Finding Kuina and Zoro still training hard, Luffy instinctively looked at Kuina, sensing a subtle change in her mood. He brushed it off as a fleeting thought, feeling it was likely just his imagination.
"Still pushing hard, I see! It's good to take a break sometimes, you know. I made a little something sweet—want to try?" Luffy offered, holding up the tray.
"Hmm… looks like it's all made with milk?" Kuina observed.
"Yep, just something simple with milk. Eating sweets can lift your spirits!" Luffy replied.
"But it's not very sweet," Uta added, "Luffy barely used any sugar."
Kuina took a spoonful of the soft, creamy pudding. As she tasted it, she felt her mood brighten noticeably.
"This is delicious. How'd you make it?" Zoro asked, intrigued.
Luffy just smiled, then added, "I'm leaving tomorrow."
"What… so suddenly?" Zoro exclaimed, startled.
"I've learned what I came here to learn. Now, all that's left is the daily training, and I can do that aboard the ship," Luffy explained.
Besides, he thought to himself, the mission here is mostly complete. Time to find the next adventure—or maybe the next girl who needs rescuing.
Even though the world still had its troubles, he had his own role to play. He remembered that Shanks would only be staying in Windmill Village for about a year before setting sail again. Shanks once told him that after a couple of voyages, he'd head north and finally sail toward the Grand Line.
But now, with Uta—a childhood friend from a movie plotline added into his life—the future felt a little more uncertain.
Better not to dwell on it. I'm just a kid; worrying about the future will only wear me out, he thought, giving his head a shake to clear his mind.
Zoro, though, fell quiet at Luffy's announcement, clearly troubled. He didn't want to say goodbye to his strong friend. Training together had been such a joyful experience, each day spent in shared purpose and laughter.
"If only it could go on like this forever…" he thought.
"Zoro, you need to get stronger, remember? Then come and join me as my first mate. That's a promise," Luffy reminded him with a grin.
"Of course I won't forget, you idiot!" Zoro retorted, a little frustrated.
"What's this about?" Kuina asked, catching onto the boys' plans.
"Oh, Kuina, when Zoro sets out to find me, help him with directions, will you? I'm afraid he might get lost and not find his way back," Luffy teased, recalling Zoro's legendary sense of direction.
Even in this village, Zoro managed to stay on track, but only because he'd lived here for years. Out in the world? Who knew?
"Hey—I won't get lost!"
"And I'll be challenging you when we meet again!" Kuina declared, her eyes filled with determination.
"Anytime! I'll be waiting for your challenge, Kuina," Luffy replied, smiling. Her hardworking, athletic nature gave her a refreshing charm.
"You're the only one who's ever beaten me—so don't go getting defeated by anyone else. That would just make my victory look cheap," Luffy teased, then added, "After all, I'm Monkey D. Luffy, destined to be the King!"
"Hmph, I won't lose to anyone so easily! I'll surpass our ancestor, the legendary swordsman Ryuma of the Shimotsuki, and become the world's greatest swordsman!" Kuina replied proudly.
"Me too!" Zoro declared.
"No way! You're Roronoa, a nameless swordsman of the East Blue!" Kuina corrected him.
While Kuina had the proud blood of Shimotsuki in her veins, Zoro was considered of lesser lineage. His faint connection to the Shimotsuki was from his maternal line and thus was rarely mentioned.
"Doesn't matter! One day, the name 'Roronoa' will echo across the seas, marking the start of a legend!"
"Stop boasting, loser!"
"Hey, I'm already a legend!" Uta interjected, wiping a bit of milk from her lip. "I've already got tens of thousands of fans as a musician!"
"You all can take your time; I'll be the world's top musician first," she declared with a grin.
The four friends shared a hearty laugh.
…
As evening fell, Luffy grasped his practice sword tightly. A few remaining dojo students and several adult swordsmen stood by, watching with serious expressions.
Luffy was about to challenge the dojo master for the "Menkyo Kaiden" certification.
"Menkyo" means "license" and grants a member the right to represent a specific school of swordsmanship. To achieve "Kaiden" means to master the school's techniques entirely, proving mastery in all areas.
"Menkyo Kaiden" was the highest level of certification. This promotion wasn't about time spent training but about the depth of skill and understanding.
Luffy took his stance, gripping the wooden sword firmly. He couldn't help but notice that Shimotsuki Kozaburo's demeanor seemed different—less scholarly and more… fierce, almost like a warrior.
"Menkyo Kaiden, huh… haven't heard that term in a while," Shimotsuki Kozaburo muttered, smoking his pipe as he observed the young king-to-be.
A stance, a will, and an aura—the makings of a true swordsman.
In this dojo, far from Wano's rigid traditions, the certification wasn't taken too seriously. But the youngest person in history to achieve Menkyo Kaiden was a female swordsman named Chiba Sanae, who had earned it at the age of ten.
Shimotsuki Kozaburo took up his own practice sword, mirroring Luffy's stance in the same one-sword style.
"Then let's see what you've got," he said.
"I'm ready to give it my all!" Luffy replied, his spirit blazing.
The aura of Armament Haki surged from within him, enveloping the wooden blade.
"You've already come this far?" Shimotsuki Kozaburo remarked with a smile.
With a sharp crack, the two wooden swords collided, and the dojo filled with the sound of clashing
bamboo. The impact sent a gust of wind through the dojo, ruffling the hair of everyone watching.
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