He Wasn't That Shallow!

"Oh? Did I say that much? You must have misheard."

Facing Gion's question, Gawain chuckled and waved his hand.

"Don't overthink it. Since you've agreed to join my ship, just stay by my side from now on, Vice Admiral Gion."

As his words fell, Gawain looked around. The ruined dockyard, the turbulent sea gradually settling, the stones and wood chips blown away by Haki before being crushed to dust by the collision of Conqueror's Haki, and the stunned vice admirals over seventy meters away.

Gawain walked toward the vice admirals. As he stepped forward, Gion naturally rested her left hand on Kompira's hilt, slipped her right hand into her pocket, and followed just behind Gawain's left side.

A soft cough rang out from the group of vice admirals in the distance.

"Cough!"

The instant it sounded, the vice admirals froze briefly before quickly making way for its owner.

Unlike the burly, powerfully built vice admirals, the one who emerged from among them was a short, thin old woman, her face covered in wrinkles but her eyes exceptionally profound.

Though the old woman was merely a vice admiral, when she passed Borsalino, even Borsalino, an admiral, politely nodded to her.

The old woman ignored Kizaru and walked straight past him to Sengoku's side.

"Sengoku."

The old woman spoke slowly.

"We've witnessed Saint Gawain's potential with our own eyes. Since that's the case, wouldn't he be a good choice for Gion as well?"

"You're right, Tsuru."

Sengoku replied sternly without moving.

"With Saint Gawain's talent in Conqueror's Haki, he is destined to challenge the position of one of the Five Elders in the future.

If he succeeds, then with Gion at his side, perhaps our generation of Marines will catch up to an era of development even more relaxed than that of Teacher Kong's time!

Besides, she is still a vice admiral of our Marines."

As his words fell, Sengoku stepped forward to meet Gawain.

Seeing the Fleet Admiral move, Tsuru, Kizaru, and the other vice admirals all moved as one toward Gawain.

The two sides drew closer. Before long, Sengoku stopped about four meters in front of Gawain and gave him a wry smile.

"Saint Gawain, your visit has truly cost us dearly.

Gion isn't merely a vice admiral of the Marines. She also bears the title Momousagi and is a candidate admiral capable of filling the position should an admiral be absent!"

"If Gion didn't possess such strength, how could I dare entrust my safety to her?"

Gawain answered with a smile, then turned his head toward Gion. Meeting her lovely yet calm gaze, he continued.

"Besides, I need more than just a guard. Although I have awakened Conqueror's Haki, I have no idea how to properly use this power.

Aside from Conqueror's Haki, I also need an outstanding and powerful combat instructor to guide me along the path of becoming stronger."

"It would be my honor!"

A spark suddenly appeared in Gion's eyes. The role of combat instructor genuinely excited her a little.

Being a teacher was a profession where whom one taught made an enormous difference.

Teaching someone with no ambition.

And teaching a Celestial Dragon who possessed the strongest Conqueror's Haki and was also a strong contender for one of the Five Elders, the highest authority in the World Government!

How could those two kinds of teaching possibly be the same?

Gion pursed her lips and continued with utmost seriousness.

"Saint Gawain, although I do not possess Conqueror's Haki, I am especially proficient in the Navy's Rokushiki and its derivative techniques, as well as Armament Haki and Observation Haki.

If you truly have the determination to become stronger, then I believe my instruction will not disappoint that determination of yours!"

"Very good!"

Gawain nodded, affirming Gion's words. Then he turned back to Sengoku.

"That concludes my purpose here. As for the trouble I caused your Marines during this time, I..."

"Hehe, Saint Gawain, you haven't caused any trouble."

Sengoku interrupted Gawain.

"On the contrary, our long-neglected dockyard caused Saint Gawain to accidentally fall into the water. That is trouble our Marines caused you.

I only hope you won't hold it against us."

"What is there to hold against you? Isn't the reason the Marines' dockyard has been neglected for so long precisely because of the World Government and us World Nobles?

After Gion and I return to the Sabaody Archipelago and then travel with Mjosgard to Fish-Man Island,

I will set aside some time to provide the Marines with funds specifically for reinforcing your dockyard, as well as modest compensation for the poor Marines who collapsed from heatstroke due to exhaustion!"

As his words fell, Gawain, his shoes full of water, walked straight toward an area of the dockyard he had not damaged.

As he walked, he spoke to Gion without looking back.

"Gion, prepare to set sail. Later, we'll continue using Doberman's ship to return to the Sabaody Archipelago.

If there is anything you need to prepare, or anyone you need to say goodbye to..."

At this point, Gawain lightly waved his hand.

"Then there is no need to rush. Take all the time you need to arrange everything properly. I will wait for you at the dock."

"Yes, sir!"

Gion nodded in acknowledgment, then looked at Gawain's back with deep emotion. Gawain gradually walked into the distance before stopping at an intact section of the dock.

His pants were soaked through, and every step he took made a squelching sound.

Yet not only did he not look the least bit disheveled, he instead resembled a straight sword sheathed in its scabbard, making one unable to resist anticipating the edge hidden within!

Noticing Gion's ever-shifting gaze, Tsuru stepped out from Sengoku's side and patted Gion's shoulder.

"Gion, if you don't like this arrangement, Garp and I will later propose to the Five Elders that they revoke Saint Gawain's decision regarding you."

Tsuru glanced at Sengoku.

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku will surely co-sign with us, won't he? Or do you think Gion is worth less than the Beli Saint Gawain is about to send over?"

"There is absolutely no need, Sister Tsuru!"

Before Sengoku could answer, Gion decisively shook her head.

"Although Saint Gawain appeared rather suddenly, especially for me, and disrupted all of my career plans,

this isn't a disaster. In fact, it is far more interesting than my current life, isn't it?

The owner of the strongest Conqueror's Haki—someone like that, even if he weren't a Celestial Dragon, would be destined to become a trendsetter capable of stirring up these seas and an entire future era.

And I..."

Gion's left hand tightened slightly around Kompira's hilt.

"I suppose I've stepped onto the crest of that wave too, haven't I?"

As her words fell, Gion laughed boldly. While laughing, she extended her fist toward Chaton, who had approached her.

Thud!

After their right fists lightly bumped, Chaton put on his lecherous expression and said with a grin.

"Looks like I'll have a hard time finding another chance to confess to you in the future, Gion. The number of times you've rejected me will probably remain at eighty-six."

"Stop joking, Tokikake. Now that I'm going to Saint Gawain's side, you won't have to worry about me competing with you for a future admiral position anymore."

"But that Saint Gawain doesn't seem like a good person. He even rejected my offer to join him. I'd wager a hundred million Beli that what he really has his eye on is your looks!"

"Haha!"

Chaton's teasing made Gion laugh out loud. As she laughed, she pointed at Gawain's back in the distance.

"He isn't that shallow!"

"How do you know he isn't? He may be a little more handsome than other Celestial Dragons, and he isn't wearing their clothes or helmet.

But at the end of the day, he's still a Celestial Dragon, one of those World Nobles who marry dozens of wives at the drop of a hat!

It's simply... simply enough to make one green with envy!"

"Then take a good look at Saint Gawain's back!"

Gion seriously retorted to Tokikake.

"The moment he achieves his goal in one place, he refuses to linger even a moment. He won't even change out of his soaked clothes, instead deciding to head directly for his next destination!

Do you think a man so decisive and resolute would be the sort of shallow person who indulges in women, as you claim?"

As her words fell, Gion bowed to Grandma Tsuru.

"Sister Tsuru, since Lord Gawain is so decisive, how can I delay his steps?

Please say goodbye to Vice Admiral Garp and Admiral Aokiji for me."

"Don't worry, little Gion. They'll only be happy for you. Well, Aokiji will be.

You know Garp as well as I do. He'll only curse and complain about wanting to beat Gawain up."

"Haha, perhaps one day, Lord Gawain, whom I have trained, will be able to pin Mr. Garp to the ground and beat him up.

In any case, I'm leaving now!"

"Mhm. Goodbye. May your ship always sail with a fair wind, Gion."

"May your ship always sail with a fair wind as well, Sister Tsuru!"

Gion said one last time, then strode toward Gawain. Stopping behind him, she patted her sword hilt and said.

"This blade is all I own, and those people are my only family and friends. Saint Gawain, I am ready to set sail. We can leave right...!"

"No, you're not ready!"

Gawain decisively interrupted Gion, leaving her stunned on the spot.

Meeting Gion's puzzled gaze, Gawain said softly.

"If you were truly ready, why are you still calling me Saint Gawain?"

As his words fell, Gion's eyes lit up sharply. The words of the lord she would follow truly carried such power!

Thus, Gion nodded heavily, unable to hide her excitement as she spoke.

"I understand, my lord!"