"Horohorohoro~"
"No one can resist my ghosts..."
Looking at Yamato, who was groveling on the ground begging to be stepped on, Perona let out a victorious laugh as she floated beside Orion, quickly adding.
"Except for the Fleet Admiral of course."
Hearing this, Gion standing nearby couldn't help but chuckle quietly.
She genuinely liked Perona, this little loli who had been raised by Moria since she was a child.
Though formerly a pirate, Perona was remarkably simple-minded - she'd openly confront anyone she disliked and never hid her fondness for those she favored.
It was clear Moria had raised Perona as his own daughter, protecting her so thoroughly that she remained largely unaffected by the terrifying zombie army aboard Thriller Bark.
To say she emerged untainted from corruption would be no exaggeration.
Most importantly, aside from the love-struck Hancock, Perona had adapted faster than any other Warlord subordinate or family member who entered Marine HQ.
Of course, the main reason was Fleet Admiral Orion himself.
During their last departure from HQ into the New World, among all the Warlord affiliates who had come to Marine HQ, Orion had only brought Perona along - clear evidence of his particular favor towards her.
Just then, as Yamato's negative state wore off, she suddenly looked up and sprang to her feet, glaring furiously at Perona.
"What are you so smug about? If you've got guts, have Orion remove my shackles so we can fight properly!"
"Eww—" Perona made a disgusted face. "You're not even qualified to be my subordinate!"
"Who wants to be your damn subordinate?!" Yamato completely lost it, glaring at Perona with murderous intensity.
"Negative Hollow—"
Without hesitation, Perona flicked another ghost toward her.
"No—"
Caught off guard by Perona's unconventional tactics, Yamato's eyes widened in horror.
In an instant, she collapsed back to her knees with a thud, lamenting lifelessly.
"I'm just a worthless worm, polluting the air by existing... I should just die!"
"Horohorohoro and you dare challenge me?!"
Perona floated up to the bars, looking down imperiously at Yamato from midair.
"Go on, get up again. Get up and keep acting tough."
As Perona taunted, Yamato suddenly raised her head, her shackled hands darting forward with lightning speed to grab the infuriating little brat before her.
Yet just as her fingers were about to close around Perona, another Negative Hollow materialized and phased into her body.
"Thud—"
"If reincarnation exists, I want to come back as a dust~"
No sooner had Yamato finished this depressed declaration than her eyes cleared again.
Reacting swiftly, she looked up and shouted, "Enough already! Will you sto—"
"Thud—"
"I'm utterly unworthy of protecting Wano... I'm just a mackerel, please throw me into the frying pan!"
"I'll... I'll kill y—"
"Thud~"
"I'm just a maggot, crushing me would dirty your feet, let me perish quietly like this!"
After several rounds of this, Yamato finally broke completely.
When the negative state lifted this time, before Perona could act, Yamato immediately turned pleading eyes to Orion.
"Orion, I was wrong! Can you please make her stop?"
"Is this your attitude of admitting your mistake?"
Before Orion could react, Perona, hands on her hips, scolded Yamato mercilessly.
"You didnt even address him as Marshal!"
"Negative—"
Hearing the word "negative," Yamato panicked completely.
She instinctively dropped to her knees with a thud and cried out in a tearful voice.
"Marshal, Yamato knows she was wrong!"
Hearing this, Perona obediently returned to Orion's side, sparing Yamato further torment.
Seeing this, Gion silently gave Perona a thumbs-up.
Clearly, the little girl understood why Orion had brought her here—adorable and sensible, no wonder Orion favored keeping her by his side.
"You don't truly know your mistake—you're just afraid."
Orion shook his head with a chuckle, then pulled out a handwritten copy of the Three Character Classic from his robe and tossed it in front of Yamato.
"Memorize every word in this book. If you can recite it flawlessly when I return, I'll allow you a full meal!"
"Really?"
Yamato's eyes lit up.
Since childhood, after accidentally obtaining Kozuki Oden's logbook, she had no aversion to reading.
Memorizing content posed no challenge to her.
Orion smiled and nodded, then stood up decisively and turned to leave.
Seeing this, Yamato quickly called out.
"Orion—Marshal, don't take too long! Bring food and drink by this afternoon if you can!"
"Deal!"
Orion glanced back at Yamato, who had already picked up the Three Character Classic and said cheerfully.
"Don't disappoint me."
***
As soon as they left the cell, Perona floated to Orion's side like a student eager for praise and blurted out.
"Marshal, didn't I do well just now?"
Orion didn't hesitate to give her a thumbs-up. "Brilliant."
Praise earned, Perona curved her eyes into crescents and laughed happily, brimming with satisfaction.
Gion also affectionately patted Perona's little head and tentatively asked.
"Marshal, are you planning to recruit Yamato under your command?"
Orion nodded, then, as if recalling a long-buried memory, narrowed his eyes slightly.
"You might not believe it, but when I was a child, a teacher once asked me in class what my dream was. Without hesitation, I told them I wanted to become a teacher."
"Then the teacher asked if I knew the meaning of 'learning to be a teacher.'"
"Back then, I was only nine—I just wanted to be a teacher so I could smack some unruly students' palms with a ruler."
"When I couldn't answer, the teacher smiled, patted my head, and said, 'The meaning of learning to be a teacher lies in educating with ease!'"
"Educating with ease?" Gion glanced back at the figure in the cell, sitting cross-legged and earnestly studying the Three Character Classic, then nodded in understanding.
"I understands now. You wants to correct Yamato's warped worldview, poisoned by Kozuki Oden's logbook."
Orion smiled faintly. "This child isn't bad at heart."
Child... child?
Hearing Orion refer to Yamato as a child, Gion widened her beautiful eyes in surprise.
Then, she shook her head and laughed.
"Orion, you really can't go on like this. Once the matters in Wano Country are settled, take a vacation and relax. Your old-fashioned tone makes me feel young by comparison."
Hearing this, Orion blinked.
Based on the current timeline, Yamato should be around 21 years old, while he himself was only in his early twenties.
Calling Yamato a child was indeed inappropriate.
Yet he hadn't thought twice before saying it—there really was a hint of premature maturity in his words.
Just then, Perona floated over and rested her chin on Orion's shoulder, her large eyes sparkling as she said playfully.
"Don't worry Marshal. Every time she mentions Kozuki Oden from now on, I'll make her feel so negative she'll fear even hearing the name. Horohorohoro~"
In response, Orion pinched Perona's cheek and said.
"You're the cutest."
"Ehehe—"
Receiving praise from Orion again, Perona happily twirled through the air with her red umbrella, like a child.
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