Tsuru froze for a moment after hearing Gion's explanation, then let out a helpless sigh. It was obvious Gion was blaming her for the situation. And honestly, Tsuru could understand why.
The young woman she acknowledged as a little sister was exceptionally talented. Among their generation of cadets, few boys could match her. Only Chaton ever managed to push her, yet even he fell short. His infatuation with Gion made him soft before any battle even began, and his countless failed confessions were not due merely to appearance.
Naturally competitive and easily bored, Gion had spent too long dominating her previous environment. So when she heard that a group of cadets "not inferior" to her had appeared at Marine Headquarters, curiosity burned too strongly to ignore. She rushed over immediately.
Then fate placed her directly in front of Lloyd, who had just returned from a mission. One exchange shattered her pride completely.
Thinking about all of this, Tsuru rubbed her forehead, her tone softening as she asked, "Then what exactly happened between you and Ginny? It was only supposed to be a match, so how did it escalate this far?"
Gion hesitated slightly before answering, "I may have said something earlier that provoked her. She has a strong personality, and she actually grabbed my sword with her bare hand…"
She paused for a moment, then continued, "I was careless and got hit by her once, so I fought a bit too hard. If Lloyd hadn't come back when he did, then…"
"Something terrible would have happened," Tsuru finished, grabbing Gion's cheeks in frustration. Relief washed over her as she thought about how Garp and Sengoku would react if she herself were gravely injured by someone. They would lose their minds, just like Lloyd almost had.
After being pushed back by Tsuru, Lloyd retreated to Ginny's side. His body swayed faintly, and Ginny hurriedly supported him, panic in her voice.
"Lloyd-san, are you alright? That's enough, really. I only hurt my hand a little, I'm fine!"
Lloyd gently patted her cold fingers, his voice low and controlled. "I'm fine. You don't need to worry."
He lifted his gaze toward Tsuru and continued, his tone calm yet edged with evaluation, "I underestimated you, Tsuru. To refine Armament Haki to this level… it makes sense that you stood alongside Sengoku-san and the others."
Months of training and real combat at sea had strengthened Lloyd's mastery of Armament Haki to a high degree, but he still had not reached true emission. What Tsuru had shown earlier was his first real taste of its overwhelming power. And she clearly hadn't used her full strength.
Tsuru had fought beside legends like Garp-san and Sengoku-san against monsters such as the Rocks Pirates. Among female Marine officers, she stood unquestionably at the top. And this was not the elderly Tsuru portrayed later in life. This was Tsuru in her prime, infinitely close to Admiral-level.
To lose to her was more than acceptable. Lloyd was still only sixteen.
He paused in thought, then suddenly felt warm air against his hand. Looking down, he found Ginny holding his palm and blowing on it gently.
"Ginny," he asked, baffled, "what are you doing?"
Ginny continued blowing as she replied, "Lloyd, your hand is red. Vice Admiral Tsuru's attack must've shaken it. I'm blowing on it to make it feel better."
"Silly girl. I'm not that fragile. Your hand is redder than mine."
Ginny giggled and lifted her injured hand proudly. Her physique was strong enough that her wound had already scabbed over in such a short time.
Her bright smile softened the last of Lloyd's anger. Pinching her soft cheeks lightly, he said in a quiet, instructive tone, "Don't act strong when I'm not here. Just wait until I return next time. Understand?"
"Then wouldn't it be better if Lloyd stayed with me all the time?" she said innocently.
Lloyd pressed a hand to his forehead. He meant to scold her gently, but the moment he met her watery eyes, all the words vanished from his mind.
She was a hopelessly smitten girl. Back on Earth, he used to mock girls like this, believing such devotion didn't exist. But now that he was the object of it… he realized how terrifyingly irresistible that kind of affection could be.
At least, he couldn't resist her.
He stroked her soft pink hair, exhaling quietly before muttering, "Alright."
Ginny immediately hugged his waist tightly, smiling with radiant joy.
Tsuru walked over with Gion in tow like a parent dragging a troublesome child. She silently observed Ginny and Lloyd for a few seconds. Without Gion tugging her sleeve anxiously, she might have waited for their entire moment to end.
After shooting a glare at Gion, Tsuru turned to Lloyd and said, "Lloyd, I understand the situation now. Gion provoked things first and didn't hold back. I apologize to you and Ginny on her behalf."
Then she bowed.
A Vice Admiral, one of the pillars of the Navy, bowing to a student. Gasps rippled through the spectators.
Tsuru was simply that kind of person: gentle, reasonable, and impossible to dislike. No wonder Garp-san and Sengoku-san trusted her so deeply.
Gion bowed next, her face flushed with shame. Ginny panicked, bowing repeatedly in return.
"It's okay! It's okay! I was also at fault. I took things too seriously!"
Lloyd said nothing for a moment, then finally replied, still ignoring Gion and addressing only Tsuru, "Vice Admiral Tsuru, I was the one who acted improperly. You don't need to apologize. None of this was your fault."
Tsuru waved her hand lightly, preparing to speak, when a series of sharp wind-breaking puff sounds came from above.
Everyone looked up.
Zephyr shot through the sky using Moonwalk. Behind him flickered another figure, blinking in and out of sight.
"Lloyd! You little brat, stop right there! I knew I shouldn't have let you come back early! And Borsalino, why are you so slow?!"
Everyone turned to Lloyd, stunned.
Ginny asked softly, "Now that you mention it… Lloyd-san, how did you even get back?"
Lloyd pointed casually at Zephyr in the sky. "Same way he did. The warship was too slow, so I used Moonwalk and returned ahead of them."
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