Chapter 28: Future Plans for Overseas Expansion

On the wall under the thatched shed, Shano had drawn a series of "E" letters in various orientations from top to bottom.

"Which way is this?"
"Up."
"And this one?"
"…Left?"
"Close the other eye. How about this one?"
"Uh… I can't see it clearly."

It was hopeless. Shano slapped his forehead; aside from the largest "E" at the very top, she couldn't identify the direction of a single one below it. Kuina’s vision was, at best, 20/200. By the standards of his past life, she would need glasses with a prescription of over -6.00 diopters, putting her squarely in the category of severe myopia.

"Has your father never paid attention to your eyesight?" he couldn't help but ask.
"…Father is usually very busy. I only started having trouble seeing things clearly about a year ago, and I never mentioned it, so it’s normal that he wouldn’t notice, right?"

One didn't mention it, and the other didn't notice at all. This father-daughter duo was truly too careless.

"Regardless, you need to get some glasses as soon as possible," Shano sighed. "It’s one thing to mess around with bamboo swords in the dojo, but if you were in a real fight, wouldn't that be risking your life? You wouldn't even need to wait for a battle—you could easily miss a step while coming down the stairs, slip, and fall to your death."
"Yes, I'll talk to my father about it as soon as he returns." Kuina nodded earnestly.

Had anyone else said it, given her temperament, she might have argued back—especially regarding the second half of his statement, as she couldn't fathom being that weak. But coming from Shano, it sounded perfectly reasonable. She sat down on the wooden edge of the corridor under the eaves and looked up at him.

"It seems you’re always troubling yourself with my affairs. Why don't we talk about you instead?"
"Me? There’s nothing to talk about regarding me," Shano shrugged, sitting down beside her. "I haven't officially set sail yet, so I don't have any experiences worth mentioning. I only did that one thing on Asakura Island, and you know the details better than I do."
"You haven't officially set sail yet?"
"That's right. I'm only thirteen. What kind of sailing would that be? I should at least wait until I'm seventeen or eighteen to go out and roam the world, don't you think?"

"Wait, thirteen?! That means you're only two years older than me!"
"Doesn't it look like it?"
"No! It's not just your appearance... well, it's not just your looks, it's mainly that you seem so composed, Shano-sama, and to have such great fame at such a young age!"

Kuina made a sword-swinging gesture. "Stepping in to uphold justice whenever you see something wrong—no matter how you look at it, it’s so cool! Once you officially set sail, if you join the Navy, you'd surely become an amazing Marine!"

"The Navy?" Shano thought for a moment and shook his head. "No interest."

Perhaps if he had transmigrated a few years earlier, he might have truly set joining the Navy as his goal. After all, from his perspective at the time, even a flawed order was better than chaos and turmoil. Moreover, the white justice cloaks of the Navy were, logically speaking, quite dashing. But having finished the God Valley chapter before his rebirth, the very thought now made him feel uneasy. If he were assigned a mission to escort the Celestial Dragons, he feared he might vomit his previous night's dinner.

Kuina was stunned. "Oh? Then, is it a bounty hunter? Wait, you don't mean a pirate, do you?"
"As long as I can maintain my freedom, the specific label doesn't seem to matter, does it?" Shano spread his hands. "The world is so big; I definitely want to set sail and travel around, otherwise, all this training would be in vain, and I'd be wasting my life. But... is it necessary to limit myself to a specific identity in advance?"

"If a pirate tries to rob me, I'll just rob them back. If the Navy tries to disgust me, I won't be polite to them either. What labels they decide to attach to me is their business."
"I am still myself. I won't change my stance because of a label slapped on me. Those who are on my side will remain so, and those who aren't, won't be regardless... Do you understand what I mean?"
"I think I understand," Kuina tilted her head. "But I've only heard of the Navy putting bounties on pirates, not the other way around. So, if you fight back against both sides whenever they provoke you, wouldn't you ultimately be classified as a pirate?"

"That is indeed how it would go!" Shano laughed heartily. "If that day truly comes, I won't hold back. I'll just draw a skull flag, form a pirate crew, and beat up anyone who dares to provoke me!"
"Until the Navy and the pirates tremble at the mere sight of my ship, not even daring to approach, then I can stop caring about anyone and continue adventuring happily!"
"Hey, Kuina!" He suddenly lowered his head. "Didn't you make a promise with Zoro to compete on who will become the world's greatest swordsman? How about you both join my crew when the time comes?"
"If you want to be the world's greatest swordsman, hiding in a small place like the Isshin Dojo won't work. If you don't travel the vast seas, how can you make the world recognize that title?"

*With Shano-sama?*
*Leave this small Shimotsuki Village and roam the entire ocean?*

Kuina gazed blankly toward the horizon, her breathing suddenly quickening. She gripped her bamboo sword and stood up abruptly. "R-right now?! It's a bit sudden, but that's fine. But my father hasn't returned yet. Should I seek his permission first..."
"What are you thinking?"

Shano tapped her on the head, amused. "Are you really that eager to leave? Who said we're setting sail right now? I don't even have a ship yet!"
"That hurts!"
"Anyway, let's treat it as a promise. Keep it in your heart for now; there's no rush. Spend a few more years training hard with Zoro. If you leave at such a young age, Mr. Koushiro will be heartbroken."

Shano stood up and stretched, smiling. "Don't worry, when it's really time to set sail, I certainly won't forget to come find you."
Silence fell behind him. He turned around, puzzled, to see Kuina staring fixedly at him.
"Pinky swear?"
"Uh... that's not necessary, right? You shouldn't be as childish as Zoro, surely?"
"Pinky swear! Otherwise, don't think about getting rid of me tonight—I'll follow you even when you go to sleep!"
"…I really can't do anything with you."

————

Koushiro did not return until the next morning. After a night's rest, Shano woke up feeling refreshed and full of energy. He was doing handstand push-ups in the courtyard when he saw Koushiro walk in, leading two figures. Before he could make out who they were, both of them fell to their knees with a thud.

"Benefactor!"

Shano scrambled to get back on his feet and helped Zeff and Sanji up from the ground.
"What are you doing? You just got out of bed and you're already pulling this? I really can't accept this. Besides, old man, didn't you already thank me a few days ago?"
"Haha, the grace of saving a life is as heavy as the heavens; how could one thank you enough?" Zeff grinned, pointing to his right leg. "Besides, benefactor, you actually saved me twice. If you hadn't rowed with all your might to speed up, and brought me here to Shimotsuki Village to meet Mr. Koushiro and Dr. Ziran to treat this leg, what would have become of me?"

*Leg?*
Shano looked down and discovered that where Zeff's right knee should have been empty, there was now a sturdy wooden leg. The craftsmanship was quite exquisite, and the joint could even bend freely. If the pant leg were pulled down, one wouldn't even notice the disability. It was far better than the crutch-like wooden stick from the original timeline.

"In my youth, I once followed my father in blacksmithing. My talent was dull, and I failed to learn the true craft," Koushiro adjusted his glasses and said with a smile. "However, I was secretly more interested in woodworking and spent a great deal of time studying it. I never expected it would come in handy one day."