Settling the Matter · Agreeing to the Exchange

"Should I contact Gion now?" Hina picked up the Den Den Mushi and asked again without thinking.

Only after seeing Yang Yunzhi nod did she relax and dial Gion's number.

The call connected quickly, and the Den Den Mushi took on the appearance of a gentle, soft-featured woman.

That was right. Although she was a great swordswoman, Gion did not have an aggressive appearance. Instead, she had the image of a refined, traditional Japanese beauty.

"Little Hina!" Gion said with a smile. "Why do you have time to contact me today?"

"I have something important to tell you!" Hina replied.

Gion paused, then smiled. "Wait a moment!"

It was obvious that she was no longer looking at the Den Den Mushi, and footsteps could be heard from her end.

It seemed she was changing locations.

Soon, Gion turned her attention back. "I'm somewhere quiet now. You can talk. What is it?"

"Do you want a Devil Fruit?" Hina asked.

Gion froze. "You have one? What fruit is it?"

"A Logia, the Cloud-Cloud Fruit!"

"A Logia... and the Cloud-Cloud Fruit at that!" Gion immediately fell into thought.

Logias were not weak. In terms of combat power, they might not compare to Mythical Zoans, but Mythical Zoans were even rarer!

However, the Cloud-Cloud Fruit also had a problem: its offensive power was not particularly direct. In other words, it was not especially strong and might not be enough to reach the heights of the three Admirals.

Yet the Cloud-Cloud Fruit was especially suitable for women. Surely no woman could refuse a soft, fluffy white cloud.

"With my strength, becoming an Admiral will be difficult. I need a Devil Fruit to make up for my upper limit, and the Cloud-Cloud Fruit can't do that. But it can make up for my lack of large-scale attacks!" After thinking it over, Gion felt that she still needed to eat the Cloud-Cloud Fruit.

Although it truly was not that strong, it was enough for her.

There were not many fruits that could elevate a Vice Admiral to Admiral in the first place. If she set her sights on those fruits, she might spend her whole life without finding one.

It was better to secure the Cloud-Cloud Fruit first.

At the very least, a Cloud-Cloud Fruit user could definitely fly. That would make her mobility second only to Kizaru's within the Marines.

"I want this fruit. I'll come get it right away!" As a Vice Admiral without a base of her own, Gion could naturally travel anywhere in the world.

"Alright!" Hina nodded, then added, "But I hope you can contact Sister Tsuru and obtain this Devil Fruit through an exchange!"

"An exchange?" Hina froze. "What does that mean?"

"Um, I'm not really sure either. Rick, you explain it!"

"Rick?" Gion was surprised. "Who is that?"

"He's the adjutant I recruited after coming to West Blue!" Hina said, handing the Den Den Mushi to Yang Yunzhi.

"Just an adjutant?" Gion did not believe it. She knew that at the Marine Elite School, Hina had never given men so much as a pleasant look.

Yet now, she had suddenly found herself a male adjutant!

That adjutant definitely had something special about him.

For example, was he a little handsome?

Sure enough, the moment the Den Den Mushi showed his image, Gion was certain. This young man was indeed... ridiculously handsome.

"Hello, Vice Admiral Gion. I'm Marine Private Second Class Rick!"

Gion was somewhat speechless. Why was he only a Private Second Class? Didn't Hina have the authority to recruit and promote someone to Ensign?

Still, she held back from saying anything. She could ask Hina later.

"Here's the thing. If this Devil Fruit is given directly to you, then it would be a private transaction between the two of you. You would have to pay equivalent funds or something else in exchange for this Devil Fruit," Yang Yunzhi said.

Gion nodded. "Of course, of course. A Devil Fruit is generally worth one hundred million. This one is a Logia, so I can offer five hundred million!"

Hina interjected from the side, "Sister Gion, if this Devil Fruit belonged to me, I'd give it to you for free. But it isn't mine—it was Rick who found it!"

Gion nodded. She was not someone who failed to understand reason. Even blood sisters had to keep clear accounts!

"Then what exactly does this exchange mean?" Gion asked again.

"By exchange, I mean that I contribute this Devil Fruit to the Marines, and then you apply to the Marines for this Devil Fruit. That way, the parties to the transaction become us and the Marines. And the one who needs to provide us with corresponding funds or a Devil Fruit as compensation changes from you to the Marines!"

Gion nodded, understanding.

That really did make sense. If she wanted the Devil Fruit herself, then naturally she would have to pay for it.

But if the Marines wanted this Devil Fruit, then of course the Marines had to pay for it. Wouldn't that save her a sum of money?

Did that count as fleecing the Marines?

Not really. Gion would not be eating the Devil Fruit for enjoyment, but to fight pirates more effectively.

It was like soldiers becoming stronger through physical training and drills.

You certainly could not make a soldier pay for his own meals.

Of course, some armies even required their soldiers to buy their own guns, but at least the Marines had not fallen to that level.

"So, what do you want in exchange for this Devil Fruit?" Gion asked.

"The Door-Door Fruit!" Yang Yunzhi said.

"The Door-Door Fruit!" Gion froze and asked, "Does the Marines' treasury have that Devil Fruit?"

"If the Marines don't have it, they can ask the World Government!" Yang Yunzhi said.

Gion rolled her eyes. "The World Government isn't that easy to deal with!"

"But the Cloud-Cloud Fruit is a Logia, while the Door-Door Fruit is only a Paramecia!" Yang Yunzhi said. "Trading a Paramecia for a Logia is a bargain no matter how you look at it. And you're the one eating the Cloud-Cloud Fruit. Fleet Admiral Sengoku or Chief of Staff Tsuru should be willing to help, right?"

"Fine, I'll ask and give it a try!" Gion sighed. That was true. This Devil Fruit was for her to eat, so naturally she had to put in some effort!

After hanging up, Gion called Tsuru and explained the situation.

Tsuru did not care much about a Logia Devil Fruit. As the Marine Chief of Staff, logistics fell under her control. If they could obtain this Devil Fruit, giving it to Gion would not be a problem.

Moreover, it would not count as favoritism, because Gion's merits already entitled her to exchange for a Devil Fruit.

It was only because there had not been a suitable one that she had never exchanged for one.

Now that there was a chance to obtain a Logia Devil Fruit, they naturally had to try.

She was simply curious. Was this Devil Fruit provided by Yang Ruike?

She remembered receiving a report from Hina earlier about the cleanup of the West Blue Mafia.

The author of that report seemed to have been Yang Ruike as well.

He could write reports and turn in a Logia Devil Fruit. Hina had recruited quite a talent!

But why would he not eat a perfectly good Logia himself, instead insisting on exchanging it for a Door-Door Fruit?

Was there something special about the Door-Door Fruit?

Naturally, she did not understand the principle that time reigned supreme and space was king. She only thought it was an ordinary Paramecia.

"I'll contact the World Government and ask for you!" After some thought, Tsuru directly called the Five Elders.

As the Marine Chief of Staff, and with Sengoku, Garp, and even Zephyr having all been quite fond of Tsuru in their younger days,

this woman had three men standing behind her, all of them pillars of the current Marines. Naturally, she carried considerable weight with the Five Elders.

However, she had never relied on that influence to ask the Five Elders for favors. Since she rarely made requests, the Five Elders naturally would not refuse her this time.

It was only a Devil Fruit. They could simply give it to her.

After all, if they gave away a Devil Fruit today, the next time they asked the Marines to do something, the Marines could not drag their feet anymore!

With a casual inquiry from the Five Elders, CP0 immediately reported that the Door-Door Fruit was held in the Cipher Pol treasury.

The Five Elders then directly called Kizaru and told him to come collect the Devil Fruit.

Yang Yunzhi naturally had no idea that merely wanting a Door-Door Fruit would alert a Chief of Staff, an Admiral, and even the Five Elders.

After receiving the Five Elders' affirmative answer, Tsuru immediately informed Gion. Gion then told Yang Yunzhi that she would bring the Door-Door Fruit to exchange for the Cloud-Cloud Fruit. She first had to return to Marine Headquarters, then hurry over, which would take roughly fifteen days.

After receiving the news, Yang Yunzhi returned to his bedroom.

The Cloud-Cloud Fruit had already been handed over to Hina. Now they only had to wait for Gion to come collect it.

Next, he needed to have Little Bean eat the Link-Link Fruit.