11 Kuina Joins

Kuina looked at the man sitting across her. He looked handsome, had a scar below his left eye. And wore a straw hat. But that was not why she was so focused on him. She could feel the strong aura radiating off of him. She knew he was very very strong. She didn't know how strong he was but definitely much stronger than her.

"Who are you?" she asked with caution.

"I am Luffy, Monkey D. Luffy. I am a pirate." He replied to her with a smile.

She stiffened a bit and her hand was reaching for the sword.

"Don't worry I didn't come here to fight and I don't even have a bounty on my head yet so it will be just a waste of time to fight." He simply told her.

She relaxed a bit because she knew she wouldn't have been able to win.

"What do you want then?" she asked why a pirate even approached her.

"I am looking for people to join my crew." He said looking at her.

"I refuse. I am a pirate Hunter not a Pirate." she simply said now knowing why he had come to her.

He looked at her for a few seconds before asking "Tell me Kuina, What is your dream, what is your ambition? I can see it with your eyes. You have eyes of a person who has really big ambition, the need to prove yourself?" 'It was more of a bullshit than anything and just using some anime knowledge.'

Kuina's eyes widened for a bit, then she replied with a determined look and steel in her voice, "I made a promise when I was a child to a friend and to myself that my name would be heard throughout the world and I will stand at the top of this world. I will become the greatest swordswoman/swordsman(I will just use swordsman from now on for simplicity) in the world." She said with absolute certainty not even a single sign of doubt on her.

After hearing her reply he chuckled.

Kuina's face grew red with anger and in humiliation by seeing him smiling and chuckling after hearing her dream and ambition. She has already seen this happen many times. Whenever she states her dream people will always laugh at her. They would just ridicule her saying that a woman can never be able to do something like that. Even her father never believed in her and always demoralized her, saying that no matter how skilled she was, when she grew older, she would be unable to match and withstand the blows of her male counterparts. That's why after Zoro's death she with her sword left her father's dojo and the village and never looked back. She traveled throughout the east blue defeating everyone in her path. She proved them all wrong and one day she would achieve her goal no matter what.

As she was about to lash out on the guy he said.

"Then you have to definitely become part of my crew. As both of us have really huge ambition.

I will become the pirate king." He declared.

"And as a future pirate king I want the future's best swordsman in my crew. Will you future best swordsman in the world join my crew?" He asked her looking directly at her.

Ann and Makino who were both listening to the conversation widened their eyes after they heard that. 'Luffy must have seen some great talent in her if He said something like this to her.' They both thought.

Kuina's eyes widened in shock at his words. She realized that he wasn't Laughing at her. He was laughing at how similar they were. Her heart started to beat rapidly. It was the first time in her life that someone had acknowledged her dream. And she can clearly see it in his eyes, he totally believed that she could achieve her dream.

For Kuina who heard her whole life telling her that she would never be able to accomplish her dream, his approval was like a very big encouragement and adrenaline rush to her veins. And without even her knowing Luffy had taken a place in heart.

"Alright I will join you, the truth is I don't care if I am known as a pirate or demon as long as my name is heard throughout the world as the strongest swordsman. But before that I want to see how strong you really are." She said to him

He just smiled at her and said "Welcome to the crew, Kuina." 'Well that worked if it hadn't he probably would have had to challenge her to a sword fight or something.

'Hmm.. The spar would also be a great way to see all her ability.'

After that all of them went to a clearing beside the Ocean. He introduced her and the girls on the way. That little girl Rika also tagged along.

After reaching that clearing they both of them take position at the opposite sides. Rika was cheering for Kuina.

Kuina took out her treasured sword Wado Ichimonji from the scabbard. It was one of the twenty-one great grade swords.

Luffy also took out his ordinary sword and stood there leisurely. "Come at me with everything you got."

And they started to spar. They spared for five minutes where Kuina tried to do everything she could do but she still couldn't land a hit. She was baffled at how much gap there was in their strength.

Luffy also got a clear understanding of her power level. She was definitely stronger than Zoro was at the start of the series. She could probably cut steel right now if she had the right mindset.

Nami was also looking at their fight and was shocked to see Luffy's strength. Even the famous pirate hunter Kuina couldn't touch him. 'Maybe with his strength he could probably no no.. it is not possible and even if he could why would he do that for me?' she thought to herself.

"Let me tell you something, this ocean, East Blue is said to be the weakest of all the ocean. Even if you are strong in east Blue it still doesn't mean anything to people from other oceans." He told her in a serious voice.

"Let me show you what people from the grand line can do."

He then swung his sword towards the ocean and it made a big bluish Colored arc which went a great distance in the ocean splitting it apart before coming back to its original position.

After seeing that Nami's jaw dropped to the floor she never thought that this shameless playboy was this powerful.

While Kuina's eyes widened 'looks like I am still way too far in reaching my dream.' She thought with a somber face.

"Don't be discouraged, you would be able to do it in some time. And don't think it's because I am a man that I became this powerful that girl over there is just as strong with a sword as I am." He said to her pointing towards Ann.

"Why don't you try sparring with her for some time? As I and Nami have some business to do."

Then both Luffy and Nami went to the marine headquarters.

"So how do you want to sneak inside?" Nami Asked him.

" We will just walk inside" after saying that a powerful Haki burst to headquarter knocking everyone out."

Nami just felt something wash towards the headquarter. "What did you do?"

He just looked towards her and smiled "I will tell you later."

After that they went inside Nami saw everyone was knocked out.

She looked towards Luffy; he just told her later that they went towards the captain's room and tried to find the Map. Nami found a safe hidden behind some barrels. She opened the safe, which was already unlocked and brought a paper out.

She unfolded the paper and showed it to Luffy "It's not the map of the Grand line this is the flag of Buggy pirates. People call him heartless Buggy because he is really cruel and has killed many Innocent people."

Well Luffy already knew all about that he was just playing along with Nami. And he even had a map to the grand line in the boat.

"Don't worry after some days people won't call him anything." He told her.

Then he turned towards her and said to her "Nami you saw earlier how strong I am didn't you. Actually the truth is that no one on the entire east blue can defeat me. So I just wanted you to know that if you have any kind of problem you can tell me." He said to her as he patted her on the head. Then he leaned forward and kissed her forehead and told her "You are the crew's navigator and my precious friend. I will gladly get rid of all your problems. Think about it." Then he walked away.

She just stood there and touched her forehead. She felt really warm in her heart. For the first time there was hope in her heart. After that she followed him to the group in silence.