Chapter 24 - Kuina (2)

A week had passed since Raiden and Ronan began their training at Koushirou's dojo, and the boys were having the time of their lives. Both of them had grown accustomed to the disciplined environment, and their skills had noticeably improved under Koushirou's watchful eye.

Koushirou would have them practice their stance and skills in the morning, followed by physical conditioning and then make them spar with each other.

And right now, the boys were engaged in an intense sparring session. The dojo echoed with the clash of metal and the swift movements of their training blades. Both boys had developed a fierce but playful rivalry over the past year, and their sparring matches often turned into spirited duels.

Raiden lunged at Ronan, his twin swords glinting in the sunlight that streamed through the open windows. "Come on, you dirty fishman! Is that all you've got? I've seen sea slugs move faster than you!"

Ronan parried the attack with a quick flick of his wrist, deflecting Raiden's blades to the side. "Keep talking, Raiden. Maybe one day you'll say something smart," he retorted, a grin spreading across his face as he counterattacked with a flurry of strikes.

"Raiden! Language!" Koushirou retorted from the sidelines, keeping an eye on the boys to make sure they didn't go overboard.

The dojo was filled with the sound of clashing swords as the boys exchanged blows, neither holding back. They moved with a fluid grace, each trying to outmaneuver the other. Raiden's attacks were precise and powerful, while Ronan relied on speed and agility to keep up.

"Nice try!" Raiden shouted, blocking Ronan's strike and pushing him back. "But you're still too slow!"

Ronan smirked, darting to the side and swinging his sword in a wide arc. "And you're still too predictable!" he shot back, his eyes gleaming.

Their sparring intensified, both boys grinning menacingly as they pushed each other to their limits. Raiden's twin swords moved like lightning, each strike aimed with deadly accuracy. Ronan, however, was quick on his feet, dodging and countering with rapid and heavy blows.

"You're getting better," Raiden admitted, sweat dripping down his forehead. "But I'll still beat you."

"We'll see about that," Ronan replied, his eyes narrowing as he launched into a series of swift, relentless attacks.

The boys clashed again and again, neither giving an inch. They moved in a blur of motion, their swords creating a symphony of steel. Each attack was met with a block or a dodge, and each counter was just as fierce.

Koushirou watched from the sidelines, a small smile on his lips. He was pleased with their progress. The boys were pushing each other to new heights, and their friendly rivalry was making them stronger.

The spar grew more heated, but Raiden and Ronan's grins never wavered, their playful insults only fueling their competitive spirits.

With a final, powerful clash, the boys' swords locked, and they stood there panting and grinning at each other.

"Heh, not bad for a fishman." Raiden said, before backing off with a satisfied smile.

"Yeah, sure. Save that for the day I defeat you." Ronan replied, folding his fins back and plopped down, panting.

"Excellent work today, both of you," Koushirou began, approaching the boys. "Your progress has been impressive. You've both mastered the basic stances and techniques, and it's time to move on to more advanced concepts."

Raiden and Ronan straightened up, looking at the man with curious looks. Koushirou continued, "There are two main types of swordsmanship you need to understand. The first is the Strong Blade, or Gōken."

He drew his sword and held it firmly in front of him. "Gōken swordsmen emphasize strength. Their attacks are powerful and can break through an opponent's defenses with sheer force. It's a style that requires not only physical power but also the ability to channel that power effectively."

He then sheathed his sword and assumed a different posture, one that seemed lighter and more fluid. "The second type is the Gentle Blade, or Jūken. This style emphasizes speed and precision. Jūken swordsmen rely on quick, agile movements and precise strikes to overwhelm their opponents. It's a style that demands agility and a sharp mind to react quickly."

Koushirou paused, letting the information sink in. Raiden and Ronan exchanged thoughtful looks, clearly intrigued. Even though Raiden knew about these two styles, he didn't know the proper distinction between them.

"After that, there are also two advanced skills you will learn," Koushirou went on. "The first is Tobu Zangeki, or Flying Slash." He unsheathed his sword again and performed a swift, powerful swing. Though his blade did not touch anything, the air itself seemed to crack as a compressed air blade shot forward, slicing through a distant training dummy with ease.

"This technique," Koushirou explained, sheathing his sword, "is performed by swinging the sword with enough force and speed to create a powerful pressure in the form of a compressed air blade. It allows you to cut at long distances, striking down opponents who are far away."

"And finally..."

The boys watched in awe with wide eyes, as Koushirou then demonstrated the last skill. He slowly sheathed his sword, then in a flash, drew and resheathed it so quickly that the movement was almost imperceptible to the naked eye. The training dummy he targeted was split in two before they even realized what had happened.

"...this is an Iai attack," Koushirou said. "It involves drawing and sheathing the sword with such speed that the attack is unseen by the human eye. It's a technique that relies on precise timing and exceptional speed."

Raiden and Ronan were silent for a moment, absorbing the magnitude of these skills. Finally, Koushirou sheathed his sword and looked at them with a proud but serious expression.

'So cool!'

'So cool!'

The boys stared at the man in awe, and stared in their eyes.

*Ahem*

Koushirou coughed lightly to hide the embarrassment, before continuing. "Now that you have a basic understanding of these concepts, we will start your training with Gōken," he said.

"Mastering these skills will take time and dedication, but I believe in both of you. We will take it step by step, beginning with the strength and power of the Strong Blade. Ready?"

Raiden and Ronan nodded eagerly, their eyes shining with excitement. Well, they were kids after all.

_____

"...And then, Zoro just wouldn't stop bugging me for another spar," Kuina complained, kicking a small pebble off the edge of the cliff. The vast sea stretched out before them, its waves crashing against the rocks below. "He's always like, 'Fight me, Kuina!' even though he loses every single time. I mean, why can't he just train more instead of annoying me?"

Raiden chuckled and gently bonked her on the head with his knuckles. "Hey, don't mock someone's hard work," he chastised her, a stern look in his eyes.

Kuina rubbed her head, pouting. "I wasn't mocking him. I was just...annoyed," she muttered meekly. Quickly changing the subject, she looked up at Raiden with curious eyes. "Hey Raiden, what exactly is Ronan? He looks...weird."

Raiden's expression turned serious. "I'll tell you, but you have to promise to keep it quiet. Can you do that?"

Kuina nodded eagerly, her curiosity piqued. "I promise."

Raiden took a deep breath before explaining. "Ronan is a Fishman. They're a race of fish-like humanoids that live on Fishman Island, which is located in the Grand Line, deep under the sea. Fishmen are incredibly strong, much stronger than humans, and they can breathe underwater. Their home is pretty beautiful, you know?"

Kuina's eyes widened as she listened, completely captivated. "Wow, that sounds amazing. I've never heard of Fishmen before. Ne, Raiden! Are there bunny people too? And lion people?! Tell me more!"

'Should I tell her about minks? But then again, how am I going to justify knowing about them?' Raiden thought for a moment, before shrugging. "I don't really know. The world is pretty big you know? Who knows, maybe there are." He said with a mysterious smile.

"So cool! Raiden! I want to go out on the sea with you. Promise me you'll take me out there too!" Kuina exclaimed with stars in her eyes.

"Hmm, I'll think about it. But you have to grow up first." Raiden replied, ruffling her hair.

Kuina giggled, enjoying the sensation of Raiden's warm hand, before looking back at him again. "Tell me more, Raiden! About those people from the Grand Line!"

Raiden thought for a moment, before looking back at the little girl, "Alright, let's see. Ever heard of Kaido?"

Kuina shook her head, her eyes shining with curiosity. "No. Who's that?"

"You see, Kaido is one of the Four Emperors of the Sea. He's known as the 'Strongest Creature in the World,' and for good reason. This guy is nearly invincible. They say he's been captured and tortured countless times but has never once been killed. He even tried to take his own life several times and failed."

"Wow..." Kuina breathed, completely captivated.

"And here's the best part," Raiden continued, leaning in closer. "Kaido has a Devil Fruit."

"Devil Fruit?" Kuina echoed, tilting her head. "What's that?"

Raiden nodded, enjoying her fascination. "Devil Fruits are mystical fruits found in the Grand Line. They grant the eater a special ability but take away their ability to swim. Kaido's Devil Fruit allows him to transform into a gigantic dragon. Imagine that—a dragon soaring through the sky, breathing fire, and causing massive storms."

Kuina's eyes widened in amazement. "No way! You're lying. Things like that don't exist."

Raiden laughed. "Oh, really? Close your eyes. I've got a surprise for you."

She raised an eyebrow, looking at him suspiciously. "You better not do anything weird, Raiden." Despite her words, she closed her eyes, trusting him.

Suddenly, she felt a massive gust of wind from behind and then the sensation of being lifted off the ground. She shrieked, her eyes flying open in panic. "Ahh! Raiden! What—?!"

She looked down and realized she was in the air, high above the cliff. Her heart raced as she clung to the massive...foot? that had picked her up. "Raiden! Put me down! This is—"

Raiden, now in his thunderbird form, looked back at her with amusement in his eyes. "Do you believe me now about Devil Fruits?" He said in weird beastly voice.

"R-Raiden?! That's you?!" Kuina looked up at him in amazement.

Raiden smiled at her, well what looked like a smile. "That's right? So, you're enjoying the ride?"

Kuina looked around, her wide eyes slowly changing from fear to awe. "I...I'm flying," she whispered, then louder, "I'm flying! This is amazing!"

She squealed in delight, her fear completely forgotten as she took in the breathtaking view. "Everything looks so beautiful from up here," she exclaimed. "The Shimotsuki Village, the sea...it's all so tiny and gorgeous!"

Raiden smiled, feeling a sense of pride and happiness at her reaction. "I'm glad you like it. And now you know—Devil Fruits are real."

Kuina nodded vigorously, still gazing at the stunning view below. "Yes, I believe you now. This is incredible!"

Raiden was enjoying the flight to its fullest. It was a good workout for him too. The thunderbird form was way too fast, and it took a lot out of him to just keep the speed down.

'I should do this more often. This form is so hard to control.' Raiden thought, pretty frustrated. He couldn't go too fast, otherwise it could've hurt Kuina.

Raiden flew for a while, before gracefully landing on the cliffside and transformed back into his human form. Kuina, still in awe, stared at him with wide eyes, whispering, "That was amazing!"

She grabbed his hand, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I want to do that more! Can we do it again?"

Raiden smirked, a teasing glint in his eyes. "I'll do it again if you beat me in a spar."

Kuina's face fell, and she pouted. "That's not fair! I can't beat you."

Raiden chuckled as Kuina continued to grumble under her breath. "You're so mean, Raiden."

Ignoring her complaints, Raiden looked down at her grumbling with a smile. He couldn't help but think about how rare it was to see Kuina so openly childish. It was such an alien sight for him.

Heck, he was certain she only acted this way around him. Everyone else had placed so many unnecessary expectations on the little girl that she had almost lost her childhood.

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a childish squeal of disbelief. "OI! WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS THAT?!"

Raiden looked towards the source of the voice and found a little green-haired boy staring at them with his mouth hung open comically, pointing directly at him.

Raiden stared down at him with a deadpan look, before he facepalmed in exasperation.

'Great, now I explain the same things to this brat too.'

_____