Double-transformation: I, Sakura Haruno! Will crush the pirates!

"Ugh!"

A soft scream came from below, and soon a girl wearing a white T-shirt and black center-parted pants emerged from under the floor.

"You are... the owner's daughter?"

Sakura, sitting cross-legged on the edge, stroked her chin and looked at the girl in front of her: "What brings you here?"

Although a flicker of fear crossed the plainly dressed girl's eyes, she still straightened her chest and spoke to Sakura: "You...you're a great pirate from the outer seas, aren't you!"

"Wow, you know I'm a great pirate and still dare to approach me, you've got some nerve?"

Sakura propped her face up with her hand, resting her elbow on her knees as she sat cross-legged, looking every bit the villain.

He had intended to scare the girl in front of him, but she didn't show the expression that some wicked guy wanted to see.

"That doesn't matter. My name is Kuina, and there's one question I'll answer for you, even if it costs me my life!"

The girl braced her fists against the wooden edge and bowed her head deeply to Sakura.

"Hmph, I'm not a swordsman, you shouldn't be asking me these questions!"

Sakura's Observation Haki had already sensed the confusion in the other person, but given Sakura's situation, it wasn't appropriate to use it as a reference for her.

Having a deep understanding of the gap in talent, and having embarked on this journey with her partner from the very beginning, she would never smugly point fingers at others' lives.

After all, Kuina chose a path full of thorns. If she didn't realize the bloodshed she would face after embarking on it, she would only become prey on the road.

"But you smell like a swordsman! And you're a woman!"

Kuina stared at her defiantly, while Sakura glared back defiantly, and the two remained locked in this stalemate.

long time....

Sakura, far less stubborn than the swordsman, gave up and sighed, "Ah, ask away, I will try my best to answer you with my own experience."

"I wonder if female swordsmen will never become the world's greatest swordsman due to physical limitations?"

Guina's voice was hoarse, her shoulders trembled, and tears streamed down her face.

"Let me ask you a question first: are you prepared to fight endlessly for the title of the strongest?"

Instead of answering directly, Sakura asked a question in return, then switched her hand to support her face and tilted her body from one side to the other.

"Of course, I've already made that decision!"

Taking a deep breath, Kuina wiped away her tears and put on a resolute expression in front of Sakura.

"It's no use talking about this kind of thing."

Sakura twisted her free wrist, making a small cut on her fingertip, and then used Fishman Karate techniques to pinch the blood droplet in her hand.

Then, with a speed that Kuina couldn't see, her fair fingers touched her forehead.

The soul poison diluted by Sakura's blood over the past few days has been affecting Kuina, making her understand the brutal and ferocious killing intent from the CP0 agents.

'I want to die, I want to die, I want to die!'

With her vision blurred, Kuina felt herself falling.

She fell into the water, as if sinking into a deep pool, drifting aimlessly in the darkness called death.

"So? Giving up?"

A soft voice caressed Kuina's soul, dragging her down with it.

All you need to do is wallow in this, shout "I give up!" and you'll be instantly freed, escaping from this dark abyss and finding peace.

"But...why...am I so unwilling to accept this!"

The girl's clear and pure will resonated, as she assumed a stance reminiscent of Kendo, gathering all her scattered thoughts into a single unified whole.

—I don't want to lose!

With her hands raised high, Kuina fiercely swung her sword in the darkness, as if she had cleaved through the empty darkness, allowing a beam of light to penetrate from behind.

Snapped!

With a crisp sound, everything around Kuina returned to normal after the sword was swung.

She herself held the non-existent sword in her hands, and her clasped fists slammed into Sakura's raised palm.

"Okay, now I can give you my answer."

Sakura's smile was radiant, offering an answer befitting a pirate.

"In this world where will manifests as power, only faith—surpasses everything!"

Chapter 171 The Great Swordsman in an Instant

The New World, Elbaf Sea.

"Ugh, how long do we have to stay in this godforsaken place?"

On a lavishly decorated ship, a man dressed in a black military uniform and patterned underwear, with his legs propped up on a wooden table, sighed in admiration.

"They're just giants. We can just go in, kill their elders, and burn their kingdom down, right?"

The man covered his forehead and leaned back: "My sweetheart at home, the art of love is waiting for me!"

"Ugh, Somaz, you bastard."

The red-haired man standing at the bow of the ship turned his head slightly, looked at his unruly subordinate, and covered his head in pain.

Destroying the giants' kingdom? That would be incredibly easy for the Knights of God.

But what happens after that?

Exiled across the world, the resentful giant, driven by a thirst for revenge, turns his blade against the Celestial Dragons and the World Government.

With their naturally terrifying physiques, and by attracting a few Devil Fruits with special abilities, they can cultivate a ship full of powerful individuals in the blink of an eye.

If these people join the forces against the World Government, how will we fight the great war in the future? How will we fight?

"We were just one step away from taking Elbaf, how did it turn out like this!"

He raised his leg and kicked Somaz away. The man placed his hand on the rapier at his waist, and his aura became restless.

On a giant rock at the very bottom of the three realms of Elbaf, near the underworld, a man wearing a straw hat was staring at him with an arrogant smile.

—Skba Jabba the Mountain Eater!

"Tch, those despicable pirates!"

With his eyes closed, the intense, domineering aura slowly receded, and the man turned and stepped off the bow of the ship.

"Hey, Commander Garin, come take a look at this!"

Shepard Somaz got up after taking the newspaper from a newsbird in the sky.

She was holding up a wanted poster and waving it at the man who was walking off the bow of the ship; the pink color on the image was dazzling in the sunlight.

"This guy is..."

Figarand Garin glanced sideways, recalling some rumors circulating in the Holy Land.

It was a collection that flowed through the ranks of power, personally ordered by a certain lord to be seized.

"Hahaha, let me tell you, that idiot Charmack was killed by her."

Shepard Somaz pulled his trousers out of the box, put them on, pointed at the portrait on the wanted poster, and laughed until tears streamed down his face.

"She made a name for herself by using five useless old women."

Figarand Garin gave a disdainful snort, but his gaze remained fixed on the girl on the wanted poster.

Although it is a small...mini pirate crew with only two members, the person in the portrait already possesses the power that the World Government fears most on this sea.

That is, the prestige to gather a huge force.

No matter how powerful an individual may be, it is impossible for them to seize the ecological niche of the world government in the vacuum of order. The only thing that can replace this behemoth is another behemoth.

This is also why, for the past eight hundred years, world governments have continuously instigated conflicts between member states, dividing and isolating all nations from communication and connection.

After all, whoever controls the power to mobilize everything possesses authority.

This cruel world is disgustingly equal only in this respect.

"This woman is ungrateful; she clearly has the opportunity to become a Celestial Dragon."

He casually unleashed a flying slash, severing the wanted poster along with Somaz's hand.

"Commander, do you think it's possible that the other side has no idea about this at all?"

Somaz looked helpless, bent down to pick up the severed hand, and put it back in place.

The sound of military boots hitting the ground stopped, and Garin turned around, looking confused.

"Ok?"

.

.

"Oh, I see. Thank you so much!"

On the back mountain path of the Isshin Dojo, Shimotsuki Koushirou, with his hands tucked into his robes, smiled and thanked the girl behind him.

"Kuina has been competitive since she was a child. I originally thought she would break through the barrier in the competition with another disciple, but I didn't expect her to meet Miss Sakura first."

Behind him, Sakura, with her hands behind her head, waved her hand with a grin, "It's nothing!"

Reaching a valley, Koushirou steadied himself.

"Well, now that we've finished expressing our gratitude..."

The man pulled his hand away and adjusted the bridge of his glasses.

"We should also talk about how Miss Sakura led my daughter down the path of piracy!"

"Well!!!"

The girl's pink tuft of hair stood on end, and cold sweat began to trickle down her forehead and face.

"Wait, this is a misunderstanding, I just accidentally..."

"Misunderstand...."

With a flick of his wrist, Shimotsuki Koshiro pulled a katana about 80 centimeters long out of his sleeve, the veins on his hand gripping the hilt bulging.

When Koushirou saw his daughter become stronger, transcending the barriers of female swordsmen, in the dojo that morning, he was overjoyed.

However, just when he thought his daughter had let go of her arrogance and realized her will to protect him, and was able to embark on the path to becoming stronger with the sword of benevolence.

But she heard from her daughter that she wanted to be like Sakura Haruno, climbing to become the world's strongest with a belief that transcends everything.

Koushirou's world has collapsed!

The original Kuina was such a good child—well-behaved, cute, hardworking, and exceptionally talented… Aside from a few minor personality flaws, she was practically perfect.

But after just one night with this pirate, she has transformed into the rebellious and delinquent girl she is today.

How could Shimotsuki Koshiro, as a father, not feel heartbroken?

Unfortunately, what's done is done... It's like your beloved childhood sweetheart ran off with the blond-haired neighbor, and even turned into his shape; it's all too late for regrets.

"You damned pirate, I'll kill you!"

The man's eyes were bloodshot as he gripped the sword with all his might, and in that instant, a clear, ringing sound rang out from the wind.

Clang——!

The immense sword light shot out, guided by the man's will to cleave through all things.

The sharp sword intent stirred up a storm, shattering the mountain behind Sakura, and then continued its momentum toward the sea, cutting it in two.

The Great Swordsman's strike is undoubtedly the Great Swordsman's attack.

Sakura, barely managing to dodge thanks to her Observation Haki, caught a glimpse of the carnage behind her and swallowed hard. "Hey, are you serious?"

In front of her, Shimotsuki Koshiro tore off his coat and raised his sword.

"Enough with the nonsense! If you want to take my daughter away, you'll have to get past me first!"

Driven to madness and devoid of reason, Koushirou could no longer hear any explanations and raised his katana.

The blade, with its crescent-shaped blade pattern, turned into a black moon under the influence of Armament Haki, and the blade exuded a sharp aura.