Are you kidding me?
You want me to fight Zoro?
Ian felt a million curses racing through his mind.
This wasn’t how the plot was supposed to go!
Although Ian knew the current Zoro had absolutely no swordsmanship skills, and his so-called fighting was just like a child’s brawl—a completely reckless style—if he stepped up, he could probably beat the crap out of this guy using his basic swordsmanship.
But that wasn’t the point!
If he fought him, how would the bond between Zoro and Kuina ever form?
Without Kuina, how would Zoro find the unyielding drive to keep getting stronger?
Losing to a boy and losing to a girl were two completely different things!
Deciding this wasn’t his time to shine, Ian simply shook his head.
“I’m not fighting him!”
Koushirou gave Ian a strange look, not understanding what was going through his head.
However, he didn’t press the issue.
Since Ian refused, calling Kuina would work just as well.
Kuina was very obedient.
Hearing Koushirou’s voice, she stepped forward.
“Yes, Father!”
But the moment Zoro saw Kuina, he bristled with indignation and yelled at Koushirou, “What is this?
Aren’t you going to be my opponent?”
Koushirou smiled.
“Although Kuina is a girl, she is stronger than even the adults in this dojo!”
Zoro stared at Kuina in frustration for a long moment before finally relenting.
“Fine, bring it on!”
“Then, please come inside,” Koushirou said, turning and walking in.
Zoro and Kuina followed him into the dojo.
Having heard that Zoro was here to challenge the dojo, Ian and the rest of Koushirou’s disciples were already sitting cross-legged on the floor.
Aside from Ian, the others looked at Zoro with a mix of curiosity and indignation.
It couldn’t be helped; Zoro was acting incredibly arrogant right now.
Yet, Master Koushirou had actually taken him seriously and accepted his challenge.
No one knew what the master was thinking…
In the corner of the dojo sat a barrel filled with bamboo swords.
Koushirou pointed to it and told Zoro, “Choose a weapon.
You may use whichever one you like!”
“Really?” Zoro spat out the leaf he had been chewing on, walked over, and grabbed a massive armful of bamboo swords with a loud clatter.
Then, this guy held three in his left hand, three in his right hand, and clamped another three in his mouth.
Considering himself ready, he left everyone in the dojo staring at him in dumbfounded silence.
Following Koushirou to the altar, Zoro bowed to pay his respects.
As he lowered his head, one of the bamboo swords in his mouth clattered to the floor.
When he and Kuina bowed to each other, another sword dropped with a clack.
And yet, the guy maintained a completely deadpan expression…
“What the heck?
This guy is a total idiot!” The younger disciples in the dojo looked at him like he was a fool.
Ian watched in speechless disbelief.
‘So the title of moss-headed idiot has been with him since childhood…’
After the formalities, Zoro and Kuina’s duel began.
Unsurprisingly, Zoro was quickly defeated.
Kuina’s first strike forced Zoro to block with two bamboo swords, and her heavy, powerful second strike completely knocked all the weapons from his grasp.
“D-Damn it!” Zoro glared at Kuina’s calm face.
Refusing to admit defeat, he scrambled up from the floor, picked up two of the fallen bamboo swords, and took a stance against her.
“Oh?” Koushirou was a bit surprised by this sight.
He hadn’t expected Zoro to be so resilient, still possessing the courage to fight despite the massive gap in strength between him and Kuina.
Kuina was also surprised, as the stance Zoro had taken was a textbook Two-Sword Style stance.
She asked, “Have you studied Two-Sword Style swordsmanship?”
“Of course not!” Zoro snapped fiercely.
“Today is my first time holding a bamboo sword!”
“Your first time?” Master Koushirou repeated, still wearing a smile.
Ian knew exactly what Master Koushirou was thinking.
To naturally adopt the starting stance of the Two-Sword Style on his very first time holding a bamboo sword without any prior instruction…
this moss-headed idiot’s talent in swordsmanship was likely on par with Kuina’s.
Meanwhile, Zoro, completely unaware of Koushirou and Ian’s thoughts, kept his eyes locked tightly on Kuina.
‘Damn it, I’m strong, and I’m going to get even stronger!
How…
how could I possibly lose to a woman here?!’
Driven by his refusal to yield, Zoro let out a loud battle cry and charged at Kuina, and then…
And then he was ruthlessly smacked in the face by Kuina’s sword!
“T-That looks like it hurts…” The dojo disciples couldn’t help but wince at the sight.
“Why didn’t he dodge?”
Thud!
Zoro collapsed, his fall sending a slight tremor through the floorboards.
Ian facepalmed.
This idiot charged in recklessly like a wild boar, thinking he could beat Kuina with brute force alone?
There was zero technique involved; it would be a miracle if he didn’t lose.
“One point!
That’s enough!”
Master Koushirou called out, ending the match.
But the moss-headed idiot couldn’t hear him anymore.
He lay flat on the ground, a bright red welt visible on the side of his face.
Kuina planted her bamboo sword in front of him and said, “You’re clearly an amateur.
You’re ten years too early to be playing around with the Two-Sword Style!”
Zoro groggily regained consciousness.
Hearing her words, he couldn’t help but grab Kuina’s bamboo sword, still looking defiant.
Kuina frowned.
“What, do you want to go another round?”
Surprisingly, Zoro was straightforward about it.
“Damn it, a loss is a loss!”
Master Koushirou smiled and praised him, “Very decisive.
Not bad!”
“Then, I’ll just join your dojo!
Any objections?” Zoro sat up, crossing his arms as he asked Koushirou.
“None!” Koushirou shook his head, officially accepting him as a disciple.
As he said this, blood was still trickling from the moss-headed idiot’s nose…
“That day will never come!” Kuina said coldly, turning and walking away.
“Ian, take him to the back and treat his injuries!” Koushirou instructed.
Ian nodded, stood up, and walked over to Zoro.
“Come with me!”
Zoro’s nose was probably hurting terribly, so he didn’t throw a stubborn fit and obediently followed Ian out.
Arriving at the back rooms, Ian found the medical supplies, wiped away Zoro’s nosebleed, and stuffed cotton into his nostrils.
“Who is that woman?” Zoro asked Ian.
“She is Kuina, Master Koushirou’s daughter!” Ian replied.
“My junior sister, and from now on, your senior sister!”
“Hmph!
I’m never calling her senior sister!” Zoro huffed angrily, crossing his arms.
“I’m going to defeat her sooner or later!”
With two wads of cotton stuffed in his nose, he looked completely goofy saying that…
Ian smiled but didn’t say anything, focusing on applying the medicine.
In truth, he didn’t really know what to say to Zoro.
However, just because he didn’t want to talk didn’t mean Zoro felt the same.
The moss-headed idiot suddenly remembered something and asked, “Hey, and you!
Why didn’t you fight me earlier?”
Ian thought for a long moment before answering him with a deadpan expression, “Because I don’t fight idiots!”
“What did you say?!” Zoro instantly blew his top.
“Who are you calling an idiot?”
“You!” Ian said.
“If I’m not mistaken, you got lost and ended up here, didn’t you?”
Zoro was instantly shocked.
“H-How did you know?”
Ian sighed.
‘How do I know?
Of course I know.
Zoro, your biggest defining trait is your terrible sense of direction, okay?
Your reputation for getting lost is even more famous than your swordsmanship…’
Ian could bet his life on it—this guy’s challenge to the dojo was absolutely a spur-of-the-moment decision.
He probably got lost, wandered over here, saw a dojo, and decided to challenge it on a whim.
He was reckless to a fault.
Finishing up with the medicine, Ian patted Zoro on the head.
“Get some rest!”
“D-Damn it!
You’re clearly not that much older than me, so why are you treating me like a kid?” Zoro bristled again.
‘To me, you are just a kid right now!’ Ian thought as he turned and left the room.
Zoro watched his retreating back, feeling that this guy named Ian was incredibly mysterious.
How did he know about him getting lost?
He had never even met him before!
And just like that, Zoro moved into the dojo and officially became Koushirou’s disciple.
Early the next morning, Ian dragged himself out of bed before dawn, went outside the dojo, and began his sword-swinging practice.
Truth be told, although he had always been serious about his sword practice, he had only ever done it during group sessions.
He had never put in extra practice on his own.
However, seeing Zoro’s unyielding expression after losing to Kuina yesterday had somehow struck a deep chord within him.
There was a reason why someone could become truly strong.
Compared to Zoro, Ian realized he lacked a certain conviction!
He had thought about it all night before falling asleep, finally realizing that even if he lacked talent, he had the system to make up for it.
But without conviction and perseverance, he would never be able to become a true powerhouse, no matter what.
Zoro’s arrival had ignited Ian’s competitive spirit.
He felt he couldn’t let himself be outdone by a kid who had just picked up a sword.
So, for the first time ever, Ian began morning practice!
His goal for this morning: one thousand swings!
Gripping his wooden sword, Ian began to swing it rhythmically.
Every swing he made today was very slow, completely different from his practice in the dojo.
Swinging a sword wasn’t that simple.
According to Master Koushirou, a true sword swing wasn’t just about going through the motions.
It required focusing one’s spirit and energy into every single strike, carefully feeling the rhythm and power behind the blade.
The goal was to turn the motion into muscle memory, making it as natural as instinct!
After a full hour, Ian hadn’t even reached five hundred swings.
By now, sweat was pouring down his face, his muscles were trembling, and his arms felt as heavy as lead.
A voice in his head kept telling him that he couldn’t hold on any longer, that he should just stop here!
However, the moment he thought of Zoro’s face, Ian rallied his spirit, fought through the aching pain, and continued to swing.
‘Hold on!
Just hold on a little longer, you can do this!!’
Completely engrossed in his practice, Ian failed to notice one thing: the system notifications ringing continuously in his mind.
“You are practicing your sword swings with absolute concentration.
Basic Swordsmanship Proficiency +5!”
“You are practicing your sword swings with absolute concentration.
Basic Swordsmanship Proficiency +5!”
“You are practicing your sword swings with absolute concentration.
Basic Swordsmanship Proficiency +5!”
“You are practicing your sword swings with absolute concentration.
Basic Swordsmanship Proficiency +5!”
…