Able to roam freely across the vast sea, without truly being held accountable for his crimes, and even receiving support from the Navy.
In this world, is there a profession more free than this?
The King of Spies — that title was destined to be his!!!
Seeing Kyle's reaction, a glint of light flashed across Sengoku's black-rimmed glasses.
He smiled and said slowly:
"Considering your current strength, the Navy has no strict requirements for your initial assignments."
"However, there is one matter that you can take on to get some practice."
Sengoku took out another file and introduced it:
"Recently, an underground group in the East Blue has been trafficking weapons of mass destruction."
"Specifically, a type of extremely powerful shell!"
"Some minor pirate crews, armed with these shells, can even easily pierce through Navy warships."
"If the opportunity arises, I hope you can investigate the organization behind this arms trade!"
"That will count as your first mission!"
"Are you... willing to accept it!?"
A letter of intent was pushed in front of Kyle.
Once Kyle signed his name on it, it would mean his household registration and status as a hero's child would be annulled from the records of Marineford. He would no longer receive the generous monthly subsidies from the Navy.
At the same time, it meant he would use his life to uphold justice in another form.
"..."
Looking at the document before him, Kyle fell into deep thought.
East Blue? Extremely powerful shells?
Could this be referring to the Buggy Bomb?
Right now it's the year 1520 of the Sea Circle Calendar — still one year before Luffy sets sail.
And the actual Buggy Bomb should've been completed shortly before Luffy started his journey.
In other words, the group Sengoku mentioned was likely none other than Buggy's crew, selling defective products to raise research funds!?
This mission — he could take!
That thought flashed through his mind.
Kyle didn't break character despite his contemplation.
After seeing the document, a sudden gleam lit up in his once-dull eyes.
His arms began trembling faintly, as if struggling with some inner turmoil.
Beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead.
Finally, as if making a momentous decision, Kyle exhaled deeply and looked up.
A firm light flickered through his dim pupils. He clenched his fists and, as if summoning all his strength, declared:
"I'm willing to accept this mission!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, he picked up the pen on the table and signed his name on the letter.
In that instant, his entire aura changed dramatically!
He had once been like someone who had fallen into a deep well—neither struggling nor giving up, just letting time drown him.
But now, it was like he had seen a rope descend from above.
And he would reach out and grasp that rope with all his might to climb out of despair!
Honestly, the fact Kyle didn't end up in the entertainment industry in his previous life was a huge loss to the acting world!!!
From not far away, Admiral Kizaru's eyes grew even wetter upon witnessing Kyle's performance.
Though he often visited Kyle casually, he knew that Kyle had never truly revealed himself to him.
Seeing his nephew find new life brought long-awaited emotional release.
"Kyle…" Kizaru murmured softly.
He might always look laid-back and aloof.
But when it came to his nephew, he could never truly maintain that carefree facade.
If only he had arrived at the battlefield a little earlier that day, maybe his sister and brother-in-law wouldn't have had to die.
And maybe Kyle wouldn't have ended up like this after losing his parents.
Unfortunately, there's no such thing as "if."
"Kyle."
After Kyle signed the document, the previously silent Kizaru suddenly spoke.
Kyle turned to look at him.
Through the brown lenses of Kizaru's sunglasses, he saw a complex expression in his eyes.
One-third guilt, one-third hope, one-third worry, and a final sliver of relief…
Truly a seasoned player of emotional pie charts.
"Uncle."
Kyle spoke, calling out a title that felt both strange and familiar.
"I will do my best!"
"Mhm. I believe in you."
The feelings between men need no excessive words.
Just a title and a glance are enough to convey everything.
Even though Kizaru felt completely different from the impression Kyle had from the anime, Kyle perfectly displayed the appropriate emotions thanks to his inherited memories.
"Phew~ Good thing I've got the original's memories, otherwise I'd have no idea how to respond to these two old foxes."
Kyle sighed in his heart.
Three days later.
A merchant ship bound for East Blue set sail from Marineford.
The waves slapped rhythmically against the hull like keys of a piano, producing a soothing melody.
Inside the ship's cabin, Kyle stared wide-eyed, hands floating in mid-air, as he looked at the blue, strangely patterned fruit on the table. His throat tightened with emotion.
"Holy crap!"
"Didn't expect that on the tenth day after transmigrating, I'd actually see a legendary Devil Fruit!"
"And it's the valuable Paramecia-type Storm-Storm Fruit!!!"
"No doubt about it—my second uncle really is the best!!!"
The Devil Fruit before him had been secretly slipped into his luggage by Kizaru before departure.
Paramecia-type — Storm-Storm Fruit!
It grants the user the terrifying power to control airflow and summon massive storms!
One of the top-tier powers among Paramecia fruits!
And now, such a priceless Devil Fruit appeared before a no-name like him.
Truly, it pays to have someone in high places!
Normally, there's no way a fruit like this would ever be handed to someone of his rank.
After sighing in amazement, Kyle began checking his other "startup capital."
As for whether to eat the fruit — he hadn't decided yet.
After all, besides his second uncle, he also had another golden finger — his system.
Kyle planned to wait until the system activated before deciding whether to become a Devil Fruit user.
Because eating one comes with a built-in weakness — he had to be cautious.
Besides that precious Devil Fruit, the Navy — or rather Kizaru — had also approved a special 50 million Berries startup fund for Kyle, along with a brand-new Seastone pistol developed by the Navy's research division and a quality sword named "Frost."
Truth be told—
Though Kyle's current strength was only around the level of a 10-million bounty pirate, with this top-tier equipment and the power of the Devil Fruit, he'd be more than capable of dominating East Blue.
This level of treatment? Only a nephew of Kizaru could enjoy it!
Kyle hadn't wasted the past three days either.
With help from the Navy's powerful intelligence network, he carefully studied East Blue's geography.
Not only did he locate the hometown of Navy hero Garp — the Goa Kingdom — but he also found out the specific islands and locations of villages like Shimotsuki Village, Cocoyasi Village, and Syrup Village.
Unfortunately, by now Zoro had already left Shimotsuki Village and was probably lost somewhere in East Blue.
If Kyle could recruit that weirdo onto his ship, his spy career would definitely become much easier.
In the original story, Zoro shows up in Shells Town a year later.
But now with Kyle's butterfly effect, no one could predict what might happen next.
Not even Kyle himself.
Because even now, he still didn't know what his system actually did!
"If the local Navy's rookie gift pack is this generous, then hopefully my companion system won't let me down!"
He muttered as he stared at the unchanged system interface in front of him.
The merchant ship from Marineford had much greater horsepower than civilian ships.
Its huge hull cut through the sea like a sharp blade, heading straight toward the Red Line.
Kyle had already purchased his ticket to his final destination. He would disembark at a port beneath the Red Line equipped with an elevator system, ride the elevator up the Red Line, cross it by land vehicle, then reach the East Blue's port on the other side to transfer ships.
Since it was a civilian facility, the whole process would take at least three full days.
Fortunately, Kyle didn't find it boring.
To witness firsthand the towering wall of the Red Line and its elevators — things previously seen only in illustrations — was already an awe-inspiring experience.
"Reality hits way harder than any picture ever could!"
Kyle's eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Ever since leaving Marineford, his true personality had gradually emerged.
All that gloom and melancholy — completely gone.
If not for the nervous looks of fellow passengers worried about encountering a passing Celestial Dragon, he might've asked the driver to stop so he could carve a "Kyle was here" sign on the wall.
But even the grandest scenery eventually grows dull.
After drifting at sea for over 20 days, Kyle finally arrived at his destination — Yakushi Island in the East Blue!
This island housed a massive shipyard.
It was said that over 70% of the 50 giant warships under East Blue Warlord Don Krieg were built here!