The last rays of the setting sun fell on the streets of Shimotsuki Village. Lady Toki, Rouge, and Stella were walking home, carrying baskets filled with fresh vegetables. They chatted and laughed as they went.
"Stella, has Rati been sleeping well lately?" Rouge asked gently. She reached over and helped Stella tuck a strand of hair that had been blown loose by the wind.
Stella's face turned slightly red. She spoke softly. "S-She's alright... She just wakes up a few times in the middle of the night. Tesoro says he'll take care of her, but he always ends up sleeping even sounder than she does..."
Lady Toki covered her mouth and laughed. "Men are all like that. Oden was the same way back then. He said he would take turns with me watching Hiyori at night. But his snoring was louder than her crying."
As they were talking, a commotion came from up ahead.
"Hey! You green-haired idiot! Give us back our ball!"
"You bumped into me first! Come and take it if you can!"
A group of children were shoving a little boy with green hair. He wasn't very big, but he fought like a little tiger. In a few moves, he had knocked the other children to the ground. He was holding a worn-out ball tightly in his hand.
Rouge blinked. "Oh my. This is..."
Lady Toki tilted her head slightly. "He doesn't look like a child from the village."
Stella looked a little worried. "Should we go check on him?"
Just as they approached, the green-haired boy shouted angrily, "Come on! Bring it on! I can take all ten of you!"
Rouge couldn't help but laugh. She crouched down and asked gently, "Little one, what's your name? Why are you fighting all by yourself?"
The green-haired boy looked back warily. When he saw Rouge's gentle smile, he froze for a moment. Then he turned his face away stubbornly.
"My name is Roronoa Zoro! I wasn't lost! They started it!"
Lady Toki and Stella looked at each other and smiled at the same time. This child was clearly lost, but he refused to admit it. What an honest child.
Rouge gently patted Zoro's head. "Zoro, why don't you come back with us? We're just about to make dinner."
Zoro's stomach suddenly growled. His face turned bright red. "I-I'm not hungry!"
Stella couldn't help but laugh. She took an apple out of her basket and handed it to him. "Eat this first. We're also having grilled meat later."
Zoro's eyes lit up. But he still pretended to be calm. "...Since you're being so sincere, I suppose I'll reluctantly accept."
......
Whoosh!! Splash!!
Zoro stood panting in front of the gate of Isshin Dojo. He looked up at the characters on the plaque and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He grinned.
"This is it!"
Rouge was playing with Rati. She looked at the little green-haired boy. "Oh~ isn't this the child we met three days ago? I thought you went home."
Zoro's face turned red. "Ah? Yes! I went home to eat. That's right! That's how it is!"
He pushed the door open with a big stride and shouted, "Hey! Who's the strongest here?! I'm here to challenge you!"
The dojo's students stopped practicing and looked at the green-haired boy covered in dirt and with messy hair.
Koushirou walked out from the back room. He pushed up his glasses and asked gently, "Little one, are you lost?"
"I'm not lost!" Zoro jumped up like he had been provoked. "I'm here to challenge the strongest person in this dojo! You must be the strongest here. I challenge you."
"Oh, you're here to challenge us? Welcome~" Koushirou smiled slightly. "Ann and the others went out to buy things. The strongest person here right now... I suppose that would be my daughter, Kuina. Even many adults can't beat her."
Just then, a cool voice came from the back of the dojo. "Who's looking for me?"
Kuina walked out holding a wooden sword. A group of students followed behind her. She looked Zoro up and down. "You want to challenge me?"
Zoro saw that she was a girl. He looked a little dismissive. "You're the strongest? What a joke!"
Kuina's eyes turned cold. "You look down on girls?"
"It's not that!" Zoro stiffened his neck. He glanced at Koushirou, who was drinking tea. "I just want to fight someone who's actually strong!"
Koushirou slowly put down his teacup and said with a smile, "The strongest? No, no. I'm just an ordinary sword teacher."
Zoro frowned. "Then who is the strongest? Call him out!"
Kuina walked in holding her wooden sword. Veins were popping on her forehead. Good. How dare he ignore her like that!
Koushirou smiled. "Kuina, this young guest says he wants to challenge the strongest person in our dojo. As of now, you are the strongest here."
Zoro looked Kuina up and down, his face full of doubt. It was clear he didn't believe Koushirou.
Kuina's anger +1
The dojo students immediately erupted.
"Hey! What did you just say?!"
"Senior Sister Kuina can even beat adults!"
Kuina's anger -1
"Senior Sister Kuina lost to Senior Sister Ann and the others, but she's still very strong!"
Kuina's anger +2
Zoro heard the words "Senior Sister."
"Senior Sister?" Zoro looked confused.
A student kindly explained, "Senior Sister Kuina used to be the first senior sister. But then Senior Sister Ann, Senior Brother Sabo, and Senior Brother Ace came and beat her..."
Kuina's anger +10
Zoro became even more dismissive. "Hah? Only ranked fourth? Then where are the top three? Call them out!"
Kuina's anger +999
"Disrespectful brat."
Zoro curled his lip. "Then come on!"
Koushirou led Zoro to the wooden swords. "Do you know how to use a sword?"
"It's my first time. I can take as many as I want, right?"
Koushirou was a little stunned. "Theoretically, yes."
The battle begins.
At a specific time, in a specific place, super evil Rhett was watching seriously!
Zoro was holding swords like Buggy holding knives. Three in his mouth. Three in one hand. One thing was very important. Rhett looked at Zoro's rear end.
Evil Rhett was disappointed. "Nothing?"
Kuina saw Uncle Rhett staring intently at her opponent.
Kuina's anger exploded.
Kuina: Zoro, you have already chosen death.
"Begin!"
The moment Koushirou spoke, Kuina shot out like lightning. Before Zoro could react, all six wooden swords were knocked out of his hands.
"So fast!" Zoro's eyes went wide.
The next second, Kuina's wooden sword swung down with a sound of cutting air.
"THUD!"
Zoro was slammed into the floor. A large bump rose on his head.
"Round one!" The student referee announced loudly.
Zoro struggled to his feet. "Wait! I wasn't ready..."
"Round two!"
Another heavy strike. Zoro spun like a top and flew into a pillar.
"Round three!"
Kuina did a spinning kick and kicked Zoro straight out the dojo gate.
Rhett whistled from the sidelines. "Wow, Kuina is really going all out today."
Koushirou wiped his cold sweat. "She's usually not this暴躁..."
Rouge looked at the boy outside the door, worried. "Is that green-haired child going to be okay?"