Naruto: Copy System#683+684: Worse Than a Devil Fruit, Black Arm Zephyr

Afterward, the Whitebeard Pirates departed, leaving Shin to take charge of Kaido’s territory and wealth.

Shin had no interest in Kaido’s territory—his own was already more than enough to manage. As for the fortune, he chose to set it aside for now. He did not particularly care for it, but with it sitting before him, he saw no reason to refuse.

Before long, news of Kaido and Blackbeard’s deaths spread across the seas.

The Four Emperors had now become three, but that was not the most significant development. What truly mattered was that Shin had not claimed Kaido’s territory, leaving it an unclaimed prize—a tempting one, like a rich, enticing cake every pirate on the sea longed to taste.

“Shin, why didn't you take Kaido’s territory?” Olvia asked, puzzled.

“Oh, Olvia? Are you looking for more work? Because if you are, I'd be happy to oblige.”

Shin said with a smile.

“Let's skip that, thanks. Don't come to me if you're just trying to dump more work on my plate.”

Olvia quickly shook her head. If Shin did take over Kaido’s territory, her workload would skyrocket. The work she already had was driving her mad—any more and she might not be able to take it.

“Shin, I have a feeling there’s more to it than that,” Robin couldn’t help but ask.

“Don’t ask so many questions. All we need to do now is sit back and enjoy the show.”

Shin shook his head, not answering Robin’s question.

“…” Robin saw that Shin had no intention of explaining, so she let it go. If he had wanted her to know, he would have told her. Since he chose silence, no amount of questioning would change that.

Still, she could always make her own guesses and see later whether they proved correct.

“Shin, I made this barbecue especially for you. Care to try some?”

Just as Shin was gazing out at the sea, Nami’s voice called out, followed by the distinct smell of something burnt.

Catching a whiff of the scorched scent, Shin’s mouth couldn’t help but twitch. That smell was truly awful.

"Nami, are you trying to poison me?" Shin asked, turning to face her.

He then saw the lump of charcoal on Nami’s plate. To call that barbecue… Shin would rather believe it was actual charcoal.

"How could I be trying to poison you? I made you barbecue, and you have the nerve to be ungrateful?" Nami said indignantly.

"Fine. You take the first bite. If you survive, I’ll eat," Shin said with a straight face.

'Eating that would probably kill someone, right?' Well, maybe death was an exaggeration, but it would definitely make you sick.

Though Shin's body was strong enough to handle it, he didn't want to torture his taste buds.

“I…” Nami hesitated.

“See? Even you won't eat it, and you expect me to? What, do you think I'm stupid?" Shin said, irritated.

“Fine, I’ll eat it.” Nami gritted her teeth, picked up a piece of meat, and shoved it in her mouth.

"Damn, she's really that ruthless with herself?" Shin’s mouth twitched. He hadn't expected Nami to be so merciless to herself.

She actually ate it. Didn't she know that thing was completely inedible?

After eating the barbecue, Nami’s body twitched, and she collapsed to the ground, foaming at the mouth.

"That's some powerful stuff..." Shin couldn't help but remark.

“Help… me…” Nami managed to whisper.

Shin sighed, shook his head, and said, "Rest in peace. Looking at the state you're in, I'd say you're a lost cause."

Nami’s eyes widened. 'Is he really just going to watch me die? I had no idea my cooking was this toxic!'

“Don’t worry, Nami. You should be fine,” Robin said, trying to comfort the despairing Nami.

“Just spit it out and you’ll be okay.”

Half an hour later, Nami finally recovered, though her face was still pale.

“I wonder how your barbecue compares to a Devil Fruit,” Shin said, looking at the pile of burnt meat.

“It tastes worse than a Devil Fruit,” Baby-5 chimed in.

“How do you know?” Hancock couldn't help but ask Baby-5.

“Because I’ve tried it.”

Baby-5 answered Hancock. Because she had eaten it, she had the right to comment.

“So you’ve tried it too? You’re really something.”

Shin looked at Baby-5 with admiration. He thought Nami was ruthless, but it turned out Baby-5 was just as hardcore.

"Nami, why did you decide to make barbecue all of a sudden?" Shin asked, puzzled.

“I was bored and had nothing to do, so I thought I’d learn a new skill,” Nami said after taking a sip of water.

“Well, to be honest, your skill is quite impressive. You could be a master in the world of dark culinary arts.”

Shin looked at Nami with admiration. To achieve this level of disaster wasn’t easy. At least, Shin had no idea how she managed it.

Perhaps even making dark cuisine required a certain talent, a talent Shin clearly lacked.

“I have a feeling you’re just making fun of me,” Nami said with a deadpan expression.

“I am making fun of you,” Shin admitted freely.

'And besides, you made something like this for me to eat. Are you sure you weren't trying to use me as a poison tester?'

“I’m never touching that again.” Nami declared that she was now psychologically scarred. That was for the best—Shin didn't want Nami to waste any more food.

“It’s good that you’re self-aware. Don’t ever try to prove yourself again. You’re already a great navigator. There’s no need to prove yourself in other areas.”

Shin said to Nami in a very serious tone.

“Your words are so harsh. Can’t you comfort me, just a little?” Nami said, her tone edged with annoyance.

“It's not that I don't want to comfort you, but I can't. I'm doing this for your own good, you just don't understand.”

He patted Nami’s shoulder and said with great seriousness, which earned him a roll of the eyes from Nami. 'Like I'd believe you.'

<><><><><><><><>

After being hit with Shin’s verbal barrage, Nami angrily ran to her room and locked herself in to sulk.

“All you do is pick on girls. Hina can't stand people like you,” Hina said, expressing her disdain for Shin.

But Shin was immediately displeased. He hadn't seen Hina say a word earlier—in fact, she seemed to be enjoying the show.

Now she suddenly comes out and accuses him? A wicked thought crossed Shin’s mind.

Looking at the barbecue still on the table, he picked it up and walked towards Hina.

“What are you doing? Come any closer and Hina will have to act.”

Feeling a sense of crisis rising from her core, Hina immediately took several steps back, watching Shin warily.

"Nothing much. I just want you to eat this barbecue. Kalifa, grab her."

Shin ordered Kalifa, who was standing nearby.

Kalifa, always obedient to Shin, immediately grabbed Hina, immobilizing her.

Because Kalifa was a bit stronger than Hina, she was completely unable to move after being caught.

"Hina was wrong!!" Hina quickly pleaded.

“Oh, so now you know you’re wrong? Don’t you think it’s a bit late?” Shin said with a faint smile.

“No, it's not too late. Everyone makes mistakes, and everyone deserves a second chance. I'm hoping you can give me one.”

Hina said quickly.

Nami had already demonstrated the taste of this barbecue, and so had Baby-5. She had said it tasted even worse than a Devil Fruit.

Hina had eaten a Devil Fruit before—she knew just how disgusting it tasted.

The taste of a Devil Fruit was said to be worse than crap, and this barbecue was even worse than that.

“I’ll let you off this time. But if there’s a next time, I won’t let you off so easily.”

Shin warned Hina to make sure she understood.

“I understand, I will never make the same mistake again!” Hina nodded quickly, then gestured for Kalifa to let her go.

Seeing that Shin had forgiven Hina, Kalifa released her. Hina immediately snatched the plate from Shin’s hand and threw both the plate and the barbecue into the sea.

Just looking at it made Hina’s heart tremble. So she quickly threw it away.

“It’s fine. Even if you throw it away, we can just have Nami make some more,” Shin said with a smile.

Hina’s mouth twitched.

—————

The Pluton continued its voyage through the New World, and anyone with sense kept their distance from him. But today, he crossed paths with someone unexpectedly formidable.

“That flag… it should be the NEO Marines’ flag, right?” Shin’s gaze was fixed on the ship in the distance, and the flag flying on it.

The so-called NEO Marines were a new navy established by Zephyr. Of course, that was according to Zephyr himself.

To Akainu, Zephyr was a traitor.

Compared with the original timeline, Zephyr founded the NEO Marines earlier because Edward Weevil became a Warlord sooner. For that reason, the NEO Marines had also formed ahead of schedule, though they had yet to make a name for themselves at sea, largely due to their limited activity.

Seeing the NEO Marines now, no one knew what Zephyr intended. Though he was old, his strength was not to be underestimated. After all, he was a former Admiral. Even if he could no longer match an Admiral’s full power, he likely still possessed the strength of an Admiral candidate.

“Should we attack?” Olvia asked Shin.

They were enemies, after all. The NEO Marines hated pirates with a passion.

But even so, the current NEO Marines had no record of killing pirates, at most just defeating them.

“Attacking for no reason seems a bit rude,” Shin said with a smile, making no move to attack.

Everything depended on Zephyr’s choice. If he attacked Shin, Shin would not hesitate to strike back. Still, Shin had always felt that Zephyr’s strength was somewhat exaggerated.

He had lost an arm to Edward Weevil long ago, and at that time, his power should not yet have declined significantly. So was Weevil simply that strong, or had Zephyr’s reputation been overstated all along?

Shin wasn't sure. Perhaps it was a bit of both.

At this moment, Zephyr also saw Shin's ship. After all, Shin's ship was so conspicuous, along with the flag on it—it was impossible not to see it.

Zephyr’s eyes narrowed slightly, staring at Shin's ship with caution.

“Teacher, it seems to be Shin Uzumaki,” Ain said cautiously to Zephyr.

"Yes, I know." Zephyr nodded. Though he had never fought Shin, he knew how powerful he was.

With the current strength of the NEO Marines, it was impossible to confront the Kuja Pirates.

Moreover, he had just heard that Shin Uzumaki’s Kuja Pirates had destroyed Kaido’s Beast Pirates. This news was definitely true, not a fake.

Ain fell silent, looking at her teacher, Zephyr, waiting for his orders.

Whether to confront them or retreat was all up to Zephyr.

"Let's meet him," Zephyr didn't leave, preparing to meet Shin, just as Shin had thought.

—————

Not long after, the two ships met, stopping at a distance of less than a hundred meters.

Shin looked at Zephyr with a faint gaze, while Zephyr was also sizing him up.

“You haven’t aged a day.” Zephyr looked at Shin’s face with shock.

Zephyr had seen Shin before. But compared to now, Shin hadn't changed at all, as if time had left no trace on him.

"Your presence feels weak, Zephyr," Shin said, looking at Zephyr and sensing his aura, feeling he was weaker than he had imagined.

Maybe Zephyr in his prime had been truly powerful, but the man standing before him now? Not so impressive.

The reason was simple: old injuries. Zephyr had accumulated countless wounds over his career. They hadn't slowed him down in his prime, but age had turned them into serious liabilities.

Still, regardless of his current combat ability, Zephyr's talent as an instructor remained unmatched in the Marines.

Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru had all been his students. Even most of the officers at Marine Headquarters had trained under Zephyr at some point—including Hina.

Right now, watching her former teacher, Hina's emotions were all over the place. She'd been devastated when he left the Marines. Never in a million years did she think they'd meet again like this.