Luffy grinned whole-heartedly as a familiar island came closer into view. He didn't wait until the ship was safely anchored and jumped away.
"O-Oi Luffy, matte!" His first mate, Roronoa Zoro, yelled as he ran toward the place his captain once was.
Luckily, the ship was already closed to the harbor, thus saving Luffy from falling in the sea.
"Luffy-senpai!" Bartholomeo shrieked beside Zoro.
"Don't worry, I'm okay!" Luffy said with one of those grins he was known of.
"Seriously..." A voice said behind Zoro and Bartholomeo.
No need to turn around to know it belonged to the captain of the Heart Pirates, Trafalgar Law. The man still had his emotionless face (that Luffy somehow knew how to break) when he looked at the straw hat boy.
"Why do you want to stop here, straw hat-ya? We need to hurry and head toward Zou." He said. By that time, every member of bartholomeo's crew, Usopp, Franky and Robin were beside him.
"Sorry, sorry! I won't be long; I just have someone I got to meet. I will be right back!"
And without even waiting for them to reply, he dashed away toward civilization.
Law let a deep sigh and wondered if it wasn't a bad idea to make an alliance with the straw hat. Sure the guy beat Doflamingo and all, but outside battle, the boy was seriously childish. How does his crew manage to bear him every day?
"That Luffy and his whims, I swear!" Usopp sighed while shaking his head. Ah...They don't...
"Who is he going to meet already?" Bartholomeo asked curiously.
"Who knows? He didn't tell us anything and even if he did, we wouldn't be able to stop him." Zoro said back to his self-proclaimed sleeping place in Bartholomeo's ship.
"Is it a good thing to let him go by himself?" Law wondered. "Knowing him, he would surely cause ruckus somewhere."
"Well, he did say he was going alone, right?" Robin said.
And that's quite strange... It's not like it was the first time for Luffy to dash while leaving everyone behind. He was Luffy after all, that was his thing. The strange thing was the circumstances under which he said that.
Two days earlier, everything was fine. They were heading toward Zou following Law's vive card when a hawk flew toward them- toward Luffy, a scroll on its back. Luffy took it and after reading its content, he grinned whole-heartedly and asked everyone to head toward the direction showed by another vive card that he pulled out.
Of course, Law tried to persuade him not to, but Luffy was Luffy. They didn't even get the chance to know why he wanted to go there and what the scroll was about.
"I have to meet with someone right away in private. You guys won't have to get off the ship. I promise I won't be long."
And there they were in the ship, waiting for the straw hat boy to come back from whatever meeting he had to attend.
"What's so special about this island anyway?" Zoro asked. He remembered how surprised Law, Robin and Bartholomeo were when Luffy mentioned where he was heading.
"It's a popular island in the New World." Robin spoke out.
"They called it "The Island where legends meet" or so I have heard." Law added.
Zoro frowned his eyes in confusion. "The Island where legends meet?" He repeated.
"They called it like supposedly because many legends were seen together here. Like Gold Roger and Whitebeard." Bartholomeo said, then his eyes shined bright. "This must be fate! The future Pirate King has a meeting with his destiny!" He exclaimed and cried with his crew, saying how awesome their Luffy-senpai was.
Zoro ignored them and looked back that the blue skies, wondering what the heck Luffy was gonna do here.
"Let me through, I'm in a hurry!" Luffy said with an angry face, while the pirates around him chuckled darkly.
"You've got guts to show yourself so openly when you're worth 500,000,000 beli. Aren't you afraid marines migh-"
The talking captain was cut by Luffy's fist in his jaw. The punch was strong enough to send him flying away.
"OUT OF MY WAY!"
"HELP ME!"
"Hm?" Zoro exclaimed, opening his eye after hearing a strange noise.
His eye locked with a strange being flying with high speed away from them. He watched go away before drifting back to his sleep.
"That was one strange bird..."
"Look at how they wasted my time!" Luffy said angrily as he walked away from a school of unconscious pirates.
"You always know how to live up a place, right straw-hat?" A voice laughed.
A very familiar voice...
Shifting his head toward the voice, Luffy saw a boy of his age sitting on the roof of a house.
He had blonde, spiky hair and blue eyes, with whiskers on his face. He was wearing an orange and black jacket with a white black, a white swirl with a tassel on the left side, and a red crest on the back.
He also wore orange pants with holster on his right knee, black sandals, and a black forehead protector with a familiar symbol on it. All of that over a short-sleeved white coat.
The grin on his face was equal to the one Luffy had.
"Long time no see, Luffy!"
"Menma!"
"It's Naruto, you baka!"
"Phew! I thought I was gonna be late!" Luffy said.
"If you had showed up an hour later, then you would have missed me for sure." Naruto replied.
"Eh? Good then!"
Both friends were walking down the streets toward a ramen shop that Naruto had located earlier.
"I've heard about you: Straw hat Luffy, one of the worst generation, the supernovas, 500,000,000 beli for your head! You sure are having a lot of fun." Naruto said, successfully making the straw hat burst out laughing.
"Shihihihihi, of course I am!" He exclaimed. "How about you? Hero of the Hidden Leaf, Child of the Prophecy, Boy of Miracles, Savior of the world."
"Sh-Shut up!" Naruto stuttered while rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment, bringing Luffy to laugh even more.
And since Luffy's happiness could be quite contagious, it didn't take long until Naruto joined him in his moment of laughter.
"Ah…" He sighed, once they'd calmed down. "Time sure flies fast. It seemed like it was yesterday the time you, Ichigo, Goku-sensei and I were training here and look at us now."
"Ichigo and Saiyan-sensei huh? I haven't seen them in ages." Luffy said, crossing his hands behind as his remembered his long time nakamas.
"They must be still busy. I haven't seen them since we parted ways."
"We should totally meet again. We'll party like the old times and eat lots of meat!"
Naruto laughed at his hyper activeness over meat. He reminded him of his own over ramen.
Suddenly, someone came crashing into Luffy. Like the good rubber boy he was, he bounced back, thus making the person crash on the ground.
"Oups, warye!" He excused himself, while Naruto knelt in front of the person.
It was a boy around fourteen years old with has green eyes and black curly hair with green highlights. He was wearing a black gakuran uniform with yellow buttons.
"Are you okay?" Naruto asked, a little worried.
"Y-Yeah..." He mumbled, rubbing his head in pain. Then, thunder stroke him when he realized who were standing in front of him.
"No way..." He breathed in utter shock as he got on his feet. His whole body shook nervously by the presence of the two older teens. "Y-You...You are Monkey D Luffy and Uzumaki Naruto: the future Pirate King and the future Hokage!" He exclaimed in wonder.
"Shihihihihi, you've just swept the words outta my mouth!" Luffy laughed, both hands on his hips.
"Hey, I know you!" Naruto exclaimed, getting back on his feet. "Aren't you Midoriya Izuku?"
"Who?" Luffy asked curiously while the green head gasped, wondering how in the world the great Uzumaki Naruto knew his name.
"Midoriya Izuku, ttebayo!" Naruto repeated. "He's from All Might-san world."
"Might-ossan!? Whoa sugge!" Luffy exclaimed, looking at the younger teen with sparkle eyes. "Then, you're a superhero too?"
The straw hat's question brought all light die out of the green-haired boy's eyes. "Not really..." He whispered with a lowered head. "Actually, it's been my dream to become a superhero too, but I was born without any quirk."
"Quirk?" Luffy exclaimed with a tilted head and arms crossed over his chest.
"Super powers, ttebayo." Naruto explained.
"Ah?" Luffy exclaimed confused. "And it's a problem?"
Izuku flinched at his words, tears of anger and frustration suddenly building in his eyes.
"As if you could understand..." He mumbled, head lowered so they wouldn't see his tears. Though they still did. "You two can't possibly understand. You guys are legends, heroes. You are really strong and courageous. From the beginning, you were special. Loads of people admire you, support you and have faith in you. You always get your back covered, while I..."
He couldn't bring himself to finish, his tears wouldn't let him to do so. Naruto and Luffy stared as he wept, strangely calm. When Izuku finally calmed down, he wiped his face using the back of his hand, then looked back at those legends he admired so much.
"I want to be a hero too, I really do. That's why I'm going to join U.A. but... sometimes I'm scared...scared that there really is no way for me to achieve my dream..."
He couldn't see their facial expressions, for their faces were shadowed. But he did see the grin that suddenly sprouted from their lips and frowned in confusion.
"Nē, do you know how they call this island?" Naruto asked out of blue. He bent down so that his eyes could be at his level.
"...The island where legends meet?" Izuku exclaimed, still not getting what was making them smile like that.
"If you're here, what does it make you then?" Luffy asked with the same grin, making the green head widen his eyes in surprise.
His surprised face made Naruto laugh a little. "Just because you're a zero in the beginning doesn't mean you can't be a hero someday." He said. "It just means that you'll have to work really hard and face lots of pain and hardship. It's gonna cost you a lot of determination and perseverance. People will continue to mock you; they will tell you that your dream is impossible. But that's how you become a hero. Ask All Might-san, he'll tell you."
Izuku bit his lips nervously. "But-"
"You wanna be a hero right?" Luffy suddenly asked.
"Yes, of course!"
"Then, hurry up and become a hero!"
Luffy's words left the younger boy to stare in awe. Such raw confidence was impressive. Then, it suddenly remembered why they were so amazing in the first place: no matter what could be standing in front of them, no matter the danger in their way, no matter how many times people told them that their dream was, they always refused to give up. They would always stand proud, voicing their dream out without a care of them.
And they weren't the only to do that. Since he came in this island, he met countless heroes with extraordinary willpower. They always knew how to get out of tough situations no matter how much the odds were against them. All because of one thing: Determination...
Naruto chuckled when he saw the boy's eyes which were slowly gaining back their glitter.
"You know..." He started, gaining Izuku's attention. "My adventures are coming to its end. Luffy's too...Well, not now but someday they will, that's how it is. All those legends who have met here saw their adventures ending. But this island still has the same nickname, all because when one's story ends, another one's begins."
Then, he flashed the boy a bright close-eye grin and ruffled his green hair. "Since I'm going, then it's up to you to become a legend. Be strong, it's up to you to become a hero!"
Izuku watched his heroes with widened eyes and couldn't help but shed some tears. "I-I will do my best!" He exclaimed and bowed as a thank. And when he ran away from them, a new flame was blazing in his eyes. He was ready...
Luffy and Naruto watched them going and chuckled.
"That boy's gonna be big." Luffy commented, putting a hand on his straw hat.
"Yeah, he reminds me of me in my early ears." Naruto mumbled with a soft smile. Go get 'em Izuku...
His thoughts were interrupted by growls...growls from both his and Luffy's stomachs. Both hyperactive looked at each other before bursting out laughing. Then...
"FOOD!"
"Luffy matte!"
"Ramen is always so good!" Luffy commented, calling for another bowl.
Naruto broke in laughter. "Damn right! But Ramen from Ichiraku Ramen Shop are the best. I'll save some for you someday!" He said.
Behind the counter, the owner and his assistant were rubbing their hands with satisfied grins. Those boys had come minutes ago, and fifty bowls were already empty. And there weren't regular bowls: the blonde guy had finished twenty large bowls while the straw hat guy finished thirty extra-large bowls. Ah, the money they were going to get from that!
"Here's your bowl, costumer-san!" The owner chirped happily, putting the extra-large bowl in front of Luffy. And in a blink of eyes, half of it was already in his mouth.
Naruto laughed at this. To think that Sakura and the others thought he was an eater. Luffy completely outmatched him! Good thing he took enough money with him.
"Say..." Luffy said, after swallowing his noodles. "Since everything's over with you, are you going to quit being a ninja?" He asked his blonde friend curiously.
"Huh? Of course not." Naruto replied, before looking at his bowl absent-mindedly. "It's just that one person's story has ended. But there's still more ahead of that..." His voice trailed off.
Then, his life until now flashed in his eyes and realized how long and tough the journey had been. He had lived twelve years of his life despised, rejected for something he didn't even know. There was no parent, no friend to help him. He had the Third Hokage though, but the old man was too busy to save him some times.
Frustrated by that situation, he had sworn that one day, he would become the greatest Hokage ever to be finally acknowledged by everyone. And boy, the journey was tough!
First, he had to graduate from the Academy. Three times he had taken the exam and three times he had failed, all because of the same jutsu: Replication jutsu. It's so ironic that Shadow Clones jutsu was now his signature technique...followed by Rasengan.
At the end, he was able to graduate and was put in a group of three with: Haruno Sakura, a girl he had a crush on until recently, and Uchiha Sasuke, the perfect guy stereotype, a real jerk that he learnt to appreciate. The group was supervised by Hatake Kakashi, a strong shinobi but a pervert behind the curtain.
And thus, Team seven was born.
They had lots of adventures together, and through them they had learnt to trust one another...more or less... Naruto had grown stronger and stronger, had found his ninja way and made friends. And little by little, he was starting be acknowledged.
But everything went upside down when Sasuke left the village for revenge over his brother. Naruto tried to stop him, he really did. But he failed...
He had promised he would bring that jerk back though, so he went for a two-years-and-training with his godfather and came back to his village, ready for more adventures. Yet, he still wasn't strong to bring Sasuke back. So, he trained and trained.
During that time, he saved the Kazekage, fought some Akatsuki members in the way, completed the Rasengan and so forth.
But then, his godfather Jiraiya died. He was killed, and everything snapped.
Thinking about it now, Naruto finally realized that this incident was where tables started turning around in his life, just as much as Sasuke's after the death of his brother.
The rage and hatred he had felt when he stood in front of his godfather's murderer was still present in his mind. But in the midst of that, he discovered the identity of his father...which was quite a shocker. And he saved the village from complete destruction.
Started from there, he had been called a hero.
Things continued to get messy though, and before he knew it, a war over Killer Bee and him had started. Since he was completely oblivious to it, he continued to train to tame his demon's chakra and he had the pleasure to meet his mother and learn about what happened that October 10th, that night when he was born.
Knowing about his past helped him greatly and lifted a huge weight off of his shoulders. Eventually, he learnt about the war and rushed toward the battlefield.
That war...
No one could say otherwise: it had been the messiest battle they ever had to face with all those Edo Tensei mixed with the ancestral links. But with Team Seven finally together, they managed to put an end to it. And he managed to bring Sasuke with his arm as a price. But like he cared...
Naruto smiled a little. The road was long and spiky, but he did it. It didn't mean everything was over though, there would always be more ahead. He just wouldn't be in the spotlight anymore.
"I guess you're right." Luffy's voice brought him out of his thoughts. "Bah! I'm still going to adventure!" He said, then started drinking the miso soup of his noodles.
His carefree attitude brought Naruto to laugh. "Hahaha! I bet!" He exclaimed, then smiled sincerely at the straw hat guy, that guy who support all the way since the first day. That guy with willpower and determination that easily rivaled -if not outmatched- his own.
"Hey..." Naruto started and Luffy turned his face toward him, his mouth full of soup. "You're a straight-forward guy about your dreams, so make them come true, Luffy." He said.
Luffy blinked once and grinned wholeheartedly after swallowing the soup. "Of course, I'm the man who's going to become the king of pirates!
Voicing their dreams without a care of the world... That's what a certain Saiyan had taught them and Naruto was glad to see he hadn't forgotten. He could go now in peace, Luffy's gonna be fine...
"ANOTHER BOWL!"
"Right away, costumer-san!"
"O-Oi! I'm gonna get bankrupt at this rate!"
"Hahaha! You're a funny guy, Menma!"
"NARUTO! I TOLD YOU IT'S NARUTO, TTEBAYO!"
"Thank you and come back whenever you want."
"Thanks Ossan!" Luffy exclaimed with a wide grin while Naruto walked out of the Ramen Shop with a depressed cloud above his head.
"My wallet..." He sniffed, his flat wallet in his hands.
"Are? Nanda, Menma?" Luffy asked, looking at the depressed blonde curiously.
"Naru- Never mind, I give up..." Naruto sighed in defeat while Luffy guffawed with his forever carefree attitude. Well, Luffy was Luffy. No one could change him; no one wanted him to do so anyway...
"Naruto!" A voice called out.
They both turned and saw someone really far from them, waving at Naruto. They couldn't quite see who it was but they could distinguish the pink hair from afar.
"Ah, that's Sakura-chan! It must be time for me to go." Naruto said.
Before Luffy could say something, another yell stopped him. "STRAW HAT LUFFY, HALT!"
Said boy turned around and saw dozens of marines running toward him.
"Damn! How did they find out I was here?" Luffy shrieked, his jaw wide open.
'Well, you DID knock dozens of pirates and you're not even disguised.' Naruto thought with a sweat-drop. Then he chuckled. "Looks like it's time for us to part ways."
Luffy turned toward him and grinned. "Yeah, I got to go or they'll arrest me."
"Arrest you?" Naruto exclaimed and burst out laughing. Like someone could catch this guy.
"Well, see ya around. Next time, bring back Ichigo and Saiyan-sensei so we could have some fun." Luffy said with a hand in his hat, thus making it cover his eyes.
"Damn right!" Naruto nodded with short laugh.
And as they walked past each other, they high-fived and grinned at each other.
"See ya, Menma!"
"Have a fun journey, Luffy! ...And it's Naruto, ttebayo..."