Marine Six Styles, I Only Need One Look!

Marine Six Styles, I Only Need One Look!

"Do you like the sea too?"

Hearing the voice, Tsugikuni Yoriichi turned his head and saw a tall man standing beside him.

The newcomer stood nearly three meters tall and wore a pair of round sunglasses.

He wore a blue round cap with a snow-white seagull embroidered in its center. A long black cape draped over his shoulders, with the same snow-white seagull embroidered across its chest.

Although his outfit bore obvious Marine insignia, he dressed neither like officers such as Vice Admiral Garp and Zephyr, with suits and Justice coats, nor like ordinary lower-ranking Marines in sailor uniforms.

He gave off a sharp, stern impression.

Someone dressed like that appearing on a warship was strange—just as strange as Yoriichi standing there in his loose kimono.

Aokiji! The instant he saw the man, Yoriichi recognized him.

Aokiji tilted his head slightly. Seeing that Yoriichi did not reply, he paid him no mind. Resting both hands on the railing, he continued gazing out at the sea and said to himself,

"My codename is Aokiji."

"I'm a colonel at Marine Headquarters."

Yoriichi was somewhat puzzled by that. Why was a colonel like Aokiji on Garp's ship? Normally, a Marine Headquarters colonel could already lead a warship into battle independently. There was no reason for him to follow someone else's ship.

"Hello, my name is Tsugikuni Yoriichi. Uh... I'm a civilian."

Yoriichi responded as well. After all, he was not even a Marine yet.

"Haha, I know."

"Vice Admiral Garp asked me to come."

"Vice Admiral Garp asked me to teach you how to fight while we're at sea."

Aokiji did not hide it and answered with a smile.

Yoriichi looked at Aokiji in confusion upon hearing that.

He had thought Garp had brought him aboard to teach him personally. Who would have thought he would simply toss him to Aokiji? Still, it was fortunate that Aokiji was straightforward. If the man had been more difficult, would Garp have sent a captain to teach him instead?

However, Yoriichi had no objections to Garp's arrangement. He might have objected if it had been someone else, but if it was Aokiji, then it was not unacceptable.

In the future, Aokiji would undoubtedly become one of the Marines' strongest fighters. Even if he was only a colonel now, he was more than qualified to guide the current Tsugikuni Yoriichi.

Still, Yoriichi was curious why a colonel like Aokiji was not leading his own unit into battle and had instead been drafted into service by Garp.

"Colonel Aokiji, why are you on Vice Admiral Garp's ship?"

"I know a little about the Marine rank structure. If you're a colonel, shouldn't you be able to lead a unit into battle on your own?"

Faced with Yoriichi's confusion, Aokiji did not conceal anything. Smiling, he replied,

"I received notice that I'll be promoted to commodore this year. The folks at home arranged for me to study under Vice Admiral Garp."

"Home" was what Aokiji called Marine Headquarters. He had previously spent some time rotating through a special Marine unit, where they referred to Headquarters as "home." That was how he had picked up the habit.

In that unit, all Marines concealed their names and addressed one another only by codenames. His codename was Aokiji, meaning blue pheasant. It was rather funny, really—the members of that unit all had codenames involving dogs, monkeys, and the like. They had no imposing air whatsoever.

When Aokiji mentioned his promotion, he could not stop smiling. The young man still cared greatly about rank. Besides, he was thrilled to be able to study under Vice Admiral Garp.

There were not many colonels in the entire Marine force qualified to study under Vice Admiral Garp.

Yoriichi had just been thoroughly humblebragged at.

Aokiji was only in his early twenties, still practically a green kid, yet he was already a Headquarters colonel and would be promoted to commodore this year.

After all, Smoker had only been a colonel stationed in Loguetown at the age of thirty-four. Although Smoker had climbed from colonel to vice admiral in two years, that was because he had benefited from some of the Straw Hat Pirates' accomplishments.

Otherwise, Smoker would have needed to be at least forty before reaching the rank of Headquarters vice admiral.

But Aokiji was barely in his early twenties and was about to become a commodore. His rate of promotion was the fastest in Marine history.

After a brief silence, the beautiful seascape before him suddenly lost all appeal for Yoriichi.

"Colonel Aokiji, are you free right now?"

"Since Vice Admiral Garp asked you to guide me, I think we shouldn't waste any time."

Yoriichi placed his left hand on his sword and asked eagerly.

All at once, he felt how precious time was. He would have plenty of chances to enjoy the scenery later. What mattered most was improving his strength as quickly as possible.

Yoriichi had a feeling that once Garp's unit returned to Marine Headquarters, he might not have another chance to fight anyone.

"Oh? You're in that much of a hurry?"

"That works too. Since you're so motivated, starting now is fine."

"Vice Admiral Garp asked me to teach you the Marine Six Styles. To be honest, I haven't mastered them very well myself."

"But since Vice Admiral Garp said so, I'll do my best."

"Do you know about the Marine Six Styles?"

Aokiji asked as if casually, his gaze shifting slightly toward Tsugikuni Yoriichi.

"No."

Yoriichi answered decisively, shaking his head.

Aokiji nodded and continued, "I don't think you'd understand even if I explained the principles directly."

"Let's use combat instead. Experience the Marine Six Styles in the most direct way possible."

Aokiji walked toward the center of the deck. Garp's Dog-head Warship was enormous, and with the other Marines all at their posts, the deck was exceptionally spacious.

"Mm, all right!"

Yoriichi agreed without hesitation. As he spoke, he drew the long sword from his waist.

He really was curious about the Marine Six Styles. Though he vaguely remembered some of their principles, principles were only principles. Trying to recreate the Marine Six Styles based on those so-called principles would be no different from reinventing them from scratch. It was far too fanciful.

If he wanted to learn them, he still needed a teacher.

Aokiji was well suited for the role.

"Then I'm starting, Colonel Aokiji. Watch out."

Yoriichi kindly warned him. Holding his sword upright before his chest with both hands, he spoke seriously.

But Aokiji merely waved a hand, looking completely unconcerned. "Nah, it's fine. Come on."

It was not that Aokiji looked down on Tsugikuni Yoriichi. Yoriichi simply looked far too young. Besides, Aokiji was a Logia user, so ordinary fights would not injure him. Thus, he did not take Yoriichi's warning seriously.

Yoriichi nodded and no longer hesitated. Kicking off the deck, he shot toward Aokiji. His incredible speed made Aokiji's expression shift, and in the next instant, Yoriichi's sword tip was already before his chest.

Sun Breathing—Seventh Form—Solar Flare Thrust.

The sword tip shot forward, piercing precisely toward Aokiji's chest.

Aokiji had clearly not expected Yoriichi to be so fast. It was not speed that a teenager could possibly burst forth with.

As the blade approached, Aokiji instinctively activated his Devil Fruit power. His chest had already turned to ice, and when the sword tip pierced in, there was none of the sensation of stabbing flesh.

In the next second, Aokiji stepped back. When Yoriichi looked up, Aokiji had vanished from where he stood.

"This is one of the Marine Six Styles—Soru."

Aokiji's voice suddenly came from behind Tsugikuni Yoriichi. Just as Aokiji was about to properly "introduce" this "skill" of his, a long sword swiftly slashed toward his waist.

He reacted?! He even counterattacked?!

Aokiji stared at Tsugikuni Yoriichi's movements in astonishment. He had never expected Yoriichi to react so quickly. In the time Aokiji had spent speaking, the sword was already nearly at his waist.

Although Yoriichi did not know the Marine Six Styles and was slower than Aokiji, his combat instincts were exceptional. He had anticipated Aokiji's movement.

Clang!

The sword struck Aokiji's waist, but the sound it made was crisp. Aokiji's waist had turned entirely to ice, and Yoriichi's slash had been blocked by it. The ice was far harder than steel!

Tekkai couldn't completely block this kid's slash.

As expected, I haven't trained my Marine Six Styles very well.

Aokiji lowered his head slightly to look at his waist and sighed inwardly. When he raised his head, about to explain this move, "Tekkai," to Yoriichi, he was surprised to find that Yoriichi had already vanished from before him.

"Hm?!" Aokiji's pupils contracted as he quickly turned to look behind him.

At that moment, Yoriichi's voice came from behind him as well.

"Soru isn't that difficult."

"A decent technique."