Chapter 81: The Journey to Shimotsuki Village  

It was the year 1513, and Valoria was thriving. The once-dreamed-of kingdom was now a reality. Its bustling streets, advanced schools, and well-equipped hospitals were a testament to its prosperity. William, now 18 years old, had built the foundation of a nation that will stood as a symbol of freedom and equality.

Trafalgar Law, using his ability, had removed the slave marks from William's back and the Boa sisters' backs. However, when he offered the same to Koala, she refused, touching the Sun tattoo that Tiger had given her. 

"This isn't a slave mark," Koala said with pride. "This is proof of my freedom. Tiger freed me, and I'll carry his mark forever." 

Fisher Tiger, now her adoptive father, smiled warmly, his eyes filled with pride. 

Meanwhile, joy filled the palace as Hancock revealed she was three months pregnant with her first child. Surprisingly, Shakky shared similar news, bringing tears of happiness to her and Rayleigh's eyes. 

One sunny morning, William and his family gathered for breakfast in the grand dining hall of the palace. The aroma of freshly baked bread and spiced tea filled the air as conversations flowed. 

"William," Shakky began, her voice calm but intrigued, "there's a samurai from Wano living in East Blue. I hear he's skilled. You might want to recruit him to train our soldiers." 

William, chewing on a piece of fruit, looked intrigued. Before he could respond, Rayleigh interjected, smirking. "Yes, kid, go and get him. Maybe then I can finally get some rest around here." 

William raised an eyebrow. "Rest? You just sit in a chair and bark orders at the soldiers." 

The room erupted in laughter. Then William turned to Shakky. "Where exactly is this samurai?" 

"Shimotsuki Village," she replied. "You'll need to ask for directions when you get there." 

William stood, grinning. "Sounds like a plan. Marie," he turned to Marigold, "how about a little trip?" 

Marigold smiled, brushing her braid over her shoulder. "I could use a break from training. Sure." 

Koala's eyes sparkled as she jumped from her seat. "Can I come too? Please, I'm on vacation!" 

William ruffled her hair. "Alright. You can come." 

After bidding farewell to the family, William opened a shimmering space portal to Loguetown, where he had been on a recent date with Hancock. Together with Marigold and Koala, he stepped through. 

---

Loguetown was lively as ever, its cobbled streets bustling with merchants and shoppers. William led Marigold and Koala on a brief tour, stopping to buy Koala every snack she wanted. She giggled and beamed with joy, carrying her loot like a treasure hoard. 

The trio then boarded a merchant ship bound for Shimotsuki Village. The journey was peaceful until the second morning when the ship's captain burst onto the deck, panic in his voice. 

"Pirates! They're approaching fast!" 

The crew scrambled to change course, but William remained calm, leaning casually on the railing. "Koala," he said. "go handle them." 

Koala blinked, excitement lighting her face. "Really? Okay!" 

Marigold smirked. "Sit tight. I'll get you there." 

With a wave of her hand, Marigold used her ability to make Koala float on a chair, toward the pirate ship. Landing gracefully, Koala faced the ragtag crew. They laughed, mocking her size and youth, but their laughter turned to shock as she unleashed her Fish-Man Karate. 

Using swift movements and Observation Haki, Koala danced around their attacks, dispatching them one by one. The pirate captain, with a bounty of 2 million berries, fell last, defeated with a single powerful strike. 

Cheers erupted from the merchant ship as the crew hailed Koala as a hero. Blushing, she returned to her seat, waving off their praises with a proud smile. 

---

The next day, the trio arrived at Shimotsuki Village. The peaceful settlement was surrounded by lush greenery. After asking for directions, they made their way to the Isshin Dojo, where they were greeted by a green-haired boy. 

"Who are you, and what do you want?" he demanded, gripping a wooden sword. 

Before William could answer, a man and a young girl stepped out of the dojo. The man, recognizing William and Marigold, paled. "Sir, how can I help you?" 

William grinned. "You recognized me, didn't you?" 

"Yes, sir. You're Kael D. William, and she's Boa Marigold. Why would someone like you come to our humble village?" 

"I'm here for you." William said simply. 

Before Koushirou could respond, the green-haired boy stepped forward. "What do you want with my teacher? Are you here to challenge the dojo? Then fight me first! I've beaten all the adults here!" 

William chuckled. "Oh, you're strong, huh?" 

Turning to Koala, he said, "If you can beat her, I'll fight you." 

The boy's face twisted in anger. "You're sending a little girl to fight me? Are you looking down on me?" 

Koala stepped forward, smirking. "Are you looking down on me, kid?" 

"Yes, I am!" 

Koala laughed. "Then let me teach you a lesson." 

In the dojo, the fight began. Zoro charged with wild enthusiasm, but Koala easily sidestepped his attacks, using Observation Haki to anticipate his every move. After toying with him for a while, she landed a clean strike, sending him sprawling. 

"You lost, little boy," she said with a grin. 

Zoro scrambled to his feet. "Let's go again!" 

Koushirou intervened. "Zoro, you can't beat her. She's too strong, even for Kuina." 

The young girl, silent until now, stepped forward. "You're the tyrant William with a bounty of six billion, right?" 

Koushirou looked alarmed. "Kuina! Don't be rude!" 

William waved him off. "Yes, I am. Why?" 

Kuina hesitated. "Do you think a girl can become the world's greatest swordsman and surpass Dracula Mihawk?" 

William smiled. "Of course. Why wouldn't you?" 

"Because girls aren't as strong as boys." she said, looking down. 

William's smile faded. "Who told you that nonsense?" 

She glanced at her father but said nothing. 

William turned to Koushirou, his eyes narrowing. "I see." 

Looking back at Kuina, he said, "Do you know about the Yonko?" 

She shook her head. 

"They're the four strongest pirates in the world. They rule the seas beyond the Grand Line. One of them, Big Mom, is a woman, and she's stronger than Dracula Mihawk." 

Kuina's eyes widened with disbelief. "Really? A woman is one of the strongest people in the world?" 

William nodded. "Yes. And beyond her, there's my wife Hancock. She's just as strong as Big Mom. My other wives—Sandersonia, Robin, and Marigold—aren't far behind. Give them a few more years, and they'll reach that level too." 

Kuina turned to Marigold, her voice filled with wonder. "Are you really that strong?" 

Marigold crossed her arms, her tone kind. "I suppose I am, but let me tell you something, little girl: nothing comes for free. We've fought for our lives since we were twelve, trained endlessly, and endured unimaginable hardships to gain our strength. And we're still training. Can you do that?" 

Kuina's face crumpled, and tears spilled down her cheeks. "I… I was told that girls are weak. That we should just raise kids and cook. I almost gave up on my dream!" 

Marigold softened, stepping forward to embrace Kuina in a warm hug. She then turned a stern gaze at Koushirou. "Shame on you. How could you tell her something like that?" 

Koushirou looked down, guilt clear on his face.

After a while, Kuina pulled away from Marigold, wiping her tears.

William looked at her with a smile. "Strength doesn't care about gender. It's about determination, training, and heart. If you want to be the best, don't let anyone tell you otherwise." 

Kuina's expression shifted, a spark of hope lighting her face. "Thank you, sir." 

After a moment of silence, William spoke. "Master Koushirou, how about you come to my kingdom and teach my warriors swordsmanship? I mean real swordsmanship—with Haki, flying slashes, and all that." 

Shimotsuki Koushirou shook his head gently. "Sir, I'm just trying to live a peaceful life. I don't enjoy fighting anymore." 

William smiled faintly. "I don't need you to fight. I just need you to teach." 

"I'm sorry, sir," Koushirou replied firmly. "I wish to live quietly." 

William shrugged. "Alright, then. I won't disturb your peace." He turned to Marigold and Koala. "Marie, Koala, let's go." 

Koala hesitated, her brows furrowed. "Didn't Old Man Rayleigh ask us to bring this guy back home?" 

William chuckled, ruffling her hair. "I can't force a man to do something he doesn't want to do. As for that stinky old man back home, he's just lazy. Let's go." 

As the group began to leave, Kuina suddenly ran after them. "Wait! Take me with you, please! I want to become strong!" 

William stopped and looked at her thoughtfully. "Are you sure, little girl?" 

Kuina nodded with determination. "Yes, please take me with you!" 

William grinned. "Well, if your father agrees, I have no problem." 

He turned to Zoro, who had been quietly observing. "Hey, dumb kid, do you want to go too? When I was your age, I'd already learned Haki. But look at you, claiming to be strong when you don't even know what it is." 

Zoro's face turned red with frustration. "But I want to be the strongest swordsman in the world! And you don't even use swords—what could you teach me?" 

William laughed. "I'm not a swordsman, but my teacher is probably the strongest swordsman in the world." 

Zoro's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What? Your teacher is Mihawk?" 

William burst into laughter. "No, of course not! My teacher is stronger than Mihawk. But you'll need to convince him to train you. He's very lazy." 

Koushirou stepped forward, curious. "Sir, who is your teacher?" 

"Silvers Rayleigh." William said with a smirk. 

Koushirou's eyes widened. "I see." He then turned to Kuina. "You can go with them. If you can get that man to teach you, maybe your dream can come true." 

"Really, Dad? Can I go?" Kuina's face lit up with hope. 

"Yes, you can. And Zoro, you can go too." 

William clapped his hands together. "You know what? Why don't you come with us as well? See my kingdom for yourself, and then decide if you want to stay. I promise you won't have to fight—just teach. You can even bring your family. It's very safe there." 

Koushirou hesitated, then nodded. "Alright. It wouldn't hurt to take a look. Kuina, go call your mother and bring Wado Ichimonji with you." 

After a short while, Kuina returned with her mother and handed the sword to her father. 

Koushirou smiled warmly, handing it back to Kuina. "Take it. It's yours now." 

Kuina hugged the sword tightly, her voice filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Father!" 

With everything settled, William opened a shimmering space portal. He stepped through with Marigold and Koala, who grabbed Kuina's hand and dragged her along. Zoro, Koushirou, and his wife followed, stepping into the unknown.