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Navy Headquarters, Marineford.The Fleet Admiral's office.
When Kyle reached the door, the first thing he saw was how busy it was inside. Officers were constantly coming and going, the place buzzing with activity.
Kong sat behind the massive desk directly opposite the entrance, frowning as he flipped through stacks of documents piled high on both sides.
"Rear Admiral Kyle!"
A young officer standing nearby spotted him and called out in surprise, his face lighting up.
"Hello," Kyle replied with a nod.
He didn't recognize the man, but the excitement and admiration in his eyes were unmistakable.
So he'd somehow picked up a fanboy right outside the Fleet Admiral's office?
"That's Rear Admiral Kyle!"
"My god, the one they say surpassed the Three Monsters, the monster among monsters?"
"Is that really him?"
"The man who fought the Pirate King's right-hand, Dark King Rayleigh, to a standstill, then wiped out a Supernova pirate crew like a thunderbolt. The Navy's rising young hero, Rear Admiral Kyle!"
Almost all the officers nearby turned to look. Kyle froze for a moment.
Only then did it hit him. Without realizing it, he'd become a celebrity among the officers at Headquarters, the most talked-about young officer of this era.
The younger officers' eyes were shining with excitement, the kind of light people get when they meet their idol.
"He looks as solid as Vice Admiral Garp. Just standing there makes you feel safe!"
"I want to have his children. Our kids would definitely be insanely strong!"
"Rear Admiral Kyle!"
In the blink of an eye, the corridor outside Kong's office turned lively and chaotic. Doors to other nearby offices opened one after another, heads poking out to see what the commotion was about.
Kyle had clearly underestimated just how popular he'd become at Headquarters.
Ever since Roger was crowned Pirate King, any Navy officer who had crossed blades with him seemed to gain a renewed aura. Aside from legends like Hero of the Marines Garp and Sengoku, Kyle was easily the most dazzling among them.
Faced with so many fervent, almost worshipful gazes, Kyle felt at a loss.
In both his past life and this one, he'd never experienced anything like this.
"Kyle!"
A deep voice cut through the noise.
"Get in here."
"Everyone else, clear out. Don't interfere with official business!"
Kong's stern command instantly cooled the atmosphere. The officers retreated one by one, making way for Kyle.
"Close the door."
Only after stepping inside did Kyle finally relax. He shut the door behind him, blocking out those eager stares.
"Heh," Kong chuckled.
"First time dealing with a scene like that, huh?"
"A little terrifying," Kyle said with a sigh."I'd rather fight an enemy head-on."
Headquarters hasn't gone out of its way to publicize your achievements," Kong said, lowering his head to continue reading. "But there's no doubt about it. You've become a role model for young officers in this era. Someone they strive to catch up to."
He paused, then added, "The Navy needs young people like you."
Kyle shrugged helplessly.
Looking at the mountains of paperwork flanking Kong's head, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Being Fleet Admiral really wasn't easy. No wonder Sakazuki barely ever left his office after taking the position.
"Did the mission go smoothly?" Kong asked, eyes still on the documents.
As Fleet Admiral, he had far too much on his plate. Especially after Roger became Pirate King, pressure from the World Government and all kinds of civilian unrest had been giving him a headache.
"Fairly smoothly," Kyle replied.
He pulled out a set of blueprints sealed in a plastic bag and handed them over.
Kong glanced through them briefly, then set them aside.
"The importance of seastone warship technology speaks for itself," he said. "If our ships can pass through the Calm Belt, we can break the barrier between the Grand Line and the Four Blues. That would drastically shorten the time it takes for the Navy to reach any sea."
He took a deep breath, something in the paperwork making him frown even harder.
"This technology will greatly strengthen the Navy and the government's control over the Four Blues. It will also play a huge role in our next operations."
"Operations?" Kyle asked, puzzled.
"A large-scale extermination campaign against pirates," Kong said, looking up. He slammed the finished document down on the desk.
"Our primary target will be the East Blue, currently the strongest of the Four Blues."
"And the birthplace of Pirate King Roger."
He exhaled slowly.
"Of course, this will take a long time to carry out."
"On top of that, there's the global manhunt for Roger and his crew."
Kong grimaced as if his teeth ached.
"If we don't capture those bastards, the world will never know peace!"
The Fleet Admiral's words gave Kyle a lot to think about.
Between pressure from the World Government and the recent turmoil among pirates and civilians alike, the situation was spiraling.
As long as the Pirate King lived, he was like a beacon. Just as Kyle inspired the Navy's younger generation, Roger drew in restless souls across the world, stirring chaos wherever his legend reached.
That was why capturing Roger and his crew was absolutely critical for both the Navy and the World Government.
If not, the entire world would remain in upheaval.
"Tomorrow morning at eight," Kong said. "Headquarters conference room."
"All officers are required to attend. Don't be late."
Kyle nodded. Seeing how busy Kong was, he didn't linger and quietly took his leave.
On his way out of the Headquarters building, Kyle was handed countless notes by shapely, beautiful female officers. Some of the bolder ones even leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.
It was clear that it wasn't just the young male officers who admired him. Plenty of women were more than willing to throw themselves at him.
"This is insane," Kyle muttered.
Only after leaving the building did he finally let out a long breath. Shaking his head, he headed back toward the residential area.
When he returned, he found Crocodile, Bullet, Rosinante, and the others sitting on chairs in front of his courtyard, chatting casually.
"The Navy has a far more complete and sophisticated training system than pirates ever could," Bullet said in a low voice.
After spending time inside Headquarters and seeing the neatly organized zones and detailed divisions, even he couldn't help but be impressed.
From basic training to advanced combat and specialized fields, the Navy's system was remarkably thorough.
"This world belongs to them, after all," Crocodile said with a faint smile.
"What, you planning to take the world from their hands?" Bullet laughed.
"I just want to build the world I dream of," Crocodile replied calmly.
At that moment, Kyle walked over and waved his hand, cutting them off.
"Enough talk about the world," he said. "Politics isn't our business."
"..."
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