Chapter 35: Vice Admiral Tsuru

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Gion's attack missed, and she was momentarily stunned. Then, she recalled that Carl was a Logia user—physical attacks without Haki wouldn't harm him at all.

Determined, she wrapped Armament Haki around her sword and aimed for Carl's waist once more. For some reason, she seemed obsessed with striking that particular spot.

But she made the same mistake as Borsalino had in the past—mistaking Carl's **Kamui** for standard elementalization.

Even with Haki coating her **Konpira**, her sword still phased right through Carl's body without resistance.

Her eyes widened in disbelief. **"How is this possible?! I clearly used Armament Haki!"**

Carl said nothing. In a flash, he grabbed her shoulder with one hand and drove his knee into her stomach.

She instinctively reinforced her abdomen with Armament Haki, but against Carl's overwhelming power, her defense shattered like fragile glass.

A sharp pain shot through her, and blood spilled from her lips as she staggered backward. Her legs trembled before she dropped to one knee before Carl.

The gathered spectators all winced at the scene. Their mouths twitched as they thought the same thing—

*Damn… Carl doesn't hold back against women at all.*

Carl looked down at Gion, his voice calm and indifferent. **"What's wrong? Are you giving up?"**

Gion's expression twisted with embarrassment. Not long ago, she had stood before Ginny with a condescending attitude, confident in her strength.

But now?

The roles had reversed.

Her so-called confidence had been completely shattered. The swordsmanship she prided herself on couldn't even touch Carl's clothes.

At last, she understood why Tsuru had spoken so highly of Carl. If anything, Tsuru might have *understated* his strength.

She let out a bitter chuckle, realizing how ridiculous her earlier pride had been.

The gap between them was too vast.

No matter how unwilling she was to accept it, Gion had no choice but to admit—she had lost. And she had lost completely.

With both hands gripping her sword, she slowly rose to her feet. In her peach-colored eyes, Carl's cold expression was reflected clearly.

She studied his face, as if trying to carve it into her memory.

Carl's gaze grew impatient.

Finally, she murmured, **"I lost."**

Carl raised an eyebrow. He hadn't expected her to admit defeat so easily. It felt like throwing a punch into cotton—unsatisfying.

Had she said something stubborn, he might've knocked her unconscious on the spot. If that had happened, she'd be stuck in a hospital bed for at least ten days, maybe even longer.

Over the years, Carl had worked hard to control his violent tendencies. During his six years in Sorbet, he had honed his mind, learning to remain composed even in the face of provocation.

But the moment he saw Ginny injured, all of that training had nearly crumbled.

Only now did he realize just how important Ginny was to him.

Unknowingly, the girl who followed him around every day had become an inseparable part of his life. And he wouldn't allow anyone to harm her.

As that thought settled in his mind, Carl's hand darkened once more, thick black energy swirling ominously around his fingers.

A gust of wind lifted Gion's ponytail, causing it to flutter toward him.

Her black high heels were deeply embedded in the ground, anchoring her in place. She let out a quiet sigh. **"Still not satisfied? Looks like that girl isn't in a one-sided love, after all. Why do I suddenly feel envious…?"**

Carl raised his darkened hand, pointing it toward her. He was just about to strike when—

A sudden blur of movement.

A figure in a Marine cloak flashed between them, raising a hand to intercept Carl.

**"Calm down, Carl!"**

The newcomer was a tall woman with long, dark blue hair tied into a ponytail, much like Gion's. She exuded a sharp and capable presence, though her face carried the signs of age and experience.

She was **Vice Admiral Tsuru**, one of the Marines' greatest strategists.

Her timely arrival was thanks to Momonga's *emergency message*.

Of course, as just a student, Momonga didn't have the authority to contact Tsuru directly. Instead, he had reached out to Zephyr.

**"Teacher Zephyr, come back quickly! No one here can stop Carl!"**

To his shock, Zephyr had responded from a warship still en route to Headquarters. But there had been no time for questions—Momonga had relayed the situation regarding Gion immediately.

Hearing this, Zephyr wasted no time and notified Tsuru. She, too, had been stunned. Without hesitation, she dropped everything and rushed to the Marine Academy.

Now, standing before Carl, she saw his darkened hand, still brimming with power. She knew the terrifying abilities of the **Dark-Dark Fruit**.

From Zephyr's reports, Carl left nothing behind of the pirates he killed during his missions—*not even corpses*. His methods were even cleaner than Akainu's.

While she didn't believe Carl would kill Gion, she *couldn't* take that risk.

Tsuru extended her hand, attempting to use her **Wash-Wash Fruit** ability to "cleanse" Carl's rage.

But in her haste, she had forgotten—her Devil Fruit required direct contact, and against Carl's **Dark-Dark Fruit**, it was completely ineffective!

By the time she realized this, it was too late.

The black energy on Carl's hand surged violently, his gravitational pull locking onto her. Tsuru's palm was now stuck against his.

Carl's expression remained unreadable as he spoke. **"Vice Admiral Tsuru, this Gion woman wanted to challenge me. Are you sure you want to interfere?"**

Tsuru's eyes remained calm. **"Gion has already admitted defeat. Once I understand the full situation, I will provide you with an explanation."**

The students in the crowd gasped.

**Did… did she just say she'll give *Carl* an explanation?!**

**Is there something wrong with my ears?!**

Tsuru's gaze sharpened. Without hesitation, she coated her entire arm in **Armament Haki**, unleashing a powerful force to break Carl's grip.

Despite her age, Tsuru was still an elite Marine of the older generation. Her Armament Haki alone was superior to most Vice Admirals.

With a surge of strength, she freed herself from Carl's grasp and immediately turned to Gion, pulling her into an embrace. She quickly examined her injuries.

After confirming that nothing was life-threatening, she sighed in relief before scolding, **"Gion, you've barely arrived, and you're already causing me trouble. Didn't you always say you didn't like staying at Headquarters?"**

In front of Tsuru, Gion suddenly looked like a guilty child. She lowered her head and murmured, **"You always talk about how amazing this class is… and about how talented Carl is. I got curious and wanted to see for myself..."**