As Kuina was still staring at Nao, Zoro couldn't help but shout indignantly,
"They're not weird tricks! Those are all techniques Mr. Nao taught me — they're amazing, okay?! It's just, it's just…"
"It's just that you're too dense," Kuina cut in dryly, finishing his sentence for him. "You only learned a little of the surface — none of the essence — and yet you thought your strength had skyrocketed, all confident and ready to challenge me again. Right?"
"I—I…"
Zoro's face flushed red. He stammered, unable to argue back, fuming in silence but finding no words to refute her.
Kuina's gaze drifted back to Nao. Hesitation flickered in her eyes — a mix of yearning and restraint. Her lips pressed together, she lowered her head, stirring her bowl of miso soup with the spoon in distracted circles.
"What's wrong?"
Seeing her inner struggle, Nao smiled gently.
"Since I'll be staying the night at the dojo anyway and won't leave until morning, there's plenty of time. If you'd like to learn, I can teach you."
Her body stiffened; her head snapped up. Her delicate face lit with surprise and excitement.
"R-really?"
"Of course."
Nao took a sip of the dojo's homemade sake and smiled faintly.
"But your father is your teacher. He's right here, after all. If I start teaching you without asking, it would be overstepping. You'll need his permission first."
Her father's permission…
Kuina instinctively turned toward Koushirou, eyes filled with hope and a trace of nervousness.
"Mr. White Dragon, you're far too modest," Koushirou said, pushing up his glasses with a polite smile.
"You are the world's number one swordsman. Were I not already an old man content to run this dojo and live without worldly desires, I'd beg you to stay longer, so we could discuss and exchange swordsmanship every day. As for my daughter—having the chance to receive guidance from you personally would be the honor of her lifetime. There's no talk of overstepping here."
"Huh?!"
World's number one swordsman?!
Zoro froze, eyes wide. His gaze darted between Nao and Koushirou in disbelief.
Uncle Nao… that strong?
He had already been in awe after witnessing that breathtaking slash beneath the moonlight, but hearing his own teacher say this now—
Maybe he had still underestimated him.
Wait—!
Meanwhile, Kuina, now with her father's approval, couldn't contain her joy. She rose to her feet and bowed deeply to Nao.
"Thank you so much! I'll do my best and not cause you any trouble!"
...
After dinner, Nao didn't waste words. He took Kuina straight to the open yard behind the dojo.
"Everyone's sword path is different," he said calmly.
"Show me your best sword technique first, then fight me with all you've got. That way I can see your flaws and weaknesses — and tailor your training accordingly."
"Yes, Mr. Nao!"
It was already ten o'clock at night. Though Kuina was still young, as a swordswoman she was long accustomed to late hours — and she had been eagerly awaiting Nao's instruction all day.
Even after practicing until she was drenched in sweat, the girl's spirit burned bright. She listened to Nao's every word with full focus and intensity.
"…Yes, that's about seven points I've noted," Nao said after a while. "Take a short break, center your mind, and then perform the forms again, paying close attention to the corrections I just explained."
"Yes, sir!"
...
Under the moonlight, the black-haired girl moved with resolve — her sword flashing sharp and steady, her steps crisp and fluid, each motion clean and unhesitating.
By the bamboo grove, Koushirou stood with a steaming cup of tea in hand, watching from afar, unable to hide his admiration.
"As expected of Mr. White Dragon…"
Though he himself was not a master of great renown, Koushirou had spent decades steeped in swordsmanship, and his eye for skill was keen.
Nao's level was simply too high. Even a few casual words of instruction could give Kuina immense insight and progress.
And now — with such one-on-one, unreserved teaching — it was beyond comparison.
Kuina's sword style had been cultivated under him since childhood; in Koushirou's view, she had already fully inherited his teachings. Even he could no longer find areas to correct.
Yet Nao, with effortless precision, identified countless weaknesses and blind spots. His depth of understanding humbled even Koushirou himself.
Time slipped by unnoticed.
Two hours passed.
The night grew deeper.
Zoro, who at first sat on the porch watching with rapt attention, eventually couldn't keep his eyes open and nodded off. Koushirou chuckled softly, patting his shoulder and sending him inside to wash up and rest.
As for himself, he simply leaned against the doorway, quietly continuing to watch.
In the courtyard,
Kuina displayed astonishing comprehension — many of Nao's corrections took only a single explanation before she fully grasped them. The sword techniques she demonstrated quickly became more refined and precise, improving at a pace visible to the naked eye.
This child…
Her natural talent and understanding are truly exceptional.
"…What a pity, though."
Koushirou slowly shook his head, letting out a quiet sigh.
"What a pity she's a girl. No matter how hard she works, she'll never become a true Great Swordsman…"
In his eyes,
There was an inborn, insurmountable difference between men and women — a gap written into their very bodies.
It was true that Kuina was the strongest disciple in the dojo for now, but her being female would always hold her back.
She might still hold an advantage among her peers today, but once these children all grew up, it was inevitable — Zoro would surpass her, and one day, leave her far behind.
To even dream of reaching the ranks of the world's greatest sword masters and spreading the Shimotsuki name across the seas was… unthinkable.
"Those words of yours are rather harsh, don't you think?"
A quiet voice suddenly came from behind him.
Koushirou froze and looked up instinctively — only to see Nao, who had been in the training yard moments ago, standing beside him now, holding a cup of hot tea.
"Your ancestors may have come from Wano," Nao said calmly, taking a light sip, "but you've lived in the East Blue your whole life. I didn't expect that after all these years, you'd still be clinging to those stale, old-fashioned notions Wano is so fond of."
Through the faint haze of steam, he met Koushirou's eyes.
"If such thoughts only stayed buried in your heart, it would be one thing. But if you ever spoke them aloud in private… have you thought about how Kuina would feel if she overheard you?"
"This…"
Koushirou fell silent, shame flickering across his face as he thought of his daughter — that hardworking, determined girl who trained harder than anyone else.
After a long pause, he sighed softly.
"Mr. White Dragon," he said, "it's not that I'm bound by outdated beliefs. It's just that the difference between men and women does objectively exist. Kuina's ambitions are high — she even declares she'll become the world's greatest sword master. I couldn't bring myself to crush that dream outright, but surely you understand…"
He gave a helpless smile.
"For a child born of humble origin, and burdened with the disadvantage of her sex, such a dream is nothing but an impossible fantasy."
"An impossible fantasy?"
Nao shook his head slightly.
"I don't see it that way."
"Today, I passed through Shimotsuki Village by chance — I only meant to ask for directions and leave. But then I met that boy."
He gestured toward the room where Zoro was sleeping.
"I thought he might have the potential to become the world's greatest swordsman someday. But now, I have to take that back… because there's someone else with even greater potential to reach that height."
"You mean…"
Koushirou's eyes widened. "Kuina?"
"That's right."
Nao's tone remained calm, but his words carried absolute conviction.
"In both talent and spirit, she is extraordinary — a natural-born swordswoman, one in a million. Whether she or Zoro will ultimately be stronger, I can't say for certain. But one thing is beyond doubt: if neither loses their way, both of them will one day become truly great swordsman."
"As for what you call the 'disadvantage of being female'…"
Nao's gaze sharpened slightly.
"Perhaps there's some truth to it in a purely physical sense. But for those born with the heart of a true warrior — for those destined to be strong — such limits simply do not exist."
Seeing Koushirou standing there in stunned silence, Nao decided to ease the mood a little.
"Oh, and by the way," he added with a small smile, "about that claim that women can't become top-tier sword masters… care to guess who the Marine's current number-one swordsman is?"
"…Who?"
Having lived quietly in Shimotsuki Village for years, Koushirou really didn't know.
"My wife," Nao said, smiling faintly. "Gion."
Nao chuckled softly.
"Before I became famous, it was her. After I left the Marine, it was still her."
"Besides her, among those who rule like Emperors over the second half of the Grand Line, there is also a top female powerhouse like Big Mom." Recalling the Emperor's Sword he had severed, Nao shrugged.
"Although her primary fighting method is her Devil Fruit ability, she is also one of the world's most top-tier Great Swordsmen."
"And also…"
Nao pointed toward the sky with a faint smile.
"As much as I hate to admit it, the truth is plain to see — the strongest person in the world right now… is also a woman."
The World's Strongest is also a woman? Isn't it... Whitebeard?
He looked even more confused, but he knew Nao's status and insight far surpassed his own. A man like him had no reason to invent such stories.
"Mr. Koushirou," Nao said, leaning slightly and patting the man on the shoulder with a warm smile.
"To have such an exceptional daughter — if it were me, I'd be smiling in my sleep. As a father, shouldn't you see her as the greatest pride of your life and fully support her dream? Don't you agree?"
The gentle slap seemed to wake Koushirou from the shock of all that information. He lifted his head, a mix of emotions on his face, then sighed heavily in shame.
"I have been ignorant," he admitted softly. "Thank you for the reminder, Mr. White Dragon."
Nao smiled and gave his shoulder another light pat but said nothing more. Straightening up, he turned his gaze back toward Kuina, who was still training diligently in the courtyard under the night sky.
Koushirou lowered his head slightly, lost in thought.
He suddenly realized that although he had never voiced such beliefs in front of Kuina, deep-seated bias always showed itself — through subtle gestures, tones, and expressions.
With her sharp perception, Kuina had probably sensed it long ago. That must be why she had been so hesitant and uneasy during dinner earlier.
He truly would have to change — to completely overturn his old way of thinking and give her his full support.
Yet, a quiet worry crept into his mind: a few years from now, once he'd taught her everything he knew, would his own swordsmanship even be enough to help her anymore?
Then suddenly—
He felt something slip into his arms, cool to the touch. Looking down, he saw a folded letter.
"Mr. White Dragon?" he asked, confused, glancing up at Nao.
"This," Nao said, eyes still fixed on Kuina, "is a personal letter of recommendation from me."
"When Kuina comes of age, have her set out to sea and go to Marine Headquarters. With this letter, she'll be accepted into the elite training camp and become a student of Instructor Zephyr."
"And if, by then, Instructor Zephyr has already retired…"
Nao's tone softened slightly.
"Then tell her to come find me. I'll take her in as my own disciple."
"You'll… personally take her as your disciple?"
Koushirou's whole body trembled; disbelief filled his eyes.
The great White Dragon— the man recognized as the world's number-one swordsman — offering to personally take his daughter as a student? For any swordsman across the seas, that was the highest honor imaginable.
And Kuina…
Koushirou looked at Nao's tall, composed figure. Countless words of gratitude rose to his lips, but in the end, he swallowed them down.
He said nothing more — only bowed deeply to Nao, took a slow breath, and carefully tucked the letter close to his chest with the utmost reverence.
...
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