Hearing everyone's words, Karin frowned.
Ever since she fought Gaara during the Konoha Crush Plan and saved Naruto and the others, she had left Kusagakure.
She wandered alone, traveling all the way from the Land of Fire to the Land of...
But even now, her injuries still hadn't fully healed.
During her battle with Gaara, she had pushed herself too far. If it weren't for her keen senses detecting the "love" of Gaara's mother hidden within his sand, she might have killed Gaara in that fight—and she herself would have died from exhausting her own life force.
That was also why Naruto had found her looking so lost back then. In the end, it was Gaara's mother's love that pulled Karin back from the brink and protected Gaara as well.
Although Karin had snapped out of it, realizing that Gaara had also been loved by someone was an even greater blow to her—someone who had lost her own mother.
For a while after that, she had been in a daze, wandering aimlessly.
Then, just recently, news about Shanks spread across the ninja world in a single day, and the Uzumaki name became a symbol of the strongest in the New World.
With her striking red hair, Karin stood out wherever she went. At first, people tried to target her, but even though her injuries hadn't fully healed, ordinary ninjas were no match for her.
After that, people began to look at her differently—like some kind of outsider. That red hair of hers made her an anomaly among the crowd.
"Red-Haired Shanks… What's so great about him that you all admire him so much?"
Karin spat out angrily. She couldn't understand what was so amazing about a man who had thrown the entire ninja world into chaos.
Did war really bring anything good to these people?
After saying that, she walked up to the bar counter.
"Got anything to eat?"
Her tone was calm, completely different from how she was just moments ago, catching the bartender off guard.
"Fried rice."
The tavern did have food.
A short while later, the bartender brought her fried rice. Karin quietly sat at the bar, tying up her red hair.
She ate in silence.
The tavern soon returned to its lively atmosphere. Though some people still glanced at her now and then, she didn't care.
She had already encountered too many people like them along the way.
Ordinary civilians looked at her with fear and terror. Pirates looked at her with shock and admiration. Ninjas… they looked at her as if she were some kind of treasure.
In a single night, it felt as if the whole world had abandoned her.
And all because of her red hair.
"I heard there's even a bounty on the Uzumaki clan. Anyone who captures an Uzumaki gets at least 50 million."
"Fifty million?"
Many people were shocked. That was no small amount—especially for an ordinary Uzumaki.
If the target was someone even stronger, the bounty would be much higher.
"A regular member of the Uzumaki clan is as strong as half a Devil Fruit user like Dark?"
"You think finding someone from the Uzumaki clan is easy? They're even rarer than Tailed Beasts."
"You know about the Jinchuriki from Konohagakure, the strongest ninja village among the Five Great Nations, right?"
"Yeah, I do. Why?"
"Every Jinchuriki in Konohagakure's history has been from the Uzumaki clan."
A pirate spoke up. Information about the ninja villages could be bought from the underground black market.
"Then what about the current Jinchuriki of Konohagakure...?"
"That, I don't know. But there's some kid named Uzumaki Naruto in Konohagakure. He doesn't have red hair, so he probably just has a little Uzumaki blood in him."
"A brat like that can still inherit the Uzumaki name?"
"Who knows? But there's not much choice. Even Konohagakure probably can't find a true Uzumaki to be their Jinchuriki anymore."
Because of Karin's arrival, the conversation shifted to the Uzumaki clan.
Of course, after noticing her attitude, the pirates stopped talking so loudly.
But with Karin's sensory abilities, she heard everything in the tavern loud and clear.
"A bounty?"
It suddenly made sense to her why she'd been attacked on the way here. The Uzumaki clan had been put on a bounty list.
At that moment, Karin felt even more disgusted with Shanks.
On the other hand, Ross Jess had no interest in Karin. Besides, he could tell that she didn't like people like Shanks.
But really, how many people in the ninja world actually liked Shanks?
Ross was certain that at least half of the ninja world wanted him dead.
No ninja would like someone trying to bring down the ninja era. No country would welcome a notorious pirate. And no civilian would ever support a man who stirred up chaos across the entire ninja world.
Even ambitious people like them couldn't bring themselves to like Shanks.
They did respect him, but if given the chance, they wouldn't hesitate to knock him off his throne as one of the Four Emperors.
If not for Shanks, they wouldn't have been forced to bet everything on this new era.
This whole gamble was because of Shanks. They had no choice but to get involved.
So no matter how much respect they had for him, they could never be on good terms with him.
It was like being offered a chance to become a millionaire, but the price was having to eat a mouthful of shit. That was exactly how it felt.
"*Hic!* I'm stuffed."
"Land is really a great place to rest."
"Alright, boys, let's go. Back to the ship for some rest."
Ross stood up, grabbed his coat, and casually tossed a few large bills onto the bar counter.
The bartender happily pocketed the money.
These pirates might not have much else, but they sure had plenty of cash.
Most pirates sailing the seas right now weren't exactly short on money.
Some started off wealthy, while others were dirt poor at first, but if they survived long enough, they eventually became rich pirates.
And with groups of pirates traveling in dozens, constantly needing to stock up on supplies, their spending power was on a whole different level.
Could ninjas even dream of extorting them?
Not even in the same league.
Of course, making money off pirates is one of those jobs where you might earn a fortune but never live long enough to spend it. Many small countries have suffered because of pirate troubles.
But for now, Land didn't have much to worry about.
"Something feels off."
The moment Ross stepped out of the tavern, he knew something was wrong.
His right hand, hidden under his coat, had already gripped the handle of his gun, while his other hand held a small dagger.
Thin wisps of smoke drifted past his sunglasses.
Behind Ross, the other pirates seemed relaxed, but they were all ready for a fight.
After all, they had survived being hunted by Konohagakure's genin.
It didn't matter what kind of shape they had been in before—anyone who fights through dozens of battles with a 50% casualty rate and still lives isn't just lucky. They're hardened warriors.
Ross and his crew were the same. Ordinary pirates? Maybe on the surface. But they were far from weak.
"It's not aimed at us."
Shisui spoke up from the side, looking completely at ease as he walked to the front.
The straw hat hanging from his back swayed gently in the wind.
Ross quickly caught up, pulling an umbrella from under his coat.
"It's about to rain."
Raindrops started falling. Under the black umbrella, the tall Ross quietly walked alongside Shisui.
He took another puff of his cigar.
The group walked all the way to the port.
Ross flicked his finished cigar to the ground and stomped out the last ember with his boot.
"I'm holding the umbrella for you, so that straw hat is useless. You won't get wet."
"Why not give it to that little one without an umbrella? She doesn't look too well. If she gets soaked, she'll catch a cold."
"That's not like you."
Shisui smiled. Who knew what he found so amusing?
Ross smirked at Shisui's words.
"I may not be a good person, but I don't pick on kids."
"Hmph. Besides, since when do ninjas have a say in pirate business?"
Ross grinned. Whether people admitted it or not, the truth remained the truth.
If she was from the Uzumaki clan, then she was one of them—a pirate.
Things weren't like before anymore.
If ninjas wanted to mess with pirates, they had better ask the weapons in their hands for permission first.
"Need me to step in?"
Shisui asked.
"No. Just make sure that girl stays safe."
"Alright, boys, grab your weapons! Let's show those ninjas that we pirates aren't to be messed with!"
At Ross's command, over a dozen crew members boarded the ship and armed themselves.
"Heh, it's about time we let those ninjas see what we're made of."
"They actually dared to mess with an Uzumaki right under our noses. These ninjas must be blind."
A tall, skinny man strapped a bundle of explosives to his back.
A good tool for dealing with ninjas.
With that, the group turned back and charged toward the tavern.
Meanwhile, after eating more than ten bowls of fried rice, Karin walked out of the tavern.
The moment she stepped outside, she immediately sprinted to the right without a second of hesitation.
At the same time, more than twenty figures leaped out from various corners of the street, chasing after her through the pouring rain.
But they hadn't gone far when—
"Boom!!"
A flash of fire cut through the rain, and a ninja fell from midair, crashing to the ground.
Moments later, figures emerged from the alleyway one by one.
At the front, Karin came to a halt.
Ahead of her, Ross stood, a cigar in his mouth, looking down at her from above.
With a slow motion, he holstered his smoking gun at his waist.
Beside him, a one-eyed pirate stepped forward.
"Ross, are you trying to steal our catch?"
"It's just a matter of skill."
Ross didn't care what the other pirates thought.
Hearing this, Karin's expression instantly changed.
She had overheard every word of their conversation back in the tavern.
For members of the Uzumaki clan, the starting bounty was at least fifty million.
"You guys…"
"You're after me too?"
Karin took a few steps back, eyeing the group warily.
Just then, the ninjas chasing her caught up.
"Pirates, stay out of this. This one's not for you to take. Unless, of course, you want us to claim your bounties as well."
The leader of the bounty ninjas spoke in a cold voice.
He hadn't expected these pirates to have the audacity to compete with them for the target.
"That's funny," one of the pirates smirked.
"Shouldn't we be the ones telling you that?"
"Going after an Uzumaki… are you looking down on us pirates?"
"Heh, since when do ninjas have the right to lay hands on an Uzumaki?"
Several pirate captains stepped forward, unfazed by the threat.
Afraid of dying?
Not them.
They weren't about to be intimidated by a handful of bounty ninjas.
Karin stood there, stunned by their words.
And in that brief moment of distraction, Ross stepped forward and pressed a straw hat onto her head.
"If you hate your red hair so much, then be good and keep the hat on!"
The next instant, Ross lunged into the rain, his dagger, hidden beneath his coat, glinting coldly in the downpour.
"Clang!!"
As expected, his attack was blocked.
But that was all the signal the pirates needed—
In the blink of an eye, over a hundred pirates charged at the ninjas, launching a fierce assault.
"Boom!!"
A bundle of explosives was thrown straight into the group of ninjas.
The pirates fought with no rules at all—it was all about risking their lives.
Any pirate who had survived this long knew how to fight for their life, and even a Genin could be in real danger against them.
As for Ross and his crew, they were on a whole other level. The Genin from Konohagakure were in a different league compared to regular bounty ninjas, and the same went for the Chunin.
Konohagakure's ninjas were just stronger than the average ones.
*Clang!*
Ross was pushed back by the bounty ninja leader's kunai. But the moment he was forced back, he immediately pulled out his gun again.
*Bang!*
He fired a shot behind him.
A flash of fire lit up the air as the bullet tore through the ninja leader's shoulder. At the same time, Ross felt a sharp pain in his waist.
Blood started to flow.
But Ross didn't slow down. His attack and the ninja leader's reaction happened almost at the exact same time.
Just as Ross swung a kick to his left, the ninja leader moved right into its path.
*Thud!*
A dull sound rang out as the ninja leader staggered back a few steps, the wound on his shoulder tearing open again.
Ross's face didn't change, even as the injury on his waist ripped wider, causing blood to pour out.
Not even two minutes had passed, and the entire street already reeked of blood.
"Damn it!!"
The ninja leader cursed. He never expected this group of pirates to be so difficult to deal with.
Especially this guy in front of him—he looked like an ordinary person, his strength was only slightly above average, yet in actual combat, he was fighting on equal footing with a Chunin.
"Water Style—"
Just as the ninja leader started forming hand seals, Ross rushed at him again.
"You really think I'll let you do that again?"
Ross sneered, his eyes filled with nothing but contempt. Even though he was the weaker one, he still looked down on the so-called "strong."
*Clang!!*
Ross's dagger struck again, only to be blocked.
But from this moment on, it was clear who had the upper hand.
It wasn't just Ross—his fellow pirates weren't holding back either. With their sheer numbers, the bounty ninjas quickly started losing ground.
Outside the battlefield, Karin stood frozen, watching it all unfold.
She stared blankly as the rainwater on the ground turned red with blood. The sounds of battle rang in her ears, yet she remained motionless.
Raindrops hit the wide-brimmed straw hat on her head, trickling down the edges.
Even though her hat was large enough to cover most of her head, it couldn't fully hide her hair.
Strands of red hair peeked out from beneath the hat.
"Why… why?"
Her body trembled. They were complete strangers. She had been nothing but cold to them back at the tavern.
Even though... they were all pirates, why?
"Some things can't be hidden no matter how hard you try."
"If you stay in the rain too long, you'll catch a cold."
Shisui held up an umbrella, shielding Karin from the rain. He had a gentle smile on his face.
"Is it because of my hair?"
"No, it's for the dignity of pirates."
Shisui answered while helping Karin put on her hat. The two of them stood there quietly under the umbrella, watching the scene unfold.
Until the last ninja fell.
Only then did the pirates finally collapse one by one. And then, they started laughing.
"Hahaha!!"
"Hahahahaha!!!"
Their hearty laughter broke through the rain.
Even though Karin didn't understand what these pirates were laughing about, she found herself smiling too.
A bitter smile.
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Why... why did you help me? You're pirates..."
"You... you..."
Hearing Karin's voice, the pirate captains stopped laughing and exchanged glances.
"Yihahaha!!!"
"Zehahahaha."
"..."
"Hey, Uzumaki brat! Watch closely—this is what it means to be a pirate!"
"It's exactly because we are pirates!"
The one-eyed captain grinned widely, even though two of his teeth had been knocked out. But his smile couldn't be any brighter.
Who would have thought that they—just ordinary people—could actually defeat ninjas one day?
No. Not ordinary people.
They were warriors of the sea. Pirates of a new era.
At this moment, Ross was overwhelmed with excitement. He never expected himself to have become this strong.
Thinking about it, Ross shakily pulled out another cigar from his coat, struggling to light it with his trembling hands.
He took a deep drag.
A puff of white smoke escaped from his waist.
"Heh! This cigar... sure packs a punch."
Right after saying that, Ross fell straight to the ground.
"Captain!!"
"Captain Ross!!"
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