Gion Arrives · Exchanging Devil Fruits

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

On this day, everyone from Marine Base 36 gathered at the harbor. They were not setting out on an expedition; rather, a high-ranking Marine officer was arriving.

That officer was none other than Vice Admiral Gion, who had come to deliver the Devil Fruit.

Of course, while exchanging Devil Fruits was procedurally legitimate, if word got out, it would still feel like a private favor or backdoor dealing.

So Gion had not come under the pretext of delivering a Devil Fruit, but rather to inspect the West Blue.

At nine in the morning, a pink warship bearing a spider emblem appeared at the edge of the horizon.

A vice admiral's ship was fast. Less than half an hour after they spotted it, it had arrived before Base 36.

Yang Yunzhi's Byakugan observation range had doubled along with his rank and had now reached thirty-two kilometers.

But even without the Byakugan, they could clearly make out the people aboard Gion's ship from this distance.

Gion stood at the bow. Even ten years later, she would still be stunningly beautiful, not to mention the younger, more beautiful Gion of the present. She wore a pink Marine uniform on top, a rainbow-colored cloak draped over her shoulders, and shorts below, leaving a pair of nearly two-meter-long legs exposed. They were incredibly eye-catching.

"Well?" Hina suddenly asked beside Yang Yunzhi's ear.

"What?" Yang Yunzhi asked.

"I said, is she pretty?" Hina asked.

Yang Yunzhi hurriedly replied, "I'm face-blind. I can't tell whether she's pretty or not!"

Hina rolled her eyes, but she could not suppress the smile at the corners of her mouth.

Meanwhile, Gion had also spotted the Marines gathered to welcome them.

One look was all it took to leave her stunned.

Over the past few days, Base 36 had recruited more than a dozen people every day. By the twelfth day, its official staffing had already been filled.

Of course, they were not worried about more people arriving afterward. During the second week after the West Blue Weekly published the recruitment advertisement, they had posted another notice asking those who wanted to join the Marines to enlist locally rather than all coming to Base 36.

As a result, not many people had come to enlist over the following three days.

The official establishment was three hundred and fifty people, but having a few extra was no problem. In fact, having a reserve force of several dozen would be even better. After all, there would always be casualties when fighting pirates!

With reservists, they could replenish their forces much more quickly.

At that moment, the three hundred and fifty men stood behind Hina and Yang Yunzhi. Having specifically trained their military posture, they stood in rows of twenty-five, arranged in fourteen neat lines.

Such solemnity, such gravity, such a perfectly orderly formation—Gion had never seen a scene like this before!

I never knew Hina had this kind of ability. She never showed it at the training camp! Gion wondered.

Or perhaps this was not Hina's ability at all, but that Yang Ruike's?

Soon, the ship docked at the harbor, and Gion disembarked onto the shore.

"Welcome, Vice Admiral Gion, to inspect Base 36!" Hina reported to Gion with a serious expression. "The 36th Marine Branch has an authorized strength of 350 personnel, with 352 present. Report complete!"

"Mm." Gion nodded. "Their morale is excellent. But I could see everyone standing here from far away. Dismiss them first and let them rest for a while."

"Yes!" Hina nodded, then waved a hand. "Squad and platoon leaders, lead your soldiers back to the training ground for drills!"

Gion then watched as the previously square formation was quickly broken down into columns and led away.

Once the recruits had left, Gion immediately dropped her formal demeanor, relaxing all at once as she anxiously asked, "What's with those soldiers? How were they standing so neatly?"

"Hehe, that's all thanks to my adjutant!" Hina pulled Yang Yunzhi out from behind her and said proudly, "He believed that having the soldiers stand in perfect formation would help display the Marines' majesty and intimidate pirates!"

"Mm, I think the effect is quite good." Gion nodded. "If I did not know you had only just arrived, I might have thought you were leading a group of elite soldiers. But knowing how to stand at attention alone is not enough for Marines. They need combat strength too!"

"Don't worry. I've included all the necessary training. I won't neglect it!" Hina said.

Gion nodded, then unconsciously sized up Yang Yunzhi again.

He had sharp brows and bright eyes, and was extraordinarily handsome.

Moreover, judging by the muscular contours beneath his clothes, he was no mere pretty face!

Then she recalled that perfectly square formation of soldiers from earlier.

The adjutant Hina had found seemed rather extraordinary!

But...

After looking at the handsome man, then looking at the beautiful woman, Gion suddenly realized that after not seeing Hina for several months, Hina seemed much prettier too.

Gion often carried out missions in the pleasure district and had seen countless beauties, yet she now felt that Hina was no less beautiful than the top courtesans there. In terms of complexion and skin, Hina even seemed to surpass them.

Of course, comparing a Marine officer to a courtesan was somewhat disrespectful, but that was the general idea.

Gion was straightforward. If she had a question, she naturally asked it directly. "How do you care for your skin? Why is it so fair? Wait, it's even this smooth?"

Looking was not enough; she reached out and touched her.

That touch was no small matter. Gion felt as though she were touching the finest silk from the Flower Country. It was far too silky smooth!

"You know me. When would I have time for skincare? Haven't I always been busy cultivating and training?" Hina was telling the truth.

But Gion looked at Yang Yunzhi again and did not quite believe her.

It had been perfectly normal for Hina not to care for her skin before. After all, she had been single. Who would she have been caring for it for?

But now, the condition of their skin was so similar, and Hina expected her to believe there was no connection? She did not believe that one bit!

And this Devil Fruit exchange seemed to have been the adjutant's idea as well.

For the sake of an adjutant, Hina had called the chief of staff and even mobilized the Five Elders and an admiral. Did she really expect Gion to believe this was merely a normal relationship between superior and subordinate?

Now that Hina had a man, wasn't it perfectly normal for her to start caring for her appearance?

Still, it did not matter if Hina would not say anything. There would be plenty of chances later. Gion could ask her privately.

"Fine, I'll assume you haven't been doing any skincare," Gion said with a smile. "By the way, where's the item?"

She had not forgotten that the main purpose of her visit was the Logia Devil Fruit, not skincare.

Still, since it was the Cloud-Cloud Fruit, would it make her skin as firm and smooth as clouds?

"It's in my office," Hina said.

"Good, then let's go together."

A short while later, Gion and her adjutant, along with Hina and Yang Yunzhi, arrived at the Base 36 office.

"This is the Paramecia Door-Door Fruit." Gion took a small box from her adjutant, unlocked it, and handed it to Hina.

"And this is the Logia Cloud-Cloud Fruit." Hina handed the Cloud-Cloud Fruit she had been keeping to Gion.

Gion did not take it right away. Instead, she first flipped through the Devil Fruit Compendium and began comparing it.

On the other side, Yang Yunzhi was also studying the compendium.

It was not that they distrusted each other. This fruit concerned the rest of their lives, so they could not afford to be careless.

"It really is the Door-Door Fruit!" After comparing it for quite some time, Hina and Yang Yunzhi confirmed that the Devil Fruit's patterns perfectly matched those in the compendium.

In fact, they did not even need the illustrations. The fruit was covered in door patterns, so even without looking, one could probably guess that this Devil Fruit had something to do with doors.

Having confirmed the Devil Fruit, Yang Yunzhi no longer hesitated. He grabbed it and took a direct bite!

On the other side, Gion had also confirmed that the Devil Fruit before her was indeed the Cloud-Cloud Fruit.

She also understood that delays invited trouble. Since the Devil Fruit had been confirmed, she naturally took a bite as well.

Then—

"Blech!"

"Blech!"

The two retching sounds rang out at the same time.

Devil Fruits were fucking disgusting!