Thоugh hе kерt muttеring "interesting," Mаdаra's heаrt was a sеа оf соnfusiоn. This was а wholе new wоrld, аnd evеrything hе hаd evеr strived for nоw seеmеd like а flееting illusion.
Тhе fаiled Eуе of thе Мооn Рlan, Blасk Zetsu's bеtrаyal, and of cоursе… Hаshirаmа!!
Giоn landеd аnd сoughеd twiсе, but otherwisе, shе fеlt nо disсomfort, no lingering effeсts аt all. Uсhihа Madara wаs no Nаgаtо; their levеls оf соntrоl оver thе Rinnegan wеrе wоrlds aрart. Тhеrе was а vast diffеrencе betweеn the original аnd а hand-mе-down.
Веfоre Uсhiha Madara could make a move, Gion suddenly dropped to her knees before him and shouted, "Please, take me as your disciple, Mr. Madara!"
This completely threw Madara for a loop. As everyone knows, the Uchiha are a breed notoriously susceptible to soft tactics over hard ones. This sudden move left him at a loss for how to react.
"Insignificant little insect, what fantasies are you indulging in?" Uchiha Madara said coldly.
Gion did not rise. Instead, still kneeling, she yelled even louder, "I implore you, on account of the debt you owe me, please take me as your disciple, Mr. Madara!"
Madara's expression abruptly shifted. "Are you threatening me?" he said, his voice frigid.
Gion, however, didn't play into his hand. "No. This is purely a plea. Please, Mr. Madara, take me as your disciple."
Madara's face grew darker. If Gion had tried to leverage his debt of gratitude, he could have easily dismissed the favor. But her utter submissiveness left him with no clear way to refuse.
Garp and Sengoku were also dumbfounded. What in the world was this performance? But unlike Garp's pure bewilderment, Sengoku was secretly delighted. If they could keep Uchiha Madara with the Marines this way, it would be an excellent outcome. So what if he had a bit of a temper? The man could really fight.
And even if Uchiha Madara didn't end up serving the Marines, his status as Gion's master alone would ensure he wouldn't go out of his way to trouble them, or worse, become a Pirate. At this thought, Sengoku quickly chimed in.
"Ahem, Mr. Madara has only just finished resting and is likely still a bit weary. Gion, you shouldn't be so insistent."
Gion shot Sengoku a puzzled look. She had just come up with the perfect way to get back at Uchiha Madara, a way to embarrass him without making him fly off the handle. She couldn't understand why Sengoku was interrupting her now.
Sengoku ignored her confusion and continued, "For one, Mr. Madara is still recovering. For another, Mr. Madara mentioned he is a ninja. I happen to know a little about ninjas. From Wano Country, correct? Powerful, disciplined, willing to endure any hardship for their goals. Walkers in the darkness, true heroes among the common folk."
"We Marines, as the world's largest law enforcement organization, have always upheld justice with impartiality. We welcome heroes from all walks of life to visit. Why don't you stay with us for a while, Mr. Madara?"
Without giving Madara a chance to refuse, Sengoku pressed on, "We are somewhat familiar with the situation in Wano Country. Though its people are strong and its heroes many, it is rather isolated. Gion is still young, and her knowledge of the world is limited. We Marines, on the other hand, would be more than happy to provide a hero like yourself with all sorts of information."
"With the intelligence Gion has already provided as a foundation, you'll be able to judge the veracity of the information we offer. Why not stay with the Marines for a time, Mr. Madara? During your stay, our strongest Vice Admiral, the Hero Garp, will keep you company. What do you say?"
This barrage of flattery left Uchiha Madara's head spinning. Back in the world of the Hokage, the renowned Shura of the Shinobi World had never experienced anything like this. His life had been all about conspiracies and life-or-death battles, not this kind of elaborate bootlicking. He found himself too embarrassed to refuse and gave a slight nod in agreement. He remained silent, however, needing to maintain his cold, aloof persona.
Seeing Uchiha Madara nod, Sengoku rejoiced internally. He wasn't some hot-headed youngster like Gion. As a man on the verge of becoming Fleet Admiral, he was a master of social intricacies. A character like Uchiha Madara, who was clearly a sucker for flattery, was someone he knew exactly how to handle.
After all, he could even coax those trashy… ahem, even the World Nobles. What was a mere Uchiha Madara in comparison?
"Heh heh, excellent that you agree, Mr. Madara. Hey! Garp! Go catch a couple of decent Sea Beasts! Tonight, I shall discuss heroes over wine with Mr. Madara!"
Garp was stunned. You're the one sucking up to him, what's it got to do with me? You flatter him, and now I have to entertain him? And I have to get the food, too?
"Nirvana Temple Technique: Release."
Madara wasn't idle either. With a single-handed seal, he dispelled the Illusion Technique that had trapped most of the Marines. Since a truce had been called, it was no longer appropriate to leave so many people lying on the ground.
Sengoku, however, paid Garp no mind, leading Madara directly back to his own quarters.
"You may not know this, Mr. Madara, but we Marines recently captured the most vicious Pirate in the world, the man known as the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger. His execution is imminent. This is an event of the highest importance, which is why we were dispatched here to stand guard in advance."
Seeing how accommodating Sengoku was being, Madara felt he couldn't keep up his standoffish act forever. He replied with a deadpan expression, "The Pirate King? Sounds impressive. Can I fight him?"
"Hahahaha, spoken like the true Mr. Madara! Most people tremble at the mere mention of Roger's name."
How could Sengoku not see what was going on? Uchiha Madara and Gion—one had no desire to take a disciple, and the other had no desire to become one. Gion was doing this purely to spite Madara.
That's why he had deliberately interrupted them. First, stabilize Uchiha Madara, then plan his next move. In Sengoku's eyes, a man like Madara, who valued personal debts, wasn't particularly firm in his refusals, and seemed a bit of a soft touch, was a duck already in his grasp. Could he really let it fly away?
Besides, with Roger's execution looming, it was a critical time. Having a terrifying combat power like Uchiha Madara wandering around would probably rob Sengoku of his sleep. It was better to find an excuse to have Garp keep an eye on him.
But was one Garp enough? Hmm, no, he'd have to find an excuse to bring Zephyr over too. Ugh, the days before Roger's execution were such a headache. First Shiki, now Uchiha Madara, and all the other monsters were crawling out of the woodwork one by one.
Just two more days. He just had to hold on for two more days. Yes, the age of Pirates… it was time for it to end. This world needed justice. An absolute justice that reigns supreme!
Once Garp returned from his hunt, Sengoku made an excuse to go find Gion. Although Uchiha Madara couldn't be trusted yet, even a potentially spoiled piece of meat was still meat. He couldn't just ignore it.
In private, Sengoku crept to the door of the medical ward and knocked lightly.
A testy voice came from within.
"Come in, Mr. Sengoku."
Sengoku breathed a sigh of relief. He had been afraid Gion's straightforward temper would have him cursed out and sent away. After all, he was the one asking for a favor now.
"Ahem, Little Gion, how are your injuries?"
Gion ignored his question, her voice as cold as Uchiha Madara's. "Physically, I'm fine. But I'm feeling rather upset emotionally. I was planning on having a long talk with Sister Tsuru about your performance today, Mr. Sengoku. Your actions weren't quite in line with the Fleet Admiral I hold in my heart."
A cold sweat broke out on Sengoku's brow. Thankfully, he had a plan. Otherwise, Tsuru would surely take all her anger out on him later.
"Ahem, ahem, well, Little Gion, about today… there were extenuating circumstances. This 'Fleet Admiral-to-be' is still just a candidate, after all. It's understandable that I might have some shortcomings, right?"
Gion's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Then I must trouble you, Lord Fleet Admiral, to explain it all to me. After all, everyone in the Marines knows just how omnipotent the great Fleet Admiral Sengoku is."
Sweating profusely, Sengoku explained, "Ahem, a candidate, just a candidate! The final choice for Fleet Admiral isn't set in stone. We're all doing this for justice, how can you speak in such a self-serving way?"
Gion ignored his words and continued in her own world. "Judging by the dictatorial way Lord Fleet Admiral acted today, you're not nearly as polite as you sound. Let me guess, you've set your sights on that ungrateful old man, haven't you? So you've come to play the part of a lobbyist?"
"Let me guess how this goes. Next comes the threats and temptations, the part where a young, female Marine like me has to sell her body to secure a powerful asset for the organization, right?"
To be continued...