East Sea.
Cocoyasi Village, the orange grove.
Ajian accepted the newspaper from Nami's hand, and looking at the familiar faces on it, his face was full of smiles.
"Ajian, is this Konta who saved Cocoyasi Village and killed Arlong!"
Nami had only returned for a few days.
When she dragged her tired body back to the village, she could hardly believe her eyes.
Because the Cocoyasi Village, which was once full of laughter, was back.
It took her a few days to fully digest that the shadow that had shrouded her heart and Cocoyasi Village had completely disappeared.
Next, there was infinite gratitude to Konta and Kuina.
She collected all the news about Konta and the others, and this was the latest news delivered by the messenger bird today.
"Mhm!"
Ajian looked at Nami, nodded, and gratitude flashed in his eyes.
"This lord is really tireless!"
"Big news wherever he goes."
Nami looked at Konta's photo in the newspaper, starlight flickering in her eyes. Without Arlong's restraint, her heart that yearned for dreams was stirring again.
But she suppressed the urge, having long understood the cruelty of the sea.
Without a reliable crew, the idea of setting sail was best left buried in her heart.
Although she couldn't go to the Grand Line, the East Sea…
She could still venture out.
Thinking of this, she quickly rushed into the nearby house, picked up her backpack, put it on her back, and with the speed of a gust of wind, rushed out of the room and ran towards the dock.
"Nami, where are you going?"
Ajian shouted loudly as he watched Nami's retreating back.
Nami, with her back to Ajian, raised her right hand and waved.
"Me! This time, I'm going to set sail for my dream!"
"Dream?"
Ajian watched Nami, a deeper smile in his eyes. He didn't stop Nami from setting sail, but just shouted, "Then be careful! Be extra careful when you're out there!"
"Got it."
No one can stop someone from setting sail for their dreams.
Just like Zoro in Shimotsuki Village, in the Isshin Dojo, at this moment.
Ever since he saw the news about Konta and Kuina, his urge to set sail could no longer be contained.
"Have you decided?"
Koshiro sat cross-legged on the steps in front of the door, looking at Zoro standing at the bottom of the steps, and spoke softly.
"Mhm!"
Zoro nodded, his eyes firm.
"Since you've made your decision, then go!"
"It's just…"
"What?"
Koshiro looked at Zoro, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "I'm not worried about your strength, it's just your incurable sense of direction, I…"
"Shut up!"
Zoro's face turned red, and he yelled at Koshiro, " I'm not directionally challenged! I just, just…"
He couldn't think of anything to describe his poor sense of direction for a moment.
"You just weren't looking where you were going, right!"
Koshiro looked at Zoro, the corners of his lips turned up, and a smile appeared on his face.
"Right, right, right!!"
"I'm not directionally challenged!"
Saying that, Zoro nodded incessantly, as if he really wasn't directionally challenged.
Koshiro looked at Zoro without speaking, until Zoro became stiff all over, clearly about to erupt in anger, and then he withdrew his gaze, lowered his head, and looked at the long black sword resting on his lap.
"An eagle must soar in the sky to truly become the ruler of the heavens, and so must a person, they must set sail and experience various battles and tempering to truly achieve their ideals."
With that, he picked up the long sword, looked up at Zoro, and handed it over.
"Here."
"This sword, like Konta's Zankou, was made by me. Consider it a parting gift for your journey."
"Like Zankou."
Zoro excitedly took the sword, couldn't help but grip the hilt, and drew it out.
Clang—!
The blade slid out of the scabbard with a crisp friction sound.
It made one feel from the bottom of their heart that this was a good sword.
A cold light flashed, and a sword, which could be said to be identical to Zankou, similar in style to the famous sword Shuusui, was presented before Zoro.
Zoro tucked the sword into his waist with his left hand, couldn't help but reach out and stroke the blade, feeling its sharpness, his face flushed.
He had long envied Kuina's Wadō Ichimonji and Konta's Zankou.
Every time he wanted to borrow them to play with, those two would look extremely reluctant, which annoyed him greatly.
Now he had a good sword too.
"Master, what's this sword called!"
Ding—!
Zoro sheathed the sword and looked at Koshiro with excitement in his eyes.
"Your sword, how would I know its name!"
Koshiro said with a smile, "Konta's Zankou, that was also the name he gave it himself. You can name it yourself."
Saying that, he pushed up his glasses and picked up the newspaper beside him to read.
This was the newspaper that Zoro had brought earlier, which he hadn't read yet.
As he read, his face couldn't help but reveal a smile.
"No wonder this guy rushed to tell me he was going to set sail. It turns out he's envious of Konta and Kuina's rapidly rising fame!"
Given Konta's speed of rise, Zoro must be afraid that before he even set sail, news would come that Konta was already the strongest in the world, hence his desire to set sail earlier to achieve his dream!
Flipping further down, when he saw more news about Konta, a hint of worry flashed in Koshiro's eyes. Then the worry disappeared, replaced by a smile.
With Konta's seemingly invincible ability, he believed no one in this world could harm him, unless he willingly let them.
Thinking of this, he shook his head.
Konta had never been injured since he was a child, so he must be afraid of pain, right? He probably wouldn't let anyone hit him.
It was just a pity for Ah Hua and the other two, whose strength was slightly weaker. Now that they were facing the world's largest organization, the World Government, they must be very troubled!
How could he know that Ah Hua and the other two were no longer what they used to be.
On that sea full of miracles, anything could happen, let alone giving someone power!
When he saw the news about Kuina, his hand paused slightly. He reached up and pushed his glasses up, then looked back and forth on the newspaper several times, before his lips curled into a smile.
For his daughter, who had always been strong-willed, his initial plan was for her to live a peaceful and quiet life like a normal person.
As a father, no one felt more pained for Kuina than he did.
However, Konta's appearance gradually changed his mind. Just as no one could stop someone with a dream from setting sail, no one could stop someone from pursuing their inner obsessions.
The more he discouraged Kuina, the more competitive she became, and the more extreme.
If it weren't for Konta's appearance, he wouldn't have known what Kuina would have become in the end.
Now, seeing Kuina break through the gender barrier in strength and advance to become a great swordsman, he was genuinely happy for her.
His satisfaction with his decision to save Konta and bring him back to the dojo back then grew even stronger.
Zoro, being teased by Koshiro, wasn't angry. The smile on his face remained. He looked at the sword in his hand, examining it from left to right, utterly delighted.
"What should I call it?"
He stroked his chin and pondered, his talent for naming awakening. "Ghost Sword, Asura, Azure Dragon, White Tiger…"
"Too cliché."
He couldn't help but shake his head, then his eyes lit up, thinking of the promise he made with Konta.
"The world's strongest swordsman deserves the world's strongest sword. Since Konta's sword is called 'Zankou' (Sky Cutter), then his sword…"
Thinking of this, he raised the sword and shouted, "Then I'll call you, 'Kaihai' (Sea Splitter)!"
"Hahahaha…"
Laughter echoed from the Isshin Dojo, carrying far and wide, just like his current mood. His ambition was no longer confined to this dojo, this small town, or this island, but was heading towards the boundless sea.