Naruto: Copy System - [687] : A Challenge Comes with a Price

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“A while ago, you were telling me how strong I was. Now you’re saying I couldn’t beat anyone…” Nami huffed in frustration.

“Your strength is decent, but it all depends on who you’re comparing yourself to. Against the old guard, of course you’re going to fall short,” Olvia explained.

“Forget the old guard—even compared to the Supernovas, you still have a long way to go, Nami.”

Shin’s words were blunt, but they were the truth. Nami’s skills just weren’t at that level yet. Of course, against your average Marine or pirate, she could probably take them down in an instant.

“So, no more slacking. It’s time for some real training. And I’ll be training you myself,” Shin said, patting Nami on the shoulder.

“YOU CAN DO IT, NAMI!” Shirahoshi cheered, giving her a tiny, encouraging fist pump.

“Heh, you could torture me all you want—I’m still not training with you,” Nami said with a humorless laugh, shaking her head firmly. She’d already been through the hellish nightmare that was Shin’s training regimen. She knew her limits.

Last time, just unlocking her Observation Haki had required nearly a month of pure agony. Nami had zero interest in going through that again.

Sure, back then she’d been desperate for power. But now? That drive had completely evaporated. Compared to getting stronger, lounging around doing nothing sounded way more appealing.

‘I’m a navigator, not a front-line fighter. Why do I have to kill myself training??’ That was Nami’s current line of thinking.

“I didn’t expect you to throw in the towel so quickly, Nami. But that’s not happening. You’re continuing your training.” Shin wasn’t about to let her weasel out of this. She’d been the one begging to get stronger in the first place—no take-backs now.

In the end, Shin had to physically drag her away.

Nami’s desperate pleas for rescue fell on deaf ears—everyone else just stood there grinning, finding her suffering way too entertaining to help.

“I’ll remember this, every last one of you!!” Nami grumbled resentfully.

“Just you wait, Shin! One day, I’ll become so strong that I’ll pin you to the ground and beat you senseless!”

Nami tried to win a verbal victory, but Shin was completely unfazed. Let her talk. No matter what she said, he’d still be the one pushing her to her limits—or, as he saw it, helping her train.

In the end, Nami was dragged away. Shin might have been joking around before, but when it came to training, he was dead serious.

“No complaining. If you want real strength, you have to earn it,” Shin said, cutting off her protests.

“You don’t want to be a burden, do you? So train hard.”

The word “burden” struck a nerve. Just as Nami was about to give up, her resolve hardened.

Shin saw the change in her and smiled faintly. When Nami was serious, her determination was something he genuinely admired.

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A week passed, but Byrnndi World still hadn’t shown up.

“Was the intel fake?” Shin was beginning to doubt its authenticity.

“Fine. If you won’t come to me, I’ll go to you.”

Just as Shin decided to track down Byrnndi World himself, Robin brought him new information.

The man was on his way, not far from their territory.

“I don’t think we should let him get any closer. I’ve looked into his abilities—his destructive power is immense,” Robin said seriously. What if he came ashore and caused massive casualties?

“You’ve got a point, Robin. I don’t want my territory getting torn up.”

Shin nodded. “Let’s go. Time to meet this guy.”

A glint appeared in Shin’s eyes. While this man’s strength couldn’t compare to Blackbeard’s, his value to Shin was far greater.

Shin gathered his crew and set sail.

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It didn’t take long to spot Byrnndi World’s ship. It seemed he had managed to recruit a new crew. For a powerhouse like him, finding followers was easy—a simple display of strength was all it took to attract a crowd.

“Are you Byrnndi World?”

Shin’s gaze settled on the man. He didn’t look particularly old, but in reality, he was over seventy, no younger than Whitebeard. He was a relic of the same era, but having been frozen for over thirty years, time had seemingly stood still for him.

“And you’re Shin Uzumaki??”

Byrnndi World’s tone was dismissive as he sized Shin up.

“You don’t look all that strong…” He was questioning Shin’s strength, mainly because Shin didn’t look intimidating. In Byrnndi World’s experience, true powerhouses had a certain presence, a physical dominance that inspired fear.

Shin, on the other hand, looked more like some pretty boy.

“Oh? And what does ‘strong’ look like to you?” Shin asked with a faint smile, completely unbothered.

Did he really think he could judge strength at a glance? When Shin concealed his aura, he appeared no different from an ordinary person.

As a ninja, learning to hide one’s presence was second nature—a skill honed in the world of Naruto that had become an instinct he couldn’t shake. Besides, Shin’s personality wasn’t the type to be overly flashy, constantly projecting his power. He preferred to keep a low profile, a calm exterior hiding the world-destroying force within.

“By the way, we don’t have any grudge against each other. Why did you want to challenge me?”

This was the question Shin really wanted an answer to. Was Byrnndi World just looking for a quick death?

“I don’t like your face. And I want to see if you have what it takes to be called the ‘World’s Strongest.'” Byrnndi World’s expression twisted with irritation.

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by novlove.com