In a simple yet warm little house,
a crisp voice—cool but carrying a hint of spoiled softness—rang out:
"Sister Tsuru, I'm back!"
A mouthwatering fragrance drifted out from the kitchen.
A gentle, elegant voice replied,
"Welcome home, Gion.
The food is already on the table.
If you're hungry, go ahead and eat first—
I'll be done with the last dish in just a minute."
"No need. I'll wait for you, Sister Tsuru."
The girl removed the long sword from her waist and set it aside.
She sat down properly at the table, watching faint tendrils of steam curl up from the exquisite dishes.
Her delicate nose twitched lightly.
"Haaah… Sister Tsuru's cooking really is the best!"
Forcing herself to look away from the food, the girl's gaze wandered around the room.
Then her bright eyes stopped on a small booklet placed atop the desk.
"Huh… what's this?"
She approached with curiosity.
Naturally, she wasn't worried—
Tsuru would never leave state secrets lying around.
Just then, Tsuru's voice floated out again, mixed with gentle teasing:
"Gion, how was your first day at the training camp?
I heard you caused quite a stir."
"Sister Tsuru—!"
Gion elongated her voice in protest.
"It's because those guys are so boring!
If they have that much time, they should be improving themselves or catching pirates!
Standing around doing nothing all day is annoying just to watch!"
"You really are…"
"'Longinus Quotations'?"
Gion blinked, repeating the title she saw on the booklet.
"That name… I've heard it somewhere…"
Dressed in comfortable home clothes, Tsuru walked out carrying a plate of greens.
She paused mid-sentence when she noticed Gion deeply immersed in the booklet.
With a soft smile, she asked,
"So? What do you think of it?"
"Ah—!"
Gion jumped in surprise, quickly putting the booklet down.
She composed herself and gave a serious, honest evaluation:
"He's ruthless against enemies yet gentle toward civilians.
His words feel… like they touch the heart.
But the deeds described are a bit too legendary—
it's hard to imagine they're real.
Sister Tsuru, is this for the Navy's new recruitment campaign?"
"And also…
Is this 'Longinus' based on some famous hero from our Navy's past?
He feels oddly familiar."
"You really…"
Tsuru chuckled fondly.
"You don't care one bit about the training camp gossip, do you?
Didn't they call you a 'monster' behind your back?
Longinus is one of the newcomers being called a monster, just like you."
"Ah! I remember now!
He's that guy who saved an entire ship of recruits
and was awarded a medal for it!"
"It wasn't just luck."
Tsuru smiled.
"If you compare his deeds with the booklet,
do you still think it was merely good fortune?"
"All that was real?"
Gion's eyes widened in disbelief.
In her mind, those achievements bordered on myth.
"Not only real—
the booklet actually simplified a lot."
Gion fell silent for a moment, then said solemnly:
"Capturing over a hundred pirate crews in two years…
Tens of thousands saved…
He truly is a Marine.
The next time I see him, I'll apologize sincerely."
"Apologize?" Tsuru blinked.
"When you mentioned the booklet earlier,
I subconsciously assumed he was someone who loves showing off.
But now I see—
he must've spread these stories to better spread justice!"
Gion nodded earnestly.
"Since I misjudged him, I should apologize in person."
Tsuru sighed helplessly.
"You only thought it, you know.
There's no need to run over just to apologize for that."
"No. Wrong is wrong.
I can lie to others, but I can't lie to myself.
Facing your heart—
that is the creed of a…
a swordswoman!"
"…Fine, do as you like," Tsuru conceded.
"Hehehe, thank you Sister Tsuru!"
The girl's frosty expression melted instantly into a brilliant, sunny smile.
Noon.
Gregory lay sprawled across his bed radiating loser-energy.
"I'm telling you, aren't we basically being free-ranged?
It's been a whole week, and we haven't seen a single instructor!
Every day it's just self-training.
I could've done this back at the branch!"
"I heard last year more than two hundred people failed their year.
Maybe they were too trashy, and we're paying the price for it," Abraham grumbled.
"Stop overthinking," Penyon huffed, still out of breath.
"If you have time to complain, go train with Longinus."
Gregory shivered.
"No thanks.
Training with the boss just makes me feel like a useless pile of meat."
Then he quickly switched topics:
"But seriously, the boss has nerves of steel.
The HQ brats keep saying he only made the 'Three Monsters Ranking'
because of his fame,
unlike the other two who have real strength."
"If you had the boss's strength, you'd be calm too," Abraham snorted.
"As the boss said—time will prove everything.
Those short-sighted idiots will eventually learn how wrong they are."
"Hey hey! Speaking of those idiots—
do you know they made complete fools of themselves this morning?"
Gregory grinned gleefully.
"I heard," Penyon said.
"That Mythical Zoan guy—Kaji?
He kept pestering Gion with his clumsy flirting.
Gion finally challenged him and beat him with overwhelming force.
Their precious ranking became a total joke."
Penyon's massive face took on a look of pure admiration.
"Gion's swordsmanship is bright, upright, magnificent—
the kind I admire most!
I hope one day I can become a swordmaster like her!"
"Oi, Penyon, you can't just worship swordsmanship and look down on us ability-users!"
Gregory protested.
"I watched the whole fight!
Kaji just got arrogant—
he didn't even use his ability before he got flattened!
I still don't know what his power even is!?"
"You two can stop arguing now!"
Abraham cut in smugly.
"Swordsmanship or Devil Fruits—none of them beat pure physical strength!
The boss's path is absolutely the correct one!"
While sparks were flying among the three,
Algernon suddenly burst into the room, flustered.
"Is the boss back yet!?"
"He's still training.
What, someone bullying you?
Need the boss to beat them up?" Gregory teased.
"Cut it out! This is serious!
T-that monster—Gion—
is coming here!"
"WHAT?"
Abraham shot upright.
"That beautiful swordmaster Gion?"
His expression grew grave.
"She just crushed that Mythical Zoan guy this morning…
Now she's come here…
Could it be she wants to establish her dominance
by stepping on the boss!?"
"Move!
Call everyone!
Even if the boss isn't here,
we absolutely cannot lose momentum!"
"We'll show that woman—
the boss is not someone she can challenge whenever she pleases!"
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