That night, Ian fell asleep wondering what choice Kuina would make.
In truth, even Ian couldn’t imagine what Kuina would look like as a boy.
Leaving Ivankov as a backup plan was merely an attempt on his part, because he knew that if Kuina stayed in Shimotsuki Village, she would soon meet an untimely end.
He had grown accustomed to drinking the hot water Kuina handed him with a smile after working in the fields.
He was used to the gentle pressure of her hands wrapping bandages around his injuries after every grueling workout.
Ian simply couldn’t accept the reality of this seemingly stubborn yet gentle younger sister vanishing before his eyes.
Because of this, the phrase that occupied his mind the most lately was: the butterfly effect!
He wanted to see if he could alter this outcome, no matter the cost.
The next morning, just as Ian woke up and before he could even wash his face, Kuina came looking for him.
The two sat down at the table.
The Transponder Snail woke up at that moment, sluggishly crawling toward Kuina.
She smiled, gently petting its large eyes, and handed it a cabbage leaf, watching it happily munch away.
“Kuina, have you made up your mind?” Ian finally asked after a long pause.
“I have!” Kuina looked up at him.
“All I can say is, thank you for your kindness, Big Brother Ian!”
“I…
I thought about it all night!” Kuina said, clutching her chest.
“Even though I always used to think about how great it would be if I were a boy.
That way, I wouldn’t disappoint my father.
I could grow stronger without any limitations, earn his acknowledgment, and inherit his dojo.”
“But yesterday, when you told me that such an opportunity was actually right in front of me, I hesitated…”
“If I really became a boy, would I still be me?
Even if I eventually became the world’s strongest swordsman because of it, would that swordsman still be Kuina?”
“I’ve figured it out, Big Brother Ian!” Kuina smiled at him.
“From now on, I will no longer agonize over my gender.
Since my father says girls can’t become the strongest, I’ll just have to prove him wrong.
I am going to become the strongest female swordsman in the world!”
Looking at Kuina, Ian realized that the confusion and frustration were completely gone from her face, replaced by unwavering determination and confidence!
Kuina meant what she said.
She had truly overcome her inner demons!
“Ha, haha!” Ian suddenly burst into laughter.
This was the little sister Kuina he had always admired.
With such a strong personality, what did it matter if she was a girl?
“I told you, no matter what decision you make, I will support you!” Ian smiled.
“Since you’ve decided to become the strongest female swordsman, then give it everything you’ve got!”
“Mhm!
Thank you, Big Brother Ian.
I’ll take my leave now!” Kuina stood up.
“Kuina!” Ian called out to her, his expression turning serious.
“That settles this matter, but you have to promise me one more thing!”
“What is it?” Kuina asked curiously.
“Don’t go anywhere dangerous!
Especially high places!” Ian warned.
“It would be best if you stick with Zoro and me during practice for a while!”
“Why?” Kuina was puzzled.
Ian couldn’t exactly explain it to her, so he just said, “I can’t quite put it into words, but I just have a bad feeling…”
Hearing this vague reason, Kuina found it a bit strange.
However, she was reluctant to practice alongside Ian and Zoro.
“No way.
That idiot Zoro always smells terrible after sweating!
I don’t want to practice with him!”
“I smell terrible when I sweat too!” Ian felt like he had caught a stray bullet.
“You’re different.
You’re family!” Kuina playfully stuck out her tongue.
“Zoro is my rival.
If I practice with him, he’ll figure out all my secret moves!”
“Alright!” Seeing her genuine reluctance, Ian didn’t want to force the issue.
After all, Kuina was a growing girl and couldn’t always hang around two sweaty guys.
He compromised, “Then promise me you absolutely won’t go anywhere dangerous, understand?”
“Alright, alright, I promise!” Kuina waved her hand.
“Bye, I’m going to practice!”
Watching Kuina walk out humming a cheerful tune, Ian couldn’t help but sigh.
He originally intended to send her out to sea to prevent her death, but by a twist of fate, he ended up untangling the knot in her heart instead.
The way things turned out left even Ian at a loss for words.
Over the next two days, Ian kept a close eye on Kuina.
Every time he went out to train with Zoro, he rushed back as quickly as possible, only breathing a sigh of relief when he confirmed she was safe and sound.
However, Ian couldn’t keep Kuina in his line of sight forever.
He could watch her for a moment, but not for a lifetime.
So, he came up with a plan.
He told the junior disciples at the dojo that if they ever saw Kuina heading somewhere high, they had to stop her or run and tell him immediately!
Out of respect for Ian, the junior disciples earnestly agreed.
But what Ian never expected was how quickly the incident would occur.
On the morning of the third day, Ian and Zoro were running laps around the village, each carrying a junior disciple on their shoulders, before heading to their usual training spot on the back mountain.
Running while carrying a person was a new method Ian and Zoro had recently devised, as regular running no longer provided much of a workout for them.
After setting the two junior disciples down and sending them back, Ian and Zoro began their daily routine.
Yet, for some inexplicable reason, as Ian watched Zoro doing resistance training with a boulder in his mouth, a sudden wave of unease washed over him.
At first, he didn’t pay much attention to it, feeling only a slight irritability.
But when he saw the two junior disciples they had just carried up the mountain running back toward them, Ian’s heart suddenly began to pound violently!
“Oh no!” Ian shouted, immediately sprinting down the mountain.
Zoro stared blankly at the sprinting Ian, having no idea what was going on.
He asked the two junior disciples, “Why did you guys come back?”
Panting heavily, the two boys rested their hands on their knees.
“Ku…
Kuina was going up to the attic to get her whetstone.
We…
we remembered what Senior Brother Ian said and tried to stop her, but she insisted it was fine.
We had no choice but to run back and get Senior Brother Ian!”
Meanwhile, Ian was sprinting down the mountain with every ounce of strength he had, but it still felt too slow.
He channeled his Nen into his legs, instantly causing his speed to skyrocket.
After a year of relentless training, he had gradually mastered the technique of freely utilizing Nen.
However, because his Nen Energy was still relatively low, he couldn’t manifest it physically, meaning he couldn’t yet simulate true Armament Haki.
Dashing back into the dojo at breakneck speed, Ian headed straight for the storehouse—the very same one where Kuina had retrieved the Wado Ichimonji that night.
Without a second thought, Ian smashed the door open and rushed inside.
Amidst the flying splinters of wood, Ian spotted Kuina.
She was standing on the second floor, seemingly preparing to climb down, holding a black whetstone in her hand.
But at that exact moment, she stepped on empty air and tumbled down from the loft.
“Kuina!”
Ian dove forward, reaching out to catch her where she was falling.
But the distance was a bit too far, causing his own body to lose balance and fall.
Given the angle of Kuina’s fall, she likely would have broken her neck and died on impact.
However, Ian’s arms managed to catch her just in time, providing a crucial cushion beneath her.
Thanks to this buffer, her body remained intact, but her head still struck the floorboards with a heavy thud.
As the dust settled, Ian felt Kuina’s body go limp in his arms.
Ignoring the pain from his own fall, he scrambled up, cradled her against his chest, and checked her condition.
To his immense relief, Kuina was still breathing.
Scooping her up hastily, Ian rushed out of the storehouse and into the dojo, shouting frantically, “Master!
Master Koushirou!”
Koushirou hurried out at the sound of his voice, only to see Ian holding an unconscious Kuina.
Panic immediately set in.
“What happened!?”
“Kuina fell from the attic!
I managed to catch her, but she hit her head on the floor!” Ian carefully laid Kuina down on the dojo floor.
“Master Koushirou, please watch over her.
I’m going to get the doctor!”
“Thank you!” Koushirou said.
Ian didn’t reply, sprinting out the door in a flash.
Shimotsuki Village was small, and there was only one doctor in the entire settlement—one who typically only treated minor ailments.
But Ian couldn’t afford to care about that right now.
He burst into the doctor’s house, hoisted the man onto his back, grabbed the medical kit, and sprinted back to the dojo.
By the time he returned, Zoro and a crowd of junior disciples had already gathered in the hall, waiting anxiously.
The doctor, an elderly man with a white beard, adjusted his glasses and carefully examined Kuina.
He shook his head and addressed the worried crowd.
“Her body is fine, but she took a severe blow to the head.
I don’t know when she will wake up!”
“What do you mean!?” Zoro panicked, grabbing the doctor by the collar.
“Are you saying Kuina won’t wake up?”
“Not that she won’t wake up!
I mean I don’t know when she will wake up!” The doctor shook his head.
“It could be a few days, or it could be much longer…”
Ian was completely stunned.
How could this happen!?
Even though his intervention had saved Kuina from her fatal destiny, she was now potentially trapped in a prolonged coma!?
*Was fate really playing such a cruel joke on him?*