[Dangerous Target Detected]
Ban, who was sitting cross-legged in his room trying to use his Observation Haki to help guide his training with Armament Haki, suddenly opened his eyes wide.
His range of perception was still quite limited, barely covering the entire area of the dojo, but what he sensed made his heart skip a beat.
The group of people who had just arrived gave off an overwhelmingly dangerous aura.
“So many powerful individuals…
and one of them feels even more dangerous than Master Koushirou himself,” Ban murmured.
Through his perception, every single person in that group had bright red warning signs floating above their heads, marking them as Extremely Dangerous.
And shockingly, above one specific person, there were three giant red question marks, glowing ominously.
“Revolutionaries?” Ban whispered, already guessing their identities.
He had long suspected that Koushirou maintained secret contacts with the Revolutionary Army.
Monkey D.
Dragon…
or simply known as Dragon.
Leader of the Revolutionary Army, the greatest threat to the World Government, the son of Marine Hero Monkey D.
Garp, and the father of Monkey D.
Luffy.
He was also a Logia user, possessing powers likely related to wind and storms.
“He rarely takes action personally, but this man is definitely among the strongest people in the world—on par with the Four Emperors,” Ban thought to himself, feeling a strong urge to go out and see them with his own eyes.
However, he stopped himself.
No.
These people represented trouble and chaos.
While it was true that Dragon and his followers had lofty ideals, aiming to overthrow the corrupt World Government and change the world…
it had nothing to do with Ban.
He wasn’t even originally from this world.
He respected their cause, but that was all.
He had absolutely no intention of getting involved or interacting with them.
Having made up his mind, Ban suppressed his curiosity, calmed his thoughts, and sat back down to resume his training of Armament Haki.
Meanwhile, Kuina and Zoro, who had just finished another round of sparring, also noticed the strange visitors.
They saw Koushirou lead the group inside the dojo, but they didn’t dare intrude on such a serious meeting.
“You lost again.
That makes it 1,997 times,” Kuina said calmly, looking down at Zoro.
“Damn it!
Don’t get cocky!
I swear I’ll beat you one day!” Zoro snapped, bristling with anger at her reminder.
“You will never defeat me,” Kuina replied coolly, placing her hands on her hips and looking down at him with a sideways glance.
Zoro gritted his teeth, raising his wooden sword and pointing it directly at her.
“I’m not just going to beat you!
I’m going to beat Ban too!
And then…
I’m going to become the World’s Greatest Swordsman!”
He shouted loudly, breathing heavily as he glared at her with determination.
“Beat Ban?” Kuina froze for a moment, a complex expression crossing her face.
Ban had only been at the dojo for a single month, yet his strength had skyrocketed.
His progress in swordsmanship alone was already beyond what she could imagine.
something her own father had described repeatedly with awe.
According to Koushirou, Ban’s body was tougher, stronger, and more resilient than even the monstrous warriors roaming the seas.
Right now, Kuina already felt that no matter how hard she tried, she would never be able to win against him.
“You simply can’t see the massive gap that lies between us…
and him,” Kuina said quietly, her voice heavy with frustration and sadness.
“Hey!
Are you giving up already?” Zoro asked.
He might be directionally challenged, but he wasn’t stupid.
He sensed the shift in her mood instantly.
“You’ve beaten me 1,997 times!
You’re the one who’s always stronger!
Don’t you dare look down on yourself like that!
Because if you’re weak, then what does that make me?”
Zoro yelled angrily, staring fiercely at her.
Kuina lowered her head and remained silent.
Zoro watched her, eyes wide, then suddenly raised his wooden sword high into the air.
“I’ve decided, Kuina!
From now on, I’m going to beat you!
And then…
I’ll be the one to beat Ban!”
He declared proudly, let out a loud Hmph, and turned around to storm off—only to freeze instantly.
Somehow, without him noticing, a figure had appeared right behind him.
“Ban…” Zoro stammered, freezing on the spot.
“I’m giving you the chance.
Come on, Zoro.
Challenge me, defeat me, and charge straight toward the title of World’s Greatest Swordsman!”
Ban held a wooden sword in his hand, looking at Zoro with a solemn expression.
Zoro: …
Kuina: …
“What’s wrong?
Are you too scared?” Ban asked with a grin, looking at the two stunned children.
“Don’t you get cocky!”
Zoro bristled instantly.
He was easily riled up, and now he charged straight at Ban, swinging his sword wildly.
Thwack!
What greeted him was a solid hit right on the head.
A red mark appeared instantly on Zoro’s face, and blood gushed from his nose.
He stumbled back several steps, clutching his nose as tears immediately welled up in his eyes.
The sharp pain and stinging sensation made tears and snot stream down his face together.
Seeing this, Kuina stepped forward, gripping the hilt of her wooden sword with both hands.
“Let me try.”
She launched herself at Ban, striking fast and hard.
Thump!
A loud sound echoed—her head was just as solid as Zoro’s.
Kuina crouched down, holding her head tightly, eyes brimming with tears.
“Earlier…
was there something else you wanted to say?” Kuina suddenly asked, still holding her head, as she saw Ban sit down.
“What do you mean?”
“About what you said…
that there are women who have become the strongest people in the world.”
It was obvious this matter had been weighing heavily on her mind.
Ban let out a soft sigh.
He understood Koushirou’s intentions, but it seemed his words had only deepened Kuina’s doubts about herself.
“Sit properly,” Ban said, pointing to the space in front of him.
Kuina and Zoro obediently sat down, their teary eyes fixed intently on Ban.
Both of them knew that Ban possessed an incredible amount of knowledge about the outside world and the seas.
“People are all different,” Ban began.
“There are many races across the ocean: Fish-Men, Mink-Men, Giants…
and more.
They are naturally vastly different from ordinary humans.
“Let me put it this way: Once a Giant reaches adulthood, their strength is roughly equal to that of a Marine Vice-Admiral.
That is already considered the level of a top-tier powerhouse in this world.”
Kuina and Zoro didn’t really understand how strong a Marine Vice-Admiral was, but they listened intently anyway.
“Right now, in the New World of the Grand Line, there is a place called Totto Land, created by Charlotte Linlin.
She is one of the strongest pirates in the world, among the very top tier.
When she was just five years old…
she completely destroyed an entire village inhabited by Giants.”
“Is she…
a woman?” Kuina asked, looking at Ban with clear curiosity.
“Yes, she is,” Ban nodded.
“But her natural talent is something that very few people in this entire world can match.”
He spoke with genuine admiration—he truly believed that Big Mom’s monstrous talent was almost unparalleled.
“If I keep working hard and surpassing myself…
can I eventually reach that kind of level?” Kuina asked, her eyes full of longing.
She desperately needed some form of confirmation, some reason to keep believing.
“There is no limit to swordsmanship,” Ban replied gently.
“As long as you keep training, you will only keep getting stronger and stronger.”
Originally, he had wanted to burst her bubble and make her face reality.
Kuina was talented—very talented—but she wasn’t a once-in-a-generation genius whose skill defied logic.
It was impressive that she could defeat grown men at the age of ten, but even she herself could feel it: fighting Zoro was getting harder and harder, and her victories were becoming fewer and further between.
“Yes!
That’s right!
I will keep getting stronger and stronger, and one day I will become the World’s Greatest Swordsman!”
Kuina’s expression shifted, deep in thought as she processed Ban’s words—the bitter truth coated with encouragement.
Meanwhile, Zoro had swallowed the whole speech hook, line, and sinker.
His face was filled with burning excitement, completely ignoring the red mark and dried blood on his face that made him look quite comical.
“Monday to Friday – Update 3 Chapters a Day”
“Saturday and Sunday – Off”