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Gion had always been skeptical of that story. She hadn't seen it with her own eyes, and Jin was so young. Maybe Hanafuda had been injured, not in top condition... there were all sorts of possibilities.
In the world of pirates, it wasn't often that the weak defeated the strong. But it wasn't unheard of.
Sneak attacks, poison, taking advantage of a moment of weakness... it could be done.
Gion's upbringing had made her intimately familiar with such underhanded tactics.
She snapped back to the present.
Jin was holding her foot with one hand and gently stroking her calf with the other.
"What a pair of legs," he said, appraisingly. "A real treat for a leg man. Put them in a pair of black or white stockings, and... magnificent. A work of art."
"Get off!" Gion snapped, her face flushing with a mixture of shame and anger. She twisted her powerful core, rotating her body and bringing her other leg up in a powerful kick.
The leg was a blur, a heavenly blade that cut through the air.
But because of Jin's status as a king, she couldn't use her full strength. It was a kick born of anger, not killing intent.
It posed no threat to Jin. With lightning-fast reflexes, he reached out and caught her other leg.
He pulled her legs around his waist and lunged forward, and her back slammed into the deck.
It was a move called the "Wind and Fire Wheel."
He used her as a cushion.
His face was buried in the canyon.
Gion's physical conditioning was superb. Even after the impact, she instantly brought a pair of daggers up, pressing them against his back.
"Get up," she said, her voice cold.
"Women," Jin sighed, pulling his face away. "So fickle. You're the one who said 'if you can reach.' And now you're not happy. An Admiral Candidate... so dishonorable."
Gion shot him a death glare. Who would have thought he'd actually do it? She was a Marine Admiral Candidate, for crying out loud. A little respect? And in front of all her men...
It was social suicide.
"You'd better watch yourself," she said, getting to her feet. "If word of this gets back to Headquarters, I have a feeling a lot of people will be coming to look for you."
"Is that so?" Jin said. "I do enjoy a challenge. A Marine Admiral Candidate... it just keeps getting more and more exciting."
"...Shameless," Gion muttered, at a loss for words. She composed herself, regained her cool, professional demeanor, and used Moonwalk to return to her ship.
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"Admiral Candidate Gion, just now..."
"I got some sand in my eye," she said smoothly. "I asked the king to help me blow it out. The ship lurched, and I fell. Did you see something?"
"Eh? Is that so?"
"We thought..."
"Hm? You thought what?"
"Ah, n-nothing! We must have been seeing things! I knew it couldn't be... it must have been a misunderstanding. Ahahaha..."
Jin waved to Gion as the demonic carrier sailed into the Calm Belt.
"Woooooooooom..."
A deep, whale-like call echoed from the distance, and the sea trembled.
Gion couldn't help but turn and stare after the ship.
What is it about that ship that's so... off?
Wait a minute.
A sloop... with no wind... how was it sailing in the Calm Belt??
She grabbed a nearby Rear Admiral. "Hey! Did you see that?? How did that ship just sail into the Calm Belt??"
"Eh? I... I didn't see anything."
Gion frowned and let him go.
"A king with a secret," she muttered, her eyes narrowing. "But I swear, I will uncover all of them."
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"Sister Gion? Her?"
"I don't know much about her past. I only heard that before she joined the Marines, she was forced by circumstances to work as a geisha—(a highly trained professional female entertainer in Japan, skilled in traditional performing arts like dance, music, and singing, as well as in conversation and hospitality)—After she joined, she was mainly in charge of intelligence. She's very strong, a master swordswoman. And when she's on a target, she'll use any means necessary to capture them. She's like a black widow spider."
On Asuka Island, the newly promoted Captain Hina had arrived with her troops at the beginning of the year and had officially taken command of the Asuka Base.
After returning from the South Blue, Jin had made arrangements on Drum Island, and then had come to Asuka Island to oversee the harvest of the new batch of mushrooms and to deliver the next batch of seeds. The mushroom base on Asuka Island was gradually expanding its production.
They had large orders from the G-3 base and Alabasta, as well as from Drum Island, Hannabal Island, and Kilauea.
These alone were highly profitable, and the lives of the Asuka tribe were rapidly improving.
While he was there, Jin also... consoled Hina.
Angry? Jealous?
Nothing a good fight couldn't fix.
He tested her on her physical conditioning, her Six Powers, her Devil Fruit development... to see if she had made any progress.
After she had been thoroughly... satisfied... she was much more compliant.
After finishing his business, Jin had asked about Gion. He had a general idea of who she was, but he wasn't too concerned.
An Admiral Candidate wasn't an Admiral. And she hadn't made the cut during the World Military Draft, which meant her strength wasn't up to par. She was probably around the level of a Yonko commander.
A threat, but not a major one.
And he was the king of a member nation. If she pushed things too far, he wasn't afraid to show her the capricious nature of power.
It's hard to build something, but easy to tear it down. Tripping her up, causing a little trouble for her... that would be easy.
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After leaving Hina, Jin returned to Drum Island. The CP0 agent called him. It was time to pay this year's Heavenly Tribute.
The Celestial Dragons' massive ship, the Jolly Roger, docked at the port.
The CP0 agent disembarked.
"One thousand stalks of Dream," Jin said, presenting the tribute. "And one hundred stalks of the carefully farmed Dream II, which is even more potent. However, the second generation is more addictive than the first, and excessive use can be harmful to one's health. Please be sure to inform Saint Jalmack."
The CP0 agent frowned. "What's that strange smell?"
"Ah..." Jin said in a low voice, "—farming Dream seriously pollutes the environment. It also causes all sorts of strange diseases."
He coughed twice, his face pale, looking as if he were sick.
"I was told that Saint Jalmack and Princess Shalria were coming to see you. How did you get sick?"
"I didn't want to," Jin said with a sigh. "The doctor says my illness is contagious. But it's fine. I can just... not breathe."
"What if you infect their majesties?? You've missed a great opportunity. I'll go up and ask them what they want to do."
The CP0 agent took the chests and went back up. Before Jin could get an answer, the Celestial Dragons' ship turned and fled.
The Celestial Dragons were arrogant, but they were also terrified of death. They wore glass helmets whenever they went out, just to avoid breathing the same air as the "commoners." An infectious disease was out of the question.
Every second they remained was a disrespect to their own noble lives.
As the ship disappeared into the distance, Jin let out a long breath. "Alright, you can stop now. Where did you guys get something that smells that bad? Even I can't stand it."
He hadn't wanted the CP0 agent on the island, and he hadn't wanted to go on board to see those two Celestial Dragons. This was the only solution.
One problem solved.
Jin went to the municipal hall.
Inside, a silver-haired old man was sitting.
"Rear Admiral Enru," Jin said. "We meet again."
In just three short months, the once vigorous, fifty-something Rear Admiral had aged into a seventy-year-old man.
Life is unpredictable.
"Your Majesty," Enru said, his expression complex. "I am no longer a Rear Admiral. Just an ordinary old man."
"An old man? At your age, you're in your prime. Crocodile has already spoken to you, I assume?"
"No... he just asked me to come here." He said the word "asked" with a heavy emphasis. It was clearly not a simple request.
"Alright," Jin said. "I'll fill you in. Hannabal Island..."
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Enru took over as the new administrator of Hannabal Island. Once the transition was complete, Wilson would return to his original post.
Military and administrative power should indeed be separate.
With his business concluded, Jin once again set sail.
This time, his destination was the last of the Four Blues: the East Blue.
"The East Blue... how many Devil Fruits were there again? The Slip-Slip Fruit, the Barrier-Barrier Fruit... enough for an upgrade."
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Twin Cape.
Jin gave Crocus some supplies and discussed Observation Haki training.
Maya chatted with Laboon.
After nightfall, they ascended Reverse Mountain and, with practiced ease, entered the East Blue.
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