C11 Frost Moon Village's Two Followers

Beep! Guina's fateful death has been altered. Check-in progress increased by 10%, bringing the total progress to 80%. Reward: Swordsmanship level increased by +1, current level is now Lv. 5.

Lin Mo was sipping his drink indoors when a system alert echoed in his mind, prompting a brief pause.

A more potent wave of sword qi then emanated from him, rippling through the confines of the small room.

He even settled into a calm state, sensing the breath of all things around him!

His strength had grown once more!

Lin Mo's eyes inevitably drifted to the Wado Ichimonji set aside.

In the original Pirate King narrative, Guina met her end falling down stairs while seeking the Wado Ichimonji's whetstone.

Now the sword was his.

Thus, Guina had no reason to search for the whetstone, sparing her from her fatal fall.

"It seems I'll soon wrap up the Frost Moon Village mission," Lin Mo mused with a smile, enjoying his drink even more. The joy of unexpected fortune while sitting at home was quite delightful.

Rewinding to half an hour earlier.

Guina had narrowly defeated Zoro.

Zoro lay on the grass, his face covered, grumbling, "Damn it! I was so close, it's so frustrating..."

Guina looked at him sternly, "I'm the one who's frustrated."

Zoro dropped his hands and gazed at Guina.

She went on, "Girls grow weaker than boys as they get older. You've caught up with me, and it won't be long before you beat me. You often talk about becoming the world's greatest swordsman, right? My father says it's impossible for a girl. I've known this for a long time, but I just can't accept it. Zoro, it's easy for you because you're a boy. I want to be the strongest swordsman too. If only I could be a boy..."

Rising from the grass, Zoro grew more incensed with every word. "You've beaten me, so cut the griping. It's low to sulk after a victory. You're the one I've been aiming to surpass. What, when I finally beat you, you'll say the same thing? That I didn't win on my own merit? What's the point of all my training then? I'd look like a fool. Don't say things like that anymore!"

Guina's eyes brimmed with tears as she looked at Zoro.

Stepping closer, Zoro clenched his jaw and declared, "Promise me, one of us has to become the world's greatest swordsman!"

Staring into Zoro's resolute eyes, Guina paused, then let out a sigh, "You're such an idiot... you're clearly not as strong as me."

"It's a deal then!" Zoro extended his hand firmly. "But before either of us becomes the strongest swordsman, let's see who can take down Lin Mo first."

Guina's eyes sparkled as she grasped Zoro's hand, grinning. "Okay, you're on! Watch me, I'll be the one to beat him first!"

The following day, Lin Mo rose early and headed to the valley for his usual hunting.

But the solitary shadow trailing him had multiplied...

And the pair, as if by some unspoken agreement, took turns challenging him, undeterred by rejection and even resorting to ambush tactics.

Yet, each time, Lin Mo effortlessly dispatched them.

This pattern continued over the next several days, no matter how often Lin Mo laid them flat.

Their 'enthusiasm' remained undiminished; both were as relentless and spirited as ever in their daily endeavors.

Koshiro watched all this unfold with an ever-present smile, showing no inclination to intervene with his daughter and pupil's antics.

He tacitly endorsed their persistent hounding of Lin Mo.

That evening, after Lin Mo had floored Zoro and Guina for the umpteenth time in the dojo's backyard,

Koshiro beckoned to Lin Mo with a smile from the corridor, "Lin Mo, come here a moment."

Lin Mo glanced over.

The dragon was present too.

It looked like it was time for the dragon to depart.

Lin Mo approached.

The dragon offered a smile, "I've overstayed this visit. It's time for me to go."

"Oh," Lin Mo responded nonchalantly.

The dragon pressed on, "Are you certain you won't reconsider joining me?"

Lin Mo was direct, "I'm not considering it."

Realizing Lin Mo's disinterest, the dragon conceded for the moment, "Alright, if that's your wish, I won't insist. Should you run into any trouble down the line, remember you can always find me in Barutigo."

Barutigo served as the stronghold for the Revolutionary Army.

Lin Mo casually nodded in acknowledgment.

With a smile, the dragon turned to Koshiro and said candidly, "I appreciate the help with the food this time."

Koshiro returned the smile, "No problem. What are your plans moving forward? You're not far from Windmill Village in the Gaias Kingdom. It's been a while since your last visit, hasn't it? Do you plan to stop by?"

"No," the dragon replied, shaking his head. "The time isn't right. We'll talk about it later."

"Understood," Koshiro nodded. "Just let me know ahead of time when you plan to come by again."

"Will do," the dragon responded, and without further ado, he departed Frost Moon Village before dusk.

In the original story, Luffy remained unaware of his father's identity until his journey took him past Water Seven on the Grand Line.

The dragon was exceedingly cautious, never one to expose his vulnerabilities. As such, only a select few were privy to his past, and even his most trusted subordinates in the Revolutionary Army were unaware of his son.

Koshiro's words, though not explicit, made it clear he was among the rare few who knew the dragon's full story.

This revealed that the bond between them was truly out of the ordinary.

But regardless, Lin Mo wasn't concerned with any of that. His interests lay solely in completing his mission and enjoying his liquor.

"I'm good, I'll head out now," Lin Mo said, intending to retreat to his room for a drink.

Koshiro called out to him once more, "There's a village celebration tonight. Care to check it out?"

"No," Lin Mo declined outright.

Just then, Zoro and Guina came jogging over.

Zoro, brimming with excitement, said, "Frost Moon Village throws a fantastic party at the end of every month. It's a blast! Come on, Lin Mo, let's go together."

Guina, with a hint of haughtiness, added, "I'm not fond of crowds, but I suppose I could make an exception and join you if you're going."

Lin Mo was unenthused, "I'm not interested, thanks."

Koshiro, still smiling, chimed in, "You know, many villagers will be offering their homemade wines tonight. Each one has a unique flavor you won't find in any tavern."

Upon hearing the words, Lin Mo halted his stride toward the room.

Koshiro glanced at Zoro and Guina. "What are you standing around for?"

Exchanging a knowing smile, the pair swiftly took hold of Lin Mo's arms, one on each side, and began to lead him away.

"Aunt Shannou's homemade wine is supposed to be really good," Guina suggested. "Uncle Long's friend, you know, the really big guy with the scary face, always stops by her place for a drink whenever he's in town. Normally, she doesn't sell her wine to just anyone, but because of Uncle Long's friendship with my dad, she makes an exception and sells them some when it's not a festival day."

"Is the wine actually that good?" Zoro asked, puzzled. "I once snuck a sip and it wasn't even as tasty as juice."

Lin Mo extricated his arms from Zoro and Guina's grip and said with a hint of exasperation, "How can you two be so shameless?"

Zoro chuckled nonchalantly, "What? You think there's some kind of misunderstanding between me and Guina?"

Lin Mo just sighed.

Guina's laughter bubbled up as she said, "You know, Lin Mo, by ignoring us and knocking us down with a single hit each time, you're really training us, right?"

Lin Mo remained silent.

No, not really...

Zoro went on, "My reflexes and resilience have improved so much, all thanks to Lin Mo's guidance."

Lin Mo was at a loss for words.

Huh? Since when did I teach you that?

Guina pressed on, "I've been meaning to ask, Zoro and I have tried to ambush you together so many times without you even seeing us. How do you manage to evade every single one of our attacks?"

"Yeah, exactly," Zoro chimed in eagerly. "I've been dying to know too. Come on, Lin Mo, how do you do it?"