Now, Tatsuki, at the center of the storm, stood with his head bowed, shoulders trembling slightly, as if moved by his own words.
In reality...
[Ding! Delivered a speech for the ages, successfully fooled the entire force! Perfectly crafted the "Light of Justice" persona!]
[The speech content resonated subtly with this world's "Order," triggering a massive ideological transformation among young Marines!]
[Influence Multiplier determined: MAX!]
[Subversion Multiplier determined: Ideological Imprint-level!]
[Congratulations, Host! Obtained Violation Points: 150,000!]
[Violation Points: 490,200]
'Holy shit!'
Tatsuki's inner self was roaring wildly.
'Just moving my lips earned me a hundred and fifty thousand? That's even faster than fighting for my life.'
He looked at the group of "leeks" below who were crying their eyes out, worshipping him like a god, and then at the balance on his system panel.
Tatsuki's heart was instantly flooded with an unprecedented sense of gratitude.
These Marines were just too adorable!
...
The ceremony ended, but the crowd was unwilling to disperse for a long time.
Tatsuki's phrase, 'May we be that sole light,' almost instantly became the motto for all the young Marines.
Especially within the formation composed of New Recruits, the atmosphere here was as lively as a festival.
"Too... too amazing..."
A tall, stunningly beautiful young woman stood in the crowd, tightly clutching her military cap, her eyes practically turning into heart shapes as she stared intently at Tatsuki's figure.
She wore an ill-fitting New Recruit uniform, but it couldn't conceal the astonishing proportions of her impossibly long legs.
Her jet-black hair was tied into a neat ponytail, her pink lips slightly parted, clearly still not recovered from that soul-cleansing speech.
Gion.
The future Admiral Candidate of Marineford, codenamed "Momousagi."
Right now, she was just a passionate young girl who had recently graduated from a swordsmanship dojo and joined the Marines, carrying dreams of justice.
Looking at that face, that upright posture, that powerful speech... everything perfectly aligned with all her fantasies of what a "hero" should be, giving her "justice" a concrete form.
"How could there be such a perfect man?" Gion murmured unconsciously, her cheeks flushed crimson. "That kind of spirit, that determination to burn for justice... is this the light I should follow?"
"Tch, what's so great about him?" A voice dripping with sourness drifted over from the side.
Gion frowned slightly and turned to look.
The speaker was a man whose appearance was... well, how to put it, very "unrefined."
He had drooping eyebrows, squinty eyes, wore a hat that looked inherently sleazy, and was currently picking his nose with a displeased expression.
Tokikake.
The other future Admiral Candidate, codenamed "Chaton."
Of course, right now he was just a guy among the New Recruits who thought highly of himself, relying on a bit of brute strength.
Seeing the girl he longed for showing such a fangirl expression towards another man, Tokikake felt the sourness bubbling up in his throat.
He had been pursuing Gion for quite some time, only to be ruthlessly rejected every time.
And now, this was the result.
This guy named Tatsuki didn't even have to do anything. He just said a few pretty words on stage and had her completely mesmerized.
Could he tolerate this?
"Gion, don't be fooled by a pretty boy like that." Tokikake lowered his voice, speaking with what he thought was clarity.
"Look at him. Delicate skin, tender flesh. Surviving under Golden Lion Shiki must be because Vice Admiral Garp and the others did the heavy lifting. He just got lucky picking up the pieces."
"I even suspect he didn't write that speech himself. Maybe Admiral Sengoku had someone ghostwrite it..."
His belittling remarks were meant to show Gion his "rationality" and "maturity," to make her see who the truly sensible man was.
But...
Gion's brows shot up, her face turning frosty, looking at him as if he were a pile of garbage.
"Tokikake, what nonsense are you spouting?"
"I won't allow you to insult Rear Admiral Tatsuki like that."
"Insult?"
Tokikake grew anxious. "I'm stating facts. Gion, think about it. A Rear Admiral at nineteen? Is that reasonable? There must be something shady behind it, I just don't have his kind of luck."
Tokikake grew more impassioned, trying to regain Gion's attention by disparaging Tatsuki.
"And look how pale he is. Clearly a pretty boy who relies on his looks. In a real fight, I could probably take him down with one punch..."
Shing!
The standard-issue longsword in Gion's hand was suddenly drawn, its gleaming blade reflecting directly onto Tokikake's sleazy face.
"Shut up, Tokikake."
Gion's voice was ice-cold, her originally somewhat youthful gaze now terrifyingly sharp.
"If I hear you insult Rear Admiral Tatsuki one more time, I'll cut out your tongue."
Tokikake shrank back in fear, cold sweat instantly breaking out.
He had never seen Gion wear such a murderous expression.
At that moment, the crowded people automatically parted to both sides, clearing a path.
"Excuse me, coming through." A gentle voice sounded.
Tokikake looked up and nearly had his soul scared out of him.
Tatsuki, draped in his brand-new officer's coat, was walking past from a side passage, surrounded by a group of officer-ranked Marines. He seemed to be avoiding the fanatical crowd on the main road, deliberately taking a detour.
Up close, the sense of pressure was even stronger. Perfect muscle lines filled out his shirt, and the golden star of rank on his shoulder shone with the brilliance of authority under the sunlight.
Tatsuki seemed to sense the gaze from here, his steps pausing slightly as he turned his head.
His gaze swept lightly over Tokikake, frozen in place, and finally settled on Gion, who was still holding her drawn sword stance.
Their eyes met.
Gion felt all the blood rush to her head, flustered as she tried to sheathe her sword. But the more flustered she was, the clumsier she became. With a "click," the blade got stuck at the mouth of the scabbard and wouldn't go in.
She was so embarrassed she wished she could find a hole to crawl into.
It's over, she left a violent impression on her idol.
Just then, a slender hand reached over and gently pressed on her sword hilt.
Tatsuki leaned down slightly, carrying a pleasant scent of sea salt after sun exposure.
His fingers moved slightly, adjusting the angle for her, and the longsword slid smoothly into its sheath.
"A sword isn't meant to be pointed at comrades, soldier." Tatsuki's voice was soft, carrying a hint of amusement, without any tone of reprimand.