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"Did he recognize me?"
Rojen's heart skipped a beat, a jolt of adrenaline surging through him as he snapped his gaze upward to meet the piercing eyes of the Marines' ultimate weapon.
A faint, almost playful smile curled Kizaru's lips. Behind him, Noas and the others stepped into view, their presence a silent storm brewing on the horizon.
Noas caught sight of Rojen— disguised as a plump, unassuming Marine— and his face twitched, though he held his tongue, masking his reaction with practiced restraint.
"Rojen?" Kizaru's voice cut through the air, calm yet laced with unshakable certainty as he spoke the name.
At that, Noas and the others froze, their eyes darting to the disguised figure. Shock rippled through them, mirrored by the wide-eyed disbelief of Rojen's old crewmates standing nearby.
It was impossible to miss: the figures flanking this man wore the unmistakable insignias of Vice Admirals, and the one leading them, adorned with those signature sunglasses, was none other than an Admiral— Marine Admiral Kizaru!
The realization hit the surrounding Marines like a tidal wave, their bodies trembling under the weight of his presence.
But what truly shook them to their core was hearing Kizaru call out the name of that cowardly, overweight Marine they'd dismissed so easily.
"Rojen?!"
What in the world was happening?
His cover blown, Rojen's pupils shrank to pinpricks. He couldn't fathom how Kizaru had seen through his disguise, yet the Admiral's confidence left no room for doubt.
"I didn't expect they'd send 'you' here," Rojen said, his voice steady now. The timid, bumbling facade of the fat Marine melted away, replaced by a quiet boldness that radiated from him like a storm held in check.
The transformation stunned his former squadmates. They'd scoured the seas for Rojen, never suspecting he'd been hiding among them all along.
"Just tying up loose ends," Kizaru replied, his smile widening as if he were enjoying a casual chat rather than a confrontation with a wanted man.
Noas, overhearing their exchange, felt his expression twist. "He's Rojen?" His voice trembled with disbelief. "No, that can't be right— his face, his build, it's all wrong!" He shook his head, grappling with the contradiction before him.
Kizaru, however, ignored Noas's protests, his attention locked solely on Rojen. "You're a sly one, I'll give you that. So, care to enlighten me? Why reveal yourself now? What's your game?"
Rojen lifted his chin, meeting Kizaru's gaze with a composure born of hard-earned experience. Though Kizaru's power dwarfed his own, Rojen's seasoned instincts kept him grounded, a stark contrast to the Straw Hats' panicked bravado when they'd faced an Admiral in the tales he knew so well.
Back then, Luffy and his crew had boldness to spare, but an Admiral's sheer presence had unraveled them, sowing chaos where courage faltered.
And for good reason. The Marines' top fighters weren't just legends— they were living proof of unmatched strength.
Across the globe, these three Admirals stood as the pinnacle of Marine might, a terror to pirates and a cornerstone of order. They weren't just enforcers; they 'were' the Marines, the unyielding force that sent even the boldest sea dogs running.
When Rojen didn't answer, Kizaru arched a brow, his tone shifting slightly. "That woman— does she really exist?"
Rojen's eyes sharpened, his pupils contracting as a flicker of tension broke through his calm. The Marines had only scraps of intel about Rouge, vague reports at best, but Kizaru's words cut deeper. In that fleeting moment, Rojen's reaction betrayed the truth— and Kizaru saw it plain as day.
"I never imagined that guy actually passed his bloodline down to someone— this is truly mind-blowing!"
Kizaru let out a soft breath of awe, though his eyes soon sharpened with a chilling edge.
"Tell me where she is. You've probably already stashed her somewhere safe, haven't you?"
Rojen's voice stayed cool and detached. "What's the point of all these useless questions?"
Kizaru's gaze grew frostier, but a flicker of admiration lingered as he spoke. "You really are the Pirate King's little brother. That kind of guts deserves respect."
He paused, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "But do you honestly think you can still slip away?"
"And that woman…" Kizaru's smile widened, carrying an unspoken threat. "This stretch of sea's been under lockdown for a while now. No ship, no soul, can sneak past the Marines' eyes!"
Rojen met his stare evenly. "If you don't test the waters, how'll you ever know?" His tone dropped, icy and deliberate. "Marine Admiral, Kizaru."
A tremor ran through Rojen's frame. The Marine cloak slipped from his shoulders, fluttering to the ground as his body shifted. Where a stocky Marine once stood, now stretched a lean, towering young man— his disguise unraveling in an instant.
"Impressive transformation," Kizaru mused, genuinely intrigued. "Some kind of Devil Fruit trick?"
He couldn't count how many times this kid had caught him off guard today. Meanwhile, the Marines around them stiffened as Rojen's true identity sank in.
"It's him!"
"No way— it's really him!"
"Rojen… he infiltrated the Marines and hid right under our noses!"
The Vice Admirals' expressions darkened. Without Kizaru's sharp eye, they might've chased shadows forever. In the dim glow beneath the light, deception thrived— even among their own ranks.
"Rojen," Kizaru said, his voice cutting through the tension, "I'll give you one last shot. Tell me where that woman is, and come back to Marine Headquarters with me."
His stare bore into Rojen, cold and unyielding.
"And if I refuse?" Rojen's lips curved into a faint, defiant grin.
Kizaru sighed, rolling his shoulders in a casual shrug. "Then that'd be a real shame."
He tilted his head slightly. "At this range, dodging my attacks would be a tall order for anyone."
A murmur escaped his lips, and in a flash, golden light blazed from his right foot.
Rojen's eyes widened, his instincts screaming as a wave of dread crashed over him. Every nerve in his body snapped to attention.
"Have you ever been kicked at the speed of light?" Kizaru's voice was calm, almost lazy, as it drifted to Rojen's ears.
Muscles taut, Rojen whipped his sword free in a single, desperate motion.
'Boom!'
The impact hit like thunder, hurling Rojen backward. His blade met Kizaru's glowing foot, but the sheer force overwhelmed him completely.
He smashed through five buildings, debris raining around him. When he finally came to, blood spilled from his mouth in heavy coughs.
Shock filled his eyes. Now he grasped it— 'this' was the power of an Admiral.
"Too damn strong!"
In that split second, he hadn't even processed the move. Pure reflex and a hint of danger had triggered his Godspeed Drawn Blade Technique, yet it hadn't been enough. Not even close.
One strike, and he was already half-broken.
That blinding speed turned momentum into raw, explosive energy— more devastating than any bomb.
"Possession— I've got to use it!" Rojen's mind raced as Kizaru's figure loomed closer, each step radiating menace.
He knew the truth: that leisurely stride was a facade. When the Admiral struck, Rojen wouldn't even see it coming.
"Sorry, kid," Kizaru said softly, his voice carrying over the distance. "I've got no choice but to handle you in the name of the Marines— and justice."
The warning bells in Rojen's head screamed louder, sharper. His body shook—fear, adrenaline, and a storm of panic churning inside him.
"System! Summon! 500 Million Belly— throw everything into it!" He bellowed in his mind, voice raw with urgency.
(End of This Chapter)