Naruto: The Legend of Red Haired Shanks

Night fell, and a campfire flickered by the lake. 

After Zabuza's change in mindset, he didn't seem as cold anymore. Was this his true personality, or was he just influenced by Shanks? 

"Zan, as an assassin, you must have a lot of intel, right?" 

Shanks didn't need to know much. But with how fast his strength was growing, it was best to confirm what point in time he was in right now. 

"Hmm, I do have a lot of intel, but I'm not sure if it'll be useful to you." 

Zabuza spoke. As one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, he knew plenty about the shinobi world. But thinking about what kind of information Shanks might need, he wasn't sure if he could actually help. 

"I don't need too much detail, I just want to ask about a few people." 

Shanks scratched his head. He just needed a rough idea of the timeline. After all, he wasn't familiar with the exact dates in the pirate world either. Even if someone told him a specific year, he might not even know what that meant. 

"People? Do they have any distinct features?" 

Zabuza hesitated. If Shanks was asking about them, they probably weren't super famous. Otherwise, he wouldn't have to ask him. 

And if they caught Shanks' attention, they were definitely strong. Most likely, they were powerful but not well-known. 

People like that usually stayed hidden. Names and strength could be concealed, but some features were impossible to hide. 

"Features? Wouldn't it be easier to just ask for their names?" 

Shanks was confused. Wouldn't it be simpler to just say the names instead of making it complicated? 

Seeing his reaction, Zabuza shook his head and quickly explained. 

"Shanks, the people you want to ask about… they're not weak, are they?" 

"Yeah, they're all top-tier powerhouses. Even if they're not at the peak now, they'll definitely be known by everyone in the future." 

"Exactly. For us assassins, a person's name isn't the most important thing—their traits are. 

Names can be hidden. Strength can be hidden. But a true powerhouse's defining traits are always unique." 

Hearing that, Shanks immediately understood. 

If he just said a name, how could Zabuza possibly track them down? Thinking about guys like Kizaru and Aokiji—those two lazy "powerhouses" probably weren't even well-known at this point. 

But Devil Fruits were unique. If he could describe their abilities, finding them would be much easier. 

As expected from a professional assassin. Completely different from a carefree pirate like him. 

"Traits, huh? One of them can turn his body into golden light. He looks kinda sleazy, moves extremely fast, and is ridiculously strong." 

Zabuza was stunned when he heard Shanks' words, his expression turning odd. 

Turning into light? Moving at incredible speed? Wasn't that just like Namikaze Minato, the Fourth Hokage of Konohagakure? The legendary ninja known as the Yellow Flash. 

But Minato had died ten years ago, which meant Shanks really hadn't been in touch with the outside world for a long time. 

Besides, Minato wasn't some sleazy-looking guy. On the contrary, he was quite handsome. 

Hmm… but he did marry someone from the Uzumaki clan. If that's what made Shanks call him a pervy guy, it kind of made sense. 

And Minato truly was a top-tier ninja. If he were still alive today, he'd be even stronger. 

"That guy, huh? Yeah, he was one of the strongest." 

"Oh? So Kizaru has reached the top ranks already? What about Akainu and Aokiji?" 

Just as Zabuza was about to explain, Shanks excitedly continued asking. 

Kizaru (Yellow Monkey)? Was that a nickname Shanks had given Minato? 

"Who are Akainu (Red Dog) and Aokiji (Blue Pheasant) ?" 

"Hmm, so they haven't made it to the top yet? Their traits, huh…" 

Shanks thought for a moment. If Kizaru was already famous, then Akainu and Aokiji shouldn't be far behind. 

"Aokiji's power is ice. That alone should be enough to recognize him. But if I had to say what really stands out about him, it'd be his kindness. At least in this world, his sense of justice—his compassionate justice—is his defining trait." 

"As for Akainu, he's the opposite. He controls magma, has a fiery temper, but sticks to his own version of justice." 

(TL/n: After this, there will be a huge misunderstanding. This actually wouldn't be a problem if it were written in Chinese, but it becomes a big issue in English. You see, in Chinese, he (他) and she (她) have different characters, but both are pronounced tā. So here, Shanks refers to Akainu as a man or "he," but Zabuza misunderstands and thinks Shanks is calling Akainu a woman or "she.")

Hearing this, Zabuza immediately found a match in his mind. 

A person who uses ice? That had to be the unique Kekkei Genkai of the Yuki clan. Zabuza had never encountered them himself, but he had heard of them. 

And as for the one who controlled magma, he knew exactly who that was—Terumi Mei, a close confidant of Kirigakure's Mizukage. 

"She? She might become a top-tier fighter?" 

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

"Who?" 

Shanks was puzzled by Zabuza's reaction. Did this guy actually know one of the Marine Admirals? 

"The one who uses magma—I know her. I was even once pushed to the brink by her. But now that I think about it, maybe she let me escape on purpose." 

Zabuza tore open the bandages on his chest, revealing a large burn scar. 

That was a wound left by Terumi Mei. It looked severe, but in the end, it hadn't been life-threatening. 

"You actually survived against him? He never holds back… unless something was stopping him from finishing you off." 

"Hah? You think I couldn't survive? Don't underestimate me. Sure, the situation back then was complicated, and maybe she let me go on purpose, but even in a real fight, if I wanted to escape, she wouldn't be able to stop me." 

"Really?" 

Shanks didn't believe it one bit. A rookie assassin managing to escape from Akainu? That was a joke. 

"Whatever, it was a special situation back then." 

"But her temper really is as fiery as her power. Still… does she really have that kind of justice deep inside her?" 

That was all Zabuza wanted to know. If she truly did, then she must be planning something big. That would explain why she had been keeping herself hidden. 

Maybe… she was the one who would overthrow the Blood Mist. 

"There are some things I can't tell you too much about." 

Shanks replied. If he revealed too much about the future, things might change in unpredictable ways. 

"Akainu may have a hot temper, but he's very good at handling political matters, and he has always stayed true to his idea of justice." 

"But I'm curious—how did you meet him?" 

"We used to be comrades. But some traitors appeared among us. My assassination attempt failed, so I had to escape." 

Zabuza didn't go into detail, but for Shanks, that was enough information. 

Kizaru was already well-known. Akainu was still in the Marines, but his rank wasn't as high as Kizaru's yet. As for Aokiji, there was no need to worry about him for now. 

"In that case, it's no surprise you survived. Akainu was probably after the traitors in your team—he has no tolerance for that kind of person." 

Shanks sighed. Akainu was still like this now, but after becoming Fleet Admiral, he would have to make compromises. 

"So, you must have discovered corruption in the Marines, tried to eliminate those people, failed, and was forced to escape." 

Shanks had already figured out Zabuza's backstory in his head. 

Zabuza, on the other hand, was also thinking about what Shanks had said. 

They didn't say much, but as smart men, they didn't need to explain everything. The information lined up well enough. 

After finishing their grilled fish, the two men got up and continued their training. 

Their vocabulary were completely different, but at this moment, they had the same goal. 

"I will become one of the strongest in the pirate world." 

"I will become one of the strongest in the ninja world." 

They understood each other—there was no need for words.