East Blue, Shimotsuki Village.
Johnny and Yosaku were busy making preparations before heading out to sea.
Then, in the distance, a strange little boat entered their sight. It was a tiny craft shaped almost like a coffin lid. Standing aboard it was a man in a black wide-brimmed hat trimmed with white fur, dressed in a wine-red patterned shirt and a black coat.
He looked to be around thirty. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, a cross-shaped dagger hung against his chest, and on his back rested an enormous black blade.
It was none other than Dracule Mihawk, who had hurried here after Amon told him that Shimotsuki Village held two promising swordsmanship seedlings.
The moment Johnny and Yosaku spotted him, Mihawk noticed them as well.
By now, the warm, easygoing side he had shown while drinking with Amon was long gone. His usual cold bearing had returned. He brought the little boat swiftly over and asked, "Is this Shimotsuki Village?"
"Who are you supposed to be?" Johnny asked.
It could not be helped. Mihawk's tone really did sound a little off, like he was speaking from above.
He did not mean any harm, but that was simply the way he spoke.
"My name is Dracule Mihawk. Amon recommended that I come here to find Zoro and Kuina."
He did not think much of the two boys in front of him, but since Amon had personally sent him and seemed to hold some standing here, Mihawk brought up Amon's name directly.
"Mr. Amon sent you to find Zoro and Kuina?"
"So you're one of us. You should've said that earlier!"
"So you do know Zoro and Kuina. Then this really is Shimotsuki Village."
Once Mihawk heard their reaction, he confirmed his guess.
"Yes, this is Shimotsuki Village Zoro and Kuina are sparring on the beach just past the dock!"
Now that they knew he had been sent by Amon, Johnny and Yosaku hid nothing from him.
They told Mihawk where Kuina and Zoro were.
"Thank you."
Mihawk gave them a slight nod, then walked in the direction they had pointed out.
Before he even reached the beach, the sounds of a match drifted over on the wind. His steps quickened at once.
On the beach, Zoro and Kuina were in the middle of a fierce clash.
Ever since Amon gave them some guidance before leaving, the two of them had improved at an astonishing pace.
It had not taken long before they defeated every advanced student in the dojo.
Among people of their own generation, the only ones who could still fight them were each other.
Because of that, they often arranged matches on their own, using one another to test the results of their training.
"Hah!"
In the center of the sandy shore, Kuina held a wooden sword and faced Zoro's three-sword assault without the slightest trace of panic. Her wooden blade moved left and right in clean, precise blocks. No matter how dense Zoro's attacks became, she stopped them all with apparent ease.
Her natural talent for the sword had already been high to begin with. After receiving Amon's personal instruction, and after the medicinal treatment that refined her body and resolved her physical issue, her progress had become even more startling.
Even when Zoro put on his strength bandana, he still could not truly threaten her, unless he resorted to using his Zanpakuto.
Clack!
In the middle of Zoro's offense, Kuina suddenly found an opening. In one sharp movement, she knocked aside all three of his wooden swords, then brought her own down mercilessly on his head.
"Zoro, you lost again. That makes this my 2,234th victory."
Kuina drew back her wooden sword and let out a rough breath. She had won, but it was far from effortless.
"Damn it, I lost again!"
That was still the truth. Zoro had never beaten Kuina.
He had improved enormously in recent days. Even the senior students in the dojo could barely withstand a few moves from him now. But even so, Kuina still stood a step above him.
"Kuina, you're way too strong. Mr. Amon must've secretly favored you and taught you some especially powerful sword technique. Otherwise, how could I keep losing to you every single time?"
After losing again, Zoro grumbled out a wild guess, clearly unconvinced.
"Zoro, stop talking nonsense. Mr. Amon didn't teach me any secret technique. You just haven't worked hard enough."
At the mention of Amon, a faint blush rose on Kuina's face.
Amon really had taught her quite a lot about swordsmanship.
Zoro, however, noticed none of it and kept talking to himself.
"It feels like we've already reached the limit of what we can improve on this island. Unless we go out to sea... but Father insists on making us wait until we're older..."
"Yes..."
When Amon was mentioned again, Kuina could not help thinking of that bounty poster. A trace of worry surfaced in her heart.
"I really want to head out to sea right now and go find Mr. Amon..."
"Amon is fine."
Just as the two of them were each lost in their own thoughts, Mihawk stepped out from the side.
His hawk-like eyes settled on Zoro and Kuina as though he were looking at two uncut gems. The more he looked, the more satisfied he became.
Amon had not lied to him.
These two really were excellent seedlings for the sword.
At such a young age, their standards were already this high. With proper training, then in a few years' time, they would surely become two great swordsmen.
"Who's there?"
"How do you know Mr. Amon?!"
Neither of them had expected someone to be watching in secret. They raised their wooden swords immediately and faced him with full alertness.
"Relax. My name is Dracule Mihawk. Amon recommended that I come..."
Seeing how tense they were, Mihawk forced a stiff smile onto his face, trying to make himself appear friendlier. Then he briefly explained Amon's recommendation and his intention to take disciples, while also introducing himself.
"Mr. Amon recommended you to come and take disciples?!"
"Dracule Mihawk... the World's Strongest Swordsman?!"
As soon as Mihawk finished speaking, Kuina and Zoro both cried out at the same time.
Their focus, however, was completely different.
Kuina cared about news of Amon.
Zoro cared about Mihawk's name.
That was only natural. After all, Zoro's goal was to defeat the World's Strongest Swordsman, Mihawk.
Their reactions pleased Mihawk greatly.
For a moment, he thought he would soon be able to take both of them under his wing.
Then the two of them kept talking.
"Mister, your smile looks really awkward. Are you really the World's Strongest Swordsman? I heard that guy is supposed to be extremely cold and cool..."
"Yeah, yeah. You said Mr. Amon recommended you, so tell us this first, who's stronger, you or Mr. Amon?"
Mihawk fell silent.