c2: "Female Tyrannosaurus!"
"Dongze!"
"I really envy that green-haired guy's talent!"
To be honest, Roronoa Zoro's outstanding performance in the future, eventually growing into the right-hand man of Monkey D. Luffy and a core member of the Straw Hat Pirates, is not only due to his indomitable will, but also because of his terrifying natural talent for swordsmanship. The fact that both Koushirou and Dracule Mihawk recognized his potential and personally guided his growth proves one undeniable truth, Zoro's talent shines brilliantly even across the vast seas of the world.
These two figures are anything but ordinary. One stands at the very peak as the world's greatest swordsman, while the other is deeply connected to the Shimotsuki lineage of Wano Country, a land renowned in the New World for producing unparalleled samurai. From the perspective of swordsmanship alone, both can be considered among the absolute pinnacles of this era.
And precisely because of that, it further highlights just how monstrous Roronoa Zoro's innate ability truly is.
Looking at the still somewhat immature girl in front of him, Dongze let out a quiet sigh. Kuina, who had completely suppressed Zoro during their childhood, possessed talent that in his view was not inferior to Zoro's in the slightest, and in certain aspects, her precision and understanding of swordsmanship even surpassed his.
Unfortunately, fate had not allowed her to continue walking that path.
Over the past few years at Isshin Dojo, Dongze had spent enough time observing Koushirou to understand that he was not a man who looked down on women. His calm demeanor and teachings were always rational and composed, never once showing true discrimination.
Because of this, Koushirou's seemingly deliberate discouragement of Kuina had always puzzled Dongze. Thinking back to those quiet conversations between father and daughter, perhaps it was not rejection, but a form of protection.
After all, the path of a swordsman is one stained with blood, where duels are decided by life and death.
And beyond Shimotsuki Village lies the sea, a world far more dangerous than any training ground. Even in the so-called weakest sea, the East Blue, pirates like those once led by Arlong, roaming bandits, and even agents of the World Government or Revolutionaries occasionally appear. If Koushirou himself had reasons to remain hidden here, how could he willingly allow his daughter to step into such a cruel world?
Of course, these were merely Dongze's own speculations.
Kuina supported Dongze's weight and helped him walk slowly back toward Isshin Dojo, her movements steady despite her small frame.
Halfway along the path, Dongze suddenly sucked in a sharp breath, his face contorting in pain as his injuries flared up again. Noticing this, Kuina's expression softened slightly as she asked in a quieter tone,
"Hey, Dongze, are you really alright?"
Dongze reached toward his side, carefully touching his lower ribs before replying with a strained voice, "Two ribs are probably broken, I'll be stuck in bed for ten days to half a month, well, at least that's how it works in this world. If it were somewhere else, I might not recover for years!"
Hearing this, Kuina's face flushed faintly with embarrassment. In that moment of urgency earlier, she had not held back at all. With her current strength, which already surpassed many grown adults in the village, that kick had carried considerable force.
Given Dongze's relatively frail build, it would have been stranger if he had walked away completely unharmed.
At that moment, both Dongze and Kuina came to an abrupt stop. They exchanged a glance before instinctively turning their attention toward the nearby training ground.
A green-haired boy stood there, relentlessly striking wooden posts, each hand gripping a bamboo sword as his movements flowed with intensity and focus. Sweat dripped from his body, yet his rhythm never faltered.
"1005, 1006, 1007..."
Not far from him stood two heavy stone weights used for strengthening the arms. Just by looking at the deep grooves and markings left on them, Dongze's lips began to twitch uncontrollably.
Inwardly, he could not help but curse.
"Damn it, is this guy even human, or some kind of beast?"
That green-haired figure was none other than Roronoa Zoro. As he noticed Kuina and Dongze approaching, he did not slow down in the slightest. Instead, his strikes grew even sharper and more aggressive, as if their presence only fueled his determination further.
It seemed that in his eyes, the wooden stakes standing before him had all become Kuina, the opponent who had always stood above him like an insurmountable wall. As for Dongze, he was completely ignored, because in every previous sparring match, Dongze had never once managed to defeat him.
Zoro simply did not bother paying attention to someone weaker than himself. Even though he could see that Dongze trained just as hard as anyone else in the dojo, he firmly believed that effort alone meant nothing if one lacked the strength to back it up, and in his mind, Dongze had no chance of keeping up with him.
However, at this moment, he had no idea that Dongze had already awakened something abnormal, a power that did not belong to the natural order of this world.
There is a saying that a person must be viewed with new eyes after only a few days apart, and in a world like this where strength can change rapidly, that statement holds even more weight.
When Dongze looked once more at the future combatant of the Straw Hat Pirates, the man who would one day stand beside the future Pirate King, his gaze was no longer filled with frustration, but instead had become calm, steady, and confident.
After an entire afternoon of continuous experimentation, he had already grasped the basic workings of his newly awakened ability. With that understanding came a powerful belief that he could use it to steadily close the gap, surpass those around him, and eventually climb to the very peak of this world, a place occupied by monsters like the Yonko and the strongest swordsman.
In truth, for most people, the greatest obstacle to growth is not the hardship of training itself, but the uncertainty of the path ahead, continuing forward without knowing whether their efforts will ever bear fruit.
Now, however, with this ability providing him with clear and measurable progress, all hesitation had vanished from Dongze's heart. What remained was simple, relentless persistence, pushing forward step by step without stopping.
Noticing the faint trace of envy that flashed across Kuina's eyes as she watched Zoro train, Dongze let out a quiet sigh.
"Kuina, talent is something a person is born with, no matter how much you envy it, it won't become yours."
"Just because that green-haired guy's strength keeps rising at a ridiculous pace, do you think the heavens will suddenly grant us the same kind of body he has?"
Hearing these words, Kuina's expression dimmed slightly. She understood that what Dongze said was true, no amount of envy could give her Zoro's raw physical resilience or explosive growth.
Seeing her momentary dejection, Dongze paused before continuing in a more thoughtful tone, "Since we cannot change what we are born with, then the only thing left is to work harder than anyone else. Only then can we carve out our own path and stand above the rest."
"Besides, I don't think your talent is inferior to his at all. Your control, your precision, your understanding of the sword, those are things he still lacks. Strength alone does not decide the outcome of a duel between swordsmen."
"And think about it, why is that green-haired guy training like his life depends on it every single day? Isn't it because he wants to defeat you? As long as that hasn't happened yet, you have no reason to lose confidence."
"Hmph, I already know that! Do you really think I'm someone who would give up so easily?"
At these words, Zoro's movements slowed for just a brief moment.
"Not bad!"
A faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips before he once again resumed his relentless training, striking the wooden posts with even greater intensity, as though each blow carried his determination to surpass Kuina.
Dongze's words were partly meant to encourage Kuina, but they also served another purpose. By preserving her confidence, he ensured that he would continue to have a powerful rival before him, someone who could push him forward and prevent him from losing motivation.
Although Zoro outwardly dismissed Dongze, the fact that he could influence Kuina's state of mind meant that, deep down, Zoro still acknowledged that Dongze had some value, even if only slightly.
What Zoro could not possibly imagine was that this very person he currently looked down upon would one day become a figure he would chase, someone he might even be forced to look up to in the future. In a world as vast and unpredictable as the seas, no one could truly foresee how fate would unfold.
"Hey, snap out of it, Kuina!"
"Hmm..."
"What are you shouting for? I heard you!"
As she spoke, Kuina suddenly reached out and, taking advantage of her height, pressed down on Dongze's head before roughly rubbing his hair in a rather domineering manner. After that, she casually blew away the loose strands that had come off in her hand, completely unconcerned.
Watching this from the corner of his eye, Zoro's expression twitched slightly. Given his current strength, if he were in Dongze's position, he would not have fared much better against Kuina either.
Staring at the strands of hair in Kuina's hand, he muttered under his breath with clear irritation, "Damn it, what a female tyrant!"
....