A/N: Well now, it seems that a great many of you STILL want me to do a Naruto/Nami/Robin threesome. I have to admit, the idea does amuse me. I'll have to give it some more thought, however, before I make my decision. And again, for those of you who already guessed about the connection between Naruto and Luffy, a cookie for you! Now, we know that Naruto and Luffy DID meet at some point in the past, and here, I shall elaborate upon said past more (Still can't give everything away in one chapter, after all.) As we finally get a glimpse of the inner workings of Naruto's backstory...

Also, for those of you who've been wondering why I highlighted the NarutoxBonney relationship so much, well, its certainly going to be something for Robin (And potentially Nami) to mull over, when they learn of it now, don't you agree? And that, dear reader, adds to the intrigue, no? Now, enough with the crude commentary. Time for a recap! Last chappy, we've had quite the surprise; the ADMIRALS have arrived! Now, I'm sure you're all looking forward to a pitched battle, and I certainly don't aim to dissapoint. Well, you'll soon see just what kind of elegant, flowing tapestry I'm weaving for you here. Now, at long last, another moment you have all been waiting for, taking place in this chapter...

...A NARUTOXROBIN MOMENT!

Someday, someone will appear, carrying the history of all those decades on his back, and challenge the whole world to a fight. The World Government fears that immense battle engulfing the entire world that will eventually come! I don't care for such things...but as soon as someone finds that great treasure...the entire world will be turned upside down.

And someone WILL find it; because that day will come, sooner or later. Because...

...ONE PIECE IS REAL!

~The last words of Edward Newgate.

Dive! Straight to Fishman Island! (Part I)

She'd given him up.

For good this time, or so she feared.

Stretched out on cold ship planks, the memory of those grand dreams so alive just moments ago made Jewelry Bonney once again feel the head of shame at her cheeks and throat. How childish she'd been! What a fool! Most of all, she recalled her idiotic shock, her befuddled, dumb surprise when at the first sound of cannon fire he had turned from her, taken her aside by the arm -by the arm- like a child.

"I haven't forgotten about our promise, Bonney." He'd said. "It's just that, I made him a promise, too, remember?"

She hadn't.

Bonney hadn't forgotten either. She'd just been hoping that he had. But he hadn't. His promise to "Fire Fist" Ace still burned like a brand in the back of his mind, even after all these years. Even so, she'd clung to that foolish hope, the hope that he'd forgotten. But he hadn't her promise either; because she'd seen the pain in his eyes. She'd seen that silent plea in those orbs of sapphire and cerulean, begging her not to make him do this, to not ask him again.

And all she'd had to do was ask.

She'd seen the look in his eyes. And she'd known, that, were she to ask him again -to join her crew- he wouldn't be able to refuse her. It would have broken him to turn away from his path, from the promise that had so defined him for the past two years, but in the end, he would have relented. Brokenly, he would have murmurred his goodbye's to the Strawhats, apologized to her, and away they would have went.

And all because he couldn't bear to rerfuse her. At least, not for very long.

The selfish, greedy part of Jewlery Bonney might have taken advantage of that once, in spite of her reservations. Back then, she wouldn't have cared. Back then, she would've gladly broken him-his spirit-if it meant getting what she wanted. Oh, but that had been then. This was now. Now she had a conscience, and she hated the damn thing. Bonney wanted to rip it out, to remove that vile weed that had grown over her heart and taken root there, slowly sapping her of her ruthlessness until there was none left at all. She'd lost that too, she realized.

He'd changed her.

Recounting it over and over was almost enough to make her slam her fist against the decking. But she recovered and bit her lip instead, tasting salty blood on her tongue. The pain, at the very least, was nothing when compared to the dull throbbing of her heart. She'd only felt this way once before, when Naruto had asked her to take him to visit the grave of Whitebeard and "Fire Fist" Ace located on some unknown isle miles away from civilization.

That had been the very first time she'd seen Naruto cry.

He'd no claim on the former, and although he insisted he wasn't related to the latter, he'd still wept. Just as she wept now. Hot, bitter tears coursed down her cheeks, and yet, though they stung and burned at her lids, though they sapped her strength, she refused to give anyone-let alone herself-the satisfaction of crying out. She took another, long, draught from the sake bottle, wincing as the scalding liquid coursed down her throat and warmed her belly.

Ah...what a memory that was...

"Someone will appear to carry on Ace's will." Naruto had spoken sadly to her that day, his eyes somber, his features dour, as they stood over the grave, together. "Someone, someone will appear, to avenge his wrongful death at the hands of the World Government. Even if they extinguish that bloodline, there's no way that flame will ever burn out, Bonney. It will always live, and it will never die. Do you know why that is?" He'd asked her.

She remembered shaking her head.

"You're not even going to ask?" He balked at her, aghast. "Well, you're no fun. I'll just have to tell you, then." He raised a hand, his fingers leaving her own, slowly, briefly, as they reached up to caress her visage; bellying a tenderness that made her shudder. She remembered him smiling, his fingers warming her cheek. She remembered, watching the sadness, watching it smolder away and resolve itself into grim determination. What manner of emotions flickered through his face, she'd never know. Whatever it was, he had never bothered to give it voice. Instead, he'd kissed her; softly, slowly, sweetly, driving the confusion to the deepest, darkest corners of her mind. She remembered. She remembered it all, especiall the part when he broke apart from her, eyes sparkling with amusement and said:

"Because, like me, there will always be a successor to the "Will of D", Bonney."

That had been the first and last time she'd ever seen him cry. That day, she had sworn to herself, never again. Never again, would she shed tears on the behalf of another. He had always been strong, and she, she was still weak. The last two years had made her stronger in body, but not in mind, she was nothing next to him. She should have known better. She should have. She should have known then, as she did know, that he would never break that promise. Had she known the true reason as to why Naruto had broken into Impel Down to begin with, had she known what he was seeking there, then things might have been different.

"Ah, who am I kidding?" Bonney scoffed at the thought immediately thereafter. "Dumbass." She chuckled bitterly. "Fucking dumbass."

She still would have followed him. Of course she would have. Naruto had offered her an escape, and, like a fool, she'd all but jumped at the chance. Such a fool. Such a lovely, lovelorn fool she was. Perhaps she'd been in love with him all along. Perhaps she'd been the fool, for not telling him sooner, for never answering his feelings in kind. Now, she felt herself stirring, stumbling, shaking off the effects of the sake, and swearing profusely as she burst out of her quarters in a flurry of motion.

Because, in the end, she could never bear to refuse him, either.

"Turn this ship around!"

It was then that a great and gorgeous black flare flung itself across the horizon.


(A few minutes earlier)

"Uh-oh."

Nami was the first to see the ship.

She was the first to recognize the two figures standing at the prow. She was the first to understand the horror of what was happening. Unfortunately-or fortunately, depending on how one looked at it-she wasn't the first to react. Even as she closed the spyglass, Naruto was in motion. Nami blinked as a hand closed around hers, gloved fingers falling, closing around her own for what felt like an eternity, as his breath felt like a kiss on her cheek...

"Excuse me."

"Eh?"

"Pardon me," Naruto repeated absently, gently taking the telescope from Nami. She felt her cheeks darken with shame as he turned away, peering out toward port and toward the approaching warship. Gods! What was wrong with her today? He hadn't said or done anything special this time, and here she was, blushing like a skittish schoolgirl! It was almost as if-

"Don't worry, Nami-swaaaaan," Sanji sang, "Your prince will protect youuuuumph!"

"Shut up, will you!"

"Thanks for that." Nami chirped as Sanji's visage crumpled off of Naruto's elbow with the rest of him and slid down to the deck. But "Burning Will" did not answer. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck rising sharply; prickling with anticipation as he saw the two men standing at the prow of the battleship. Both Kizaru and Akainu had come. Both of them. For him. So the navy finally saw him as enough of a threat to send two admirals after him. Under normal circumstances, such a sight would have been cause for celebration. However, given the circumstance of who was standing next him, Naruto didn't accept this "honour" with his usual exuberance.

"So they've come." he snarled; it was a soft, deadly hiss. "I thought they would, but of all the rotten timing...

If Luffy saw Akainu now...

...it was over.

"Nami-san," Naruto began slowly, his eyes never leaving looming galleon in the distance. "How long will it take for Sunny to submerge?"

Nami paused, considering.

"A few minutes at least, if they don't fire on us." Then she frowned. "Wait a second, don't tell me you're thinking of-?"

Naruto nodded curtly, pleased by her knowing assesment.

"I am." He assured her in a hushed tone. "No matter what, don't let Luffy see."

"But-

"You have to promise me you'll do it, Nami-san." Naruto continued. "Give him some meat or something, just keep him distracted for a bit."

"You can't possibly expect me to-

"I can, and I am."

"You're being reckless-

"And you're being an idiot!"

Naruto rounded on her, moving with a speed that Nami had not thought possible. One moment he'd been focused on the battleship before them, seeing her as little more than a distraction, a hindrance to his objective. The next, smoldering swirls of sapphire and scarlet swelled before her vision, blotting out all else. Belatedly, Nami realized that she was not to blame for Naruto's sudden fury. Luffy was. She saw those orbs of his swerve, stealing a glance toward their captain, gawping at Franky's awesomeness, still under the dellusion that their newest crew member had all but obliterated their opposition, that they were safe and there was nothing but smooth sailing ahead.

"You may have gotten stronger," He snapped, all fire and brimstone, "All of you may have, but none of you are prepared for this."

Because Naruto wasn't angry.

He was desperate.

"That's the man who killed his brother." Naruto hissed, his eyes desperate, his tone ferverent, so much so that it gave the navigator pause. "Don't ask me to explain; because I can't. You just have to promise me. Please. you can't let him go, Nami-san. You just can't." He leaned forward, the spyglass clattering from his hands as he clasped hers with an urgency so sincere that it caused Nami to blush.

"W-What are you...

"I'm begging you!"

Unbelievable.

He really was desperate. She saw the pain in his eyes as they stole away from Luffy, she saw the anxiety in them. She saw the fierce and furious desire to protect, hidden with those crystal pools of deep, cerulean blue. Nami saw it. Naruto wasn't being selfish. He was being unselfish. The look in those eyes, was not one of greed or pride, it was the way an older brother regarded a younger sibling, with care and affection, and a will so intense that it was almost papalbe. The will to protect. In that moment, Naruto reminded her of Ace, strangely enough, and she hadn't even known him all that well.

"Be sure and take care of my little brother." Those words rang in her head, clear as a clarion bell. "All right?"

"!"

Until now, she hadn't given them much thought. Now however, they came back to her; a great and terrible tide of realization. Those were the very same words of Fire Fist Ace had spoken to them in Alabasta, when he'd bid them farewell. Now, those very same eyes, the eyes of his sucessor were looking down at her, pleading with her to see reason, to relent and lend him her aid.

"He'll die if he fights that man, Nami-san." Naruto urged. "Please, just do as I ask, just this once."

His eyes were those of brother, unrelated by blood or anything so flimsy, forged by a bond so strong that not even death could hope to sever it. Nami had never seen anything like it, not since that day in Alabasta two years ago, the day that "Fire Fist" Ace had bid them his first, and last, farewell. She remembered it as if it were yesterday, that aloof, carefree smile, that grin that spoke of boundless confidence forged by a life of both hardship and hapiness. Naruto had those very same eyes, nonchalant in his confidence and supreme in his desire to succeed. And...

And he was still holding her hands, Nami realized.

Why is that I dont mind, all of a sudden?

They were warm even through the gloves. They were stong hands too; calloused but not rough, the hands of a man who had worked all his life. They were the hands of a man who wasn't afraid to get those hands dirty. They were the kind of hands that she could imagine holding her, wrapping his arms around her-crap! Nami slammed the lid shut on that train of thought before could escape. Close. He was too damned close! Naruto was standing close enough to her that she could feel the heat radiating off of him in waves, infusing her with warmth and strength, and at the same time, weakening her resolve.

He wasn't asking that much of her, surely? She could feel the sweat perspiring upon her brow as he waited, as she considered his proposal.

"A-Alright."

Nami realized that she'd relented and begrudgingly aquescied that she'd been beaten. For some reason or another, she just could not bring herself to refuse him.

"Arigatou."

He smiled then, and it was a smile of such relief that Nami felt her heart flutter. For a moment, it looked as though he might embrace her, such was his glee. Had he done so, she would have welcomed it. Instead, Naruto inclined his head a fraction of an inch and sighed. The smile lessened slowly, his happiness leaching away until only a shadow of it remained, and then, not even that.

"Just keep him busy for a minute or two." Naruto released her hands abruptly and placed a hand on the bare skin of her left shoulder. "And everything will be alright." While it seemed that everything would indeed be so, he might have missed the fact that Nami shivered when he pulled his hand away. If he noticed, then he certainly didn't give any indication of it.

"How dare you insult Nami-san!" Sanji snapped, picking himself up from beneath Naruto's feet. "Luffy's not as weak as you-

"Tell me, do you want him to go to his death?" Naruto growled at Sanji. "No? Didn't think so. Now go, keep yourself busy, or something." Even as the pair turned aside, even, as they did whatever they were doing to distract Luffy, Naruto was moving. He put the matter from his mind, counted to ten, and, when he no longer heard the angry protest of their rubberized captain as he was ushered down into the bowels of the ship, Naruto marched onto the deck and summoned the full extent of his power; channeling it to his fingertips, ready to be summoned at a moments notice.

"Now,"

Naruto sighed; it was a soft, whispery sound. Then he reached around for the sheathe at his shoulder, his fingers closing around the bundled cloth, unfurling it gently. Without so much as a whisper, Kokushibyo flew free from its bundled sheathe. The black blade glinted hungrily in the afternoon light, its slimmed veins of ashen scarlet smoldering like so much the very flames that surrounded its master, flames crying out for blood.

Zolo recognized its aura immediately.

"That's-

Then Naruto clapped his hands over his head and his body burst into flame.

Power surged through bare steel-cracklesnap-and outside in the hilt of his blade, a breaker tripped, and all the lights went out except for a shower of gold and blue sparks that cascaded over the ship. Those fireworks lasted only an instant, however, and then darkness claimed the afternoon. Wreathed in a sheathe of thin, black flames, the blond took three steps forward, and brought himself to the prow of the ship.

There he paused, peering toward the rapidly approaching warship. He lowered his blade arm, its tapered tip scraping across the grassy deck of the Thousand Sunny. He stood, at the ready, and shrugged his shoulders, as though he'd just relieved himself of an incredible burden. He tipped his head up, up, up, until he was staring straight into the sky above. Briefly, he closed his eyes, and spread his arms wide.

"Let us begin."

When they snapped open again, they were a blazing, blood black.

And not a moment too soon.

"Susanoo." He whispered, as if the name explained the calamity surrounding him. He spread the fingers of his free hand wide, and a massive something lanced out at the incoming cannon fire, intercepting the cannonballs before they could hope to breach the Thousand Sunny's defenses. The resulting explosion shook the great galleon to her core. Smoke sprayed across the deck, leaving most of the Strawhats coughing on the dust and debris that spread across the ship.

Naruto didn't so much as flinch.

Banishing the fear that curled like a serpent in the pit of his stomach, he pushed himself away from the prow and began to walk.

He raised his blade, taking that black obsidian sword and holding it high into the sky. It glistened wetly, pulsating within the flames as it fed upon them and grew stronger. His power fed the katana, and it swelled; made buoyant with energy. Eerily the veins spread across the surface of the blade, throbbing, pulsating with an intention all their own. It was almost as if it were alive, a living entity, held captive within the confines of Naruto's sword.

Perhaps it was, Zolo mused. Mihawk had told him of this blade, once before. He had mentioned it in passing, and with it, a dire warning. The blade was cursed. To wield it was to bring death down upon you; to offer your very life force to the creature housed within the blade's hilt in exchange for its power. Given excessive use, the weapon would use up your life and leave you a pitted, dried husk.

Like all blades, it had a story behind it, too:

"The cursed sword Kokushibyo, Mihawk had explained. "One of the most powerful blades in existence, and quite possibly, a flawed creation. I know not who created that blade nor the purpose for its forging, save that within that sword, was sealed an ancient demon. Said to be the harbringer of the world's end, the last known wielder of that weapon, in a final act of spite, tricked a great spirit into taking the shape of his sword as its vessel. Once it had done so, he bound and sealed it within the sword, but not before it took his soul to the underworld, leaving it forever trapped within. It is said that the veins of laid upon the blade are the demon's tears, staining the steel even after all these years of captivity."

"Is it really that deadly of a blade?" Zolo asked dubiously.

The silence was deafening.

"Is it?"

"That would depend entirely upon the wielder." Mihawk aqueisced. "But in the wrong hands, such a weapon could destroy society as we know it, or so the legend goes." Then he sighed, waving the matter aside with a flick of his hand. "Do not let it distract you, Roronora. The weapon, if it does exist, is a relic. Long since lost to the abyss and it has not been seen for many an age. Put it forth from your mind, and let us return now to your training...

Unbelievable.

He was looking at a blade straight out of legend. Wielded by a man of fire, whom no sword-without the aid of haki-could ever hope to reach. The ultimate weapon the ultimate challenge and the ultimate warrior, neatly wrapped up in one voraciously violent package. Oh, and then there was the matter of that bloodthirsty sword of his, was rumored to hold its own sentience. Lovely. Absolutely free-frickin' lovely!

A demon sealed within a sword, huh?

Now that Zolo actually thought about it, it was rather...interesting.

Imagine the techniques one could glean from such a being! What kind of legendary arts you could master, when you had an ageless entity from which to learn! Admittedly, it might not teach you anything at all, considering that is supposedly drained your very life force in exchance for power, as opposed to killing you outright...

But it was one of the twelve Saijo O Wazamono Grade blades! To test himself against such a sword would be...

...incredible.

Greatly, desperately, intensely, Zolo found himself wanting to test Burning Will's skill with a blade. And why not? It was quite possible that this man was like him; a master swordsman. His choice of weapons spoke for him. Zolo counted each of them; the wakizashi jammed in Burning Will's jacket, a pair of eerily disimilar katana bound horizontal at his waist and of course, the blazing blade clasped tight within his scorching grip. That made for a total of...

Four.

Burning Will was a yontoryu-four sword-wielder. But how did one wield four swords? Idly Zoro wondered if Burning Will wielded four blade simply because it was widely known that he, wielded three. Wait a second. Would he do that, simply out of vanity? Well, his reputation spoke for itself in that regard. Would the man who put Mariejoa to the torch and stormed Impel Down really want to showboat anymore than he already had? Of course he would. Irked by the prospect of such a thought, Zolo touched his hand to one of the three hilts resting at his own waist. Tch. In the end it was quality that counted, not quantity.

As if sensing the small amount of killer intent leaking toward him, Naruto turned toward Zoro and cocked his head. He stopped in his tracks, his face slowly appearing over his shoulder as he curiously regarded his fellow nakama. A look of confused irritation crossed his eye as it regarded the stunned pirate behind him.

"Is there a problem, Zoro-san?"

Zoro said nothing. His only response was to neatly slice an incoming volly of cannon fire in halves. They detonated harmlessly away from the Sunny, leaving Naruto to gawp at the sheer strength of the swordsman. Likewise, the rest of the Strawhats had taken to defending the ship though why Franky had yet to release the undersea bag remained to be seen, a fact which Naruto remained very much grateful for.

"You don't have to do this." Robin said softly, suddenly.

Naruto turned toward her.

And found an odd sight awaiting him.

Luffy was being tickled half-to-death by the powers of the Hana Hana no mi. Such was the reason he had not yet interfered in the defense of the ship. It was almost laughable no, it was laughable, literally. And he would have laughed too, had not her gaze pinned him to the deck. There was no humour in her gaze, not this time. She knew the like of what he would be facing on the flagship; and she knew that he would likely be facing it alone.

Oh, Robin...

Fleetingly, longingly, painfully, his gaze locked within her own. She alone knew the depth of what he would be facing. Out of all the Strawhats, she knew what it was like to be pursued by a Navy Admiral; because she'd witnessed it firsthand. She'd been chased ever since she was a child, her every step hounded by marine and pirate alike. Never had she had peace, never had she had comfort. Only recently-two years ago actually-had she found solace amongst the Strawhats. Now, that nightmare had returned to haunt her tenfold. And, while Robin clearly held no illusions of surrender, she clearly did not approve of the path he was about to take; he knew her too well to expect otherwise. Oddly it was this that left Naruto smiling.

Same old Robin.

"Sorry, Robin." Naruto muttered; because he daren't say more. If he did, who knew what it would lead to? No, he dare not. This was something he had to do and he had to do it alone. It was not for pride as she suspected, it was worse than that. Much worse. This was for revenge. He'd attacked Mariejoa two years ago, not just to free his friend, but in the hope that a certain admiral would come to stop him.

He'd stayed behind, and he'd waited for them to send their best as they had at Impel Down; he'd been waiting for them to send Akainu. He'd been certain that he would come and how could he not? Surely he was still furious over the "incident" at Impel Down. Surely, he would come to finish what he had started that day. He'd been so certain that it would turn out that way; that the World Government would send their greatest powerhouse to eliminate the man who murdered the descendants of the Twenty Kings.

Instead, they'd sent Kizaru.

He'd beaten him senseles, such was his rage. Why hadn't they sent Akainu! Why hadn't they sent the one who'd murdered Ace! Did they feel that an attack on Mariejoa wasn't worthy of his attention? Was that it? Did they deem him unworthy of such a response? Back then he hadn't paused to consider such a possibility. Kizaru had been the threat at present, and Naruto had dealt with him accordingly.

But now, now he had come. Now, was Naruto's chance. His first chance and only chance, while the Admiral still underestimated his strength. While he still believed himself to be too powerful to be harmed by an "inferior" element, while his guard was down, he could be killed. Naruto knew this, and the possibility of avenging the death of "Fire Fist" Ace thrummed through his heart like an invisible song, beckoning to him, calling him, pressing him onward until the red haze colored his vision and all he saw was the blood of Sakazuki on his hands, and nothing else.

I'm sorry, Ace. I'll keep my promise to you, but for now...for now...

Now it was time to end it.

"You don't have to do this."

Naruto blinked, drawn from his bloody reverie by a voice.

"Naruto," Suddenly, something moved in his peripheals. Someone stepped forward, placing themself between him and the open ocean, between him and his goal. Between his vengeance and Luffy's own safety. Nico Robin said nothing when he met her gaze with his own. She simply stood there. Barring his path. She did not offer an explanation, nor did he demand one. Unspoken words traveled between them in that instant, words that would likely remain unspoken for ages yet to come. His eyes blazed like the sun, while her shone like the tranquil sea surrounding them.

"Please." She whispered, the word laced with so much pain that, for a moment, it gave him pause. But only for a moment.

Gently, ever so gently, Naruto pushed past her.

"I'm sorry." He repeated, not knowing what else to say.

Then his back exploded in a curtain of embers, showering them all with warmth. Naruto smiled, smiled, as the great flaming wingspan burst between his shoulders, spreading across the sky in a cacophony of burning orange and gold and red, colors and hues the likes of which could not be described. He stretched them wide, bearing those great and unholy tethers of flight for all the world to see.

And he was off.

The world stretched before him; an endless expanse of sea and sky as he hurtled through the clouds. He felt the mist striking against his skin, evaporating; becoming currents of steam and vapor as he surged through the sky and toward his supposedly unwitting target. He reared back and clenched his fist, his wings beating harsh and heavy against the clouds, rupturing the skyling as he soared into the heavens. He'd strike from here, he supposed, and sink the ship before either admiral could engage him.

It proved to be a mistake.

It wasn't long at all before he sensed that something was wrong. In fact, it wasn't long at all, before the massive fist of molten magma came hurtling through the fog and that misty sky, ready to grant him eternal rest. Naruto gawped, such was the size of it. Even as large as it was, he hasn't seen it coming. Such was its speed, as it rose up beneath him from below, threatening to swallow him up if he gave it the chance.

"Dai Funka!"

Apparently, Akainu knew he was here, after all.

Oh, bugger.

Naruto raised his blade, folded the wings against his back, and sent himself, sword and all, hurtling down toward the deck.

"Kagatsuchi!"

Black flames swept past the onrushing fist of magma; refusing to meet it head on as an opponent might have expected. Rather, they aimed for the attacker, himself. Startled, Sakazuki pullled back, and the deadly flames sundered instead the sails above, not his visage, as Naruto had intended. He had just enough time to glimpse the look of outrage etched into the admiral's visage as Akainu realized that his preemptive strike had been foiled, then it was over.

And by then, Naruto had landed.

Dropping down upon the warship like a swooping swallow, he greeted Kizaru and Akainu both with the flame. It roared into existence, reaching out with massive hands to take hold of the ships main mast with devastating effect; striking straight and true before either admiral could hope to react. And of course how could they? Their prey had come to take the fight to them-there was no protocol for such an event-so instead they stood there, struggling to recover as neither being foolish enough to stand in the path of debris as they came raining down from the upper decking.

Naruto didn't give them the chance to recover.

He struck the deck with his fist, plugging his fingers into the rigging before either admiral had the chance to blink. He left it there for a moment, a slow smile spreading across his features as the swell of flames rushed from shoulder to wrist to fist. Then he unleashed it, and sent it hurtling into the stores of gunpowder below. The result, well it wasn't pleasant, to say the least.

"Kagero!" (Heat Haze)

With a great and rushing woosh, the ship found itself aflame. Naruto laughed at the disbelief that soured Kizaru's perpetual smile. Akainu was all but boiling, such was his fury at the sudden turnabout. Now, not only could they not face him at their leisure, but, with their own ship burning up beneath them, their chance of escape was limited. Already, the marines-the lucky ones-were throwing themselves into the water, and a chance few even managed to procure a lifeboat or two, lowering it into the water before the flame consumed them, as well.

Naruto ignored them. Let the fools run. He had bigger fish to fry.

Starting now.

Naruto turned and flung a wall of fire between himself and Akainu. The admiral didn't even blink. Resolute, he stalked forward and through the flames as if they were nothing but kindling to him; his powers rendering him all but impervious to it; passing through the fire and the flames unharmed...

...and into Naruto's heel.

Stars-no, whole planets-exploded before Sakazuki's sight the left side of his face burst into a curtain of violet and indigo hues. He blinked them away, and Naruto reared back before him, seized the lappels of his jacket, and, with every fiber of his being, hurled the hulking admiral over his shoulder and into the ruined stump that was the main mast. Then, as the admiral bounded back to his feet, Naruto gestured, and a curtain of flaming debris brought the rigging down between them. He took no pleasure from this, small victory though it was. He knew that such petty impediments wouldn't be able to hold the admiral for long, and he was loathe to face both two admirals together.

All the more important that he ended this, before-

"Yasakani no Magatama."

Naruto turned his gaze skyward as a sea of blinding jewels swelled before his vision. He stole a glance back toward the Thousand Sunny, pleased to note that the cannons had ceased their bombardment of Luffy's beloved vessel. Good. Just a little longer, then. Just a little while longer. Then he could call off this farce and-god willing-beat a retreat for fear of accidentally being left behind. But now...for now...

"That won't work."

He scoffed as the bejweled lances jolted toward him scoffed as they lanced through the fire, through him, and scoffed as they obliterated the deck where he stood. The galleon groaned beneath him, the wooden beams protesting against the strain inflicted upon them as they were sundered even further, and yet, miracously, it held together. He swept forward before it could decide otherwise, the flames spurting from his heels flickering forth from his fingertips and bringing him within striking distance of the airborne admiral, much to the latter's surprise.

With a furious snarl, Naruto brought Kokushibyo crashing down.

Hard.

Kizaru caught its edge with the tip of his pinky finger.

Naruto's eyes bulged.

"What!"

"Aren't you a little young to be playing the hero, Naruto-kun?" Kizaru smiled, sneering as the blond struggled-failed-to prevail against the solitary digit stalling him. "Stalling us isn't going to get you anywhere, you know. That is, unless you're planning to sacrifice yourself...?"

"I could say the same to you!" Naruto snapped back, flinging his blade aside and thrusting his arm forward, fingers splayed. Too late, Kizaru saw what he'd been planning. Too late, he felt the boy's fingers close around his chin, his face, his visage, and hold them fast. His fingers closed around Borsalino like a vice and held it fast, clamping around his features with such force that blood welled up at his fingertips.

"Gotcha."

"!"

"Soren Sokatsui." Naruto announced smugly to the admiral's horrified expression, squeezing his firey fingers into the admiral's upturned visage; a fiery brand that seared and scorched the flesh. A swell of azure licked across his palm as he spoke the words, sending a surge of pure power arcing down the length of his arm, straight into Borsalino. He felt a pinprick of pain as the admiral painstakingly pressed a finger into the ball-and-socket joint of his left arm in a vain attempt to dissuade him from attacking further but by then, it was too late.

Much too late.

A lotus of blazing blue fire erupted between the two of them, slamming into Kizaru with such force that he found himself forcibly extricated from Burning Will's grasp. Cold fury burned the entire world white as he crashed to the deck below, the impact of his landing momentarily wedging the Marine Admiral there. Just for a moment. Then he stood up, dusted himself off, and shot upward with such speed that the ship itself cratered beneath him.

The sound of laughter above him caused his head to snap up. Uzumaki Naruto had appeared a few feet above Kizaru, flying backward so as to keep pace with the admiral only a few feet above him; an already formed geyser of flame swirling within the knuckles of his free hand whilst the other lashed out with the blade. Kizaru raised his forearm into the weapon in an attempt to block, but even as he did so, he realized his mistake.

"I was waiting for you to do that." Naruto announced calmly. "Gods, you're just so predictable."

For the first time in the fight, Kizaru's face lost its pleasant smile.

"HIKEN!"

The infamous supernova grinned sadistically before thrusting his hand forward, the crimson swell raining down on Kizaru with a sonorously low roar. The marine admiral threw up his hands to block, but the attack was too well executed, too well timed. Kizaru was sent plummeting back to the ship as the gush of orange flame propelled him to the ship and buried him there in the deck. With a rush of air the blast sent debris flying in a massive column of smoke and wood as the ship leaned dangerously against the force of the blast. Naruto alighted in a pointed crouch as the dust began to settle, breathing heavily from the continuous assault he'd just participated in. Not only had Kizaru kept on par with him, he'd nearly held the upper hand on numerous occasions. It felt good that he'd actually hit him this time.

The undeniable shadow of Borsalino slowly became visible as the airborne debris dissipated.

Naruto swore.

"That wasn't very nice of you, Naruto-kun." He hissed, gesturing the ruined pile of glass and metal that had been his spectacles. "You went and broke them on me, again."

Naruto opened his mouth to reply-

"Ryusei Kazan!"

-and skipped backwards as massive fist of magma mashed the rail he'd just been standing upon. Another blast was immediately forthcoming, and this one found its target. He kicked off his sandals as the roiling wave of molten death found his feet, nearly losing his toes in the process. It cooled rapidly, leaving little more than a seeping pile of molten slag where he, and his sandals had once been.

"Yow!" He yelped, blowing on his feet. "Hot! That was close! Way too close!"

"There's nowhere for you to run, Burning Will." Akainu snarled as he stalked through the inferno, to stand at Kizaru's side. "Surrender now, and face the consequences of your actions." Naruto blinked, the action of this compounded by a look of such disbelief that it was almost palpable. Then he laughed.

Naruto greeted his words with a dry laugh.

"You said that last time, if I recall."

"That's the truth of it." Kizaru drawled lazily, drawing a withering glare from Akainu. "But for a moment there, I thought you'd come to surrender yourself to us, Burning will." He offered his shoulders in a pitying shrug. "Insteeaad, it looks as though you've come to die, now doesn't it?" Naruto scoffed, and the admirals found themselves amidst the flames once more, but only for a moment; because a new, baleful aura pushed them back.

"Gentlemen," Naruto smiled benignly, wrapping himself in a thin sheathe of flame, "Whoever said I had any intention of dying? Or perhaps that demonstration just now wasn't enough to jog your memory? Perhaps this will."

It was, in essence, a flame.

But this went beyond-far beyond-what any mere flame could possibly hope to produce. It was not orange, nor red, nor a fimsy yellow. It was not even the dread flame of that Amateratsu, with its soul consuming surges of death and destruction. This was something more. This was something not of this world, nor of the next. Its very presence took the breath from one's lungs, the light from one's eyes, such was the terror that its aura inspired.

This was something unholy.

"You said that's the truth of it, didn't you?" Naruto asked softly. "Let me tell you something about truth."

"And who are you to claim such a thing?" Akainu interrupted harshly. "The marines are the true justice here! Not you, and certainly not a pirate!"

"Unfortunately, the truth is rarely pleasant, but I prefer to spread the light of wisdom rather than the darkness of ignorance." Naruto shrugged, his shoulders rising and falling with such nonchalance that it sent Akainu's temper blazing. This little punk...was mocking him! Even now, cornered as he was, Burning Will still thought he could fight his way out of it, just as he had two years before! It was...it was...

...INFURIATING!

"So, you intend to fight to the end, after all?" Akainu demanded.

"That depends." Naruto replied snarkly. "Do you intend to let me escape, as you did before?"

That tore it.

"Why you little-!" Akainu roared, flinging his hand forward, but Kizaru's hand at his shoulder stayed him.

"You honestly intend to fight the both of us?" Kizaru asked, the finest lining of confusion worming its way into his features. "Together? Alone? Isn't that a bit..reckless?" Naruto did not honor him with a response. At least, not of the immediate and verbal sort.

Instead, he smiled, dark, dangerous, and deadly.

"You'd best be on your guard." He spread his arms wide, brandishing the blade as if were a scepter, not an implement of mass destruction. "I am more than I was when last we met, Akainu. Much, much more. Allow me to show you the powers I gained over the last two years. What you're looking at right now, is only the tip of the iceberg. Allow me to show you what my training has acquired. Allow me to show you...the Susanoo."

And as he smiled, the flame solidified, starting as thin wisps of fire.

Then it swarmed.

The golden-blue haze swarmed; parting like the red sea as it swept round its master and enveloped him, coating him in a thin sheathe of azure saffron. Bone materialized from the nothingness, surrounding him. Around and around it curled, birthing the remains of a humanoid upper torso, the beginnings of infrastructure, of some great and terrible creature that existed only in legends. Taking shape, finding form, it reared above him like a coiled serpent; ready to strike at the slightest provocation.

A provocation Sakazuki willingly provided.

"Inugami Guren!" Sakazuki bellowed, his arm boiling; swelling at the command, bursting into the distinctive shape of a howling hound. Born entirely of magma, it arched its back and snarled, baring its fangs potently at the ethereal warrior, all that stood between it and its prey. In response, the ghastly ghoul lowered its arms, fingers sprouting forth from the flames, for the protection of its master. A shield burst forth from the limb, snapping into place between Burning Will as the hellhound lunged at him its slavering maw hanging loose and gaping wide.

"Useless, useless, useless!"

Naruto laughed, and let the flames flow around him. Taking on new shape, new form, until a wall of bone and fire erected itself between Akainu and himself. And still the dog of death, the hound from hell, surged forth to swallow him whole. Naruto adopted a bracing stance, tensing at the knees, and thrusting his right forearm forward. And just as it seemed that the hound would snatch him up in its jaws and devour him whole-

"Amateratsu!"

The beast found purchase, but not upon the squishy softness of its intended target. With a mighty grunt, the flaming warrior snapped its arm forward, thrusting its palm, shield and burning and all, into the face of the encroaching canine. With a keening shriek, the inugami guren imploded as the black flames scoured it away into nothingness, splattering it like so much gore, raining flecks of flaming debris down upon the deck.

Akainu stood askew, his jaw clenched in furious disbelief, veins pulsing against his neck.

Naruto smiled and uncrossed his arms, revealing that although the hound had supposedly struck straight and true; it'd done little more than burn the bandages wrapping around his arms. Bandages that he now tore away, revealing that intricate tattoo coiling about his arms, the mark of a dragon.

"That all you got?"

But the admiral did not focus on that. Rather, his gaze remained fixated upon the ethereal warrior that loomed over the master of the Mera Mera no mi, in all his blazing glory, sneering upon him and his supposed triumph. Just what was this abomination? Fire Fist Ace hadn't displayed any of these abilities during the War of the Best, and yet now, his successor bore the full brunt of the Magu Magu mi-an element that should have been superior to his own-and stood triumphant?

'Damn him...

Baleful golden eyes leered out from within a sheathe of impenetrable armor, sneering down at the Navy Admiral and the last remnants of his ineffective attack. Naruto raised a hand, and the giant mimicked the motion, its skeletal fingers curling, clenching into a fist. Formed within that fist, a blade of blazing, golden azure proportions, could clearly be seen in the haze, held high over the ship's rigging.

Naruto grinned wickedly.

"Itto Kaso!" (Sacred Cremation Blade)

And he dropped it.

Without warning, he dropped the blade, and when Naruto dropped the blade, he didn't just drop it. He did not release the handle and allow it to crash to the floor. He did not relinquish the vice that was his hand, from the cloth wrapped hilt that blazed with the blade of flame. No, when Naruto dropped the blade, he dropped. That was what he did with this weapon. There was no elaborate swinging or sweeping to the side in a graceful arc, as he raised the katana over his head and brought it down.

He dropped it and the warship burst beneath them.

The great galleon was sundered; split in two with such ease that neither Kizaru or Akainu had the chance to prepare themselves for the impact. One moment they'd been standing upon solid ground. The next, the deck gave way beneath their feet and they were sent plummeting into the ocean. Naruto would have joined them, had not a hand clamped upon his arm and-much to his disbelief-hauled him backwards and onto one of the severed halves of the galleon before he could recover

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

Naruto turned his gaze upon Kizaru then. Or rather, where the brightly colored admiral had once been, blinking in surprise. His eyes widened explosively, and streamed tears of blood as he gazed upon the sudden vacancy. He didn't have any forewarning, and yet, in that same instant, his head dipped to the right, ever so slightly. Seconds later, his eyes experienced a light so intense that it would have blinded him, had he not flung up an arm before his face in defense.

"!"

"Damnit!"

"I'm here too." The admiral replied snarkily, his heel set on an intercept course with the forehead of the dazed blond. Naruto grimaced and willed the spots away, blinking as the pain swam back and forth in his head, as he tried to sort out the cobwebs cobbling his thoughts. Not enough time. There was no way to block, not enough time to dodge, not without sustaining some sort of injury in the process. And with the ship falling apart around them, with Akainu bearing down on him about to take his head off, he wasn't going to make such an attempt.

And so, Naruto reached out, blindly, fumbling, searching for some sort of presence, some sort of handhold. And, as luck would have it, he found one. Through the corner of his eye he saw Akainu, clawing his way back up the ship, saw him, as the admiral's eyes narrowed in disbelief. Because Burning Will had done the one thing that no one, not even Gold Roger, had ever done before. He'd moved faster than the speed of light.

Naruto's hand clamped down around Kizaru's ankle, stopping the admiral's kick cold.

"Most unwise." Naruto grunted, not bothering to mince words as he crushed the ankle and bone beneath his fingers. "Or did you forget that I could use Haki?" It felt odd to rely on suck a trick again. Dissatisfying, really. He'd done this to Kizaru before, and with ease, too. Then, as he did now, Naruto watched as the pain washed all semblance of smugness away from Kizaru's visage; watched, as horror dawned in the eyes of didn't pause to savor it, however; because Sakazuki never gave him the chance. Even as he tried to fling the light-user away, even as he slammed Borsalino face first into the decking and released him, Naruto felt it; the first traces of magma stabbing into his flesh.

"Muego!" (Dark Dog)

Blue eyes widened explosively as he caught sight of the bubbling arm reared back to strike at his face. He twisted his body to the right, feeling the skin peel from his visage as the broiling appendage passed his face harmlessly by. But he wasn't out of danger yet. Instead of tearing off half of Naruto's face, Akainu rammed that clawed fist directly into another vital area, plunging it into Burning Will's right arm and detonating it explosively.

Naruto screamed.

Then Akainu's fist found the point of Naruto's shoulder.

He wasn't prepared for the laughter that followed; that dark surge of delight.

As he looked on the boy's arm reached up, ignoring his wound to clamp over Akainu's forearm.

"Impossible!" Akainu gawped as his magma tried, and failed to smother the flames surrounding Burning Will. Instead, the tables were turned. Black flames, shadowy wisps the like of which he'd never seen clung to the magma; where it had scalded away most of Naruto's shoulder. Slowly, inexorably, they crept across the tether of magma tying them together, latching onto Sakazuki with a mind-numbing intensity. With horror dawning in his eyes, with the first vestiges of pain crumpling the outer corners of his mind, Akainu saw and he understood, the truth of what had just occurred.

He hadn't struck the boy's flesh after all.

Not completely, at least.

"Surprised?" Naruto gasped through gritted teeth. "You're not the only one with an ace up your sleeve eh, Sakuzuki?" A pause, a devil-may-care flicker of amusement flitting a moment across his features. "Of course, I don't have any sleeves, but then again, neither does the Amateratsu...

Akainu seethed helplessly as his voice droned on, growing stronger with every syllable.

Amateratsu?

Whatever this Amateratsu was, Naruto had deliberately coated his entire body with it, forcing the inky black flame to act as a buffer against the magma while he burned within its tempestuous grasp. And, try as it might, the awesome powers of the Magu Magu no mi could not hope to prevail against it. In turn, the hellish flame devoured them crawling and creeping and crackling across the flesh of its master, leaving him writhing in agony, badly burned, scarred, perhaps, but by no means incapacitated.

And through the pain, through the all consuming blackness that threatened to blot out his vision and drive him under, Naruto brought his blade over and down, severing Akainu's arm. That had been the intention. He'd simply intended to hack himself free; he hadn't really been aiming at anything, or so he supposed. Instead, imagine his surprise when Kokushibyo sliced through the admiral's wrist as though it were naught but butter; removing the boiling appendage in a single sweep.

"GYAAAAAAAAARGH!"

The howl that escaped Akainu was a lament for all that he had failed to do, and all that he now knew he would never do. Naruto threw the arm away the motion dislodging the magma from his shoulder. He struck again, opening a rent in Akainu's other arm and nearly splitting the side of the doomed admiral's head. Akainu staggered. Naruto swung from the side, the haki-imbued blow biting deep into Sakazuki's magma, deep into his waist.

"It's over, Akainu." He hissed, the words darkened; edged with malice, barely burbled beneath the all consuming haze that threatened to swallow him up at any moment. "You had better hope Vegapunk can grow you a new arm, because believe me; you're going to need it." Naruto twisted the blade within the wound and held it there relishing as the admiral's visage scrunched up in pain.

This, was what he had come here for. This, was his just due.

This, was the long awaited reckoning that Akainu had brought upon himself the day he'd murdered "Fire Fist" Ace. This was justice. Not the paltry, self-serving kind that those marines so soulessly invoked, oh no. This was divine retribution, brought about by the only hand that could stand to harm Sakazuki and emerge, relatively unscathed. No one had expected it to end this way. Not the Gorosei, not the World Government, not the marines, and certainly, not Sakazuki. Naruto shoved the sword through marrow and into bone still, burying it to the hilt with an almost malignant glee. Surely, Ace was smiling. Surely, Luffy's brother was looking down from heaven and smiling down upon the hand of judgement that had dealt Akainu a crippling-if not career ending-blow, with this instrument of...

Vengeance.

Naruto yanked the katana free and Akainu sank to his knees. He lifted his remaining arm to ward of the next blow, and Naruto struck at it with his foot, he hadn't the strength left to swing the blade but once more. Disarmed, he fell to the deck, collapsing in a rapidly enlarging pool of his own blood. Naruto loomed over him a moment longer, warring with the desire and compulsion to finish him off, wrestling with the sudden, niggling sensation that he'd forgotten about someone...

"Ama no Murakamo."

Behind!

Naruto rounded on Kizaru with a hiss, his sword crashing against the admiral's, a veritable bar of golden, glinting light. Flames lashed against that light and his vision swooned in and out of focus as he struggled to mantain control. Damnitall! Despite having the somewhat neglible disadvantage of a sprained ankle, Borsalino had somehow managed to outmaneuver and flank him, and, for a moment, it was almost enough.

"How long do you think you can last with those wounds, neh, Naruto-kun?" Kizaru mocked him with that all leering smile as he pressed down with his blade. "Not much longer, I'd say, hmm?" He leaned closer, forcing the blunt edge of Naruto's weapon closer and closer to his face. Sweat beaded upon his brow as Burning Will pushed back with everything he had.

It wasn't enough.

For a split second, his knees buckled. For a second, for an instant, for an eternity, what little strength he had, threatened to desert him entirely. Then Naruto flung out his free hand and tightened the bloodstained fingers of that hand, into a fist. Before Kizaru could hope to react, the Susanoo reached down for him. Before he had the chance to dodge before he could think to merely phase away, the fist slammed shut around is arms and bound them to his waist. He prepared to end it; to bring those bony fingers together as one would their own, and squeeze Kizaru like an overipe grape. He tried to, but instead, lightning arced down his spine, followed by pain. A deep, searing, all consuming pain; emanating from just over his heart. No!

Not now!

He'd gone on too long; he'd exhausted his stamina and overused the flames of the Amateratsu. If he used it again, if he continued this excessive use of the Susanoo, then he risked diminishing his own lifespan. He'd worn enough of that away already in the past. He needed what precious little he had left, to continue his voyage. But he couldn't just let Kizaru go. If he did that, then he'd never have this chance again. If he released Borsalino now, then the admirals would only continue to hound him. Heck, they might even send all three of them next time, and he'd barely managed to defeat two! He couldn't let this opportunity escape him. No matter the cost.

Bracing himself for the worst, Naruto began to squeeze.

"Kikiri no mai!"

Naruto detected a flash of something sharp and silver, in his peripheals, and then, abruptly, he was airborne. It felt as though the world moved out from under him, sucking all the air with it. The blade fell from his hand, and suddenly, he was flying. His head snapped forward and the wind boiled around him. The air itself seemed to hurt, he was moving so fast. The ruined flagship-and with it Kizaru and Akainu-receded into the distance with uncanny speed.

How far he'd been pushed, he couldn't tell. It seemed to last forever, but he knew he had to hit the ground sometime. Oh, he hoped it would be soon. His body ached in every pore and it was only with great difficulty that he managed to quell the flames that still simmered from his skin, that he was able to recall the blade back to himself. Wetly and mostly intact, the blackened blade smacked into his palm as he flew, and he forced his fingers to curl about it. He couldn't afford to lose this blade. Not after the promise he'd made, not after all he'd gone through to get at it. But landing...

...landing was going to hurt.

It did hurt.

He was dimly aware of a hand clamping upon his shoulder, as the forces propelling him began to slow. There was a sharp snap-crack then, instead of being pushed, as before, Burning Will found himself yanked backwards with such force that it dislocated his shoulder. Ouch. Whomever had him must have used Haki to make certain that they had the proper handhold on his otherwise intangible form. And for that, he was most grateful.

Good ol' Luffy.

His back collided with something hard-the mast, perhaps-and he groaned. Whomever had first launched him from the warship hadn't exactly been gentle about it. Then again, neither had Luffy.

Then he fell forward onto the deck.

"Nice catch, Luffy!" Usopp laughed.

"Don't let them escape!" yelled Admiral Kizaru.

Yet Admiral Akainu-wounded though he was-was already preparing his attack on the Thousand Sunny. Charging his attack, Akainu yelled "Great Eruption!" Joining in, Admiral Kizaru was in mid-air and used his own attack, the Yasakani no Magatama, sending countless deadly light attacks down toward the Thousand Sunny. Yet they were both too late. A wall of fire, black fire erupted between their techniques and the vessel as it activated its coating technology, the one which Silvers Rayleigh had equipped it with two years prior. Magma and light, both were rendered ineffective before the blackened barrier, which, brief though it was, had bought the ship enough time to sink beneath the waves and be lost from sight.

Within seconds, the ship was completely surrounded by a bubble-like force field, sinking deeper into the water's abyss with every passing second. Standing upon the ruined wreckage of the flagship, the admirals' could do naught but watch as the Strawhat flag sank below the waves, and then, that too, was lost, as was the rest of the ship.

The Straw Hats had escaped.

"Damn it all to hell!" Akainu roared in disgust. "They got away!"

"A least we know where they're heading," said Kizaru. "We might be able to cut them off on the other side of the continent once they leave Fishman Island."

"That's not the point Borsalino!" snapped Akainu. "We should have been here quickly to make sure Straw Hat Luffy and Burning Will Uzumaki did not escape us." He winced as the stump of his arm throbbed angrily with that of his pulse. That they'd been defeated went without saying, and was left unsaid. And the irony of it all? Burning Will's bounty was only going to increase from this, once word got out.

The first man to kill a Tenryubito, was also the first man to singlehandedly defeat two admirals.

Two!

By himself! It was humiliating! Infuriating! It should not have been possible! It was the greatest embarassment the World Government had ever suffered in its entire lifetime, and it was only going to get worse, Kizaru realized, as he helped his fellow admiral off the wreckage of the warship and into a lifeboat. Oh yes, little did he know, just to what extent, how bad this day was going to be.

Kizaru knew how badly Akainu wanted to capture the two pirates. Due to Luffy being the son of the Revolutionary Dragon, Akainu viewed him as the most dangerous threat to the world, along with Fire Fist Ace. During the Battle of Marinford, in order to ensure Luffy's destruction, the Admiral had pierced through Jinbe, straight to Luffy whom he was carrying after he underwent mental shock upon seeing his brother dead. Everyone was sure that Luffy could not survive that attack, and yet, they were wrong.

Kizaru was also aware of Akainu's raging grudge against Burning Will Uzumaki D. Naruto. Many months ago, Akainu had captured Naruto and transfered him to Impel Down. Naruto had been sent to Level 1: Crimson Hell due of his bounty being a meager $21,000,000. However it turned out to be a complete trick. Naruto had faked his capture in order to get himself inside Impel Down. And to make matter worse, he was a Logia Devil Fruit user, successor of Mera Mera no Mi, something nobody knew until it was too late. No one knew why, but he immediately he fought his way Level 6: Eternal Hell.

It was discovered that the reason Naruto had gone to Level 6 was to see Hidan. Hidan had been the leader of the Brotherhood of Kami, a pirate crew of religious fanatics who believed it's their duty from God to overthrow the World Government. It is unknown what discussion was held between the two, but it had something to do with a girl named Ayame. Strangely, Naruto left Hidan in his cell, but decided to free Jewelry Bonney and her crew. Akainu, learning of this catastrophre, quickly returned to Impel Down to stop Naruto and the havoc he had created.

However, Naruto had outsmarted the Admiral-brilliantly so-and stolen his personal ship. When Akainu attempted to follow, Naruto simply burned his ship out from underneath the admiral before he could catch up to the escapees. Akainu would have drowned, had he not clung to the wreckage like a frightened child before being picked up by another ship amidst a horde of raging Seakings.

It was the biggest embarrassment Akainu had suffered and personally, he blamed Naruto for it. The boy purposely fools him by allowing himself to capture and made it look like he was a weak pirate. The image of Naruto's twisted smile of mockery served only to fan the flames of the Admiral's inner rage and determination to capture the blonde troublemaker, and with him, his captain, Monkey D. Luffy.

"You will not get away with this, Burning Will." Akainu growled. "I swear it!"

"Yes, yes, Sakazuki." Kizaru sighed, palming his singed visage. "Of course he won't get away with it."

"..."

And so he sat in undignified silence as they were rowed back back to Shabondy. They were not attacked by a Seaking-though he'd have gladly welcomed the chance to kill something-but upon their eventual arrival on the island, they were in for yet another surprise. Waiting for them, was a ship of massive proportions, pulled by two massive sea-serpents. The great galleon cruised through the waters of the Archipeligo, lowering a sloop for them. The meaning behind such a gesture was obvious.

As they disembarked, both admirals realized that they were not alone. There, waiting for them, her face soured by disapproval, was none other the most beautiful woman in the world, and only female member of the Oka Shichibukai, Boa Hancock. To make matters even more perplexing, she was engaged in a heated debate with none other than Sentomaru, whom she had-conveniently-picked up some time prior to arriving on the scene.

That the two were surrounded by a ring of heavily armedKuja pirates made the scene all the more imposing:

"Like I already told you," Sentomaru explained to Hancock, "The situation was insurmountable. The man who stopped us was the "Dark King" the same man who once stopped uncle Kizaru in his tracks! What was I supposed to do against that? What's more Burning Will is apparently that man's grandson!" He paid no attention to the sudden pall that fell over the Pirate Empress and her sisters, instead pressing onward, "To make matters worse, he was last seen fleeing Shabondy with Monkey D. Luffy and his crew, though I can't be sure why he would do such a thing-

"Just a moment!"

"?"

"Just now," Hancock began slowly, forcing the words through numbed lips, "What did you say to me just now?"

"I said he joined the Strawhats," Sentomaru repeated his previous statement. "And left Sabaody-

"Before that!" Hancock snapped! "What did you say to me before that!"

"I said that Burning Will is the grandson of Silvers Rayleigh." Sentomaru grumbled. "Telling me to say it again won't change anything."

"What proof do you have of this!" Hancock demanded, feeling as though ice water had just been poured into her veins. This could not be. It could not possibly. If Burning Will, if Uzumaki Naruto, truly was the grandson of the Dark King, of the man who had sheltered her and her sisters, then she'd made a terrible mistake. A terrible, terrible mistake that she had no way to rectify, should she ever see him again.

"The Dark King said it himself and Burning Will acknowledged his word!" Sentomaru threw up his hands in exasperation. "Every marine here can personally testify to that, Boa Hancock, as can a number of these pirates! Gods, what more proof do you want!"

But Hancock wasn't listening.

She could see it in the eyes of her sisters; the shock, the horor, the disbelief. Rayleigh actually had a grandson? Oh, but this changed things. If Burning Will truly shared blood with Silvers Rayleigh, then she owed this man a debt. Suddenly, Hinata and Ino's report made sense. It made perfect sense. If Uzumaki Naruto truly was the grandchild of the legendary "Dark King" Silvers Rayleigh, who had once-rumor had it-lost a lover to slavers, then why not bear such a hatred toward slavery itself?

His recent actions certainy demonstrated that in spades.

Ever since yesterday, the day in which Uzumaki Naruto had first set foot on Shabondy, the day in which he had singlehandedly broken up the slaving ring around the Shipyard Coating, slavery had all but ground to a halt on the Archipelago. Her sources had also reported that the World Nobles-famed for their lovery of such slaves-were nowhere to be found upon the Archipelago after that raging and righteous event.

Strange.

It was almost as if the slavers were afraid to sell and the Tenryubito, wary to buy; for fear of bringing the burning demon down on their heads. Burning Will was not known for his leniency in that regard, after all. The prospect of summoning his wrath was simply too great for even the most impertinent of slaver to ignore. And yet, and yet his actions of such reknown, of mercy toward slaves and spite toward slavers reminded Hancock of someone else, someone who had once freed her and her sisters from their own bonds of servitude.

Fisher Tiger.

'Oh, dear.'

Burning Will reminded her-a great deal-of Fisher Tiger.

Granted, he was not a fishman, and, granted, he possessed the powers of the Mera Mera no mi, but In Hancock's mind, this was were the distinction ended. Here was a man, a man who loathed slavery, who despised it to his very core. Who raged against it everyday, wherever he went. This was not a man of the kind that she knew; this was a man of righteousness and fortitude; of justice. And she'd thought that this man was after Luffy!

What a fool she'd been! What a-oh.

"Boa Hancock?" Akainu felt his anger abate somewhat as he caught sight of the infamous pirate empress. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm rather surprised myself." Kizaru added as he drew up alongside his fellow admiral. "I was under the impression that the Kuja pirates didn't travel this far north."

Hancock didn't have to feign shock this time; because this time it was genuine. They were wounded, she realized. The both of them. She'd been wise not to interfere after all. If she had, then she might have made matters even worse for Luffy. Thank goodness he'd managed to escape!

Still, there was the matter of explaining her prescence here to the World Government.

Hancock frowned. With two admirals standing before her and both demanding answerment, there was nothing left for her to do but follow through on her lie and hope that her statement would hold up under scrutiny. It was true enough. Her original intention after seeing Luffy off, had been to prevent Burning Will from harming him. Now, the subject was moot in point, but she opted to persist, regardless of the danger that she might place herself in:

"I came here in pursuit of Burning Will." Hancock lied. "He attacked my island several months ago and I managed to trace him to this location." She allowed a self depreciating smile to curl the corners of her lips to that effect, furthering the deception. "From what officer Sentomaru has told me of our opponent my aid would've been negligible at best, given that Silvers Rayleigh personally stepped in to ensure his grandson's departure."

Ha! Hancock hid the true depth of her satisfaction as she watched the words ripple over each admiral, watched them absorb their meaning and the implications behind it. Let them chew on that awhile! She let the statement hang, unadorned between the three of them. She let it smolder and simmer and spit in Akainu's purpling face; because the admiral's fury was suddenly redoubled in the wake of this, this sudden newsflash.

"His...Grandson?" Akainu barely managed to squeeze the words out around a scowl. "You mean to tell me, that Burning Will...is the grandson of the Dark King?"

"That's what I've been saying!" Sentomaru sighed loudly, his expression turning dire soon thereafter as he finally noticed the extent of the wounds that both admirals bore. "I don't understand. Didn't you manage to defeat him, uncle Kizaru?" Borsalino grimaced and scratched at the back of his head. Sakazuki, said nothing. But his silence spoke for him, and it spoke volumes, as his good hand crumpled around the ruined remnants of his wrist.

"Well?" Sentomaru pressed, obviously assuming that borth admiral's had triumphed. "He is dead, isn't he?"

"Not exactly," Kizaru took one look at his fellow admiral and wisely decided to broach the subject at a later date. "Well, but what about the rest of the pirates? Did you capture them all, Sentomaru?"

Sentomaru shook his head.

"Not all of them. The "Caribou brothers" along with a number of fake strawhats, managed to escape."

"And the rest?"

"All the rest of the offenders have been apprehended, but the real Strawhats have dealt severe damage to three of the pacifistas. The units were prototypes, the same ones that cornered the Straw Hats two years ago. Their strength of course was the same as back then. Its the Strawhats themselves that have changed! The level of growth they displayed after these two years in hiding is nothing short of incredible! You'd better make this nice and clear to Marine Headquarters! The Strawhat Pirates are at large once more!"

"Aokiji isn't going to like that." Kizaru ammended. "The world is in an uproar already. If they think that we admirals can be defeated so easily, there's sure to be more trouble, on the horizon, that's for sure."

"Well, you're right about-

"Get me a den-den mushi!" Akainu bellowed, the suddeness of his command causing both Kizaru and Sentomaru to jump. "I'm putting in a call to the Gorosei, and calling the entirety of our forces together to intercept the Strawhats in the New World. We'll summon everyone. All of them. Including...her."

Borsalino balked at the mention of her. Surely, Sakazuki wasn't thinking of summoning her to the battlefield? She, admiral though she was, had been expressively forbidden from pursuing Burning Will; despite her delirious desire to hunt down the supernova and kill him. If she was allowed, if she was actually allowed to join them in their misssion to destroy the last remnant of Gold Roger's era...

...oh, this wasn't going to be pretty.

"Now now, Sakazuki-san," Borsalino began nervously, "There's no need to be hasty...

"I DID NOT ASK FOR YOUR OPINION, BORSALINO!" Akainu thundered! "Someone, get me that damned snail phone before I tear this ship apart to find it!" This was met with little enthusiasm from the Kuja Pirates, least of all Boa Hancock. They were, after all, guests on the Pirate Empresse's ship.

"I would thank you not to destroy my ship." Hancock supplied tersely. "We will supply you with a den-den mushi if you so need one, but in exchange, I'll ask that the three of you leave us in peace, not pieces. Now, if you'd be so kind...?"

"But of course." Kizaru replied all too cheerily, secretly grateful for an excuse-any excuse-to depart. "We need to go back to Shabondy and see to the rest of our men anyway, now don't we, Sentomaru? You have our thanks for your assistance, Boa Hancock. " Sentomaru swiftly nodded his assent to this, also glad to be away from the volcanic Akinu, lest he somehow bring a torrent of magma raining down on their heads.

As they departed, Hancock fought back a blush.

"Rayleigh's grandson...

Despite herself, despite all the chaos surrounding her, the great, pirate empress, fought back a blush.

...I think I'd rather like to meet him someday."


(Meanwhile, on a hill overlooking the sea)

"Gone in the blink of an eye." Shakky stood, sighed, and took a long, hard pull of her cigarette. "Monkey-chan and all the others have become so strong now, haven't they?"

"You were watching? Rayleigh asked from where he sat beside her

"Of course." Shakky smiled. "I'm their fan, remember?"

"Right...

Rayleigh nodded absently, his eyes distant.

"Are you...remembering something, perhaps, Ray-san?" Shakky asked.

"Hmm?" Rayleigh blinked, drawn from his reverie by the words of his wife. "Did you say something?"

"You were thinking of Roger just now, weren't you?" She prodded playfully.

"I was." Rayleigh relented. "But I was also thinking of someone else." His eyes misted over slightly as he thought of it. Here, on this very hillock, he'd bid his son farewell. It is rather fitting, he mused, that I see my grandson off in the same fashion as his father. It made him think back to that day, when he'd first learned of Naruto's existence. Now, that had been a shocker...

"Well now, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" Rayleigh smiled at the figure standing before him, his shoulders propped against the door jamb upon which he rested. Whomever this man was, he had taken great pains to conceal his identity. He stood in the shadows, his face hidden within the deep folds of a cowl; as dark and mysterious as one could ever hope to be. Whatever this man wore was hidden well within a matte-black cloak., exposing only the light, leather sandals and black, fingerless gloves he wore, and he seemed reluctant to reveal even those. Even his face was hidden, save for an unusually bright shard of sunlight shining down between them, he was nameless. And yet the shared smile between the two men spoke volumes.

"So what brings you here, son?" Rayleigh asked, sipping at his glass absently. "I take Kushina's been well?"

"She sends her love."

"Such a lovely daughter-in-law, that one." Rayleigh laughed. "But I'm sure you didn't come here just to tell me about your lovely wife now, did you?"

The man shook his head sternly.

"I thought I should be the first one to tell you."

"Tell me what, Minato?"

Minato "Yellow Flash" Namikaze, smiled.

He was a handsome fellow, if intense. His blond hair was disheveled, his blue eyes intelligent, his features balanced. One might even have thought he were Naruto, were it not for the astounding lack of whiskers on his cheeks; cheeks that usually dimpled with a constantly bright and enthused grin; no matter the situation, no matter the peril. But, at the moment, he was intense. His face had hardened, his visage filled both with tension, and something else that Rayleigh couldn't quite discern. Chiseled and lacking any sort of expression, that face slackened, those lips bearing upward in a smile so abrupt and filled with such warmth that it served to dull the weight of the words behind it.

"Congratulations." A new voice joined with Minato's as he spoke, as he stepped aside and made way for it, this one belonging to that of a young woman. Beautiful brown eyes, framed by long, silken crimson tresses, Kushina smiled, and stepped into view and it was within her smile and within her stomach that Rayleigh both saw and sensed the truth of their words.

"You're going to be a grandfather."

"That was the last time I saw him."

Rayleigh tipped his glass back and sighed deeply at the memory. That had been years ago. Before both Minato and Kushina mysteriously vanished at sea, never to be seen or heard from again. And so, little Naruto had been left to be raised not by his grandfather, but, instead, by his godfather and godmother; their small isle comprising the entirety of the boy's life, until that fateful day. That day, the day on which "Fire Fist" Ace, first set foot on that shore...

"Do you miss him?" Shakky asked, lowering the cigarette from her lips. Rayleigh didn't have to ask to whom she was referring. He already knew. Did he miss Minato? Yes, he did, and terribly so. Even he, the great "Dark King" had no knowledge of his son's whereabouts, let alone those of his wife, whether they were alive, or dead, even. Would that he knew, would that he could tell his grandson what to look forward to in the New World! But it was not to be. If Minato and Kushina were indeed alive, then they were surely waiting for their son, who so desperately believed them to be in the New World.

If not...

"It may just be that there is no such thing as coincidence in this world." He mulled it over softly. "As though it was always meant to be...mysterious bonds slowly but surely weave their forms. At any rate Luffy has taken another step towards becoming a man worthy of that hat he wears. With Naruto by his side, he's likely to yet take many, many more. Those boys...make me feel like living on for a while longer."

As he watched the last of the Sunny submerge, shielded by the tide of black flames, he tipped his glass in a stoic farewell.

"Naruto...Luffy...both of you, turn this world upside down!"


(Even further away, Shabondy Lawless Zone)

In the remnants of Grove Forty-six, a pile of ooze twitched.

The greenish liquid slowly slithered across the grass, hissing and sizzling wherever the sunlight touched it. It clammored, clawed, and crawled its way past the mighty roots of the yukimarin mangroves, moaning, groaning, slurping forth from the soil as it struggled to find some semblance of shape and form. Eventually it did. Frothing and spitting, a face emerged from within the brownish green muck, a face that should have perished in the flames of judgement.

"Oh," It groaned, gasping and gargling on its own fluids. "Oh, he'll pay for this!"

Arms sprouted were there had been none, gaining deep sleeves through which human fingers stretched. A torso emerged from the greenish goop, sliding into place beneath a chest that hadn't existed in the moving marsh a moment ago. Fully clothed legs, followed by pointy-shoed feet, seeped out of the legless torso. Last, but not least, a wet-haired head popped into existence, bearing rimmed ringed eyes and a mouth with a long, lizard-like tongue, and a voice as wild and wicked as the swamp itself.

"Revenge!" He cackled! "I'll have my revenge yet! First on those Fake Strawhats, but, more importantly, on you! Burning Will! You haven't seen the last of me! I swear it! Just you wait, you...you do-gooder you! I'll chase you to the ends of the earth! I'll crush you, your loved ones, and all you hold dear! Kehihihihi! JUST YOU WAIT!"

Caribou had survived.

Naturally, he was furious.

"Burning Will...this isn't over!"


(Back with the Thousand Sunny)

As the Thousand Sunny sank into the abyss, unknowing of the threat that lurked above, all was not well.

Already, all was not well.

Instead of marveling at the marvelous sights as they sank deep through the waters, instead of being awed by the coating technology with which Rayleigh had equipped their ship, instead of being their usual, off-the-wall beligerent selves, Luffy and the Strawhats remained fixated on something else entirely. The fate of their newest crew-mate and nakama, Uzumaki D. Naruto.

"Is he going be all right?" Nami was the first to ask Chopper emerged from the cabin. All eyes turned toward the human-reindeer hybrid, each, expecting an answer. After an eternity of silence the reindeer brushed the sweat from his brow and exhaled heavily. The silence hung over them like a noose, until everyone choked on it. And still there did it hang, an invisible vice slowly tightening around their throats, constricting their hopes with every passing second.

Finally, someone severed that noose.

"He's fine," replied Tony Tony Chopper. "He's sleeping right now. It's nothing serious, but its best that he gets some rest." Everyone, even Sanji, seemed to deflate somewhat as they each received the news, knowing that their newest crew member was not in as dire straits as they had initially assumed. While this was indeed good news, it remained to be seen what had caused the sudden illness of their new nakama.

"Why did his eyes bleed and why did he vomit blood like that back there?" Luffy asked in confusion. "Is he sick or something?"

"He probably got it from hat dumb cook there," Zolo pointed out. "He's been getting repeated nose bleeds all the time. I hope you didn't bring back anything contagious."

"Hey shut up!" Sanji snapped back at the swordsman.

"I think it has something to do with the black fire," said Robin quietly, the concern of her words drawing all eyes unto her. "He used those black flames called Amateratsu to stop the volcano magma from following us. Perhaps it had some sort of aftereffect on him...?"

"Yohohoho!" Brook couldn't help but laugh. "It was a most impressive display, after all!"

"Hey I think you might be right," said Franky, recalling his own deadly encounter with the flames as Chopper returned to the cabin to tend his patient and his wounds. "Still...

(Flashback)

"Hold it!"

"Say, you wouldn't happen to know where Luffy is, would you, Franky-san?"

"Nope!" Franky answered stiffly. "Usopp and Sanji have been here already. Usopp's out to get fuel, and Sanji's stocking us up on fuel. Hoooooowever," he drawled angrily, "Something's been bothering me for awhile now. You keep telling us you're Burning Will, but you keep asking for Luffy! How do we know you're not some sort of Government spy or something, huh!"

"Franky," Robin began, "That's more than enough-

"So you doubt me, hmm?" Naruto wasn't having any of it. Squaring his jaw, he took a small step forward. "You doubt what you've been told then, Franky?"

"As if!" Franky growled, "I just don't trust you!"

"I knew it!" Naruto fired back. "Then that means you don't trust Robin, either!"

"I'm more than willing to take Nico Robin at her word!" Franky retorted, put on the defensive by the blonde's explosive retort. "However! Just because she says you are who I think you are, doesn't guarantee you're the real deal-

"Amateratsu."

Naruto summoned the flames back to the surface of his skin, welcoming the warmth they brought with them. They devoured the arms of his cloak with tongues of black flame and then the rest of it, exposing heavily bandaged forearms, the like of which were laced with strange black markings, barely seen beneath the bandages. With the destruction of his cloak, everything about him was revealed, as were the bulky protustions that had been bound to his back.

He was a spiky blonde young man with fox-like whiskers, sapphiric blue eyes, very handsome in addition. He was very tall, with an athletic outline. He was wearing an orange sleeveless coat, black short-sleeve shirt and pants, red gloves and boots. He was carrying two swords behind him; one a katana the other a wakizashi, both of which, now wreathed in flame with their master.

He glowered and Franky trembled. He tried to turn his head, and found it locked in place. He tried to close his eyes, and found he couldn't blink. Naruto smiled, and, careful to keep the flames from the deck, spread his hands outward; a small demonstration compared to the true depth of his power. The flames glazed across the mast, the deck, even the sails, but they did not burn; because he willed it to be so.

As always, it was intoxicating.

Adorned with fire and brimstone, his flesh writhing with layer on layer of flame, thorns of it crawling out of his skin, a black crown of it springing through the skin of his head, Naruto was eerily aware of the enstranted looks the resurgence of his given element had bought. Franky looked as if he'd just busted a cog. Likewise, Robin's expression was equally stunned, but even as he looked on, her surprise began melting, molding into something else; something he daren't give thought to.

'No,' he forced his emotions back down. 'Now is not the time. No. No no no...

Willfully, he banished the flames from his body.

"Satisfied?" He asked Franky, folding his legs and dropping into a squat between the two of them. The last of the flames spurted from his body and dissipated, turning to quiet ash upon the deck; and then they too, were gone into the afternoon. "Because I won't be doing that again." A strange flickering of relief flitted across his face, and then it was gone, fluttering away from his eyes with the ashen remnants of the flame...

(End of Flashback)

"I didn't think those black flames were hurting him." Said Franky. "He didn't look like he was in pain before."

"He doesn't show his pain well." Robin insisted. "It probably just took some time to affect him, that's all."

"You sounded awfully confident there." Zolo frowned. "Why is that?"

"What?"

"You said, 'He doesn't show his pain well' just now, didn't you?" Zolo pointed out sternly, rising into a standing position. "How is it that you knew that and we didn't, Robin?" If this perturbed Luffy, he did little to show it. Dumbfounded, he scratched at the back of his head, and said nothing. Likewise, this announcement was met with similair disbelief by the rest of the crew, each of them regarding Nico Robin with varying looks of confusion and skepticism.

"Come to think of it, you did say you knew him when you vouched for him." Usopp began warily. "I remember when Luffy and I first met him but did the two of you know each other before that or something?"

"No," Robin began, raising her hands pleadingly. "That's not it at all. You see, I-

"Oi!" Sanji snapped abruptly, interrupting whatever Robin might have said. "Robin-chwan doesn't have to say anything if she doesn't want to! So stop harassing Robin-chwan, Ussop!" Then he rounded on Zoro, "And especially you, baka marimo!"

"What was that supposed to mean, idiot cook?" Zolo flicked open of of his three swords, eye twitching. "You wanna go?"

"Ha!" Sanji retorted, lifting his left leg threateningly at the knee. "Just try me! I'll show you the strength I gained by risking life and lmb for two years in hell!"

"Quiet! The both of you!" Nami hissed, "Gods, he's sleeping for the love of-

"HEY!" Chopper protested suddenly, his loud shout muffled from within the inside of the Sunny. "What are you doing? You're not supposed to be out of bed yet!" A loud crash exemplified his cry of dismay, followed by the sounds of a one-sided scuffle that, judging by short-lived squeak of dismay, did not end well for Chopper. There came a muffled thump immediately thereafter, as the sound of heavy footfalls stumbled toward the door, making the raucus even more indistinguishable.

"Well, I'm awake now!"

All eyes found themselves glued upon the cabin door, seconds before it burst outward, bent at the hinges. Naruto stormed out, covered in bandages, most of which he ripped off by the time he cleared the doorway. Trailing immediately behind him, was a distraught Doctor Chopper, doing his best to reattach new bandages, in place of the ones that Naruto continued to tear/burn off of his body.

"No you're not awake!" Chopper responded, trying in vain to bandage his patient, despite the vehement resistance he received in part for his efforts. "You're dreaming! This is all a dream! A dream I tell you! Now, get back in bed!"

"Never!" Naruto snarled fiercely, snatching the gauze off of his cheek when the doctor tried to reapply it.

"Oh, you're awake." Luffy commented idly, grinning widely shortly thereafter. "Good! Now you can tell me how you and Ace met!

"Huh?" Naruto blinked. "When did I say that?"

Robin smiled softly.

Naruto saw it.

"Traitor!" Naruto shot her a pleading glance, to which her smile only grew. "Argh, fine! Fine." He sighed, offering his shoulders in a shrug; in recompense for his temerity. "The story won't be any good if I start in the middle, I guess. I suppose I owe you that much."

Naruto folded his legs-bandaged though they were-and plopped himself down at the door to the cabin. He sighed from where he sat as he swept his hand up and through his hair, the blond mess perfecting itself at the touch of his fingertips. His smile had returned. He leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees as everyone gathered round, as Luffy sat directly in front of him, grinning from ear to ear.

"Let me tell you a story." Naruto smiled, and when he smiled, it was a slow, sad thing, full of fondness and regret. "I'll have to start at the beginning, and it might take some time."

Luffy nodded eagerly.

"So, when did you meet Ace?"

Naruto chuckled.

"Well, it all started about three years ago...

(Begin Epic Flashback)

You want me to join your crew?" The youth asked in a surprised tone. "The Whitebeard Pirates?"

He was a handsome blue-eyed young man, athletic in his appearance, tall for his age, about eighteen years old and spiky blonde hair with fox-like whiskers. He was wearing a strange attire, even for simple island-folk; an orange sleeveless vest with red pants and black sandles. Strapped to his back was a long, oblong handle, one that looked almost like a staff, were it not for the wicked, inverse hook into which it tapered off; strongly resembling that of a scythe, a massive weapon wielded, larger than the boy who wielded it.

His name was Naruto D. Uzumaki.

Talking to him was a tall, well-muscled,dark-haired young man of about twenty-or-so. Unlike the blond who preffered to dress according to the tropical climate, the most this man wore in the way of clothing was a simple pair of khaki's, an orange cowboy hat-along with other various bawbles-a pair of boots.

His name was Portgas D. Ace.

They stood there on the shore, the waves lapping at their feet, and the edge of the weather-worn path they'd taken toward their desitnation. Off in the distance, a thin column of smoke rose into the distance; the sign of a residence, of the home of the boy who would one day be known as Burning Will. But for now, Burning Will was just a boy, and a boy who wasn't going to get supper; either for himself, or his friend, if they didn't get home soon

Now to Naruto, since the death of Gol D. Roger the King of Pirates, Whitebeard was recognized as the most fearsome force in the world, being the only one able to battle on equal terms with the Pirate King himself. Even the Marines and the World Government had to respected his power, and must take extreme caution when approaching he who was said to be closest to One Piece, the legendary treasure that Roger had left behind in the New World.

Naruto was being offered a position in that man's crew. By none other than the 2nd Division Commander, "Fire Fist" Ace. So stunned was he-not by his friend's rank, position, or status, but rather by his offer-that for the moment, the thoughts of supper and a warm bed slipped from his mind with that of the evening sun as it set behind him, casting itself across the sky in a brilliant flare of orange gold.

"You want me to join," Naruto repeated again, slower this time. "The Whitebeard Pirates?"

"That's right!"said Ace. "You're a better fighter than I am…well almost as good. You eat as much as I and my little brother used to…although we're not as addicted to ramen as you are. And to be honest with you, I had funny feeling we were destined to meet." Naruto gawped. He'd been thinking the same thing.

There was truth in his words. Through Naruto couldn't understand it, even through this was their first meeting, he had strange feeling they had met before, somewhere in the past, perhaps. Perhaps it's the blood in their veins. Perhaps he was just being stupid. Regardless, the spiky-haired youth known as Naruto remained very troubled on what his friend was asking him to do.

"Come on, what seems to be the problem Naruto?" Ace asked.

"Well Ace…"Naruto began weakly. "It's just…I mean…even if I did want to become a pirate, how do you know Whitebeard will accept me? I'm pretty sure he doesn't accept just anyone on his ship. Least of all me. I'm really not all that special..."

"Hey don't worry about Pops," reassured Ace. "Once I tell him about you, especially the part on how you managed to hold your own against me in fight, I'm sure he'll welcome you with open arms, no problem."

"I-I'm not so sure about that," Naruto replied with a nervous gulp. "I've heard stories about how Whitebeard shows no mercy to anyone who harms one of his crew. Maybe I'm not cut out for this after all...

Ace laughed.

"Hey, don't worry about it! If anything, he'll be surprised when he finds out that your Godfather is his little brother."

"I don't know," Naruto insisted. "I can't just leave without telling Ayame...

(End Flashback)

"Naruto there is something I need to ask." Robin began slowly, taking him away from his tale.

"Something wrong, Robin?" Naruto asked.

"Who is Ayame?"

Naruto became hesitant for moment in response to that question. He recognized the tone in Robin's voice; dense, thick, and deadly. Is it possible she was jealous after having learned of his relationship with Bonney? Did she even know about Bonney? Uh-oh. She knew. He knew that she knew that he knew, just by looking at her, into her eyes. That thought made his cheeks burn, but with every fiber of his being his suppressed it.

"She's a friend of mine from my hometown," Naruto replied slowly, choosing his words with great care. "Don't worry; whatever it is it's not what you think."

"And what is that I'm thinking?" Robin asked icily.

"That I was involved with her," Naruto pointed out. "Seriously Robin, Ayame is just a friend of mine."

"Is she a pirate?" Usopp asked, curious.

"A musician, perhaps?" Brook pressed.

"No, no, she's the waitress at her father's restaurant, Ramen Ichiraku," Naruto waved away their curiousity with a flick of his fingers."Well, she might own the place by now, I haven't been by my hometown for quite some time now."

"So she's just some friend you knew at a restaurant?" asked Chopper.

"Not just any restaurant," Naruto proclaimed proudly. "The very best ramen restaurant in the world."

"Don't be ridiculous," said Sanji as he raised an eyebrow, "What makes you think this restaurant from your hometown is so good?"

"It's because Ayame's father is greatest ramen maker I ever known," Naruto clarified with something bordering on actual reverence for the dish. "I know because I have tasted his masterpiece. Trust me when I say that nobody makes ramen better than Teuchi."

"Teuchi?"

"Yes, that's his name, after all." Naruto answered flatly. "What of it?"

"What did you just say?" Sanji suddenly asked.

"I said nobody makes ramen better than Teuchi." Naruto repeated. "I won't take back what I said."

"No that's not it," Sanji alleged. "The name Teuchi you mentioned."

"Yeah that's his name," Naruto replied. "You know Teuchi?"

"Know him? I heard about him from Zeff." Sanji responded

(Beginning Flashback)

"How long are you going keep this up?" Zeff snapped at Sanji.

"It isn't my fault," Sanji responded.

"A course it is," Zeff retorted. "You always beat up an idiot who came in with girls you flirt with. Now thanks to you it's going take months to repair all the damages that been done to my restaurant and all because you made a pass on that pirate's girlfriend."

"You know I'm kind of glad you didn't meet Teuchi," Zeff responded.

"Who the hell is Teuchi?" Sanji asked.

"He was my first mate in the Cook Pirates," Zeff explained, sternly, his words solemn. "He retired from, piracy a few years before I came to the East Blue Sea. He was the best ramen cook I ever had though; even I could not hope to match his recipe in that regard."

"What made him so special?"

"Teuchi had a secret ramen cooking recipe that attracts lots of women, that's why," Zeff shot back, suddenly grumpy. "There, I told you! Now, leave me be!

"Say, you wouldn't happen to have any recipes like that...would you?" Sanji asked, his eyes blazing with prideful glee. Zeff eyed his protege warily for a moment mustache twitching, bristling as he stared his student down. It was an impasse. Neither would yield. Neither would break. Not until...

Sanji sweatdropped.

"You don't, do you?"

"Just leave me alone!" Zeff sobbed, mournful in despair of his own inadequacy.

(End of Flashback)

"There's no way!" Naruto laughed, slapping his knee. "The old coot never told me about that! Ha!

"So is it true then?" Sanji asked, eyes blazing. "Can old man Teuchi really produce such a recipe?"

"Dunno." Naruto shrugged. "He taught me a bit...but nothing like that...I think?"

"Whaddy mean 'you think', huh, bastard!" Sanji wailed. "You now something, don't you! You're holding out on me, aren't you! Just like Luffy and the isle of maidens! I bet you weren't training there at all, were you, Luffy!"

"But I wanna hear more about Ace!" Luffy whined, eager to learn more about his brother, ignoring the plight of his lovelorn cook. "That isn't the end of the story, is it?" Sanji, poor Sanji, facefaulted as both the captain and the newest member of the crew ignored him, leaving Chopper to pat the poor person upon the back with one tiny hoof. Naruto watched this and smiled, amused the camraderie.

'I love these guys!'

Then he chuckled sagely, well aware of the glinting eyes of his captain upon him.

"You really wanna know?"

Luffy nodded rapidly.

"Alright then." Naruto began dramatically, drawing out his words as Luffy steepled his hands and leaned into them. "There I was, torn between leaving the home I'd known for all of my life, and leaving with the great, "Fire Fist" Ace, that very day! What an opportunity! What an adventure! The ultimate romance! The ultimate journey! I would have to be a fool to turn it down; this, the ultimate goal that every man aspired to!"

"And, and?" Luffy pressed in eagerly. "What did you do?"

Naruto grinned.

"And I said-

He never got to finish.

For scarce had Naruto begun to spin his yarn anew, then a sharp cry of alarm went up from the stern. The moment shattered, but not lost, everyone turned toward it, and saw the sudden source of alarm; breaking through the hours of Naruto's peaceful storytelling. What was to happen next, would soon prove to be anything but peaceful as he would soon realize.

This was the beginning of everything.

"Hey, guys!" Usopp cried! "There's something approaching from Six O' Clock! It's...a ship! It's a pirate ship! It's coming straight at us!" No sooner had he said it, then the ship itself reared up beside them, so close that both coating bubbles brushed against one another. Naruto tried to stand, but a starbrust of pain in the back of his head argued for rest, not action. Ugh. Perhaps he should have stayed in bed after all. Perhaps he should have done a lot of different things, but now was not the time to be questioning it.

"Don't use any fire!" He heard Nami, saw her from the corner of her peripheals as the opposing ship reared up before them. "We don't want to exhaust our oxygen supply!"

"Sure-

And then he beheld the giant sea-cow pulling the ship.

"What the fuck?"

A/N: YOHOHOHO! Long! This chapter was even longer than the last one! My longest one yet! Oh, and I own NOTHING! there, disclaimer's done, for the Q&A! Yes, the Amateratsu can burn hotter than the Magu Magu no mi, at the expense of Naruto's health. Sound like a fair trade-off, no? Putting that aside, I hope you liked the admiral fight! I put a lot of work into it, and I mean a LOT!

And Caribou attacks! Asskicking of a lifetime, much?

Thank you so much for all of you giving me all of these WONDERFUL ideas! I hope you liked the chapter! Also, as the the pairing(s) there is now a poll! Vote on THAT to determine the results of the eventual pairing as to who will be in the harem! Oh, and I know I may die from asking this so may times, but...REVIEW PLEASE! Then again...being a skeleton...I am already dead! SKULL JOOOOOKE! YOHOHOHO!

Next time: The Legend Arrives! Strawhats and Burning Will in Fishman Island!

Here's a preview to help tide all you guys and gals over!

"You probably don't remember me Burning Will," Caribou snapped. "But I remember you! I was just a rookie pirate of the Brotherhood of Kami, the pirate crew which you and that punk Shikamaru Nara wiped out!"

"Brotherhood of Kami?" Naruto repeated slowly, his eyes widening. "You mean to tell me you're a member of those fanatics!"

"Brotherhood of who?" Luffy repeated. "What is that?"

"I've heard of them," said Franky. "Based on rumors, those guys are bunch of nutcases who believe God had empowered them to overthrown the World Government."

"That's right," Caribou agreed with the cyborg. "Our leader Hidan formed the group for noble cause in the name of God."

"Noble cause my ass!" Naruto snarled. "You bastards came to my home town, kidnapped Ayame and sold her into slavery which she suffered in the World Nobles' hands at Mariejoa!"

"You took the one thing me and my brother had meaning to use in our lives," Caribou snarled at Naruto. "I tried stop you and you crushed me like a bug! But now, right now I'm a famous pirate just like you Burning Will! That's why everyone calls me "Wet-Haired Caribou". And I want you remember this face because I'm the guy that's going to kill you!"

"Get in line," Naruto responded tartly. "You're not the first one to make that threat."

"And you'll be the first to die!" Caribou cackled. " You won't escape from me this time!"

"This time?" Naruto frowned,

Flames flickered at his fingertips.

"This time, I won't be merciful."


They sat there on the cloak, staring out together into the shadows. Finally, it was Robin who spoke.

"You love her, don't you."

"I do-did love her." He said quietly, though the words tasted like ash in his mouth. "She was the love of my life. My love, life, happiness, and inspiration.

"You don't need to tell me this." Robin murmurred.

"No, I do." He looked at her, his expression grim. "There was another woman in my life. Her name was Jewelry Bonney. I won't lie to you, Robin. I slept with her. I enjoyed it, hell, I loved it, but I didn't do it to spite you. Never once, to spite you.

"I know."

"You knew?"

"Yes. And...

"And?"

"I have regrets, too."

He chuckled ruefully.

"You're talking about Ohara, aren't you?"

She nodded.

"I would have done anything to take back that day. Yet I couldn't. I had to go on, because Luffy needed me. I swallowed my fears, because Luffy needed me. And when that fear threatened to overwhelm me and destroy the family I'd found, I kept going, despite the fact that everything in my life felt empty, because Luffy needed me. She looked at him again, her eyes sad.

"For the past two years...everything was because Luffy needed me."

Naruto nodded.

"For the past two years...everything I've done was because I made a promise to Ace. Sometimes, I feel like I've lost myself along the way. Like I don't even know who I am at all under this "Burning Will" persona. I'm not even sure that I exist without it. I mean, the day I ate that fruit, the day that I took Ace's powers into myself, I changed. I didn't have the luxury of just sitting on the sidelines after that. And believe me, I tried."

"You're more than just Burning Will, Naruto."

"You're just saying that."

"Am I?" Robin took his hand in her own. "Then answer me this. Why do you free slaves?

"Because, well, because its right."

"Why did you invade Impel Down?"

"Because Ayame was in danger."

"Why did you attack Mariejoa?"

"I just couldn't let those people suffer like that."

"Why did you throw yourself at Akainu and Kizaru?"

"To save Luffy."

"One more question." Robin told him. "Then you don't have to say anything else to me, if you don't want to.

"..."

"Why are you still here?"

"Because you're here."

He heard her breath catch, in the dark.

"Why are you asking me all this?" he murmurred.

"We all have our dreams, Naruto."

He felt Robin take his hand and she squeezed it.

He was drawn to her almost magnetically, and found himself leaning in to give her a tentative kiss. He pulled away only a fraction afterwards. She looked as surprised as he did, though not displeased. Then he leaned in again, more urgently, and their kiss had passion. Naruto felt her breathing against him, and accepted her arms as they closed around his neck when he began to pull away.

He wanted this.

He wanted to be with a good woman, and forget for just a moment about where they were, and what had happened to them. He needed a moment's solace, and he suspected that, while Robin might not need such a thing, she was more than willing to comfort him. Perhaps a bit too willing. Pulling away from the heat of his touch, Robin-lacking any sort of haste whatsoever-tugged at her shirt, releasing the zipper that had tantalizingly constricted her chest for so long.

Before Naruto could protest, she pulled at the padded undershirt beneath, sighing with relief as she finally got it off.

Naruto hesitated, at that.

"Robin, I...perhaps we shouldn't..."

She ignored him, reaching over and undoing the straps that held his vest in place. He seemed pained, struggling with himself despite his obvious desire. "But what about the others?"

"I don't care."

The look in his eyes turned desperate.

"But...here?"

He cast his gaze about the cabin, his eyes lingering piteously upon the doorjamb and the appalling lack of a lock.

"Forget where we are." She pulled the vest over his head and he let her, staring helplessly. When it was done, she started working on the straps for his pauldrons, and after a moment's hesitation, he began to help. They tugged and pulled and twisted until they eventually got all that blasted, silly clothing off.

She untied his stained and soiled undershirt and removed it, unveiling bare skin. He was covered in cuts and bruises, as no doubt was she. His eyes were locked on her with an intensity that threatened to burn her up. The great "Burning Will" was a fearsome man. But not all fearsome men were also bad men.

"Are you...certain?" He whispered, his breaking husky. "There are...

"Shhhhh," Robin hushed him quietly, putting a finger to his lips. He stopped and looked at her with such an ache of loneliness it almost broke her heart. She slowly stroked his cheek. "I am tired of pain. So tired. Aren't you?" His answer came as he leaned in, his kiss gentle as if he thought her fragile. And then another followed, and then another. He allowed her to pull him toward the bed, leading him by the hand, allowed her hands to snake their way through his hair, to find their way into the waist-band of his slacks with an alarming swiftness as he found the clasp of her bra, his thumbs stroke the supple skin of her back and breast as he fumbled with and unhooked it.

A pair of hands sprouted behind the door and gently closed it shut behind them.

She pulled the door shut and locked it behind them.