The "Ku" That Cuts Through Space

Otherwise, Zoro would soon surpass her.

She stared at the distant beach.

Her resolve grew firmer.

She would become the strongest female Swordmaster.

The "ku" in his name meant the space he would cut through.

Boom!

Ivankov pulled himself free of the rock wall and shook the dust off his body.

Then he looked up at the unscathed Kuta, astonishment spreading across his face.

Not even that hurt him?

He eased the tightness in his chest, caught his breath, and marveled, "Little Kuta, that ability really is astonishing!"

Incredible. I wonder what Devil Fruit power that is.

In truth, Kuta was suffering in silence. Taking that attack had pushed his stamina to its limit.

That was a move capable of sending Bartholomew Kuma flying with a single hit.

Ivankov, on the other hand, was only slightly out of breath.

After all, Kuta was only twelve. His body had yet to fully develop.

As he grew older, his strength would surely increase by leaps and bounds.

After resting a while, he recovered a little stamina, and a gleam flashed through his eyes.

He stared at Ivankov and called out, "Little Ivan, how about we call it a draw today?"

"Sure."

"Whatever you say."

Ivankov noticed Kuta's condition but chose not to point it out.

"What about the food, then?"

"The food, the food..." Kuta rubbed his chin.

Ivankov watched him nervously.

"Of course we're giving you the food!"

Suddenly imitating Ivankov's movements, Kuta spun around with exaggerated flair and threw both hands into the air.

"What?!"

"So you really are giving it to us!"

Ivankov played along, shouting loudly.

"You fooled me again!"

Then the two exchanged a glance and burst out laughing together.

"Hahaha..."

"Little Ivan, there's something I want to ask you."

Ivankov paused and stopped laughing when Kuta suddenly appeared sitting on his shoulder.

"What is it?"

"Is everyone in your Kamabakka Kingdom really an okama?"

As Ivankov walked toward the village, he answered, "The sweethearts there are all ordinary people who longed for a kingdom of okamas and moved there."

"Oh!"

"So that's how it works."

Kuta rubbed his chin, looking as though his suspicions had been confirmed.

Then he nodded. "I knew it. How could everyone be an okama? Wouldn't that mean no new children?"

"You should come visit the Kamabakka Kingdom someday, little Kuta. I'm sure the sweethearts there would love you."

Ivankov looked at Kuta and spoke excitedly.

"After all, you're so adorable and pretty."

"The Kamabakka Kingdom?"

Thinking of the Perverted Cook Sanji's miserable fate, Kuta shuddered and hurriedly replied,

"No, thanks."

"No, thanks."

"I'm still young. I'm not ready to set sail yet."

"Really?"

"I was just thinking, if you

came to the Kamabakka Kingdom, I could introduce you to the prettiest sweetheart in our country!"

Ivankov sounded a little disappointed.

All Kuta could picture now was a bunch of burly, bearded men in pink dresses running along a beach.

Cold sweat poured off him.

"Are you all right, little Kuta?"

"Why are you sweating so much?"

"Ahem... cough...!"

"I'm fine."

"I'm fine..."

Kuta hastily changed the subject.

"Let's hurry over!"

Spotting the people waiting for them on the pier, he teleported over ahead of Ivankov.

"Hey, wait for me!"

"Is the Kamabakka Kingdom really that scary?"

Watching Kuta disappear, Ivankov quickened his pace to catch up.

Shimotsuki Village.

Isshin Dojo.

Kuta lay on the dojo roof, looking down at the busy figures below, and sighed.

The fight might have looked evenly matched, but only he knew how wide the gap truly was.

He had given it everything he had, only to make Ivankov take things a little more seriously.

By the end, he had exhausted his stamina, while Ivankov was merely a little winded.

From the looks of it, that fight had been no more than a warm-up for Ivankov.

His age was still the main limitation on his stamina and Haki.

There was little he could do about that. It was a natural limitation, not something sheer effort could change.

"Kuta, what are you daydreaming about up here?"

Koshiro came over and sat beside him.

"Nothing."

"I'm just feeling a little down about how long I still have to wait before I can set sail."

"Master, I really wish I could see the world sooner!" Kuta sat upright, his eyes shining as he looked at Koshiro.

For the first time, he felt such an urgent desire to see it.

To see this vast, magnificent world.

To see those legends made real.

To see all the strange and wonderful species on the Grand Line.

And Sky Island, Bubble Island, Fish-Man Island...

Just thinking about them filled him with excitement.

He had never felt this impatient before.

But today, he had finally met someone utterly unlike an ordinary human.

He was thrilled, excited, and desperate to see more.

This was no longer the manga world from his previous life.

This was a world he could actually touch, where he could talk to people and even fight alongside them.

"Kuta, it isn't time for you to set sail yet. You're still too young. At the very least, you have to wait until you're an adult."

Koshiro adjusted his glasses and looked toward the hill behind the dojo.

"It's not that I want to stop you from going to sea. The outside world isn't as wonderful as you imagine."

He paused, an unreadable emotion flashing through his eyes.

"Even if you do set sail, you should wait for Kuina!"

"That girl has eyes for no one but you now.

If you left, I don't know what would become of her."

Following Koshiro's gaze, Kuta could see Zoro and Kuina training furiously on the hill behind the dojo.

Ever since returning from the harbor, they had thrown themselves into training harder than ever.

"Don't worry, Master! I know when to set sail, and I know what this world is really like. I read the newspaper every day, you know!"

Kuta looked at Kuina on the distant hill, tenderness flickering in his eyes.

"As for Kuina, all I know is that I'll never leave her alone as long as I live."

"Mm!"

"As long as you understand."

Koshiro withdrew his gaze, took the long sword in its black scabbard from his waist, and looked at Kuta.

"I originally planned to give this to you when you set sail."

"But after watching your fight today, I realized your strength has been growing too quickly. Ordinary swords probably aren't much use for your training anymore."

As he spoke, Koshiro raised the sword and held it out to Kuta.

"Take it."

"It takes time to get used to a sword, too. This one was forged to suit your usual habits, with its proportions scaled up. It should still suit you even when you're fully grown."

"Thank you, Master."

Kuta excitedly accepted the sword with both hands, then gripped the hilt with his right and drew it with a ringing shing!

He lifted the sword before his eyes and examined it carefully.

Its spine was thicker than that of an ordinary sword, its edge bore a great reverse-character irregular blade pattern, and its silver-gray blade had pale purple zigzag markings.

He brushed his palm across the edge, clearly sensing its sharpness.

"What a fine sword."

Watching Kuta's excitement, Koshiro began to explain.