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"Huh? What did you say?"
Ikki raised his eyebrows and looked at Tashigi with some confusion.
"No... it's nothing, let's just watch the battle of Hina."
Tashigi turned her head and looked at Hina with a blush.
Ikki tilted his head. Although there was no expression on his face, his eyes showed deep surprise when he looked at Tashigi.
With his hearing, how could he not hear what Tashigi was saying?
He was just surprised that the shy girl in front of him could actually express her feelings.
He wasn't an idiot, so he could naturally see what Tashigi was thinking right now.
'That being said, we're not partners after all. Tashigi, if only you weren't a Marine.'
He shook his head, and after thinking for a moment, reached out to Tashigi.
'That's great, I did it. Finally, I told him what was in my heart.'
Tashigi shouted with joy in her heart. Although she'd only said it out loud and he didn't seem to hear it clearly, it was enough to make her happy.
After all, she'd finally taken a step forward.
Just when Tashigi was thinking this, his strong hand suddenly placed on her shoulder.
Then she felt that she was in a reliable embrace.
"Huh!"
Tashigi looked at him in surprise and realized that she was in his arms.
For a moment, her face immediately turned red.
"Ikki, I... I—"
"Shh, Tashigi, just stay like this for a while."
He smiled at Tashigi and said.
"Um!"
Tashigi nodded, her eyes almost narrowed.
In this way, it wasn't until Hina's battle came to an end that she blushed and left his arms.
"Thanks, Ikki. Hina now feels that she has become much stronger."
Hina walked out of the center of the arena, took the coat handed over by him, put it on her body, and said with a smile.
Because of using Flame Breathing to fight the sword shadow, now the clothes on her body were damaged in many places, and pieces of her skin were exposed.
Even so, she didn't care much.
Rather, she was even happy to put his coat on her body.
"Congratulations... Congratulations, Rear Admiral Hina."
Tashigi spoke.
"Hmm!" Hina nodded slightly and turned to look at Tashigi, "Hmm? Tashigi, don't you look a little strange?"
"No... no way."
"Then why is your face so red?"
"It's just... it's just too hot!"
"Too hot? You use Water Breathing, right? How can you feel the heat in this pleasant temperature in the Sword Enlightenment Room?"
Hina looked at Tashigi suspiciously, and then looked at Ikki as if she'd thought of something.
In response, he just shrugged, looked towards the arena, and called out Tashigi's sword shadow.
"Ahem, Tashigi. Don't think so much, start watching your future sword shadow's fighting style now."
"Your challenge mission is much more difficult than Hina's."
Hearing this, Tashigi nodded quickly.
She also wanted to find something to do so that she could temporarily avoid Hina's sight.
"Hina always thinks you guys are weird, forget it."
Hina looked at the two of them suspiciously, and finally gave up thinking, preparing to see how far Tashigi would go in the future.
Some time passed, after Tashigi finished watching the battle.
Then she stepped into the arena and started her own battle.
Hina raised her right hand and fiddled with her pink hair and looked at him.
After a little hesitation, she approached him and tapped him gently on the cheek.
"Thank you, Ikki."