On a merchant ship, Kuina stood at the rail and looked at the sea.

It was a peaceful beautiful day with clear blue sky and she liked it.

As for why she was on a merchant ship, a request came to the three of them to guard merchant ship and Kuro took it.

Being baby sitters for a merchant didn't sit too well with Zoro and Kuina until Kuro told them pirates like targeting merchant ship so it was a good way to find fights.

"How are you Miss Kuina?" A watchmen at the top of the mast yelled.

"Fine!" Kuina yelled back as she continued looking at the sea.

Thoughts went by in her head as she thought of her future.

To be honest with herself, so far everything was going great.

The only thing that wasn't going great was feeling that she was no longer getting stronger at a fast rate.

Kuro had told her the Grand Line had strong people that could easily help her get stronger.

She asked him to take the three of them to the Grand Line but he said no.

No matter how much she pestered him, he kept saying no.

Until they found a strong captain, they were not going to the Grand Line.

Thinking about what kind of captain they would need, Kuina wanted to ask Kuro a question.

"It seems you have a question for me," Kuro's cheerful voice sounded behind her.

Turning to him, she could see that he always seem to knew when she had a question, most likely from observation haki.

"What kind of a strong captain do we need?"

Kuro came up to the rail and looked at the sea.

"We'll need a good pirate captain with a dream big enough to carry ours."

Kuina nodded but then realized Kuro said pirate captain.

Pirates as in pillagers, plunderers, and murderers.

"Pirate Captain?" Kuina questioned with a head tilt.

Kuro made an oops as he laughed.

"A good way to find and face strong enemies is by becoming a pirate. And a good way to become the world greatest swordsman is by facing strong enemies."

Kuina nodded as she understood his logic, she get why pirates, but why pirates?

She took a deep breath and held in the urge to knock Kuro on the head with her fist.

"Why not as bounty hunters though?"

Kuro shrugged, "It's possible as bounty hunters, but going the bounty hunter route would be like as if we never trained blindfolded and unlocked observation or armament. If you really want to, we won't become pirates and we'll just be bounty hunters."

Zoro came up to the two and gave his adamant opinion.

"I'll become a pirate for my dream if I have to Kuro."

Kuina and Kuro looked at Zoro and could see that he was dead serious.

But by becoming a pirate, Kuina would become enemies with the world government, could she really do that?

It took a moment of thinking, but she decided yes.

Looking at Kuro, she could see some pangs of reluctance that he quickly hid away, it seems becoming a pirate was a good way to become the world's greatest swordsman, but at the same time, Kuro feared for her safety like he always did.

"I'm willing to become a pirate for my dream too, Kuro."

Kuro nodded at the two of them with a smile.


Looking at the approaching pirate ship, Zoro could see that both he and Kuina were very excited.

It was going to be another competition of who could take out the most pirates and Zoro didn't plan on losing again.

When the pirate ship came close and starting hooking the two ship together, Zoro and Kuina both jumped onto the pirate ship.

"Whirling Hurricane!" Zoro gritted.

A wave of rough sharp wind surged and Kuina jumped up to avoid it.

All the pirates which amounted to forty were cut down with screams of pain.

Kuina landed back down and looked at Zoro with a tick.

He had used a special technique which although wasn't against the rule, it felt like cheating to her.

"Cheater," Kuina stated.

Zoro smiled, "Special technique aren't against the rule."

Kuina huffed and got back on the merchant with Zoro.

As for the pirates on board, the merchant workers tied them up to deliver to a marine base.

Among themselves, the workers talked amongst themselves about how strong Zoro was.

On the next pirate ship encounter, Kuina jumped ahead of Zoro and took out thirty pirates with a blitz attack.

The workers tied up the pirates and looked at Kuina with amazement.

To be honest, they really couldn't believe a woman could be so strong and they started to doubt if she was actually a woman.

The merchant ship arrived at a city safely and sold the goods on the ship.

The pirates were handed to the marines and the three trios collected their bounty.


Looking at the sea which was constantly there, Kuro could feel that he had really changed from his past life.

People's environment really changes them and Kuro like his current change.

He could feel he was less gritty and depressed and more mellow and optimistic.

Honestly, if he felt like a dirty wet willow in his past life, then he currently feels like a warm fluffy pillow.

Everyone seems so warm and good with the world that he could only feel positive thoughts.

Drinking a chug of alcohol, he thought of how things were going.

So far, everything was going great.

Zoro and Kuina were constantly training with each other while he occasionally joined in.

The pirates in the East Blue weren't too tough for them although they did encounter a few tricky ones.

As for money, they had a lot of it currently.

Their fame had grown high as merchant escorts and many merchants would ask them for an escort from island to island.

Mellowing himself out, Kuro felt like sleeping.

He understands why Zoro and Kuina like sleeping so much since everything is usually boring.


In the crow's nest, Zoro, Kuina, and Kuro were sleeping together.

Suddenly, Kuina opened her eyes, then Zoro, then Kuro.

The three looked down from the crow nest and saw an orange-haired burglar.

Currently, the three were on a pirate ship they had subdued and were forcing to go to a marine base.

They saw the orange hair burglar go into the ship and quickly back out.

All of the pirates they had to subdue were sleeping and didn't notice the orange hair burglar.

Zoro and Kuina wondered if they should do something about the thief.

"Who are you, theif in the shadow," Kuro spoke out loud.

Zoro and Kuina turned to look at him strangely wondering why he was revealing them.

The orange-haired burglar seemed to freak out.

They looked up and saw the three of them.

With quick thinking, the orange hair burglar got down to their small boat and quickly sailed away in panic.

Kuina was about to go after them but Kuro stopped her.

She looked at him questing why along with Zoro.

"My trust me bro source says they'll be of great help to us in the future."

"You just made that up, tell us the actual reason," Kuina deadpan.

Zoro too looked at Kuro deadpan.

Kuro made an exaggerated shock at the fact they didn't trust him.

"Trust me, bro," Kuro pleaded.

Zoro and Kuina both rolled their eyes.

The thief didn't take much anyway so they decided to let it go.


Kuina looked at Kuro and Zoro who were pretty relaxed.

They were stranded on a small island and were going to stay for who knows how long and the two were relaxed!

"Would you two mind telling me why you're relaxed when we're on an island with no food or water?"

Zoro and Kuro looked at her strangely as if she was supposed to know what they know.

"Besides panicking, there's nothing we can really do," Zoro stated.

"Well we could try to swim to another island, but I'm not sure you two are ready yet," Kuro added.

Zoro and Kuina looked at Kuro with his term of not ready yet.

By not ready yet, it means the two of them could do it one day.

"Let's do that," Zoro grinned.

Kuina had managed to read between the lines of Kuro's words.

"When you mean by you two, you mean me and Zoro. Are you saying that you have the capability to swim to another island?"

Kuro nodded and smiled at Kuina.

"Yep, that's why even if we're stuck here I can just swim to another island and bring back a boat."

"Then why aren't you?" Kuina questioned.

Kuro shrugged with a smile, "Don't want to get wet so soon."

The three continued to stay on the island until Kuro got bored and made a boat using the trees and vines on the island.

The three then sailed away with Kuina and Zoro doubting Kuro could have swam to another island.


"Kuro do you have a plan!?" Zoro asked laying against the wall.

Currently, the three were in a city and being attacked by pirates who had grudges against them.

Kuro moved his head to the side as a bullet pierced into the building they were in and passed by his head.

He ate a sandwich calmly with Kuina and Zoro who were also eating calmly.

"I don't have a plan per se," Kuro said slowly, "But I do have an idea that could get us out of this situation."

"Spill it," Kuina chugged down alcohol and deflected an incoming bullet.

Kuro smiled, "All three of us will do a special attack together and that should take out most of the pirates."

"Special attack?" Kuro and Zoro asked with interest.

Kuro laughed and stood up.

He deflected an incoming bullet.

"Follow my lead and imitate me," Kuro said with excitement.

Kuina and Zoro stood up with interest wondering what was going to happen.

Kuro placed his sword forward and so did they.

He brought his sword back to take a swinging stance and so did they.

Haki imbued into Kuro's weapon and so did theirs.

"Who lives in the pineapple under the sea!?" Kuro said loudly.

"Who?" Kuro and Zoro wondered aloud.

"SpongeBob SquarePants!" Kuro yelled and swung as they followed after him.

A giant wave of sword energy rushed out of the house and trampled upon the pirates.

The pirates screamed with pain as sword wounds formed over them.

When the sword energy wave dissipated, only the sight of destruction was left.

There were collapsed houses, fallen pirates, and shattered ground.

It was a good thing the attack happened in the poorer parts of the city.

Hopefully, the three of them wouldn't have to pay too much property damage.