The ceremony ended, but the crowd was unwilling to disperse for a long time. Kane's phrase, "May we be that sole light," almost instantly became the official motto for all the young Marine soldiers. Especially within the formation composed of new recruits, the atmosphere was as lively and electric as a festival.
"Too... too amazing..."
A tall, stunningly beautiful young woman stood in the crowd, tightly clutching her military cap. Her eyes were practically turning into heart shapes as she stared intently at Kane's figure. She wore an ill-fitting new recruit uniform, but it could not conceal the astonishing proportions of her impossibly long legs. Her jet-black hair was tied into a neat ponytail, and her pink lips were slightly parted, clearly still not recovered from that soul-cleansing speech.
Gion.
The future Admiral candidate of Marineford, codenamed Momousagi. Right now, she was just a passionate young girl who had recently graduated from a swordsmanship dojo and joined the Marines, carrying dreams of true justice. Looking at that handsome face, that upright posture, and that powerful speech... everything perfectly aligned with all her fantasies of what a hero should be. He gave her justice a concrete form.
"How could there be... such a perfect man..." Gion murmured unconsciously, her cheeks flushed a deep crimson. "That kind of spirit, that determination to burn for justice... is this... the light I should follow?"
"Tch, what is so great about him."
A voice dripping with sourness drifted over from her side. Gion frowned slightly and turned to look. The speaker was a man whose appearance was... well, how to put it, very unrefined. He had drooping eyebrows, squinty eyes, and wore a hat that looked inherently sleazy. He was currently picking his nose with a displeased expression.
Kakei.
The other future Admiral candidate, codenamed Tokikake. Of course, right now he was just a guy among the new recruits who thought highly of himself, relying on a bit of brute strength. Seeing the goddess he longed for showing such a fangirl expression towards another man, Kakei felt the sourness bubbling up in his throat. He had been pursuing Gion for quite some time, only to be ruthlessly rejected every single time.
And now, this was the result. This guy named Kane did not even have to do anything. He just said a few pretty words on stage and had his goddess completely mesmerized. Could he tolerate this?
"Gion, don't be fooled by a pretty boy like that," Kakei lowered his voice, speaking with what he thought was clarity. "Look at him. Delicate skin, tender flesh. Surviving under Golden Lion Shiki must be because Vice Admiral Garp and the others did the heavy lifting. He just got lucky picking up the pieces."
"I even suspect he didn't write that speech himself. Maybe Fleet Admiral Sengoku had someone ghostwrite it for him..."
His belittling remarks were meant to show Gion his rationality and maturity, to make her see who the truly sensible man was. Who would have thought, Gion's willow-leaf brows shot up, her pretty face turning frosty. She looked at him as if he were a pile of garbage.
"Kakei, what nonsense are you spouting? I won't allow you to insult Rear Admiral Kane like that!"
"Insult?" Kakei grew anxious. "I am stating facts! Gion, think about it. A Rear Admiral at nineteen? Is that reasonable? There must be something shady behind it! I just don't have his kind of luck!"
Kakei grew more impassioned, trying to regain the goddess's attention by disparaging Kane.
"And look how pale he is. Clearly a pretty boy who relies on his looks. In a real fight, I could probably take him down with one punch..."
Shing!
A clear ring of steel echoed. The standard-issue longsword in Gion's hand was suddenly drawn, its gleaming blade reflecting directly onto Kakei's sleazy face.
"Shut up, Kakei."
The girl's voice was ice-cold, her originally somewhat youthful gaze now terrifyingly sharp.
"If I hear you insult Rear Admiral Kane one more time, I will cut out your tongue."
Kakei shrank back in fear, cold sweat instantly breaking out on his forehead. He had never seen Gion wear such a murderous expression before. At that moment, the crowded people automatically parted to both sides, clearing a wide path.
"Excuse me, coming through."
A gentle voice sounded. Kakei looked up and nearly had his soul scared out of him. Kane, draped in his brand-new officer's coat, was walking past from a side passage, surrounded by a group of officer-ranked Marines. He seemed to be avoiding the fanatical crowd on the main road, deliberately taking a detour.
Up close, the sense of pressure was even stronger. Perfect muscle lines filled out his shirt, and the golden star of rank on his shoulder shone with the brilliance of authority under the sunlight. Kane seemed to sense the gaze from here, his steps pausing slightly as he turned his head. His gaze swept lightly over Kakei, who was frozen in place, and finally settled on Gion, who was still holding her drawn sword stance.
Their eyes met.
Gion felt all the blood rush to her head, flustered as she tried to sheathe her sword. But the more flustered she was, the clumsier she became. With a click, the blade got stuck at the mouth of the scabbard and would not go in. She was so embarrassed she wished she could find a hole to crawl into.
It was over; she had left a violent impression on her idol. Just then, a slender hand reached over and gently pressed on her sword hilt. Kane leaned down slightly, carrying a pleasant scent of sea salt after sun exposure. His fingers moved slightly, adjusting the angle for her, and the longsword slid smoothly into its sheath.
"A sword is not meant to be pointed at comrades, soldier."
Kane's voice was soft, carrying a hint of amusement without any tone of reprimand. He looked at this blushing young woman, his gaze lingering on her strikingly familiar face for a second.
Huh? Isn't this the future Momousagi? Look at this youthful little look, still a greenhorn recruit.
Kane was inwardly amused. This kind of potential stock must be invested in now. An idea struck him. He pulled out a piece of high-end chocolate he had casually pocketed from Sengoku's office earlier.
"Take it."
Kane stuffed the chocolate into Gion's still trembling hand, then reached out and very naturally ruffled the smooth black hair on her head.
"Good eyes. Come work under me in the future."
With that, without the slightest hesitation, he turned and strode away with an extremely dashing back view. Even after Kane had walked far away, Gion remained frozen in that position, tightly clutching the piece of chocolate as if it were the most precious treasure in the world. The warmth of his large hand still lingered on her head.
"Under... under his command..."
Gion felt her whole body steaming. Her gaze gradually shifted from dazed to determined, even fanatical.
"I must become stronger! I must join Rear Admiral Kane's unit!"
Meanwhile, beside her, Kakei, who had been completely ignored and relegated to a background character the entire time, watched his goddess's lovestruck state. He felt the whole world turn gray, and the sound of his heart breaking was clearly audible.
[Ding!]
Kane, who had already walked far away, suddenly heard a crisp notification sound in his mind.
[Detection: Host's personal charm has caused Future Admiral Candidate Kakei's mentality to collapse, indirectly damaging colleague relations.]
[Achievement Unlocked: As long as you swing the hoe well, no wall cannot be toppled.]
[Discipline points +1000!]
Kane's steps paused slightly, and he rubbed his chin somewhat bewilderedly.
That works? I didn't even do anything? That guy Kakei... is he made of glass or something?
However, free points were free points. There was no reason to refuse them. Kane was in an excellent mood, humming an unknown little tune as he headed towards his office.
Ah, this is youth~
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