Chapter 3

What kind of joke is this, making me fight Zoro?

Ian felt countless grass mud horses galloping through his heart; this plot is all wrong!

Although Ian knew that the current Zoro didn't know any sword techniques at all, and the so-called fight was just a chaotic scuffle like children fighting, if he were to fight, he could probably beat this guy with basic sword skills. But that's not how it works!

If he were to fight, how would the bond between Zoro and Kuina form? Without Kuina, how would Zoro continue to grow stronger, refusing to admit defeat?

Losing to a boy and losing to a girl are completely different!

Feeling that it wasn't the right time for him to step in, Ian shook his head decisively and said, "I won't fight him!"

Koshiro gave Ian a strange look, not understanding what he was thinking, but he didn't say anything. Since Ian refused, calling Kuina would be the same.

Kuina was very obedient. Upon hearing Koshiro's voice, she stepped forward and said, "Yes, Father!"

As soon as Zoro saw Kuina, he immediately got upset and shouted at Koshiro, "What? Aren't you going to be my opponent?"

Koshiro smiled and said, "Although Kuina is a girl, she is even more skilled than the adults in the dojo!"

Zoro glared at Kuina for a while, then finally said, "Fine, let's go!"

"Then, please come inside!" Koshiro said, turning and walking in. Zoro and Kuina followed Koshiro into the dojo.

Since they heard that Zoro was here to challenge the dojo, as Koshiro's disciples, Ian and the other junior disciples were already sitting cross-legged in the dojo. Apart from Ian, the others looked at Zoro with curiosity and resentment.

There was no way around it; Zoro was being too arrogant, and Master Koshiro actually took his challenge seriously, allowing him to challenge the dojo. It was hard to understand what he was thinking...

In the corner of the dojo, there was a bucket of bamboo swords. Koshiro pointed to the bucket and said to Zoro, "Choose a weapon, any one will do!"

"Really?" Zoro spat out the leaf he was holding in his mouth and walked over, grabbing a large handful of bamboo swords.

Then, this guy held three in his left hand, three in his right hand, and three in his mouth, getting ready, which left the dojo members staring at him in shock.

Following Koshiro to the altar, when Zoro bowed, a bamboo sword fell from his mouth. When he bowed to Kuina, another one fell.

Yet, this guy's expression was completely serious...

"What's going on? This guy is a complete idiot!" The junior disciples in the dojo looked at him as if he were a fool.

Ian also felt speechless, it seemed the title of "idiot with green hair" was something Zoro had from a young age...

After the bow, Zoro and Kuina's duel began. Without any suspense, Zoro was quickly defeated. Kuina's first strike forced Zoro to block with two bamboo swords, and her powerful second strike completely knocked the bamboo swords out of Zoro's hands.

"Damn it!" Zoro, seeing Kuina's calm face, got up from the ground, picked up the fallen bamboo swords, and got into a fighting stance facing Kuina.

"Hmm?" Koshiro was somewhat surprised by this scene. He didn't expect Zoro to be so resilient, still having the courage to fight despite the huge gap in strength between him and Kuina.

Kuina was also surprised because the stance Zoro was in was a standard dual-sword stance. She asked, "Have you learned dual-sword techniques before?"

"Of course not!" Zoro said fiercely, "This is the first time I've held a bamboo sword!"

"First time?" Master Koshiro repeated with a smile.

Ian knew what Master Koshiro was thinking. To be able to naturally assume a dual-sword stance on his first time holding a bamboo sword, Zoro, the idiot with green hair, probably had sword skills talent on par with Kuina...

At this moment, Zoro didn't know what Koshiro and Ian were thinking. He was staring intently at Kuina.

"Damn it, I'm very strong and will become even stronger in the future! How... how can I lose to a woman here!"

With a不服气 (unwilling to admit defeat) attitude, Zoro shouted and charged at Kuina, and then...

Then, he was hit hard in the face by Kuina's bamboo sword!

"Ouch... that looks really painful..." The disciples in the dojo couldn't help but shudder, "Why didn't he dodge?"

Thud! Zoro fell, shaking the ground.

Ian covered his face, this idiot was charging like a wild boar, thinking he could win with brute force. No wonder he lost.

"1 point! That's it!"

Master Koshiro's voice ended the match. At this point, Zoro, the idiot with green hair, couldn't hear anything. He lay on the ground, a red mark visible on his face. Kuina stuck her bamboo sword in front of him and said, "You're just a beginner, trying to use dual swords. You're ten years too early!"

Zoro slowly came to and, hearing this, couldn't help but grab Kuina's bamboo sword, still unwilling to admit defeat.

Kuina frowned and said, "What, do you want to fight again?"

Unexpectedly, Zoro was straightforward and said, "Damn it, I lost, I lost!"

Master Koshiro smiled and praised, "Very straightforward, good!"

"Then, I'll join your dojo! Any objections?" Zoro sat up, crossing his arms and asked Koshiro.

"No!" Koshiro shook his head, accepting him as a disciple.

Kuina ignored him and turned to leave, but at this moment, Zoro suddenly said, "I'll practice hard and definitely beat you! Remember that!"

Saying this, the idiot with green hair still had a nosebleed...

"There won't be such a day!" Kuina said coldly and turned to leave.

"Ian, take him down and treat his injuries!" Koshiro said.

Ian nodded, got up, and walked to Zoro's side, saying, "Follow me!"

Zoro, probably in pain from his nose, didn't argue and obediently followed Ian.

In the back room, Ian found some medicine, cleaned Zoro's nosebleed, and then put cotton in his nostrils.

"Who is that woman?" Zoro asked Ian.

"She is Kuina, Master Koshiro's daughter!" Ian replied, "My junior sister, your future senior sister!"

"Hmph! I won't call her my senior sister!" Zoro crossed his arms and said angrily, "I will defeat her eventually!"

With cotton in his nose, he looked quite silly...

Ian smiled but didn't say anything, just focusing on applying the medicine. He didn't know what to say to Zoro.

However, not wanting to talk to Zoro didn't mean Zoro wouldn't talk to him. This idiot with green hair suddenly asked Ian, "Hey, and you! Why didn't you fight me earlier?"

Ian thought for a long time before seriously saying, "Because I don't fight idiots!"

"What did you say!?" Zoro immediately got upset, "Who are you calling an idiot?"

"You!" Ian said, "If I'm not mistaken, you got lost and ended up here, right?"

Zoro was shocked, "You... how did you know?"

Ian sighed, "How did I know? I know, of course. Zoro, your biggest impression on people is that you're directionally challenged, right? Your reputation for being directionally challenged is more famous than your sword skills..."

Ian was confident that Zoro's challenge to the dojo was a spur-of-the-moment decision, probably because he got lost and saw the dojo, so he decided to challenge it, completely on a whim.

After applying the medicine, Ian patted Zoro's head and said, "Rest well!"

"But... but you're not much older than me, why are you treating me like a child?" Zoro got upset again.

To me, you are a child right now! Ian thought, turning and leaving the room.

Zoro looked at his back, feeling that this person named Ian was very mysterious. Why did he know that he was lost? He had never seen him before.

Thus, Zoro stayed in the dojo and officially became Koshiro's disciple.

The next morning, Ian got up before dawn, went outside the dojo, and started practicing sword swings.

To be honest, although he had always practiced sword skills seriously, he had never done extra practice alone. However, after seeing Zoro's failure and still defiant expression in the fight with Kuina, Ian was deeply moved for some reason.

A person doesn't become strong without a reason. Comparing himself to Zoro, Ian realized he lacked a certain belief!

He thought about it all night and finally realized that even without talent, he had a system to make up for it, but if he lacked belief and perseverance, he would never become a true strong person.

Zoro's appearance sparked Ian's competitive spirit. He felt he couldn't be outdone by a child just starting to learn sword skills.

So, for the first time, Ian started practicing early in the morning!

Today's goal: 1,000 sword swings!

Ian held a wooden sword and began to swing it rhythmically.

Each swing today was very slow, completely different from the practice in the dojo.

Swinging a sword is not that simple. According to Master Koshiro, true sword swinging is not just a form but requires focusing one's spirit on each swing, carefully experiencing the rhythm and force of each swing, making the sword swinging a muscle memory, almost like an instinct!

It took Ian a full hour to reach 500 swings, and he was already drenched in sweat, his muscles trembling, and his arms feeling heavy.

A voice in his head kept telling him he couldn't keep going, suggesting he stop.

However, thinking of Zoro's face, Ian regained his spirit, enduring the pain, and continued to swing the sword.

Persist! Just a little more, you can do it!!

At this moment, Ian, fully focused on sword swinging, didn't notice the system notifications continuously ringing in his head.

"You are fully focused on sword swinging practice, basic sword skills proficiency +5!"

"You are fully focused on sword swinging practice, basic sword skills proficiency +5!"

"You are fully focused on sword swinging practice, basic sword skills proficiency +5!"

"You are fully focused on sword swinging practice, basic sword skills proficiency +5!"

...