Luffy was knocked to the ground by Uta's sudden pounce.
Already exhausted, his muscles ached from strain, and his Haki reserves were drained. He couldn't resist as he collapsed into the soft sand, letting out a sigh of relief. Uta's pale neck was tinged with a soft blush, her purple eyes shimmering with warmth, making her look adorable.
Apparently, setting off fireworks at night was more effective than he'd thought.
Luffy hadn't expected such a big reaction from Uta, but given her artistic nature, it made sense.
He raised a hand and placed it on her slender waist. "Alright, you got me again," he said with a grin. "Are you ready to leave here? Think you still have the energy?"
Though Uta was getting stronger, maintaining her powers at full intensity still took a toll on her. Luffy wasn't sure how many songs she could sustain before tiring.
Uta only chuckled, her voice soft and pleased as she straddled his waist, absentmindedly tracing her nails over his shoulders, feeling the firm muscles beneath her fingertips. A curious sense of satisfaction filled her as she clung to him.
Watching from a short distance away, Zoro and Kuina exchanged glances, observing the two pirate kids with growing intrigue. Zoro took a step forward, ready to ask Luffy about his flaming sword technique, but Kuina caught him by the collar.
"And what exactly do you think you're doing?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.
"I was going to ask him about the flame sword," Zoro replied, a spark of excitement in his eyes. "That was the Flame Parting Blade! It's too cool not to ask!"
His mind raced with the thought of wielding such a weapon; he could hardly resist finding out more.
"You dummy, can't you read the room at all?" Kuina sighed, her face softening with exasperation. "Haven't you learned anything in class?"
"Read the room? How am I supposed to read the air?" Zoro looked at her, perplexed, making Kuina cover her face in frustration.
"Idiot."
After a few moments, Uta's weariness became apparent, and the dream world began to unravel.
The soft sand morphed back into the solid wooden floor of the dojo, and Zoro, now wide-eyed and disoriented, fell backward onto the dojo floor, feeling the hard surface under him. He was drenched in sweat, the weight of exhaustion settling over him as he glanced around. Kuina stood nearby, her training robe clinging to her figure from the perspiration.
From his vantage point on the floor, Zoro's gaze landed on her, her short hair clinging slightly to her face, cheeks flushed from exertion. Her expression, though calm, held a lingering fire from the intensity of their practice.
Meanwhile, Uta, now sitting cross-legged on the wooden floor, wrapped her arms around her sock-clad feet and swayed slightly. She tried to stand, but the exhaustion hit her. Instinctively, she extended a pale hand toward Luffy, who was close by. "Out of energy!" she declared.
"Really?" Luffy eyed her skeptically, recalling an earlier incident when she pretended to be tired just to get him to carry her. "Are you just messing with me?"
"Hurry up!" she insisted with a huff.
"…Fine, I'll walk you back to the ship." With her looking so endearing, Luffy couldn't refuse.
Noticing Zoro's lingering gaze, Luffy's eyes lit up with mischief. He knelt down and let Uta drape her arm over his shoulders.
Uta grinned triumphantly.
"Don't forget my shoes!" As they reached the entryway, she pointed at her pink sneakers.
"Yeah, yeah." Luffy picked them up with two fingers, letting Uta lean her cheek against his back, slipping back into her dream world with a satisfied, sleepy smile.
In her dream, Uta laughed to herself, clutching a small stack of photos she'd gathered—each one capturing Luffy's fiery stances during battle.
…
"What's with you?" Kuina noticed Zoro's lingering look, grabbing a towel from the side of the dojo to wipe her face.
"Uh…" Zoro muttered, cheeks warming as he averted his gaze, looking anywhere but at her.
The dojo was quiet, with just the two of them left.
He opened his mouth to speak but blurted out their familiar refrain, "Let's duel, Kuina!"
Kuina paused, the towel lowering as she looked at him thoughtfully. "Zoro…I'm not the strongest anymore."
She turned her gaze back toward the door. "You should be challenging Luffy instead, don't you think?"
"I don't care if it's you or Luffy—I'll defeat you both!" he replied, full of unyielding determination. "But Luffy doesn't even want to be the world's greatest swordsman. Beating him wouldn't mean anything."
"You're my real goal," he said firmly. "The only one who shares my dream of becoming the world's strongest swordsman."
He clutched a practice sword left behind by Luffy in each hand and took a stance before Kuina.
"Hmph," Kuina smirked, her eyes softening slightly as she raised her own sword. "Ready to taste defeat again?"
"The title of world's greatest swordsman isn't yours to keep, Kuina!" he charged at her with both swords, striking rapidly in a flurry of attacks. She parried each one with ease, the two of them locked in a swift exchange.
Despite his best efforts, Kuina blocked and countered his strikes with calm precision. Just when it seemed he was gaining ground, she took advantage of an opening, sending him sprawling to the floor.
"You're improving, but as long as I keep training, Zoro, I'll defeat you two thousand and one times if you challenge me two thousand times!"
She tossed him a towel, her usual cool demeanor softened by a gentle smile. "The world is vast. Let's keep pushing ourselves together, Zoro."
Zoro looked up, taken aback. Kuina had never looked at him like this before. She'd always been so aloof, always one step ahead. This rare moment of kindness made him pause, his fingers trembling slightly as he reached for the towel, his hand brushing hers.
Moonlight poured through the dojo's open window, bathing them both in a silvery glow. Their eyes met, and for a moment, all the usual tension faded away.
Outside, Mr. Koushirou strolled leisurely through the garden, a slight smile tugging at his lips as he happened upon the scene.
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