One Piece: Three Devil Fruits, Beginning with Darkness

**Chapter 33 - Ginny vs. Gion**

Gion's harsh words indirectly saying they're all weaklings cut through the training yard like a blade, sharp and unyielding. The tension in the air thickened, each syllable a challenge daring anyone to refute her.

Mamonga's jaw tightened, his fingers twitching toward the hilt of his sword. He was ready to step forward, unable to let such blatant provocation stand. But before he could act, another figure moved faster.

Ginny was already in front of Gion.

Her stance was unwavering, her eyes locked onto Gion's with quiet defiance. She radiated a calm intensity that made it clear she wasn't about to back down.

"You're getting ahead of yourself, Jiger's strength isn't something you can question."

Gion chuckled, the sound laced with amusement and contempt. She had always been the favored one, the golden child in her world of high expectations. Seeing Ginny stand so steadfast in defense of Jiger irritated her in ways she couldn't quite place.

"Say what you want," Gion said, crossing her arms. "But you're just a girl blinded by emotions. Wake up, little sister. Jiger might not be as great as you think."

Nearby, Jessica clenched her fists, struggling to contain her anger. She wasn't one to tolerate disrespect, and her instinct was to step forward and put Gion in her place.

But before she could act, Ginny's grip tightened around her wrist with surprising strength.

Jessica glanced at her friend in surprise, but Ginny didn't even look her way. Her focus remained solely on Gion.

A moment later, she reached into her coat and withdrew the golden pistol Jiger had given her. She held it with ease, her finger resting near the trigger, her stance solid.

"Aren't you here for a challenge?" Ginny asked, her tone cold and firm. "Then I'll fight you."

Gion raised a brow, her smirk widening.

"You?" she said, arms still crossed. Her gaze flickered over Ginny's frame, unimpressed. "Are you any better than the last one?"

"Why don't you find out?" Ginny shot back without hesitation.

Gion tilted her head slightly, recalling the speed Ginny had displayed earlier. There was no doubt she was skilled.

"Very well," Gion said, finally drawing Konpira. She leveled the blade toward Ginny, its polished surface gleaming under the sunlight. "Show me your strength."

Ginny wasted no time. With a swift movement, she unleashed a Rankyaku, the compressed air blade slicing toward Gion with lethal precision.

Gion sidestepped effortlessly, watching the impact carve deep cracks into the stone floor beneath her. She nodded slightly, assessing Ginny's technique.

"The power is good," she mused to herself, "but the speed is lacking."

She lifted her gaze—only to find Ginny had disappeared.

Her expression remained calm.

She had long since awakened Observation Haki.

Closing her eyes for the briefest moment, she focused.

There.

Two gunshots rang out in quick succession.

The bullets shot toward Gion's back, cutting through the air like streaks of light.

Without turning around, she swung Konpira in a smooth arc. The steel met the bullets mid-flight, splitting them in half before they could even come close to reaching her.

The broken shells clattered onto the ground.

Gion turned gracefully to face Ginny, who had reappeared a few meters away, smoke still curling from her pistol's barrel.

"Not bad," Gion admitted. "Your Soru is refined. You're certainly better than the last one."

Ginny didn't react to the compliment. Praise meant nothing to her.

Her goal was Jiger.

She pressed her lips together, lowering herself to one knee. The gun in her hand remained steady, but she was already re-evaluating her approach.

This woman was stronger than she had anticipated.

The Rankyaku had been a distraction, meant to disguise her movement and create an opening. Her true weapon was her marksmanship—bullets traveled faster than any kick.

She had used Soru to reposition herself, seeking the best angle for a clean shot. But Gion had seen through her tactics effortlessly. Two bullets, wasted.

Ginny narrowed her eyes.

Her ammunition was limited. If she spent too much of it without landing a hit, she'd be forced into close combat—a battle she knew she couldn't win.

Gion, meanwhile, lifted her chin, her confident smirk never fading.

"This open area puts you at a disadvantage," she said, gesturing casually to the vast training yard around them. "I won't give you another chance like before. You might as well surrender. It wouldn't look good if you got hurt."

Ginny let out a short, amused snort.

She rose slowly to her feet, meeting Gion's gaze with unwavering resolve.

"You don't need to worry about me. We'll see who wins."

Gion stretched lazily, arching her back just enough to accentuate her form. Her voice took on a teasing lilt.

"Alright, alright," she said, her tone almost mocking. "Let's continue."

The words had barely left her mouth when Ginny vanished.

A sudden blur of movement, the sharp crack of displaced air—Ginny had used Soru again, closing the gap between them in an instant.

Gion's brow lifted in mild surprise.

A gunner choosing close combat?

She chuckled.

"What's this?" she asked, flipping Konpira in her hand as she pivoted toward Ginny. "Close combat with me? Not a wise choice."

Without hesitation, Gion swung her sword, aiming a powerful slash at Ginny's abdomen. The strike was precise, fast, and strong enough to end the fight if it landed cleanly.

But then—something shocking happened.

Ginny didn't dodge.

She reached out with her bare hand and caught the blade.

Gasps erupted from the spectators. Blood dripped from Ginny's pale fingers, staining the pristine steel of Konpira, yet she held it firm, preventing it from advancing another inch.

Gion's eyes widened, genuine disbelief flickering across her face.

"You're insane!" she exclaimed. "Aren't you afraid of losing your fingers?"

A miscalculation, even the slightest hesitation, and Ginny's delicate fingers could have been severed by the blade.

Yet, there she stood, unfazed.

Gion was momentarily stunned. She had expected stubbornness, but not this level of ruthlessness—from a girl who, by all appearances, seemed soft and delicate.

Ginny lifted her gaze, meeting Gion's stare with an eerie calmness. Blood continued to trail down her wrist, but her lips curled into a soft smile.

"This?" she said quietly, her voice almost too casual. "This injury is nothing compared to what I've been through before."

Before Gion could react, Ginny's free hand clenched into a fist.

A split second later, her knuckles crashed into Gion's stomach.

The impact sent Gion hurtling backward, her body flipping once before she crashed onto the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The onlookers were speechless.

Jessica let out a sharp breath. Maris, who had already lost to Gion earlier, clenched his jaw. Even Mamonga, usually composed, furrowed his brows.

Ginny, meanwhile, calmly flicked the blood from her hand, watching as Gion slowly pushed herself up.

"You'll pay for insulting Jiger," Ginny muttered under her breath.

Gion coughed, a pained grimace flashing across her face as she pressed a hand to her stomach. Konpira was planted in the ground beside her, its polished blade reflecting the sunlight.

Then something changed.

The moment she stood upright, a faint black sheen flickered across her midsection—just for an instant, but long enough for the sharpest observers to notice.

Maris felt his stomach drop.

"Damn it," he muttered. "She awakened Armament Haki."

Ginny's punch hadn't landed cleanly after all. The impact had hurt—Gion had felt it, but the blow was weakened by her instinctive Haki defense.

Maris clenched his fists. As a grown man, he hadn't even been able to push Gion this far. Yet Ginny, a gunner, had forced her to use Armament Haki to protect herself. It stung his pride.

Gion let out a slow breath, brushing dust from her clothes. Her playful demeanor had disappeared, replaced by cold determination.

Ginny had impressed her.

And that was enough to make her angry.

No longer holding back, Gion wrapped her fingers around Konpira's hilt. Her grip was firm, controlled, the tension in her posture signaling her intent.

She was done playing.

Ginny recognized the shift immediately.

If Gion fully committed to her sword techniques, dodging would become impossible.

Ginny's fingers tightened around the golden pistol in her hand.

She had one last chance.

She lifted the gun, aiming directly at Gion's chest.

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