Chapter 161: Escape from the Illusion

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Gion sat in her office, meticulously polishing her katana.

As a candidate for Admiral, Gion was an exceptionally powerful swordswoman, her strength surpassing most Vice Admirals.

Coupled with what she believed to be time travel, her combat experience was now almost unmatched within the Marines.

"Knock, knock, knock..."

A measured knock echoed from the door. Gion quickly rose and opened it.

As expected, it was Vice Admiral Tsuru.

Tsuru and Gion shared a close bond, almost like family. Gion often confided in Tsuru whenever she was troubled.

Tsuru settled into a chair, a gentle smile on her face. "You asked to see me? What's on your mind?"

Gion sat opposite her, a troubled expression on her face. After a moment of hesitation, she asked, "Tsuru-san, is there any Devil Fruit ability that can rewind the world back several years?"

Tsuru's eyes widened, and she shook her head firmly. "No."

"The time-related Devil Fruit abilities I know of can only affect the user's personal timeline. Rewinding the entire world is impossible!"

Gion's face fell. "Then… is Noir real or not…?"

Tsuru, seeing her distressed expression, chuckled. "What's this? Are you getting cold feet about the wedding?"

Gion's eyes widened, and she retorted, "Tsuru-san! I would never marry him!"

Tsuru shook her head, a knowing smile playing on her lips as she watched Gion's flustered reaction.

The year Gion had brought Noir back, a true little devil had been unleashed upon the Marineford training camp.

On his first day, this troublemaker had taken down his superior officer and then, leading a group of recruits, single-handedly wiped out a pirate crew with a bounty over 100,000,000 Berries.

From that day forward, Noir had caught the attention of both Garp and Zephyr. His strength grew exponentially each year, and his career within the Marines skyrocketed.

Tsuru still remembered the day Noir defeated every single recruit in the training camp. He'd stood before them, brimming with confidence, and declared:

"I joined the Marines for two reasons."

"One: To make Gion my wife!"

"Two: To become Gion's husband!"

Needless to say, his declaration had caused quite a stir. Many Marines at Headquarters had been vying for Gion's affection, and Noir had instantly made enemies of them all.

The most persistent of these rivals had been Tokikake, now a candidate for Admiral.

But even Tokikake hadn't been able to gain any ground against the cunning Noir. It wasn't until Gion herself intervened that the commotion finally died down.

Gossip was human nature, after all. Tsuru, her eyes twinkling with amusement, asked, "Do you not have feelings for Noir?"

Gion instinctively stood up, but then sat back down, her shoulders slumping. "Maybe... a little..."

Tsuru nodded, satisfied. In all the years Noir had been in the Marines, proclaiming his desire to marry Gion, she had never truly rebuked him.

There were even rumors that they had secretly gotten engaged, unbeknownst to the Marine higher-ups.

Tsuru wouldn't believe there wasn't something going on between them.

But then, a frown creased her brow. "Then what's holding you back? You seem afraid of being with him."

Gion struggled internally for a long time before finally revealing the secret that had been weighing on her heart.

She recounted Noir's story, both past and present, and explained her current predicament. Tsuru listened, her worldview shaken to its core.

Tsuru stared at her hands in disbelief, then quickly regained her composure. "If it's an illusion, then the solution is simple."

Gion looked up at Tsuru, her eyes questioning.

Tsuru met her gaze. "Kill him, and you'll be free."

Kill Noir…

Gion looked at The Katana in her hands, her expression conflicted.

Without the barrier of opposing factions, and after so many years together, Gion had come to realize that Noir wasn't a bad person.

He was carefree and easygoing, but he had his own unique sense of justice. Initially, he hadn't even raised a blade to kill, and even after gaining immense power, he still held a reverence for life.

Noir saw Gion, who had saved him, as his light, and Gion, in turn, had grown attached to him.

A flicker of hope remained in Gion's heart. "Tsuru-san, could we be wrong? Perhaps… it really is just…"

Tsuru frowned at Gion and sighed as she walked towards the door. "If you believe it to be true, then so be it."

Gion slumped back in her chair, tears silently tracing paths down her cheeks.

Just then, Noir, clad in his justice coat, walked into Gion's office without even knocking.

Seeing Gion's tear-streaked face, Noir's brow furrowed. He approached her and whispered, "What's wrong, Gion? Did someone upset you?"

Gion didn't answer. Her gentle gaze, shimmering with unshed tears, met Noir's.

"Noir," she said, "let's get married."

Noir stumbled back in shock. Had Gion finally come to her senses? Why so suddenly?

This feels like a trap…

Gion took a step forward, burying her face in Noir's chest, her voice muffled. "This way, you'll never leave me."

Noir scratched his head, confused. "I was never going to leave Y..."

Gion chuckled softly, her voice barely audible.

"Even in an illusion, could I bring myself to kill you…?"

While the Noir within the illusion was enjoying a romantic moment with Gion, the real Noir was having a much less pleasant experience.

Noir and Puff sat on small stools, enduring the chilly wind of the Yomi Yomi no Mi's world, staring at Gion's unconscious form on the ground. A sense of despair washed over them.

Gion was a candidate for Admiral! Why hadn't she emerged from the illusion yet?

Puff looked at Noir hesitantly. "Captain, do you think she'll ever wake up?"

Noir hesitated, uncertainty creeping into his voice. "I… I hope so."

Gion lay on a blanket, covered with a quilt, like a sleeping beauty.

Suddenly, her long eyelashes fluttered, and her eyes slowly opened.

Noir and Puff immediately perked up. Gion sat up, staring at Noir in silence.

Just as Noir was starting to feel uneasy under her gaze, Gion suddenly smiled. "You've shrunk again."

Huh?

Why do I feel like my manhood is being questioned?

Gion cupped her ample breasts, a satisfied smile gracing her lips. "Good. My body is back to normal as well."

Noir, completely bewildered, stated the obvious. "You're out of the illusion?"

Gion stood up, smoothing out the wrinkles on her uniform. "Of course. I didn't know you had this kind of ability."

Noir scratched his head sheepishly. "It's my first time using it, too."

"Then it's best not to use it again." Gion glanced back at Noir, and he suddenly felt a shiver down his spine.

That look… it was the same look Robin gave him when he'd annoyed her...

"Speaking of which, why did it take you so long to break free from the illusion?" Noir asked, puzzled.

Gion fell silent, lost in thought. The memories of the illusion were fading, yet some remained vivid.

Unknowingly, she had lived an entire lifetime with Noir within that dream world.

...

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