Koshiro had wanted to say more, but after thinking it over, decided against it.
Lin Mo looked at Kuina speechlessly.
He had only come to say goodbye.
That was all.
How did I end up being challenged again...?
After a moment of silence.
Lin Mo had no intention of accepting the challenge.
"Ten years." Lin Mo stared into Kuina's eyes and continued, "Let's have our duel ten years from now. Once you're stronger, come find me in the New World."
With that, Lin Mo did not linger. He turned and left Isshin Dojo.
Kuina stood rooted to the spot.
Koshiro smiled and stroked her hair. "Before the formal duel, work hard to become stronger."
"Father." Kuina looked at Koshiro. "Didn't you say girls couldn't become the World's Greatest Swordsman? Do you think I have a chance of defeating Lin Mo?"
"Who can say what the future holds?" Koshiro replied with a smile. "Kuina, you have to understand that your father isn't narrow-minded or limited in his thinking. You're my daughter. Out of selfishness, I actually don't want you to put yourself in danger by fighting others just to become the greatest. I hope you can stay by my side and grow up healthy and happy like an ordinary girl."
"Father, then... then what you said that day wasn't what you really felt?" Kuina's eyes flickered.
Koshiro smiled. "Of course it wasn't."
"Then why are you...?"
"I've come to understand it these past few days." Koshiro continued, "If I kept stopping you despite how desperately hard you're working, wouldn't that make me a sinner?"
"Father, thank you." Kuina broke into a smile through her tears. The weight that had hung over her heart these past few days finally lifted. "Father, I want to discuss something with you."
"Mm. Go ahead."
"I want to surpass Lin Mo, so please teach me the Swordsmanship that can make me stronger."
Kuina's gaze was resolute.
"All right." Koshiro agreed without hesitation.
Just then, Zoro returned.
Seeing Kuina and Master Koshiro standing by the dojo entrance, he asked curiously, "Kuina, Teacher, what are you doing here?"
Kuina immediately spotted Wado Ichimonji hanging at Zoro's waist. She froze, then asked incredulously, "How did Wado Ichimonji end up with you?"
"Lin Mo gave it to me." Zoro answered, "I challenged him just now. Although I lost, he also guided me on the sword technique I invented—the move I used to draw with you. Lin Mo is seriously incredible. He gave me a few pointers, and the power of that move increased by at least two times. I broke a sword while testing it, and then he gave me Wado Ichimonji."
After a brief pause, Zoro continued, "I don't know why he gave Wado Ichimonji to me either. Maybe it was because I broke one of my swords, so he gave it to me."
Kuina gritted her teeth, furious.
Koshiro looked at Zoro thoughtfully.
Zoro scratched the back of his head and let out a silly laugh.
Koshiro spoke up. "Lin Mo isn't someone who acts on a whim. Since he gave Wado Ichimonji to you, it means you've earned his recognition."
"What?" Zoro exclaimed. "Really? Lin Mo... really recognizes me?"
"Hmph!" Kuina said unhappily. "Must be nice. That guy fought you and even gave you pointers before leaving, and he actually gave you a sword, too. Zoro, don't get cocky. I'm not giving up on Wado Ichimonji. I'll take it back with my strength. Ten years from now, I'll definitely defeat Lin Mo before you do!"
"Huh? Ten years from now?" Zoro asked in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't tell me you didn't know Lin Mo was leaving."
"Eh?" Zoro was shocked. "What? He's leaving? When? Why didn't he tell me?"
Kuina froze. "He said he told you."
"When did he...?" Before he could finish, Zoro suddenly remembered what Lin Mo had said before their duel. His expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly asked, "He only left a short while ago, right?"
Kuina nodded.
Without another word, Zoro immediately sprinted toward the docks.
"Go on." Koshiro lightly patted Kuina's back. "You should go see Lin Mo off, too."
Kuina hesitated, then chased after him.
Shimotsuki Village was not far from the docks.
Lin Mo reached the docks after walking for about ten minutes.
He found the Small Boat he had previously left by the shore.
Lin Mo boarded the boat and untied the rope securing it to the shore.
He opened System Navigation and began sailing toward the direction of the Floating Restaurant Baratie.
From the shore, Zoro's voice suddenly rang out.
"Lin Mo!" Zoro stared at Lin Mo's back aboard the boat, which had already sailed dozens of meters away, and shouted, "Thank you!"
Lin Mo glanced back.
Kuina had also reached the shore by then. Like Zoro, she shouted at him, "Ten years from now, I'll definitely come to the New World to find you. Until we duel, you have to stay alive. Before I defeat you, I won't allow you to lose to anyone else!"
"Lin Mo!" Zoro raised Wado Ichimonji high and shouted, "I'll definitely defeat you before Kuina does, then use Wado Ichimonji to become the World's Greatest Swordsman!"
Lin Mo looked back at Zoro and Kuina speechlessly.
What exactly did these two come here for...?
After thinking it over, he still raised a hand and waved at them.
The two people on the shore immediately waved back and said in unison, "Have a safe journey."
Lin Mo left Shimotsuki Village and sailed across the sea for an entire week.
Finally, at noon on the eighth day, he saw Baratie's silhouette.
Baratie was a famous Floating Restaurant in the East Blue.
Anyone dining at Baratie had to follow the principle of "absolutely no wasting food."
Because it had numerous fully armed combat chefs, Baratie was also known as the restaurant bearing the name of "combat."
Based on what Lin Mo knew about the Floating Restaurant,
the head chef and Shopkeeper of Baratie, Red-Leg Zeff, along with Sanji, who would briefly become the future sous-chef, should be the key figures in completing this sign-in progress mission.
The Small Boat carrying Lin Mo slowly approached Baratie.
Since it was lunchtime,
quite a few ships were already anchored around Baratie.
He casually parked his Small Boat between two large ships and tied it up.
The moment Lin Mo stepped onto Baratie's Deck,
the long-absent system notification chime sounded in his mind.
'Ding-ding! Congratulations, Host, on successfully arriving at the sign-in location, Floating Restaurant Baratie. Sign-in progress +10%. Current total progress: 10%. Reward: new skill Flash Step Lv1. System Space expanded tenfold. Current total System Space: 100 x 100 x 100 cubic meters.'
100 x 100 x 100 cubic meters was an enormous amount of space. If he filled it with food and Wine, Lin Mo alone could eat and drink his fill for an entire year without a problem.
And this Flash Step...
When the system transmitted the information about Flash Step into his mind,
Lin Mo's eyes lit up.
This was a skill from Bleach that allowed its user to move their body rapidly, reaching their opponent's side or somewhere farther away at a speed the opponent could not see.
The advanced Flash Step technique, Utsusemi, could even teleport someone out of an encirclement.
For Lin Mo, Flash Step was an excellent auxiliary skill.
Lin Mo opened the red doors leading to the dining hall.
He walked in calmly.
Quite a few diners had already taken their seats inside the dining hall.
Just then,
a burly man with a huge mouth and an ape-like face rubbed his hands and walked toward Lin Mo.
"Welcome, kid. This restaurant doesn't welcome penniless beggars. Do you have money?"
Lin Mo looked up at him.
It was Patty.
Patty had originally been a Pirate, but later joined the Floating Restaurant and became a chef and combatant.
Having to pay for a meal at a restaurant was perfectly normal.
Lin Mo did not think there was anything particularly wrong with Patty asking whether he had money right from the start.
He casually reached into his belongings.
Lin Mo pulled out a money pouch and weighed it in his hand.
Patty's ears twitched, and he immediately broke into a broad smile. "The customer is king. Please follow me."
After seating Lin Mo at an empty table, Patty took out a menu. Rubbing his hands, baring his teeth, and narrowing his eyes, he smiled extremely obsequiously. "Please place your order."
Lin Mo casually scanned the dishes on the menu.
The prices here were indeed considerably higher than those at restaurants on land.
Lin Mo casually ordered several dishes.
Patty had just finished recording Lin Mo's order
when the doors of Baratie were opened from outside once again.
Two young men in Marine Uniforms first appeared before everyone.
Immediately afterward, a tall, heavily built man wearing a dog-head hat strode in.
"Welcome, Vice Admiral Garp." The moment Patty saw him, he immediately greeted him with a beaming smile.
"Hahaha." Garp laughed loudly. "I haven't had Baratie's desserts in a long time. Go and bring me all the tasty desserts in the restaurant."
"Of course, of course. Right away." Patty grinned as he seated Garp at the table to Lin Mo's right.
The two Marines who had entered with Garp stood straight behind him.
Lin Mo glanced at him.
Sure enough, he was Luffy's grandfather, the father of Revolutionary Army Dragon, and the Marine Vice Admiral known as Iron Fist Garp.
Garp's strength had actually long surpassed the level of a Marine Vice Admiral. This could be seen from how he had once pursued Pirate King Roger and forced Roger into desperate situations multiple times.
It was just that he had repeatedly refused promotion to Marine Admiral, so he had retained the title of Marine Vice Admiral all this time.
Thinking about how Garp had called Red-Hair from Foosha Village earlier,
Lin Mo figured Garp had returned to the East Blue to look for Luffy in Foosha Village.
Lin Mo had not expected to run into Garp at Baratie by such a coincidence.
After taking a sip of Wine,
Lin Mo placed his Wine Gourd on the table.
Garp at the neighboring table sniffed, then turned to look at Lin Mo. "Kid, what are you drinking?"
"Wine." Lin Mo replied casually.
As his gaze shifted, Garp suddenly noticed Toyako hanging at Lin Mo's waist. He stroked his chin, thought for a moment, and asked, "Are you a Swordsman?"
Lin Mo continued drinking, with no intention of answering him.
Seeing this, Garp burst into loud laughter. "Hahaha, what an interesting kid. What's your name?"
Lin Mo swallowed the Wine in his mouth and said calmly, "Lin Mo."
Before you continue