Naruto: Copy System - [632] : Whitebeard in His Prime

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“Shin, you brat… I may be old, but I’m not senile,” Whitebeard said, his eyes—full of a deep, unreadable wisdom—fixed on Shin. “You claim you can restore me to my prime. Is that even possible?”

“That’s for you to decide,” Shin replied coolly, his tone unwavering. “Believe it or don’t.”

“…”

Whitebeard considered him for a long, heavy moment, the silence stretching between them. Finally, a slow grin spread across his face.

“Alright,” Whitebeard declared, his voice booming with newfound resolve. “I believe you. I’ll give you all my personal treasures. But remember, this is my treasure, not the treasure of the Whitebeard Pirates.”

He was willing to gamble his own hard-won fortune, but he would never touch the riches his sons had earned.

Their treasures were their own.

“Deal.”

Shin agreed without a moment’s hesitation.

In truth, the treasure was irrelevant to him. Other pirates might kill for a mountain of gold, but he had no use for it. This entire deal was just a pretext, a way for him to give Whitebeard a helping hand—though not entirely for free. There was no cost to Whitebeard now, but in the future, Shin would need him to put on a grand, unforgettable performance.

In the original story, Whitebeard had died at Marineford… old, sick, and past his prime. But now, at full strength, who knew how the Summit War would play out? That uncertainty made it worth Shin’s investment.

After all, he wasn’t in the business of helping people for free.

“Yin-Yang Release.”

A shimmering ball of pure life energy, woven from the fundamental forces of Yin and Yang chakra, materialized in Shin’s hand.

He tossed it gently toward Whitebeard, deliberately making the throw slow enough for the old man to dodge if he chose to. This was the final test. If Whitebeard flinched now, he would lose his one and only chance.

Whitebeard watched the glowing orb float toward him, his massive frame unmoving. He stood his ground.

The moment the chakra entered his body, a powerful, almost violent wave of vitality erupted from within him. He felt his old bones strengthen, his muscles tighten and swell with renewed power.

Every old wound, every nagging ache from decades of legendary battles, simply vanished. The very life force that had been slowly, painfully draining from him for years began to surge with the vigor of his youth.

Though his outward appearance hadn’t changed, Whitebeard could feel the monumental shift within himself.

It was a resurrection.

—————

“Pops, are you okay??” Marco and the other commanders rushed forward, panic written all over their faces. They’d seen Shin hurl that mysterious object at their father and had almost attacked, thinking it was some kind of sneak attack.

If Shin knew what they were thinking, he would have scoffed. If he really wanted to harm Whitebeard, did he need to resort to such petty tricks? He could have ended him openly, and Whitebeard would have been powerless to resist.

“I’m fine,” Whitebeard said, clenching his fists, a look of pure, unadulterated shock in his eyes. He couldn’t believe it. Shin Uzumaki actually possessed such an incredible, god-like power.

‘So this is what it felt like… the power of my prime.’ It had been so long since he had felt this surge of limitless strength. He never thought he would experience it again.

“Thank you, Shin Uzumaki,” Whitebeard said, his voice filled with a deep, solemn gratitude that went beyond mere words. “You’ll get your treasure.”

To trade the accumulated riches of a lifetime for this feeling? It was more than worth it. Treasure used to be important to him, but now, all he truly cared about was his family and possessing the strength to protect them.

“Don’t thank me just yet,” Shin said calmly, his expression unreadable. “My reasons for helping you go beyond your treasure.”

“Then what is it you want?” Whitebeard asked immediately, his guard rising. He had received a great gift, but he was wary.

“You’ll find out when the time is right,” Shin replied with a faint, mysterious smile. “There’s no need to tell you now.”

Whitebeard looked at him, his brow furrowing at the cryptic answer, but he didn’t press the issue.

“Alright, Whitebeard, bring out your treasure,” Shin said, his tone shifting to one of mild curiosity. “I’m interested to see just how much a great pirate like yourself has managed to hoard over the years.”

He was actually a little excited. A pirate of Whitebeard’s stature, a man who had dominated the seas for decades, must have a personal fortune that could literally form mountains.

“Of course.” Whitebeard turned and ordered his sons to bring out his personal collection. The sheer amount of gold, jewels, and priceless artifacts that they hauled onto the deck was enough to leave even Shin momentarily speechless.

“Not bad, Whitebeard. You’re a very rich man,” Shin said, genuinely impressed.

Still, he was probably richer, thanks to his lucrative arrangement with Doflamingo.

—————

“So, do you have any regrets about giving all this up?” Shin asked, a playful glint in his eye.

“Compared to what I’ve gained, this is a small price to pay,” Whitebeard replied, his eyes clear and resolute.

This treasure was just sitting around collecting dust anyway.

But to feel this powerful again… it was intoxicating. Ever since his battle with Shin all those years ago, his strength had been in a slow, irreversible decline. Now, he was back.

He knew he was still no match for Shin, but he was confident that besides him, no one else in the world could defeat him.

“Shin, you brat,” Whitebeard said, his tone turning serious and earnest. “Regardless of your true motives, I thank you.”

“No need,” Shin replied. “I’ve already been paid. This was an equal exchange. Farewell, Whitebeard.”

With that, Shin turned and ordered the Pluton to depart, leaving the Whitebeard Pirates in their wake.

“I don’t understand your motives at all, Shin,” Robin said as they sailed away. “Why did you help him? His treasure, as vast as it is, can’t possibly be worth the price of restoring him to his peak, can it?”

“I just want to see a good show,” Shin said with a light, almost chilling laugh. “If I’m not mistaken, Ace will fall into the hands of the Marines soon enough. And when that happens, Whitebeard and the Marines are destined for a massive, world-shaking war.”

He wanted to see how a full-powered Whitebeard would change the outcome of the Summit War. This was his true, selfish reason.

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