The afternoon sunlight passed through the white curtains and fell across the clean hospital floor. Fine dust floated in the air.
The occasional cry of seagulls came from outside the window, breaking the rare peace.
Aiden leaned against the head of the bed. He held a document in his hands, reading it carefully.
After a while, he closed the document and placed it on the nightstand.
Vice Admiral Tsuru had been quietly peeling an apple nearby. She handed the peeled apple to him.
"Eat some fruit."
Aiden took the apple and took a large bite. The crisp chewing sound was clear in the quiet room.
Aiden chewed the apple and said,
"So, this is their final decision?"
After finishing it in a few bites, Aiden tossed the apple core into the trash can a few meters away, making a soft thud.
"Stripped of the Rear Admiral rank, removed from the position of G-17 Base Commander, exiled to the G-5 Branch in the New World, and forced to make up for my crimes as an unofficial member?"
"That's right."
Tsuru closed the folder. It was Aiden's latest personnel order, stamped with Fleet Admiral Sengoku's seal.
"Publicly, we will announce that you have been locked up in Impel Down Level 6. Your name will disappear from Marine Headquarters' active roster."
Tsuru turned around. Aiden was still smiling even after hearing that he had lost everything.
"What? You're not angry? They stripped your rank and sent you straight to the front line."
"Angry? Why would I be angry?"
Aiden stretched his body. His bones let out a series of crisp pops.
"This is already the best result you and Fleet Admiral Sengoku could fight for, right? I don't have to rot in that dark Impel Down prison, and I can do whatever I want in a place like the New World. It shuts the Five Elders up while keeping me safe."
"You... It's good that you think that way."
Tsuru shook her head.
Aiden was still Aiden.
"However, there are a few things we need to make clear."
Tsuru closed the folder and walked to the window. She pointed at the distant shadow of the Red Line.
"Although the World Government compromised for now, you hit them too hard this time. To avoid unnecessary trouble and save them a bit of face, don't use the official route through Mary Geoise when you go to the New World."
"Go through the Sabaody Archipelago. Get a coating, and dive through Fish-Man Island."
"Understood."
Aiden nodded. This suited him just fine.
"It just so happens that the new ship I asked Master Tom to build in Water 7 should be finished by now. I planned to go back to the G-17 Branch first to get my ship, and then head to Sabaody."
"There's one more thing."
Aiden stopped smiling.
"About the personnel arrangement for the G-17 Branch. I suggest letting Smoker take over as the G-17 Base Commander."
"Even though that guy is a troublemaker, I trust him. And with his current strength and reputation at the branch, he won't have any trouble keeping things under control."
That was his headquarters, his carefully managed gold mine. He couldn't let it fall into the hands of an outsider.
"Don't worry."
Tsuru answered before he could explain more.
"Sengoku has already issued the order. Captain Smoker will take over as the G-17 Base Commander. That kid has a bad temper, but in terms of strength and his understanding of your... cough, of justice, he is the most suitable candidate."
Aiden nodded, then changed the subject and made another request.
"Also, besides the ship, I want to take someone with me from G-17..."
Tsuru was not surprised.
"The man named Issho. You recruited him, so naturally, he moves with you."
"No problem. I can approve that directly."
Everything was arranged.
"Alright, I should get going."
Tsuru did not stay any longer. As the Great Staff Officer, she had countless things to deal with.
As she reached the door, Tsuru suddenly stopped with her back to Aiden.
"When you get there, hold back a little. Don't actually die in some random corner... I watched you grow from a child into the man you are now, and I am very curious to see just how far you can go."
"Don't worry."
Aiden answered from the bed.
"I'm still waiting to come back and take over Fleet Admiral Sengoku's job."
The door closed.
Aiden looked at the closed door and stayed silent for a moment.
Then he smiled.
"Hold back? That's not my style."
All I'm thinking about is how many points I'll get from this. As for those old men, I don't care
He threw off the blanket and jumped out of bed.
Snap! Snap! Snap!
As his spine let out a series of crisp pops, the thick layers of bandages wrapped around him snapped apart.
The white gauze fell around his feet, revealing the healed body underneath.
Sunlight shone on his bare upper body.
He did not have the exaggerated bulky muscles of a bodybuilder. His body was lean, hard, and fully healed.
The most surprising thing was his skin.
After the battle with Sakazuki and Borsalino, there wasn't a single tiny scar left on his body.
This was the recovery brought by his Rumble-Rumble Fruit and his own body.
Just as Aiden stood bare-chested in front of the window, enjoying the fresh air he hadn't felt in a long time.
Click.
The doorknob of the hospital room turned again.
Aiden instinctively turned his head.
The door opened.
Gion appeared in the doorway, wearing a pink striped suit and a Justice coat draped over her shoulders.
They both froze for a second.
Sunlight fell across Aiden's bare back.
Neither of them spoke for a moment.
Gion's cheeks reddened. Then she folded her arms.
She looked him over from his shoulders to his chest and abs before she could stop herself.
Her face turned red.
"Yo, Gion, you're here."
Aiden greeted her casually. He didn't try to cover up at all and instead purposely flexed his biceps.
Gion took a deep breath and crossed her arms, leaning against the doorframe with a half-smile.
"Being indecent this early in the morning. What, do you think those muscles look good and want me to give you a score?"
"That's unfair."
Aiden spread his hands, looking innocent.
"I'm just showing my commanding officer how well I've recovered. Look, I'm perfectly fine and ready to return to combat."
Gion rolled her eyes at him.
Only then did she relax completely.
She walked into the room and closed the door behind her. Then she naturally walked over to the coat rack, took down Aiden's shirt, and threw it to him.
"Put it on. Don't catch a cold."
Aiden caught the shirt but did not put it on right away. Instead, he threw it over his shoulder and walked up to Gion.
The two were very close.
"Vice Admiral Tsuru just told me."
Aiden stopped joking.
"I'm going to the G-5 Branch. We might... not see each other for a long time."
Gion froze slightly and stayed silent for two seconds before pretending to be relaxed.
"Then go. With your ability to cause trouble, it's better if you go mess with the pirates in the New World anyway."
Even though she said that, her hand tightened slightly on his shirt.
Aiden saw it, but he did not point it out.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Aiden suddenly remembered something.
"Right, I have something to give you."
"Hm?" Gion looked up, a bit curious. "What is it? If it's some tacky jewelry stolen from pirates, I don't want it."
"How could it be? Am I that kind of person?"
Aiden reached under his pillow mysteriously. In truth, he used the chance to pull a small sealed glass vial out of his storage space.
It was the Youth-Preserving Pill he had exchanged for a long time ago, preparing to give Gion a "big surprise."
Aiden cleared his throat and tried to look affectionate.
"This is for you."
"What is this?" Gion blinked. "Perfume? Or some rare spice?"
Aiden did not answer directly. Instead, he handed the small glass vial over like he was presenting a treasure.
He was already expecting her to be moved.
"This is no ordinary item."
Aiden placed the vial into Gion's hand.
"This is a secret medicine that took me a lot of effort to get."
"It's called a Youth-Preserving Elixir."
"Youth-Preserving Elixir?" Gion asked, not understanding.
"It means..."
Aiden scratched his head, trying to explain it in the simplest way possible.
"It means that after you drink it, your body will stay in its current state. No matter how many years pass, ten years, twenty years, or even when you turn eighty, your face won't age. You will always be as young and beautiful as you are now."
After Aiden finished speaking, he looked at Gion expectantly, waiting for the touching embrace.
However.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
The expected reaction never came.
Gion looked at the small glass vial.
Her smile slowly disappeared.
Aiden's back stiffened.
"Aiden..."
Gion held up the vial.
"Are you saying... that I'm old right now?"
"Huh?"
The smile on Aiden's face froze, and his brain crashed for a second.
"N-No? I mean..."
"Then why are you giving me this kind of anti-aging drink?!"
Gion suddenly took a step forward, backing Aiden right into a corner. She poked his chest harder with each word.
"I'm only twenty-eight years old! Twenty-eight! I'm in my prime! Is my skin sagging?!"
"Do you think I'm already an old hag? Do you think you won't want me anymore when I get older?!"
"No! Absolutely not!"
Aiden broke out in cold sweat.
This was the wrong answer waiting to happen.
"I... I was just preparing for the future! It's so you can always be this beautiful..."
"Prepare for the future, my foot!"
Gion was so angry she almost reached for her sword.
"You're just complaining about me! How dare you call me old?!"
Chaos instantly erupted in the hospital room.
Aiden was forced to run around covering his head, feeling incredibly wronged.
This was not how he had imagined it.
Didn't the novels say women would cry tears of joy when given this kind of thing?
Why was it different for him?
Ten minutes later.
After having enough of a fuss, the two finally quieted down.
Aiden sat on the edge of the bed looking depressed. He looked at the small glass vial in his hand, which now felt like a hot potato, and sighed.
"Since you don't like it... never mind."
Saying that, he moved to put the vial away.
However.
Before he could pull his hand back, Gion suddenly reached out and snatched the vial from him.
"Eh?" Aiden paused.
Gion tightly gripped the vial. Her cheeks were slightly red, but she still lifted her chin and scoffed.
"Since when do you take back something you already gave away?"
"Although... although I don't need something like this to stay beautiful! But seeing how thoughtful you were, you must have put a lot of effort into finding it..."
Gion carefully tucked the vial into her inner pocket. She could not stop the corners of her mouth from rising.
"I'll reluctantly accept it."
Aiden couldn't help but laugh when he saw her acting like this.
"What are you laughing at!"
Gion glared at him, then picked up the shirt and the Justice coat that Aiden had thrown aside earlier.
This time, she did not throw them to him.
Instead, she walked behind Aiden, unfolded the clothes, and gently draped them over him.
She buttoned his shirt one button at a time and adjusted the collar. Then she carefully draped the white coat with the word "Justice" printed on it over Aiden's shoulders.
Aiden did not speak.
He stayed quiet and let her fix his uniform.
A moment later.
Aiden raised his hand and gently pressed down on Gion's hand resting on his shoulder. The warmth of her palm passed through the back of his hand.
For once, the room felt quiet.
Suddenly, Gion took a step forward, opened her arms, and hugged Aiden tightly.
It was a very tight hug, carrying a small tremble.
"Stay alive."
She spoke against his shoulder.
"Don't die."
Before Aiden could react, Gion suddenly stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the lips.
The kiss lasted only a moment.
Then she pulled back, turned away, and fixed her coat as if nothing had happened.
"Hurry up and go. Stop being an eyesore here."
Aiden touched his lips.
He paused for a moment, then smiled.
"Don't worry."
"The pirates in the New World are the ones who should be worried."