"Big Sister Seraphina is amazing!"
Vivi nodded so enthusiastically that her twin ponytails bounced with every movement.
Although Kuina had only demonstrated a small flying slash, Vivi already thought it was unbelievably powerful.
Now that Kuina claimed Saint Roselith Seraphina could split apart clouds with a single swing of her blade…
Vivi realized that her adoptive sister was even stronger than she had ever imagined.
"No!"
"That isn't even Teacher's most incredible feat!"
Kuina immediately became even more excited.
The moment someone praised her teacher, she could hardly contain herself.
She enthusiastically waved both hands while explaining.
"Teacher once froze an entire stretch of ocean with a single sword strike!"
As she spoke, she stretched both arms as wide as she could.
Feeling that still wasn't enough…
She even drew a huge circle in the air.
Kohza stood there speechless.
Freeze…
An entire sea?
With one sword swing?
That sounded even more unbelievable than splitting clouds.
He had already doubted the previous claim.
Now…
He seriously wondered whether Kuina was simply making everything up.
Could anyone truly possess such monstrous strength?
"I want Sister Seraphina's autograph!"
Vivi jumped excitedly.
"She'll definitely give me one!"
"After all…"
"She's my big sister!"
Kohza awkwardly scratched his cheek.
Vivi seemed to believe every single word without the slightest doubt.
"Teacher also crossed swords with Dracule Mihawk."
"You know…"
"The man recognized as the World's Strongest Swordsman."
"And according to Teacher…"
"Their duel ended without a clear victor."
Kohza's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"Seriously?!"
"The World's Strongest Swordsman?!"
He covered his face with both hands.
There was absolutely no way he could believe such an outrageous story.
At least…
Not yet.
"Big Sister Seraphina really is incredible!"
Vivi, however, believed every word completely.
In her heart…
Her sister truly was capable of accomplishing anything.
"Come on!"
"I'll show you the sword techniques I learned yesterday."
Kuina smiled before turning toward Kohza.
"Kohza."
"Catch."
She tossed him a wooden practice sword that had been stored inside their secret hideout.
Then she picked up another one herself.
"Let's have a practice match."
"Don't worry."
"I'll be careful."
"I won't hurt you."
"Alright."
This time, Kohza accepted immediately.
He gripped the wooden sword with both hands before casually swinging it several times to become familiar with its weight.
Naturally…
Neither of them intended to use real swords.
Kuina would never joke about something that dangerous.
After Kohza adjusted his grip…
Kuina nodded.
"Come at me."
"You may attack however you like."
"Alright!"
Holding the wooden sword firmly…
Kohza instinctively adopted what he believed to be a proper fighting stance.
Although his posture looked full of openings in Kuina's experienced eyes…
To Vivi…
It already looked extremely impressive.
Without another word…
Kohza charged forward.
He swung his practice sword using pure instinct.
"Go, Kohza!"
Vivi cheered excitedly from the sidelines.
Clack!
Kuina calmly swung her own wooden sword.
Her strike landed precisely against Kohza's weapon.
The impact traveled directly through his grip.
His hands shook violently.
Before he could react…
The wooden sword flew from his grasp before landing on the ground several meters away.
Kohza blinked.
"…That was a coincidence."
He quickly retrieved the sword.
"Again!"
Unwilling to accept defeat…
He raised his weapon once more before rushing forward.
Clack!
The same result.
Kuina effortlessly predicted his attack.
Another perfectly timed strike.
Another disarmed opponent.
"Kohza."
"Your swing is too high."
"You're leaving your entire body exposed."
Kuina patiently explained.
Although Kohza possessed absolutely no formal swordsmanship training…
She could still sense natural talent hidden beneath his crude attacks.
At the very least…
His sword swings were becoming more stable with each attempt.
"I understand!"
Kohza gritted his teeth.
He adjusted his footing.
This time…
He concentrated far more seriously before launching another attack.
"Again!"
The wooden swords clashed repeatedly.
Again.
And again.
Each exchange became smoother than the last.
Finally
"Flowing Clouds…"
"Returning Wind!"
Kohza instinctively unleashed a slash far cleaner than before.
A faint ripple of compressed air followed the movement of his blade.
Although it dissipated almost immediately…
It had unmistakably taken the first step toward creating a true flying slash.
Kuina's eyes widened.
"That…"
"You actually did it…"
Although the attack was still crude and wildly inaccurate…
Kohza had unknowingly touched the threshold of true swordsmanship.
For an absolute beginner…
That level of talent was astonishing.
Kohza himself stared blankly at his own wooden sword.
He had felt something different just now.
Something he had never experienced before.
His previous skepticism toward Seraphina gradually faded.
Perhaps…
If Kuina was already this extraordinary…
Then maybe her teacher truly was every bit as incredible as she claimed.
After all…
Young swordsmen of this caliber were almost unheard of.
Every one of them was considered a prodigy.
"Kohza!"
"Are you okay?"
Vivi hurried over anxiously.
As vice-captain of the Sand-Sand Band…
She naturally had to look after her captain.
"I-I'm fine."
Kohza finally returned to his senses.
The brief exchange had completely changed his understanding of Kuina's strength.
She looked only a few years older than he was.
Yet…
She could effortlessly overwhelm him.
"So that's the feeling…"
Kuina quietly murmured to herself.
During that exchange…
She had also gained a small insight into her own swordsmanship.
She still couldn't freely unleash flying slashes whenever she wished.
Sometimes she succeeded.
Sometimes she failed.
Her mastery remained unstable.
That was proof she still had a long way to go.
She smiled before looking toward Kohza.
"I didn't scare you… did I?"
"N-No!"
Kohza immediately shook his head.
"You're amazing!"
"Seriously!"
"Big Sister Kuina… you're incredibly strong!"
His praise came straight from the heart.
Kuina's skill had earned his genuine admiration.
Hearing that…
Kuina proudly straightened her back.
"One day…"
"I'm going to become the World's Strongest Swordswoman!"
Vivi immediately raised both fists.
"Big Sister Kuina!"
"I know you'll do it!"
At this point…
Vivi had completely become Kuina's biggest supporter.
That sword strike had looked both beautiful…
And unbelievably cool.
"Wait."
Kohza suddenly frowned.
"I think there's a problem."
Kuina blinked.
"A problem?"
"What kind of problem?"
Kohza scratched his head before carefully explaining.
"You just said your teacher fought evenly with Dracule Mihawk."
"That means…"
"Your teacher also possesses the strength of the World's Strongest Swordsman."
"If your dream is to become the strongest swordswoman…"
"Wouldn't that mean you'll eventually have to surpass your own teacher?"
Silence.
"…"
Kuina froze completely.
Only now did she realize something she had never considered before.
She had always viewed Teacher as someone standing beside her.
Not someone standing at the end of her path.
But Kohza was right.
If she truly wished to stand at the pinnacle of swordsmanship…
Then one day…
She would inevitably have to surpass Saint Roselith Seraphina.
A true swordsman would never deliberately surrender the title of the strongest.
Doing so would disrespect both the blade…
And the opponent standing before them.
Kuina's confident expression slowly crumbled.
"But…"
"That's impossible…"
She looked utterly defeated.
"Teacher is far too strong."
"How could I ever surpass her?"
"She keeps getting stronger every single day."
"The distance between us only grows wider."
She hugged her wooden sword tightly before looking helplessly toward Vivi.
"Vivi…"
"I don't think…"
"I can ever become the World's Strongest Swordswoman."
For the first time…
Kuina's unwavering confidence faltered.
In her eyes, Saint Roselith Seraphina was like an insurmountable mountain.
No matter how desperately she trained…
No matter how quickly she improved…
Her teacher's growth was even more terrifying.
At her current pace…
She genuinely believed that, even if she devoted her entire life to the sword…
She would never be able to defeat her beloved teacher.
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