Ian y Zoro, que siempre habían creído que Kuina despertaría, no esperaban que tardara tanto.
El tiempo vuela, y en un abrir y cerrar de ojos han pasado seis años. Después de todo este tiempo, Kuina seguía inconsciente.
Además de no poder despertar, su cuerpo seguía creciendo. Tendida en el suelo, se convirtió en una chica delgada y hermosa. Como casi todos en el dojo eran hombres, el Maestro Koshiro se sentía inseguro al dejar que cuidaran de Kuina, así que invitó específicamente a una tía del pueblo para que la cuidara, alimentándola y aseándola a diario.
Todos los días, Ian y Zoro dedicaban tiempo a hablar con Kuina, especialmente Zoro, repitiendo constantemente lo mucho que se habían fortalecido, intentando estimularla para que despertara. Sin embargo, desconocían la razón por la que no despertaba; tal vez la intensidad de la estimulación no era suficiente. Aunque sus ojos se movían ligeramente cada vez que oía hablar de esto, no lograba despertar del todo.
Zoro trabajaba cada día más y más. Parecía que quería usar ese método para aliviar la profunda ansiedad que sentía en su corazón.
Incluso tomó el Wado Ichimonji del Maestro Koshiro y comenzó su camino en Santoryu. Creía que, dado que Kuina ya no podía practicar, le correspondía a él seguir adelante y alcanzar su sueño compartido.
¿Y qué hay de Ian?
En ese momento, Ian estaba sentado en el dojo, frente a frente con el Maestro Koshiro.
En los últimos seis años, Ian ha crecido gradualmente. Su constante ejercicio le ha dado una figura erguida y robusta. Ahora tiene 18 años, mide 182 centímetros, tiene el pelo largo y negro recogido en una coleta, su rostro es sereno y a menudo esboza una leve sonrisa, igual que el Maestro Koshiro.
A lo largo de los años, la persona que más influyó en Ian fue, sin duda, Koshiro, quien fue su maestro y una figura paterna. Por lo tanto, no fue sorprendente que se pareciera tanto a él.
Sin embargo, el Koshiro de hoy también tiene mucho pelo blanco, aunque su acogida ha sido moderada como el agua, la situación de Kuina todavía le genera un poco más de ansiedad.
Las viejas tazas de té se llenaron con agua caliente fresca. Las hojas de té se extendieron a la temperatura adecuada para que adquirieran un hermoso color verde. Kuina estaba en coma, y cada mediodía, llevarle el té al Maestro se había convertido en una de las tareas que Ian debía realizar.
Al levantar la taza, la espuma se elevó suavemente. Después de que Ian tomó un sorbo de té, dejó la taza y dijo: «¡Maestro, quiero salir al mar!».
Las palabras de Ian no sorprendieron a Koshiro. Sonrió y dijo: «Si no recuerdo mal, eso mismo dijiste hace dos años».
De hecho, estaba ansioso por aclarar que Ian no era como Zoro. Incluso dos años atrás, Ian había querido ir al mar en busca de una cura para Kuina, pero Koshiro se lo impidió. El joven, que acababa de cumplir 16 años, quería salir solo al mar, pero a Koshiro no le parecía bien en absoluto.
Now two years later, Ian had once again mentioned that old story. This time he has made a decision, even if Koshiro objected, he wouldn't take it to account and would just do as he wishes.
However, the strange thing was that Koshiro did not object after listening. He just sighed: "Ian, do you know? I've always regarded you as my real son. The reason why I didn't want Kuina to inherit the dojo was that besides being a girl, I actually wanted you to inherit the dojo."
Ian didn't talk, he just kept looking quietly at Koshiro.
"But over the years, I have seen clearly that your mind was not in Frost Moon Village!" Koshiro continued: "A boy is a boy, even if your body was here, but your soul was yearning for the outside world."
"Gomen'nasai(sorry), Sensei!" Ian bowed his head and apologized.
"Don't say sorry!" Koshiro laughed and said, "I know very well that in such an era, there is no power that would prevent a man from going to the sea, so if you want to go, I won't stop you from going."
"Hai." Ian nodded.
"Has the time been decided?" Koshiro asked.
"Tomorrow!" Ian says seriously.
"So urgent?" Koshiro was somewhat surprised.
"The sooner, the better!" Ian smiled, "Kuina has been sleeping for so long, so I must go as fast as possible."
Ian decided to go to the sea as soon as possible. First, he wanted to find a way to cure Kuina. Second, he wanted to try and see if he could find a Devil Fruit for her.
In her unconscious situation, Kuina naturally can't exercise. With her strong personality, if she wakes up and sees that there was a large gap between her and Zoro, he was afraid she couldn't accept it anyway. Ian, who is her brother, naturally needs to consider for his sister. Devil fruit is undoubtedly the best way to become stronger, but he doesn't know if Kuina will accept it.
In fact, in these six years, Ian also tried to contact Ivankov again, but strangely, he was unable to get in touch with him.
Remembering what Ivankov said last time that he has some affairs in the Kamabakka Kingdom, Ian suddenly recalled that in this timeline, Ivankov seems to have been arrested by the Marines! And with an unwarranted reason, he was imprisoned in the Impel down… Ian could not count on him.
Ian wanted to find a Devil Fruit for Kuina, Koshiro knew it, and Ian mentioned it to him before, but Koshiro didn't take it seriously. In his opinion, the Devil Fruit is evil! The only thing a swordsman can really rely on is his own sword.
But this was Ian's good intentions, Koshiro would not object, but he asked: "What about the boat? How would you get a ship?"
"I found Uncle Hull in the village! He will give his old fishing boat!" Ian smiled and said: "Uncle Hull is a good man. He didn't want to accept my money, and he gave me a map of the nearby islands."
"The sea is unpredictable. You should be careful when you are alone!" Koshiro warned him.
For this, Ian was not worried, he was a child growing up at the seaside, so he was good with seawater. Even if he encounters wind and waves, he has the ability to protect himself.
"Now that you have made up your mind, go ahead!" Koshiro said: "I will leave you alone, I will not send you out!"
He didn't want to accompany him to the shore because he may not be able to bear the sadness brought by parting, Ian naturally understands this and says nothing. He just bent down, and gently touch the ground with his forehead, then got up and walked out of the dojo.
The next day, in the seaside.
Master Koshiro did not come, but there were still many people who came to see him before he leaves. Except for Zoro, all the other young teachers and disciples in the dojo came.
These snotty children have grown up, their image improved a lot, and they looked more pleasant.
"Brother Ian, remember to come back and see us!"
"Ian brother, we will miss you!"
The younger brothers surrounded Ian and shouted, this has not changed much. The youngest one even cried.
Although Ian is usually a black-bellied person, he often plays tricks on Zoro, such as fooling him, flicking him, hammering him, but he was very good to these young disciples. That's right Kuina is in a coma, but he took over her responsibility of caring for these young disciples, and now Ian is going to the sea, so they were naturally reluctant to give him up.
Ian patted them comfortably on the shoulder and felt some sigh in his heart. If it wasn't for his system, with his qualifications, it is estimated that he is now similar to these young disciples. Looking at them was like seeing himself before he was 10 years old.
Feeling a gaze, Ian turned around and found Zoro standing by with his arms crossed.
When Zoro first came to the Dojo, he was almost nine years old. He fought Kuina for a year, earning a record of zero wins and 2001 loses. Six years later, he was 16 years old. Now he already has the style of his well-known appearance, a green algae head was still so conspicuous. This guy's hair was long and shaved by his own sword, so it was messy like Sh*t. He replaced his Keikogi with a short-sleeved T-shirt, and three long swords were placed on his waist. The only good thing was that he hadn't put on his earrings at that time. He was afraid that Master Koshiro would scold him.
When Ian looked over, the fellow hummed, turned his head and ignored Ian.
"Hey, kid!" Ian couldn't help laughing and said, "You know that I don't want to go out without you, but I'm helpless!"
Zoro knew that Ian was going to the sea, so he insisted on going with Ian, but Master Koshiro refused. Just as Ian wasn't allowed to go to the sea much earlier, Master Koshiro was afraid that Zoro was too young. Ian naturally obeyed the words of Koshiro, so he refused the request of Zoro to travel together.
For this reason, Zoro had been angry all night.
Cuando llegó junto a él, Ian le dio una palmada en el hombro y le dijo: «Tienes que esperar un poco más. Primero iré al mar a buscar una cura para Kuina. Si no he regresado en dos años, entonces podrás ir al mar por tu cuenta».
"¡Wordy! No tienes que decirlo, ¡ya lo sé!" Zoro apartó la mirada de Ian y dijo: "Eres tú. Si Kuina se despierta durante este tiempo, ¡no me culpes por decir cosas malas sobre ti!"
—¡Ja! ¡Di lo que quieras! —Ian le guiñó un ojo—. No olvides que soy el hermano de Kuina y tú eres su oponente. ¿A quién crees que le creerá?
Después de eso, Ian se ajustó el gorro con orejas de oso que estaba a punto de salir volando por el viento y sonrió: "¡Vale, tengo que irme ya!".
—¡Espera! —La voz de Zoro lo detuvo. Luego se acercó y le entregó una espada larga con una vaina blanca. Giró la cabeza y dijo: —Esta es la Wado Ichimonji, ¡tienes que llevártela!
Era difícil decirlo, pero ¿de verdad estaba preocupado por él? ¿Por qué otra razón querría darle una espada tan buena?
Ian sonrió, pero no la tomó. —No, esta espada no es para mí. Quédatela. Cuando Kuina despierte, ¡debéis devolvérsela!
Al llegar a la orilla, Ian desató la cuerda y la arrojó a la barca. Luego empujó la pequeña barca de pesca hacia el mar y saltó dentro.
"¡Adiós, me voy!", dijo Ian despidiéndose con la mano de la gente que estaba en la orilla.
Ante las voces reticentes de la gente, Ian tomó el remo y remó la barca cada vez más lejos en la distancia hasta que la barca se convirtió en un pequeño punto antes de desaparecer ante sus ojos...