Chapter 33: Teach Them a Lesson  

Kakashi wasn't too worried about Naruto and the others. They were still ninja, after all. Basic skills like gathering information weren't beyond them. 

And revealing their real names? That definitely wasn't happening.

It was clear that Kakashi was wrong. 

After all, Kakashi was once one of Konohagakure's top geniuses, a ninja with ridiculously high talent. 

But as for Naruto and the other two… 

"Naruto, there are a lot of people here. This should be the place." 

To gather information, they naturally had to go where the most people were. 

And that meant finding a place full of pirates. After searching for most of the day, the three of them finally found a restaurant near the port. 

Sakura quickly called Naruto and Sasuke over. 

The Land of Waves had no real law enforcement. Even now, the whole place functioned more like a big company. 

Restaurants near the port were visited by both pirates and dock workers, making them busy spots with lots of people coming and going. 

As the three entered the restaurant, no one paid them any attention. 

Instead, they were the ones who noticed a group of men wrapped in bandages. 

"Ordinary ninjas are already this strong… If Gato hadn't stepped in, we probably wouldn't have even been able to beat those two." 

"It's not that those two were strong. Maybe… we're just too weak? Everyone else has been training hard lately, but we're just stuck guarding the port." 

"I wonder when I'll be strong enough to be like the captain, a real pirate who can stand on his own. If our crew keeps growing, I'd love to have my own ship. That would be enough for me." 

"Keep dreaming. You? A big-time pirate? 

Even the vice-captain doesn't have his own ship yet. If you want one, you'd better get the captain to notice you first." 

"The vice-captain is lucky. Getting personal training from the captain… I'm really jealous." 

The pirate who spoke looked full of admiration. 

It was easy to see why they thought this way. 

Back then, when they faced a ship from Kirigakure, Zabuza had basically taken it on alone—and still managed to seize it. 

Since then, he had become the backbone of the entire crew, their pride and leader. 

That was what a real captain should be. 

"The vice-captain has talent. Even Four Emperors Shanks recognized his strength. You? You should just give up and go to sleep." 

"So what if the vice-captain has talent? Our captain doesn't have any special abilities either—he just swings a giant sword. And yet, is he weak? No way. He's insanely strong." 

"Recognized by Shanks? You mean… Four Emperors, Uzumaki Shanks?" 

A blond kid suddenly appeared at the table. 

The pirates froze for a moment. 

Why was there a kid at the port? 

No, that wasn't the real issue. The real issue was—how could someone from the Land of Waves not know about their captain's close friend? 

"Naruto." 

Seeing this, Sasuke quickly followed. 

Naruto was too impulsive. 

Now their whole plan to gather intel was completely ruined. 

"Sorry, sirs! We'll be leaving now." 

Sakura quickly put on an innocent look and apologized.

Naruto hadn't even reacted before Sakura grabbed him and ran toward the door. 

But as soon as they turned around, several large men were already standing behind them. 

Their towering shadows loomed over the three of them, and the pirates had menacing looks on their faces. 

"Brats, this isn't a place where you can come and go as you please. You've never even heard of our captain's friend, Shanks? And you still call yourselves people of the Land of Waves?" 

"Alright, boys, let's teach these three a good lesson." 

Hearing the man's words, Sasuke immediately got into battle mode. He hadn't expected these pirates to attack without any warning. 

So this is what pirates are like? 

This was nothing like the missions back in the village. He never imagined that their first mission would have them facing ruthless killers like these. 

Unlike Sasuke, Sakura was completely frozen in place. The pressure from these men made her body tremble uncontrollably. 

The sheer presence of these pirates… They weren't ordinary people. They were real warriors, ones who had seen blood and been through countless battles. 

This was the first time Sakura had ever faced something like this, and fear crept over her. 

Forget about Sakura— even the guards on that Kirigakure Village ship would have been afraid of these pirates. 

These guys weren't like regular people. They were like wild beasts. Who wouldn't be scared? 

"A lesson?" 

Naruto looked at them, confused. 

So gathering intel was this easy? From the looks of it, they were about to hand over all the information themselves. 

As expected, I, Uzumaki Naruto, am a natural ninja. 

Seeing Naruto's reaction, Sasuke was dumbfounded. 

Is this guy an idiot? Can't he see that they're about to beat us up? 

… 

By the afternoon, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura still hadn't left the restaurant. 

The reason? 

These pirates were seriously giving them a lesson. 

"Alright, now do you understand how strong our captain is?" 

"Say it—what's our captain best at?" 

"Swordsmanship," Naruto answered. 

"Because Shanks is strongest with a sword. Besides that, he also has Conqueror's Haki, Armament Haki, and Observation Haki. 

Also—" 

"Alright, Naruto passes the test. Sasuke." 

The big guy quickly interrupted Naruto after hearing him spill so much information in one go. 

Out of the three kids, this Naruto guy clearly admired their captain the most. He had the perfect mindset for being a pirate. 

"What's our vice-captain's name?" 

"Vice-captain of the Blade-less Pirates—Haku. Nicknamed Aokiji, a powerful Logia-type Devil Fruit user with the ability to control ice." 

Sasuke was speechless. 

This was the first time— and probably the only time in his life— that he had met pirates this… ridiculous. 

He had been ready for an all-out battle, but instead, these guys had spent an entire day giving them a lecture. 

They had spilled every single detail about their captain. And if they didn't memorize it, they weren't allowed to leave? 

This is what pirates are like? 

"Alright, Sakura, tell us about the greatest thing our crew has ever done." 

"Uh… S-stole three hundred million ryou from Kirigakure Village… and defeated Kirigakure's ninja in the last sea battle." 

Sakura stammered as she spoke. 

Hearing that the three of them finally understood, the pirates nodded in satisfaction. 

Good kids. With young ones like this, the future of their crew was looking bright. 

After all, becoming a pirate was their only real path forward. 

"Alright, you've passed the test. If you ever want to join our crew, you'd better remember all this." 

"Got it! Thanks, teacher!" 

Naruto stood up and thanked the big guy. 

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