible. You took on so many pirates by yourself? Kid, you've got some skills!"
Just then, the sound of hurried, organized footsteps came from the edge of the port.
"Marines! The Marines are here!"
"It's the Marines from G Branch! Run!" The remaining pirates cried out, and their formation fell into chaos.
A large number of Marines in uniform rushed in from all sides, their guns aimed at the center of the port. The officers leading the group, with lieutenant colonel ranks on their shoulders, looked grim. They were clearly the elite of the Dogg Town Marine G Branch.
"All pirates, lay down your weapons and surrender! Or you will be killed without mercy!" a Marine Lieutenant Colonel shouted, his voice echoing across the port.
The arrival of the Marines made the tense situation even more complicated. A ruthless look flashed in the Black Shark Pirates captain's eyes. He knew he couldn't escape easily. "Brothers! Fight back! First, kill these two troublesome brats, then we'll break out!" he roared. He charged toward Roger and Kyle, swinging his huge ship's anchor. The other pirates followed, trying to fight their way out.
"Come on! Kuhahaha!" Roger laughed loudly, showing no sign of panic as the anchor and a wave of Marines came toward him. His weapon wasn't a famous sword, but an ordinary cutlass, yet it had astonishing power in his hand.
"Swish!" A flash of light was so fast that no one could see its path. The heavy ship's anchor was sliced in half as if it were rotten wood, with a cut as smooth as a mirror. Roger then moved through the crowd like a ghost, each swing of his sword filled with an overwhelming, powerful force. The first pirates and Marines who charged at him couldn't even see his movements before they were sent flying by his blade. His swordsmanship was simple and direct, but it had an incredible rhythm and power. Each strike looked like it could split mountains.
The adrenaline rush faded, leaving Kyle feeling exhausted. He leaned against the wall, enduring the sharp pain from his rib wound and the weakness in his body. He stared at Roger's fighting.
Is this… the future Pirate King?
He's so strong!
The composure and dominance in his every move, the absolute control over his power, was something Kyle had never seen before. Compared to Roger, his previous fights against the pirates were like a child playing. Every one of Roger's sword swings and every dodge was burned into Kyle's mind.
"Is this… Haki?" Kyle whispered to himself. He couldn't describe exactly what it was, but he could feel that Roger's attacks were more than just physical strength.
The combination of continuous fighting, blood loss, and hunger finally pushed Kyle's body to its limit. A wave of dizziness washed over him. The scene in front of him began to spin, and the sounds of fighting and screaming seemed to come from a long distance, becoming more and more unreal.
"Damn it… I can't… I can't move," Kyle gritted his teeth, trying to stay awake, but his eyelids felt heavy.
Just as the Marines regrouped, narrowing in on Roger, a golden figure, like lightning, suddenly cut into the battle.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!" Crisp sword sounds rang out, followed by the screams of several Marines. The figure was as fast as light, his cutlass dancing in a golden blur. Each flash precisely and elegantly took an enemy's life. His swordsmanship was focused on speed and skill, unlike Roger's absolute dominance, but it was just as deadly.
"Rayleigh!" Roger saw the newcomer and laughed loudly, his attacks becoming even more powerful.
The newcomer was a young Silvers Rayleigh, the future Pluton. He had golden, medium-length hair, small round glasses, and a calm look, but his eyes were sharp.
Rayleigh's arrival immediately changed the battle. He and Roger, one on each side, were like two sharp blades, easily cutting through the Marine encirclement.
"Honestly, Roger, you always make such a scene," Rayleigh said, easily blocking a Marine Lieutenant Colonel's attack while still having time to talk.
"Kuhahaha! I was on my way to have fun!" Roger responded, casually slicing through a few pirates.
Kyle's mind was fading in and out of consciousness. He vaguely saw Rayleigh's figure, and his last bit of strength seemed to disappear.
Young Roger… Rayleigh… This is 50 or 60 years before the main story!
The remaining Black Shark Pirates were now terrified. Roger and Rayleigh easily defeated them, and they either threw down their weapons or ran away. The Marine G Branch soldiers, although well-trained, were no match for the two future pirate legends, and their numbers were falling fast.
Roger and Rayleigh, one in front and one behind, protected the nearly unconscious Kyle between them. The setting sun's light made their shadows long as the port filled with smoke and the smell of blood. This was a chaotic fight and the beginning of a legend. An era belonging to the Pirate King seemed to quietly begin in this ordinary port of Dogg Town, all because of a soul that had unexpectedly arrived there.
Kyle's eyelids finally closed completely, his last thought on Roger's loud laughter and the gleaming light of Rayleigh's blade.