Uneasy

A day later.

"My lord, we've arrived!!"

"Mm, I can see that!"

Shimotsuki Village was a village that belonged to no country. It had only been established thirteen years ago; thirteen years earlier, this place had no name, only villagers who had fled here to escape hardship and settled down.

Later, Koshiro Shimotsuki arrived and opened the Shimotsuki Dojo, and the village gained its name: Shimotsuki Village.

No wonder Smoker had never heard of it. Shimotsuki Village had no dealings with the Navy. After all, there was a Great Swordsman in this village; all the pirates in the East Blue combined might not be enough for him to cut down.

Merchants, however, knew of the village, because Shimotsuki Village had an enormous demand for food and needed to work with many businesses.

As for why Shimotsuki Village needed so much food...

They were supporting a Revolutionary Army. How could they not need food?

"Let's get off here!" Seeing that the ship was about to reach shore, Zhou Qi said to the captain, "We'll make the rest of the way ourselves!"

"Yes!" The captain nodded. "Then shall I lower the small boat?"

"No need!" Zhou Qi walked to the edge of the deck and took a step forward. A Space Gate had already appeared beneath his feet.

On the other side of the gate was a floor covered in colorful little stones.

He took another step, and another Space Gate opened.

It was still that same floor.

Tashigi followed while clutching her sword, curiously looking at the floor beneath her feet. "It can be used like this too?"

"Of course..." Zhou Qi smiled. "After getting this ability, I came up with plenty of cool ways to use it! I even bought a dry ice machine. I'll turn it on now!"

"Dry ice?" Tashigi froze, then watched Zhou Qi reach into the Space Gate. A click sounded, and cool mist began to drift from the floor beneath their feet.

As they walked, clouds and mist swirled around them, as though they were in a fairyland.

"This..." Tashigi blinked. "Does this dry ice have some special effect?"

"It looks cool!" Zhou Qi explained as though it were only natural. "Don't you think it feels like we're flying above the clouds when we walk like this? Being strong only matters for a while. Looking cool matters for a lifetime!"

"Uh..." Tashigi scratched her head. How should she put it? It did look quite nice, and it really did not seem to serve any practical purpose.

But she was a girl, after all, and would not reject beautiful things. She merely asked curiously, "But doesn't this make it impossible to see where you're stepping? What if you step into empty air?"

"I've practiced this move for a long time. Nothing will go wrong!" Zhou Qi said. "Just relax!"

"Okay!" Even so, Tashigi walked carefully, afraid that one careless step would send her falling.

But as she walked, she gradually got used to it. After all, twelve square meters was quite spacious.

The two descended from the ship, first stepping down onto the sea, then making their way step by step to the beach.

"This is so fun..." Only when her feet touched the sand did Tashigi realize that the mist had ended.

She was rather reluctant to let it go. After all, how many people could walk across the sea?

"There'll be plenty of chances in the future!" Zhou Qi smiled. "Later, I'll buy a motorcycle, and we can race across the sea..."

"Ah, you can do that too?" Tashigi asked excitedly.

"Not yet!" Zhou Qi shook his head. Twelve square meters was enough for walking, but if they raced, they would shoot out of the space in the blink of an eye. He would not have time to react.

He still needed more practice, or perhaps he needed to wait until the gate became larger.

"Okay!" Tashigi nodded, though she was already looking forward to it.

"Who are you people!" A voice suddenly rang out from the far end of the beach. Then, a thick-browed, large-eyed youth wearing Shimotsuki Dojo clothes and holding a bamboo sword emerged from the woods.

The next second, he saw Tashigi and instantly raised a hand in shock. "Ku-Kuina?"

"Huh? Are you calling me?" Tashigi blinked, but the youth had already rushed over. "Senior Sister, where have you been these past two years? I knew you couldn't possibly be dead!"

"Huh?" Tashigi hurriedly hid behind Zhou Qi. "Qi-kun, what is he talking about?"

"Looks like you resemble someone he knows?" Zhou Qi said with a smile.

"Resemble?" The youth froze, hastily took two steps back, and looked Tashigi over again.

They did indeed look very alike, but there were still major differences, such as their temperaments.

Because Kuina had practiced swordsmanship all year round, she possessed a sharp aura. Yet because her father had never thought highly of her, that sharpness carried a trace of repression.

And Tashigi?

Though she was not nearsighted yet and did not wear glasses, her naturally scatterbrained personality gave her a rather muddled air.

"You're not Kuina?" The youth found it hard to accept.

"I really don't know anyone named Kuina. My name is Tashigi, and I'm from Loguetown..."

"We are residents of Loguetown. We heard that someone here teaches swordsmanship. Both of us pursue the way of the sword, so we came specifically to study under a master..." Zhou Qi interrupted Tashigi. After all, Koshiro was with the Revolutionary Army. If he learned Tashigi was a Marine, many things would become inconvenient.

"Ah, yes..." Tashigi did not know why Zhou Qi had interrupted her, but since Zhou Qi had said so, she naturally followed his lead.

"Is that so!" The youth was somewhat dejected, since the newcomers were not Kuina. "Come with me. I'll take you to see Master..."

With that, he turned and walked away.

"Then we'll trouble you!" Zhou Qi nodded, then asked, "By the way, what is your name?"

"My name is Boron. I'm a villager of Shimotsuki Village and also a student of the Shimotsuki Dojo..." the youth said.

"How long have you been learning swordsmanship?" Zhou Qi asked.

"Uh, about seven years!" Boron replied. "I became a disciple at nine, and I'm sixteen this year!"

"Then you must be very strong!" Zhou Qi praised.

"Not at all!" Boron hurriedly waved his hands. "My strength is completely mediocre in the dojo. I haven't even completed the most basic Suburi training yet!"

"Huh?" Zhou Qi was startled. "Suburi, for nine years?"

"Yes!" When Boron mentioned this, his tone became somewhat despondent. "Maybe I'm simply not suited for swordsmanship. I've practiced for so many years, yet I'm still near the bottom of the dojo. After the New Year, I'll have to return home. This is my final year at the dojo!"

Zhou Qi and Tashigi fell silent, not knowing how to comfort him.

Tashigi was fine. Zhou Qi knew she had decent talent, but what about himself...

Can I really make something of myself in swordsmanship?

Though he possessed indestructible Space Threads, his love for swordsmanship was genuine as well.

If he ended up like Boron, unable to achieve anything after eight or nine years of practice...

"I believe in you!" Tashigi seemed to sense something and gently took Zhou Qi's hand.

Zhou Qi's heart stirred slightly. I don't even believe in myself!

At that moment, he had no mood to appreciate how soft the girl's hand was. He was more worried about his uncertain future.

Twenty minutes later, the two had arrived at the Shimotsuki Dojo.

"Wait here for a moment. I'll go tell Master!"

"Thank you!" Seeing that Zhou Qi had kept his head down without speaking, Tashigi could only thank him herself.

"It-it's nothing!" The country youth's face immediately turned red, and he hurriedly jogged into the dojo.

Soon, Koshiro emerged from the dojo. He wore glasses and a ponytail, dressed in a plain robe, and had an unremarkable demeanor, like a village schoolteacher.

Ignoring the utterly ordinary Zhou Qi, he looked directly at Tashigi, his gaze trembling.

She looked so much like her, far too much like her. She was practically Kuina's grown-up reflection!

Unfortunately, he knew that Kuina was truly dead. He had buried her with his own hands.

She was merely a similar flower.

With a sigh, Koshiro calmed himself and said, "You're here to become disciples? Come in!"