Under the thatched rain-shed, the courtyard wall was now covered top to bottom with "E" symbols pointing in different directions—drawn by Shanu.
"Which way is this one?"
"Up."
"And this one?"
"…Left?"
"Okay, now close one eye—what about this one?"
"Uh… I can't see clearly."
Hopeless.
Shanu slapped his forehead. Except for the biggest "E" at the very top, Kuina couldn't make out the direction of any of the others.
With eyesight like this, at best she had vision of 0.4.
By modern standards, she'd need glasses of at least 600 degrees—severe myopia.
"Has your father ever paid attention to your eyesight?" he couldn't help but ask.
"…Father is always busy. And I think it only started last year that I couldn't see clearly. I never brought it up, so it's normal he didn't notice, right?"
One never mentioned it, the other never noticed.
This father and daughter were way too careless.
"Anyway, you need to get glasses quickly."
Shanu sighed. "It's fine when you're just swinging bamboo swords around the dojo, but in a real fight, that's basically gambling with your life. You might not even need a battle—just going down the stairs, you could miss a step and kill yourself."
"Mm. When Father comes back, I'll talk to him about it."
Kuina nodded seriously.
If anyone else had said this, with her temperament, she probably would've snapped back—especially at the second half. How could she be that weak?
But from Shanu's mouth, the words went down smooth.
She sat along the wooden corridor under the eaves, tilting her head up to look at him.
"It feels like I've always troubled you with my problems. Why not talk about yourself for once?"
"Me? Nothing much to say."
Shanu shrugged and sat down beside her.
"I haven't even officially gone to sea yet. No experiences worth mentioning. Aside from that one incident on Sakura Island—which you actually know even better than me."
"Haven't gone to sea yet?"
"Of course not. I'm only thirteen. What business do I have sailing around? At least wait until seventeen or eighteen to start wandering properly, right?"
"Eh? Thirteen?!! That means you're only two years older than me?!"
"Doesn't look like it?"
"Not at all! It's not just your looks… it's the way you carry yourself. So steady. And at such a young age, you already have such a big reputation!"
Kuina made a sword-swing gesture. "Helping the weak, fighting injustice—that's so cool! When you finally set sail, if you joined the navy, you'd definitely become an amazing marine!"
"The navy?"
Shanu thought for a moment, then shook his head. "No interest."
Maybe if he had crossed over a few years earlier, he really would've seen joining the navy as his goal. After all, in his old worldview, even flawed order was better than chaos.
And honestly, that white justice cloak really was stylish.
But he had crossed over after finishing the God Valley arc, and just remembering it made his skin crawl.
If he ever got stuck on some mission escorting a Celestial Dragon, he'd probably vomit on the spot.
Kuina blinked. "Eh? Then maybe a bounty hunter? …Wait, don't tell me—a pirate?"
"As long as I stay free, what I am doesn't matter."
Shanu spread his hands. "The world is huge. I've got to sail and see it all. Otherwise, all this training is wasted, my life meaningless. But… do I have to box myself into a label beforehand?"
"If pirates come rob me, I'll rob them back. If marines come harass me, I won't hold back either. What they want to call me afterward—that's their problem."
"I'll still be me. Labels won't change that. Allies are allies, enemies are enemies, no matter what the world calls me. …You get what I mean?"
"I think so."
Kuina tilted her head. "But I've only ever heard of marines putting bounties on pirates. Never the other way around. So if you fight back against both, wouldn't they still just call you a pirate in the end?"
"…You're right!"
Shanu burst out laughing. "If that day really comes, I won't hold back—I'll raise a skull flag, form a pirate crew. Whoever picks a fight, I'll smash them!"
"Until marines and pirates alike see my ship from a distance and shiver, too scared to even approach—then I can keep adventuring happily, not caring about anyone!"
"Hey, Kuina!"
He suddenly bent down. "Didn't you promise Zoro you'd race to see who becomes the world's greatest swordsman first? Why don't you both join my crew when the time comes?"
"If you want that title, you can't just stay cooped up in Isshin Dojo. You have to cross the seas and make the whole world acknowledge it!"
Together with Shanu-sama?
Leaving this tiny Shimotsuki Village, to face the whole ocean?
Kuina stared blankly toward the far horizon. Her breathing quickened.
She clenched her bamboo sword and shot to her feet. "R-right now?! It's sudden, but fine! Though Father isn't back yet—should I ask for his permission first…"
"What are you thinking?!"
Shanu smacked her on the head, annoyed. "You're that eager to run off already? Who said I was leaving right now? I don't even have a ship yet!"
"Ow!"
"Anyway, just treat it as a promise. Bury it in your heart. No rush. Train with Zoro a few more years. If you leave too young, Kōshirō-sensei will be heartbroken."
Stretching lazily, Shanu stood and smiled. "Don't worry. When I finally set sail, I won't forget to come for you two."
Silence behind him.
He turned, puzzled—only to see Kuina staring straight at him.
"Pinky swear?"
"Uh… no need, right? You're not as childish as Zoro, are you?"
"Pinky swear! Otherwise I'll follow you everywhere tonight—even to bed!"
"…You're impossible."
———
Kōshirō only returned the next morning.
After a night's rest, Shanu was refreshed, balancing on two fingers in the courtyard for bodyweight training, when he noticed Kōshirō enter with two figures.
Before he could see clearly, both dropped to their knees with a thud.
"Benefactor!"
Shanu flipped upright in a hurry, helping Zeff and Sanji up.
"What's with this? You just got well enough to move around, and now this? I really can't take this. Besides, old man, didn't you already thank me a few days ago?"
"Haha, saving a life is no small thing. Once isn't enough."
Zeff grinned and pointed to his right leg. "Besides, you actually saved me twice. If you hadn't rowed like mad and brought me to Shimotsuki Village, how could I have met Kōshirō-sensei and Dr. Zilan, who healed this leg?"
Leg?
Shanu looked down. Where Zeff's right knee should've ended in nothing, there was now a sturdy wooden prosthetic.
The craftsmanship was exquisite, joints moving freely. With pant legs down, no one would notice the disability.
Worlds better than the toilet-plunger stick he remembered from the original timeline.
"When I was young, I trained in smithing with my father, though I had little talent for it."
Kōshirō adjusted his glasses with a smile. "But I always liked carpentry more. I've tinkered for years. Didn't expect it would actually come in handy one day."