The Weight of a Name
Morning came slower than usual.
Not because the sun was late—but because my body was heavy.
I lay still, staring at the ceiling, breathing quietly as unfamiliar sensations settled into place. My chest rose deeper with each breath. My limbs felt denser, grounded, like gravity itself had tightened its grip on me.
This body was different.
Not wrong.
Just… new.
I lifted my hand.
The fingers were longer. Veins faintly visible beneath the skin. When I clenched my fist, muscle responded immediately—no delay, no uncertainty.
Power.
Not wild like last night—but contained.
My heart beat faster.
This is real.
The sliding door outside creaked softly.
Footsteps.
I sat up instantly.
"Kuina?" my father's voice came from the other side.
The word struck my chest harder than any blade.
"…I'm awake," I replied.
Silence followed.
Then the door slid open.
Shimotsuki Koushirou stepped inside—and froze.
His eyes moved slowly over the wall which I sliced last night and then over me. My shoulders. My arms. My face.
Time stretched.
"…You're awake early and why does it feel like your bone structure, your muscles have changed overnight and what happened to the walls," he said at last.
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
"Father last night i met someone named Ivomankov and he changed my gender which I consented so i became Man ," I answered.
He took another step forward.
"You—" his voice cracked. "You changed your body like it was nothing?!"
"It wasn't nothing!"
The words burst out before I could stop them.
"I was dying," I continued, standing as well. "Not physically—but inside."
Koushirou stared at me, eyes wide with something between anger and fear.
"You could have died," he said harshly. "Do you understand that?"
"Yes."
"You could have been torn apart."
"Yes."
"You could have lost everything."
"Yes."
Then I bowed deeply.
"But Father… you already buried me once."
His breath caught.
The room felt smaller.
"You saw me break," I continued softly. "You saw me cry. You saw me lose hope. And you didn't know how to save me."
"I—"
"I don't blame you," I said quickly. "You told me the truth. That the world was cruel. That my body would betray my dream."
My hands trembled.
"So I changed the body. Not the dream."
Koushirou sank back into his chair slowly.
His face looked older.
"Sure I can see you've grown," he said quietly.
Not a question.
A statement..
Then father's starts speaking again
"When you were born," he said quietly, "I held you and thought… at least this life will be peaceful."
I swallowed.
"I wanted to protect you from the world."
"I know."
"But you chose the most dangerous path imaginable," he whispered. "Even men die chasing that dream."
"I know."
"Then why?" he demanded. "Why go this far?!"
I met his eyes without flinching.
"Because if I failed achieving my dream ," I said, "I don't wanted it to be because I wasn't strong enough coz i was a girl ."
"Not because I was born wrong."
Silence.
Long. Heavy. Honest.
Koushirou closed his eyes.
"…If you fail," he asked softly, "will you regret this?"
I didn't answer immediately.
Then—
"Yes," I said. "I will."
His eyes opened.
"But I would regret not trying far more."
A long breath left him.
He stood and walked past me, stopping by the sword rack.
His hand hovered over the Wado Ichimonji.
"You still want to leave," he said.
"Yes."
"You still want to challenge the world."
"Yes."
"…Even now."
"Yes."
He turned.
His gaze searched my face—not for proof, but for truth.
What he saw made his shoulders relax—just a little.
"…Very well," he said.
My heart jumped.
"I won't stop you," he continued. "But I won't bless you either."
I bowed deeply.
"That's enough."
He paused.
"One more thing."
"Yes?"
"When you defeat me," he said, eyes sharp again, "you leave."
I smiled faintly.
"That was always the plan."
And Kuina tell me what should I call you now ..you are not my daughter anymore..
When he said those words my heart just stopped beating it was losing father again and it felt heart breaking ..but I knew this could happen coz it was all my decision without his consent so i don't have to ask for forgiveness but then his next words brought tears to my eyes
So tell me my loving son what should I call the men who is destined to become world best or die trying it
Anything you like father
Hmm Tsurugi .. Tsurugi Shimotsuki
Means sword you have chosen the path of sword so from now in your area Tsurugi
Thankyou Father's for bestowing me with such a good name
No you deserves it ..come have breakfast with me son
And with that we left for breakfast and i was happy
The dojo buzzed later that day.
Students whispered.
Some stared.
Some avoided my eyes.
And one—
One stormed in like a typhoon.
Zoro stopped dead the moment he saw me.
"…Huh?"
He tilted his head.
"…Oi."
I turned.
"Yes?"
"…Why do you sound like that?"
I sighed.
"So you noticed."
He stepped closer, eyes narrowing.
"…Why do you look like that?"
"I changed."
"…You got sick?"
"No."
"…Did you hit your head?"
"No."
He stared harder.
"…You're not funny."
"I know."
Understanding dawned slowly.
"…Did you—"
"Yes."
Silence.
Then—
Zoro laughed.
A loud, sharp bark of a laugh.
"You're insane."
"Probably."
"So you changed your body," he said, eyes burning. "Just to beat me?"
I shook my head.
"No."
"Then why?"
"So we don't decide the winner too early."
His grin widened.
"…Good."
He turned away.
"Don't lose before I beat you," he said.
Then stormed out.
I watched him go.
My chest felt light.
I stood in the dojo alone, sword resting at my side.
The world hadn't accepted me.
It didn't need to.
I hadn't changed to escape fate.
I changed—
So I could face it head-on.