Decision

After walking for a while, they soon returned to the dojo and went back to their respective rooms. As they parted, Locke grabbed Kuina and said, "On the path to becoming strong, men and women are actually the same. Don't let appearances bind you. As long as you work toward your dreams, even if the outcome is less than ideal, you can at least say, 'I have no regrets in this life.'"

Hearing Locke's words, Kuina gave him a serious look before heading toward her room, leaving Locke standing there alone along with the soft "thank you" she had murmured as she turned away.

Watching Kuina disappear into the night, Locke could only sigh helplessly before returning to his own room.

Locke knew his comfort would not help much. This had become Kuina's inner demon, not something he could resolve with a few words. She still had to overcome it herself. All he could do was keep her from meeting the same fate as in the anime, having her life end before it had even begun.

When Locke returned to his room and found that Zoro was not there, he knew the kid had sneaked off to train alone again. Zoro had once made defeating Kuina his goal, but after Locke appeared, there was one more person on that list. To achieve that goal, the kid trained day and night.

Lying on his bed, Locke thought about all sorts of random things and gradually drifted off to sleep.

After parting ways with Locke and the others, Kuina did not return to her room with Carmen. After saying something to Carmen, she headed toward her father's room.

Standing outside the door, Kuina hesitated for a long time before finally knocking.

"Come in!" Koushirou's voice came from inside the room.

When Kuina opened the door, she discovered that Koushirou was not alone. There were also two people in trench coats and hoods, a person with an enormous head whose gender was impossible to discern, and the dojo's physician.

"It's Kuina. Why aren't you asleep yet?" Koushirou asked gently when he saw her enter.

"Father, I have something I want to tell you!"

"Oh? What is it?" Hearing that Kuina had something to discuss, Koushirou stood up, walked over to her, and asked.

Only after Koushirou rose did Kuina notice there was another person in the room: a child covered in injuries, whose wounds the physician was tending to. But Kuina had no mind to pay attention to that now. Looking at her father standing before her, she said, "Father, I want to go out to sea!"

As soon as Kuina spoke those words, everyone who had not paid much attention to this side of the room immediately turned to look at her.

"Why?" Koushirou did not become agitated or anything. He merely looked at Kuina calmly and asked.

"I want to go out to sea to find the legendary Devil Fruit, or find someone who can turn women into men. Then Father won't dislike me for being a girl, and I'll be able to become the world's greatest swordsman." After saying that, Kuina looked at her father, her eyes filled with determination.

When Kuina said she wanted to find someone who could turn women into men, Dragon and Kuma, who had been watching her, turned to look at the person with the especially large head.

Koushirou did not look over. Instead, he looked at Kuina seriously and said, "Are you serious?"

"Yes!"

"Then go back for now. I'll make arrangements." With that, he turned away.

Looking at her father's back, Kuina bowed and left the room, heading toward her own room.

After Kuina left, Dragon walked over and patted Koushirou on the shoulder.

"Ah, it seems I've been too strict with her all this time," Koushirou sighed as he looked at Dragon beside him.

"Kids always have ideas of their own. There's nothing strange about that."

"Then I'll have to entrust my daughter to you."

"You've already helped us a great deal. It's only right that we do something for you, but..." Dragon hesitated as he spoke.

"What is it?" Koushirou asked, looking at the hesitant Dragon.

"We are the Revolutionary Army, after all. If people learn of your relationship with us, the Marines won't let you off."

"However, I do have a way to avoid that. I just don't know whether you're willing."

"What way?"

"Like this..."

After hearing Dragon's plan, Koushirou sighed and said helplessly, "It seems this is the only way."

The next day arrived quickly. As usual, Locke began morning training with Zoro, Carmen, and the others. Strangely, Kuina, who was usually already at the training grounds when they arrived, did not appear today.

They asked Carmen, who shared a room with her, but got no answer. Locke began to feel vaguely uneasy. That little girl didn't do something foolish after hearing what I said, did she? If she did, my sin would be huge.

With that thought, Locke began searching the dojo. But no matter how hard he searched, he could not find her. Even after dinner, when Carmen clamored to watch Naruto, there was still no sign of Kuina.

It seemed he would have to search the village tomorrow and see if he could find any clues.

But when the third day arrived, Kuina appeared at the morning training grounds again, looking as though nothing had happened. Upon seeing Kuina once more, Zoro launched his two-thousandth challenge.

When night fell again, Zoro faced his two-thousand-and-first challenge. Locke, who had been hiding nearby and watching everything, realized that the scene was indeed exactly the same as what he had seen in the anime.

That night, Locke did not even sleep. He hid directly outside Kuina's room, afraid that something might happen to her the next morning and that he would not be nearby in time to save her.

When the moon hung high in the sky and the stars glittered overhead, Locke, hidden nearby, heard footsteps approaching.

Locke looked toward the sound and saw several dark figures walking this way. When they came closer, he realized they were Dragon of the Revolutionary Army, Koushirou, and the others.

Not long after they arrived at the door, it opened from within, and Kuina appeared in the doorway carrying her luggage.

Looking at his daughter, Koushirou asked again, "Have you truly made up your mind?"

Kuina said nothing. She merely looked at him with a face full of determination.

"Very well. Then let's go!"

With that, he led Kuina, Dragon, and the others toward the exit of the dojo. When they passed where Locke was hiding, he stopped. Kuina, following behind, was confused.

"Come out. You're coming with us too!" Koushirou said toward Locke's hiding place.

Hearing his master say that, Locke knew he had been discovered. He could only scratch his head and emerge before them with an embarrassed look.

"Well, aren't you a handsome young man!" the big-headed person said upon seeing Locke.

Locke did not answer. He simply walked over to Koushirou's side.

"I..."

Locke had just wanted to explain why he was there when Koushirou cut him off. "All right, there's no need to explain. Come with us!"

Locke could only swallow the words he had prepared and obediently followed behind Koushirou and the others as they started walking again.

As for Dragon, he merely gave Locke a deep look when he appeared, said nothing, and continued onward.

Keeping his head lowered, Locke obediently followed behind. He slowly shifted his position until he came alongside Kuina, who had been staring at him ever since he appeared.

"Where are we going?" Locke whispered after coming to Kuina's side.