She was still staring at Noah when Zoro started protesting indignantly.
"They're not weird moves! Mr. Noah taught me all of them, and they're really strong, okay? It's just, it's just..."
"It's just that you're too stupid. You only learned the bare basics without grasping the essence, yet you thought your strength had soared and came to challenge me full of confidence."
Kuina glanced at him and finished the sentence for him. "Right?"
"I-I..."
Zoro's face instantly flushed red. He mumbled for ages without managing to say a word.
He was extremely annoyed, but he could not find any reason to argue back.
Kuina then turned her gaze back to Noah. She hesitated, wavered, and seemed to have some misgivings... Yet after a long while, she still could not bring herself to speak. Biting her lip, she lowered her head and absentmindedly stirred the miso soup in her bowl with a spoon.
"What is it?"
Noah saw through the girl's inner conflict and smiled gently.
"Anyway, I'm staying at the dojo for the night and won't be leaving until tomorrow. We have plenty of time. If you want to learn, I can teach you too."
The girl's body trembled. She abruptly raised her head, revealing a delicate face filled with both surprise and delight.
"R-Really?"
"Of course."
Noah took a sip of the dojo's homemade sake and smiled. "But your father is your teacher, and he's right here. If I teach you, it might seem like I'm overstepping my bounds. You should ask for his opinion first."
She had to ask Father...
Kuina instinctively turned her head, her eyes filled with anticipation, pleading, and a hint of unease...
"Mr. White Dragon is too polite."
Koushirou pushed up his glasses and smiled.
"You are the world's greatest Great Swordmaster. If not