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"Boom!"
Thunder roared as blue lightning exploded across the sky, turning the heavens blindingly bright before slamming straight into Buggy's body.
It all happened almost instantaneously. There was no time to react at all.
Not far away, Shanks watched as the lightning faded and the figure beneath it was revealed. His expression changed sharply. Without the slightest hesitation, he turned and ran.
"Shanks!"
Buggy's entire body smoked black as he shivered violently, trembling from head to toe.
He could hardly believe it. Shanks had actually abandoned him and fled.
"Buggy, we go our separate ways. I believe in you!"
"That guy's too strong. I'm no match for him yet!"
Shanks's laughter echoed faintly from the distance.
Buggy jerked, coughing up a mouthful of black smoke.
He really wanted to curse at him.
But when he saw the towering figure standing right in front of him, close enough to touch, he shuddered again and forced out a stiff, awkward smile.
"Uh… this Marine sir. We don't know each other, do we?"
"Why attack me all of a sudden?"
Kyle bent down, looking at the red-nosed boy below him, then suddenly smiled.
"Buggy the Clown."
"Former apprentice on the Roger Pirates."
"And the one who just ran away. That was Shanks, right?"
Buggy trembled, his face twisting into a bitter smile. "You've got the wrong guy."
"I remember you two."
"Back then, in that battle, you charged in the fastest. I one-shot you."
Kyle grinned.
A bolt of lightning flashed through Buggy's mind as a deeply buried, nightmarish memory surged back to the surface.
He looked closely at the man's face again, and suddenly it clicked.
His fear deepened instantly.
It was him. That monster who kept throwing cannonballs.
Compared to before, he was taller, broader, far more imposing. That was why Buggy hadn't recognized him at first glance.
"Kyle!!"
Buggy forced out an ugly smile and spat out the name.
"When I first saw you, I thought I should've kept you back then, Buggy the Clown."
Kyle said calmly, smiling.
"Huh?"
Buggy froze, then his lips started to tremble again.
"Why me?"
There had clearly been someone stronger than him just now. Yet this man had chosen to attack him instead.
"Because…"
"You're a monster."
Kyle grinned.
His right hand opened again, lightning crackling between his fingers.
"Fifty million volts."
"Discharge."
Another flash of light burst out. Buggy convulsed violently, then collapsed limply to the ground, smoke continuously rising from his body.
Kyle picked up one of Buggy's detached hands and looked off toward the direction Shanks had fled.
"Compared to the future Red-Hair…"
"I think you're the one with even more potential to be cultivated."
"Emperor Buggy."
He muttered softly, then lowered his gaze to the scorched boy in his arms.
Lightning flared again around his body, blazing hot. With a sharp flash, he vanished from where he stood.
When Kyle returned to the temporary base, he set Buggy down on the ground in front of him and stared at him thoughtfully.
Douglas Bullet immediately recognized the apprentice from Roger's ship and frowned in confusion.
"From today on, he's a trainee on our ship."
Kyle pointed at Buggy.
"This piece of trash? What use is he?"
Bullet said bluntly.
In his eyes, Buggy and Shanks had both been dead weight on Roger's crew.
"Heh. His usefulness is huge."
Kyle chuckled lightly.
Crocodile, Rosinante, Ivankov (Evans), and the others all looked at the red-nosed boy with curiosity.
From their experience, their commander never recruited people casually. Crocodile and Bullet were terrifyingly strong, to the point where even vice admirals might not be able to beat them.
So what did this red-nosed guy have going for him?
Kyle smiled faintly.
The Chop-Chop Fruit was absurdly powerful in his eyes. It was practically immune to slashing attacks, giving it an unbeatable natural advantage against swordsmen.
And if Buggy ever grew strong enough to awaken it…
Just imagining that scene made Kyle click his tongue.
It would be overwhelming.
Buggy's awakening.
A world split apart.
On top of that, this red-nosed guy was blessed with outrageous luck. A natural-born darling of fate. Practically a living Lucky-Lucky Fruit user. A rare case of double abilities.
With enough time and proper training, Kyle was convinced Buggy would eventually bloom under his command and shine with terrifying brilliance, shocking the future world.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, the Marine officers were preparing to depart from Loguetown.
Large numbers of Marines boarded their warships one after another as the fleets slowly sailed out of the harbor.
Sengoku, Garp, and the others stood frowning as they looked at the lively scene outside.
"Garp, you go."
"Just say a few words to those reporters from all over the world."
"Send them off, then it's time for us to return to headquarters."
Stretching lazily, Sengoku sighed.
"These past few days have completely worn me out."
Then he rubbed his temples again.
"Roger's last words are going to throw the entire world into even greater chaos."
"What a headache."
Garp burst out laughing. "Hahahaha!"
"Don't drag me into this."
"You know I've never been good with words. If I mess up in front of the whole world and cause even more chaos, that'd be bad."
He waved his hand while tossing a donut into his mouth.
Sengoku looked helpless and turned to Zephyr instead.
"You know I'm good at teaching students, not dealing with reporters."
Zephyr said in a low voice.
Sengoku covered his forehead. He really did not want to deal with that pack of global reporters.
Their questions were often awkward, irritating, and impossible to answer.
Suddenly, someone came to mind. Sengoku's eyes lit up.
"Then let Kyle go."
"He has the rank and the solid achievements. He captured Roger and Golden Lion Shiki."
"He's the best choice to face those reporters."
There was no doubt about it. Kyle had been all over the world news lately, a rising star within the Marines. Countless young soldiers admired him as their ideal and idol.
If Kyle stepped forward, he would be far more suitable than any of them.
Most importantly, it saved Sengoku a lot of trouble.
A short while later, Kyle was summoned. When he heard Sengoku's order, he froze.
"You want me to face reporters from all over the world?"
"But I'm terrible at talking."
Sengoku pushed him toward the door with both hands, laughing as he did so.
"It doesn't matter. Just say whatever comes to mind."
"Your ideals. The justice you believe in."
"Get them out of the way, and you'll have done a great service."
And so, in a daze, Kyle found himself standing before a crowd of eager reporters and rows of transponder snails broadcasting live.
"Vice Admiral Kyle, is it true that you personally captured Gol D. Roger and Golden Lion Shiki?"
One reporter asked.
"Yes. That was me."
Kyle nodded.
"It's said you are the disciple of the Marine hero, Vice Admiral Garp?"
"Yes. Garp-sensei has always been a hero I admire and respect."
Kyle nodded again.
"Vice Admiral Kyle, may I ask, what is justice to you?"
A reporter asked excitedly.
"..."
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