NOVEL NEXT Chapter 161: Fallen Gion
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"What's this? Vice Admiral Gion, are you planning to keep all the fun to yourself?!"
Gion treated her subordinates exceptionally well. They had endured life-and-death battles together, forming bonds akin to sisterhood. As a result, their conversations were free of formality and barriers.
With her hands on her hips, Gion huffed, "So what if I am?!"
"Ooooohhhhh~~~!!!"
The group of women burst into playful cheers at her bold declaration.
Gion stole a quick glance at Uchiha Kitaro. Noticing the faint smile on his face, she felt slightly reassured—he wasn't rejecting her.
Still, since she had already spoken her mind, there was no turning back now. She thought to herself, You bastard! You kissed me, so you're naturally responsible for me.
In truth, after spending half a year alongside Uchiha Kitaro, Gion had already developed feelings for him. She was the type to love boldly and unabashedly. Since she liked him, there was no need to deny it.
When it came to relationships, all it took was breaking the ice, and everything else would follow naturally.
Over the next few days, as the ship sailed, Uchiha Kitaro and Gion's interactions blossomed into something more romantic. Hugs and kisses became a regular part of their time together, though anything more intimate was off the table for now—too many eavesdroppers on the warship.
Having won Gion's affection, Uchiha Kitaro felt at ease. In his past life, he'd never had a girlfriend. This time, he planned to live boldly, courting more women, marrying more wives, and fully enjoying life's freedoms.
The Navy's intelligence network was formidable. When the Golden Lion issued a pirate summons through the newspapers, countless pirates responded. While the exact location was unclear, they had identified the general area.
On the third day of entering the East Blue, they encountered several pirate ships.
When these pirate ships spotted the Navy's warship, they didn't even bother to evade. Instead, they sailed directly toward it, surrounding the warship.
"Hey, boys! Look what I found! A Navy ship filled with women!"
"Hahaha! I've never tasted a Navy woman before!"
"Wait, is that… a pretty boy among them?!"
"Hah! Let's kill the pretty boy and take the women for ourselves!"
The women aboard the Navy warship were visibly irritated. If it weren't for Uchiha Kitaro holding them back, they would've fired their cannons long ago, blasting the pirates out of the water before they even got close.
Uchiha Kitaro asked calmly, "May I ask why you're here?"
"Why? We're answering the Golden Lion's summons, of course!"
"The Golden Lion will lead us to overthrow this world. Your Navy headquarters will be crushed again! Hahahaha!"
The pirates erupted in wild laughter, their arrogance unshaken.
In their minds, East Blue pirates were the weakest of all, with average bounties barely reaching 5 million berries. They assumed the East Blue Navy was equally feeble. And since this warship was crewed entirely by women, they felt even less inclined to take them seriously.
Uchiha Kitaro's sunny smile widened. "Is that so? Well, thank you for the information. As a gesture of gratitude, I'll try to be gentle."
Before the pirates could react, Kitaro's figure vanished and reappeared on their ship.
"What the—?!"
"Kill him!"
The pirates raised their guns and fired at him in unison.
Standing calmly in place, Kitaro moved his hands swiftly, deflecting all the bullets.
Clink, clink, clink!
The bullets fell harmlessly to the deck.
"No way… how is this possible?!"
The pirates stared in shock as Kitaro darted into their midst.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
"Arghhh!!!"
Within moments, most of the pirates lay defeated by Uchiha Kitaro, while Gion and her subordinates dispatched the rest.
From the pirates, they obtained the meeting location. The Golden Lion had issued permanent Log Poses to all participants since his floating island constantly moved in the sky. This mobility had allowed him to evade the Navy's grasp for over two decades.
"Finally, we've got him!" Gion said, holding the Log Pose with a satisfied smile. Her heart now fully belonged to Uchiha Kitaro, and she was determined to support him wholeheartedly.
Uchiha Kitaro had mentioned his desire to become an Admiral, and Gion resolved to help him achieve that goal, even though she was also a candidate for the position.
Seeing her so devoted, Kitaro couldn't help but wonder how she would react if she learned his true identity. For now, his identity as Uchiha Akira—a twin brother to Uchiha Kitaro—would remain intact. He had meticulously crafted this backstory to withstand even the World Government's scrutiny.
"We should hurry," Gion suggested eagerly.
"No need to rush," Kitaro replied with a smile. "I think we should approach this differently."
"Differently?"
"They said the Golden Lion's base is a floating island. The best way to get aboard is to let them take us there willingly. That'll make it easier to capture him."
Gion understood immediately. She'd gone undercover before as a geisha; now, she would pose as a pirate.
Disguising themselves as participants in the meeting was indeed the most practical plan.
Soon, they changed into their new outfits. Kitaro wore a sleek black suit, sunglasses, and a long black coat, exuding a cool, sharp vibe.
Gion donned a black dress that accentuated her flawless figure. Her long, slender legs and commanding presence made her look like a glamorous crime boss.
"I must admit, these guys had good taste," Gion remarked with a smirk.
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