Kuina Training Special – Blade of Thunder: The Tempering of Storms

The sea stretched endlessly before them, tranquil yet untamed. After their return from Skypiea, the Queen's Grace sailed steadily toward Jaya, the next landmark on the Grand Line. But for Kuina, the voyage was not simply a journey from one island to the next—it was a journey into herself.

The Goro Goro no Mi now pulsed within her core. A Devil Fruit of overwhelming power, once wielded by Enel to strike fear into the hearts of sky islanders.

But Kuina was not Enel.

She would not wield lightning as a tyrant.

She would wield it as a swordswoman.

And that meant she needed control.

Absolute, refined, unshakable control.

The First Phase: Taming the Thunder

For the first week, Kuina isolated herself on the stern deck each morning, before the crew awoke.

She sat cross-legged, breathing steadily, her palms resting on her knees as crackles of faint electricity danced across her skin. The slightest surge would send small arcs zipping toward the mast or the railings.

Too wild. Too unstable.

She clenched her fists, inhaled, and visualized her thunder as an extension of her blade—not a force of nature beyond her grasp.

Kaito, who quietly observed from the upper deck, approached her during the fourth morning.

"You're trying to force the lightning into submission," he said.

Kuina opened her eyes, irritation flickering within them. "Isn't that the point? I need to control it, not let it consume me."

Kaito smiled faintly. "You're not a tyrant, Kuina. The lightning isn't your enemy. It's part of you now."

She scowled but didn't push him away.

Kaito sat beside her and continued, "Try to feel it. Don't crush it. Listen to its pulse. Let it guide you."

Kuina exhaled, hesitantly following his advice.

This time, instead of commanding the electricity to still, she let it swirl freely within her, feeling its rhythm, its hunger, its… playfulness.

Slowly, the wild arcs settled into a calm hum along her fingertips.

Good. Now make it yours.

She drew one of her swords and gently pressed her palm to the flat of the blade.

Lightning licked across the steel—but this time, it did not leap away. It followed the sword's curve, clinging to the metal like a loyal companion.

The first step was complete.

The Second Phase: Movement and Combat Integration

Once Kuina established basic harmony with her lightning, she moved on to combat integration.

This phase was brutal.

Each morning, Kaito personally sparred with her on the deck, challenging her to blend swordplay with thunder without losing precision.

"You're too focused on the power bursts," Kaito said after disarming her in a rapid exchange. "Your swordsmanship is slipping."

"I can handle both," she snapped, retrieving her blade.

"Then prove it."

They clashed again, the deck echoing with sharp impacts and sizzling sparks. Kuina's movements became faster, sharper—but when she pushed a surge of electricity into her blade, she overcompensated, causing the sword to shudder and destabilize.

Kaito parried and sent her weapon flying once more.

She slammed her fist into the deck, frustration bubbling over.

Khalifa, observing from the sidelines, spoke up. "You're trying to wield it like Enel did. That's your mistake."

Kuina turned, breath ragged. "What do you mean?"

Khalifa adjusted her glasses. "Enel was a thunder god who happened to hold a weapon. You are a swordswoman who happens to wield thunder. Your foundation is different. Respect that."

Kuina's pulse steadied.

I am a swordswoman first. The lightning enhances me. It does not define me.

She bowed to Kaito. "Again."

This time, her strikes were clean, her steps fluid.

The lightning coiled around her swords—not as a blunt weapon—but as an extension of her will, dancing along the blade's edge with disciplined grace.

Kaito smiled as he deflected her blows. "Now you're getting it."

The Third Phase: Developing Thunder Techniques

With mastery over control and movement, Kuina began crafting personalized techniques that merged her swordsmanship with her Devil Fruit.

Technique 1: Thunder Step

By momentarily discharging electricity beneath her feet, Kuina could propel herself in a burst of speed, almost vanishing from the opponent's sight.

She first practiced it using wooden crates, zipping between them in unpredictable patterns.

Aisa watched, wide-eyed. "She's teleporting."

Kaito corrected, "Not teleporting. She's just moving so fast it feels like it."

Aisa grinned. "Can you teach me that?"

Kuina smirked. "Master Observation Haki first, then we'll talk."

Technique 2: Storm Crescent

A ranged sword slash infused with concentrated electricity.

Kuina practiced by cleaving through large barrels, her blade sending arcs of energy that sliced cleanly from a distance.

Nojiko measured the impact marks. "You're cutting from ten meters away now."

Carmen chuckled. "She's turning into a human storm cannon."

Kuina refined the move until she could shift seamlessly between close-range strikes and Storm Crescents mid-combat.

Technique 3: Raigo Severance – Controlled

Her previous Raigo Severance during the battle against Enel had been a desperate, near-suicidal maneuver to split a massive thunder orb.

Now, Kuina focused on perfecting a smaller, controlled version—creating a miniature thunder sphere above her blade and slicing it precisely.

Kaito warned her, "The bigger you make it, the more it drains you."

Kuina nodded. "I know. This is a finishing move. Not something I should throw around recklessly."

The training intensified until she could execute the Raigo Severance in less than three seconds, delivering a clean, explosive cut that could rip through fortified steel.

Crew Support and Bonding Moments

Throughout the training, the crew remained close, supporting Kuina in small but meaningful ways.

Kaya ensured her body could withstand the strain, providing custom electrolyte tonics to balance her internal energy.

Carmen cooked carefully selected high-calorie meals to help her recover after intense sessions.

Aisa assisted with target tracking and fine-tuning her movement patterns, even helping Kuina develop split-second footwork using observational feedback.

Khalifa sparred with Kuina on occasion, using her Rokushiki techniques to pressure Kuina's agility and reaction time.

Nojiko kept refining the ship's sailing patterns to maximize Kuina's open-deck training windows, adjusting their course to stay away from crowded routes.

Conis composed a quiet melody, "Song of the Thunder Blade," a simple but inspiring tune that Kuina found herself humming during difficult drills.

In quiet nights, Kuina would sit with Kaito on the deck, sharing silent moments under the starlight, grateful for the family she had found on this unpredictable journey.

A Quiet Rivalry

Though Luffy and his crew had gone ahead, Kuina often thought of Zoro.

Of their unfinished promise.

Of their next duel.

The lightning at her fingertips reminded her that their next meeting would not simply be a clash of swords—but a convergence of everything they had gained through their separate voyages.

She was no longer chasing Zoro.

She was running parallel.

Striving to be someone worthy of standing across from him—not as a defeated memory, but as an equal.

Closing: Ready for Jaya

By the end of the second week, Kaito called the crew together.

"Jaya's next. A pirate town. A place where men laugh at dreams."

He looked at each of them.

"Are you ready?"

Kuina sheathed her lightning-wrapped blades. "More than ready."

The crew cheered, their bonds stronger than ever.

The Queen's Grace surged forward, slicing through the waves as the sun set behind them.

Ahead lay the Town of Mockery.

Rival pirates. Dangerous hunters. A shadow lurking with the name of Blackbeard.

And new battles that would further shape their path.

Kuina glanced at her crackling fingertips and whispered to herself.

"Let's see if the world is ready for me now."