Chapter 4: Kuina

A window suddenly appeared before him, displaying a single sentence.

“Fortunate chosen one, are you sure you want to select this starting village? Your choice cannot be changed once made.”

At the same time, there were two buttons: Confirm and Cancel.

Without hesitation, Tang Shen clicked the Confirm button.

Beside him, Boa Hancock pursed her lips in frustration, pouting deeply. She had been waiting for Tang Shen to choose at random so she could use her privileges to send him to an extremely backward novice village. She hadn’t expected him to make a choice himself—completely contrary to her expectations.

After all, for someone unfamiliar with the game, seeing the word “random” would usually leave their fate to luck. What she didn’t know was that Tang Shen understood this virtual world far better than she imagined.

“Preparing to descend to East Sea, Frost Moon Village. Ten-second countdown: 10, 9, 8…”

Hearing the system’s voice, Tang Shen breathed a sigh of relief. Only then did he remember Boa Hancock, who was standing aside, watching him with a sullen expression. He turned to her, flashing a bright, open, and charming smile, mentally counting down the seconds, waiting for the last moment.

With a cheerful grin, he said, “Hancock, to be honest, you’re quite beautiful. It’s just that your temper could use some work. Hopefully, when we meet again, your attitude will be a little better.”

Boa Hancock’s angry face froze for a split second. In the next instant, without warning, she whipped her slender, graceful leg toward Tang Shen’s face in a forceful kick.

She agreed with the first part of his comment, but never the latter. How could someone as perfect as her possibly have a flaw? Everything she did was beyond reproach.

However…

“3, 2, 1, teleportation!” As the countdown ended, Tang Shen’s body dissolved into points of light and slowly vanished.

He waved cheerfully one last time, mouthing some words with a smile, but no sound emerged—only the shape of his lips could be seen.

Yet in that brief moment, Boa Hancock understood exactly what Tang Shen had meant to say. Her porcelain cheeks flushed with the hue of rouge.

“Don’t let me run into you again, or I’ll definitely kick your head off,” she muttered angrily, stamping her foot with vehemence.

Then, with a smile beautiful enough to topple kingdoms, her eyes like drifting clouds, she murmured to herself, “This chosen one seems rather special.”

Tang Shen was gone, but more would come—those who had witnessed the awe-inspiring spectacle would soon follow.

As the second human figure appeared, all trace of emotion vanished from Boa Hancock’s face. She became as expressionless as a machine. Her earlier display of feeling had been solely because Tang Shen had, in that brief exchange, spoken her name aloud.

And now, these new arrivals would have to endure the wrath Tang Shen had provoked. Boa Hancock was not someone to be trifled with.

When Tang Shen opened his eyes again, he found himself walking out of the spawn point in the starting village, dressed in a black cloth outfit gifted by the system. He gazed curiously at this strange yet familiar world.

It was nothing like the city—a world more akin to the ancient, winding alleyways from period dramas.

Drawing a deep breath, he felt the air—so unlike the city’s—fresh and invigorating, as if it awakened every cell in his body.

At this moment, Tang Shen felt only one thing: reality.

Being here was like stepping into a real world. His body was real, the air was real, and the world was real.

This full-immersion game was truly miraculous.

A soft chime sounded.

A translucent screen appeared in the air before him, visible only to his eyes, prompting him to alter his appearance.

Tang Shen hesitated for a moment, looking at the three-dimensional figure on the screen—a perfectly scaled model of himself. He had to admit, he really was quite handsome in this life. Though he had little else to his name, he certainly had his looks.

To keep a low profile, Tang Shen promptly reduced his attractiveness by thirty percent. Even so, he remained striking, his skin now bronzed and more rugged—masculine and captivating.

“What a pity,” he mused shamelessly at his own reflection, “I could get by on looks alone, yet I insist on relying on talent and hard work. What am I to do with myself?”

A soft giggle came from nearby.

Tang Shen turned to see a cute little girl stifling a laugh behind her hand. Her smile was so delightful it lit up her whole face. Tang Shen instantly realized she had overheard his muttering and blushed with embarrassment.

She wasn’t the least bit shy under his gaze. Instead, she scrutinized him with open curiosity.

Tang Shen was momentarily stunned—not because the girl was pretty, but because she seemed familiar. He ventured a guess: “Kuina?”

The girl was taken aback, blurting out, “You… you know me?”

Her question made Tang Shen’s eyes shine. He’d guessed right. The more he looked, the more she resembled her namesake. Unlike the striking presence and attire of the Pirate Empress, this character from the pirate world was nothing like an artificial avatar. Standing before him, she was utterly real, quite different from her animated counterpart.

“Of course I do,” Tang Shen replied shamelessly. “I’ve long heard there’s a beautiful daughter at the Isshin Dojo. Seeing you today, you really are lovely. And your dream of becoming the world’s greatest swordsman—I admire that immensely.”

Kuina’s cheeks turned pink. Though practicing swordsmanship had made her tougher than most girls her age, she was still young and easily embarrassed, especially in front of someone as handsome as Tang Shen.

After all, what girl doesn’t dream of romance? Otherwise, how would children be born?

At his last compliment, her large eyes widened in surprise and hope. She hesitated, then asked, “Do you—do you think a girl could really become the world’s greatest swordsman? My father says it’s impossible for a girl to reach that goal because girls can never surpass men in strength.” As she spoke, her expression grew sorrowful, her fists clenched, her stubborn gaze filled with frustration and despair.

Today, Kuina had come out for a walk after her father had once again dashed her hopes. As she grew older, she felt her strength increasing more and more slowly.

Tang Shen regarded the dispirited girl with sympathy. He knew this was Kuina’s most vulnerable period. Even her only family—her father—didn’t support her dream. For a girl barely in her teens, the blow was enormous.

It left her seeing the world in shades of gray. Even after she made a pact with Zoro to become the world’s greatest swordsman, it had set her on a path of overtraining and exhaustion that would ultimately cost her life.

In the original story, Kuina died by falling down the stairs while looking for a whetstone. How could a budding swordmaster perish so easily? There was only one explanation: she had trained herself to the point of utter exhaustion, far beyond what a little girl’s body could withstand. The effort and resolve required for such a feat were beyond comprehension.

“Of course you can,” Tang Shen replied with a radiant smile. His voice was unwavering and certain, and his eyes shone with sincerity.