In the morning, they had been joking about whether anyone would come to search or interrogate them. By noon, a navy officer really did show up.
And not just anyone—a beautiful swordswoman. The moment she stepped inside, almost every eye in the tavern was drawn to her. Even without showing any expression, her presence carried a natural allure that was impossible to ignore.
She walked straight to the counter. "Excuse me, are you Mr. Da Ye?"
Zhang Da Ye nodded. "That's me."
"Nice to meet you. I am Vice Admiral Gion of Marine Headquarters. I've come under Vice Admiral Tsuru's orders to consult you on a matter. Is now a convenient time?" she asked.
"Of course. Ask away." Zhang Da Ye immediately recognized her as Peach Rabbit. Since she was sent by Tsuru, it had to be about the Den Den Mushi incident.
At that moment, Artoria, who had been practicing in the courtyard, must have sensed a strong aura. She stepped inside, and immediately locked eyes with Gion.
Two women, one tall and one petite, but both striking in beauty, faced off with the sharp presence unique to swordsmen. The air in the tavern shifted. Customers glanced left and right, unable to decide who they should be staring at.
They were used to seeing Artoria. Most thought of her as cute, since she usually sat quietly at the table, eating nonstop. Only those who had seen her fight understood how dazzling she could be. But this was the first time her aura was this sharp, this commanding.
Gion was no less. With her striking looks, the mole at the corner of her mouth, the tattoo on her thigh, and her proud figure, she radiated temptation with every movement. And yet, with just the slightest shift in her eyes, she gave off an unmistakable sense of danger—making her even more irresistible.
(Gion's official description notes she's an exceptionally alluring swordswoman, skilled in games of charm, and an expert at luring pirates.)
"So this is little Artoria-chan?" After a few tense seconds, Vice Admiral Gion broke the silence, reintroducing herself before continuing. "I've just heard a bit about you. As you can see, I'm a swordswoman as well. I hope I'll have the chance to spar with you."
She had the habit of adding "-chan" to names of those she wanted to be friendly with. Even Garp was "Garp-chan" in her mouth. Seeing Artoria, she naturally used it again.
Artoria didn't mind the nickname. What caught her attention was the challenge. She'd been eager to meet more swordsmen lately. "I'd like that," she replied with a nod.
"Let's head to the courtyard," Zhang Da Ye suggested. "That way we can talk and you two can spar if you'd like."
"That works," Gion agreed.
"Meng Meng, I'm leaving things here to you. Anyone who tries to eavesdrop—knock them out," Zhang Da Ye instructed.
"Got it, Boss," Rui Meng Meng replied sweetly.
Tom remained sprawled on the counter, uninterested. Beautiful women weren't his concern—unless they came bearing dried fish.
"Unfair! Little Boss, how could you keep us out like this?"
"Yeah! Just let us watch quietly—we promise we won't eavesdrop!"
A few bolder regulars complained. They clearly just wanted more time to admire the stunning vice admiral.
Zhang Da Ye ignored them. He had other concerns—like how Gion was nearly a full head taller than him. Which meant she had to be around two meters in height.
With Rui Meng Meng and Artoria around, he never felt short. But walking beside Goodman, Mihawk, and now Vice Admiral Gion, the pressure was real.
The courtyard was set with a small tea table, their usual spot for afternoon tea. Zhang Da Ye and Artoria sat casually, while Gion had no choice but to perch sideways—her long legs simply wouldn't fit otherwise.
"So, what would you like to ask, Vice Admiral Gion?" Zhang Da Ye opened.
Artoria poured tea as if by instinct. Somehow she always had hot tea ready. Zhang Da Ye suspected she was secretly heating the water with magic.
Gion explained, "I'd like to confirm some details. If you don't mind, could you tell me the sequence of events once more?"
"Sure." Zhang Da Ye laid it all out, then admitted, "Honestly, I had a bit of a bad thought. I figured if those two swordsmen fought, I could use the chance to wipe out a crime syndicate, and pin the blame on Mihawk. Which is… exactly what I did. I just didn't expect it would end up being linked to Doflamingo."
"If that's what you call a bad thought," Gion said with a faint smile, "then I wish there were more like it."
"I'd rather you marines put in the effort yourselves. People like that should be handled by you—not left to tavern owners like me," Zhang Da Ye said with a shake of his head.
"That is our duty," she agreed firmly. "We will do everything we can to capture Doflamingo." Then, her gaze slid to Artoria. "But you hardly seem like an ordinary tavern owner."
Artoria set down her teacup. "Would you like to spar now?"
"I'm afraid not. My time is short today, and I need to return quickly," Gion said with genuine regret.
"What a pity," Artoria murmured, disappointed.
"Then, Artoria-chan—why not join the Marines?" Gion tilted her head, chin resting in her hand, her tone soft and playful. "A talent like yours is wasted in a little tavern. Join Vice Admiral Tsuru under me—we could spar anytime."
"Hey, hey, hey," Zhang Da Ye cut in, annoyed. "Isn't it rude to poach my people right in front of me?"
"Then Da Ye-chan could join too~" Gion teased, winking. The words themselves were proper, but the way she said them made it sound like something else entirely.
Is this what counts as a test of character? Zhang Da Ye rolled his eyes. "What a shame you didn't eat Boa Hancock's Devil Fruit. You'd be unbeatable at this."
Gion's smile turned sultry. "So Da Ye-chan is tempted? Maybe you really should consider joining."
"No thanks. Someone like me would just get crushed by the first big pirate I ran into. Better I stick to paying taxes and letting the Navy protect me," Zhang Da Ye said firmly. He had no intention of letting lust override his reason. His priorities were clear: grow stronger, make money, and when he could spare the time—pursue his own sense of justice.
"How disappointing," Gion sighed. "Then what about you, Artoria-chan?"
Artoria's answer was serious. "Right now, I don't want to tie myself down to any faction. I want to see more of the world first, then decide what I truly want."
…
Gion left, a little regretfully. Still, she promised she'd return when she had time—mainly to spar with Artoria. Zhang Da Ye wasn't fooled. He was sure her real aim was to build rapport with Artoria, to make it easier to recruit her into the Navy later.
He didn't object. On the contrary, maintaining a good relationship with a vice admiral had its perks. He coveted seastone cuffs, knowledge about Haki training, and even techniques like Geppo from the Navy's Six Styles.
But that was for later. For now, he had other plans.
"Artoria, tonight let's do something. With Doflamingo's men wiped out, we should hit a few more slave shops."
"And if he still has people left here?" she asked.
"Then we do it anyway," Zhang Da Ye said after a pause. "We just keep it quiet. No flashy moves. Same as before—strike from the shadows. Honestly, I'd love to clean out every slave dealer here, maybe even tear down this whole rotten district. But… well, we'll do what we can."
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