Tashigi felt unbearably awkward about her current situation.
She had only just arrived at Navy Headquarters… and the legendary Navy Chief Inspector Michael was already going to take her away from here.
Could it be that her talent didn't meet their expectations, so they were planning to send her back to the East Blue?
"What's the matter, Tashigi? Why did you stop?"
Michael walked ahead, then suddenly turned back and noticed Tashigi clutching her sword and standing frozen in place, refusing to move forward.
"Vi-Vice Admiral Michael! Please give me one more chance! I'll keep trying!" Tashigi looked up; the little girl's eyes glistened with tears. "Please don't give up on me!"
"Uh, who said I was giving up on you?" Michael sighed. "It's not that I'm giving you up — I'm finding you a good sword-teacher."
"Ah?"
"Don't you know?" Michael pressed a hand to his forehead and explained helplessly, "Teacher Zephyr's codename is 'Black Arm,' because his greatest strength is Armament Haki and hand-to-hand combat… as for swordsmanship, Zephyr-sensei only knows it at a surface level. He's afraid he'll be wasting your talent in swordsmanship, so he asked me to find you a better sword teacher."
"I-I see!"
Hearing Michael's explanation, Tashigi's anxiety vanished instantly. She wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes; her face flushed bright red.
Both Vice Admiral Michael and Zephyr were thinking of her — was she being a little too willful earlier?
She hurriedly raised her head, only to find Michael already walking on ahead.
"All right, keep up with me… or don't blame me if you miss meeting your new teacher."
"Yes!"
Tashigi answered loudly and jogged to catch up.
...
A few days later, standing outside the Isshin Dojo in Shimotsuki Village, East Sea, Tashigi was completely dumbfounded.
She only knew she was supposed to get a new sword teacher.
But nobody told her this sword teacher… was in the East Blue!
After going all the way to Navy Headquarters, they ended up back in her hometown!
If there's a swordsman in her home village good enough that Vice Admiral Michael would personally bring her to him, then why did she have to go to Navy Headquarters at all?!
Besides, Shimotsuki Village wasn't far from where she lived!
She thought she could just train with the teacher during the day and come home to sleep at night!
Of course, these were only small complaints in a little girl's mind.
Overall, she now worshipped the powerful Vice Admiral Michael without question.
After all, when they passed through the Calm Belt, Michael had a single sword stroke that cut the massive Sea King attacking the warship cleanly in two.
That Sea King had been like a living little island!
But even after witnessing Michael's sword, Tashigi didn't want to learn from him.
Sometimes, when the gap in power is too great, there's nothing useful to learn.
Michael's level of strength was one Tashigi could never reach in her lifetime.
She saw that clearly and didn't want to make life harder for herself. Instead, she was even more excited about the sword teacher Michael would introduce.
If someone so powerful as Chief Inspector Michael admired them, they must be a peerless master swordsman!
"Ahahaha, Michael, you're here again." Shimotsuki Kōshirō stood outside the dojo and hurriedly greeted Michael with warm hospitality when he arrived. "You've been coming here more and more lately."
"This time I came specially for you." Michael suddenly wore a mischievous grin, and Shimotsuki Kōshirō's mouth twitched — something felt off.
"Specifically for me? What could you possibly want from me? Even though I've joined your side, you know I don't handle things like that. If there's business, you should talk to Ginny…"
"What are you saying, Kōshirō-san? I have traveled thousands of miles to bring you a disciple!"
At the next moment, Michael revealed Tashigi from behind him.
Tashigi's expression shifted from excitement to puzzlement, finally turning into a head full of question marks as she looked at Michael.
Her look clearly asked Michael…
Is this scruffy-looking, slightly shabby middle-aged man really my sword teacher?
Michael, are you pulling my leg?
Shimotsuki Kōshirō's expression, however, changed even more.
His narrow eyes flew wide open; shock flooded them.
Then, almost instinctively, he pointed at Tashigi.
"Uhh… no way? How can she look so much like—"
"But… she looks a bit older than Kuina did…"
Shimotsuki Kōshirō's string of reactions made Tashigi even more confused.
Look like? Like what?
"Ahahaha, why are you just standing at the gate? Come on, get in — we'll talk inside."
Michael didn't care about the comments. He pushed open the Isshin Dojo doors and strode in.
Following Michael into the dojo, Tashigi suddenly understood why Shimotsuki Kōshirō had pointed at her and said "looks like."
At the center of the dojo, a girl was leading the younger disciples through basic sword training — she didn't just look similar to Tashigi… she looked exactly the same.
The only obvious difference was the pair of glasses on Tashigi's face.
When Kuina heard the dojo doors open, she turned instinctively and at first glance saw Michael, breaking into a delighted smile.
Ever since Michael had saved Kuina's life, Michael's position in Kuina's heart had nearly reached that of her father, Shimotsuki Kōshirō.
After all, he was a "resurrecting parent" — that alone justified the affection.
Her second glance landed on Tashigi standing by Michael's side.
When the two met eyes, both little girls went blank.
For a moment, the entire dojo fell into silence: the rhythmic shouts that had accompanied sword practice vanished. Clearly, everyone's attention was fixed on the girl who looked just like the senior sister.
But the world always has a few dense, oblivious fools who are excellent at breaking awkward situations.
"Hey? Kuina! This woman looks exactly like you!"
"Could she be your long-lost sister?"
That idiot with the green hair (Zoro) rubbed his wrist and blurted it out loudly, completely at ease.
In an instant, everyone's gaze shifted from Kuina and Tashigi to that idiot green-haired boy!
Especially Shimotsuki Kōshirō — he had never wanted to kill his beloved disciple as much as he did in that moment.
What do you mean, "long-lost sister"!?
Don't you know that just saying that turns him from a traditional good man into the biggest scumbag in the world!?
If Kuina's mother hadn't died early, there would have been no way he could let that stand!
"Zoro, come here."
Shimotsuki Kōshirō put on a gentle smile and beckoned the green-haired idiot over.
"I'm coming, master — what is it?"
"You come here…"
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