Scatter, Senbonzakura

That statement was not Yaen mocking Gion. He had meant it sincerely.

Yaen's physique was no match for that of other powerhouses. If someone else had taken one of Gion's Flying Slashes, at most they would have bled a little on the spot. Their bones might not even have broken, and after gritting their teeth, they could continue fighting as if nothing had happened.

But Yaen knew very well that if he were struck, his entire arm might be crippled.

However, Gion clearly did not believe the man's words. Instead, she pointed Kompira at Yaen and said,

"That's enough warming up, isn't it? Are you still not planning to fight seriously? Otherwise, don't blame me for being rude."

Yaen helplessly clicked his tongue and said, "Captain Gion, I'm really not good at fighting. Just let me off. How about we call it a draw?"

"Heh~"

Gion gave a cold, alluring laugh. Her gaze fell on the inconspicuous sword at Yaen's waist as she said,

"Aren't you a swordsman too? Draw your sword. Besides, Sister Tsuru said you are a Devil Fruit user with the Cherry-Cherry Fruit. Show me your ability."

"The Cherry-Cherry Fruit?"

Yaen's expression instantly became as if he were constipated. He shouted toward Sengoku at the edge of the training ground,

"Old Man, how many times do I have to tell you? It's not the 'Cherry-Cherry Fruit.' It's the 'Cherry Blossom Fruit.'"

"You brat, 'Cherry-Cherry Fruit' is the correct naming convention for a newly discovered Devil Fruit." Sengoku deliberately replied in a stern voice.

"What a bastard." Yaen could not help cursing through clenched teeth.

Gion's tone grew sharper. "In any case, draw your sword, Yaen. Let me see your strength."

"Sigh..."

Yaen let out a long sigh, casually drawing the katana hidden at his waist. "Actually, I'm really not a swordsman. This sword has never been meant for slashing..."

However, their repeated exchanges had already completely exhausted Gion's patience.

The next moment, before Yaen could finish speaking, Gion turned straight into a pink blur. A subtle golden flash of cold light shot toward Yaen's chest.

Facing Gion's unusually fierce and swift attack, Yaen did not dodge this time. Instead, he raised the sword in his hand and chanted,

"Scatter, Senbonzakura!"

As Yaen's voice fell, the sword he called Senbonzakura rapidly began to disintegrate from the tip, like beautiful, brilliant cherry blossoms continuously blooming and separating.

In an instant, Senbonzakura's blade had completely vanished, leaving only the hilt and guard in Yaen's grasp.

The next moment, Gion appeared before Yaen, Kompira stabbing straight toward his chest.

However, the countless cherry blossoms drifting around Yaen instantly gathered and knocked Kompira off course from the side.

"What?!"

Gion was astonished that those seemingly fragile and beautiful cherry blossoms contained such tremendous impact, enough to forcibly alter Kompira's trajectory.

Unbeknownst to her, one of the cherry blossoms lightly brushed past her cheek.

"Slash!"

A cut instantly appeared on Gion's fair, delicate skin, followed by drops of bright-red blood.

"These aren't cherry blossoms. They're... swords?!"

Gion swept the area with her Observation Haki and instantly discovered that the beautiful pink cherry blossoms were actually tiny blades.

Gion widened her eyes as she watched Yaen calmly adjust his glasses before her. A feeling suddenly arose in her heart.

Fragile, beautiful, and dangerous!

The next moment, Gion's long, shapely legs suddenly pushed off. Defying common sense, her body shifted directly from charging forward to retreating. In the blink of an eye, she shot back more than ten meters, trying to distance herself from the dangerous cherry blossoms around Yaen.

However, almost in the blink of an eye, when Gion came to her senses again, she discovered that everywhere within her field of vision had been covered by the cherry blossoms that followed her like shadows.

So fast!

Gion had no time to think. As Kompira moved, she used offense as defense.

"One Sword Style: Birao Ranbu!"

In an instant, countless golden Flying Slashes were released by the retreating Gion, sweeping toward the cherry blossoms like countless chaotic currents.

The cherry blossoms fluttered like leaves caught in a gale. Wherever the Flying Slashes passed, blossom after blossom scattered and fell to the ground.

"It's useless..."

Yaen stood motionless and shook his head.

"Cherry blossoms are fragile, but making them disappear completely isn't so easy."

With that, Yaen lightly raised the hilt of Senbonzakura. The countless cherry blossoms that had scattered across the ground radiated pink light and gathered once more. They even moved faster than those released earlier, circling around from the side and closing in on Gion from all directions.

"This is bad!"

Gion gritted her teeth. She instantly used Armament Haki and Marine Six Powers: Tekkai. Her entire body stood rigidly in place, like a solid block of black steel, forcibly resisting the encroaching cherry blossoms.

"Clang, clang, clang..."

An unending series of collisions rang out, making even Yaen's teeth ache.

"Captain Gion, you're making things difficult for me like this. Ordinary people using Tekkai is practically suicide. Even if I wanted to lose to you, I wouldn't be able to." Yaen's voice was filled with helplessness.

Gion truly lived up to being a future candidate for Marine Admiral. Although she was still young, her mastery of Marine Six Powers: Tekkai and Armament Haki was in no way inferior.

Countless cherry blossoms continued circling Gion, yet they could not injure her in the slightest.

However, Yaen knew very well that Senbonzakura's offensive power was relatively weak. Since he could not break through Gion's defense for a while, he was not anxious at all.

After all, by maintaining Zanpakutō's Shikai state, Yaen could easily hold out until Gion became exhausted and lay down on her own.

Ten breaths, a hundred breaths, five hundred breaths...

Gion was truly stubborn. Yaen had no idea why she continued to persist. Her Armament Haki had clearly grown much thinner, yet she simply refused to give up.

Unfortunately, Yaen would never allow himself to lose. Otherwise, given Sengoku's temperament and lack of scruples, he might really force Yaen to "marry" Gion, thereby persuading him to settle down and become a Marine.

How could that be acceptable?

Gion might be wonderful, and her future strength might rival an admiral's. She was breathtakingly beautiful, with a graceful figure and a pair of gorgeous legs that could set anyone's heart racing. But how could Yaen allow his dream to end with Gion?

"So, I'm sorry, Captain Gion. I'm being so rude despite this being our first meeting."

Yaen apologized sincerely. Then he gripped Senbonzakura's hilt and suddenly slashed toward Gion.

In an instant, the countless cherry blossoms cutting at Gion suddenly accelerated dramatically. Under the refraction of the sunlight, the pink light they reflected became even more dazzling.