PIRATE:SEEING MY PROFICIENCY I BECAME A LEGEND

The sun dipped below the horizon, stretching the shadows of two figures standing together.

"Dongze, do you think girls can never reach the top? Just like my father says, that I will never be the strongest?" Kuina's voice wavered despite Dongze's previous reassurances. Deep inside, doubt still gripped her heart.

Dongze turned to look at the Yixin Dojo in the fading light, hesitating. He recalled how Kuina's tragic fate in another timeline had been sealed by her own self-doubt. A sigh escaped his lips.

"Kuina, I overheard some names in the village," he said carefully. "Women who stand at the peak of strength on the seas. If you're still uncertain about your future, you should ask Master Koshiro about them."

Kuina hesitated. "Are they all women?"

Dongze's gaze remained firm. "Charlotte Linlin."

"Crane."

"Gion."

"The warriors of Amazon Lily."

"…Did you really hear this in the village?"

"Kuina, women can become the strongest, but they often have to fight harder to prove themselves. Believe in yourself—the path is beneath your feet, and the future is yours to take."

The next morning, at Yixin Dojo, Kuina's demeanor had changed. A newfound resolve shone in her eyes, a transformation that had taken place overnight.

Koshiro, seated in the center of the dojo, observed his students practicing their fundamental techniques—belt, lift, parry, strike, thrust, point, counter, press, chop, cut, and slash.

His mind drifted back to the previous night. The Shimotsuki family, descendants of Wano, were skilled swordsmen in their own right. Though they were far from the level of the world's strongest swordsman, Dracule Mihawk, their name still carried weight.

Yet when Kuina uttered those names, Koshiro had been stunned. He knew those figures well.

"Charlotte Linlin—once a member of the Rocks Pirates, a monstrous force in the New World, and one of the Yonko. Her strength rivals even the most legendary warriors."

"Vice Admiral Tsuru—she may not be known for raw power, but her tactical brilliance and Devil Fruit ability make her one of the Marines' most respected figures."

"Rear Admiral Gion—an exceptional swordswoman, her talent with a blade is said to rival the best in the Navy. A rising star with monstrous potential."

"And the warriors of Amazon Lily—an island of Haki-wielding women, ruled by the Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock."

Hearing Kuina list such names had sent a chill down his spine. He doubted any of this information had spread to a quiet village in the East Blue.

"Where did you hear this?" he had asked her.

Kuina's response had shaken him.

"Dongze."

Koshiro had never paid much attention to Dongze. He was diligent but unremarkable. Just a few days ago, he had lost a match against Zoro, who had only been at the dojo for a year. But now, it seemed he had grown closer to Kuina.

As he studied the boy, nothing seemed extraordinary about him. His sword swings lacked the individuality of Kuina's swift precision or Zoro's raw ferocity. Yet the names he had mentioned could not have been coincidence.

"Did I misjudge him?" Koshiro mused.

As he pondered this, something changed in Dongze. He ceased alternating through the thirteen basic forms like the others and focused solely on a single move—thrusting. Koshiro's thoughts were interrupted as Dongze executed a precise, controlled thrust. His eyes widened.

"Impossible…!"

Though still rigid, the strike was vastly different from before. A lifeless motion had gained vitality, as if the blade itself had awakened.

For a swordsman, such a transformation was akin to stepping from mortality into legend in a single instant.

What Koshiro didn't know was that Dongze saw something others could not—a system displaying his proficiency.

"Basic Swordsmanship – Thrust: 1000/1000."

Yet no further information appeared.

Dongze sighed inwardly. After years of training, he had finally perfected a single basic form. But to advance to the next level, he knew he had to master all thirteen forms.

There was a shortcut—Koshiro himself. If Dongze could endure being struck down every day, he might unlock the next stage faster. But he understood the risk. Without a solid foundation, his path would crumble beneath him.

"No shortcuts," he resolved. "I'll master them all, one by one."

With this decision, Dongze returned to his training, his blade gleaming with newfound determination.