Seeing the green-haired kid standing in the middle of the dojo, facing Kuina, Kouta couldn't help but laugh.
This guy was quite cute, thinking more swords meant greater power, even as he talked and dropped the bamboo sword he was holding in his mouth.
This was Zoro? He was so adorable as a child. It would have been so satisfying to bully him!
"Hahaha..."
The people around looked at Kouta, who was laughing heartily, with blank expressions.
Hearing the laughter, Zoro frowned deeply, his eyes wide as he looked at Kouta.
His intuition told him that guy was laughing at him.
"Hey! You with the silver hair over there."
Kouta looked around, then pointed at himself, "Are you calling me?"
"Yes, you. Stop looking around. What are you laughing at? Do you want to fight?"
Kouta waved his hands repeatedly. "You guys continue. I just remembered something happy." He then covered his mouth, his shoulders shaking, and anyone could tell he was holding back laughter.
This silver-haired guy was definitely laughing at him. Once he was done with this woman, he would definitely make him know how amazing he was.
Koshiro glanced at Kouta with a helpless sigh, adjusted his glasses, and said, "Alright, get ready to begin. Bow to the altar."
Kuina and Zoro turned to face the altar and bowed.
Kuina glanced dismissively at the green-haired kid standing opposite her, gripped the hilt of her sword with both hands, flicked it upwards, and swiftly slashed forward.
Because of the speed, Zoro didn't have time to block and could only cross his arms and raise his sword above his head.
*Clang—!*
He had just blocked this sword when another one came immediately, and this time with greater force, sending him flying. His bamboo swords scattered on the ground.
"Damn it."
He quickly stood up, grabbed two bamboo swords from nearby, and assumed a two-sword style stance, one hand in front, the other behind, while turning sideways.
Kuina looked at Zoro with a slight strangeness. "Have you learned two-sword style?"
"No way! This is my first time holding a bamboo sword!" Zoro shouted loudly at Kuina, his eyes glaring.
Damn it, I'm already strong, and I'll be even stronger in the future. How can I lose to a woman like this! With that, he charged at her with both swords raised.
"Ah..."
Kuina watched Zoro charge towards her, raised her swords with both hands, took a step forward, and quickly slashed down.
"Forward Slash."
It was so fast that Zoro couldn't react at all. The sword struck his forehead.
*Crack—!*
The crisp sound of the bamboo sword could be heard even outside the dojo. Zoro's eyes rolled back, he froze in place, and then collapsed on the floor.
Sausage lips, flat-top, and glasses-fatty, who were watching from the edge of the training hall, stared with wide eyes at the fallen Zoro.
"Hiss... it hurts, it hurts, it hurts." Flat-top Aru flinched back, his mouth twitching, cold sweat trickling down his face. Judging by his appearance, he must have had a similar experience.
"Why didn't he dodge?" Sausage Lips A Tao frowned, his face full of confusion.
The senior disciple acting as the referee immediately shouted, "One point, that's all for now."
Kuina looked down at Zoro on the ground with a cold gaze. "This child is like a beast, only knowing how to brute force."
"Hey! Kuina," Koshiro said to his daughter with a hint of helplessness.
"He's clearly an amateur and wants to show off two-sword style. You're still ten years too early," Kuina said with disdain.
Suddenly, Kouta teleported beside Kuina and patted her head. "That's enough, Kuina."
"Kouta's teleportation has appeared."
"Yeah! Every time I see it, it looks so cool."
Seeing Kouta, who had been beside him just moments ago, suddenly appear next to Kuina, the glasses-fatty Ahua jumped up excitedly, then ran towards the center of the training hall. The others slowly followed.
As soon as Kuina saw Kouta, a smile bloomed on her face.
During the five years they had spent together, she had become very dependent on Kouta. Although he was only a year older than her, he acted exceptionally mature, like an adult. He was both a brother and someone she looked up to and strived to catch up to.
"Kouta, this child doesn't understand anything! He only knows how to brute force."
Kouta looked at her with amusement. "You'll find out how persistent this guy is later. You'll have a headache then."
He then turned his head to look at Zoro, who was lying on the ground, crouched down, extended his right hand, and placed his middle and index fingers on Zoro's forehead, speaking in a slightly chuunibyou voice, "Young man, keep up the good work! Strive to catch up to Kuina in the future!"
After speaking, he stood up and smiled at Koshiro, who was standing nearby. "Master, this junior disciple has great potential!"
"Damn it, don't talk to yourselves. I'll definitely defeat you."
Zoro yelled indignantly, his voice echoing throughout the dojo.
How did that silver hair appear just now? He had no idea. And when his finger touched him, he couldn't move at all. What kind of ability was that? Damn it, you guys just wait for me. Read novels.
Kuina peeked out from behind Kouta and looked at Zoro, saying indifferently, "What? If that's the case, do you want to have another match?"
Zoro forced himself to stand up shakily. He first dusted himself off, then loudly replied, "Losing is losing."
Koshiro walked over, smiling as he stared at him. "Very straightforward, good. Then..."
"Ha! I'll join your dojo. Any objections?" Zoro roared.
"None," Koshiro said, his eyes narrowing with satisfaction as he looked at him.
Zoro turned and looked at Kuina with wide eyes. "I will train with all my might, with all my might, with all my might, and I will definitely defeat you." Then he looked up at Kouta.
"And you, silver hair, you just wait for me. I'll deal with you after I defeat this woman. Remember that."
"Is this guy an idiot? He can't even beat Kuina, and he dares to brag and challenge Kouta." Aru couldn't help but exclaim in surprise to his companions.
Koshiro looked at Zoro with a beaming smile. "Hmm... ambitious."
Kouta looked at Zoro's cute expression and couldn't help but pinch his cheek. "Kawaii, but you'll have to call me senior disciple in the future, or you can call me brother too, hahahahaha..."
Kouta muttered "scary" but had a mischievous grin on his face.
"What's your name?"
Although he already knew Zoro's name, he couldn't help but want to tease him.
When Zoro felt him pinch his cheek, he realized that this time he could move, unlike before.
He quickly pushed Kouta's hand away, glaring at Kouta with a stubborn expression. "Damn it! Don't treat me like a kid and touch me whenever you want. Remember, my name is Roronoa Zoro!"
"Hmm... I'll call you Little Zoro from now on!"
"Damn it, I told you not to treat me like a kid!" Zoro roared frantically.
If he hadn't been weakened, he would have rushed forward and swung his sword at that smug face. Don't think he wouldn't dare to fight just because he's handsome.
"Kouta, let's train! We've wasted too much time today," Kuina's proud voice came from behind.
Turning to look at Kuina, who looked like she was about to explode, he had no choice but to put his hands behind his head and walk towards the backyard.
"Okay, okay... let's go! Our Little Kuina is jealous."
Kuina quickly followed, tilting her head and looking at him with a slightly flushed face. "Who's jealous? I just think we shouldn't waste time like this."
As they reached the door, Kouta stopped and turned to look at Zoro.
"Hey! Zoro."
Hearing Kouta's voice, Zoro looked up at him in confusion and replied, "What is it?"
"If you want to get stronger quickly, follow us!"
After speaking, Kouta turned and walked out the back door, feeling a sense of satisfaction at the thought of bullying—no, training Zoro in the future.
Kuina turned around and glared fiercely at Zoro with disdain, then quickly followed Kouta.
At this moment, the dojo's companions erupted in a frenzy. Tao looked at Zoro in amazement. "You're too lucky! You get to train with Kouta."
Hearing the surrounding voices, Zoro looked at them in confusion. "Is the silver-haired guy that strong?"
Hua pushed up his glasses and said excitedly, "Of course! Kouta had only been in the dojo for a few days before he could defeat everyone except the master."
After a two-second pause, Tao added loudly, "Kuina only trained with Kouta for about a year before she could defeat the adults in the dojo. It's been almost four years now. I wonder how strong Kouta and Kuina are now."
Then they looked at Zoro with envy.
For so long, only Kuina in the dojo had been able to train with Kouta. What qualifications did this newcomer green-haired kid have?
They all knew it was because their aptitude wasn't good enough, but could this green-haired kid be any different?
"Alright, alright, what are you all crowded around here for? Go train."
Koshiro walked over. "It's not that Kouta doesn't want to bring you along, but his training methods require aptitude. If your aptitude isn't up to par, you won't be able to endure it."
"Yes, Master!"
Only then did they all return to pick up their bamboo swords and start practicing.
Are those two guys that strong? I have to train hard too.
Zoro looked at Koshiro with determined eyes and said, "Hey! Uncle, since I've joined your dojo, do you have any techniques to teach me?"
Koshiro's mouth twitched at Zoro's address. Another unruly brat. He raised his hand and tapped him on the head. "You have to call me Master from now on, understood?"
"Hiss... it hurts, it hurts, it hurts!!"
Zoro clutched his head in pain, crouching on the ground. His sword wound from before still hurt!
Looking up and seeing Koshiro about to raise his hand again, he quickly shouted, "Yes, Master."
Koshiro retracted his right hand with satisfaction and looked down at Zoro. "I will only teach you the knowledge of swordsmanship. As for training, it depends on you. From now on, besides learning swordsmanship knowledge from me, you'll train with Kouta for the rest of the time. Don't let his age fool you, he's only eleven but already very strong."
"Is he really that strong?" Zoro mumbled in confusion.
"Yes... very strong."
A look of reminiscence flashed in Koshiro's eyes. He... was a true monster.
He wondered if his ability was a Devil Fruit. If it was a Devil Fruit, he wouldn't be afraid of seawater. That was strange.
And his physical condition, his progress over the years had been too rapid. He wondered what level he would reach in the future?
He looked down at Zoro, who was also a monster. This fighting spirit and physical condition made it hard not to become strong, not to mention Kouta.
Koshiro narrowed his eyes, a smile on his face, and gently shook his head. These two monsters were both his disciples.
"Go find Kouta!"
Saying this, he cast a meaningful glance at Zoro and walked past him back to the cushions in front of the dojo.
Hearing Koshiro's words, Zoro paused for a moment, then picked up the bamboo sword from the ground and ran towards the backyard with full fighting spirit.
Damn it! Let me see if your training methods can really make me get stronger quickly. If not, I'll definitely cut you down.