Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Naruto Or One piece


"Shockwave!"

Standing at the bow of his battleship Naruto panted as the sun beat down on him, sweat dripping off his body forming a puddle beneath his feet. "I'm close. I can feel it."

It had been almost two weeks since he and Valentine left Asuka island after he defeated Saga and took possession of the Seven Star Sword. With the curse locked away in Kurama's cage Naruto had free reign to use the weapon as he saw fit without worry of the curse compromising his mind.

"Naruto-Kun, lunch is ready!" Valentine called standing in the doorway of the cabin her light yellow sundress waving in the wind, her hair pulled back into a small ponytail. She frowned eying the dirty clothes her captain was wearing.

At the last Island as she promised Naruto they had gone shopping for new clothes that didn't look like a hobo had outgrown them and Naruto picked them up. When she had asked Naruto what their budget was, and he answered she could spend the entire 22 Million Beri the Dusty pirate's bounties had brought in because he had millions more she decided to get her hair restyled as a symbol of the start of her new life as a Maelstrom Pirate.

"You trained too much before, but since you got that sword it seems like that's all you've been doing. Why don't you come eat lunch and relax?"

"I can't, not yet." Naruto panted punching at the air again cursing angrily when nothing happened.

He had done it two days after he acquired the sword by accident. He had been training his speed while weighed down by Miss Valentine's Devil Fruit and when he threw a punch the area around his hand glowed for a split-second and a wave pushed away from the ship. The wave wasn't huge by any means, but he was training at the front of the boat, waves should have been going out on the sides not directly in front the ship.

"I need to find a way to use it at will. Strength only available by accident won't help me in the Grand Line."

"Well, you can't train on an empty stomach so come in. I made Ramen." Miss Valentine said singing the last three word.

She had learned very quickly while Naruto loved ramen he couldn't cook at all and bribing her captain with boiled water and noodles was the go-to way to get him to stop training before he hurt himself. She didn't understand why he pushed himself so hard since he was already stronger than anybody she had ever seen. "

Naruto-Kun why are you training so hard?" You have the Rokushiki techniques you told me about. Isn't that enough?"

"The Grand Line is a dangerous place, Valentine," Naruto said wiping the sweat off his face.

He had fought Navy Captains and Vice Admirals before and knew that even now with the Rokushiki and new sword he would be hard pressed to win.

"There are people out there Valentine-Chan, people that make me look like a spec of dirt on the ground they walk on."

"Don't you think you are overestimating everyone else Naruto-Kun? I watch and help you train every day, and you are really strong." She knew if she still worked for Baroque Work's and had gone after Naruto for a job he would have crushed her and whoever her partner was with ease. Sometimes she thought he didn't give himself enough credit. As a rookie pirate, he was the best. The only bounty close to his was Eustass Kid with a 150 Million Beri's, and that was for killing entire villages of people.

"HHHEEELLPP!"

Off the Starboard Bow, three people waved from a small dingy; one was jumping and shouting for help while the other two tried to keep her from falling into the sea.

"Should we-"

"Yes, Valentine," Naruto answered before Valentine could finish her question. "It looks like there is a child on board. We may be Pirates, but I'm not heartless."

"Hey! Over here! This way!"

Turning the ship's course towards the small boat Naruto shouted back.

"We're coming!"

...

"Thank you for saving us."

"What are you bowing for Ossan? It's no big deal. Anyone would have done it." Naruto lifted the old man bowing to him by his shoulder.

The group looked like they had gone through some better times. All three were unhealthy skinny, the little girl who had been yellings hair was matted, and the old man looked like he was on death's door.

"Regardless of what you might think, we are still grateful. I am Shuraiya Bascude, this is my sister Adelle and our grandfather Biera. May we know the names of our saviors?" Shuraiya had been a bounty hunter for nearly all his life before finally finding his sister, who was working on General Gasparde's ship.

During that time he taught himself never to let his guard down even if it is around someone who saved you. So while he was grateful for being saved he would keep an eye on their rescuers.

"That is Valentine." Naruto pointed to Valentine, who was leaning against the deck rails looking non-threatening, which wasn't very hard for the shorter blonde. Naruto may have been kind-hearted, but she knew better than to drop her guard around strangers.
"And I am Naruto Uzumaki, captain of the Maelstrom Pirates."

"Gah!. . .Maelstrom Pirates!" Shuraiya leaped into action, front flipping over his sister pushing her back to Biera and putting himself between her and the most wanted man in Paradise as some called him.

Naruto 'HyperNova' Uzumaki

"Ah! Shuraiya why did you do that? Not all pirates are bad!I thought the Straw Hats showed you that." Adelle snapped trying to pull away from her Grampa, who was holding her back.
"Grampa let me go Shuraiya might have just ruined our chances of getting off that raft. Why can't you guys see not all pirates are mean people."

"Adelle stop!" Biera whispered dragging the screaming girl away from the two pirates. "That man is called the most wanted man in Paradise for his actions against the World Government and his massacre of any innocent people are in his path.

"Oh! So you've heard of me. How nice." Naruto grinned widely displaying his abnormal fangs, the whisker marks on his cheeks scrunching up him giving him a feral look.
"So tell me Shuraiya, if you know who I am what hubris possesses you to believe that you can beat me?"

"Naruto, quit messing with them." Valentine scolded trying to keep the peace. Sometimes it felt like her captain was always looking for a fight. "We aren't going to hurt anyone. Those stories the World Government say about Naruto-Kun are lies to cover why he has such a large bounty."

"And why should we believe you?" Shuraiya asked not moving from his defensive stance. The Straw Hats may not have been bloodthirsty pirates, but they were an exception. He wasn't going to just trust a guy with a 300 Million Beri Bounty on his head. You weren't worth that kind of money because you were a nice guy.

"He doesn't look like a dangerous person," Adelle said breaking free from Biera. "Or a pirate, if he steals treasure like pirates, why would he be wearing such crappy clothes?"

"I told you to wear your new clothes Naruto-Kun! Even a child can't take you seriously wearing your rags." Rubbing her eyes Valentine sighed.

It was only lunchtime. why did her day have to be ruined already?

"Alright, everyone let's all just calm down and eat some lunch. Remember Naruto, I made ramen, and no offense to you three but you guys could use a shower and a sandwich."

Days of floating on a raft did not do any favors to their hygiene. Guiding the group into the ship Valentine showed Adelle to her shower room and Shuraiya and Biera to the guest room before heading to the kitchen where Naruto was already drinking bowls of ramen.

Ignoring Naruto's loud and obnoxious slurping next to her.

"Shuraiya Bascude? I know I've heard that name before but where? Eh, I'm sure I'll get it later." She thought as Adelle entered the kitchen first.

"Adelle, help yourself there is plenty."

"Thank you, Ms. Valentine." Adelle sat down next to Valentine grabbing a bowl of a big bowl of rice and meat.

Leaving the bowl in front of her she looked up at the older woman, trying to find the right words. "I..I'm sorry about earlier Ms. Valentine. It's just my brother, and I just found each other and he's overprotective."

"Found each other? Why were you lost?" Naruto asked setting down his empty bowl of ramen on top of the other seven. "The Grand Line isn't the place to be getting lost in. It's dangerous out here."

"No one was lost! Eight years ago the Gasparde Pirates attacked our home Island. And me and Shuraiya were out walking along the river going to see grampa's new Steamboat. General Gasparde attacked us, Shuraiya got hurt, and I fell in the river. I would have drowned if it wasn't for Grampa Biera pulling me out. I had lost my memory and since then I worked as Grampa's assistant in the boiler room on Gasparde ship, and Shuraiya has been hunting down pirates looking for Gasparde to get revenge.

"That poor girl." Valentine hugged Adelle to her side rubbing the girls back unaware of the bright blush on the adolescence face at the affection. To think after eight years apart two siblings could find their way back to each other. All thanks to a kind old man.

"You and your brother are strong to be able to endure all these years Adelle. Shuraiya especially, since he had to remember losing you."

"I don't need nor want your praise, Uzumaki." Shuraiya said taking a seat at the table.

He had heard Adelle start to tell their story to these low lives and had wanted to barge in and tell her not to but for some reason, he let her be listening from the doorway.
"You may think you're some big name pirate but don't think that will save you if you try anything. I have a few moves myself."

"So you are strong? Then you should join my crew!" Naruto stated extending a hand to the gobsmacked bounty hunter.

"What!" Shuraiya shouted spewing food all over the table.

Where the hell did this idiot blonde get the idea that he would join his crew?

"Why would I want to join your crew? I'm a bounty hunter, and you have the highest I've ever heard of from a rookie pirate. What makes you think I won't turn on you the moment you drop your guard?"

"Just a feeling I have. Hahaha!" Naruto patted Shuraiya on the back passing him more food. "Now eat up, I can't leave my crew hungry. What kind of captain would that make me?"

"I never said yes!" Shuraiya pushed away Naruto's hand. He may not have hated pirates as much as he did before meeting the Straw Hats but that didn't mean he was gonna run off and become one.
"I'm not joining your crew and becoming a pirate!"

"Join my crew!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No"

Heads butting against each other's Naruto and Shuraiya yelled back and forth forgetting the giggling girls on the other side of the table.

"It seems they both fall from the same tree, huh Adelle."

"How long do you think they can keep it up?" Adelle giggled, even more, when her brother and the captain started wrestling on the ground.

It had been a long few days drifting, all of them packed on the small boat after the Marines had barred them from entering the Island the Straw Hats dropped them off near. It was nice to laugh and not have to worry about going hungry that night.

"Ms. Valentine, is it true the Marines lied about what Naruto-San has done?"

"One hundred percent. Naruto-Kun is different from the other rookies I've read about in the newspaper. They all entered the Grand Line full of dreams and overconfidence. You can tell just by what people say about them. Going after Shichibukai, killing innocents without fear of the consequences. Declaring how they will be Pirate King."

Valentine looked at her captain rolling around on the ground fighting with Shuraiya like a child.

"He may not act like it, but he is very serious about traversing through the Grand Line. Our ship even has a room made entirely for navigation full of sea charts and a giant map of every Island currently explored in the Grand Line. He uses it so we know what the islands we will be landing at are like."

Adelle frowned. "Doesn't that take out the adventure of sailing? Luffy-San says that's the best part of being a pirate is the adventures."

"To some maybe, but this is the Grand Line. The most dangerous sea in the world. Even if we know what island we are heading to and prepare we could run into the Marines, another pirate crew or even a Sea King. You don't have to go looking for adventure Adelle. Every day on this sea is one. Now, back to why Naruto is dangerous, it's not because of how strong he is, it's more of how prepared he was. We can evade Navy ships because Naruto has their patrol routes for some of the islands we may land at, and he has most of the names and powers of high-ranking officials."

"What? How did he get those?" Shuraiya abandoned his fight with Naruto to listen in on what Miss Valentine was saying. Peering at the Pirate Captain, who had gone back to eating occasionally glancing up to check on what Miss Valentine was doing.

"The Navy keeps those kinds of files locked up in bases and guarded." Shuraiya went over what he had heard about the Maelstrom Captain. He didn't act like a sociopathic killer and what Miss Valentine was saying did make sense. He respected Straw Hat Luffy, but the captain of the Straw Hat pirates plan to become Pirate King wasn't much of a plan at all. Sail the entire Grand Line, find the One Piece and become the King of the Pirates. If the other rookies had the same plan, then Naruto would be the bigger threat with just how he was already ahead of the curve.

"Before he became a pirate Naruto spent over half a decade on the Grand Line. I know he stole some vital work from the Navy, but even I don't know the full scope of what he did during those years. Naruto-Kun hasn't told me yet."

Naruto chuckled at the playful pout Miss Valentine was shooting him. She didn't know, but it wasn't for lack of trying he would give her that. His time in the Grand Line before he raised a flag wasn't something he liked to remember but was stuck to him for the rest of his life.

"I will tell you Valentine-Chan. One day you will hear about the Lost Tales of Naruto Uzumaki!"

"Ahhh!"

"Grampa!"

At the end of her grandfather's pain filled scream, Adelle was already halfway to the door. They had just been rescued what could have gone wrong now? Were the days on the raft to much for him to take? Was Grampa dying?

"Adelle wait!" Racing after his sister Shuraiya charged out of the kitchen hot on her heels followed closely by Naruto and Miss Valentine.

"ShiShiShiShi! If it isn't the famed 'HyperNova' himself, Naruto Uzumaki."

Standing on the deck holding Biera hostage was Gekko Moria. One of the Shichibukai. Beside him was a skinny glasses wearing blond followed by a zombie samurai? Naruto couldn't tell. It wore Samurai clothes and carried a katana but was missing eyes and wrapped in bandages.

"Gekko Moria. What's a Shichibukai want with me?"

"Don't be so presumptuous Uzumaki. I'm not here for you. The old man is who I came for. Shishishi!" Holding Biera by his feet Moria dangled him high above the ground due to the Shichibukai's large height.
"You see he built the steamboat General Gasparde used and while most would not get the significance of this feat I do. With my powers, Ratchet here's brain and Biera's building skills I will conquer the world! My cyborg zombie army will be unbeatable. ShiShiShiShi!"

"Conquer the world? Stop being stupid and let Gramps go!"

"Who are you calling stupid! You should have minded your place girl. Ryuma Kill her!" Moria ordered his zombie general pointing a long clawed finger at the young girl what dared insult him.

"Adelle, run away!"

Sword sliding out of his sheath Ryuma dashed forward, Geta's clacking against the wood of the ship. Stopping halfway across the deck his black blade glinting in the sunlight Ryuma swung.

"Right-hand Dawn Strike!"

"ADELLE!"


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