Meanwhile, after Vic left in the morning, Garp took Rebecca and the others aboard the warship and began patrolling around Foosha Village. Garp seemed to be preparing to clean up the pirates in the East Blue again, giving his two grandsons a better environment to grow up in. As for whether he had other motives? Only Garp himself knew.
When Vic woke up the next day, it was already broad daylight. He found two small white foxes curled up beside him, still the kind that hadn't grown up yet.
Vic's getting up startled the two little creatures. They were momentarily stunned, then immediately ran away. The drunken, sleeping Vic still held some attraction for them, allowing them to get close and sleep together, since Vic's body was warm. But the awakened Vic frightened them.
Seeing the two little ones' behavior, Vic's lips curled up slightly. He hadn't expected that even after hunting so many animals, none would dare to approach him.
Many animals in this world are highly intelligent. They may have sensed that Vic is very powerful and that they feel safe around Vic, which is why they choose to sleep there. However, when there is no danger, they also sense that Vic is the most dangerous being.
A moment later, Kozaburo also woke up. After sitting up, he found that his body was normal, which was completely different from how he usually felt when he woke up from being drunk.
In the past, when he woke up drunk, he would have a dry mouth and a splitting headache. But Vic's alcohol really had no aftereffects. He just felt that he slept more comfortably than ever before, and he felt much younger. This feeling made Kozaburo stick out his tongue and lick his lips, feeling a sense of lingering satisfaction.
"Alright, bro! Come on over and have breakfast. I didn't wake you because you were sleeping so well. The food's just the right temperature now!" Seeing that Kozaburo was awake, Vic immediately called him over to eat.
" Vic, you didn't buy that wine on the island yesterday, did you? I've never had anything like it before. I feel so refreshed now, no hangover at all. That wine was really good!" Kozaburo smacked his lips after saying that, looking quite pleased with himself.
"Haha! You really like it, right? It's homemade, brewed using the method from my hometown. It's delicious and doesn't give you a headache. I've been staying in Shimotsuki Village these past few days, so I'll brew some for you to enjoy slowly!"
Although Vic won't be staying here for more than a few days, he can still do the preliminary preparations for brewing. After that, it's just fermentation and purification, which can be taught to Kozaburo himself. It doesn't really matter whether Vic is here or not.
"Really? That's wonderful! If I could drink this kind of wine every day, I'd definitely get younger and younger, hahaha!"
Kozaburo was delighted to hear Vic's words. He had truly come to love Vic's sake. Although he didn't know where Vic's sake came from, as Vic hadn't brought any luggage when he came to see him, he guessed that Vic had probably brewed it when he was studying here before, and buried it somewhere for several years, which was why it tasted so mellow now.
After breakfast Vic Kozaburo and headed to Isshin Dojo. It was still early, and Kuina was no longer in any immediate danger. With Vic's deliberate guidance, Kuina was no longer the frail Kuina she once was, and her condition was much better.
Kuina is a character who died in the original work, and her swordsmanship talent is even higher than Zoro's. Naturally, Vic wants to bring her to his side. If Vic changes her fate, she will be an extra character like him, and her future is completely uncertain. Her achievements are also unpredictable, but Vic wants to train her.
When Vic arrived at the Isshin Dojo, shouts came from inside, and training had already begun. Koshiro sat cross-legged on the corridor of the courtyard, squinting at the disciples who were wielding bamboo swords in the middle of the courtyard.
Kuina, who had grown a bit taller, was also among them, earnestly following the others as they wielded their swords, using the same bamboo sword that Vic had given her.
The bamboo sword is no longer its original color; it has developed a patina, a result of being soaked in sweat for a long time. This shows that Kuina has not slackened for a moment since Vic left, and has always kept her promise to Vic in mind.
Vic walked through the corridor and sat cross-legged next to Koshiro. Koshiro was still smiling as he looked at his disciple in front of him, seemingly unaware of Vic beside him.
Some of the disciples in the courtyard recognized Vic. Swordsmanship is not something that can be mastered in a year or two. Several of them had joined when Vic was still around. Although they saw familiar faces, they did not stop what they were doing, but looked at Vic with great curiosity.
Kuina saw Vic when he came out. In that instant, she was so shocked that she even paused for a moment, thinking she was hallucinating. It was the person she had been longing for!
However, she soon realized that she wasn't dreaming. The feeling of exhaustion was very real. Although Vic was sitting next to her father, and her father seemed not to see her, Kuina knew that Vic had really come back to see her. She was overjoyed and swung her sword even more vigorously, as if to prove to Vic that she hadn't been slacking off during this time.
Vic didn't say anything, just smiled at Kuina. He didn't want to interrupt their training. As for his teacher, he already knew he was coming, so there was no need to greet him. He could talk to him after training was over.
After the training ended, Koshiro dismissed all the other disciples, leaving only Kuina behind. Even if Koshiro asked her to leave, she wouldn't. Vic had only come back once in a long time, so she had to stay.
Vic chatted with Koshiro for a while, sharing some of his experiences, which impressed Koshiro greatly. He was very pleased to learn that Vic was now serving as the first mate on the ship of the Marine Garp the Hero, as Vic was the most accomplished of all his students.
Vic is still young, and this is just Vic beginning. It's hard to say where he will go in the future, but with Vic's talent, if he develops steadily in the Navy, Koshiro believes that it will not be a problem for Vic to become Marine Admiral, or even go further.
After their conversation, Koshiro returned to his room to meditate, leaving only Vic and Kuina present.
Although Kuina was young when Vic left, she remembered every little thing she had with Vic. Compared to her taciturn father, she preferred to be with Vic.
Looking at Vic so close to her, she didn't know what to say. She wanted to question Vic about why it had taken him so long to come back to see her, but she was afraid that Vic would never come back. She wanted to tell Vic how hard she had tried, but after thinking about it, she didn't say it.
"What brings you here Kuina? Don't you recognize me?"
Vic said with a smile. Vic's face hasn't changed much since he left, except that he's lost his youthful innocence with age.
Upon hearing Vic's voice and seeing the smile on Vic face, Kuina couldn't hold back any longer. She ran over and buried herself in Vic 'Vic arms, hugging his neck and bursting into tears.
Kuina had never met her mother. Although her father was very kind and gentle to her, it was difficult for them to open up to each other. There seemed to be a barrier between them. She only felt comfortable with Kozaburo. Perhaps this is the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren!
However, for some reason, Koshiro asked her to visit Kozaburo less often, and she couldn't get along with her fellow students at Isshin Dojo because of their age and talent. After Vic left, she became even more lonely.
With no playmates and no one to talk to, she could only spend most of her time practicing kendo. Although she was only five years old, she was already one of the top performers at Isshin Dojo. If it weren't for her lack of strength, many adults would not be her match.
Now that she saw Vic, the emotions she had been suppressing were finally released, and she cried for a long time, soaking a large part of Vic's shirt.
Vic didn't say anything to comfort her, but simply stroked Kuina's head and let her do as she pleased. Kuina was too strong-willed and never showed her emotions in front of others, but Vic was more like a father to her than Koshiro, so she could cry freely in front of Vic, and she could also practice her sword diligently for a word of praise from Vic.
Kuina is no longer as frail as she was in the original story. If you didn't look at her face, she would look like a boy. She hasn't neglected her physical training because of her high talent in swordsmanship. This is a positive effect brought by Vic. With a stronger body, she won't die instantly even if she hits her head on a rock. This is what makes Vic most gratified.
Kuina stopped crying after a while, then looked up at Vic with her tear-streaked face.
" Kuina! You've gotten stronger. It seems you haven't forgotten what I said. Very good. Keep it up. When you grow up, come aboard my ship, and I'll show you the world!" Vic said with a smile.
" Vic! Can't you take me with you now? I won't slack off on your ship either, I'll work hard to become stronger!"
Kuina spoke eagerly upon hearing Vic's promise. She felt incredibly comfortable with Vic, but felt very restrained with her father. A child is very clear about her own likes and dislikes.
Just as Kuina uttered those words, Koshiro, who was meditating, showed a pained expression, but it quickly disappeared.
"That won't do! You're still too young, and you have family around you. What would it look like if you stayed with me? I'll come back to see you whenever I have time. For now, just stay where you are and work hard to improve yourself. The ocean outside is very dangerous; without strength, you can't even protect yourself!"
Vic pondered for a moment and said, "It's fine for Ain to have family around, but not for Kuina. Her grandfather and father are still here; he can't do such a thing."
"Yes!" Kuina replied, her voice trembling with tears. Vic was right, and she had no reason to argue. Kuina's thinking had always been ahead of her peers; she could think about things on her own.
"Come on, let me make you something nice to eat first, then we'll go help your grandfather brew some wine!" After saying that, Vic stood up, took Kuina's hand, and walked towards the little house he had built.
The cottage was still the same cottage. Although Vic hadn't lived there for a long time, it was still clean. Vic didn't know if it was because Koshiro hired someone to clean it regularly or Kuina cleaned it herself.
Without asking any further questions, Vic took out ingredients from his storage space and cooked a delicious meal for Kuina. With Vic's lightning abilities, he didn't even need to start a fire. Kuina was very content eating with Vic, and they were laughing and chatting the whole time. This is how children should be.
After finishing their meal, Vic took Kuina to the village to buy brewing materials. He was only there to visit Kozaburo's family and didn't have anything important to do, so brewing with Kuina was a relaxing activity.
Vic spent seven days in Shimotsuki Village, doing little more than helping Kozaburo brew wine, training Kuina to cook delicious meals for her, and discussing and learning Koshiro from Kousaburo.
These past few days, Kuina's smile has never wavered; being with Vic makes even wielding a sword feel much easier.
Vic originally wanted to Koshiro a pure kendo sparring match with Koshiro, but Koshiro refused, telling Vic:
You've already forged your own path; just keep moving forward. Your teacher is no match for you now.
Whether this statement is true or false remains to be verified. Koshiro has always been very low-key and rarely takes action. Seeing Koshiro's words, Vic did not press the matter further.
When Vic left Shimotsuki Village, Kuina and Kozaburo showed great reluctance to see him go. Koshiro, perhaps because his skill was more advanced, did not show any unusual behavior. His disciple had already graduated, and there was no need to restrict his progress; this had always been his belief.
However, the way Vic left still surprised them. It was then that they realized Vic was already a Logia Fruit user. After changing his clothes, Vic transformed into a bolt of lightning and disappeared.
Kozaburo and Koshiro exchanged a glance without speaking, but Kuina was unusually excited. Her senior brother Vic was so handsome, and she really wanted to grow up quickly and get on Vic's ship.
When Vic returned to Foosha Village, he didn't see the Dog-Head Warship at the dock, nor did he find any trace of naval soldiers in the village. Vic guessed that the old man had gone out to deal with the pirates again.
Seeing that no one was there, Vic went straight to Makino's tavern. Unsurprisingly, Luffy was there, chatting loudly at the bar, eating and drinking for free. Seeing this, Vic smiled. Luffy was more fun when he was a kid.
When Makino saw Vic arrive at the tavern, she immediately blushed. She remembered her embarrassing behavior after drinking that day, and felt ashamed every time she thought about it. She cursed herself for being so audacious. Fortunately, this handsome navy man didn't hold it against her.
She didn't see the handsome guy when she woke up the next day. The Dog-Head Warship had returned in the past few days, but she didn't see anyone on board. She wondered where Vic had gone. Finally, she saw him today, but she didn't dare to act like she did after drinking last time. Her girlish modesty wouldn't allow her to do that.
" Vic! You're back! Come on over! I'll buy you some juice, Makino! Two juices, my grandpa'll pay when he gets back!"
Luffy looked incredibly proud of himself. He thought the banquet that Vic had funded and organized that day was extremely cool, and everyone's joy had infected him.
He's really looking forward to the banquet now. There's plenty of food and drink, and he'll be in a good mood. Before, when old Garp came back, he was clamoring to have a banquet, but Garp just gave him two flicks on the head and ignored him. Banquets aren't so easy to organize. He doesn't have Vic's convenient abilities. He still has missions to do.