Chapter 15: A mob’s journey along with an ex-main character

...

"Hya!"

*Tack!* A great shockwave traveled through the ship after Kuina hit a big boulder with a katana.

"Concentrate a bit more every time you swing the sword"

"Tch..."

"Don't click your tongue please..."

Sigh... Being a teacher sure is tough...

After the conversation I had with Kuina, she ended up deciding that she will only consider joining my crew once she confirms that what I said about the future is true. And currently, I have been teaching her for two days straight how to be able to cut through harder and more resistant materials like stone and iron like I promised to her before in exchange for her not going back to her village.

After I told her that I actually forgot to bring her katana with us, she became outraged and started throwing a tantrum while I just tried to calm her down to prevent her wound from opening. In the end, she calmed down once I told her that I could buy her a katana as strong as her previous one once she finished training with me, until then she could have only an average katana for her training.

That's why currently, now that she was busy paying attention to her training, I was reading a book about blacksmithing. And although it wasn't very clear about the process, I think I could still manage somehow to create a great sword before she finished her training. However, I think it would be better if I learned under a real blacksmith later just to make sure...

Why spend so much of my precious money to buy her a sword similar to the wado ichimonji, when I can make one on my own...? Talent has it's advantages after all.

"Hey..." While I was still busy reading the contents of the book, Kuina stopped her swinging and called at me with a curious expression on her face.

"What is it?"

"How old are you really?"

"I'm 10 years old, why do you ask?"

"I asked you your real age"

"But I'm really 10 though...?"

"Liar, there's no way a 10 years old has as much power as you have. You must have changed your appearance to that of a kid when in reality you're an old man that wants to feel young"

"I'm strong because I'm awesome, nothing more"

"Tch..."

Hmm... Why do I feel that she didn't actually believe me...? Whatever, I'm really 10 years old anyway...

After that, Kuina resumed her training and continued trying to cut the rock with perseverance and determination on her gaze. And I, of course, continued reading the book about blacksmithing. A power in the shadows can't slack in his training right?

"..."

"..."

Suddenly, Kuina stopped swinging her sword and glanced at me once again, this time with a frown on her face while looking at me.

"Say... could it kill you to smile a bit? Your always angry and serious face makes me feel a bit uncomfortable..."

"What do you mean...?"

I'm smiling though? What the heck does she mean with 'smile' when I'm already smiling...???

"You're always frowning and glancing at that book as if it was your worst enemy... Could it kill you to smile a bit?"

"But this is my normal face though...? And I'm already smiling?"

"..."

"..."

"Never mind..." Kuina muttered and continued swinging her sword with a blank look on her face.

"..."

"Tch..." I clicked my tongue in annoyance.

How long will this travel to Cocoyashi village last...?

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A few days later...

"Hyaaa!!!"

*Tack!!*

Kuina pounced upon me while making a heavy swing right in the direction of my face, and I, of course, blocked her hit and counter-attacked while  pointing out her mistakes.

Currently, we were having a spar each day right before she started training her swinging techniques, that way I could point out more clearly every mistake she made while having a combat. Of course, I wasn't really going all out on her like some teachers in the animes do by beating up their disciples until they learn something, I had a "talent" for teaching after all, so this wasn't really hard for me. Besides, this was only a spar after all...

However...

Why do I feel like I'm the only one thinking about this like a spar...?

"Hyaaaaaaa!!!" Kuina started swinging faster and faster her sword as I blocked each one of her blows and pointed out her mistakes calmly. Suddenly, she sent a kick directly to my jewels with an outraged expression on her face.

"Hey, no low blows!"

"Tch..."

I'm pretty sure she isn't taking this as a spar... it's more like she is trying to kill me... Whatever, not like she can even do something to me. Even if she kicks my little brother down there sith all her strength, the only thing breaking could be her feet, thank god Haki exists.

"Huff... Huff... Hey... why are you not getting tired in the least when you almost collapsed of exhaustion on your first day at the dojo? Where you acting?"

"Of course not, I was just swinging the sword on a special stance that made me work all the muscles on my body"  

"Special... Stance?"

"Yeah, here, let me show you"

Kuina soon took the usual stance for practicing swings with one of her legs sightly behind the other one, and both arms grabbing the handle of the sword in front of her belly.

"Move your feet a bit in that direction, and then... twist your waist sightly to the left"

"Like this...? Uwaaaah!"

*Thud!*

"Ouch, what are you talking about, I can't even balance myself properly in that position! There's no way I can stand properly without falling! Stop lying!"

"That's because you lack strength in your legs, look"

I took the same stance as her, and then shifted it to the one I invented myself. My feet grabbed into the ground and my legs stayed unmovable from there. After that all the muscles on my waist and belly started tightening up, like preparing for what was to come.

*Fuuuuh~ Ha!" I swung my sword in the direction of the sea, and soon a great wind blade was sent flying in that direction. Cutting through the water and maybe through some fishes that were swimming peacefully.

Sorry about that...

"Incredible...! How did you gain such strength in your body?!"

What's with her reaction...? Ah right, this girl actually had a complex about not being strong enough due to being a woman. 

Such an idiotic thing in a world like this where strength is easily obtainable...

"This is due to the training I perform all the time"

"All the time? But all you do is read that book though..."

"That's what it may look from the outside, but the reality is that I am always training each part of my body. Look, right now it may seem that I'm standing normally like any other person, but in reality I'm exercising all the muscles of my feet by making them support all my weigh by taking a different stance than usual"

"Really?!"

"No, that was a joke, I'm just standing normally... Come here, I will show you how I train usually, so that you don't make any excuses in the future training"

"Geh... Alright" Kuina looked surprised at my sudden joke, however, she still followed after me with an expression full of curiosity and excitement to finally have a clue on how to surpass her "gender limits"

Sigh... this is going to take a long time...

And like that, our journey towards Cocoyashi village continued, with me teaching her how to improve her physical strength, and me reading a book while training at the same time.

What could destiny prepare for me? I couldn't know, however, as the Shadow eminence candidate that I am, I'll be sure to kick the ass of whatever the destiny throws at me.

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