Gion: Kane, I'm Here to Beat You Up

The sun sank toward the west amid Hina's anticipation and Kane's resistance. At the same time, a warship broke through the tranquil waters of the Calm Belt beneath the setting sun's afterglow, drawing near Tsuru's warship.

Before the two warships could pull alongside each other, the tall and beautiful Gion leaped onto Tsuru's ship.

"Commander Tsuru, sorry to have kept you waiting."

Gion first gave a solemn salute, then a warm smile appeared on her radiant, beautiful face.

"It's such a shame that I couldn't witness Sister Tsuru personally arresting Doflamingo and his crew."

"What's there to regret? You helped me a great deal as well."

Tsuru had always regarded Gion as a younger sister. She took Gion's arm and said,

"If you hadn't recommended Kane, the operation probably wouldn't have gone so smoothly."

"Is that so? It seems he isn't completely useless if he was able to help you, Sister."

As Gion spoke, she looked around but did not see Kane anywhere.

Just as her brows lifted in confusion, the tall Grey Pigeon shifted one step to the side, revealing the timid figure behind her.

Gion's willow-leaf brows curved into a lovely arc. Her black-jewel eyes brightened imperceptibly for an instant as she strode over.

Kane, who had been keeping his head down, felt a phantom ache in his back from sheer nervousness. Gion had once struck him viciously there with a bamboo sword, leaving him able to sleep only on his stomach for the following month.

As her footsteps drew closer, two long, jade-like legs came to a stop in Kane's view. On one of them was a palm-sized tattoo of a black eight-legged spider.

Kane was exceptionally familiar with that spider tattoo, because whenever Gion had beaten him down and he tried to get back up, it was always the first thing he saw.

The tattoo was positioned rather high, though, on the outer side of Gion's upper left thigh. Four of its legs were always hidden beneath the shorts she usually wore.

"Does it look good?"

That familiar voice sounded beside his ear. Kane shrank his neck, raised his head, straightened up, and saluted.

"Good evening, Commander Gion!"

"It's already evening."

"Then... good night?"

Gion raised a brow as she examined Kane, seemingly observing how he had changed since the last time she had seen him.

"I was asking whether it looks good."

"Reporting to the commander, it looks good!"

Kane answered loudly. He had plenty of experience being beaten up and understood that when facing Gion, the best approach was to answer every question truthfully.

And when answering her questions, he had to look directly into Gion's eyes. Any evasion or hesitation would earn her displeasure.

That was why Kane saw Gion, standing so close to him, with absolute clarity.

Her Marine coat was custom-made, with pink cuffs and medals in her preferred color. Kompira, her sword, hung at her waist.

Under the coat was a rose-red sleeveless shirt. Its lace-trimmed collar opened down to her ribs, revealing snowy peaks that were alluring yet faintly dangerous.

Her smooth skin had an ivory sheen. Her astonishingly thick black hair was tied behind her head, with only two strands falling from her temples to frame and accentuate her lovely face.

Her fair, flawless face held bright, crystalline black eyes. Her long lashes fluttered now and then whenever she blinked, even making Kane feel as if a gentle breeze had brushed over his face.

What drew Kane's gaze most, however, was the perfectly placed beauty mark beneath the right corner of Gion's full lips. It moved elegantly with her ever-changing expressions.

Gion was very pleased that Kane dared to look directly into her eyes. With her hands on her hips, she looked at him and nodded slightly.

"Starting tonight, I'll be giving you special training. I hope you can maintain the drive you had when training at Headquarters.

"Otherwise, I'll be very disappointed. Do you understand?"

"Reporting to Commander Gion, understood!"

"Until we leave the Calm Belt, you may call me instructor as you did before."

"Yes, Commander Gion!"

"Hm?"

"Yes, Instructor!"

Gion returned to Tsuru's side in satisfaction, unaware that when Kane called her instructor, not only did his expression become somewhat strange, but Cuckoo beside him also blushed unnaturally and began avoiding eye contact.

To welcome Gion's arrival, Tsuru held a simple banquet.

Gion, who had not seen Tsuru in a long time, was delighted. She had several drinks with Tsuru, and by the time she dragged Kane back to her own warship for training, her fair cheeks were flushed a charming red.

Gion's warship was enormous, and its deck was especially spacious. She had deliberately expanded it so she could train even while out on missions.

"Come on. Let me first see whether you've improved."

She held a bamboo sword and gave it a casual swing. Armament Haki wrapped around it, casting a glimmering dark light beneath the moon.

"Yes, Commander."

Kane swallowed. That bamboo sword had once filled him with immense terror; the most recent time, it had beaten him until he vomited blood.

"Call me Instructor. Don't make me remind you again."

Gion was somewhat puzzled. When she had trained Kane before, she had never needed to point out the same oversight twice.

Yet he had gotten her title wrong again and again. Had this guy grown slack?

Gion frowned, ready to teach Kane a proper lesson and make him recover the focus he once had.

Kane clearly felt that Gion's aura had changed. She still stood there casually, but he felt an unprecedented danger from her, as though one careless move would lead him into death.

So this was the pressure of an admiral candidate...

No matter how many times I face it, it always feels like I'm about to die...

This is ridiculous...

Kane merely sighed inwardly, but the sharp-eyed Gion had already caught the opening.

Her figure abruptly vanished from where she stood. When she reappeared, she was already behind Kane!

"You lost focus."

The bamboo sword descended soundlessly with her words, aimed straight at the back of Kane's head.

Clang!

A longsword blocked the bamboo sword. Without even turning around, Kane used Back-Sword Form and barely stopped the thrusting bamboo blade.

As a swordsmanship master, Gion recognized Kane's technique at a glance, and her eyes suddenly lit up.

"Bird Style? It seems you've learned quite a lot from Cuckoo."

"I certainly learned a lot."

Kane chuckled. His sword twisted upward, stabbing directly at Gion's wrist.

"You've always been arrogant, even now."

Gion sneered. Her bamboo sword rotated and twisted along with Kane's technique, using the exact same Bird Style move—yet though she moved later, she struck first, stabbing toward Kane's wrist!

Kane could only change moves. His sword shifted from twisting to sweeping upward, avoiding the bamboo sword as it slashed toward Gion's elbow from below.

The smile on Gion's face grew brighter. She changed moves in sync with Kane, once again using the same sword technique, once again moving later yet striking first, sweeping down toward Kane's elbow.

Gion's absurd reaction speed and velocity left Kane frustrated, but he could only change moves again. He flashed sideways and thrust toward Gion's armpit.

But before he could send out his sword, Gion's bamboo blade was already stabbing toward his shoulder hollow.

With no other choice, Kane rapidly retreated while slashing a sword aura at Gion, hoping to force her to move and reveal an opening.

As the sword aura closed in, Gion moved as he wished—but she simply smashed the aura apart with one strike and charged straight at Kane!

How the hell was he supposed to fight this?

Kane was furious at the sight, but surrendering would only get him beaten worse. He could only grit his teeth and meet her head-on, sword auras surging at Gion like a flock of birds.

"Now that's more like it!"

For the first time, sword aura erupted from Gion's bamboo sword. It scattered the flock in a single blow and crashed toward Kane.

Kane hurriedly held his sword crosswise and turned sideways, using the force of the sword aura striking his blade to accelerate his dodge. He evaded the attack while widening the distance between himself and Gion.

Yet Gion seemed to have anticipated his reaction. She had already stepped sideways to catch up, sweeping her bamboo sword with irresistible force toward Kane's shoulder.

Kane hastily ducked and rolled, slashing out a spiraling sword aura that swept at Gion's legs to hinder her pursuit.

A dazzling smile appeared on Gion's face as she excitedly smashed apart the sword aura and continued chasing Kane.

In the blink of an eye, the two were locked in fierce combat across the deck.

Yet on closer inspection, Kane was dodging left and right with all his strength, while Gion pressed forward step by step with eager interest. Who was stronger was obvious.

Gradually, the moon rose to its zenith, silver-frost moonlight pouring down as the two continued battling without pause.

However, after such prolonged, intense combat, Kane was drenched in sweat and panting heavily. His movements and techniques had begun to deform, making him look as though he was running out of stamina.

Worse still, his back and left leg burned with pain, already affecting his movement and coordination. Gion's bamboo sword had struck both places hard.

In contrast, Gion still breathed evenly and moved with ease. Not only was there no sign of fatigue, but the blush on her face from drinking had faded considerably.

So I was helping you sober up...

Kane gritted his teeth in hatred as the pain in his back and left leg grew more pronounced.

"I never expected you to master Cuckoo's self-created Bird Style even more skillfully than she does. It seems you have the talent to become an outstanding swordsman."

Kane's expression changed drastically. He immediately drew back and readied himself, because Gion's praise was a sign that her attacks were about to escalate.

Sure enough, Gion's wrist twisted without warning. The bamboo sword in her hand traced a beautiful sword flower before stabbing viciously and decisively at his lower abdomen from a tricky angle.

Kane twisted his body with difficulty to dodge it, nearly throwing out his back. He stared at Gion with eyes that seemed ready to spit fire.

"Those are good eyes. Unfortunately, your gaze can't hurt me."

Gion scoffed. Her attacks came wave after wave, each fiercer than the last. Soon, she caught another opening and drove her bamboo sword heavily into the top of Kane's foot, making him grit his teeth and glare at her.

Yes...

That's it...

Get angry, Kane...

Let me see how far you can go!

Gion's eyes grew brighter and brighter. From the first time she met Kane until today, she had never been able to determine how deep his potential truly ran.

Every time they met, he always gave her a new surprise, so she began pushing Kane to the limit.

Kane's spirit...

Kane's will...

Kane's stamina...

Everything that could be squeezed out of Kane...

She squeezed it all out ruthlessly!

Now, the furious look that heralded his imminent outburst had appeared. A surprise could come at any moment, and Gion decided to add a little more pressure.

The bamboo sword accelerated once more. Another powerful slash broke through Kane's defense and smashed toward his sword-holding right hand!

Smack!

Kane's longsword flew from his hand, but Gion had not knocked it away. He had voluntarily abandoned his sword and pulled back his hand.

Soru!

He suddenly used the Six Powers at a perfected level. Even Gion could not lock onto Kane in such a short time.

When he appeared again, he was already right in front of Gion!

Kane had used Bird Style sword techniques all night, creating an ingrained expectation in Gion's mind. The abrupt change left her briefly stunned.

And his steady, even breathing, along with movements as swift as thunder—where was the appearance of someone whose stamina had been exhausted?

It had all been a false show of weakness!

Gion came back to her senses, a brilliant smile blooming across her beautiful face. Kane's tightly clenched fists were already pressed against her soft, magnificent chest!

"Instructor, please accept this grand reunion gift."

Kane wore a savage grin as immense shockwaves erupted from his fists!

Six Powers Secret Technique: Rokuogan!