"Are you outsiders?"
Kuina did not reveal the reason for her crying.
With her strong personality.
She was unwilling to show her vulnerable side.
"Why do you avoid the reason for your crying? Stand up. Crying is merely a sign of weakness; it changes nothing. Instead of crying here, it's better to face the problem directly. If you don't even dare to express the reason for your crying, what can you accomplish? You can only be a coward."
A blunt voice escaped Belo Betty's lips.
It left Kuina stunned on the spot.
She stared blankly at Belo Betty.
Kevin looked at Belo Betty speechlessly.
You need to remember, you don't have the Motivate Fruit right now.
How have you survived until now with that mouth of yours?
"What do you know!!!" Kuina glared angrily at Belo Betty: "I just want to become the world's strongest swordsman, what's wrong with that? Why is everyone discouraging me, refusing to acknowledge me, even my father told me to give up, saying that women, due to physical limitations, can't become great swordsmen!"
Belo Betty was about to speak.
Kevin shot her a look.
He knew she meant well, and was even very useful, but for a young girl, being too direct could be emotionally damaging.
Belo Betty closed her mouth, feeling wronged.
Kevin looked at the agitated Kuina and said softly, "If a dream is denied by loved ones, does it cease to be a dream? Instead of getting caught up in others' denials, why not prove it with action?"
"But, but..."
Kuina bit her lip.
Being denied by her loved ones certainly saddened her, but more than that, she herself had begun to doubt herself.
She started to believe.
That due to women's physical limitations, she couldn't become a great swordsman.
"You're not a woman, you wouldn't understand."
Kuina glanced at Kevin.
She also saw the blade at his waist.
She felt a little envious, envious of Kevin's status as a man.
"But I believe women can also become strong; all my companions are women." Kevin pointed to the women.
Kuina looked over curiously.
They really were all women.
"Are they strong?" Kuina expressed doubt.
"Gion."
Gion lightly drew her sword and made a single slash.
The blade returned to its sheath.
In front of them, a massive rock weighing tens of tons silently split open, cut smoothly and cleanly.
Kuina felt her entire world collapse.
"Stussy."
"Yes, my Captain."
Stussy extended her finger, aiming at a large tree hundreds of meters away: "Flying Finger Pistol!"
A crescent-shaped energy blast shot out.
With a loud bang, the tree hundreds of meters away was cut in half.
"Do you still need to see more?"
The dumbfounded Kuina shook her small head foolishly.
Her training.
It was still at the lowest level of swordsmanship.
She had never seen such powerful techniques from Gion and Stussy, abilities that could cause immense destruction with a casual move, completely overturning Kuina's understanding of strength.
"Are you really women?"
Kuina stared foolishly at Gion and Stussy.
Could they be monsters in disguise?
She hadn't seen them exert any effort, yet they could cause such destruction; if they went all out, Kuina didn't even dare to imagine how terrifying it would be.
"The Captain knows that very well." Stussy's words had a hidden meaning.
Kuina looked at them excitedly.
"Can you tell me how to become strong? I want to be as strong as you."
"Then are you willing to witness the journey where you women yourselves step onto the pinnacle?"
Kevin extended his right hand.
He directly issued an invitation.
From his previous experiences of recruiting people.
Kevin had discovered.
Women of the sea are no less bold than men; there's no need for so many twists and turns, just be direct.
"Me?"
Kuina pointed at herself in disbelief: "Can I?"
"You can!"
The gaze of recognition and belief.
It filled Kuina's heart with endless strength.
Unconsciously, she placed her small hand in Kevin's palm.
"Let's go, we'll see your father. If I'm taking you out to sea, your father needs to know."
Kevin stood up.
He looked towards the dojo in the distance.
....
"Uh... are you a Swordsman?" Kuina looked up at Gion.
Gion's casual swing of her sword had captivated her.
"Call me Gion, and yes, I suppose I am a Swordsman."
"Then Gion, you must be from the Grand Line. Are you the Strongest Swordsman?" The Strongest Swordsman represented Kuina's lifelong dream.
"No," Gion shook her head.
"Ah, Gion, you're so strong, and you're still not?" Kuina was very surprised: "Then who is?"
"Currently, the famous Swordsmen in the sea include Red-Haired Shanks and Hawkeye Mihawk, but the Strongest Swordsman can only be our captain." Gion's eyes were filled with love and pride as she gazed at Kevin's back.
"The captain is the Strongest Swordsman?"
Kuina's mouth hung open.
She looked at Kevin excitedly.
"Not yet, but eventually." The last time didn't count as defeating Red-Haired Shanks, and he hadn't fought Hawkeye Mihawk yet, so it didn't count.
"Then Captain, can I learn swordsmanship from you?" Kuina asked.
"Of course, I look forward to you surpassing me in swordsmanship."
Kuina excitedly clenched her small fists, unable to resist swinging them a few times.
Eleventh member: Apprentice Pirate: Kuina [Non-ability user, Swordsman, Combat Power: 689.]
At the age of ten.
She had nearly seven hundred combat power.
This was uncommon.
It made Kevin look forward to Kuina's future growth even more.
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