The ship docked, and Naruto and Luffy bid farewell to the crew.
After asking around, Naruto quickly realized something: the force of the plot was still running strong.
They had arrived at Shells Town, home to a Marine base commanded by the infamous "Axe-Hand" Morgan.
According to the original timeline, Coby was supposed to be the one to bring Luffy here.
But right now, Coby was still tagging along with the pirate crew they'd just chased off. No way he could show up here.
This was simply the nearest island in the region.
"I heard there's a really strong swordsman being held at the Marine base," Naruto said casually.
"Got any ideas?"
The two had settled into a restaurant and were devouring their meals like starving wolves.
After all, saving a merchant ship had earned them a hefty reward—hundreds of thousands of Berries, easily.
"I mean, why'd the Navy lock me up earlier? Was I not strong enough or something?"
Luffy grumbled mid-bite, his cheeks stuffed with meat.
Naruto chuckled. "Here's what really happened…"
He then explained the situation with Zoro.
How the swordsman had allowed himself to be captured by the Navy to protect someone. An act of pure willpower.
"He's a good guy," Luffy said thoughtfully. "I'm interested. Let's go meet him after we finish eating."
"Maybe he'll wanna join our crew."
Luffy's eyes lit up with excitement.
But then he turned toward Naruto, puzzled.
"Wait… how do you know all this?"
Naruto didn't even blink.
"I'm a ninja. Gathering intel is kinda what we do."
A perfect, textbook excuse.
Of course, he hadn't investigated anything. He just… knew the plot.
But he couldn't exactly say that.
Luffy nodded seriously, accepting the answer without question.
Then, like a switch flipping, he immediately started bugging Naruto to teach him more ninjutsu.
Left with no choice, Naruto began teaching him the basics of the Three Techniques:
Clone Jutsu
Transformation Jutsu
Substitution Jutsu
Among them, the Clone Technique was mostly cosmetic—just a chakra afterimage, with no real substance.
The Transformation Jutsu and Substitution Jutsu, on the other hand, were both practical and extremely versatile.
In fact, when used creatively, even someone like Kaguya Ōtsutsuki could be caught off guard.
Let's not forget—Naruto once used the Transformation Technique to completely stun the Third Hokage in one move.
He'd pulled off some of his best tactics using that one technique alone.
In this world, it was kind of like the pirate version of the Mane Mane no Mi—the Imitation Fruit.
The Substitution Jutsu was the real lifesaver. Instinctive, reflexive—Naruto had used it countless times in high-stakes battles.
Luffy listened seriously (well, as seriously as he ever could), then tried forming hand seals.
They were all wrong.
But somehow, somehow, he managed to produce a clone.
A mini version of himself popped into existence—short, squishy, and very off-model.
"Whoa! That's the clone thing? It looks... super weak though."
Luffy reached out and poked it. The clone popped like a bubble.
Naruto blinked.
It wasn't perfect, but the technique had technically succeeded.
Given some chakra control and practice, Luffy could probably improve.
"So," Naruto said smugly, "turns out I'm a pretty good teacher."
It did sound like bragging.
But it wasn't a lie.
Naruto had long since mastered the theory behind ninjutsu. Teaching basic techniques like this was child's play.
Luffy continued playing around with ninjutsu as they made their way to the Marine base.
At the center of a massive square, a man was tied to a wooden cross.
Naruto and Luffy walked up without hesitation.
"Hey," Luffy called out. "You're that swordsman, right? Wanna join my crew?"
"I'm Luffy. The guy who's gonna become the Pirate King!"
He grinned, holding down his straw hat as the wind blew.
Naruto swept his eyes across the square.
A group of Marines was already marching over—led by a smug-looking young man.
The one and only Helmeppo, the spoiled son of Axe-Hand Morgan.
Luffy and Zoro were already in the middle of an argument.
Zoro still clung to the belief that Helmeppo would honor their deal.
He couldn't bring himself to believe that the son of a Marine officer would stoop so low.
And, above all—he still thought becoming a pirate was beneath him.
Naruto sighed and shook his head.
Without waiting for permission, he raised his hand and casually untied the ropes binding Zoro.
"Oi! What do you think you're doing?!"
A harsh voice rang out.
Helmeppo stormed toward them with a stiff, arrogant gait.
"You broke into a Marine base without authorization! That makes you accomplices of this criminal!"
Naruto didn't reply with words.
Instead, he subtly channeled chakra through his hand and directed it toward Helmeppo.
A Genjutsu.
Almost instantly, Helmeppo's eyes lost focus. His body stiffened.
"The illusion is taking hold..." Naruto thought, watching him carefully.
Naruto stepped forward, his tone cold and commanding.
"Next, I'll ask the questions. You'll answer."
Helmeppo's dull eyes widened slightly, but he nodded—entranced by the Genjutsu.
"You planned to starve him, didn't you? Or maybe... publicly execute him when the time was right?"
"Yes. That's what I planned," Helmeppo answered without hesitation.
Zoro's eyes widened in disbelief.
He clenched his teeth, stunned that the truth came out so easily... and that he had believed otherwise.
Why had this bastard confessed everything so casually?
Naruto turned toward Luffy and patted him on the shoulder.
"Go with this guy. Retrieve Zoro's swords," he said calmly.
Luffy gave a thumbs-up and followed Helmeppo without a second thought.
Zoro slumped against the wooden post, still seated on the ground.
Naruto sat down beside him and raised one hand.
In a puff of smoke—poof—a bento box appeared.
"Hungry?" he asked, handing over the food.
Zoro hesitated for a moment but then dug in.
With every bite, color slowly returned to his face.
Naruto watched silently for a while before speaking again.
"Being a pirate… it's not that shameful, is it?"
"At least, from what I know—the world's strongest swordsman is a pirate too."
Zoro froze slightly, the food halfway to his mouth.
Naruto smiled, eyes narrowing in thought.
"If I'm gonna teach Luffy something like the Eight Gates Technique, then I can't just leave Zoro behind," he mused.
There were plenty of ninja who were master swordsmen too.
Uchiha Sasuke, for example.
Or Gekkō Hayate, with his precise kenjutsu.
Even Hatake Kakashi's sword skills had their own legacy.
Not to mention the legendary Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist—each with their own bizarre and terrifying blades.
"I wonder…" Naruto muttered, stroking his chin.
"Could Zoro adapt to another world's swordsmanship?"
But the more he thought about it, the more he felt something didn't quite fit.
Ninja swordsmanship emphasized speed, precision, and assassination.
Swift, silent kills.
Zoro's style?
Wild. Powerful. Full of raw force and dominance.
The two styles seemed like they belonged to completely different worlds.
"I'll join you," Zoro said suddenly, interrupting Naruto's thoughts.
"But I have my own dream. If you ever stand in the way of it…"
He paused, then smirked.
"I'll cut you down too."
Naruto grinned.
"Interesting."
He reached out and patted Zoro on the shoulder.
"Zoro… learn to recognize this world—and yourself."
He wasn't wrong. Right now, Zoro's understanding of the world was still too narrow.
Only after his eventual clash with Dracule Mihawk—the world's strongest swordsman—would his eyes begin to open.
That moment would change him.
Naruto, meanwhile, was already thinking about how best to train him.
Ninjutsu?
Definitely not.
With all three swords constantly in use, Zoro didn't even have a spare hand for forming hand seals…
Yeah. That wouldn't work.
...
TN:
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