Chapter 281: Marine Sergeant
Ian's sword was not any blade recorded in the books of this world, so it was normal that Tashigi, a sword fanatic, couldn't recognize it.
However, Kuina never expected to hear Ian's name here. Her heart stirred. She suddenly recalled that when her father Koushirou talked about Ian, he had mentioned that Big Brother Ian had settled in Loguetown for a while and even served as a Marine swordsmanship instructor for a month. She couldn't help but glance at Tashigi. If Big Brother Ian had been a swordsmanship instructor, then this girl might have been taught swordsmanship under him?
Kuina was a clever girl. Although she knew about this, she didn't say anything, because she understood that she couldn't yet reveal her relationship with Ian.
"Alright, shut up, Tashigi!" Smoker, seeing Tashigi straying further and further off topic and even bringing up Ian, scolded her to stop. Then he said to Kuina, "Since you've studied swordsmanship, have a match with Tashigi. Let me see your strength!"
The Marines had two methods of recruitment. One was to train from childhood, such as the children of families at Marine Headquarters. Such Marines generally had higher loyalty and were key training targets. However, this method yielded too few personnel. So the Marines had a second method: worldwide conscription, meaning recruiting Marine soldiers from the civilian population. As long as they had no criminal record, anyone could join. Soldiers recruited this way usually brought their own skills, so they were given a certain rank based on their strength. If they were truly capable, their starting point would naturally be higher. However, since their loyalty was hard to gauge, promotion would also be more difficult.
Kuina's situation was the second type, which was why Smoker asked her to demonstrate her strength.
However, unexpectedly, Kuina glanced at Tashigi and said, "She's too weak. I'm afraid I might accidentally hurt her."
Kuina was telling the truth. Because she had eaten a Devil Fruit, her power had suddenly surged, and she couldn't yet control it stably. Naturally, she was worried about accidentally injuring Tashigi, so she said this.
Surprisingly, no one found this statement offensive. Tashigi herself didn't feel belittled. Perhaps it was Kuina's heroic bearing and strong aura that made everyone feel she was telling the truth.
Smoker thought for a moment and said, "Then how about this: spar with me."
Kuina had no objection to facing Smoker. Smoker's rank of Captain was the highest in the entire Loguetown Marine base, meaning he was the strongest here.
Hearing that the two were going to spar, the surrounding Marine soldiers immediately got excited. They cleared an open space and gathered around to watch. Interestingly, everyone was cheering for Kuina, and no one was rooting for Smoker. This made Smoker's face darken slightly as he muttered inwardly, "These bastards..."
After the two took their positions in the arena, Smoker didn't say anything and attacked directly. Although he was standing far away, he used the power of his Smoke-Smoke Fruit to suddenly extend his arm!
The arm made of white smoke, gripping the Ten Hands, thrust straight at Kuina's position. Seeing Smoker's attack, Kuina wasn't surprised. She swiftly drew her sword and slanted it upward to parry Smoker's Ten Hands.
The moment she swung her sword, an invisible force shot out from the blade! It struck Smoker's Ten Hands with a clang! Smoker almost lost his grip on the weapon.
"Flying Slash!? You're a Swordsman Master!?" Smoker was extremely shocked. What was going on in the East Blue these days? Why were so many powerful people popping up? First Ian, and now another one!?
Indeed, what Kuina had just unleashed was a Flying Slash. The difference from Ian's sword energy was that Ian released his own energy, while Kuina used her superior strength to draw the sword. This strength was converted into extreme speed, which broke through the air, creating a vacuum state and producing a slash.
This was a vacuum slash, a Flying Slash formed purely by the sword!
This was why it was called a Flying Slash. In fact, many Swordsman Masters used different methods to perform such slashes. Some, like Ian, released their own energy or aura. Others used special swordsmanship techniques. Still others, like Kuina, achieved it through extreme sword-drawing speed. Regardless of the method, the end result was an effect similar to sword energy. Since it was difficult to distinguish, they were collectively called Flying Slashes.
Kuina's vacuum slash left a deep cut mark on Smoker's Ten Hands. Although it didn't break the weapon, it made Smoker dare not be careless anymore. He went all out, his body turning into clouds of white smoke as he gripped the Ten Hands and attacked Kuina.
Kuina didn't counterattack again. Instead, she held her Wado Ichimonji and did her best to block the strikes from the Ten Hands.
She blocked easily, but Smoker didn't think so. He could feel that this girl possessed incredible strength. Even his full-force strikes couldn't make her wrist tremble even a little.
"She's indeed far stronger than Tashigi!" Smoker thought to himself.
However, because Smoker wasn't very proficient in swordsmanship, he didn't notice during the exchange that Kuina's swordsmanship style was very similar to Ian's!
This was unavoidable. Whether it was Ian, Kuina, or Zoro, all three had been taught by Koushirou. Although their future sword techniques would develop in different directions, their basic swordsmanship stances were the same.
Among those present, the only one proficient in swordsmanship was Tashigi. But at this moment, watching Kuina's sharp gaze as she fought Smoker, Tashigi felt an inexplicable racing of her heart. She now deeply admired Kuina. Kuina had become her benchmark, her role model. So her mind wasn't focused on Kuina's techniques at all; she was just staring at Kuina with infatuated eyes.
Thus, both of them missed the best opportunity to recognize the relationship between Kuina and Ian...
"Why do you keep blocking and never counterattack?" Smoker asked after fighting for a while, realizing that Kuina's defense was impenetrable. He temporarily stopped and questioned her.
"Are you sure you want me to counterattack?" Kuina asked.
"Come on!" Smoker was a bit exasperated. Why did Kuina seem even more arrogant than himself?
The next second, Smoker attacked again, thrusting his Ten Hands at Kuina. He didn't turn into smoke but simply thrust forward. This time, however, Kuina's eyes sharpened. She aimed directly at the tip of Smoker's Ten Hands and thrust her sword as well!
Boom! When the tips of their weapons collided, a tremendous force erupted! The power from the Ten Hands sent Smoker's wrist recoiling, and then his entire body spun and flew backward!
Although Kuina hadn't transformed, she could still use sufficient strength in this state. Smoker had no idea her power was so terrifying, so he suffered greatly from that single clash!
All the Marine soldiers on the scene were stunned into silence, watching Smoker get sent flying.
But when they came to their senses, they cheered loudly as if celebrating a festival: "Oh!!! Captain Smoker lost!"
Hearing the cheers, Smoker was furious! You little brats, I got sent flying, and you're that excited!?
He struggled to stand up. Because the force had been transmitted through his wrist, his body was fine, but his wrist and arm were in severe pain. He even suspected his entire arm was broken.
Nevertheless, enduring the pain, he said to Kuina, "Good! You're indeed very strong. From now on, you are a Marine Sergeant at the Loguetown Marine base! Your rank is the same as Tashigi's. Your Marine uniform will be delivered to you later. For now, you need to fill out your information!"
"Okay!" Kuina nodded.
"By the way, can I ask why you want to become a Marine?" Smoker suddenly asked.
Kuina thought for a moment and replied, "For the sake of family and a promise. Also, I want to become the world's strongest female swordsman!"
Family referred to her Big Brother Ian, and the promise referred to her agreement with Zoro, as well as Kuina's own dream. In this regard, Kuina wasn't lying.
Unfortunately, Smoker didn't know the specifics of what she meant. He could only nod in response.
And so, Kuina successfully became a Marine Sergeant at the Loguetown Marine base. With Kuina's addition, the strength of the Loguetown Marine base rose by more than one level.
The biggest impact of this change was that, in the future, a certain straw-hat-wearing idiot would likely be even more unlucky than in the original history...