"Is it really possible for there to be female Great Swordsmen? My father always said that a woman can never truly become one. He says that for a girl, practicing the way of the sword is nothing but a waste of time."
Qiu Xia didn't immediately answer the girl's latest worry. Instead, he looked her in the eye and asked, "My name is Qiu Xia. Might I ask yours?"
"I'm Kuina!"
"Kuina, tell me something. Does your father truly know every famous Great Swordsman in this world? Does he even know about the ones who live in the shadows, hidden from the public eye?"
Hearing this, Kuina shook her head slowly. "My father might know some of the great ones, but certainly not all of them."
"If that's the case, how can you be so sure his perspective is the absolute truth? It's true that most girls lack the raw physical strength of boys, but they often surpass them in flexibility and agility. Therefore, the focus of their training should be entirely different. If your father says you can't become a Great Swordsman, it only proves he lacks the methods to train you properly."
Qiu Xia paused for a moment before continuing. "Let me tell you something else. In the New World, the Great Pirate Charlotte Linlin is a Great Swordsman in her own rightand she is very much a woman. Then there's Gion, also known as Momousagi in the Marines; she is a master swordswoman who may very well reach the rank of Great Swordsman in just a few years."
"I don't know exactly what methods they used to reach those heights, but as for the strength gap you mentioned, there are many ways to solve it. The simplest way is to eat a Devil Fruit."
"A Devil Fruit? What is that?" While many knew of their existence, the common folk were largely ignorant of the specifics. After all, those who possessed such powers weren't prone to spreading the secret. It was the reason why someone like Robin was treated as a monster when she first displayed her powers.
"Devil Fruits are the secret treasures of the sea. they are categorized into three types: Zoan, Paramecia, and Logia. Zoan types are further divided into Normal, Ancient, and Mythical species. Normal Zoans are the most common and have lower potential; eating one often just gives you a weakness to seawater without much gain.
Ancient Species allow the user to transform into creatures from the distant past, like sabertooth tigers or dinosaurs. Finally, there are the Mythical Zoans, the rarest and most precious of the animal types."
"Mythical Zoans are so incredibly rare that their value often exceeds even the Logia types. They grant powers associated with deities, buddhas, or mythical beasts. For example, the current Marine Fleet Admiral uses a Zoan fruit, the Human-Human Fruit, Model: Buddha. Then there is Kaidou, one of the Four Great Pirates; he possesses the Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon."
"Paramecia types grant the user superhuman abilities. The prime representative is the world's strongest man, Whitebeard, Edward Newgate. His power comes from the Paramecia-type Tremor-Tremor Fruit. Charlotte Linlin, the female Great Swordsman I mentioned,
holds the Soul-Soul Fruit. And then there's the flying pirate, Shiki the Golden Lion... He is also a dual-wielding Great Swordsman, and his power comes from the Float-Float Fruit."
"Compared to Zoan and Paramecia types, which require significant development, Logia types grant incredible power the moment they are consumed. They allow for elementization.
Without the use of Armament Haki or Sea Prism Stone, it is virtually impossible to even touch a Logia user while they are in that state. Aside from Mythical Zoans, Logia fruits are the most coveted treasures on the ocean."
"However, everything has its drawbacks. While Logia types provide instant strength, pushing them to their limit and achieving 'Awakening' is no easy task. Currently, the most famous Logia users are the Three Marine Admirals: Akainu with the Magma-Magma Fruit,
Aokiji with the Ice-Ice Fruit, and Kizaru with the Glint-Glint Fruit. They are masters of their elements, but whether they have reached Awakening is a secret kept strictly within the Marines."
Qiu Xia paused again, watching Kuina's reaction. "So, if you want to solve your problem yourself, you have two choices: either research and create a style of swordsmanship specifically suited for a woman's body, or find a Devil Fruit."
Kuina fell into deep thought. Developing her own style or finding a Devil Fruit... The former required a level of mastery she hadn't reached yet, and the latter felt impossible. She was too young to roam the seas in search of hidden treasures, and she doubted her father could help. Despite being the master of a dojo, he was just a man living in a small village, and Devil Fruits were legendary treasures.
As she weighed her options, Kuina remembered something Qiu Xia had mentioned earlier. Her eyes lit up. "You said your master had met a female Sword Immortal before. Does he know how she trained? Could you take me to meet him?"
Qiu Xia shook his head. "I'm afraid I have to disappoint you. My master is not in this world."
Kuina's head dropped in disappointment. When Qiu Xia said Uncle Jiu was "not in this world," he meant it literallythat he was in a different universe. However, Kuina took it to mean he had passed away. She felt a profound sense of loss. Was her only path really to struggle with a self-created style or hope for a miracle fruit?
Developing a new style was a daunting road, and by the time she succeeded, Roronoa Zoro would likely have surpassed her. She didn't want to waste a single moment, and she certainly didn't want to be overtakenespecially not by the boy who was currently her subordinate in the dojo.
Seeing her dejection, Qiu Xia thought for a moment and said, "Although my master isn't here, I do know a fair bit about swordsmanship myself. I can pass some techniques on to you, though I can't say for sure how much they will help..."
Kuina's eyes snapped back to his, shining with hope. "You know swordsmanship too?"
Qiu Xia didn't waste words. He stepped toward her and raised his hand. "Close your eyes and empty your mind. I will transmit these techniques to you."
Like a drowning person grasping at a straw, Kuina followed his instructions without hesitation. Suddenly, images and scrolls of text began to flood her mind. The sheer volume of information was overwhelming; her consciousness buckled under the weight, and she slumped forward, losing consciousness.
"It seems there's a limit to how much a mind can take," Qiu Xia muttered to himself. "I'll have to seal the rest away, just like I did with Nami and Nojiko. It will unlock bit by bit as her capacity grows." He turned his gaze toward the shadows. "You arrived at the perfect time. Why don't you take your daughter back home?"
As his voice trailed off, a lean middle-aged man wearing frog-like glasses stepped out from the darkness. His expression was grave as he looked at Qiu Xia. "Who are you, and what have you done to Kuina?"
"Just a passerby passing on a bit of sword craft. Are you going to take her, or are you just going to stand there? Aren't you afraid someone might try to steal away your precious little cabbage?"
Koushirou went silent, his face twitching. Just how old is this brat to be talking like that? He had to admit, the "threat" was effective. He was indeed worried. You little punk, you just wait. Once I get my daughter home, I'm coming back to settle this score.
With a dark expression, Koushirou picked up his daughter and hurried back toward the dojo. After ensuring she was safe and tucked into bed, he grabbed his sword and sprinted back to the mountain. He found the "little brat" who had knocked out his daughter lying casually on a rock, lazily admiring the starry night sky.
"Why did you knock Kuina out? And what did you mean by 'passing on sword techniques'?"
Qiu Xia didn't answer directly. Instead, he looked at Koushirou and said, "Kuina told me you claimed there are no female Great Swordsmen in this world. Why don't you go tell that to Charlotte Linlin?"
Hearing that name, Koushirou's face darkened even further. He knew exactly who Charlotte Linlin wasa terrifying Empress of the New World with an indestructible body. People called her the "Iron Balloon."
She possessed a devastating Devil Fruit and, despite it not being her primary focus, was indeed a master of the blade. To tell her she wasn't a swordsman would be a suicide mission. He wasn't tired of living just yet.
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