He has even practiced his Haki, and you say this is Naruto?

Does that mean it's not a problem with the knife? Is it a human problem? Am I so weak?

No, if we say we are weak, then the Seven Ninja Swordsmen are all weak. The only possibility is that the people from the Uzumaki clan in front of us are too strong.

"As long as you work hard, it's not difficult to do this. You probably haven't seen a similar strong person, right? But I have seen many strong people."

Shanks looked at Zabuza who was trembling all over. When Luffy and Zoro first met Hawkeye, the pirates also looked like this when they saw Hawkeye cut off their ship with a single sword.

Extremely shocking.

How could that man rowing a small raft cut off a ship with a single blow?

To this Shanks can only say - Welcome to the world of the Grand Line.

"Can I... also do it?"

There was a hint of hope in Zabuza's tone. With such powerful power and means, could he really do it?

In his heart, Zabuza desperately hoped to get Shanks' recognition. As long as Shanks said that he could do it, then he would definitely believe it. Even if it was a false lie, Zabuza would be willing to work hard for it.

Zabuza is not a heartless person. On the contrary, as one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Zabuza would directly betray his Ninja Village, which just shows his feelings for his village.

It just shows that Zabuza is not a ruthless and cold ninja.

Because that village holds Zabuza's hope.

But with the advent of the blood mist policy, what Zabuza saw was that the village was getting worse and worse. The happiness that was supposed to come with peace was gone. The village was collapsing, and people seemed to have jumped from one hell to another. In hell.

As the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of Kirigakure Village, Zabuza's identity goes without saying, and he can even be said to be the backbone of the village.

But he was not loyal to Mizukage, but after seeing the changes in Mizukage and the village, he chose to become a rebel ninja.

Perhaps the only one who knows what kind of person Zabuza is is Kisame.

They are also members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, they are also rebel ninjas from Kirigakure Village, and they also value emotions.

The Seven Ninja Swordsmen were all out-and-out executioners, but Zabuza and Kisame believed in their hearts that they were executioners for the coming of a new era and for the peace of the new era.

The fact is that they were wrong, and neither the new era nor peace has arrived.

Shanks saw the expectation in Zabuza's eyes, a man with a firm will.

He didn't know what the man in front of him had gone through, how he got the injuries on his body, and how the knife in his hand was broken, but a man with a firm will would not remain silent in this sea.

"sure."

After hearing Shanks' answer, Zabuza no longer cared about his personal image.

"Shanks, please teach me swordsmanship!"

Zabuza knelt in front of Shanks and buried his head very low. It was not for himself, but for hope, the hope of becoming stronger, and the hope of returning to Kirigakure Village.

His strength is not enough, not enough to subvert the Mizukage's rule, not enough to overthrow those people.

"I won't go to sea until I develop my domineering skills, so it's up to you how much you can learn during this period."

Shanks smiled. The man in front of him fit his stereotype of people in the pirate world. Everyone has responsibilities.

"Besides, my swordsmanship can only be regarded as a beginner's level. When you become stronger, you will naturally see more strong men."

Zabuza naturally agrees with Shanks' words. Although he is already an elite Jonin, there are still many strong men in the ninja world that he has not yet come into contact with at this level.

The legendary three ninjas, the shadows of each ninja village, the tailed beasts... and the elite jounin who made their names known in the war.

"My target is this powerful man at the top of the ninja world. Only in this way can I return to the village and kill those people."

A fire of hope lit up in Zabuza's heart.

If he could learn this kind of swordsmanship from Shanks, he would definitely go back again.

"I will become stronger."

Zabuza raised his head with firm eyes.

The next day, there was another wooden house by the lake.

Zabuza stayed, and there was one more person beside Shanks.

"Swinging the sword is the most important point in swordsmanship training. During this process, the swordsman must become familiar with the sword in his hand. This familiarity is like treating his most trusted companion."

Shanks opened his mouth to explain while swinging his sword.

The most important thing in the pirate world is faith.

Therefore, as a swordsman, you must also strengthen your beliefs.

"And the sword in the swordsman's hand is our most trusted companion."

Whatever Shanks said, Zabuza would do it.

"Trust the sword in your hand?"

Zabuza looked at the handle of the sword he was wielding.

If, like Shanks said, he has never had this thought, the weapons in his hands are just props and weapons after all.

"Even cold weapons are still alive."

"My swordsmanship is different from your assassination skill. Your assassination skill is for killing people, but my swordsmanship is just pure swordsmanship."

Shanks explained.

Through understanding, he also knew what Zabuza's swordsmanship was.

In the art of assassination, the knife in your hand is meant to take people's lives. Everything is done to kill the enemy.

"Faster, sharper, and more powerful are not for the pursuit of murderous swordsmanship, but a purer direction."

Shanks' words also made Zabuza realize that his direction was completely different from Shanks's.

As an executioner, the knife in his hand is always meant to take human life. This is the only thing the knife in his hand has to do.

"A knife that only kills people cannot give people hope. How can such a knife cut through the blood mist and bring hope to the village?"

At this moment, Zabuza seemed to understand where he had gone wrong. Everything he had learned all along was wrong.

How could an executioner who only knew how to kill people bring hope to the village?

"I seem to understand."

Zabuza nodded gratefully, his eyes becoming clear at this moment and no longer cold.

Seeing Zabuza's change, Shanks was stunned.

Damn it, it turns out that this guy is also a genius. He realized it so quickly, but it took him almost a month to do it.

Chapter 5 Are you actually compatible?

At night, a bonfire was lit by the lake.

After Zabuza's mentality changed, he was no longer so cold. He didn't know whether it was because he was like this originally or because he was influenced by Shanks.

"Zhan, as a killer, you should have a lot of information, right?"

There wasn't much Shanks wanted to know, but with his current rate of improvement in strength, it was best to ask what time it was now.

"Well, I know a lot of information, but I may not be able to help you."

Zabuza said, although he was one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and knew a lot of information about the ninja world, but thinking about some information that Shanks might need, Zabuza thought about it and realized that he might not be able to help him.

"I don't need too detailed information, I just want to ask a few people."

Shanks scratched his head. He just needed to roughly confirm the time. After all, he didn't know the time in the pirate world. If he directly told a time, Shanks might not know it.

"Human? What are his characteristics?"

Zabuza hesitated for a moment. The person Shanks wanted to ask probably wasn't the kind of person who was particularly famous, otherwise he wouldn't have deliberately asked him.

In addition, the people who can be cared about by Shanks must not be bad in strength, and they are most likely to be strong men with little reputation.

Such people are generally hidden. Their names and abilities can be hidden, but certain characteristics cannot be hidden.

"Characteristics? Shouldn't we just ask for the name?"

Shanks was stunned. Couldn't he just say his name? Does it need to be so troublesome?

Seeing Shanks like this, Zabuza shook his head and quickly explained.

"Shanks, the people you want to ask are not weak, right?"

"They are indeed not weak. They are all top strong men. Even if they are not at the top now, they will become strong men known to the world in the future."

“That’s it, for us killers, what we need to know is not a person’s name, but his characteristics.

Because the name can be hidden, the strength can also be hidden, but the characteristics of being a strong person will always be unique. "

After hearing Zabuza's explanation, Shanks understood instantly.

If I had just told him my name, how would they be able to find it? Then I think of Kizaru and Aoki, two "powerful men" who are just fishing, they may not have much reputation at this time.

But Devil Fruit is unique, so it is most convenient to find the corresponding person through the uniqueness of Devil Fruit.

He is indeed a professional killer, and indeed, he is not like a careless pirate like himself.

"Characteristics? One is a person who can turn his body into golden light. He looks very wretched. He is very fast. That guy is very strong."

Upon hearing Shanks' words, Zabuza was stunned for a moment and looked strange.

Can your body turn into light? high speed? Isn't this Konoha's Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato? A powerful ninja known as the Golden Flash.

However, the other party died ten years ago. It seems that Shanks has indeed not had contact with the outside world for a long time.

Moreover, the Fourth Hokage Namikaze Minato is not obscene in appearance, on the contrary, he is quite handsome.

Hmm... But it seems that she married a member of the Uzumaki clan as her wife. From this point of view, it is normal for Shanks to call her a wretched man.

Moreover, Namikaze Minato has indeed become a well-known top powerhouse in the ninja world. If he is still alive, he should be stronger now.

"That man? He is indeed one of the top strong men."

"Oh? Has Kizaru become a top expert? What about Akainu and Aokiji?"

Just as Zabuza was about to explain, Shanks continued to ask with excitement on his face.

Kizaru? Is this the nickname Shanks gave Namikaze Minato?

"Who are Akainu and Aokiji?"

"Well, it seems that the two of them have not yet reached the position of top powerhouses. What are their characteristics?"

Shanks thought for a moment, now that Kizaru has become famous, Akainu and Aokiji should be about the same.

"Ao Pheasant's ability is to use ice. This feature alone should be enough. If there is any more outstanding feature, it should be his kindness. At least in this world, his kindness and justice are the greatest Characteristics."

"Akainu is the opposite of Aokiji. His ability is to use lava. He has a bad temper, but he also has his own justice."

After hearing Shanks' words, Zabuza instantly found the corresponding information.

Using the power of ice is a special bloodline limit of the Snow Clan. Although Zabuza has never encountered it, he still knows this information.

And the person who used lava was very familiar to Zabuza - Terumi Mei, the Hidden Mist Village, the confidant of the Mizukage.

"That guy? Will he become a top strong man?"

Zabuza frowned. Terumi Mei had been hiding her strength all along.

"Who?"

Seeing Zabuza's expression, Shanks wondered, could the guy in front of him know one of the three admirals of the navy?

"I know the guy who used lava. She even forced me into a desperate situation. But now it seems that I can escape from her. Maybe she did it on purpose."

Zabuza tore off the bandage on his chest, revealing a large burn.

This is the wound left by Terumi Mei. It looks serious, but it is not life-threatening.

"You actually managed to survive from that guy. He never holds back unless there is something that restricts him and forces him to let you go."

"Huh? How can you not survive? Don't underestimate me, okay? Although the situation was complicated at the time, she must have let me go on purpose, but even if we were to fight, she couldn't stop me if I wanted to run."

"Really?"

Shanks didn't believe it at all. You, a novice killer, still want to survive under Akainu.

"Forget it, the situation was special at the time.

But she does have a very hot temper, but, does she really have that sense of justice deep in her heart?"