Luffy carried Uta on his back as they walked through the village under a sky filled with exceptionally bright stars. The air was crisp, with a few crickets chirping in the background, adding to the calm, countryside charm.
Outside the dojo lay expansive fields of rice and vegetables, all thriving with life. As was typical in this pirate world, even the plants were unusually large. If Luffy were to pull up one of the radishes, it would likely tower over him, easily more than a meter in height. For a child like him, it was almost absurd.
Luffy, used to the peculiarities of this world, walked along the rural path without giving it a second thought. The world here operated on different rules; pondering these oddities too deeply could easily drive someone mad.
Shimotsuki Village had a decent supply of vegetables and rice, unlike Windmill Village, which was often lacking in fresh produce.
The large pirate ship was docked nearby, and several of Shanks' crew were gathered around, drinking and chatting in small groups.
When they spotted Luffy and Uta, they cheerfully called out,
"Hey, Luffy, Uta! Had dinner yet?"
"Yep, already eaten," Luffy replied, gently setting Uta down on the ground.
Uta, ever the picture of elegance, crossed her long legs and gave a polite wave.
"See you tomorrow, Luffy."
"See you tomorrow," he replied.
With that, she dashed off toward the ship, heading for her cabin.
"Uta! Want some meat before you go?" Shanks asked, holding up a large piece of roast, but Uta just called out as she ran,
"I'm all worn out! Need to rest, Shanks."
"Take care, kiddo…" Shanks chuckled, watching her go with a fatherly smile before turning back to his newspaper and meal.
"Seems like the seas are as chaotic as ever today."
---
Back in the dojo, Luffy poured himself a glass of milk before heading into the bathhouse.
The dojo had a simple bathing area for the children staying overnight, with small partitioned stalls for privacy. Just next to him was the green-haired Zoro.
"Hey, how'd you make that flame sword happen?" Zoro couldn't hold back his curiosity any longer.
"You're too weak to pull it off, Zoro," Luffy said plainly.
Zoro hadn't yet learned Armament Haki, which was a prerequisite for the move. Without that foundation, Luffy didn't know how else to explain it.
"Argh… come on, teach me! I want to be strong like you!"
"Are you serious, Zoro?" Luffy leaned casually against the partition, grinning.
"Can you really teach me?"
The green-haired boy's eyes widened with hope.
"I can, but first… You know my goal, right? I'm going to become the King," Luffy said, his voice steady.
Zoro nodded.
"So, if you really want to get stronger, then become my stepping stone, Zoro. Help me rise to the throne."
Luffy extended his hand, his eyes locked on Zoro's.
"I don't really get what being 'King' is supposed to mean, but I'll become the world's greatest swordsman, no question about it!" Zoro reached out and clasped Luffy's hand firmly.
"Alright, then let's drink milk together!" Luffy declared.
Zoro looked down at the warm glass of milk in his hands, hesitant. "Is this really gonna help? I don't even need it for my teeth…"
"Stop overthinking it; we're kids, aren't we? Just drink it." Luffy gulped down his milk, and with a sigh, Zoro reluctantly followed suit.
"Sure, swordsmanship is important, but if you want real strength, you'll have to train every part of your body," Luffy explained, showing Zoro the proper form for a push-up.
In the following days, Zoro became Luffy's shadow, following him through every training exercise, day and night.
Luffy didn't bother approaching Shimotsuki Koshiro to ask for extra training since his time was better spent mastering sword skills through practical experience.
Koshiro had his own method of teaching, having the students run laps around the dojo and then spar with each other. For Luffy, Zoro, and Kuina, their opponents were often the adult swordsmen in the dojo—a challenge even for Luffy.
The adult swordsmen here were notably stronger than those in the royal guard back in Elegia.
Even so, Luffy won each bout with ease.
"You three are showing remarkable improvement," Koshiro marveled as he watched them spar.
Was this rapid growth because of that boy? Koshiro's gaze rested on Luffy's bright, confident smile.
The increase in skill was evident; if Zoro and Kuina's previous growth rate had been a 1, now Zoro's rate had climbed to a 2, while Kuina's was around 1.6. She was improving slightly slower than Zoro, which Koshiro found a bit disappointing.
But as he looked at Kuina and Zoro, his expression softened with pride.
On the sidelines, Uta sat cross-legged, laughing quietly to herself.
"You three… I think it's time you learned more advanced techniques."
He gathered Luffy, Kuina, and Zoro in front of him.
"Listen carefully: There are swordsmen who can cut anything, and then there are those who can cut nothing."
He held a piece of paper in one hand and the famed sword Wado Ichimonji in the other.
With a slow, deliberate movement, he unsheathed the sword and tossed the paper into the air. As the paper floated down, Koshiro focused his intent and struck.
"Ha!"
The sword met the paper, and though everyone expected the blade to cut it effortlessly, the paper floated down, untouched.
Luffy could see it—Koshiro's blade was wrapped in Armament Haki, using a defensive type to prevent it from cutting through even the thinnest paper.
Koshiro's teaching held a gentle philosophy: to protect those you care about, a swordsman must learn restraint, even with the sharpest of blades.
"Remember, the strongest sword is one that can protect what's dear to you."
But Luffy realized there was a practical purpose too. What Koshiro described as "breath of all things" was essentially Observation Haki at its basic level.
Then he recalled Zoro's unique swordsmanship. His techniques that overwhelmed opponents with sheer force—"Daishinkan" or the "Great Shock"—were, in essence, the effects of Conqueror's Haki.
So, it seemed swordsmen had their own terminology for these abilities. In this world:
Armament Haki was called "Ryou" (or Flow),
Observation Haki was "Breath of All Things,"
And Conqueror's Haki? Likely som
ething akin to "Oni Spirit" or "Ghost Energy."
The discovery was exciting, and it only made him more eager to train.
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