After the battle between Longinus and Kake ended, no one had the mind to test the rest of the ranking list's credibility anymore.
They were still fully immersed in the battle they had just witnessed—unable to extricate themselves.
A fight of that level was rare even in Marine Headquarters.
Their only regret was…
Kake didn't last long enough.
"If… Kake and Gion teamed up against Longinus… what kind of scene would that be?"
Some imaginative trainees whispered with shining eyes.
Meanwhile, many people also noticed something else—
Not a single fighter from the G–2 Branch ranked lower than 100.
That was terrifying.
No other branch had ever accomplished such a feat.
Especially those two—T. Penn and Gregory.
Both ranked within the top twenty, nearly equal to the strongest candidates from every other branch.
"Is the G–2 Branch just having a streak of freakish luck…
Or has that man completely changed them?"
Just as the crowd began to disperse, a cool and crisp voice called out:
"Major Longinus, please wait a moment."
Longinus stopped and turned.
A tall, slender girl stood before him.
Clear eyes, bright and focused.
Red lips parted slightly.
Silk-like black hair dancing lightly in the breeze.
"…Yes? What is it?"
"It's like this. Last time, although I conveyed my apology, it wasn't formal enough.
I still hope to apologize to you face-to-face.
I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it, I didn't—"
Longinus instinctively replied, then suddenly paused.
"…Wait. What exactly are you apologizing for?"
"Cough, cough…"
The surrounding gossip-hungry onlookers almost choked on their own saliva.
What kind of disconnected conversation is this!?
Gregory's eyes sparkled as he glanced at the others.
His expression clearly said:
"See? I knew it! She must be trying to cling to our boss!"
Gion spoke solemnly:
"Because I accidentally read a book containing sayings about you.
I subconsciously thought those deeds were fabricated,
and therefore assumed you were a despicable man willing to do anything for fame.
I judged you without seeking the truth.
That version of me… was terrible.
I'm sorry—truly."
Well… in a sense, I really did fabricate them, Longinus thought silently.
But outwardly, he spoke warmly:
"It's fine. Time will prove everything."
Gregory—self-proclaimed number one Longinus-fan—snorted:
"You really should visit the sea around our G–2 Branch more!
Does Boss Longinus need to invent reputation?
Those records are things people wrote on their own, out of admiration!"
"You may be popular here in Headquarters…
but compared to Boss?
A hundred of you wouldn't match him!"
Gion did not become angry.
Instead, she looked at Longinus with even deeper respect.
"To move civilians enough that they recorded your deeds on their own…
Major Longinus, you truly have embodied justice as your belief.
I'm far, far behind you."
"So… Major Longinus, please allow me to experience your conviction firsthand.
It may be abrupt, but I hope you will accept my request.
I beg you!"
"Experience… my conviction?"
Gregory nudged Abraham.
"What does she mean? She wants Boss to give her a lecture about justice?"
"You idiot. She's challenging him to a fight."
Abraham sighed.
"Ah??"
Gregory glared at Gion.
"So that's her real goal? After all that talking!?"
"But if she thinks she can take advantage of Boss, she's completely mistaken!
The fight just now wasn't even a warm-up for him!"
The crowd gathered again instantly.
They didn't understand the whole 'record book' thing,
but they definitely heard the challenge.
"Conviction, huh…" Longinus said calmly.
"Then think it through.
Battle is sacred—it cannot be taken lightly.
I won't hold back just because you're a girl."
"That's exactly what I want.
Even if I have no chance of winning—
I still want to see the distance between myself and the peak.
Please!"
"…Very well.
I've never fought a true swordswoman before.
This will be a valuable experience."
Longinus returned to the previous battlefield and stood silently, awaiting her attack.
Gion inhaled deeply.
Her waist lowered slightly into a stance; left hand on the tsuba, right hand gripping the hilt.
"Famous blade Kinpira.
Its sharpness is no less than one of the Twenty-One Great Grade Swords.
Please be careful."
The moment her words ended—
She vanished.
Her sword flashed out of its sheath, unleashing a storm of slicing wind.
A brilliant slash shot forward, carrying lethal beauty.
"Iai, is it?"
Longinus dodged with uncanny precision—
as if he foresaw the attack.
Gion wasn't surprised.
She knew he had mastered Observation Haki,
and his speed was no weaker than hers.
Relying on a single decisive draw slash wouldn't work.
"Death — Sonata!"
Layer upon layer of sword aura bloomed around her—
illusory and real intertwined.
Beautiful like roses,
but beneath the petals lay hidden thorns of death.
Longinus retreated swiftly.
Each time he evaded by a hair's breadth,
the ground he had just stood on was split apart by lifeless swordlight.
To the students watching from afar,
it looked like a deadly dance performed upon the blade's edge.
"How is this possible? Gion is actually taking the advantage?"
A rookie exclaimed.
Before today, at least half would've believed Gion might match him.
After witnessing Longinus demolish Kake…
no one would've thought she stood a chance.
Yet the scene before them was undeniably in her favor—
or so it seemed.
"That's because when martial arts face swordsmanship,
swordsmanship naturally has the advantage.
Longinus can block Kake's hits head-on,
but he can't block a sword slash the same way.
And Gion's blade isn't inferior to a Great Grade Sword—
one clean hit, and the fight is over!"
"N-No… look carefully!
You'll see that during this high-intensity fight,
Gion's stamina is draining rapidly—
while Longinus isn't even breathing hard!"
"How can you see through every single one of my sword paths!?
Even with strong Observation Haki, no one should be able to completely read my attacks!"
Gion finally shouted, shock lacing her voice.
They were right.
A martial artist without Armament Haki should fear a swordsman of the same tier.
But Longinus was different.
Beyond Observation Haki—
he himself was a swordsman,
and his understanding of swordsmanship surpassed even Gion's.
With calculation against instinct,
her attacks were doomed to miss.
"Losing focus during battle is unwise."
Longinus didn't answer her question.
Instead… he made the most ruthless choice.
He seized an opening—
and shoulder-tackled Gion straight across the field.
Her slender body was sent flying hundreds of meters.
"Ah—!!"
The watching trainees gasped in unison.
Even though they knew his decision was tactically correct—
in a training camp dominated by boys,
girls were rare resources.
And Gion?
A goddess-level campus treasure.
Longinus's "merciless strike" instantly earned him the label:
"Steel-Hearted, Straight-As-Iron Man."
But at the same time…
Many boys quietly rejoiced.
The strongest competitor has been blown out of the ring!
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