"What exactly do you want to do?" Rolan asked, staring at Perona floating beside him, feeling a tad speechless.
Why did this woman, a ghost‑using former Warlord's subordinate, follow him everywhere?
What made it worse was how, during the past few days, he'd tried to get her to stop treating him like a plush toy, clinging to him at night. Every time he was about to push her off, she would act pitiful, then use her Devil Fruit ability to make him unable to resist. In the end he always lost and failed.
Whenever Rolan focused on his training, Perona sat quietly nearby on some rock or ledge. He still didn't understand why she did that, but he just let her stay.
Meanwhile, back in the castle, Hawkeye sat calmly with a cup of coffee and a newspaper in hand. The headline was about Luffy's crew defeating Gecko Moriah, news that even the World's Greatest Swordsman had to hear about eventually.
His Observation Haki occasionally flickered toward the courtyard where Rolan and Perona were, more out of amusement than concern.
Hawkeye was a lone wolf, a man who hated unnecessary noise, and this silent castle had been his refuge for years. He had scouted the island thoroughly before claiming it, and aside from some sword‑wielding baboons, there had been no other living presence.
But two unexpected guests had showed up in the last half‑month, and despite himself, the swordsman found that a bit lively.
More importantly, their odd interactions were strangely… entertaining.
For the first time in ages, peace and quiet was disrupted by something that almost felt like… life.
Watching Rolan and Perona was like watching fire and ice, and Hawkeye had a weird sense of nervousness, almost like a father watching his son get married.
…
In the New World, an electromagnetic sphere drifted over the sea.
"What? You said Marine Vice Admiral Gion is in Peach Garden?"
Robin nodded, "Yes, she's been there nearly a month."
"What, why didn't you say so earlier?" Rolan's first mate sped up a bit, eyes sharp.
Robin gave an amused chuckle.
"What, do you think our God Slayer‑sama and this Marine Vice Admiral have something going on?"
Her meaning made Rolan's expression chill, as if someone had poured cold water down his spine.
"Don't be absurd. A Marine Admiral showing up in Peach Garden must have a reason, and I bet it's not something simple."
Robin smiled a little more, her tone teasing, but Rolan's interest was genuinely piqued.
"She came for one person."
Rolan raised an eyebrow, "Who?"
"Zoro."
That made Rolan blink. He remembered correctly that during a Marine encirclement, this Vice Admiral Gion had been one of Zoro's opponents. Could this trip be revenge?
As that thought crossed his mind, his expression darkened.
"…She said she likes Zoro."
What?
Hearing that made his worldview tilt.
There was a big age gap between a high‑ranking Marine and a swordsman like Zoro, and if he remembered correctly, this Vice Admiral was known for using her seductive charm to capture pirates.
And now she was supposedly interested in Zoro?
Rolan's eye twitched.
Then, on Peach Garden itself—
"Rolan, where is Roronoa Zoro? Why hasn't he returned?" Vice Admiral Gion paced in front of the Marines, unaware that Rolan had brought a certain mermaid back earlier.
She had heard from some Marines that Rolan and Zoro were together recently, so she expected Zoro to be waiting.
"Zoro's with Hawkeye right now," Rolan replied plainly.
The name Hawkeye suddenly made Gion's eyes widen, before a flurry of questions poured out.
"Is Hawkeye a woman? Is she prettier than me? Does she have a better figure than me?"
Rolan blinked, stunned.
The sheer tone in which she said it made it obvious: Gion genuinely liked Zoro.
Rolan frowned slightly, curiosity rising. What sort of swordsman was Zoro that even a Marine Vice Admiral could be smitten?
Then Gion paused, thinking, and suddenly realized the truth.
"That's Hawkeye Mihawk, right?" she asked.
"…Yes," Rolan replied.
"And what is he doing at Hawkeye's place?"
Rolan pointed ahead, and that was that.
After getting word of Zoro's location, Gion didn't hesitate. She rented a small ship and set out, intent on reaching the island where Hawkeye remained.
From afar, Robin watched the tiny boat approach and commented with a small laugh, "She truly is bold and devoted."
Nami nodded, her expression sincere.
"I hope she finds what she's looking for."
Having spent days with Rolan and the crew, she understood Gion's personality: carefree, easy‑going, kind, and sensitive beneath her Marine discipline.
At that moment, Robin handed Rolan a newspaper.
He took it, scanning the headline properly.
"Luffy's crew beats Gecko Moriah," he murmured.
Rolan couldn't help but think of the scale of power Luffy had reached. Moriah's defeat must've been devastating for him.
Just then, Lina ran over to check the newspaper too. She looked excited.
"I didn't expect that kid Luffy could already defeat a Shichibukai. I'm genuinely happy for him."
She remembered the brutal training with Ace and Luffy, and seeing Luffy's name victorious brought a small smile to her lips.
But Rolan's brow furrowed.
If his memory of the timeline was correct, after Moriah's defeat, Perona had been sent flying to Kuraigana Island by Kuma. Counting the days since then, it meant Rolan and Perona had been together for quite some time.
And given what he knew of Perona's power, Zoro's Haki wouldn't have been enough to resist her ability forever.
If Gion were to see Rolan and Perona together, he wondered what would happen.
…
Two days later.
A small boat docked slowly on the shore of Kuraigana Island, and a tall, determined woman stepped onto the sand.
She sensed a powerful aura over the island, clearly the presence of Hawkeye, and her eyes sparked with fighting instinct.
Any swordsman worthy of the name would feel respect and excitement at the sight of someone like Hawkeye standing before them, because Hawkeye was the peak of swordsmanship.
But she only shook her head — nothing mattered more than finding Zoro now.
Nearby, two presences appeared on the coast: one faint, the other unmistakably strong and familiar.
It was Zoro.
She activated her Soru and Moonwalk techniques and moved swiftly toward him.
But when she reached the spot, the sight before her stirred something unexpected in her chest.
...