"Ugh, if only I'd worked a little harder back then."
Gion let out a sigh.
When Arton had first arrived in this world, she had clearly been the first one to encounter him.
Gion felt that if she had been a little bolder and more decisive back then, she might have been able to win Arton over.
If she had been bold enough, she could have dragged Arton straight into the bushes and dealt with him, then put him to sleep right there.
At that time, Arton probably still had very little experience with women. Maybe if she had been bold enough, she could have made Arton fall for her.
Although Gion had been just as inexperienced back then, if it really came down to it, she felt she would still have been able to get some things done.
After all, her own conditions were not bad.
Otherwise, there would not have been so many Marines at Marine Headquarters pursuing her.
Nor would Chaton have confessed to her dozens of times.
Besides, even if she had no practical experience, she still had theoretical experience.
After all, Arton's own works were sitting right there.
Gion knew what kinds of techniques Arton liked.
If she followed the manga Arton had drawn and made proper use of her appearance, her figure, and advantages like her charm, Gion felt her chances of taking Arton down on the spot would have been very high.
Even if Arton still could not let go of his hatred for the World Nobles who had attacked him.
Gion felt that if Arton fell for her, she would be willing to make some compromises too.
For example, at the very least, he would not decide to become a pirate out of hatred for the World Nobles.
Or perhaps Arton would even have a chance to become a Marine. Gion could quietly help Arton deal with the World Nobles who had attacked him.
As she thought about this, Gion's body could not help trembling.
Those were World Nobles. How could she suddenly come up with an idea like that?
Could it be that, to her, Arton had already become more important than the World Nobles?!
Gion asked herself that, and the answer quickly surfaced in her mind.
Of course Arton was more important than the World Nobles.
Gion clearly remembered that the reason she had become a Marine was not to serve and protect the World Nobles.
The people she wanted to protect were innocent civilians.
If not for the fact that this world's order had been established through the World Government, and resisting the World Government might cause tremendous harm and lead to many civilians suffering as a result, Gion even felt that letting the World Nobles die off first would not be a bad thing.
At that thought, Gion's eyes could not help lighting up.
"Sis Gion, what did you think of?"
Kujaku had been paying attention to the change in Gion's expression the whole time, and could not help asking in confusion.
"Kujaku, tell me. If the World Nobles were gone, would Arton possibly become our companion?"
Gion asked in a low voice.
"Huh?!"
Kujaku's eyes widened, and she hurriedly glanced around.
After confirming that no one nearby had noticed them, Kujaku patted her chest and let out a breath.
"Sis Gion, are you crazy?"
"You can't just say things like that."
"If someone else heard you, it'd be a huge problem."
Kujaku leaned closer to Gion and spoke quietly.
"Don't worry. My Observation Haki is covering the area around us."
"There's no one around besides the two of us."
Gion said with a smile.
...
Chapter 707: Kujaku Felt She Could Take Advantage
Even though Gion was feeling somewhat troubled, she was still a very cautious person.
When talking about the World Nobles and badmouthing the World Government, she naturally made sure there was no one else around.
As for Kujaku, to Gion, she was absolutely someone she could trust, so she did not mind discussing it with her.
"Even so, you should still avoid saying your thoughts out loud."
"Sis Gion, let's talk using the Navigation Diary copy."
Kujaku carefully looked around, opened her own copy of the Navigation Diary, and found Gion's name in her friends list.
[Kujaku: Sis Gion, why did you suddenly have an idea like this?]
[Gion: Because I thought it over carefully. As long as the World Nobles still exist, Arton can't possibly become our companion. But if the World Nobles disappeared, the situation would be different.]
[Kujaku: But if the World Nobles disappear, that's the same as the World Government disappearing, right? The world would fall into chaos.]
[Gion: True, but if Arton keeps going like this, the world will fall into chaos someday anyway. You don't know just how much Arton hates the World Nobles.]
[Kujaku: So we need to find her for him.]
[Gion: And then what? After we catch him, what then? Are we supposed to hand him over to the World Government?]
[Kujaku: ...]
Kujaku fell silent.
Generally speaking, for someone like Arton, who harbored such extreme hatred toward the World Government…
If the Marines caught him, even if they did not hand him over to the World Government, he would still need to be sent to Impel Down.
But Arton had the Navigation Diary. As long as he remained alive, he would grow stronger at a terrifying speed.
If she wanted to stop Arton, Gion had one method.
That was to kill Arton directly the moment they found him.
But did she really want to kill Arton? Kujaku pursed her lips. Arton had enormous potential and could quickly make her stronger as well, so she honestly felt it would be a pity to kill him.
Not to mention, if Arton's power could be used to build the world, it would surely have a tremendous effect.
Although Arton's power had no direct connection to construction itself.
But Arton's Navigation Diary could quickly strengthen those who possessed a copy of it.
For example, if Arton's power could be used to strengthen Marines like Kujaku, Gion, and Doll, they could use that powerful strength to eliminate dangerous elements across the sea.
That would also count as indirectly promoting peace on the seas.
Under those circumstances, Kujaku felt that killing Arton would be even more of a pity.
Aside from that… Kujaku thought of the manga Arton had drawn in her own Navigation Diary copy.
Although it was all fantasy, and although she had been angry at first, after reading it for a long time, Kujaku had gradually started to become a little interested in the scenes from that manga.
Even if that Gion was from the manga, since the version of herself in the manga was too close to Arton, Kujaku herself could not help feeling an odd sense of closeness toward Arton too.
Sometimes, when Kujaku read the manga, she even found herself wanting to try out the techniques depicted in it. Of course, she wanted to try them together with Arton.
Although that thought made her feel extremely conflicted, it really did make Kujaku less willing to see Arton fall.
At least, if Arton truly fell into her hands, Kujaku had no intention of killing him.
Of course, if she could defeat Arton with her own body and kill him that way, Kujaku would still be a little interested. But only a little.
Kujaku's reason told her not to casually hand her body over to someone else.
Her reason also told her not to make things too easy for Arton.
"Still… if I can get a template from Arton, then if I give my body to him, does that count as me taking advantage, or him taking advantage~?"
Kujaku could not help thinking to herself.
...
...
For every 50 Power Stones → +1 extra chapter.