'Dangerous people nearby.'
Cyrus, who was using Observation Haki to try and assist in guiding his Armament Haki, suddenly snapped his eyes open.
Having just mastered Observation Haki, his current range of perception wasn't large, barely covering the entire Isshin Dojo.
And the group that had arrived at the dojo gave Cyrus an extremely dangerous feeling.
"Strong people, and so many of them. There's even someone stronger than Koshiro."
In the vision provided by his Observation Haki, the heads of everyone in this group were marked with extremely dangerous symbols.
One person even had three blood-red question marks above their head.
"The Revolutionary Army?"
Cyrus opened his eyes, having already guessed the identity of the newcomers.
Shimotsuki Koshiro was indeed in private contact with the Revolutionary Army.
Monkey D. Dragon, or Dragon the Revolutionary.
The leader of the Revolutionary Army, a thorn in the side of the World Government, son of the Marine Hero Monkey D. Garp, father of Monkey D. Luffy, and a Logia Type user, suspected to have a wind-related Logia ability.
"Although he hasn't fought much, this person should be one of the top-tier individuals on the seas, a powerhouse on the level of an Emperor."
Cyrus was tempted, but before he could fully stand up, he sat back down.
These people represented trouble.
You could say that the Revolutionary Army led by Dragon had lofty ideals, wanting to overthrow the World Government and change this world, but that had nothing to do with him.
He wasn't even from this world.
Respect was just respect.
As for getting involved, he'd rather not.
With that thought, Cyrus reined in his thoughts, sat down properly again, and continued his training, focusing on guiding his Armament Haki.
Kuina and Zoro, having finished another duel, also noticed these uninvited guests.
They saw Koshiro lead the people into the dojo but didn't go over to check on the situation.
"You lost again. That's 1,997 times!" Kuina looked at Zoro with a calm expression.
"Damn it, don't be so arrogant! I'll definitely defeat you one day."
Hearing Kuina's emphasis, Zoro's hackles rose instantly.
"You'll never be able to defeat me."
Kuina put her hands on her hips and glanced askance at Zoro.
Zoro gritted his teeth, pointing his bamboo sword at Kuina.
"Not only will I defeat you, but I'll also defeat Cyrus! Then, I'll become the world's strongest master swordsman!"
After speaking, Zoro panted, glaring at Kuina.
"Defeat Cyrus?"
Kuina was taken aback, her expression somewhat inscrutable.
Cyrus had only been at the dojo for a month, but his strength had advanced by leaps and bounds, especially his swordsmanship, which had already surpassed her imagination.
And then there was that super-physique that had left her father marveling.
According to her father, Cyrus's physique was no weaker than those of the monsters on the high seas.
And now, Kuina had a feeling that she couldn't defeat him even if she went all out.
"You can't even see the gap between us and him," Kuina said in a low voice.
"You... are you admitting defeat?"
Zoro might have a terrible sense of direction, but he wasn't stupid.
He could have flashes of insight now and then.
And right now, he sensed Kuina's mood.
"You've beaten me 1,997 times. Don't you dare sell yourself short. If you do, what does that make me, the one who lost to you?"
Zoro glared at Kuina, fuming.
Kuina lowered her head, not saying a word.
Zoro's eyes widened as he looked at her, then he suddenly raised the bamboo sword in his hand.
"I've decided, Kuina! Next, I'm going to defeat you, and then, I'll be the one to defeat Cyrus!"
After saying this, Zoro snorted and turned to leave, only to see a figure who had appeared behind him at some unknown time.
"Cy... Cyrus." Zoro froze for a moment, then stammered.
"I'll give you that chance. Come on, Zoro. Challenge me, then defeat me, and begin your charge for the title of the world's greatest swordsman!"
Cyrus held a wooden sword, looking at Zoro with a solemn expression.
Zoro: ...
Kuina: ...
"What? Scared now?"
Looking at the stunned duo, Cyrus said with a smile.
"Don't you get too arrogant!" Zoro's voice rose again.
The guy was just not good with teasing.
He immediately gripped his sword and charged at Cyrus.
Then, he was met with a sharp blow to the head.
A red mark appeared on Zoro's face, and blood streamed from his nose.
Staggering back several steps, Zoro clutched his nose as tears streamed down his face.
The stinging pain in his nose brought tears and snot gushing out all at once.
Seeing this, Kuina also walked over, gripping the hilt of her sword with both hands.
"My turn." Kuina said, launching an attack with her two-handed wooden sword.
Thwack!
A good hit on a good head.
Kuina clutched the top of her head and squatted down, her eyes welling up.
Looking at the two of them, one holding his head and the other his nose, Cyrus sat down on the ground and faced them.
"Last time, was there something you didn't finish saying?"
Kuina, still holding her head, suddenly asked when she saw Cyrus sit down.
"What?"
"You said that on the high seas, there are women who have become top-tier powerhouses."
Kuina was clearly still concerned about this.
Cyrus sighed.
He understood Shimotsuki Koshiro's intentions, but it seemed to be making Kuina doubt herself more and more.
"Sit properly!" Cyrus pointed to the spot in front of him.
Kuina and Zoro came over and sat down, staring at Cyrus with teary eyes.
Both Zoro and Kuina knew that Cyrus was very knowledgeable about the sea.
"People are different from one another. There are many races on the sea, like the Fish-man race, the Mink Tribe, and the Giant race. They have huge disparities with humans from the start. Let me put it this way: once a member of the Giant race reaches adulthood, their strength is comparable to a Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral. On the sea, that's already considered a very strong powerhouse."
Kuina and Zoro clearly had no concept of how strong a Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral was.
"Charlotte Linlin, who has now established Totto Land in the New World of the Grand Line... well, she's one of the strongest pirates out there. When she was five, she destroyed a village of giants."
"Is she a woman?"
Kuina looked at Cyrus, clearly curious.
"Yes, a woman. However, there are probably few on this sea who can match her natural talent." Cyrus remarked with a sigh.
He truly believed that.
"If I keep surpassing myself, can I reach that level in the future?" Kuina looked at Cyrus.
She seemed to need some affirmation.
"There is no end to swordsmanship. You can keep training and continuously grow stronger," Cyrus said to Kuina.
He had originally wanted to shatter Kuina's illusions and make her face reality.
In terms of talent, Kuina might be very gifted, but not to an astonishing degree.
Yes, it was impressive that a ten-year-old Kuina could defeat the adults in the dojo, but Kuina herself could feel that her fights with Zoro were becoming more and more difficult.
"That's right! I'm just going to keep getting stronger like this and become the world's greatest swordsman!"
Kuina's expression shifted as if she were mulling over Cyrus's unhelpful but motivating advice.
Zoro, on the other hand, had completely gulped down this bowl of toxic inspiration and said excitedly.
It was just that the red mark and bloody nose on his face made him look a bit silly.