The sea trial for the Vidofnir was a massive success. This air-space battleship performed far better than Kyle ever expected. It wasn't just about the terrifying weapons or the tough armor; with Eneru providing full power, the ship flew at an unbelievable speed. It felt like a dimensional strike was possible at any moment.+4
Peace returned to the crew over the following days. After the brutal "hellish team building" and the successful ship trial, the top executives were more motivated than ever. They jumped right back into their training and individual responsibilities. The team was finally starting to act like a real family.+2
Crocodile and Doflamingo, the two master planners, were now often seen together. They spent their time brainstorming how to use their combined spy networks and influence to mess with the World Government. Moriah and Tesoro became a strange but effective pair. One studied the power of shadows while the other worked with gold, and together they came up with new tricks that even impressed Kyle. Meanwhile, Mihawk practiced his swordsmanship day and night. He was determined to finally land a real hit on Kyle during their next duel. Everything was moving in the right direction.+2
One afternoon, Kyle was relaxing in his study, enjoying some quiet time, when Sakura walked in quietly holding an envelope.+2
"Lord Kyle, a letter has arrived for you," she said.+2
Kyle opened his eyes lazily and asked, "Who is it from?" +2
"It is from Foosha Village in the East Blue. The sender is Mrs. Rouge," Sakura replied.+2
"Rouge?" +2
Kyle sat up quickly and took the letter. It had been a long time since he heard from her. Ever since he helped Rouge and Ace settle down in Foosha Village, they only sent a few letters a year to let him know they were safe. Occasionally, Kyle would visit to play with the three kids when he had some free time.+2
He tore the envelope open and saw Rouge's familiar, elegant handwriting. The letter was long, filled with a mother's pride for her son, but also a touch of deep worry.+2
"Dear Kyle,
It has been a long time. How are you? Ace and I are doing well in Foosha Village, so please don't worry about us. I am writing to share some news. Ace has grown up and found his own path in life. Just a year ago, he officially joined the Marines."+2
Kyle's expression turned strange when he read that. He remembered reading all the intelligence reports Robin sent him, but he didn't recall seeing anything about this. He wondered if Robin was hiding things from him on purpose.+2
So, Ace joined the Marines? Had Kyle's old jokes actually come true? He could practically hear that old man Garp laughing his head off about this.+2
The letter mentioned Garp as well. Rouge wrote that Mr. Garp was incredibly happy when he heard the news. He hugged Ace and cried like a little kid, saying Ace was his greatest pride. He even went out of his way to find Luffy—who was still shouting about becoming the Pirate King—and gave him a beating, telling him to be more like his older brother.+2
Kyle could see the whole thing in his head. Garp wiping away tears while punching his grandson with his "Fist of Love" was a funny thought.+2
"Oh, Roger... this isn't my fault," Kyle whispered to himself as he leaned back. "This is the path Ace chose for himself." +2
He kept reading:
"Ace is very talented. He was the best student in the Marine training camp. During a recent mission, he even found a Devil Fruit called the Mera Mera no Mi, and now he is even stronger. He is currently a Commodore at Marineford and leads a loyal squad called 'Spade'. Mr. Garp says Ace is the future of the Marines—the light of justice for the new era."+2
Inside the envelope was a newspaper clipping. It showed a handsome young man in a Marine uniform. He had curly black hair, a bright smile, and freckles on his cheeks. It was Ace.+2
Looking at the picture, Kyle felt a mix of emotions. He was happy that Ace was living a good, bright life, but he was also worried.+2
Portgas D. Ace: the future of the Marines? The light of justice? The brighter those titles were, the harder it would be for him when the truth of his father finally came out. The World Government would never let the son of the Pirate King be a celebrated hero. Kyle sighed, thinking about what might happen to the boy.+2
"Well, as long as I'm around, nobody is going to touch you," Kyle thought.+2
He put the photo away and read the end of the letter. Rouge explained that even though Ace was talented, he was still very young. He had just been given a very dangerous mission to hunt down a powerful pirate from the New World. She was worried but didn't know how to tell Ace, so she asked Kyle to keep an eye on him.+2
A mother's worry never ends. Kyle went to the window and looked out at the ocean, staying silent for a long time. He then picked up the Transponder Snail on his desk and dialed a number.+2
"Find out the current location of Marine Commodore Portgas D. Ace and his 'Spade' squad," Kyle commanded. "I also want everything you have on their mission target." +2
After hanging up, he sat back down and stared at Rouge's letter. Five minutes later, an encrypted file arrived. He opened it and saw some very dangerous information:
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