"Huh? Fell down the stairs? Then hurry up and bandage her, you little moss-head!"
"I-I can't!" Zoro's face was full of helplessness.
"When she fell... she hit the back of her head on the ground!"
"What!?" Ginny didn't even care that she was holding the sleeping Bonney in her arms.
She grabbed Zoro with one hand and transformed into flames, flying toward the residence behind the dojo.
Cold sweat covered Ginny's face.
Koushirou Shimotsuki of the Isshin Dojo, a kind-hearted and overly generous man, was arguably the person who had helped the Revolutionary Army the most during its founding days—no one else came close.
Food and supplies were the foundation of everything.
To put it bluntly, without Koushirou help, the Revolutionary Army might have disbanded halfway due to starvation.
So, even though Koushirou had rejected dozens of invitations to join the Revolutionary Army over the years, in the hearts of all Revolutionary Army officers, he was one of their own.
But now... Koushirou had gone to the granary with Dragon and the others, and she was left to watch the kids—only for this to happen...
Even if it wasn't her fault, Ginny would still blame herself.
Ginny nodded and rushed to the storage room door.
But just as she was about to enter, she saw... someone in a Marine officer's uniform crouching beside Kuina, who was severely injured and on the verge of death.
She was about to warn the person when she recognized that platinum-blond hair.
"Mi-Michael! Thank goodness!"
"Mm, Ginny. We'll catch up later." Michael didn't turn around.
Instead, his hands suddenly glowed with a specks of light.
Small... but dazzlingly bright.
"Wh-Who is this guy!? What's he doing to Kuina!?" Zoro struggled anxiously against Ginny's grip.
"We need to take her to a doctor right away!"
"Relax, you little moss-head. If there was any reason to worry before... you can set your mind at ease now. With Michael here, no injury is beyond healing... and if even Michael can't do anything, then there's no point in looking for another doctor."
"W-Wait! That's Michael!? The Marine's Grand Inspector, Vice Admiral 'Silver Falcon' Michael!?"
"Ahahaha, kid, you talk about Michael like he's your idol every day, yet you didn't even recognize him when he showed up in person?"
Ginny laughed as she set Zoro down on the ground, her earlier tension melting away.
Originally, she had planned that if Kuina's injuries were too severe and beyond medical help, she would have no choice but to call Kuma.
But she never expected that Michael, who hadn't been seen in years, would appear in Shimotsuki Village on this very day.
In a way, this meant that Kuina... wasn't meant to die today.
While they were talking, Hawkeye and Enel, who hadn't held specific positions in the Marine over the years but had instead been following Michael, also arrived.
"Tsk tsk, Michael, you should at least consider Hawkeye when you're rushing around like that... Using Moon Walk to chase your two pairs of wings is just too much."
"I don't feel that way."
"Hey, you poker-faced! I'm trying to get you some benefits here!"
Over the years by Michael's side, Enel had completely shed his arrogance and his once-expressionless face, both cured by the passage of time.
But Hawkeye's poker face... was simply innate and unchangeable.
Thus, the increasingly cheerful Enel had become Hawkeye's polar opposite, forming a comedic duo.
Just as Enel was about to speak again, two hands made of Holy light steadily approached the two of them, then curled their middle fingers...
A shiny fingerprint was left on both their foreheads.
"Both of you, behave... Can't you see I'm saving someone here?"
Michael's tone wasn't particularly stern—Kuina's injuries were trivial for him to heal.
In fact, even some of the renowned doctors in the One piece world, like Dr. Kureha, could have saved Kuina if they'd been present.
And with Ginny here, it meant Kuma was probably nearby too, meaning he could have "repelled" Kuina's injuries.
The real question was whether they could have arrived in time...
Kuina's luck was clearly on her side.
When Michael flew to Isshin Dojo, he happened to see the green-haired Zoro scrambling frantically to find help.
So he casually saved Koushirou's only daughter.
Honestly, for Michael, wasn't this also making up for a great regret?
A woman whose pure swordsmanship talent surpassed even Zoro's...
What heights could she have reached if she'd grown up?
Speaking of Kuina and Zoro, Michael pondered for a moment—weren't these two... somewhat related?
Zoro's grandmother, Shimotsuki Furiko, was the elder sister of Shimotsuki Ushimaru.
And Shimotsuki Kozaburo, sharing the same surname and clan as Shimotsuki Ushimaru, was likely distantly related by blood.
So as third-generation descendants, Shimotsuki Kuina and Roronoa Zoro were indeed somewhat connected in a roundabout way.
In a way, this was fate.
Of course, Kuina and Zoro clearly had no idea about this.
But Koushirou Shimotsuki definitely knew.
Otherwise, even after his daughter's death in the original story, he wouldn't have entrusted Wado Ichimonji to Zoro.
Kuina suddenly sat up, her hands frantically patting her head.
The pain and the feeling of life slipping away had felt so real...
So why did she feel nothing now!? Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡~𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢~𝙣𝙚𝙩
"Could it be... I'm already in the underworld!?"
Kuina muttered to herself, only to look up and see Koushirou sitting by her bedside.
"F-Father! Why are you here too!? Did you... Did you feel life wasn't worth living after I died and came to join me!?"
Koushirou had just begun to smile with relief at Kuina waking up, only to be utterly dumbfounded by her filial piety.
"You're alive and well... what nonsense are you talking about!" Koushirou gently patted his daughter's head, the heavy stone in his heart finally settling, replaced by endless lingering fear.
If Michael hadn't come, his daughter would have... been in grave danger.
Koushirou took a deep breath.
"Come, Kuina, they're all waiting for you outside."
Koushirou stood up and walked out.
"You must properly express your gratitude... this is a life-saving favor."
Hearing this, Kuina followed him off the bed, only to discover her body felt not the slightest bit of fatigue...
It could honestly be said she was in the best condition she'd ever been in!
In her current state, she was certain that even if Zoro's strength increased threefold, she could easily defeat him.
"Are you... alright?" Outside the door, Zoro looked at Kuina with some worry.
"I'm perfectly fine, so much so that I can beat you all over again!"
"Hmph! Keep bragging, sooner or later, i beat you up!"
-----------------------------
Read 40 chapters ahead and support me on .
(.)com/Newbietranslator