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A silent solemnity and heaviness hung in the air at Marineford.
As the battleship passed through the Gate of Justice, the atmosphere became even more oppressive.
In the inner bay, almost a hundred battleships were arranged in a neat formation. Countless Marines stood ramrod straight, their gazes fixed in their direction.
"The Marine Headquarters… everyone is on full alert!" Rosinante said in a trembling voice.
The scene before him delivered an unimaginable shock to his young heart.
Densely packed Marine battleships filled the harbor, while atop Marineford Square, a massive force of elite Marines waited silently.
Everyone was in a state of combat readiness; any unusual movement from their ship would be met with an immediate attack.
At that moment, the Gate of Justice slowly closed behind them, completely sealing off any path of retreat.
This was the vigilance of the Marine Headquarters and the minimum respect shown to Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King.
Despite having already surrendered and his hands being locked in shackles, they still faced him with full defensive measures.
"Rear Admiral Kojin, please proceed to Port No. 8!" As the battleship drew closer to the inner harbor, a guiding voice called out from ahead.
Kojin nodded and signaled to Slo to change course.
He could hear the tremor in the speaker's voice; the officer giving the order was clearly extremely nervous. In fact, every Marine was under immense tension at that very moment.
The sea breeze swept past, causing the white Marine cloak behind Kojin to flutter.
The battleship slowly docked at the port. Under the tense escort of a squad of Marines, Kojin led the way down the steps, followed by Roger.
"So this is my first time here." Roger sighed with emotion.
Seeing the heavily guarded fortress and the grim-faced Marine elites made him chuckle softly.
"Everyone's really nervous, huh?"
Kojin lit the cigar in his hand, took a puff, and frowned slightly. He really wasn't used to the harsh, choking taste of it.
"This is the minimum respect you deserve," Kojin said.
Roger smiled. "Respect?"
"Your words are quite interesting."
The two of them walked at the front, with Crocodile, Bullet, Evans, and the others following behind them.
"Rear Admiral Kojin, please escort Gol D. Roger to the Headquarters building. Fleet Admiral Kong, Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp, Admiral Sengoku and Admiral Zephyr are waiting there!" A Marine officer shouted nervously from the side.
His eyes were fixed on the young commanding officer in front of him, then drifted to the familiar face with the distinctive moustache behind him. His heart felt like it was about to leap out of his chest.
The Pirate King... Gol D. Roger!
It really was him!
Kojin nodded and stepped forward.
They walked in silence, the only sound being the clink-clank of the shackles on Roger's wrists.
Bullet's eyes flickered as he stared unblinkingly at the figure ahead.
There seemed to be something like anticipation in his gaze, but Roger remained utterly calm until they reached the front of the headquarters building and saw the towering figures waiting there.
"Gol D. Roger! We finally meet!" Kong stood with his arms crossed, looking down, and spoke in a deep voice.
There was a trace of awe in his eyes and clear emotion in his tone.
Despite standing on opposing sides, Roger's bearing and strength commanded respect.
"Steel Bone Kong. This is our first meeting." Roger said with a smile on his face.
"Official duties kept us apart, something I've always regretted." Kong sighed.
Then his gaze shifted to Kojin, revealing undisguised admiration.
"To capture Roger, regardless of the circumstances, you have rendered a great service to the Marines and to the world!"
Kojin inclined his head slightly, saying nothing.
"Send him to Impel Down. Garp, Sengoku, and Zephyr, I will entrust this matter to you three!"
After a brief pause, Kong took a deep breath, and his expression turned solemn as he continued.
"We must be cautious and think carefully about how to announce this information to the world. And we must thoroughly discuss how Roger should be dealt with."
Monkey D. Garp and the other two stepped forward and surrounded Gol D. Roger, who was now in the center.
Master and disciple exchanged a glance. Garp seemed as though he wanted to say something, but in the end, he merely reached out and patted Kojin on the shoulder.
"You've grown up."
Compared to the thin and immature youth he had been when they first met, the current Kojin had grown into a robust and imposing officer.
One could see the world reflected in his eyes.
Perhaps this young man, whom Garp had admired and taken in as a disciple, had already made decisions about his own life.
Kojin grinned and stepped aside, then looked towards Roger.
Surrounded by three men who were among the most powerful combatants in the Marine Headquarters, Roger showed no fear. He still wore that faint smile, as though nothing in this world could trouble him.
He was led away without sparing Kojin a single glance.
Soon, only Kong and Kojin's entire group remained at the scene.
"You handled this beautifully, Kojin!" Kong praised him, his gaze suddenly shifting to the long blade at Kojin's waist.
"That sword?"
Kojin inclined his head slightly. "You could say it's a trophy of war."
"Is that so?"
"Then it will become your honor as a Marine."
Kong paused for a moment, then nodded with a smile.
"We'll handle the rest from here. You can take a proper holiday and get some rest."
Kojin gladly accepted the leave.
After saying goodbye to Kong, he returned to the Headquarters residence with Crocodile and the others.
Just three days later...
An explosive piece of news spread across the entire world at astonishing speed, throwing it into an uproar:
"The Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, has been captured?!"
"Is this some kind of joke? He sailed all the way around the Grand Line, reached the final island, and claimed the crown of kings!"
"The freest man in the world... captured? Impossible!"
"Who was it? Who could possibly have the power to capture Roger?"
"..."
Heated discussion erupted across the entire world. This sudden piece of big news set everything abuzz.
...
South Blue, Baterilla Island.
A woman with pink hair cascading over her shoulders and freckles across her face stared blankly at the newspaper in her hands for a long time, unable to speak.
"Roger…"
But soon, she calmed down.
She lowered her head and gently caressed her abdomen with a tender expression on her face.
Not long after, the identity of the man who captured Roger was revealed.
"A Marine Rear Admiral... Kojin?!"
"He's the one who caught Roger?' Who is this guy? I've never even heard of him!"
"Where did this guy come from? How could he possibly have captured Roger?!"
Countless people refused to believe it. Compared to Roger, Kojin was far too young to be considered one of the famous powerhouses of the Marines.
Moreover, unlike pirates, who had bounties on their heads, most Marines deliberately kept a low profile, resulting in little public fame.
To the world at large, Kojin was completely unknown.
However, information about him was quickly dug up by those with ulterior motives.
"The prized disciple of the hero Vice Admiral Garp?!"
"He once fought Silvers Rayleigh to a standstill and was called an enemy not to be underestimated by Roger himself!"
"This guy is actually that strong; where did he come from?!"
The world was stunned.
And from that moment on, Kojin became famous across the entire world.
(End of Chapter)