Haku was definitely not lacking in intelligence. He could grasp the bigger picture of the ninja world to some extent, and his talent in ninjutsu was among the best in this world.
Shanks understood this well. During his time in the ninja world, he had met all kinds of people.
There were ninjas like Zabuza, who chose to end their own lives after being betrayed by their village. And then there were people like Jiraiya, who had endured countless moments of despair yet still pushed forward to build a new era.
The people of the ninja world were complicated. So were their hearts.
But there was one thing Shanks could clearly feel—one's achievements and abilities didn't depend much on their natural talent.
Or rather, talent was just a starting point. Among the strongest in the ninja world, what truly set them apart wasn't talent, but their will and determination.
The one who changed the most in this regard was undoubtedly Zabuza. Ever since his "rebirth," his strength had skyrocketed to a terrifying level.
Although on the surface, it might not seem like much, the fact was, in the original timeline, Zabuza had been defeated by a fresh-out-of-the-village Kakashi. But now, he had reached a level where he could stand among the top fighters of the ninja world.
That was no small leap. Under normal circumstances, Zabuza wouldn't have even come close to the Kage level. And now? He could even give the Mizukage, Terumi Mei, an attitude.
As for Haku, in Shanks' eyes, his talent far surpassed even Naruto and Sasuke.
So when he saw Haku stop, Shanks knowingly signaled for Shisui and Amado to head back and rest.
The young ones… they were the future of the ninja world.
Or maybe… the pirate world.
"If you have something on your mind, just say it, Haku."
"I can tell you're really worried about everyone."
Seeing Haku remain silent, Shanks smiled. He already knew what kind of changes were coming and how they would shake the entire ninja world.
And he also knew the price that would have to be paid.
"Shanks… Can Captain Shanks' Observation Haki read my thoughts?"
Haku hesitated. Standing alone in front of Shanks, he felt an overwhelming pressure.
It wasn't because of Shanks' aura or anything like that.
It was simply because Haku understood this man better than most.
"This kind of thing isn't something you can just sense whenever you want. Observation Haki is more about training your instincts. And if you really want to know what you're thinking, wouldn't the easiest way be to just ask you directly?"
Shanks chuckled. White was momentarily stunned by his words.
White understood himself just as well as he understood Shanks, so what Shanks said wasn't wrong.
"Captain Shanks, do you really trust me that much?"
White wasn't sure what place he held in Shanks' eyes. After all, they hadn't interacted much. White had always played the role of Zabuza's second-in-command.
He didn't have much of a connection to Shanks, one of the Four Emperors.
"Do you know who else I gave that map to?"
Shanks smiled, changing the subject. White was sharp enough to pick up on what he meant.
"There's someone else in the ninja world that Captain Shanks trusts this much? Must be a good friend, right?"
A good friend—put simply, someone who shared similar values and got along well. White was curious about who in the ninja world had earned such trust from Shanks.
"You could call him a friend."
Shanks nodded and led White to the side of the ship.
"That person is Jiraiya, one of the Three Legendary Ninjas of Konoha.
I haven't had much contact with him either, but he's someone truly worthy of trust. This trust isn't just about friendship—it's about respecting his beliefs."
If there was anyone in the current ninja world that Shanks admired the most, it was definitely Jiraiya.
He was someone who truly lived by his beliefs—a real warrior, a true ninja. To Shanks, Jiraiya was the one who truly carried the spirit of his era.
He dedicated his entire life to the ninja world, carrying its darkness on his shoulders. That kind of person was worthy of both admiration and trust.
As for the other person, it was Uchiha Izuna, whom Shanks had encountered within the Dragon Vein.
By sacrificing his own life, Izuna shattered the deep-rooted beliefs of the Uchiha clan, bringing an end to the chaos of the Warring States era. His death laid the foundation for the future of Konoha.
You could say that Izuna's sacrifice single-handedly put an end to the blood feud between the Uchiha and Senju clans.
Of course, this was also thanks to his relationship with Tobirama.
If Tobirama had truly been consumed by hatred for the Uchiha, Izuna wouldn't have dared to die like that. Even with Hashirama around, Tobirama would have found a hundred ways to wipe out the Uchiha clan.
In the ninja world, there were very few people who could stay true to their beliefs like that.
And people like that either died early or became some of the most powerful figures in history.
"So even though they chose different paths, they were still friends?"
White said this seriously. This kind of thing was something only the man standing before him—Shanks—could achieve.
Whether it was facing Dark's ambush back then or dealing with Orochimaru's sudden betrayal in the Land of Wind, Shanks had shown nothing but appreciation for such people.
That was the kind of presence and charisma he had.
To be honest, in the ninja world, someone like Orochimaru—who was an ally one moment and turned against you the next—would normally be condemned.
But Shanks? He didn't care at all. In fact, he even thought Orochimaru had done a great job, striking at him at just the right moment.
"Yeah, even if we walk different paths, we're still friends.
Because in the end, we share the same goal. It's just that I'm moving too fast. So even if one day Jiraiya comes after me, even if he tries to kill me, as long as he stays true to his beliefs, we'll still be walking the same road."
Shanks shook his head at the thought.
Rather than worrying about Jiraiya attacking him, he felt there was a greater chance that Jiraiya would die for him instead.
After all… if Jiraiya saw hope for this era, he would give everything to protect it.
Even though Jiraiya was born in Konohagakure, he was the only one of his time who had broken free from the limits of the village and the nation. That was why Shanks had so much faith in him.
"Getting off track here. What really matters is… Haku also has qualities that make him someone people can trust."
"Qualities that make him trustworthy?"
"Yeah."
Shanks nodded.
Zabuza and Haku were strong opponents Naruto and Sasuke had faced. In the original timeline, Haku always held back against them, never going for a killing blow.
Because of that, even though they had just graduated, Naruto and Sasuke managed to hold Haku off.
Their fighting style was reckless, putting everything on the line. Haku wasn't afraid to die, but he was afraid of accidentally killing them.
That showed Haku's kindness—it was part of his core beliefs, something even Zabuza couldn't change.
But in this era, holding onto kindness came at a high price—sometimes, it meant sacrificing not just your own life, but also the lives of those around you.
"…"
After hearing Shanks' words, Haku immediately understood what he meant.
After all, his crew was one of the strongest in this era. They had even pulled off something as outrageous as robbing Kirigakure Village.
As the vice-captain, Haku was well aware of his own weakness.
"Because I'm kind… in this era, kindness is a huge weakness, isn't it?"
"Yeah, it really is."
Shanks nodded for once, agreeing with Haku. Kindness was, without a doubt, the biggest weakness in this era.
"But nothing in this world is perfect. Not everyone will try to take advantage of your kindness—though pirates and ninjas definitely will.
They wouldn't believe someone could be willing to risk their life just to hold onto their principles."
"So if that's your weakness, all you need to do is raise it to a level where no one can use it against you."
Shanks smiled and pointed at himself. Weaknesses were inevitable, but Haku's wasn't as weak as he thought.
"Uh…"
Seeing Shanks point at himself, Haku felt a little embarrassed.
"It's not that I'm worried about you, Captain Shanks… After all, you're strong, and I don't think anyone in the ninja world could ever outsmart you.
I'm more worried about… Captain Zabuza and the others."
"Carrying the blame for changing or destroying the world… That's not just about being labeled a villain in history."
Haku spoke, realizing that once they got involved in the chaos of the New World, they would be condemned for generations.
That kind of reputation wasn't something you could just brush off.
And the one Haku worried about the most was Zabuza.
"Oh? So that's what you're concerned about?"
"I thought you were worried about me."
Shanks grinned, while Haku scratched his head awkwardly. Compared to Shanks, it was Zabuza who really needed concern.
"Don't worry. Right now, Zabuza isn't even strong enough to bear that kind of burden.
Even if someone did take on that role, they would need the strength and qualifications to handle it."
Shanks patted Haku on the shoulder, looking a little helpless. Haku was smart, but still a bit too young.
Zabuza? At his level, he wasn't anywhere near qualified to take on that kind of responsibility for Shanks.
If Zabuza ever did something big, Shanks would probably be the one taking the blame for it.
"Well... that's true. With Captain Zabuza's strength, there's no way he could get involved in something like this."
Hearing Shanks say that, Haku finally let out a sigh of relief. Maybe being weaker had its advantages after all.
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