The office assigned to Rear Admiral Kane was spacious and quiet, a stark contrast to the chaotic energy of the training grounds outside. He sat alone, focused entirely on the weapon in his grip. He was toying with a black katana, a blade so dark it seemed to swallow the light of the room. He turned it over in his hands, testing the weight and the balance of the steel. After a long while, he finally put it back into his system space with a look of pure satisfaction. He leaned back in his chair, feeling the weight of his recent accomplishments.
"Perfect."
He had managed to secure a promotion, a mountain of wealth, and now, divine equipment to top it off. The path ahead was looking clear. He stretched his limbs, and his joints crackled loudly in the silence of the office. The tension of the morning ceremony was finally leaving his body.
"I should have a good meal to celebrate, and by the way... I need to find a durable punching bag to test my new sword."
Rear Admiral Kane pushed open the heavy mahogany door of his office and stepped out into the hallway. He walked towards Marineford's First Mess Hall in high spirits, his mind already weighing the possibilities of his next move. The First Mess Hall was the heart of the base during the lunch rush, buzzing with the sounds of thousands of soldiers.
When Rear Admiral Kane appeared at the entrance, the atmosphere shifted instantly. He carried a luxurious lunch piled high like a small mountain, a meal fit for a giant. As he walked through the doors, the entire mess hall's commotion came to a sudden halt.
Countless gazes focused on him, tracking his every move across the floor. This was especially true for the female Marine Soldiers. Their eyes lit up at the sight of him, and several felt their cheeks flush with heat.
"Look! It's Rear Admiral Kane!"
"Oh my god, he's even more handsome in person than he was on the den den mushi... just look at that figure, I'd go for that in a heartbeat!"
Rear Admiral Kane was already immune to the surrounding gazes and the hushed whispers. He had dealt with attention his entire life. He calmly chose a window seat, setting his tray down with a heavy thud, and was just about to dig into his food.
A slightly nervous, clear female voice sounded by the side of the table.
"Um... Rear Admiral Kane, can I... sit here?"
Rear Admiral Kane looked up from his meal.
A beautiful girl with long black hair was standing gracefully before him, clutching her meal tray tightly. It was Gion. She hadn't changed out of her New Recruit uniform yet. The white shirt was stretched into astonishing curves by her tight, athletic figure. Her face, which usually carried a heroic and stoic expression, was now as red as a ripe apple.
A hint of a smile flashed in Rear Admiral Kane's eyes as he looked her over. He recognized her potential immediately. A potential stock, he thought to himself. While she was still a naive little New Recruit, now was the best time to build up goodwill and cultivate her into a loyal subordinate for the future.
"It's you."
Rear Admiral Kane showed his signature gentle smile, a look that felt like the warm sun in the middle of winter.
"Just now in the plaza, your gaze was excellent, Miss Swordsman."
He naturally stood up and pulled out the opposite chair for Gion, offering her a seat with practiced ease. This gentlemanly gesture did not go unnoticed. It instantly ignited envious, distorted gasps from the surrounding female Marine Soldiers who were watching from nearby tables.
"Th-thank you!"
Gion was completely flattered by the attention. She sat down awkwardly, feeling like she didn't know where to put her hands or her feet under his gaze.
"Don't be so formal, just call me Kane in private."
Rear Admiral Kane's voice was gentle as jade and extremely magnetic, vibrating in the air between them. He casually pushed the untouched special caramel pudding from his own tray towards Gion.
"This dessert tastes good, freshly baked. Girls should like it."
It was a critical hit to her composure. Gion felt her heart skip a beat. Her idol not only remembered her from the crowd, but he was also being so gentle and considerate. He was even inviting her to share his dessert.
"This... this dessert is too precious, I can't possibly take it..."
"Compared to its value," Rear Admiral Kane said, propping his chin with one hand and gazing at her with a steady smile, "I prefer to see the expression on a beautiful lady's face when she eats."
Gion's brain buzzed at the comment. Her thoughts instantly crashed and went blank. A wave of scalding heat spread from her slender neck, reaching her earlobes in seconds. Her usual heroic demeanor vanished entirely. She could only frantically avoid Rear Admiral Kane's deep, smiling eyes. Her hands intertwined nervously under the table, and her voice was barely a whisper.
"Th-then... I... I won't be polite..."
But this warm scene of a handsome man and a beautiful woman enjoying a peaceful moment was a nightmare for others. It was more unbearable for Kakei, who was watching from a corner of the mess hall, than being stabbed with a sword.
"Bang!!!"
A rough hand slammed heavily on a nearby table, making the pudding in the plate jiggle three times. The mess hall instantly fell silent once again. Everyone stopped what they were doing, their gazes turning uniformly towards the source of the sudden noise.
Kakei's face was dark, his features almost twisted into a knot of jealousy. His iconic, slightly sleazy top hat was knocked askew on his head. His whole being exuded the sour smell of aged vinegar. He stared intently at Rear Admiral Kane, then at the shy Gion, his lungs feeling like they were about to burst with rage.
"Rear Admiral Kane!!"
These words were practically squeezed through his clenched teeth. Rear Admiral Kane slowly swallowed a mouthful of rice and looked up at the man who would one day be known as Tokikake.
"Is something wrong, Soldier?" Kane asked. His tone remained perfectly gentle.
"I challenge you!"
Kakei practically roared the words, his spittle flying through the air.
"If you lose, stay away from Gion!"
"Whoa—!"
The entire hall erupted in an uproar at the declaration.
"Is he crazy? A New Recruit dares to speak to a Rear Admiral like that?"
"And a challenge? Does he even know what he's saying?"
Gion suddenly stood up, her face pale with shock.
"Kakei! What are you doing?! Apologize to Rear Admiral Kane immediately!"
"I'm not crazy!" Kakei yelled, stiffening his neck. Jealousy was distorting his face into something unrecognizable. "Even if you're a superior officer, I, Kakei, am not convinced! I don't believe someone nineteen years old can be that strong! It must all be hype from Vice Admiral Garp and the others to make us look bad!"
Rear Admiral Kane smiled at the outburst. He calmly put down his cutlery, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and slowly stood up from the table. The 2.6-meter Kakei was not a short man by any means, but in front of the approximately 3.3-meter Rear Admiral Kane, he looked small. Kane's muscles were perfectly defined under his uniform, and his imposing presence was enough to crush Kakei's confidence to dust.
"Challenge me?" Rear Admiral Kane looked down at Kakei. The smile on his face became playful and sharp. "Are you sure about that?"
Despite the gentle smile on Kane's face, Kakei felt a sudden chill. It was a coldness that made him involuntarily take half a step back. But the words were already out. Hundreds of eyes were fixed on him in the mess hall, so he could only steel himself and push forward with his pride.
"Of... of course! Do you dare to accept it? Or are you just a fraud with an empty reputation who hides behind a desk..."
"Alright."
Rear Admiral Kane cut him off decisively. The entire hall fell silent again. No one expected Rear Admiral Kane to actually agree to such an unreasonable provocation from a mere New Recruit.
Gion's pretty face turned pale with anger and embarrassment. She bit her lip and looked at Rear Admiral Kane with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry, Rear Admiral Kane, for making you witness such a spectacle. He's just an idiot! He's not worth you lowering yourself to fight!"
"No, I think he's very brave." Rear Admiral Kane waved his hand dismissively. His gaze fell back on Kakei. "Since it's a challenge, there should be a prize at the end, right?"
Kakei was stunned for a moment. "A prize?"
"Yes." Rear Admiral Kane's smile became even more "kindly" as he spoke. "How about this, let's bet big. If I lose, I'll give you my Rear Admiral position. What do you say to that?"
Hiss—!
A collective gasp echoed throughout the hall as the stakes were revealed. Betting a Rear Admiral position?
Kakei's face instantly turned a liver-like purple. He was completely stunned by the huge stake Kane had put on the table. How could he possibly dare to take a Rear Admiral's position? He wouldn't even know what to do with it.
"No... I don't want your rank!"
"Oh? That's a pity." Rear Admiral Kane looked "regretful" for a second. Then he changed the subject and offered a more "friendly" suggestion to the recruit.
"How about this: the loser puts on a dress and runs ten laps around Marineford. Do you dare to take that bet?"
"Pfft—!"
A Marine Soldier at a nearby table, who was in the middle of drinking soup, directly spat it out. A... a dress? Running ten laps around the headquarters?
Everyone's expressions became incredibly vivid as they looked at Kakei. They looked at him with a mix of sympathy and intense anticipation. This kind of fun was much greater than any standard challenge between soldiers!
Gion's face also turned red at the suggestion. She secretly glanced at Rear Admiral Kane, but her mind was racing. She was thinking about Rear Admiral Kane in a dress... No, no, no! What am I thinking! How could he possibly lose to Kakei!
Kakei was completely stuck between a rock and a hard place. He felt hundreds of eyes in the mess hall shining on him like searchlights. He felt like he was being roasted over a fire. If he agreed, losing would mean social death in front of the entire Navy. If he didn't agree, it was social death right now. He would be despised by everyone and completely unable to hold his head up in front of Gion ever again.
"You... you..."
"What? Scared?" Rear Admiral Kane's voice drifted over to him. "You don't even have this much resolve, and you still want to pursue Miss Gion?"
"Who says I'm scared!"
Kakei was pushed to a dead end. He practically roared his agreement to the room.
"Bet then! Who's afraid of who!"
"Good!"
Rear Admiral Kane smiled and stepped forward. He reached out and patted Kakei's stiff shoulder heavily, the force of it making the recruit wince.
"Very spirited! See you at the training ground at 2 PM."
"Oh, right," Rear Admiral Kane leaned close to his ear. He spoke in a low voice that only the two of them could hear. "Remember to pick out a suitable dress beforehand. I'm really looking forward to your performance."
After speaking, he no longer looked at Kakei. He picked up his own meal tray and leisurely departed from the mess hall. He walked amidst the awe-filled and excited gazes of the crowd. He had just been worrying about where to test his tensa zangetsu. He had originally wanted to spar with Bogard, but this punching bag had delivered itself right to his doorstep. It would be a waste not to use him.
[Ding! Detected that the host abused his authority, openly bullied a New Recruit, and created a negative impact!]
[Congratulations to the host! You have gained discipline points: 500 points!]
Rear Admiral Kane's steps paused slightly as the notification appeared. The corners of his mouth curved upwards into a smirk. Though it wasn't a huge amount, a mosquito, no matter how small, is still meat. Most importantly... this kind of fun was just too great to pass up.
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