Gion, You Wouldn't Want to...

In a private guest room.

Junichi's heart stirred as he looked toward the door.

His Observation Haki sensed a familiar presence approaching.

"Gion?"

That presence made Junichi raise an eyebrow.

What was this woman doing here so late at night?

Delivering herself to his door?

"Are you asleep, Junichi?" As he pondered, Gion had already reached his door and knocked.

"Not yet. Come in."

After a moment's thought, Junichi answered, intending to see what this woman was plotting.

If she wanted to talk about swordsmanship again, he would refuse immediately.

His guidance in swordsmanship was not free.

If Gion would not let him eat, she should not expect to hear another word from him.

"Excuse me."

Gion opened the door and slipped inside. Her movements were light, and she closed the door behind her.

She was worried someone might see her.

That would be hard to explain.

"Oh?"

Junichi's eyes lit up.

Gion was wearing a black dress, its hem so short that the alluring stretch of bare skin above her thighs was nearly visible.

Her long, jade-white legs were fully exposed.

Her calves were slender and straight, her thighs round and full.

She seemed to have just finished bathing.

Gion's hair was slightly damp, carrying the scents of shampoo and body wash, mixed with a peculiar faint fragrance that made her seem even more quietly captivating.

She even put on perfume? Junichi was surprised.

"Can't sleep this late at night. Want to chat?" Gion sat down with a smile, crossing her long legs and placing them directly before Junichi.

They were so close they seemed within reach.

Junichi glanced at them, then shifted his attention to Gion's face.

He noticed that her gaze was slightly shy, subtly avoiding his eyes.

At once.

Junichi, who had considerable experience with women, saw through her intentions at a glance. This woman wanted to get something for nothing.

She wanted to use this outfit to seduce him into revealing the rest of his swordsmanship teachings.

"Heh..."

Having figured that out, Junichi smiled faintly.

Perfect.

After coming to the Pirate World, he could finally have some meat.

As for Gion not having that intention?

Heh.

She had come into his room of her own accord. What happened next was no longer for Gion to decide.

"Sure."

Junichi nodded lightly, in no hurry at all.

"Shall we continue the topic from this afternoon?" Gion asked tentatively.

"Of course." Junichi agreed at once, leisurely watching her performance.

Gion's eyes lit up, and she immediately misunderstood.

He really was just a young man.

As long as she put a little effort into dressing up, he could not withstand her charm.

His rejection during the day had definitely been an act!

With that thought, Gion became incredibly confident.

"So, how does one achieve a breakthrough of the heart?" Gion asked impatiently. "And what exactly does this breakthrough of the heart mean?"

"It means finding your true heart again." Junichi began explaining slowly.

Finding one's true heart, letting go of obsessions, carrying out one's will, achieving spiritual fulfillment, and so on.

They all meant the same thing.

Going out to sea to gain experience was the orthodox and ancient method, and it was sufficiently safe.

But precisely because it was orthodox, it was also antiquated.

It could not satisfy everyone's differing needs on a finer level.

As a result, every great swordsman had a completely different journey of the heart, perspective of entry, and life experience.

Passed down through generation after generation.

It was as though every great swordsman said something different, yet each had their own reasoning.

And among those principles, there were even contradictions.

This left later generations utterly confused.

But Junichi was different.

His realm of the great swordsman had been maxed out from the very beginning, and he had thoroughly grasped the secrets of this realm.

Like building a house from above, he used the simplest language to describe its details and mysteries with piercing clarity.

And because of that.

Gion felt as though she had been enlightened, completely shaken.

"The path of the swordsman is one of addition. You strengthen your personal style until there is nothing more to add. When you seek change, that is when you begin training as a great swordsman."

Junichi slowly summarized.

"As for how to begin the training of a great swordsman?"

He looked at Gion.

Gion sat upright, her expression focused as she listened with utmost seriousness.

"For example, your style is light and swift, but you were not a swordsman of that style from the very beginning." Junichi's voice abruptly stopped there.

Gion waited for quite a while, but no continuation came.

She looked at Junichi in confusion, her expression anxious. "And then?"

"And then comes the time for me to collect my payment." Junichi slowly rose to his feet and walked toward her.

"Huh?"

Gion froze for a moment, then instantly sprang from her chair and backed up against the door.

She laughed awkwardly. "What payment? I have no idea what you mean."

"If you insist, I can give you Beli."

"How about thirty million?"

Junichi shook his head, expressionless. "I don't take Beli. I only eat meat... You deliberately bathed and dressed up, then chose this time to come to my room on your own. Weren't you already prepared?"

"W-What nonsense!"

Gion panicked. She refused to admit it. "I was just sweaty! I only bathed before coming over to show respect!"

As she spoke, she turned to open the door, wanting to escape this den of wolves and tigers.

She had the feeling that if this continued, she was at risk of losing her chastity.

But behind her.

Junichi moved faster. He grabbed her wrist and pressed her entire body against the door.

"Let go!"

Gion had not expected Junichi to make a rough move. Furious, she said, "You're assaulting a superior officer! Even the Fleet Admiral won't protect you!"

"I don't see it that way. We clearly both consented." Junichi did not care, extending his other hand toward her.

Gion's expression darkened. She snorted coldly and threw a punch.

Whoosh!

Invisible Armament Haki covered her fist.

But it was useless.

Junichi's hand was also covered in Armament Haki.

And his Armament Haki was far stronger than Gion's.

Pfft!

The moment their hands collided, Gion's Armament Haki scattered like foam.

Junichi's large hand accurately seized her pale, tender palm.

"Y-You'd better not do anything reckless!"

Gion began to panic. She suddenly realized that Junichi was much stronger than her.

She had no ability to resist at all.

"I'm not being reckless. I'm merely collecting the payment I'm owed." Junichi grasped both of her slender wrists in one hand and lifted them high.

This forced Gion to straighten her body, lifting her head and chest as she faced Junichi.

"Mm..."

Gion's face flushed red, finding this position especially uncomfortable.

She glared angrily at Junichi and gritted her teeth. "Do you believe I'll shout and let everyone on the ship know that you're harboring improper intentions toward a superior officer?"

"Then shout."

Junichi laughed at that, leisurely looking her outfit up and down. "Brigadier General Gion, dressed like this in my room—you say I'm harboring improper intentions. Who would believe you?"

Gion's expression immediately stiffened.

She had overlooked that!

After deliberately dressing up and appearing in Junichi's room, anyone would think she had come willingly.

This is bad!

Gion panicked inwardly. She had never expected things to turn out this way.

This young man actually dared to make a move on her.

"Vice Admiral Gion, you wouldn't want the people on this ship to know that you appeared in my room in the middle of the night all dolled up, would you?" Junichi leaned into her ear, smiling brightly.

"I'm not all dressed up... Mm!" Gion's eyes widened in terror halfway through her retort.

She felt a hand slip beneath her clothes.

A strange sensation spread through her entire body.

Gion's face immediately turned a delicate red, and all strength left her body.

She could only bite her lip tightly and endure Junichi's harassment, not daring to make the slightest sound.