**Chapter 35 - Vice Admiral Tsuru**
Gion's blade sliced through nothing but air.
For a brief moment, disbelief flickered across her face before realization dawned—Jiger was a Logia user. Physical attacks without Haki wouldn't leave a scratch on him.
Her grip tightened around Konpira. Without hesitation, she coated the blade in Armament Haki and thrust it forward, aiming for his waist.
It was an instinctual choice, almost an obsession—she always aimed for this spot.
But she made the same mistake as Borsalino had in the past.
She had confused Jiger's ability with ordinary elementalization.
Despite being wrapped in Haki, Konpira still passed through Jiger's body as if he were a ghost.
Gion's breath caught in her throat. Her peach-colored eyes widened.
"How is this possible?! I clearly used Armament Haki!"
Jiger remained silent.
Then, without warning, he gripped Gion's shoulder with one hand and drove his knee into her abdomen.
She barely had time to reinforce her defense, but it was meaningless.
Her Haki—something she had always relied on—shattered on impact like fragile glass.
A violent force slammed into her stomach, and a sharp, burning pain erupted through her body.
Blood burst from her lips as she stumbled backward, her boots digging into the dirt as she struggled to stay upright.
Her legs gave out before she could fully recover, and she fell to one knee, gasping for breath.
The battlefield fell into stunned silence.
The onlookers felt their throats tighten as they watched the scene unfold.
Jiger hadn't held back.
Not even a little.
It was clear now—he didn't care if his opponent was a woman. His strikes were as merciless as ever.
Jiger looked down at Gion with cold indifference. His voice was calm, almost casual.
"Are you done?"
A flicker of shame crossed Gion's face.
Not long ago, she had stood before Ginny with such arrogance, convinced of her superiority.
But now the tables had turned.
Her so-called confidence had been completely shattered.
And the swordsmanship she was so proud of— It hadn't even touched Jiger's clothes.
She finally understood why Vice Admiral Tsuru spoke of Jiger with such high regard.
If anything, Tsuru had been holding back.
Jiger's strength wasn't just formidable—it was overwhelming.
A bitter smile curved Gion's lips.
Moments ago, she had been basking in the satisfaction of defeating two students.
Now, that victory felt laughable.
The gap between them was too vast.
No matter how unwilling she was, she had to admit the truth.
She had lost.
And she had lost completely.
Gripping Konpira tightly, she forced herself back onto her feet.
Jiger's cold, unreadable face reflected in her eyes.
For a moment, she simply stared at him, as if trying to commit his features to memory.
Then, as his expression darkened with impatience, she finally spoke.
"I lost."
Jiger raised an eyebrow.
He hadn't expected her to admit defeat so easily.
It was like throwing a punch into cotton—completely unsatisfying.
His anger hadn't subsided.
If she had spat out even a single stubborn remark, he would have knocked her out cold on the spot, sending her straight to a hospital bed for at least ten days.
For six years, he had trained himself in Sorbel, tempering his mind, mastering his emotions so he wouldn't spiral into blind violence.
And yet—
The moment he saw Ginny injured, all that discipline had nearly crumbled.
Only now did he realize how deeply she had rooted herself into his life.
The girl who followed him everywhere, constantly chattering, constantly seeking his attention—
She had become an inseparable part of him.
And he would never forgive anyone who tried to harm her.
A deep, suffocating darkness began to coil around his fingers.
Gion's ponytail swayed in the unnatural force, strands lifting toward him as if drawn by the abyss itself.
Her high heels, previously elegant and poised, were now half-buried in the dirt as she steadied herself.
She let out a small breath, her voice a quiet murmur.
"Still not stopping? That girl really isn't suffering from unrequited love… why am I suddenly jealous of her…?"
Jiger remained silent, his gaze dark and unreadable.
The black energy surrounding his right hand pulsed violently, thickening like a living shadow. Without a word, he raised his hand and pointed it toward Gion.
Then, he moved.
Just as the darkness was about to surge forward, a figure flashed between them, intercepting him with a single raised palm.
"Calm down, Jiger!"
The new arrival was tall and imposing, her long dark blue hair tied neatly into a ponytail much like Gion's. She carried an air of authority, her presence commanding respect. Though she was older, there was no mistaking her sharp, capable demeanor.
Vice Admiral Tsuru had arrived.
Her sudden intervention sent ripples of shock through the watching students.
Momonga, standing at a distance, let out a breath of relief. His gamble had paid off.
He had known that none of them could stop Jiger if things escalated, so he had made the fastest call he could—to Zephyr.
What surprised him was that Zephyr was still on a warship, en route back to headquarters. There had been no time for questions, so he had relayed the situation as urgently as possible.
"Teacher Zephyr, come back quickly! No one here can stop Jiger!"
Zephyr had said nothing in response. He had simply ended the call and immediately contacted Tsuru.
Tsuru, upon hearing the news, had dropped everything and rushed to the Marine school at full speed.
And now she was here, standing between Jiger and Gion.
But there was one problem—she had underestimated the situation.
She had heard of Jiger's Dark Fruit abilities before. She knew of the terrifying power he wielded, the way he erased his enemies so thoroughly that not even bodies were left behind.
Cleaner than Akainu's methods, Zephyr had once told her.
She wasn't afraid of him killing Gion—she didn't believe he would—but she also couldn't take the risk.
So she acted without thinking, pressing her palm forward, her Wash-Wash Fruit's ability activating as she attempted to "cleanse" his emotions.
That was a mistake.
Too late, she realized her fruit's close-range effect was useless against Jiger's darkness.
Instead of neutralizing his power, her hand was suddenly pulled in, locked against his own.
The black energy writhed violently, as if agitated by her interference.
For the first time, Tsuru frowned.
"Vice Admiral Tsuru," Jiger said calmly, though his voice carried an unmistakable chill, "this Gion lady wanted to see my strength. Shouldn't you let her?"
"Gion has already admitted defeat," Tsuru replied, her tone firm. "I will give you an explanation later, after I understand the full situation."
The students watching felt their brains short-circuit.
Vice Admiral Tsuru—one of the highest-ranking Marines—was saying *she* would give *Jiger* an explanation?
A student?
Had they misheard?
Tsuru's sharp eyes flickered. Without hesitation, she coated her entire arm in Armament Haki.
A powerful force erupted from her body as she wrenched herself free from Jiger's grip, pushing him back with sheer strength alone.
Despite her Devil Fruit ability, she was still an old-generation Marine—her raw combat skills, especially her Haki, were leagues beyond an ordinary Vice Admiral's.
Breaking free, she immediately turned to Gion, catching her before she could collapse.
She scanned her for injuries with a careful eye.
Once she was sure Gion wasn't seriously hurt, she let out a slow breath and clicked her tongue in annoyance.
"Gion, you've really given me a headache the moment you arrived," she said, her voice carrying the weight of reprimand. "Didn't you always say you hated staying at headquarters?"
Gion, despite her earlier pride, looked like a scolded child in front of Tsuru. She lowered her gaze, avoiding eye contact.
"I've heard Sister Tsuru mention how impressive this year's students are…" she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "And then there was all this talk about the genius Jiger… I got curious and wanted to see for myself…"
Her fingers tightened slightly around Konpira's hilt as she spoke.
She had seen it now.
And she had learned her lesson.
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