Pirates: Starting by Turning Down Red-Haired Shanks's Invitation

The tea room suddenly filled with the intent of the sword. A powerful, invisible Sword Aura spread from Lin Mo, surging through the small room before vanishing in an instant.

Koshiro's smile froze as the sudden Sword Aura pressed down on him.

His fingers tightened around his teacup, and even the way he looked at Lin Mo changed.

"Your Swordsmanship... It seemed to improve just now," Koshiro said in surprise.

He did not know what had happened, but he was certain of one thing: compared with the Lin Mo who had fought Kuina earlier, this Lin Mo was on an entirely different level, both in his understanding of the sword and in his command of his Swordsmanship!

The boy truly was a swordsmanship prodigy.

After a moment's thought, Koshiro could not help asking, "Can you tell me who taught you Swordsmanship?"

"I taught myself."

"Taught yourself? Then you don't have a master?"

"No."

"How did you train without anyone to guide you?"

"I can't tell you."

Koshiro was not one to pry. He smiled and said, "If you don't want to say, I won't ask. But I have a suggestion. Why not stay at the dojo? You'll have Wine to drink, and I can teach you Swordsmanship."

In truth, Koshiro had been tempted the moment Lin Mo said he had no master.

A child as gifted as Lin Mo was rare. Naturally, Koshiro did not want to let him slip away.

"No," Lin Mo replied. "I'm a traveler. I won't stay in one place for long."

"A traveler?" Koshiro paused. "With your talent, it would be a terrible waste to remain just a traveler. If you stay, I'll teach you everything I know. I'm sure you could complete your training in no time. You can always resume your travels afterward."

"No, but I appreciate the offer." Lin Mo held firm, rejecting Koshiro with the same words he had used to turn down Red-Haired Shanks. "I'm not interested in carrying on a sword tradition or becoming a great swordsman admired by everyone. My only dream is to travel freely, without anything tying me down. That's all."

Koshiro tried once more. "You really won't stay?"

Lin Mo nodded firmly. "No."

Seeing that he could not persuade him, Koshiro gave up. "All right. I won't press you. How long do you plan to stay in Shimotsuki Village this time?"

Lin Mo thought it over. His total check-in progress was only at 30%. Judging by his experience in Windmill Village, finishing it would probably take ten days to half a month. "About half a month."

Koshiro took a sip of tea. "There's no inn in the village. You can stay at the dojo until you leave."

"All right." Lin Mo had no objection.

They chatted a little longer. Then Koshiro arranged a guest room for Lin Mo and had someone deliver the Wine he had promised him.

After storing all fifteen half-man-high Wine jars in System Space, Lin Mo saw that it was still early and decided to look around the village.

He had just stepped into the courtyard

when he sensed a murderous intent coming from behind him.

He sidestepped the attack.

In the moonlight, he made out his attacker's distinctive short green hair. With a chop of his hand, Lin Mo easily knocked Zoro and his two bamboo swords to the ground.

"Damn it!" Zoro scrambled up. "You must have beaten Kuina with some cheap trick! If you're a man, pick up your sword and fight me! If I win, you give Wado Ichimonji back to Kuina!"

Lin Mo: "..."

What was this supposed to be?

Lin Mo was at a loss for words.

He had no intention of dealing with Zoro.

But as he turned to leave,

Zoro charged at him again, gripping both bamboo swords. "Hah! Take this!"

Just like before, Lin Mo dodged every attack with ease without even turning to face Zoro. Another chop of his hand sent Zoro to the ground.

When Lin Mo tried to leave for the third time, Zoro got up and rushed him yet again.

Lin Mo was getting annoyed.

Was this guy always so irritating as a kid?

"If I beat you with a sword, you'll stop bothering me, right?" Lin Mo drew Toyako and easily blocked several strikes. He noticed that Zoro was indeed a little stronger than Kuina, but when it came to technique and aptitude, the gap between them was considerable.

No wonder he could never beat her.

Lin Mo gave it no more thought. Just as Kuina usually did when she fought Zoro, he struck Zoro square in the face with his sword.

Zoro toppled backward and hit the ground hard, landing flat on his back.

Lin Mo put Toyako away and prepared to leave.

Staring up at the star-filled sky, Zoro clenched his fists in frustration. Damn it! We're about the same age, so why is he so strong? Why?

The last of his wishful thinking vanished.

He had believed Lin Mo beat Kuina through trickery. Now he knew he was wrong.

Lin Mo really was strong!

Zoro got to his feet once more.

He watched Lin Mo walk away. For a moment, he hesitated, fists clenched. Then he could not hold back and ran after him. "Hey, wait!"

"Hm?" Lin Mo glanced back.

"How long have you been training with a sword?" Zoro asked.

"Less than half a day."

"H-half a day?" Zoro swallowed. "How could anyone get that good at Swordsmanship in half a day?"

His first thought was that Lin Mo was messing with him. Yet for some reason, Lin Mo did not strike him as someone who made a habit of lying.

Lin Mo did not care whether Zoro believed him. "Believe what you want. I'm leaving."

Zoro hurried ahead and blocked his path. "I didn't say I don't believe you. I'm just surprised. Um... can you tell me how you train? I want to get as strong as you!"

Lin Mo had not expected Zoro to ask him for Swordsmanship advice.

But remembering how relentlessly Zoro had pursued him, Lin Mo knew the boy would not give up easily if he walked away without saying anything.

He might as well give Zoro something to think about. Then perhaps he could spend the rest of his stay in peace.

With that in mind, Lin Mo asked, "How long have you been at Isshin Dojo?"

"Almost a year!"

"And after a year of training, all you've learned is to charge in recklessly and overpower your opponent?"

"Uh..." Zoro began to panic.

Lin Mo went on. "Do you know why you can never beat Kuina?"

"I—I don't know. I've worked so hard, but I still can't beat her... Do you know why?"

"There's no technique in the way you fight," Lin Mo said bluntly. "In terms of strength, you and Kuina are about even now that you use the Two-Sword Style. Even if you grow much stronger than her, she could still defeat you with superior swordsmanship. You've been going about this half wrong from the start."

"Half wrong?" Zoro asked at once. "Then what do I need to do to beat Kuina?"

"Keep drilling the basics, but improve your swordsmanship too. Don't just charge forward relying on brute force. Think about how your opponent attacks and learn to counter each move. Once you're strong enough, you'll find an opening in even the most flawless sword technique."

The moment Lin Mo finished speaking,

Beep! Guided Zoro in Swordsmanship. Check-in progress +20%. Current total progress: 50%. Reward: Swordsmanship level +1. Current Swordsmanship level: Lv. 4.

Lin Mo immediately felt the power inside him change. An even stronger, more terrifying presence radiated from him.

Just as I thought...

To complete the check-in, he needed to spend time with the key figures. The 20% progress he had gained just by advising Zoro in Swordsmanship proved it.

"What was that?" Zoro asked. "Was I imagining it? I felt this pressure I can't quite describe..."

Lin Mo looked at Zoro.

No wonder he'll become the great swordsman at Pirate King Luffy's side.

Returning to the subject, Lin Mo asked, "Did you understand what I just told you?"

Zoro came back to himself and scratched his head. "I think so? I need to think about and analyze my opponent's moves, then find an opening and beat him?"

"In a real fight, your enemy won't give you much time to analyze his moves."

"Huh? Then what do I do?"

"Figure it out yourself." Lin Mo paused, then asked, "Do you believe there's a sword in this world that can cut through anything?"

Zoro stared, his eyes lighting up. "Does a sword like that really exist?"

The corner of Lin Mo's mouth lifted. He casually took one of Zoro's bamboo swords. "Watch closely."

A breeze rose.

A leaf drifted toward them.

Lin Mo swung the bamboo sword at it.

The leaf floated to the ground, completely intact. Zoro could not help protesting, "You expected a bamboo sword to cut a leaf? How could it—"

Lin Mo chuckled without explaining.

Then came a sharp crack. A man-high boulder not far from the leaf split apart and scattered across the ground.

"Huh?" Zoro stared in shock. "Wh-what happened? How did that rock break?"

Dragon's Visit to Shimotsuki Village

In the quiet courtyard,

the bright moonlight stretched the shadows of the two small figures standing there.

Lin Mo tossed the bamboo sword back to Zoro.

Zoro fumbled the catch, his eyes full of astonishment. "Wait... did you cut that rock? But you didn't even swing at it! What happened just now?"

Lin Mo glanced at Zoro, a faint smile on his lips. "Listen carefully, Zoro. There are Swordsmen in this world who can cut nothing, yet with that same blade they can cut anything. A truly powerful Swordsman can protect what he wants to protect and cut down whatever he chooses to cut. You still have a long way to go. Keep at it."

With that, Lin Mo gave Zoro's shoulder a light pat and headed out of the courtyard.

The evening breeze stirred his clothes and hair as he walked away.

Zoro stared after him, his mind racing.

A swordsman who can cut nothing and yet cut anything?

Before tonight, he never would have believed such a person existed.

But Lin Mo had just shown him that a truly powerful Swordsman could do exactly that.

And he had done it with an ordinary bamboo sword.

We're about the same age...

That guy really is a monster.

"Hey! What are you doing out here alone?" Kuina's cool voice called out.

Zoro snapped back to himself. Without looking at her, he fixed his gaze on the shattered rock. His expression turned serious. "Kuina, Lin Mo really is strong!"

Kuina followed his gaze. One look at the broken stone told her Lin Mo had done it, but she did not seem surprised. "Tch. What a waste, using Wado Ichimonji to cut a rock."

"No!" Zoro held up the bamboo sword Lin Mo had used. "He used this."

"What?" Kuina looked at the sword in Zoro's hand, surprise flashing in her eyes. "A bamboo sword? He cut through stone with a bamboo sword? That's impossible!"

"It's true!" Zoro said earnestly. "Kuina, I think I understand why Master said those things to you."

Meanwhile,

Lin Mo had left Isshin Dojo and was heading to the village tavern to sample the local Wine.

The Wine Koshiro had given him did have a distinctive flavor, and there was enough to last him a while. But that would not stop him from seeking out more good Wine.

When he reached the only tavern in Shimotsuki Village, however, he found the owner closing up for the night.

The owner locked the door and wiped away his sweat. He was about to head home when he turned and spotted Lin Mo, giving him a start. Once he saw it was only a child, he asked irritably, "Hey, kid. What are you doing out here so late instead of going home?"