Though Shanks and Shisui hadn't known each other for long, Shanks' instincts told him one thing for sure—Shisui had chosen to follow him because they were the same.
Both of them held hope for the future of this world.
And just as Shisui trusted his captain completely, Shanks believed in him as well.
The man he had accepted as a comrade could never be weak.
He, Shanks, the strongest man in the shinobi world—so what if he had a weakness?
A so-called "weakness" was just a minor flaw, and even that flaw was still one of the strongest forces in this world.
"So if you recognize me as your captain, don't underestimate the man standing in front of you."
"His so-called weaknesses, in the ninja world, are actually the very things that shine the brightest."
For the first time, the carefree and unruly Shanks wore a serious and commanding expression. He, Shanks, was the strongest man in the ninja world.
Weakness? A man at the top has no such thing.
Confidence—absolute confidence, some might even call it arrogance. But to Shanks, the people of the ninja world weren't even worth considering.
This blatant arrogance left everyone stunned.
It was the same thing Madara had once seen in Shanks—except it was different from Madara's pride in his own power. It wasn't just the confidence of a strong man standing above the weak. It was the belief, the certainty, that even if they started on equal footing, he, Shanks, would still crush everyone.
Even his greatest shortcoming was an insurmountable peak to the rest of the ninja world.
Shanks' confidence and composure were far more arrogant than Madara's pride—he was completely, utterly above everyone else.
So was Shanks qualified?
Yes.
The wisdom to cut through history, the power to carve out a new world, and the sheer strength to dominate an entire era.
Shanks had all of it.
And that—was the presence of a Four Emperors.
Even without unleashing any Conqueror's Haki, Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Shisui all found themselves frozen in place.
The smug smile on Orochimaru's face turned into self-mockery.
"So this is what it means to be one of the Four Emperors? That level of arrogance is terrifying."
"But even if the whole ninja world knew his weaknesses, so what? A Four Emperors' weakness is still something that the so-called strongest of this world could never reach."
Orochimaru's gaze shifted to Shisui.
Shanks wasn't wrong. Even without his eyes, Shisui was still one of the strongest ninjas in the world.
And this wasn't just something Shanks was saying to Shisui—it was directed at Orochimaru himself.
So what if I expose all of my weaknesses?
This is the mercy of the strong toward the weak.
This is what it means to be the strongest man in the ninja world.
"Looks like I was underestimated too."
"I lost both my hands on the battlefield of the New World, Shanks. Do you really think I would stoop to attacking your weaknesses like some pathetic weakling?"
Orochimaru rose from his seat in the shrine.
He might have been a master of schemes and deception, but he was no coward.
Without the presence of a Four Emperors, he would never be able to rise above this man.
If he only fixated on Shanks' weaknesses, he would spend his entire life chasing after them in vain.
But Orochimaru's ambitions went far beyond that.
Only the weak fixate on the strong man's flaws.
His goal was to become the most powerful being in existence. To be truly the strongest, he had to surpass the man in front of him in every way.
"This is just a transaction. Even if you refuse, I will find my own way to the Dragon Vein."
Shisui was momentarily taken aback by Orochimaru's words.
Orochimaru's ambition—his obsession, his reckless madness—was on full display.
He had no intention of being weak. But if he couldn't reach his goal, then everything he had worked for over the decades would crumble.
Yet despite that risk, his resolve remained unshaken.
His target was standing right in front of him.
One of the Four Emperors—Shanks.
"Hmph! Then show me what you've got."
"My eye is in Danzo's hands. He won't be easy to deal with."
Shisui tossed a small scroll containing Izuna's sealed memories. Working together was fine, but first, he needed to get his eye back.
As the only weakness of the strongest man, he had to become stronger. Otherwise, if he couldn't stand by that man's side and witness the arrival of this new era, wouldn't that be too much of a shame?
"Heh, see you at the Valley of the End!"
Orochimaru took his "mission item" with satisfaction and then released his control over Kabuto's body.
Even while Orochimaru was controlling his body, Kabuto could still sense everything happening in real time, so he knew exactly what had just occurred.
After putting away the item in his hands, he looked at the fading figures of Shanks and Shisui in the distance. A deep, unreadable smile appeared on his face.
"The world always follows in the footsteps of the strong. Even if that man has stopped moving forward, the people of this era still have to push themselves to the limit just to catch a glimpse of his back."
"The Four Emperors... truly terrifying!"
But it wasn't just about strength. After facing Shanks directly, Kabuto finally understood the true essence of this era—raw power alone wasn't enough to become one of the Four Emperors.
Meanwhile, in the Land of Fire.
Gato had already made all the necessary preparations. This trip to Konohagakure wasn't just about being a backup—he had his own business to take care of.
As a businessman, even if his main goal was to strengthen his ties with Shanks, Gato wouldn't ignore potential profits. He wasn't the type to pass up a good deal.
Now that they had reached the border of the Land of Fire, he wasn't thinking about anything else—just how much money he could make from this trip.
What he didn't realize was that someone had already set their sights on him.
Gato had always been careful in his dealings, and his group included some skilled mercenary ninjas.
So if someone was targeting him, their strength had to be even greater.
"Danzo-sama, we've confirmed it—it's Gato."
The message was quickly relayed back to Danzo by the Root ninjas.
"Gato? Heh... hahaha!!"
"Looks like the Uzumaki clan hasn't lost enough people yet. In that case, let's remind Shanks what it feels like to watch his loved ones die in front of him."
Danzo's expression grew more and more twisted.
Gato? To be precise, it should be Uzumaki Gato.
From his early dealings with Zabuza to his later involvement in selling information about Shanks and the Divine Tree, everything about Gato pointed directly to Shanks.
Would someone like Shanks really take an interest in an ordinary black market merchant?
Besides, Root wasn't clueless. They had picked up intel from certain sources about Gato's connection to the Uzumaki clan.
"Move out! Bring Gato back!"
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