"Looks like I underestimated you before," Garp mused, his tone a mix of admiration and surprise. "Zephyr was right—you really are a monster, kid!
If I remember correctly, you're a few years younger than Gion, and even younger than Akainu and Kizaru by a decade or so.
Yet, the strength you're displaying now, while not quite at their level, isn't too far off either."
Garp had always believed that Aokiji was the most talented among the Navy's younger generation. After all, he was three cohorts behind Akainu and Kizaru, yet had managed to match their strength.
But now it seemed Garp had been wrong. Wood, who had always kept a low profile within the Navy, was proving to be the true powerhouse.
Gion was younger than Aokiji, and Wood was even younger than Gion.
Yet the strength he was showing could already rival Aokiji and the strongest of the Navy.
Perhaps Wood couldn't defeat Akainu and Kizaru right now, but one mustn't overlook his age—and the fact that Akainu and Kizaru had Devil Fruits on their side.
Garp's assessment of Wood was nothing short of high praise, and now that he considered Wood's tendency to keep his abilities hidden, Garp's interest was piqued.
He wanted to see just how powerful Wood had become over the years. Who knew, maybe Wood's true strength was already on par with Akainu and the others.
"Vice Admiral Garp, you should remember, we're on the same side here," Wood hastily reminded him, trying to defuse the situation as he noticed Garp cracking his knuckles with a gleam of battle lust in his eyes.
"The plan was for us to stage a convincing fight—just to keep up appearances. There were outsiders here earlier, so I played along. But now it's just us who know the truth; there's no need to get too serious about this..."
As Garp clenched his fists, making his knuckles crack ominously, Wood's expression grew increasingly uneasy.
This wasn't the script he had been given. They were supposed to stage a mock fight, not this—Garp looked like he was ready for a real brawl!
"That's right, Vice Admiral Garp," came Gion's voice suddenly, and for a moment, Wood thought she was coming to his rescue.
When she began speaking, Wood nodded in agreement, silently commending Gion for always putting the bigger picture first.
But then he heard the rest of her sentence, and the nodding stopped as his expression froze.
It turned out Gion didn't want Garp to hold back because she was worried about Wood getting hurt. No, she just wanted to deal with him herself!
But why? Wood thought in confusion. He was sure they had settled their differences before—he'd even returned her Vivre Card!
"Gion, if I may ask... how exactly did I offend you this time?" Wood asked, staring at her with a puzzled expression as she drew her blade, her killing intent unmistakable.
"Oh, Wood, how forgetful you are," Gion replied, her smile sweet but her tone icy. "Aren't you curious about what color my underwear is?"
At her words, Wood's face went pale as the realization hit him.
It dawned on him that he might have said something he really shouldn't have...
"Gion, it's a misunderstanding! I was just running my mouth! I'd never dare investigate something like that!" Wood stammered, his eyes darting around, unable to meet hers directly.
The truth was, he had looked into such details before—like her favorite foods or colors...
But that was purely out of interest in selling the information to Tsuru at a good price, not because he was some kind of pervert!
"Oh, is that so? Then tell me, what color am I wearing today?"
"Pink, I think... and it's lacy, isn't it..." Wood blurted out without thinking, an image flashing briefly in his mind.
As soon as he realized what he'd said, it was too late—Gion was already unsheathing her sword.
"This is a mistake! It's because you're wearing that slit cheongsam, and you kicked me earlier!
It was completely involuntary! Any man would have looked in that situation!" Wood defended himself desperately, trying to explain away his blunder.
"So, if it had been someone else, you would've looked too?" Gion asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Of course! I mean, if a beautiful woman gives you a peek, why wouldn't you look..." Wood began, but he didn't get to finish.
Gion's blade was already swinging toward him, her expression one of furious embarrassment.
"Enough talk! You pervert, just die already!" she yelled.
Wood narrowly dodged the strike, his heart pounding as he stared at the deep gouge her blade left in the ground.
"Gion, have you lost your mind? This was supposed to be just an act! That strike was meant to kill me, wasn't it?" Wood shouted, his voice tinged with disbelief.
"Wood, you're overthinking it. Even in a staged fight, we have to make it look convincing.
You're a tough guy, right? So it's only natural that you'd get a few cuts and bruises fighting both me and Vice Admiral Garp," Gion replied, continuing her relentless assault.
Wood had no choice but to draw his sword and defend himself, now fully convinced that Gion was seriously angry.
He didn't know why she was so mad, but one thing was clear: whenever Gion called him "Wood," without any rank, it meant she was really upset.
Garp had originally wanted to test Wood's current strength himself, but since Gion had already taken the initiative, he decided to step back.
After all, two against one would be unfair, especially given that Garp was technically a superior officer. He wasn't the type to gang up on someone younger.
As the two young swordsmen clashed, their strikes sent shockwaves through the surroundings. Buildings and the ground around them were either sliced into pieces or left with countless scars.
Though neither of them was going all out, since they weren't true enemies, their fight was more of a sparring match.
Garp might not have joined in, but his keen eyes and experience allowed him to glean a lot from just observing.
In terms of swordsmanship, Wood and Gion were nearly equal, both approaching the level of a "Great Swordsman."
However, in terms of physical attributes, Gion fell short of Wood. Whether it was speed, strength, or stamina, Wood had the edge.
Part of this was due to Gion being female and naturally less robust than Wood, but more importantly, it was because of Wood's years of grueling physical training.
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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 300+ at pat_reon.com/Betek.