Chapter 234: Volume 2 – Chapter 136: You're Not Allowed to Leave

Training camp—drill grounds.

Golden sand danced in the twilight glow.

"Are you sure about this, Gion...? You're clearly not in the best shape right now."

Daren looked at the resolute woman before him, his tone tinged with helplessness.

Even without using his bio-magnetic perception, he could see the exhaustion written all over her face.

Unmoved, Gion replied coldly,

"You're not at full strength either, are you?"

Daren gave a small shake of his head.

"If you want to challenge me, I'm always open to it. But it doesn't have to be now."

"No—it has to be now."

Gion glanced at the crimson-tinted sky, the sun halfway swallowed by the horizon. She grit her teeth and said,

"I know it sounds unreasonable, but you know I've got a temper, don't you?"

Daren: ...

Great. Those two offhand remarks from before? Yeah, she's probably going to hold onto them for life.

He hadn't realized she could hold a grudge like this.

"Alright, if you insist—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Gion had already drawn her sword. Her figure burst forward like a gust of wind, blade flashing straight for him.

Her Meito, the Konpira—a top-tier Great Grade blade—flared with a dazzling light. The sword's edge shimmered like lightning, slicing through the air with explosive speed.

The air rang with a piercing hum. The force behind that strike was nothing short of impressive.

Daren's eyes lit up.

As expected of a future Admiral candidate. Gion's swordsmanship and talent were such that even a powerhouse like Zephyr had openly praised her.

He opened his magnetic field perception in a flash and shifted his body to the side.

Her blade missed by a hair's breadth, cutting deep into the ground just past his shoulder.

Slash!!

A surge of energy burst forth, carving a massive gash across the field, kicking up a storm of sand.

Seeing the power in that single slash, Daren's eye twitched.

She's seriously pissed...

Missing her mark, Gion immediately switched tactics.

With a twist of her wrist, her blade gleamed black—Armament Haki quickly coating the Konpira—then swept horizontally at Daren's waist.

Her swordsmanship really is top-tier.

That thought flashed through Daren's mind as blue arcs danced along his fingertips.

An invisible magnetic field pulsed outward, and Gion's expression shifted. She suddenly felt a heavy pull locking onto her sword.

The momentum of her slash faltered.

Daren stepped lightly back, avoiding it with practiced ease.

"Why aren't you fighting back?! You think I'm not worth it!?"

Gion bit her lower lip and lunged again, blade slashing down on him once more.

The attacks rained like a violent storm—relentless and wild, cloaking Daren in a downpour of steel.

He sighed silently, calmly parrying each blow. Inwardly, he shook his head.

He had never formally trained in swordsmanship, but he wasn't a novice either. He had, after all, once faced Roger's godlike Kamusari firsthand.

Not to mention that on this journey alone, he'd fought beasts like Bullet, Queen, and Kaidou—gathering combat experience by the fistful.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that, compared to when he first left the North Blue, Daren's strength and insight had skyrocketed to unimaginable levels.

From his perspective, Gion's every move—while fierce and forceful—lacked control. Her strikes were wild and emotional, not calculated.

Like a child flailing a sword in frustration—this was no duel, it was a release.

She was burning through her remaining stamina and newly honed Haki without restraint, pouring everything into a single emotional outburst.

Like a dam breaking loose, letting her rage flood out completely.

Realizing this, Daren steadied his footing and stopped dodging altogether. Instead, he coated his hands with Armament Haki and stood firm—taking her attacks head-on like a living target.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sharp clash of metal echoed across the drill grounds, sparks flying in bursts as they reflected in Gion's bloodshot eyes.

One minute.

Three minutes.

Five minutes.

Ten minutes...

With each passing moment, Gion's strikes slowed. The overuse of Haki was taking its toll—her stamina was fading fast.

Her breath grew ragged. Her face turned pale.

Daren saw it and suddenly reached out with one powerful hand.

Clang!!

A piercing sound exploded as his obsidian-covered fingers clamped down on the Konpira's blade, sparks spraying in every direction.

The training field fell silent.

Gion stared at her sword—gripped tightly in Daren's hand—and tried with all her strength to pull it free.

It didn't move an inch.

"Feeling a bit better now?"

Daren spoke calmly, watching Gion closely.

His words struck a chord—Gion's expression froze.

The light in her eyes faded fast. Exhaustion from overexertion crashed over her like a wave. Her usually stoic eyes turned red, and her body swayed slightly, unsteady on her feet.

Daren gently released her sword, his voice soft.

"Go home and get some rest."

He looked up at the sky.

The sun had fully dipped below the horizon. Darkness was setting in, with only the last remnants of twilight barely clinging to the sky.

Off in the direction of the residential district, smoke curled up from chimneys—families cooking dinner.

Noticing Daren's gaze, Gion bit her lip.

"No. This isn't over yet."

Clutching the hilt of her sword, she forced her weary body upright.

Her legs trembled.

Daren frowned.

"You're already at your limit..."

"I said it's not over!! You're not allowed to leave!!"

Gion snapped through gritted teeth.

Blade in hand, eyes rimmed with red, she charged toward him again.

But the moment her foot landed, her legs gave out.

Daren rushed forward just in time to catch her.

She fell hard against his chest. Her neatly tied bun unraveled, and long black hair tumbled down like a waterfall.

"L-Let go of me!"

A faint blush flashed across Gion's face—but it quickly vanished.

She started struggling in his arms, trying to push him away.

"You can't even stand..."

Daren said with a chuckle.

"I'll walk you home first, then go back myself... Relax, I'm not going to take advantage of you."

"No..."

Her lips had turned pale, but she still shook her head.

Daren's brow furrowed.

Then something struck him.

Ever since Gion showed up, she'd been glancing at the sky again and again.

And her swordplay hadn't been her usual sharp, decisive style—it had felt more like she was stalling, trying to drain his stamina.

Wait a minute...

An absurd thought suddenly popped into Daren's head.

Was she intentionally trying to wear him down to stop him from going home?

Or more specifically... to stop him from going home and doing something bad?

No way...

His mouth twitched, but he decided to test the theory.

"Gion, there's something I should be honest about..."

"Ahem..."

"The truth is—Toki and I haven't done anything like that."

The moment he said it, Daren's entire body froze.

Because in that exact instant...

The Gion in his arms stopped struggling.