A few days later, Naruto and the others finally woke up, and Kakashi had learned everything that had happened from Zabuza.
It was also thanks to Zabuza's reminder that Kakashi realized something.
This whole mission had been something he decided to take on, but with Naruto and Sasuke in the team, there was no way Danzo wouldn't have known that he was taking the village's Jinchuriki outside.
Kakashi had been in Anbu before—he knew their skills and methods.
To him, there was at least a 90% chance that this mission was orchestrated by Danzo. Danzo hadn't shown himself at all, but that didn't mean he wasn't pulling the strings from behind the scenes.
"Looks like your Konohagakure isn't much better than Kirigakure, huh, Kakashi?"
Zabuza let out a loud laugh. Seeing the look on Kakashi's face, he knew the man wasn't an idiot. That expression—it was just like the one Itachi had back then. He clearly understood who was really behind all of this.
"You knew from the start?"
Kakashi asked.
"Of course not. But your team messed with my men, and as their captain, I had to get my payback. Besides, even if I couldn't win, I could still run."
Zabuza answered casually. They were pirates, after all. Unlike ninjas, they weren't bound by strict rules. If they couldn't win a fight, of course they'd run.
Didn't Gato pay him for protection? That's right—if he couldn't even protect himself, how was he supposed to protect anyone else? The first rule was to stay alive—only then could he make others feel safe. Wouldn't you agree, Gato?
"..."
Hearing such shameless words, Kakashi was speechless for a moment. Were all pirates like this?
"Don't look at me like that. I'm not about to throw my life away for this place. A pirate's life is meant for the Grand Line of the New World, not for some village like a ninja."
"The Grand Line?"
"That's what that guy calls it. I don't know exactly what it is, but maybe when he finally sets sail and starts the true Great Pirate Era, we'll understand."
Zabuza added, knowing that right now, his job was to prepare everything before Shanks left for the sea.
He believed in that man. He believed in his vision.
And now, Zabuza understood his own advantage—he knew how the ninja world was going to change. Before the next era arrived, he had already adapted ahead of time.
"Was your mission target Shanks this time?"
Zabuza asked.
"It was actually more for Naruto's sake."
"After hearing Shanks' name, Naruto changed completely. Before that, he always thought he was an orphan. But when he heard the name Uzumaki Shanks, it was like he had finally found family."
"For an ordinary Genin?"
Zabuza didn't buy it. No way a simple Genin's wish would be enough to make Kakashi go this far. That had to mean Naruto's identity wasn't so simple.
"Do you really think Naruto is just an ordinary Genin?"
Kakashi didn't think so. There was something special about Naruto that no one else had.
"Of course not. That guy is more like a pirate than any ninja I've ever seen."
"Hahaha!!"
Zabuza laughed, no longer bothered by Naruto's identity. It didn't matter anymore.
That night, the pirates held a feast on the ship, and Naruto's group naturally joined in.
"Uncle Jin, what was that ability you used earlier?"
Naruto asked curiously. He had never seen anything like it before.
"Hahaha, that's a special Taijutsu only us pirates use. That defensive move is called Tekkai. By speeding up blood circulation and increasing muscle movement, the body becomes as hard as iron."
"But I've only just started learning it. When I use Tekkai, the built-up blood makes my skin turn black, and if I use it too many times, it can even cause tissue damage. Our captain says it happens because of the way mental energy and physical energy interact. That's also why the spot that gets hit becomes even tougher than the rest of the body."
"The downside is that I can't move while using it."
Jin explained, while the other pirates chimed in. These techniques weren't a secret among them.
So far, Jin was the only one who had mastered Tekkai. The others still couldn't reach his level.
And because of the way mental and physical energy worked together, Tekkai became even stronger—but at a greater cost.
"I see..."
After hearing the explanation, Sasuke finally understood.
When Jin used Tekkai earlier, he could still attack. But once he attacked and used Tekkai again, his attack couldn't change anymore.
That explained why Sasuke had felt something was off at the time. Tekkai had a clear weakness.
Even so, it was still an incredibly powerful Taijutsu.
"Uncle Jin, besides Tekkai, what else can you pirates do?"
Naruto asked excitedly. He was fascinated by these pirate techniques.
But what made him even more thrilled was that all of them had been developed by a great pirate named Shanks.
"Oh? There's also Kami-e, Geppo, Soru, Rankyaku, and Shigan.
For example, my captain's Blade-less Style combines Shigan and Rankyaku. Also Geppo allows you to walk in the air by stepping on it. Soru is similar—it lets you move at extreme speed by stepping multiple times in quick succession."
"As for Kami-e, no one in our crew has mastered it yet. It's a technique that lets you sense air currents and move with them at the exact moment an attack lands, allowing you to dodge effortlessly. But just sensing air currents is already incredibly difficult."
The one speaking this time was Haku.
Despite explaining so much, he hadn't actually learned any of these techniques himself.
Mastering this kind of Taijutsu required great natural talent, and his talents weren't in Taijutsu.
So all he could do was put in time and effort to make up for it.
"I didn't know pirates had such strong Taijutsu."
"Pirates aren't ninjas. Many of us can't even use chakra, so we have no choice but to train our bodies to the limit.
This is the new kind of strength that Shanks created. Even without chakra, we pirates can still stand on equal ground with ninjas."
"That's why Shanks is so respected among pirates. That guy's spirit is far beyond that of an ordinary person—he's a man who created a new era."
Zabuza and Kakashi walked over.
The moment Naruto and Sasuke saw Zabuza, they couldn't help but feel respect for this captain.
They had witnessed his strength firsthand.
"Captain!"
"Captain, haha, tell us more about Four Emperors Shanks!"
"Yeah, Captain, we want to hear more about that man's stories."
Seeing the lively atmosphere, Zabuza sat down as well. After talking with Kakashi, he decided to tell Naruto the truth.
If Naruto truly had the resolve to become a leader of the new era, then he needed to see what kind of responsibility Shanks carried. He needed to see what kind of spirit the youngest of the Four Emperors possessed.
"That guy, huh?"
"There's no need to talk about his strength. You all know that even if I, your captain, went all out, I could only force Shanks to draw his sword.
But if you faced Shanks, you wouldn't even be able to withstand his Conqueror's Haki."
"Hahaha! Captain, you still haven't gotten any stronger?"
"Of course not! Your captain isn't weak. But a man who's paving the way for a new era isn't going to stand still and wait for me. If we're too weak, we won't even be able to see his shadow in the distance."
Zabuza took a swig of his drink.
"That guy isn't just carrying the new era on his back. Back then, when the Uzumaki clan was wiped out and the Land of Whirlpools was destroyed because of Konoha's betrayal, some of the Uzumaki people were taken in by Konoha. But Shanks… he took on the burden of restoring the Land of Whirlpools. He didn't go to Konoha."
"The Land of Whirlpools… the Uzumaki clan was destroyed because of Konoha?"
"....."
Zabuza's words left everyone stunned. The Konoha shinobi in the room were just as shocked. Naruto, most of all, felt like something inside him had just crumbled.
"No way… Konoha would never…"
"Naruto, sit down."
Kakashi's voice was cold. This wasn't about what was possible or not—it was the bloody truth.
"Kakashi-sensei…"
"Naruto, Kakashi-sensei must have a reason for this."
Sasuke pushed Naruto back down, making him stay seated.
Zabuza glanced at Naruto with a meaningful look.
"If you want to be a real leader, then take everything on your shoulders. Even if you can't be like Shanks, at least show the spirit of a real man."
"Konoha was indeed the Land of Whirlpools' ally. And yes, they betrayed them. But… it wasn't Konoha's fault. I didn't understand it before, but Shanks did. It was the fault of the times."
"Even if the Land of Whirlpools had allied with Kirigakure, Kumogakure, or any other village, the same thing would have happened. This… is the reality of this era!"
"What Shanks carries has never been just the revival of the Land of Whirlpools. That man's vision goes far beyond that. He's not just looking to bring back a lost nation—he wants to break the old era and carve out a New World. Every new path needs pioneers, and Shanks is the one leading the way, standing at the very top of the Grand Line."
"That… is the belief and will of a pirate."
"That man never talks about villages or their will. What he carries is an entire new era."
"So, Naruto, if you really want to become Hokage as Uzumaki Naruto, then show us the spirit of a real man.
Let us see the pride of the Uzumaki name. Let us see the vision of a leader of the new era—something far beyond just a single village."
It seemed Zabuza had made up his mind.
In the end, Kakashi revealed Naruto's true identity and asked Zabuza for a favor.
And Zabuza… agreed.
Because he, too, was once a shinobi.
And he, too, had a path he believed in.
He once wanted to change his village, to make it a better place.
But ever since the village betrayed him, Zabuza could never go back to the way things were.
"Shanks bet everything on the New World, but I, Zabuza, am betting my ninja way on the warriors of the old era. Let that guy see the spirit of the past!"
Zabuza finally let go of everything from before—everything from the old era. His ninja way would be passed down to the kid standing before him.
The Zabuza of the past was gone. He was now a pirate through and through.
But his ninja way wasn't over yet!
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