Bullshit! Keep Bullshitting

"Come on, let's make a promise. Let's set our sights on becoming the World's Greatest Swordsman together."

Zoro was completely caught up in the fervor, so excited he looked like he might pass out at any moment.

Unfortunately, no one shared his enthusiasm.

A cold breeze swept through, and the trees in the woods rustled.

Even Zoro felt a little awkward.

"I never said I wanted to become the World's Greatest Swordsman!"

Dunn stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"If you're learning swordsmanship, don't you want to become the strongest?"

Zoro's eyes widened. He clenched his fist tightly, seeming unable to believe what Dunn had said.

Kuina was curious, too.

"I'm different from you two. You both have firm ambitions, but I don't. Maybe even after you become the World's Greatest Swordsman, I'll still be an insignificant nobody.

"When that happens, if someone gives me trouble, I'll tell them my junior brother or sister is the World's Greatest Swordsman. Then I can eat and drink without paying."

Dunn said with a beaming smile.

Zoro and Kuina looked at him with scorn.

"That's so depraved!"

Zoro said, frustrated that Dunn wasn't living up to his potential, but then he frowned.

"Wait, I'm the senior brother."

Zoro realized his mistake.

"I'm the one who taught you swordsmanship. You should call me senior sister."

Kuina nodded emphatically.

"Look at you two. You're both going to become the World's Greatest Swordsman, yet you're still so petty. It's just a form of address. I'm older than you, so it makes perfect sense to call you my junior brother and sister, right?"

Dunn said with a helpless look.

"Does it?" Zoro scratched his short green hair and looked at Kuina.

"Uh..." Kuina scratched her cheek, but gave no answer.

"Besides, we're so close. It makes perfect sense for me to use your names to get free meals in the future, right?"

Dunn continued.

Zoro and Kuina looked at each other, unsure how to answer.

They felt there was something wrong with Dunn's argument, but couldn't figure out how to refute it.

"Hyah! You sure know how to talk, kid. You've got the two of them all confused."

A voice suddenly rang out, and Dunn whipped around.

Behind a tree in the direction of the dojo, a person with a head bigger than his body stood with half his head peeking out.

"Monster!"

Zoro's eyes nearly popped out of his head.

"Don't say stupid things!"

Dunn slapped Zoro, who had jumped into the air, back down to the ground.

"This man belongs to a special race in the sea: the Big-Head Tribe."

Dunn said with an utterly serious expression.

Zoro looked shocked, while Kuina looked curious.

"So this is one of those strange races from the sea you told us about. He really is unusual."

Kuina sighed in wonder. The sea really was mysterious.

Ivankov, who had been eavesdropping the whole time, was speechless.

Dragon was discussing something with Koshiro, so Ivankov had gone off on his own. He'd heard voices from afar and wandered over, only to catch the conversation between three children.

They had impressive ambition, wanting to become the strongest in the sea, the World's Greatest Swordsman.

Then he'd heard the older one fooling the two younger ones.

And now he'd even made up a race for himself.

"Hyah! Kid, I'm not from the Big-Head Tribe. I'm human."

As Zoro and Kuina watched with curious eyes, Ivankov stepped out and approached them, still speaking.

"How do you know you're not?"

Dunn turned to look at the approaching Ivankov and asked calmly.

"What if your ancestors were? Maybe your race died out over the long years, leaving only you."

Zoro and Kuina nodded repeatedly, finding Dunn's reasoning very convincing.

"Both my parents are human."

Ivankov was taken aback and instinctively argued back.

"That's still possible. Like I said, the Big-Head Tribe nearly died out over the long years. The survivors married humans, hiding their bloodline. Then, in your generation, it reawakened."

Dunn said with an utterly serious expression.

"So that's how it is!"

Zoro said, looking enlightened.

"Don't believe him. He's obviously making it up."

Ivankov was speechless when he saw Zoro actually playing along.

That older kid really could talk. Even Ivankov was starting to believe him.

"You say I'm making it up? Then show me the evidence."

Dunn looked perfectly at ease, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

Kuina and Zoro looked at Ivankov expectantly, clearly hoping he would produce some evidence.

"I... I don't have any evidence."

Ivankov hesitated for a moment, then shook his head.

How could he prove something like that?

"See? Since you have no evidence, that means you could indeed be from the Big-Head Tribe, right?"

Dunn spread his hands.

Ivankov hesitated, then nodded.

"Are you telling me this tribe isn't something you made up? I know a lot about history, and I've never heard of any such group."

Another voice suddenly joined the conversation.

A tall figure in a hooded cloak walked over. His voice was sharp, and his words rang like clashing steel.

Three blood-red question marks hovered over his head.

Dragon!

Dragon, who had come over, was also sizing Dunn up.

After he and Koshiro had finished discussing the food supplies, Koshiro had mentioned a boy who'd recently arrived at Isshin Dojo, a boy with exceptional talent.

Dragon was naturally curious, so he'd come to take a look.

Of course, nothing that happened here had escaped his Observation Haki. He'd watched the two children get fooled, and even Ivankov had been left unsure of himself by Dunn's sophistry.

"Just because you've never heard of it doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

Dunn looked Dragon up and down, lingering a little longer on the shoeprint on his face.

"If you put it that way, you have a point."

Dragon nodded slightly.

"Boss!"

Ivankov looked a little embarrassed.

Dunn was definitely wrong, but Ivankov had no idea how to refute him.

"Have you ever thought about going out to sea?"

Dragon waved Ivankov off, then looked at Dunn and asked.

"Go out to sea? No way."

As soon as Dunn heard that, he shook his head.

Whether Dragon meant leaving now or was trying to recruit him, he had no intention of going.

"So your dream is to wait until the two of them become strong in the sea, then use their fame to eat without paying?"

Dragon chuckled.

He didn't believe that, of course. When they'd gathered food supplies this time, Koshiro had contributed far more than anyone else. The reason, naturally, was that this child named Dunn had provided the money.

"Why not? Zoro, you don't mind, do you?"

As he spoke, Dunn turned to ask Zoro.

Zoro scratched his head.

He actually thought it was wrong.

But thinking about it, once he became the greatest swordsman, it probably wouldn't be a big deal to let his junior brother eat without paying.

"Th-that's fine!"

Zoro nodded.

Dragon's gaze fell on Zoro. He could already tell the green-haired kid had been thoroughly fooled.

"I heard from Koshiro that you're learning how to guide Armament Haki?"