5 Chapter 5

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Chapter 5: Well, Let's Learn From Each Other

The phone bug communication was cut off. In the vast base chief's office, young Gion and Kake were left staring at each other, speechless for a long time. They had grown up at the headquarters, received countless favors, and adopted the most orthodox ideals of justice. They never imagined that a corrupt Marine like Darren could be praised so highly by their esteemed Admiral Sengoku.

What shocked them even more was that Sakazuki and Borsolino, two individuals of outstanding talent and vision, both agreed with Darren's prowess and approach. The two had very noticeable, even conflicting, differences in personality, methodology, and philosophy. It's fair to say they were completely at odds with each other.

"This...how is this possible?" whispered Gion, her eyes lost in thought as she pondered the impact of her recent experiences in the North Blue on her "pure and young" heart.

Click...

The sound of a lighter snapped her out of her reverie. "What are you doing!? You're still smoking his cigars!?" Gion exclaimed, turning her head to see Kake next to her lighting a cigar. She was livid.

Kake, startled by her icy glare, replied with a shake in his voice, "That... Admiral Sengoku told us to learn from Darren, right?"

Gion remained silent.

"Admiral Sengoku wanted you to learn from him, but did he mean for you to adopt his bad habits of smoking, drinking, and chasing girls?" Gion snapped, barely able to contain her frustration.

Kake quickly put the cigar away, muttering under his breath, "I think these are pretty good... Being a Marine doesn't mean you can't enjoy smoking, drinking, and flirting..."

"What did you say!?"

"I-I said, Gion, you're right," Kake stammered.

"No, I can't accept this," Gion suddenly declared, rising to her feet with determination shining in her eyes. She clenched her fists. "Justice must be pure and free of corruption!"

"I must stay and reform Darren. Help him change his ways!" she announced. "We can't let his 'depraved' and 'rebellious' view of justice negatively influence the North Blue Marine!"

Kake sat silently, covering his face as he witnessed Gion's resolve. Secretly, he was contemplating the concept of military-civilian cooperation and caring for the people.

"Heh heh," he snickered to himself, though he didn't say why.

"Stop giggling and head to the training field!" Gion commanded, giving him a stern look.

Kake, puzzled, said, "The training field? Why are we going to the training field... to train? We've just arrived in the North Blue. The journey was rough; isn't this too exhausting?"

Gion's hand rested on the golden sword at her waist, her eyes flashing fiercely. "Doesn't Darren, that bastard, want to spar with us?"

Her face was alight with competitive spirit. She wanted to see for herself if the North Blue Admiral truly deserved his reputation. As a prodigy praised by many in their department, she had her own pride and determination.

---

Branch 321.

Training Field.

The sky was clear and the sea breeze was crisp.

Dust swirled across the empty field.

On the edge of the area, rows of weapon racks were filled with various arms including maces, sandos, and naginatas. Nearby stood dozens of human-shaped stone targets, and further still, a row of cannons used for drills. On the other side, a dilapidated warship had been abandoned.

Many Marines from Branch 321 were already engaged in regular training, but their eyes occasionally drifted to the figure at the center of the field.

Darren, shirtless and wearing black military pants, was in the midst of doing one-finger push-ups.

1997, 1998, 1999, 2000...

After completing two thousand with his right hand, he switched to his left.

1, 2, 3, 4...

His rhythm was steady, and each movement seemed flawlessly executed, resonating with a unique rhythm.

The sharp-edged and explosive muscles, coupled with his wild and uninhibited temperament, gave him the appearance of an aggressive cheetah in the wilderness from afar. This was the scene Gion and Kake encountered upon their first arrival at the school grounds.

"I didn't expect this guy to be training so hard."

Gion, having hurried to the school grounds, witnessed the scene. Despite his lingering anger, he had to acknowledge it.

Typically, Marines stationed around the globe embrace a more relaxed military discipline due to the distance from their headquarters, leading to a more opportunistic approach to training. Except during surprise inspections by the headquarters, most Marines worldwide are more lax in their daily exercises.

Yet, Gion was surprised to see that Darren, a man known for his corrupt lifestyle, maintained such strict training standards.

"Tch, that's it..." Kake remarked, hands in his pockets and a disdainful look on his face, though his tone betrayed a hint of jealousy. Secretly, he felt a little shocked.

After watching for some time, they saw Darren complete another 2,000 one-finger push-ups.

"You're here. Do you want to join in the training?" Darren asked, brushing his hands off and smiling at the pair.

In the sunlight, sweat traced the deep lines of Darren's jaw and the contours of his muscular body. His handsome features added an intense allure. A female Marine watching from afar had stars and red hearts in her eyes.

Even Gion found himself mesmerized, thinking, 'No wonder Mrs. Margaret is so taken with him.' However, Gion knew better than to be swayed so easily by a man's charm. It was just that the Darren type was a rarity in the Marines.

She thought about Sakazuki and Borsolino, then glanced at Kaji, who looked like a thug with his hands in his pockets. By comparison, Darren, despite his shameless behavior, was somewhat more appealing.

Nonetheless, she did not lose sight of her objective.

Darren needed to be taught a lesson, to humble him and curb his arrogance!

"No need, Rear Admiral Darren. We're here to gauge your strength, aren't we?" Gion spoke firmly and turned to Kake.

"Ah? I don't want to. It sounds exhausting..." Kake started but quickly felt the dangerous glint in Gion's eyes. He promptly puffed out his chest, placed his hands on his hips, and changed his tune: "That's right! Rear Admiral Darren! Let's see what the famed North Blue Admiral is capable of!"

"Oh? Are you certain?" Darren's lips curved into an ambiguous smile. "Considering you're both elites from headquarters, I'll need to ask that you go easy on me if things get serious..."

His eyes gleamed with curiosity. 

Gion and Kake, even in their youth and far from reaching the Admiral candidates' level of expertise, were the protégés of many department heads. Being from North Blue himself, Darren was keen to assess their skills.

Above all, he feared this might be his last chance to appropriately reprimand the two 'examination invigilators' from headquarters. After all, the Marines operated on a system where might made right, and only by defeating them could he ensure compliance. Any other approach would leave room for them to scrutinize his conduct, causing inconvenience.

"Don't worry, Rear Admiral Darren. For the sake of the cigar you gifted me, I'll hold back," Kaji declared with a devious grin, realizing this might be the perfect opportunity to give Darren a good thrashing.

Gion slowly drew her famed sword, her expression stern and icy. If reason could not prevail, she was ready to use her strength to subdue this lecherous, degenerate scoundrel!

Each with their own ulterior motives, the three prepared for a confrontation, with Kakuzu flashing a wicked grin.