Sеngоku brоkе оut in а сold sweаt. Тhis dаmn girl, whеn shе was angry, shе'd just sаy anуthing, wouldn't she? If аnуоnе еlsе heard thаt, who knоws what thеу'd think of him. Нow wаs hе supрosed tо beсоme Flееt Аdmiral thеn? Аh, right, рrospесtive, рrоsресtive. Kееp it lоw-kеy, low-key.
Gion wаsn't stuрid. Hеr mind hаdn't kерt up with thаt оld fоx Sеngоku аt first, but she cоuldn't stор mulling it оvеr. It only took a momеnt's thоught to undеrstаnd. A prospеctivе Flееt Admiral, оn thе vеrgе оf еxеcuting the Рirаtе King, аscеnding tо thе pinnаclе of his life.
Тhen, suddenlу, he sees а mаn like Uсhiha Маdаra—nоt a Pirate, but immensely powerful. It was a classic case of a man seeing a prize he desperately wanted.
Gion had to admit, with combat power as immense as Uchiha Madara's, suffering a little grievance was certainly worth it if he could be recruited into the Marines. But that didn't stop her from venting her anger on Sengoku.
"Men really are all the same. So shameless and despicable."
Her words made Sengoku's teeth ache. What was all this nonsense? Where did a twelve or thirteen-year-old girl learn such scathing remarks?
The worst part was, he couldn't hit her or scold her, because he really was lusting after Uchiha Madara's body—ah, no, his strength. It was his strength he coveted, and all for the sake of justice, for the peace of the seas!
"Now, Gion," Sengoku began, "I know you're a bit angry right now and might not understand my actions, but think about it. Given our relationship, would I ever harm you? I'm trying to help you."
Gion rolled her eyes cutely, making it clear she had no interest in listening to him. Sister Tsuru was right; these pigs were all the same when they wanted something from you.
"Look, let's not talk about Uchiha Madara's strength for a moment. Let's just talk about getting revenge for you, helping you let off some steam. Don't you want to get a handle on that ungrateful Uchiha Madara?"
Gion was still a child, after all. The moment she heard that, she couldn't hold back. She had been so terribly wronged today—saving such a huge ingrate, getting covered in injuries, having her memories read, and even crying her eyes out.
Seeing Gion's interest, Sengoku quickly pressed on. This was working.
"Little Gion, you might not trust Garp's character, but you can't possibly distrust my experience, can you? A man like Uchiha Madara, at first glance, seems vicious, but in reality, he's quite thin-skinned, right? What do you kids call people like that these days?"
"Tsundere," Gion sniffled.
"Yes, yes, that's it, tsundere! Look, if he becomes your master, do you think that kind of person would treat his apprentice badly? Though they're hard to win over, once you do, they're definitely easy to get along with."
"As they say, a master for a day is a father for life. And what father doesn't dote on his daughter? We might have to put up with some grievances at the start, but once he's on our side, won't he be under our thumb? The entire Marine organization will be on your side. He could call to Heaven and Earth, and neither would answer. Then you could embarrass him however you please."
"'Master, I want the moon today.' 'Master, I want the sun tomorrow.' You think you couldn't torment him then? The first step is always the hardest. Suffer a little today for a lifetime of comfort, right?"
Gion's eyes sparkled. Her mind filled with scenes of making that ungrateful old wolf Uchiha Madara work like a horse. She slapped her thigh. "Let's do it!"
Seeing his success, Sengoku leaned right up to Gion's ear. Pspsps.... After listening, Gion and Sengoku exchanged a look, both sharing a sinister grin.
"He's as good as ours!"
The scene changed to the temporary command post in Loguetown.
Garp was munching on Senbei while chatting with Uchiha Madara.
"Hahahahaha! Say, Brother Madara, how'd you make that giant skeleton thing? Is it a Devil Fruit Power?"
Having read the information in Gion's mind, Uchiha Madara now had a general understanding of this world. He also accepted the persona Sengoku had given him: a ninja from Wano Country.
"A secret jutsu passed down in my family. It requires a special bloodline."
In the past, Uchiha Madara would never have bothered to explain such things. But now, reeling from Black Zetsu's betrayal and the disorienting realization that this was not his world, a sense of aimless confusion drove him to communicate with those around him.
As it happened, Garp, a member of the D Clan, was famously cheerful and carefree. The two of them actually got along quite well.
"I saw that little brat and you both use that special technique, the one like instant movement. Is it called Shave?"
"Ah, you mean Shave. That's one of our Marine Six Powers. It's a skill that basically all officers at the rank of commander and above have to master."
The two of them weren't discussing anything useful, just exchanging what they both knew was pointless information. With Gion's memories, Uchiha Madara had learned Shave on the spot, mainly because Shave was the only one of the Six Powers Gion knew.
After a long time of spouting nonsense, both were starting to feel bored when Sengoku entered, pulling along a red-eyed Gion who looked as if she had just been crying.
The moment Uchiha Madara saw Gion, his head throbbed. He couldn't comprehend what went on in the minds of these little brats. Coupled with her slightly swollen eyes, the sight was enough to make Madara's composure crack.
Gion entered the room and, looking directly at Madara, called out pitifully, "Master~"
Uchiha Madara's expression turned cold. He was about to speak, but then he saw Gion's miserable little face about to go from cloudy to a downpour. The sight sent his blood pressure soaring.
Madara immediately formed a hand seal and vanished with the Body Flicker Technique.
At the same time, Garp glanced up at the roof. Sengoku, wearing the look of a man whose scheme had succeeded, nodded at Garp. Garp looked utterly baffled, but he understood Sengoku's meaning and stayed put.
There was no need to go up to the roof to monitor Uchiha Madara. The man didn't bother to restrain his terrifying aura. In Garp's eyes, Madara's location was as obvious as the sun.
Sengoku, a smirk playing on his lips, pulled Gion away. He exchanged a look with her, the meaning clear: Go find him again later.
Yes, this was the strategy Gion and Sengoku had devised: Operation Play Pitiful. The experiment just now proved its high probability of success.
A man like Uchiha Madara was clearly a lone wolf. Cold, proud, violent, and autocratic. But he placed great importance on things like gratitude and relationships, a bit like those West Blue gangsters with their code of brotherhood and loyalty.
Sengoku had climbed to his current position by reading countless people. Uchiha Madara's strength was certainly greater than his, but when it came to worldly wisdom and social graces, the overly autocratic Madara, thanks to his immense power, was no match for Sengoku, who dealt with people from all walks of life daily.
Night fell. Uchiha Madara lay alone on the roof of the second-floor building. He knew Garp had been sent by Sengoku to watch him; it was clear how important the execution of this so-called Pirate King was to the Marines. But Madara didn't much care.
Right now, he was just a little lost. After the great battle at God Valley, he had lived alone underground for who knows how long without ever feeling this lonely. Even when he could only eat rats, or on good days, military ration pills, he felt that his life back then had been fulfilling.
He had his ambition, his goal: to achieve true peace through the Eye of the Moon Plan.
Then, after being brought back by the Impure World Reincarnation, he had fought the Allied Shinobi Forces. Although it felt a bit like bullying children, he had found it enjoyable. He reveled in battle, even in the deep fear and despair of the Allied Shinobi Forces when they heard his fearsome title, Shura of the Shinobi World.
He remembered the little brat Ōnoki, awestruck by the Heavenly Obstruction Quaking Star, and the Five Kage who fought him with their lives on the line. Especially Hashirama's granddaughter. Though her power was lacking, her spirit was absolutely worthy of being Hashirama's descendant, and she bore the title of Hokage well.
Then there was the beast of Taijutsu who fought him while emitting red vapor, and the children of the era, Naruto and Sasuke. Ah, that little brat with the same face as Izuna… he had not brought shame to the Uchiha name.
Though they were his enemies, he didn't dislike any of the people he had fought. On the contrary, it was because they fought him that he found life interesting.
Even when he died from a sneak attack, he never once lamented the injustice of it. Those two brats, Naruto and Sasuke, were no match for him. He only felt that he had lost to his own carelessness.
In the end, you still won, Hashirama. Your will—or rather, the Will of Fire, has been successfully passed down. I was supposed to have another drink with you, Hashirama.
To be continued...