It was supposed to be a simple hand-to-hand sparring match.
In the comprehensive physical exam, Alice's stats were all rated "excellent."
Among the girls, only Isuka ranked above her in raw physique.
Ain, baing second overall in the elite class, should've been able to handle Alice easily…
But reality was far stranger.
That blonde disaster-magnet was simply too bizarre.
Why did "accidents" keep happening around her at the exact right timing?
Ain's pretty face tightened in frustration. Dressed in thin, fitted training wear, her movements were sharp and precise. Every punch and kick was aimed cleanly at a vital point—real one-hit-K.O. strikes.
THUD!
Alice fell again, rolling like a snowball down a hill, yelping as she tumbled.
Her training shorts and thin stockings twisted awkwardly, making the fall look even more dramatic.
Not only did she completely dodge the attack…
She also managed to slide across the ground and crash directly into Laurentina, who was practicing with her saw.
Ain covered her eyes.
"How… how am I fine again?"
Alice dusted her clothes, staring in disbelief at her still-unbroken body.
In the women's training ground, a few off-duty female Marines noticed the scene.
One nudged another, pointing at Alice—and they exchanged knowing giggles.
It was a rare day off.
Most girls had changed into dresses, shoulder bags, sun-hats, strolling leisurely through Marineford's boutiques.
Only Laurentina's group of blockheads were training on a rest day.
"Face-hugging bug," Laurentina sighed dramatically, patting Alice's backside to help her stand. "If you like me, just confess. Don't launch sneak attacks."
Alice froze like a startled rabbit.
"Eh!?"
Her face turned completely red. She sputtered wordlessly, legs wobbling. In her panic she tried to stand, slipped again, and—
fell right into Laurentina's arms like a heroine in a cliché romance scene.
Time went silent for a moment.
"Eh…?"
Alice jolted back like her tail had been stepped on.
Steam practically rose from her head. She stumbled away, whispering incoherently:
"Squad leader, if this is some reverse-psychology tactic… I'm sorry! We can't! I—I already like someone else!"
She tried to run away—
Promptly tripped—
Rolled—
And scrambled back up, looking flustered and pitiful.
Laurentina smiled faintly, put her saw away, and resumed her own training.
Elite trains progressed through the Rokushiki quickly.
Everyone had talents in different areas.
Alice mastered Paper Arts (Kami-e) fastest.
Her misfortune seemed to blend with the technique, turning into a strange defensive style. With enough training, even standard Observation Haki might fail to predict her "accidents."
Ain had already learned Soru and Geppo.
Combined with her refined swordsmanship, her future was bright.
Laurentina had grasped all six techniques at basic level.
She especially excelled at Finger Gun, Tempest Kick, and… Iron Body.
By focusing her blood techniques into her fingertips, she could create a "Blood-Line" variant of Finger Gun—turning each thrust into something like a steel-drilling spike strong enough to pierce mountains.
Her Blood Gun could soon evolve into a true long-range Flying Finger Gun, but she still needed refinement.
Meanwhile, the News Coo loaded their freshly printed papers and set off toward the Four Seas and the Grand Line.
Loguetown — Marine Branch, Nearby Monastery
"Father, the news bird delivered today's papers."
"Thank you."
Inside a red-and-white chapel, sunlight poured through staind-glass windows and painted the room in color.
Father Andoen smoothed the newspaper gently, Bible tucked under one arm.
"So she's found her path."
His smile was warm.
"…Yet what path am I meant to take?"
New World — Somewhere in a Snowy Island
"Laurentina? 'World's No.1 Beauty'? Oh! That little girl!"
Shanks clapped his fist into his palm.
"Regret it?"
Beckman asked from the cave entrance, chewing on a toothpick.
"Letting her join the Marines."
Shanks downed a bowl of hot wine in one go.
"No regrets! Nothing can stop someone whose heart leans toward justice!"
He paused.
"I'm only worried… if little Luffy can survive meeting her someday! Bahahaha!"
Beckman sighed.
His captain was hopeless.
New World — Dressrosa, King's Plateau
"Fufufufufu… 'World's No.1 Beauty'? A Marine recruit?"
Doflamingo rose from his poolside chair. The wind blew through his flamingo coat as he kicked aside Baby-5's attack without looking.
He spread his arms, grin wicked.
"The era is shifting. The helpless will flee… and the era of monsters will begin!"
Calm Belt — Amazon Lily
"Damn Morgans! The newspaper price went up again because it's from the Calm Belt!"
Elder Nyon snatched the latest paper.
The front page was about the recent Dressrosa incident.
"Tch. The World Government's chosen Shichibukai committing regime theft without punishment… sickening."
She flipped to the next page.
"Hm? Nyon-sama, any interesting news today?"
Marguerite asked, returning from hunting.
"Let me see…"
Nyon smiled kindly.
"'Shipwright of the Pirate King's vessel—Tom—sentenced to death.'
'The World's No.1 Beauty kills a supernova to join the Marines—'"
She froze.
"…Hancock killed Quen Tiss? That can't be right. When? Did the Marines start writing jokes?"
Then she looked closer.
"…Wait. This isn't Hancock."
A small photograph showed a white-haired, red-eyed girl.
"Laurentina…? Hmph. Beautiful enough to rival Hancock indeed."
But when she looked up—
Marguerite was gone.
The entire island was in an uproar.
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