The warship sailed smoothly across the Calm Belt.
Thanks to the research of the renowned scientist Dr. Vegapunk, recent Marine Headquarters warships were constructed with seastone elements embedded in their hulls. This allowed them to pass undetected by the massive Sea Kings that roamed these waters.
This technology enabled the Marines to cut directly across the Calm Belt without having to detour through Reverse Mountain, drastically reducing travel time between the Grand Line and the Four Blues.
That morning, the sea was as clear and still as a mirror, with a faint mist hovering over the water's surface.
Nao had just finished breakfast in the second-floor mess hall and stepped out of the ship's quarters, where he ran into Rosinante and Shiryu.
"I just spoke to the old helmsman. We'll exit the Calm Belt by tomorrow night," Rosinante said eagerly, rubbing his hands together, his delicate features alight with excitement. "After that, it's just three or four days' sailing through the West Blue to reach Silest Island."
"Hey, Nao, Shiryu, once we're on the island, how about the three of us form a team and focus on taking down the officers? Mopping up small fry pirates is boring."
"I don't mind," Nao shrugged. Truthfully, that plan was already on his mind.
"I was thinking of going solo," Shiryu added, cigarette in mouth. After a moment's pause, he glanced at Rosinante and added flatly, "But since you're an idiot who's likely to get lost or ambushed, I'll reluctantly agree to team up and cover your back."
"Tch, arrogant jerk," Rosinante grumbled, dissatisfied with the response, and the two of them immediately began bickering and shoving each other.
They continued their noisy antics until the three of them made their way through the long corridor to the spacious training room at the rear of the ship, where they finally quieted down.
The training room was surprisingly large and well-lit, easily accommodating fifty or sixty people for simultaneous practice.
It appeared Zephyr had arranged for modifications beforehand to ensure that the elite recruits participating in this mission wouldn't waste their ten days at sea.
"Huh? Why are there so many people here so early?" Rosinante scratched his head, puzzled. "Yesterday there were barely any folks coming in for extra practice. Weird…"
Normally, at this time of day, there'd be maybe seven or eight people in the training room, but now there were easily four or five dozen. Even more unusual was that most of them were female Marines.
"It's not that hard to guess," Shiryu said, crushing out his cigarette as he pointed toward a corner of the room.
Following his direction, Nao and Rosinante saw a crowd gathered around a tall woman—Gion. She stood poised, her expression cold and focused, leaping high into the air and unleashing a precise Rankyaku toward a young female Marine.
Swish!
The attack whistled through the air, leaving a deep gouge in the steel-plated wall.
The young woman, who narrowly dodged the strike, gasped for breath, her face alight with joy.
"I dodged it! I finally dodged it!" she exclaimed, rushing forward and throwing her arms around Gion's neck, clinging to her like a child. "Thank you for the guidance, Rear Admiral Gion!"
"No problem," Gion said with a gentle smile as she lightly set the girl down. She rolled her shoulders and scanned the other women around her.
"Now then, does anyone else want to spar with me?"
Her voice was clear and melodious, like a gentle stream flowing through the large training hall.
"Me!"
"Me, me!"
"Pick me, Rear Admiral Gion!"
The responses were instant and fervent. Gion randomly selected another volunteer, who immediately turned red with excitement and pushed through the crowd to stand opposite her.
"Rear Admiral Gion, please guide me!" the girl said, taking a deep breath and bowing respectfully.
"Of course," Gion replied, smiling playfully. With a flicker, she vanished from sight.
In the blink of an eye, she reappeared behind the girl, delivering a swift knife-hand strike aimed at her shoulder.
…
Nao and his friends were initially bewildered by the scene, but as they watched for a while, they gradually realized what was happening.
Gion was sparring with the recruits, offering personalized guidance based on each one's strengths and weaknesses.
With her exceptional strength, natural talent, and a warm, approachable demeanor, it was no wonder she had drawn such a large, enthusiastic crowd.
But… why were all her sparring partners women?
Nao found himself wondering as he glanced at Gion again. As if by chance, she had just finished sparring with one recruit and turned her gaze toward his direction.
Their eyes met for a brief moment.
It was only then, up close, that Nao noticed the color of her eyes—nearly peach-pink, clear and untainted, reflecting the faint orange glow of the light filtering through the porthole.
Somehow, the sight reminded him of the tangerine groves from his childhood, where the autumn breeze stirred gentle ripples.
But this "tangerine sea" was tinged with curiosity and the faintest hint of amusement.
Nao instinctively lowered his gaze, only to realize his eyes had drifted down to a view even more distracting. His cheeks flushed with heat, and he hastily turned his head.
The dark wall before him gleamed faintly with oil, and in its subtle reflection, he noticed that his face was slightly red and hot.
No way—did I actually feel something for her just now?
He immediately dismissed the thought. He prided himself on being a rational person and believed that love was something that developed over time, not something as cliché as love at first sight.
Although, technically, this was his second close encounter with Gion—so maybe it was love at second sight?
Still, he had spent nearly half an hour on the deck yesterday observing her without feeling a hint of romantic interest. So why now?
This isn't right.
Nao shook his head, pushing aside the stray thoughts. He took a few deep breaths to calm his expression and heartbeat.
When he looked back again, Gion had already turned her attention to another recruit, offering guidance with her back to him.
Shiryu and Rosinante, completely engrossed in the sparring, didn't notice Nao's unusual reaction.
Relieved, Nao finally relaxed and, after a moment's hesitation, used his daily free scan on Gion.
Target: Gion
Age: 24
Strength: 23
Agility: 25
Stamina: 14
Intelligence: 8
Charm: 11
Skills: Marine Rokushiki (Advanced), One-Sword Style Swordsmanship (Advanced), Marksmanship (Intermediate), Observation Haki (Intermediate), Armament Haki (Advanced)
Estimated Points Reward: Ambiguous Relationship: 100,000 points; Romantic Relationship: 250,000 points
Note: As Vice Admiral Tsuru's protégé and one of the brightest young talents in the Navy, Gion's background and potential are at the top tier. Interestingly, though she's seen as the Marines' ultimate unattainable beauty, she seems to show little interest in men and instead prefers the company of young, cute girls.