Kuina and Roy flew out of the side door of the palace and sped towards the training ground.
The training ground is located on the cliff edge at the northern end of Hachinosu, in the quietest area of the entire island.
The sea breeze blows up from below the cliffs, carrying the salty smell and the sound of waves crashing against the rocks.
On the edge of the cliff, a huge black rock is stuck with an exaggeratedly shaped Black Blade.
Black Blade - Night.
Dracule Mihawk sat cross-legged beside the knife, his eyes slightly closed, the brim of his white fur hat swaying gently in the wind.
In the center of the training field, two figures were engaged in fierce combat.
Trafalgar Law wields the Kikoku sword, Onikiri, the power of the Op-Op Fruit flowing through its blade, each strike possessing the sharpness to cut through space.
His opponent was a pink-haired little girl who looked only five or six years old. She carried a training sword almost as tall as herself on her back, yet her movements were surprisingly agile.
Rebecca dodged Luo's horizontal slash, flipped in the air, and thrust her training sword toward Luo's shoulder.
Luo dodged to the side, Kikoku countered with a backhand upward strike, the back of his blade precisely striking Rebecca's sword, deflecting her attack.
The two exchanged blows, their swordsmanship still somewhat immature, but their basic movements were already quite solid.
Roy landed with Kuina at the edge of the training field.
Luo and Rebecca stopped moving at the same time.
"Captain."
Luo stopped Kikoku and nodded to Roy.
Rebecca ran straight over, her little face beaming with excitement.
"Uncle Roy!"
Roy smiled and ruffled her hair.
" Rebecca has grown taller, and her swordsmanship has improved a lot."
After exchanging greetings, Roy led Kuina toward the edge of the cliff and toward the figure sitting cross-legged.
Hawk Eyes opened his eyes as Roy approached.
Those hawk-like golden eyes lingered on Kuina for a moment, then turned to Roy, their tone helpless.
"It's that new girl you brought back again."
"That's right."
Roy pushed Kuina in front of him and patted her on the shoulder.
" Kuina."
" Isshin Dojo in Shimotsuki Village; his swordsmanship talent is quite good."
"I happened to come across it during my trip to the East Blue, so I just brought it back."
Hawk Eyes sized up Kuina for a few seconds, his gaze lingering for a moment on the Ame no Habakiri at her waist.
"It's just that his physique is too weak."
"However, we have Bloodline Transplantation technology on our Hachinosu, so this isn't a big problem."
After Roy finished speaking, he smiled at Hawk Eyes.
"So, are you going to take it or not?"
Hawk Eyes did not give a direct answer.
He stood up, pulled out the Black Blade Yoru that was stuck in the reef, and after thinking for a moment, slung Black Blade Yoru over his shoulder.
Then he casually picked up a training wooden sword from the weapon rack next to him.
"Attack with all your might!"
Hawk Eyes's voice was calm, devoid of any extraneous emotion.
Kuina took a deep breath, knowing the test had begun.
He drew his Ame no Habakiri.
Without a word, Kuina gripped the knife with both hands and assumed a starting stance.
With a light touch of the toes, without any unnecessary words, go all out.
Kuina's speed is already top-notch among her peers. Her footwork is clean and crisp, and her slashes are sharp and precise, making full use of the fundamentals of the One Sword Style.
The Ame no Habakiri drew an arc in the air, aiming straight for Hawk Eyes's throat.
Hawk Eyes didn't dodge; a hint of satisfaction flashed in his eyes.
He raised his right hand and skillfully pointed with the wooden sword.
The moment the blade clashed with the wooden sword, Kuina felt as if her sword had struck a wall.
It wasn't hardness, but an indescribable feeling of oppression.
The wooden sword bore no trace of any Haki; its pure sword intent alone completely sealed off her full-force attack.
"Again."
Hawk Eyes said.
Kuina gritted her teeth and struck again.
The second cut.
The third strike was deflected.
The fourth strike was interrupted before the sword could fully form.
The fifth cut, the sixth cut, the seventh cut.
Kuina's breathing became more and more rapid, but there was no sign of backing down in her eyes.
The eleventh cut.
Her swordplay suddenly changed, no longer adhering to standard dojo swordsmanship, but instead employing a more flexible and varied technique—
She forcefully twisted her wrist in mid-air, Ame no Habakiri grazed Hawk Eyes's wooden sword in an arc, slashing towards his shoulder from another angle.
This strike already showed hints of her own unique swordsmanship.
After Hawk Eyes blocked the attack, he sheathed his wooden sword.
"Your swordsmanship fundamentals are very solid."
His voice remained calm, but there was a barely perceptible hint of approval in his tone.
"But the focus is too narrow."
Your teacher teaches standard swordsmanship, striving for perfection in every strike.
But in real combat, perfection is a weakness.
If your opponent anticipates your perfection, you're dead.
Kuina was panting heavily, her hands gripping the knife trembling slightly from exhaustion.
But she tried her best to stand up straight and listened carefully to every word.
"But--"
Hawk Eyes turned around and sat cross-legged back on the rock.
"You have good judgment. I don't dislike ambitious people."
Upon hearing this, Roy's lips curled into a smile.
He knew that Hawk Eyes had agreed.
"Then it's up to you."
Roy patted Kuina on the shoulder.
Practice hard.
"Once you've established yourself here, I'll let you make a phone call to Koshiro."
Kuina, who had been panting heavily, suddenly looked up upon hearing this, her eyes lighting up.
Is it really possible?
"Certainly."
Roy smiled, turned and walked out of the training field.
"But before that, you need to become stronger."
"So strong that even Koshiro was impressed."
Kuina gripped the Ame no Habakiri tightly and nodded vigorously.
As Roy walked off the training field, a scene involuntarily flashed through his mind—
Many years later, Zoro stood on an island in the New World, facing his childhood friend whom he thought was long dead.
What kind of expression will appear on that green algae-covered face?
Roy's smile deepened.
I'm really looking forward to it.
After leaving the training field, Roy went straight to his office.
Pushing open the door, I saw three stacks of files piled on the desk, each stack half a meter high.
The top document was dated two weeks ago and had already accumulated a thin layer of dust.
He sighed, sat down behind his desk, and began to look through the documents one by one.
Most of them are routine reports.
The training progress of the genetically modified soldier force, the order delivery of Seastone weapons, the monthly financial reports of the trade network, and the governance plan for the newly acquired islands.
With Crocodile and Tesoro watching over things, all he needs to do is sign his name.
After finishing the last document, it was already dark outside the window.
Roy leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and began to process the takeaways from his trip to the East Blue.
Luffy has already eaten the Gum-Gum Fruit.
Or more accurately, the Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Nika Form.
Just like in the original story, Shanks lost his arm, and the straw Straw Hat was handed over to Luffy.
Ace and Luffy's growth trajectories are developing in the predetermined direction, and with the training insights he left behind as a foundation, these two kids have a much higher starting point than in the original work.
Eleven years remain before the real story begins.
Eleven years later, Luffy the East Blue and enters the Grand Line, the Straw Hat Pirates fighting their way through countless challenges.
Ultimately, this triggered a storm in the New World that changed the entire global landscape.
Hachinosu must be prepared before then.
This is not preparation for defense, but preparation for a counterattack.