"Your words—"
Upon hearing Kuina's words, Zoro gritted his teeth, his voice squeezed out from between them, as low as that of an enraged young beast.
"What kind of statement is it to say this after I've lost to you over two thousand times!"
If you can't become the World's Greatest Swordsman, then what am I!
If I can't even beat you, am I even less qualified?!
Kuina was stunned.
Zoro suddenly stood up, gripping the wooden sword tightly with both hands, the tip pointing at Kuina. His fingers were still trembling uncontrollably from exhaustion, but he didn't loosen his grip on the hilt, not even once.
Listen up! I won't allow you to say that! I don't care if you're a girl or not!
All I know is that you're the guy who can beat me over two thousand times!
His voice boomed through the quiet backyard, startling the roosting birds in the bamboo grove into flight.
If you can't become number one in the world, then I'm even less qualified!
Therefore, I will definitely become the World's Greatest Swordsman in the future.
It's not because you've become weaker, it's because I'm stronger than you! Do you understand?
But Kuina simply shook her head; in the moonlight, her lips trembled slightly.
This girl, who could calmly deflect any sword move, didn't even dare to look Zoro in the eye at this moment.
"You don't understand," she said.
"I don't understand!"
Zoro roared back,
"All I know is, if what you're saying is true, then why do you still practice swordsmanship?"
You hit me every day, isn't it all for --"
"Kendo doesn't discriminate between men and women; it's about the swordsman's will."
A voice came from the eaves.
Zoro and Kuina looked up at the same time and saw Roy sitting on the roof.
Roy casually placed the empty wine jug on the roof tile, jumped down from the eaves, and his boots made almost no sound as they stepped on the stone slabs.
He walked up to Kuina, squatted down, and brought himself to the girl's eye level.
The moonlight illuminated the dark-haired man's eyes clearly.
There was no pity, no comfort, no perfunctory tenderness that adults show to children.
There was only the usual calm, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile.
"Who told you a girl can't become the World's Greatest Swordsman?" Roy asked.
Kuina opened her mouth, her voice so soft it sounded like it was being squeezed out from between her teeth.
"My father said... girls become weaker as they grow up, and he's right."
"Fact?"
Roy raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Then let me ask you—do you know Big Mom from the New World?"
Kuina paused, then shook her head.
Charlotte Linlin. Queen of Totto Land, one of the Five Sea Emperors.
Roy raised a finger, speaking slowly, but each word struck Kuina's heart like a nail.
"She single-handedly established the Totto Land, commanding tens of thousands of elite troops, and even Marine Admiral dared not easily set foot on her territory."
Do you think she is a man or a woman?
Kuina's eyes widened slightly.
Do you think she's stronger than you now, or stronger than you now?
"Is there even a need to compare...?"
"And then there's Boa Hancock, the Pirate Empress of Amazon Lily."
Roy extended his second finger.
"Not much older than you. Devil Fruit User, a user of Three Types of Haki, and on the day she ascended to the throne as Pirate Empress, she petrified three rebellious elders with a single hand."
Even Rear Admiral admiral would avoid her.
Do you think her abilities are related to her gender?
Kuina was speechless.
Her eyes were much brighter than before; the tears were still in her eyes, but they were no longer welling up.
Roy smiled at her expression, his tone softening slightly:
"Then let's talk about the Navy. As far as I know, there is a female swordswoman in the Navy whose strength is such that almost no one in the world can rival her."
"So you think girls can't be strong?"
Kuina remained silent, but the wooden sword in her hand trembled slightly.
It wasn't out of fear, but because of something welling up from the bottom of my heart that I couldn't suppress.
That is hope.
It is hope that has been suppressed for too many years and has suddenly been torn open.
"Your father, Shimotsuki Koshiro."
Roy stood up, his voice a little softer than before, but his tone more resolute.
"His repeated telling you that girls can't become Great Swordsman isn't a denial of your talent, nor is it a belittling of your efforts."
On the contrary—it's precisely because he knows how talented you are that he's afraid.
Kuina was stunned.
Roy lowered his head, looked into her eyes, and said, word by word,
He was afraid that you would take this talent and venture into the vast ocean, afraid that you would get hurt or die on the sea, afraid that his only daughter would embark on a path that he could no longer protect.
That's why he wanted to use this method to make you give up.
It's not that he's not qualified just because you're a daughter; it's precisely because you're a daughter that he's even more reluctant to part with you.
Kuina stood frozen in place, as if struck by lightning.
She had never considered this possibility.
All she knew was that her father repeatedly told her that girls could not become the World's Greatest Swordsman.
All I know is that every time I mentioned my dreams, my father would change the subject with that gentle yet unyielding attitude.
She thought her father truly didn't believe her, and that he genuinely looked down on her.
It wasn't like that after all.
It turns out that the opposite is true – it's because you care too much.
"Then... what should I do?"
Kuina's voice trembled.
"I don't want to give up. But my father's words, he spoke so earnestly..."
I'm afraid... I'm afraid he really is right... I'm afraid that no matter how much I practice, I'll still end up --"
"Then practice until he approves."
Roy interrupted her, his tone calm but unquestionable.
"Dreams have no gender distinction."
If you want to be number one in the world, then go for it.
You must earn your father's approval through your own abilities, not through the sympathy of others.
Kuina stared blankly at Roy, remaining silent for a long time.
Then she lowered her head, wiped her eyes hard, and gripped the wooden knife tightly again.
The moonlight shone on her hands, on the wooden sword with countless old marks from chopping, and on the entire process of her gradually tightening her knuckles, from trembling to steadying.
"Understood."
"Kuina said," only two words, but the tremor in her voice disappeared.
Roy looked at her, a satisfied smile playing on his lips. He turned and walked towards the dojo, then stopped after a few steps, adding without turning back:
"Oh, right—have Zoro come to my place tomorrow afternoon. I'll give this guy some pointers."
Zoro, who had been engrossed in the conversation, snapped back to reality upon hearing this and shouted at Roy's retreating figure.
"Etc!"
"After all that you just said, how did this end up involving me again!"
And when did I ever ask you for guidance...?
Roy waved his hand without turning his head.
"You lost, is this our bet?"
"Do as I please!"
The few teenagers who hadn't left yet, who were watching the commotion from the corner, couldn't hold back their laughter and burst into tears.
Zoro's face turned as red as a steamed lobster, but he remained defiant.
"Hmph! I know!"
I'll be back on time tomorrow!