Even so, Rifan himself understood that this was impossible.
After all, Vivi and he hadn't developed enough honesty with each other.
Rifan shook his head, put his hands in his pockets, whistled, and walked slowly towards the cabin.
Soon, the figures of Gion and Hina came into his view.
"Yo, what did you talk about?" Rifan looked at Hina and Gion standing in the corner of the cabin and asked with interest.
"It's nothing, just a little secret between some Marine girls."
"But Rifan, your energy is really strong."
"Just been busy with Nojiko and the others for about two hours."
"Are you going to have fun again now?"
"This time, you even want to call Princess Vivi?"
Gion turned around and said to Rifan with a smile. Earlier, Nojiko had dragged Vivi and Robin to run quickly through the cabin, and she had seen it clearly.
"Hehe, although I want to."
"But unfortunately, Vivi and I are not going to do the things you imagine."
Rifan shook his head and said.
"Really, then what are you going to do?"
"What else can it be? Of course, it's training."
"training?"
"That's right, training! Gion, don't tell me you think that my companion's strength and skills appeared out of thin air?"
Rifan raised the corner of his mouth and said meaningfully. Of course, he knew that his and his partner's skills were obtained from the copy space out of thin air. However, he didn't mind revealing some fake information to Gion to create misconceptions about himself and the Black Pearl Pirates.
"Training?!"
Gion's eyes lit up, and she immediately stepped forward to hold Rifan's hand tightly in her arms. She lowered her body slightly, brought a pair of sexy red lips close to Rifan's ear, and said with a sultry tone:
"Hey, Rifan, can I see your training?"
Although such close contact would remind her of Nojiko using her body again, Gion couldn't care less. In order to gather more information about Rifan and the strength of Rifan's crew, she was willing to go to great lengths. After all, in Marine's eyes, Rifan was an outstanding talent in guiding others to become stronger. If Marines could gain some inspiration from Rifan's teaching process, they might be able to quickly cultivate powerful fighters in the future! Therefore, Gion didn't want to miss this opportunity.
After she finished speaking, she quickly gave Hina a knowing look. Hina pursed her lips, blushed, and walked to the other side of Rifan, holding his other hand tightly in her arms. Suddenly, Rifan felt embraced by two different worlds.
"Are you so interested in how I teach others, Gion?"
"Of course!" Gion generously admitted. "After all, Rifan, your teaching method seems to be very special and efficient."
"In that case, why do you think I would show you this information?"
Rifan shook his head, broke away from Gion's embrace with a gentle but firm move of his arm, and then lightly patted Hina's arm, urging her to let go. Seeing Rifan's serious expression, Hina could only choose to release her grip.
"Gion, take a good look at the scenery on the deck. I'm quite busy here, so I won't be with you for the time being. Hina, you should also rest; you worked very hard earlier."
Rifan brushed Hina's beautiful hair with his hand and gave her a warm smile. Then he turned around and planned to continue walking deeper into the cabin.
"Wait, Rifan!"
Gion reached out and grabbed the back of Rifan's clothing.
"Is there something else, Miss Gion?"
"Rifan, I want to know, if I want to observe your teaching, what kind of fee do I need to pay?"
"Hey, are you trying to make a deal? What if I say I want you, Gion?"
Rifan raised his finger and pointed at Gion's chest, saying it meaningfully.
"Rifan, isn't that fee too high? Can you lower it?"
Gion smiled mischievously. She knew she couldn't match Hina's level, and she wasn't certain that observing Rifan's teaching once would provide enough information. Sacrificing herself without getting the information she needed wouldn't be worth it.
"How would you like to lower it, Miss Gion?"
Seeing Gion's determination, Rifan also became intrigued. Although he felt that what he had shown to the Marine and the World Government was substantial, he was open to giving Gion a chance.
"Didn't we mention the topic of skincare products earlier? How about this: I'll allow you to give me any skincare products you want. In return, I'll apply skincare products for you and give you a full-body massage. How does that sound?"
Gion blushed slightly but smiled.
"Is that it?"
Rifan tilted his head and expressed a bit of disappointment.
"Rifan, isn't that enough?"
Gion frowned.
"Of course, it's not enough! You're not even close to my partner's level. You better enjoy the deck scenery. When you come up with a reward that truly impresses me, then we can discuss observing the training."
After Rifan finished speaking, he didn't give Gion any chance to stop him. He used the power of the Thunder Fruit to transform into a blue-white lightning and quickly disappeared in front of Gion and Hina.
"This guy, does he really expect me to give him everything I have before he's willing to compromise?" Gion muttered to herself, watching Rifan's lightning form vanish.
Gion rested her forehead with one hand, a headache evident on her face.
You know, if she were the previous target, she wouldn't need to take this step. It would be enough to charm the other party. But the other party is Rifan. Even if she crosses her bottom line to show Rifan more charm, he doesn't seem to be budging.
Gion actually understood Rifan in her heart. After all, there were too many beautiful women around him. With so many exceptional women in his company, Rifan's resistance to others naturally increased.
In terms of advantages, Gion knew that compared to Robin and others, her only advantage was her tall figure, which far surpassed ordinary people.
"That... Gion Vice Admiral."
"Or... maybe it's not necessary. You don't have to give Rifan yourself."
Hina pursed her lips and said to Gion after some hesitation.
"Hina, do you have any suggestions?"
Gion turned around, looking at the sky as she asked humbly. She understood that the relationship between Hina and Rifan was closer now. This was evident when Rifan had broken free from her embrace earlier.
As for Hina, Rifan had given her a significant hint by retracting his arm from her embrace.
Hina whispered a few words in Gion's ear after which Gion showed a thoughtful expression.
If they followed Hina's advice, they might indeed gather valuable information from Rifan. However, Gion hesitated.
"Is it really necessary to do this for intelligence?" she wondered.
At this moment, Gion was entangled in her thoughts. Unlike Hina, Gion's relationship with Rifan was different. Rifan had saved Hina's life, and she felt genuine tenderness and gratitude towards him. However, Gion had approached Rifan solely for the task.
Even though she hadn't gone all the way, sacrificing herself for the task was still a significant consideration, and Gion's emotions were deeply entangled.
"Maybe we should just forget it, Gion Vice Admiral," Hina suddenly suggested.
"Huh? Why do you say that, Hina?" Gion was still struggling, and Hina's words left her even more confused.
"Gion Vice Admiral, you should know about that man Rifan. If a woman doesn't want to get close to him, he won't force them. Even if a woman tries to force herself, Rifan won't agree. In his words, that kind of happiness can't tolerate any flaws. If a woman has any reservations, Rifan will at most superficially take advantage of her. If you're feeling conflicted, he probably doesn't want it either. Even if you tried to trade with Rifan, his Observation Haki would sense your emotional turmoil."
Hina shook her head and explained.
"So, I don't have to worry about it?" Gion sighed softly, torn between relief and disappointment.
"Forget it, just like that Rifan guy said. I'd better go to the deck to get some fresh air."
Gion rubbed her somewhat flushed face and headed towards the deck with graceful steps. Hina followed her, feeling it was better to stay close to Gion on the Black Pearl Pirate ship.
…
..
.
After a while, Nojiko and Robin, dressed in stylish swimwear, half-pushed Vivi, who was also dressed in a bold outfit, into the girls' pool. By this time, Rifan had changed into men's swimwear and was already in the water.
Seeing the approaching group, he greeted them with a friendly smile.
"Although this is a girls' swimming pool, Captain Rifan can enter it whenever he wants. It seems that even when girls are having fun here in the future, they'll have to be cautious when you're around, Captain Rifan."
Robin looked at Rifan's swimwear and smirked. If Vivi wasn't present, she might not have been able to resist pushing herself on Rifan.
"Ah, don't talk nonsense, Robin. I chose this place mainly to help you practice Fishman Karate. Being here, my heart is quite uncomfortable, you know. Robin, do you know how big the shadow in my heart is when you say that?"
Rifan touched his chest, appearing genuinely heartbroken.
"Ah, I see that Captain Rifan still feels uncomfortable because of this. In that case, do you need me to make a proper diagnosis?"
"No, that kind of work should be left to Nojiko, who's a nurse. Miss Wednesday, do you think the same way?"
Robin covered her mouth and chuckled, then turned to look at Nojiko and Vivi.
"Hee hee, if Captain Rifan needs it, I'll naturally help anytime. However, I can't see that Captain Rifan is suffering from heartache. Even though I'm not a doctor, I can see that."
Nojiko walked up to Rifan with a smile, put her ear against his chest, checked his heart rate, and then stepped back, grinning.
"Hey, Captain Rifan, if you really feel unwell, can this look relieve your discomfort?"
Nojiko raised the corner of her mouth and turned around in front of Rifan, showcasing her elegant charm with confidence. Thanks to Rifan's assistance and the growth ointment, Nojiko's figure was now on par with Nami, who had access to future body data.
Following Nojiko's lead, Robin also made a graceful turn in front of Rifan. Despite being an archaeologist, Robin displayed considerable talent in dancing, and just a simple twirl exuded her charm.
Meanwhile, Vivi shyly wrapped her arms around herself, avoiding direct eye contact with Rifan.
"That's not right, Princess Vivi. Don't forget that you are the dancer on the Black Pearl. Your dance can be a remedy if the crew members aren't feeling well."
Robin approached Vivi, placing her hands on Vivi's shoulders with a friendly smile.
"This... I..." Vivi lowered her head and struggled to find her words. She understood that what Robin said was true. However, she couldn't help but feel self-conscious. The clothing Nojiko and Robin had chosen for her was bold, and the skimpy fabric made Vivi question if what she was wearing could even be called a swimsuit.
What she didn't know was that her attire was more of a sentimental choice than an actual swimsuit.