I'd be happy about a vote!
---
He, on the other hand, had the now-captured Alvida and the lucky pirates who hadn't died by Tashigi's blade locked up in the brig of the warship.
From the mayor's report, he had already learned of Kyle and the others' next destination.
The Marine G153 Branch.
That was also the piece of information Kyle had deliberately let the mayor leak.
Once all the written reports were sorted out, the warship quickly departed from Will Town, heading toward Shells Town.
However…
Sitting alone in his office, Smoker puffed on his cigar, his eyes gazing out at the distant sea through the hazy smoke.
In his mind, he recalled the mayor's private report before departure—about a certain female swordsman.
A short-haired girl, exceptional sword skills, clean and decisive in her attacks on pirates...
All signs pointed to one thing: this girl was very likely Tashigi, who had been kidnapped by the Dusk Pirates!
Holding a freshly printed wanted poster in his hand, Smoker stared at the grinning, gun-wielding man on it…
Any favorable impression he had of Kyle had now completely vanished. Clenching his fists tightly, he roared in fury:
"Kyle! What the hell did you do to Tashigi!?"
"30 million Berries!?"
"This bounty's a bit inflated, isn't it?"
Aboard the Diga, under the countless rays of the morning sun.
Having just gotten up, Kyle sat comfortably at his desk.
He enjoyed his breakfast while admiring his own wanted poster.
The photo used was a still frame of him firing the shot that injured Smoker.
A perfectly captured expression and just the right angle...
The picture made him look even cooler than he did in real life.
Rather than a wanted poster, it looked more like a movie poster.
Kyle was even tempted to reward the photographer with a few drumsticks.
And the 30 million Berries bounty beneath it firmly established him as the strongest pirate in the East Blue!
It was clear that the speed with which this bounty was issued had a lot to do with Fleet Admiral Sengoku's involvement behind the scenes.
In Sengoku's eyes, Kyle must have eaten the Storm-Storm Fruit. Otherwise, there was no way he'd assign such a high bounty.
30 million Berries might be nothing on the Grand Line, but in the East Blue, it was a fearsome number!
By the time he finished reading the day's newspaper, Kyle had also finished his breakfast.
Just then, young Koby, who had been standing beside the desk, quickly moved to take away his tray.
"Thanks, Koby."
Kyle said with satisfaction, only for Koby to respond with nervous excitement.
"N-No problem!"
He then sped up, and even wiped down the table with a towel while clearing the tray.
When it came to being a cabin boy, Koby had clearly reached grandmaster level!
Truly admirable!
Ever since Koby learned Kyle was actually a special agent under the Fleet Admiral, he had been in an overexcited state.
He never imagined that, through such a strange twist of fate, he would indirectly fulfill his dream.
For someone who had always wanted to become a Marine, it was like a dream come true!
Captain Kyle had promised...
As long as he stayed obediently on the Dusk Pirates' ship and joined the crew, once the mission was over, Kyle would arrange for him to join Marine Headquarters!
Even with a proper rank!
Koby didn't doubt him for a second.
First, Kyle had no reason to lie to a nobody like him.
Second, he had already recognized that the woman on board was Tashigi—the Marine who had been kidnapped in Loguetown!
That made everything make sense!
Captain Kyle's attack on Loguetown must've been a staged performance with the Marines there!
All to help Kyle gain a legitimate bounty as a pirate!
To uphold justice, he stepped into darkness!
Wasn't that the very hero Koby dreamed of!?
To serve such a hero—even as a cabin boy—was something worthy of being engraved on his gravestone!
As Koby walked out of the captain's cabin with the tray, Kyle could feel his joy just from the boy's posture.
Kyle picked up a napkin, wiped the grease from his mouth elegantly, and chuckled softly:
"This silly kid... still too young~"
The daily sailing routine became less boring with the addition of a new crewmate.
During the day, Tashigi trained in the practice room.
Kyle trained Koby in physical conditioning on the deck.
Ever since Koby learned the notebook held knowledge reserved for Marine officers, his motivation for training had soared!
Even when Kyle thought he'd quit, Koby just kept going!
No wonder he mastered Rokushiki in just six months.
This kid's talent was the real deal!
What Koby lacked was simply a good teacher—and a reason to keep pushing forward.
As a result, Kyle also had to increase his own training intensity.
At the very least…
He didn't want Koby to learn all of Rokushiki and Haki while he himself still hadn't mastered Armament Haki!
He had cheats, for god's sake!!!
And so, their days passed by in continuous training.
Before they knew it, a week had gone by.
"Are we there yet?"
On the deck of the Diga.
Tashigi stood at the railing, gazing into the distance.
Her black shihakusho-style skirt hugged her shapely hips. While not overly voluptuous, she had a certain firmness to her figure.
Her long white silk stockings clung to her soft thighs.
At Kyle's suggestion, she had started growing out her hair, and gently pushed up her square-rimmed glasses with a composed air—giving off an aura of quiet charm and dignity.
You'd never think she was someone capable of killing pirates with a sword.
But in truth, Tashigi's combat power had already reached the peak of the East Blue!
Seven days of training, boosted by 800 XP per day, had completely transformed her!
Now, her combat power was just about to break the 10,000 mark!
[Partner: Tashigi (Rukia Kuchiki)]
[Aptitude: A]
[Level: 21]
[XP: 330/900]
[Combat Power: 9240]
After seven straight days of grinding, her strength now rivaled that of early-series Luffy and Zoro.
Crushing someone like Captain Morgan was now child's play for her!
That was the main reason Kyle dared to take on an entire Marine base with just his crew!
The Diga, flying the Jolly Roger, slowly approached the island where Shells Town was located.
Compared to the remote Will Town, Shells Town was practically a paradise.
Rich lands, large population, and backed by a Marine base meant no fear of pirate attacks and a strong sense of security!
Unfortunately…
The protector they relied on had now become the very tyrant oppressing them!
Kyle didn't have the Diga dock at the town's public port.
Instead, he bypassed the bustling area and headed straight for the Marine base's private harbor.
His goal today was simple—cause a major commotion!
The louder, the better!
A perfect way to justify his 30 million bounty!
With Tashigi's power continually growing, Kyle—who could now tap into 20% of her combat strength—finally had some strength of his own!
While he might not yet live up to his full bounty, defeating small fry like Kuro or Krieg wouldn't be a problem at all!
"Alright, boys! Ready to make some noise!?"
Aboard the Diga, Kyle grinned excitedly as the Marine base came into view.
Tashigi straightened up and pushed her glasses up.
With a snap of her finger—
A cold gleam flashed as her blade leapt from its sheath!
"If the Marine captain here is really as weak as you say, Captain Kyle…"
"Then I will personally defeat him—and offer him up to you!!!"
Tashigi said in a cold voice.
Compared to evil, ruthless pirates…