Truly Becoming Part of This World

The senior student refereeing beside them immediately called out, "One point! That's enough."

Kuina looked down coldly at Zoro on the floor. "This kid is like a wild beast. All he knows is brute force."

"Hey! Kuina," Koshiro said, looking at his daughter helplessly.

"You're a complete amateur. You're ten years too early to try Two-Sword Style." Kuina's face was full of disdain.

Kuta suddenly teleported to Kuina's side and patted her head. "That's enough, Kuina."

"There it is! Kuta's Teleportation."

"Yeah! It looks so cool every time."

Seeing Kuta, who had been beside him a moment earlier, suddenly appear next to Kuina across the hall, the chubby, bespectacled Ahua jumped excitedly, then ran toward the middle of the hall. The others slowly gathered around too.

The moment Kuina saw Kuta, her face

immediately broke into a smile.

Spending every day together over the past five years had made her deeply dependent on Kuta. Although he was only a year older, he acted remarkably mature, almost like an adult. He was both an older brother to her and someone she admired and strove to catch up to.

"Kuta, this kid doesn't know anything! All he does is charge in blindly."

Kuta looked at her with amusement. "You'll find out how persistent this guy is someday. He'll give you plenty of headaches then."

He then turned toward Zoro, who lay on the floor, crouched down, and pressed his right index and middle fingers against Zoro's forehead. In a rather melodramatic voice, he said, "Young man, work hard! Keep chasing after Kuina from now on!"

With that, he stood and smiled at Koshiro beside him. "Master, this new junior of ours has real talent!"

"Damn it! Quit talking like I'm not here! I'll beat both of you!"

Zoro shouted defiantly, his voice ringing throughout the swordsmanship hall.

How had that silver-haired guy appeared just now? I didn't see a thing. And when his fingers touched me, I couldn't move at all. What kind of ability was that? Damn it! Just you two wait!

Kuina poked her head out from behind Kuta and looked at Zoro coldly. "What? In that case, want another match?"

Zoro rallied himself and shakily stood up. He first brushed the dust off his clothes, then answered loudly, "A loss is a loss."

Koshiro walked over and watched him with a smile. "You admit it readily. Good. Then..."

"Hah! I'll join your school. Got a problem with that?" Zoro shouted.

"No," Koshiro replied, his eyes narrowed in satisfaction.

Zoro turned and stared wide-eyed at Kuina. "I'll practice harder and harder and harder, and then I'll definitely beat you!" Then he looked up at Kuta.

"And you, Silver Hair! Just you wait! Once I beat this woman, I'm coming for you. Remember that!"

"Is this guy an idiot? He can't even beat Kuina, yet he dares to shoot his mouth off and challenge Kuta." A-Luo couldn't help expressing his astonishment to the other children.

Koshiro looked at Zoro with a broad smile. "Hmm... you've got spirit."

Finding Zoro's expression adorable, Kuta couldn't resist pinching his cheek. "How scary. But you'll have to call me senior brother from now on. Or just big brother, if you like. Hahahahaha..."

Kuta said he was scared, but his face wore an infuriating grin.

"What's your name?"

Although he already knew Zoro's name, he still couldn't resist teasing him.

When Kuta pinched his cheek, Zoro realized that, unlike before, he could move this time.

He quickly slapped Kuta's hand away and glared stubbornly at him. "Damn it! Stop treating me like a little kid and putting your hands all over me! Remember this: my name is Roronoa Zoro!"

"Hmm... I'll call you little Zoro from now on!"

"Damn it! I told you not to treat me like a little kid!" Zoro shouted, looking ready to tear his hair out.

If he hadn't still been recovering, he would have rushed over and slashed that smug face. Being handsome didn't mean Zoro wouldn't hit him.

"Kuta, let's go train! We've wasted enough time today." Kuina's petulant voice came from behind him.

Turning to see Kuina looking about to explode, he could only put both hands behind his head and walk toward the backyard.

"All right, all right... let's go! Our little Kuina's old enough to get jealous now."

Kuina hurried after him, tilting her head to look at him with slightly flushed cheeks. "Who's jealous? I just think we shouldn't waste time like this."

At the doorway, Kuta stopped in his

tracks and turned to look at Zoro.

"Hey! Zoro."

Hearing Kuta call him, Zoro looked up in confusion. "What?"

"If you want to get stronger fast, follow me!"

With that, Kuta turned and walked out the back door. The thought of getting to bully—no, train—Zoro from now on left him feeling good all over.

Kuina turned back and shot Zoro a fierce, disdainful glare before hurrying after Kuta.

The children in the Sword Hall erupted into chatter. A-Tao looked at Zoro in amazement. "You're way too lucky! You actually get to train with Kuta."

Listening to the voices around him, Zoro looked at them in confusion. "Is Silver Hair really that strong?"

A-Hua pushed up their glasses and said excitedly, "Of course! Within days of arriving at the Sword Hall, Kuta could beat everyone except Master."

After a two-second pause, A-Tao added loudly, "Kuina could beat the adults in the Sword Hall after only about a year of training with Kuta. It's been almost four years now! Who knows how strong Kuta and Kuina are these days?"

They then looked at Zoro with envy.

After all this time, Kuina was still the only person in the Sword Hall allowed to train with Kuta. What made this newly arrived green-haired brat so special?

Of course they knew they lacked the necessary talent. But did this green-haired brat really have it?

"All right, all right. Why are you all gathered here? Get back to training."

Koshiro walked over. "It's not that Kuta won't take you along. His training method requires a certain aptitude. Without it, you wouldn't be able to endure the training even if you went."

"Yes, Master!"

Only then did they return to their places, pick up their bamboo swords, and resume practicing.

Are those two really that strong? I've got to work myself to the bone and get stronger too.

Zoro looked at Koshiro with eyes full of fighting spirit. "Hey, old man! Now that I've joined your school, got any moves to teach me?"

At Zoro's choice of address, Koshiro's mouth twitched. Another little troublemaker. He raised a hand and knocked him on the head. "Call me Master from now on. Understood?"

"Ow... that hurts, that hurts!"

Zoro clutched his head with both hands and crouched on the floor in pain. The injury from the sword still hurt!

Looking up and seeing Koshiro about to raise his hand again, he hurriedly shouted, "Yes, Master!"

Satisfied, Koshiro lowered his right hand and looked down at Zoro. "I'll only teach you swordsmanship. Your training will be up to you. From now on, aside from studying swordsmanship with me, spend the rest of your time training with Kuta. He may only be eleven, but he's already very strong."

"Is he really that strong?" Zoro muttered doubtfully.

"Mm... very strong."

A flicker of recollection passed through Koshiro's eyes. That boy... is a genuine monster!

I wonder whether his ability comes from a Devil Fruit. But if it does, why isn't he afraid of seawater? How strange.

And his physical strength has improved far too quickly these past few years! Who knows how far he'll go?

He looked down at Zoro. This one's a monster too! With that fighting spirit and physique, he'd have a hard time not getting stronger. And he has Kuta to help him.

Koshiro gently shook his head, his eyes narrowed and his face full of smiles. Both of these monsters were his students.

"Go find Kuta!"

As he spoke, he gave Zoro a meaningful glance, then walked past him and returned to the cushion at the front of the Dojo.

After hearing Koshiro's words, Zoro paused, then picked up the bamboo sword from the floor and ran toward the backyard, his face brimming with fighting spirit.

Damn it! Let's see whether your training really can make me stronger fast. If it can't, I'm definitely cutting you down.

Fully becoming part of this world

As Zoro walked down the courtyard path, the first thing he saw was an enormous cherry blossom tree.

Beyond the cherry blossom tree stood the back gate. On the open ground outside it, a row of black weight plates had been arranged from largest to smallest. Even the smallest was as big as a basin, while the largest stood three or four times his height.

Passing the mountain of iron before him, he saw Kuina drenched in sweat, repeatedly swinging an iron bar. A weight plate nearly as tall as he was hung from its far end.

"Hah! Hah! Hah!..."

The veins bulging on her arms were enough to convey the bar's weight.

Farther in, he could see Kuta shirtless, balancing upside down on his hands and moving up and down as he performed handstand push-ups.

Resting above his feet was a barbell loaded with weight plates on both ends.

"Hey! So this is how you train? There's nothing special about it."

Watching the two of them train, Zoro strode forward confidently.

What? That's it? Isn't this just ordinary training?

If this is all it takes to get stronger, I'll definitely beat Kuina soon.

But when he came within roughly five meters of Kuta, he suddenly felt as though he had plunged into the deep sea. Pressure surrounded him on every side.

His back in particular felt as though an enormous burden had suddenly settled upon it, trying to crush him to the ground inch by inch.

As if this little bit of pressure could stop me. No way!

Roaring inwardly, he opened his eyes wide, thin streaks of blood appearing in them. Staring fixedly at Kuina ahead, he gritted his teeth and slowly edged forward, step by trembling step.

It took him a full ten minutes or so to cover those few meters.

Kuina cast a cold glance at Zoro as he approached, then continued practicing her sword swings.

She thought of what Kuta had told her. Although women naturally had weaker physiques than men, strength wasn't necessarily what decided a fight. Sometimes technique and speed were the keys to victory. As long as you defeated the enemy before your stamina ran out, you won.

That glance from Kuina struck a nerve deep inside Zoro. He raised his head and glared at her, burning with determination. I'll definitely surpass her.

I don't know what's going on here, but training in a place like this should make me stronger fast!

Relaxing and taking a deep breath, he slowly crouched down, planted both hands on the ground, and began doing push-ups. If even standing was difficult, he would train on the ground.

Watching Zoro's face twist from exertion, Kuta could only marvel at his astonishing willpower. He truly lived up to his name.

This space was actually his Space Domain. He could now control it over a

radius of five meters.

Within that space, the more layers he extended outward, the greater his control became. He could use Compressed Space to increase pressure, and of course he could also reduce it enough to fly.

Nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine. Ten thousand. Kuta counted silently, then stopped.

Bang!

Bending his legs slightly, he tossed the barbell aside, sending dust flying.

Then he pushed hard with both hands, sprang upright, and landed steadily beside the barbell.

Looking at Zoro, who had already passed out from exhaustion, he picked up the towel from a weight plate. As he wiped the sweat from his face, he withdrew his domain.

Kuina, resting nearby with her eyes closed, suddenly felt her whole body grow lighter and knew Kuta had finished training.

She quickly picked up the bamboo sword resting across her legs, stood, and spoke to Kuta.

"Kuta, let's start today's sparring!"

"Wait. Let's wake Zoro up first."

Watching Zoro's breathing gradually settle after the domain dispersed, Kuta suddenly took an interest.

He casually draped the towel around his neck, walked over to Zoro, bent down, and grabbed the back of his collar. He lifted him like an unconscious green-haired cat.

Seeing Kuta carry Zoro toward the stream in the distance, Kuina jogged after him.

"Kuta, he's definitely going to challenge you afterward."

"No, he won't. I'll tell him you did it." Kuta turned toward Kuina beside him and deliberately teased her.

"It doesn't matter anyway. He couldn't beat me."

Kuina's face was full of confidence.

And she had every reason to be confident. In this village, her swordsmanship had earned the recognition of everyone except her father.