Loguetown.
The docks.
Dead silence.
Clink—!
The tense air eased, prompting a collective gulp.
"To claim my sword, you'd need strength worthy of it!" Kuina declared, twirling her blade with a flourish before sheathing it. "With your power, how could you take my sword from me?"
Without glancing at Tashigi, she strode past, heading toward Smoker.
Her sole aim: to fight the strong, to reach Great Swordmaster.
Tashigi stood frozen until Kuina passed. Only then did she exhale.
"Phew~"
At the blade's edge moments ago, death's dread had consumed her, a black hole swallowing her mind.
Now, with death retreating, her taut nerves unraveled, her body collapsing like soft clay.
"Sergeant Tashigi, are you alright?" a Marine asked, rushing to help her up.
She waved him off. "I'm fine."
Turning to Kuina's retreating figure, she shouted, fury rising, "Blue-Haired Kuina! Why didn't you strike? Because I'm ordinary? A woman, weaker than you monsters? Sparing me in a duel—that's humiliating!"
"Oh?" Kuina paused, turning to face Tashigi, a flicker of confusion in her eyes.
Her personality… it's like mine when I was younger.
Could she really be a relative?
She shook off the thought. "Impossible."
Fixing Tashigi with a cold stare, she delivered a brutal truth: "How pitiful. A weakling. You can't even choose your own death right now."
"To achieve your goal, you'd need to try ten thousand times harder!"
Tashigi stood defiantly, staggering to her sword, Shigure. With a shing, she drew it.
"I don't train for fun!" she yelled. "I've been working hard—endlessly practicing!"
Pointing her blade at Kuina, she roared, "I'm weak, sure, but how could you, born with freakish strength, understand the persistence of ordinary people like me?"
"And you monsters—do you really think you're strong?"
"Don't get—"
Her voice cracked with defiance: "—too cocky!"
"My conviction won't crumble from a few words!"
With a battle cry, she charged Kuina.
Kuina's mocking "weakling" had ignited Tashigi's fury.
Kuina froze, stunned by Tashigi's charge.
Too alike.
It was like facing herself.
Tashigi's personality mirrored Kuina's from years ago.
Anger flashed in Kuina's eyes. She spun, drawing her sword to block Tashigi's strike.
Clang—!
Staring into Tashigi's near-identical face, Kuina bellowed, "You! Copying my face wasn't enough? Now you're mimicking my personality?"
"Who's copying you?" Tashigi shot back. "I've been like this my whole life! If anyone's copying, it's you!"
"What?"
"You want to die, woman?"
Kuina shoved Tashigi back with a surge of strength, slashing downward.
Clang!
Shigure flew from Tashigi's grip again.
"And stop mimicking my speech—especially how I was as a kid!" Kuina snapped. "It's embarrassing, you know?"
She sheathed her blade, closed the distance in a flash, and grabbed Tashigi's collar. With a heave, she threw her over her shoulder.
Thud—!
Tashigi hit the ground, dazed by Kuina's onslaught.
Before she could recover, Kuina straddled her, yanking her collar to pull their faces close.
Glaring into Tashigi's eyes, Kuina growled, "What's wrong with being a woman? Tell me!"
Tashigi, snapping back, met Kuina's gaze with stubborn fire. "You and I both know—unless you're born with freakish strength, women can never match men in power."
"Who told you that?"
"I'm a woman, aren't I?"
"Am I not strong?"
Kuina pressed her forehead against Tashigi's, roaring, "Who says women can't surpass men? If you know you're behind, chase them a hundred, a thousand times harder!"
"Stop wallowing in self-pity!"
"Kuina!" Sora called, sensing her emotions spiraling.
Kuina looked up, her anger fading. A smile curved her lips. "Don't worry, Sora. I'm fine."
Tashigi had struck a nerve—especially looking so much like her.
Though Kuina had mostly moved past gender differences, moments of doubt lingered, resurfacing now.
When she left Shimotsuki Village, she knew Zoro had surpassed her in strength.
She'd always known that day would come, but it stung.
Zoro, a year younger, trained as hard as her, yet outpaced her in power. What would the future hold?
She shook her head, dismissing the thought.
Sora was right: strength was simple.
Choose your path, charge forward, and make every day count.
If you surpass yesterday's self each day, every day is your strongest.
That endless growth would one day fulfill her dream.
Yes, Sora's chicken soup.
He'd dished out so much over the years, she'd lost count.
Releasing Tashigi's collar, Kuina softened, gazing down at her. "I was once crushed by not being a boy. But when I overcame that, I grew stronger."
"Women may lag in physical strength, but there's one power we match men in: willpower."
Standing, she walked past Tashigi, resuming her path to Smoker. "You can lose anything, but never your faith in the future. I feel your resolve. I hope one day you'll face me again to claim my sword."
"I'll be waiting as the greatest female Swordmaster, ready for any challenger."
She paused. "Also, I'm no born monster. Saying that makes my years of effort sound foolish."
"And don't project your life onto others!"
"I'm chasing my dream, never stopping."
(End of Chapter)