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At the docks, Jin and Gion shook hands.
Gion possessed a figure that was both slender and voluptuous—utterly captivating.
She was tall, and even without her high heels, she stood at an imposing three meters, the standard height for a Marine Admiral.
Her hair, as dark as a storm cloud, was elegantly pinned up, revealing a long, graceful neck.
She wore a magenta silk blouse with short, capped sleeves, over which she draped her coat of justice.
The lace cuffs exposed her slender arms, their skin a flawless white.
Her shoulders were perfectly sculpted, the lines of her body flowing down to a waist so narrow it was breathtaking.
Her chest was... mountainous.
Below, a miniskirt ended just at the top of her thighs, revealing a pair of long, perfectly straight legs, free of any excess fat, yet full and well-proportioned.
She wore no stockings. Her bare feet were slipped into a pair of black high heels.
On her left thigh, a black and grey spider tattoo peeked out, a portion of it disappearing beneath the hem of her skirt.
It was a look that was seductive, bewitching, and alluring all at once—an invitation to explore.
The only problem was... she was a bit too tall.
Jin, after his upgrades, had grown quite a bit in all respects, including his height. But standing in front of Gion, if he leaned in, his gaze landed squarely on... her chest.
It wasn't that he 'wanted' to look.
It was just that the canyon was right there, staring him in the eye.
And Jin was a man of culture.
He naturally appreciated a woman with great ambition and a... generous heart.
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"Yes, we meet again," Gion said with a smile, smoothly withdrawing her hand. This king was certainly a bold one.
His gaze was so intense it was almost tangible.
But Gion had seen worse. Compared to the filth and depravity of the other kings and nobles she'd had to deal with, Jin was practically a saint.
As they say, in an era of scoundrels, you're judged by the company you keep.
Besides, Gion was used to using her beauty as a tool of her trade. She was accustomed to all kinds of looks.
She wasn't angry.
"So, King Jin," she asked casually, "what brings you to the South Blue? Shouldn't you be on Drum Island?"
"Well, you know how it is," Jin said with a sigh. "Drum Island is a small place, not a lot of people, not much of an economy. The Heavenly Tribute is due soon, and I'm a little short on cash. I thought I'd come to the South Blue, try to make a few Berries. I also heard there are a lot of skilled craftsmen here. I was hoping to recruit a few, maybe find a good business opportunity to take back with me. And then all that business with the Sorbet Kingdom happened. I was a little... concerned. When I heard an Admiral was in the area, I thought it best to make contact."
'Is that so?' Gion thought, surprised.
It seemed... a reasonable explanation.
"You're a truly devoted king," she said with a smile. "If only the world had more rulers like you, perhaps..."
Gion trailed off. She had been about to say that what had happened in the Sorbet Kingdom might have been avoided, but she thought better of it.
Some things were best left unsaid.
Jin just smiled. "The recruitment fair ends tomorrow. Will you be able to wait, Admiral Candidate Gion? If you're busy, please don't let me keep you."
"Ensuring the safety of a king at sea is also one of our duties as Marines," Gion replied.
"Well, thank you," Jin said. "In that case, since we both have some time on our hands, how about a drink?"
"Alright," Gion nodded.
Behind her, a captain's face was full of jealousy as he watched the goddess of his affections agree to go for a drink with the king.
And he had to stay here and guard the ship.
The injustice of it all.
Gion, intending to probe Jin for information, didn't refuse his invitation. The two of them had a pleasant conversation in the tavern.
After they had finished their drinks, she suggested a tour of his ship. Jin readily agreed.
Although she found the ship strange, after a thorough inspection, she couldn't find anything suspicious.
She made her excuses and left.
Jin, as much as he wanted to... explore the height difference, knew that Gion was not some low-level mob he could easily handle.
He had to content himself with a few stolen glances and the brief touch of her hand.
"I really don't know how the manliest man in all of piracy, Scopper Gaban, managed to stand alone against the ages that night," Jin sighed to himself.
She was a giantess, after all.
What kind of courage—and stamina—would that take?
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A few days later, after Jin had finished recruiting his craftsmen, Gion escorted his ship, maintaining a flirtatious but professional distance, occasionally coming on board for an "inspection."
They reached the edge of the Calm Belt, and she still hadn't found anything.
'Was my intuition wrong?' Gion wondered.
Everything seemed normal, but when she looked at that ship, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
To get to the bottom of it, she decided she would have to make a sacrifice.
From Hina to Reiju, this king obviously had a thing for beautiful women. Baiting him should be easy.
Under the pretext of a farewell dinner for two, she boarded the Empress with a bottle of wine.
It was obviously a trap.
And Jin flatly refused.
"We're about to enter the Calm Belt," he said. "It's too dangerous. There are super-large Sea Kings in these waters. It's not a good time for a drink."
He wasn't an idiot. He knew she was suspicious. An Admiral Candidate... she was no pushover.
He wasn't about to fall for it.
"But," he said with a grin, "if you're really sincere, how about a goodbye kiss?"
Gion hadn't expected to be rejected. She thought that after a few days of flirting, she had him wrapped around her finger.
She never thought he would be able to resist.
'Am I getting old? Have I lost my touch?' she wondered.
A goodbye kiss?
Gion's pride was wounded. She looked down at Jin and smiled.
"Alright," she said. "If you can reach."
"Oh, you underestimate me..."
Jin had always been an obedient man. He suddenly shot up, and before Gion could react, he took her face in his hands and kissed her.
Hard!
From the warship, a group of Marines were watching through a spyglass.
"Admiral Candidate Gion??"
"Ah!"
A chorus of shocked and mournful cries erupted from the ship.
Gion froze for a second. The sound snapped her back to reality. Her brow furrowed, and she threw her head back, simultaneously bringing her knee up in a vicious strike.
Her leg shot up.
In her peripheral vision, she noticed the springs coiled around Jin's feet.
A Devil Fruit??
"Tsk," Jin clicked his tongue. He pressed down with his hand, and a loud boom echoed across the deck.
He just smiled and caught her ankle.
Gion was stunned. She had put her full force into that kick. How had he caught it so easily?
So it's true... he really did defeat Hanafuda.
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