"So it's the famous Rear Admiral Gion from Marine Headquarters. What brings you here?
If I'm not mistaken, I already took back my Vivre Card, so you shouldn't have been able to find me.
And like I said last time, the next time we meet, we'll be enemies. I won't hold back anymore!"
Wood was surprised to see Gion in Water 7. According to what he knew, she wasn't one of the people in the know.
So, when Wood saw Gion, he maintained a cold demeanor, referring to her as "Rear Admiral Gion" rather than "Gion" as a friend would.
Gion didn't know why, but hearing Wood call her "Rear Admiral Gion" while addressing the Demon Child as "Robin" stoked a fire of irritation in her heart.
The joy of reuniting after a long time was gone, and Wood's attitude made Gion quite displeased, her tone becoming chilly.
"Hold back? The truth is, I've been following you for a while. If I had really wanted to attack from the shadows, I wonder if you'd even have the chance to hold back.
For someone on the brink of becoming a great swordsman, your alertness and sharp senses have deteriorated since our last fight.
It seems that little girl Robin has bewitched our dear Major Wood to the point where he's forgotten who he really is."
Gion didn't hold back her sarcastic remarks, repeatedly emphasizing "our dear Major Wood," leaving Wood feeling quite embarrassed.
By now, if Wood hadn't realized that Gion knew his true identity, he'd be a fool.
Gion's attitude and tone during this encounter were vastly different from before, indicating that she had likely learned of his secret mission from either Vice Admiral Tsuru or Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
And if Gion knew his true identity, then her presence here wasn't surprising. After all, Wood had just reported the events in Water 7 to Sengoku not long ago.
Hahaha, "Rear Admiral Gion, you must be joking. The reason I didn't detect you wasn't because my skills have deteriorated, but because you've gotten stronger!
With such impressive tracking and concealment skills, it's no wonder I, a mere Marine Major, couldn't possibly detect you until you deliberately revealed yourself."
Since Gion knew his identity, there was no need to keep up the act. Realizing that Gion would likely become a major figure in Marine Headquarters, Wood put on a flattering smile, trying to make up for any goodwill he might have lost earlier.
Unfortunately, Gion, still upset, wasn't swayed by Wood's flattery. She responded with a look of mock modesty, "I'm not that skilled. Didn't you say before that the next time we met, we'd be enemies and you wouldn't hold back?"
Wood: (´･Д･) "Those were just lines! I was just following the script Fleet Admiral Sengoku gave me!
We're old classmates from the same teacher, and out of everyone in Marine Headquarters, I'm closest to you! How could I ever go all out against you?"
Hearing Wood say that she was his closest connection in the Marines, Gion's expression softened a bit.
It's a pity she didn't realize that Wood had been so low-key in the Marines that the number of people he had contact with could be counted on one hand.
"Oh? So was it also part of Fleet Admiral Sengoku's script to frisk me and take back your Vivre Card? And to shelter the Demon Child Nico Robin?"
The thought of Wood taking back his Vivre Card after defeating her and his recent close interactions with Robin made Gion inexplicably angry.
"Well, I took back the Vivre Card because I was worried that an unaware you might chase me relentlessly. It's hard enough to complete a secret mission without also dodging your pursuit.
If I had asked you to hand it over willingly, you wouldn't have agreed, so I had no choice but to take it myself.
Given the situation, I had to search for it myself—would you have preferred someone else to do it? Not everyone is as much of a gentleman as I am."
"As for Nico Robin, she's just a pitiful orphan. Not only was her homeland destroyed by the Marine's 'Buster Call,' but as the sole survivor, she's been vilified by the World Government.
I don't think I did anything wrong by helping a helpless girl."
Faced with Gion's questioning, Wood assumed she was upset about him taking advantage of her when retrieving his Vivre Card.
He thought her concerns about him sheltering Robin were similar to Ruth and the others', viewing Robin as an extremely dangerous criminal as defined by the World Government.
But the reality was that Wood, in his typical oblivious fashion, completely missed the point. Gion's anger wasn't for the reasons he imagined.
Hearing Wood's response, Gion felt a mix of exasperation and relief.
It was clear she had been overthinking things. Whether it was Hancock before or Robin now, it was all just a coincidence. With Wood's level of emotional intelligence, there was little chance of him deceiving any girl.
"This time, Fleet Admiral Sengoku sent us because of pressure from the World Government. They want the Marines to deal with traitors internally.
So, if we cross paths again, there might still be a fight. I came to give you a heads-up so you'd be prepared."
"Us? Who else besides you?" Wood immediately picked up on the key word in Gion's statement.
Was she kidding? Even Rear Admiral Gion wasn't enough, and there were more people involved?
If things got serious, Wood knew that without using the power of the "Heart of God," he could at best manage a 70-30 split against Gion. If there was another person on Gion's level, his chances of winning would be slim.
"It's Vice Admiral Garp. I'm just the deputy commander for this mission, so if it comes to a fight..."
"There won't be a 'if it comes to'! I'm leaving Water 7 tonight! A future admiral candidate and a Marine hero?
I'm just a former Marine Major turned traitor. Anyone hearing this would think I was a former admiral!"
Before Gion could finish her sentence, Wood cut her off, declaring that he'd pack up and leave tonight, wanting no part in the chaos of Water 7.
Gion was one thing, but Garp? That was a whole different level of trouble. Even knowing Garp was technically on his side, Wood was still terrified.
Garp was notorious for his heavy-handedness. If he was willing to knock out his own grandson without holding back, what would happen if Garp accidentally got serious and ended up killing him?
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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 275+ at pat_reon.com/Betek.