Lu Yue spoke with a sweet smile. She needed to persuade Kuina right now, and besides, she wasn't wrong.
Especially after Kuina finished listening, she was immediately astonished and enlightened.
That's right. The pirates she had encountered and dealt with were not real pirates at all, but merely a group of degenerates.
And a real pirate should be exactly as Lu Yue had just described.
Becoming a true powerhouse, sailing and adventuring freely on the sea, enjoying battle, and savoring the pleasure that comes from overcoming all difficulties.
Furthermore, if her strength was sufficient and she gained fame—for instance, as the world's strongest swordsman—would any short-sighted Marines or Bounty Hunters still dare to look for trouble?
No, unless they were truly fools. Otherwise, the only people who would seek trouble with a powerhouse would have to be another powerhouse, or someone of great renown.
Therefore, being a pirate wasn't as terrible as she had imagined. Moreover, she already knew that Zoro had gone to become a pirate, and he was following a decent and interesting captain. She had heard that the captain's style was quite similar to what Lu Yue was describing now.
"Alright, but let's put aside everything else for now. Why did you choose me? I just nearly died at the hands of a small-time pirate from the East Blue. I am hardly worthy of a powerhouse like you, who can destroy a group of pirates with a single blow."
"When I was young, my father did tell me that I was a strong-willed girl and that I truly possessed sword talent, but look at me now... I'm utterly useless."
Kuina asked the next question, but her words contained a hint of self-mockery. After speaking, she couldn't help but let out a bitter smile.
After all, if she were to encounter Zoro, whom she used to be able to suppress, she would probably be defeated in just a few moves.
Thinking of this, Lu Yue could tell that Kuina's confidence seemed to have been severely shaken.
This instantly made her purse her lips, and after taking a deep breath, she spoke.
"That is because your father's vision is too narrow. Just because your stamina and strength are lacking, does that mean you can't be a female Great Swordsman, or compete for the throne of the world's strongest swordsman?"
"That is simply because the path you have been pursuing is not the one truly suited for you. You are currently straying further and further down the wrong road, which is what led to your current predicament."
Hearing this, Kuina immediately raised her head, her eyes wide, her cherry lips slightly parted, and she couldn't help but ask in confusion.
"My path is wrong?"
"That's right. Swordsmanship in this world isn't solely limited to styles focused on stamina and strength. For instance, in my view, why can't you pursue a speed-attack style? Wield the sword in your hand at extreme speed, giving your opponent no chance to breathe, attacking frantically, seeking weaknesses, and delivering a fatal strike."
"Sometimes women are even more flexible and meticulous than men. Knowing you are not suited for a path, yet walking further and further down it—it would be better to realize this sooner and find a suitable path to follow. You have truly been delayed for too long, Kuina."
Lu Yue nodded first, and then she proposed an alternative route for Kuina—the route she believed to be the most correct.
She also explained its characteristics, noting that this was the best path for a normal woman if she truly wished to become a Great Swordsman.
For her final sentence, Lu Yue looked at Kuina with an examining gaze and spoke.
"Are you saying... I'm too late?" Although Kuina somewhat understood what she heard, it sounded as if she was already too late and doomed, causing her to offer a bitter smile tinged with despair.
"Under normal circumstances, that would indeed be the case. However, since you met me, things are different. How about this: if you agree to become my crew member, I will give you a great opportunity that can instantly change you, correct the mistakes of all these years, and make you stronger. What do you say?"
Lu Yue spoke, her eyes showing sincerity. At the same time, it was obvious that they had now reached the main topic.
"Really? Can you actually do that? That sounds so miraculous. You're not lying to me, are you?" Hearing that she still had hope, sparks immediately flashed in Kuina's eyes again, but realizing the matter was too incredible, she spoke with a hint of disbelief.
"Please, I have no reason to lie to you. Otherwise, why would I have saved you and brought you here? The opportunity is in my hands now. You have a chance to try it. What's the harm in trying? You have nothing to lose anyway. If I fail, you can leave whenever you want; I absolutely won't stop you."
"Fine, I agree to become your crew member, but if you fail, I will leave the ship." Hearing this, Kuina trusted Lu Yue and immediately agreed.
And just as she finished speaking, at that very moment, inside Lu Yue's mind...
"Ding! Congratulations, host, for completing the mission. You have obtained the demon blade thousand blades and the Shadow Assassin Qi Memory Inheritance."
Lu Yue smiled slightly upon hearing the System's voice. She then immediately saw what she had extracted from her own system space. She stretched out both hands, palms facing down. In her right hand was a special orb of light, and in her left hand, she held a long saber.
The saber was about 1.6 meters long, with a black hilt and a half-blade. There were blue stripes on the blade, revealing the pattern of a malevolent spirit.
But Lu Yue knew this was the demon blade thousand blades, the weapon of Scissor Seven.
In the anime world she came from, it was also a famous blade.
As for the orb of light in her other hand, it was clearly the Shadow Assassin Qi Memory Inheritance.
A memory inheritance from a top-tier assassin and swordsman, and it was related to combat.
"What are these? How did you take them out?" Kuina couldn't help but ask curiously, while also being amazed that Lu Yue could produce objects instantly.
"Oh, I am a Devil Fruit User. You know about Devil Fruit, right?" Lu Yue planned to explain the gliza template ability as a Devil Fruit.
But she had to first ask if Kuina actually knew about Devil Fruit, since this was the East Blue, where very few people knew about Devil Fruit and Haki.
"I've heard my father mention this. He also warned me not to eat it if I wanted to become a true Great Swordsman, and I heard it tastes terrible, like eating... that kind of stuff."
"It is a treasure of the sea. After eating it, you can gain special abilities, divided into three types: Paramecia, Zoan, and Logia Type. All three types have their own characteristics. Generally, the stronger ones are the Logia Type and the Mythical Zoan within the Zoan type, especially the latter. However, after eating it, it is said you will be cursed, and contact with seawater and Sea Stone will make your body weak."
Wow, Kuina essentially described the detailed situation of the Devil Fruit completely, leaving even Lu Yue momentarily stunned.
Wow, she truly is the 'favorite daughter' level. Genzo even told her this kind of knowledge. In contrast, Zoro did not receive this.
Otherwise, during the encounter in Shells Town, he wouldn't have been so shocked to see Luffy bounce bullets off his rubber body.
But that was fine; it saved her the trouble of explaining. She then continued speaking.
"This is the demon blade thousand blades. It is a demonic blade. You could also regard it as a cursed sword, but a demonic blade is more mysterious and powerful than a cursed sword; it is another kind of special blade."
"The blade is composed of 1,000 fragments. It can change shape according to the wielder's will, attacking enemies in different ways. 'Attack only, never defend; unmatched in the world'—it is the most offensive weapon. But if you don't know how to use it, it is an extremely fragile, broken blade."
Lu Yue introduced the demon blade thousand blades to Kuina, instantly making her understand what a demonic blade was, along with its special abilities and power.
This left Kuina dumbfounded, finding it unbelievable that such a blade actually existed in this world.
How was something so miraculous forged?
She immediately took it from Lu Yue's hand, who did not try to stop her. Drawing the sheath, she saw that it was indeed composed of fragments. If no one had told her, she would have thought the fragments were glued together piece by piece.
But upon careful touch and observation—possessing top-tier sword talent, coupled with being born into the Shimotsuki Family, the former number one swordsmith and powerful samurai family of Wano Country...
Kuina realized that this was absolutely a good blade, but it was only truly a good blade in the hands of a genuinely gifted and powerful Great Swordsman.
Otherwise, it really would be nothing more than a broken piece of junk made of fragments, held in the hands of a useless person.
But suddenly, an astonishing scene occurred. The demon blade thousand blades emitted a dazzling, eye-catching purple light.
The fragments on it—small, copper blade tips—floated out and circled around Kuina.
The malevolent spirit pattern on the blade also continuously emitted a soul-stirring blue light.
"Was I acknowledged?" Seeing this scene, Kuina naturally recognized that she had been acknowledged, and it seemed she had gained the right to use this blade.
"That's right. It was by your sword talent and strong will."
Lu Yue smiled and said that she knew Kuina would definitely be recognized by the demon blade thousand blades.
"Oh, and here. This is a memory orb. Inside are the sword memories and combat inheritance of a top Great Swordsman who was once famous throughout this sea. Moreover, his fighting style is the speed-attack style I just mentioned. Just crush it, and the relevant memories will be injected into your mind."
Lu Yue spoke once more, simultaneously handing over the orb of light.
"There's actually such a magical thing," Kuina said, looking at her again with surprise.
But at the same time, she wondered if gaining power this way was truly good.
Especially since this inherited memory was too much of a shortcut, and furthermore, this wasn't her own swordsmanship, but someone else's.
Seemingly noticing the worries in her heart, Lu Yue immediately offered a bitter smile and explained.
"Oh, come on, isn't this instant boost what you wanted? Just regard the Great Swordsman memory inside this inheritance orb as a Great Swordsman teacher guiding you. Now you are about to learn all his swordsmanship, techniques, and combat experience. You can just consider him your master in name. Oh, right, his name is Shadow Assassin Qi."