Disclaimer: PIRATES!
NINJAS!
PIRATES!
NINJAS!
PIRATES!
NINJAS!
I DON'T OWN NARUTO OR WORLD OF WARCRAFT!
PIRATES!
NINJAS!
Here's the next installment of The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!
"Okay, so what's your favorite color?"
"Gr…Gree…Green?" rumbled a voice in the darkness.
"Great! You got it!" Naruto happily bellowed.
It had been, as far as Naruto was concerned, days since he awoken in the darkness of the cell, and spoken with Vol'jin. He didn't really know if had been that long, but it certainly felt that way. The only way he had been able to tell that time had passed was the tray of food that was placed just inside their cell every few hours.
Being who he was, it was impossible to sit still; and unable to generate enough anger and desperation in order for the Kyuubi's chakra to act up, the blonde was left with no choice but to wait for the time that he would next fight. But that still left him with nothing to do, and so he found himself making conversation with the Skullsplitter troll that also occupied his cell. What he meant by conversation, of course, was Naruto jabbering incessantly to the troll, who didn't understand a thing that the blonde was saying, while Vol'jin merely listened on in the darkness, having nothing better to do.
Soon, however, Naruto decided to try and teach the troll some Orcish, and surprisingly the troll was receptive to the teaching, and after a time, the troll had begun to understand a little of what Naruto said. He learned that the troll's name was Gen'rash, that his favorite food was something called men'ra, and that he was an apprentice witch doctor. When Naruto had asked what a witch doctor was, Vol'jin had explained that it was a type of Trollish priest, that manipulated the darker parts of a person's mind, could modify and enhance their own and other's bodies, and could even change them into other creatures. Vol'jin practiced some of that art as well, and Naruto learned that the troll chieftain was known as a Shadowhunter. Shadowhunters were specifically trollish shamans that had mastered the Shadow style as well as many other troll-specific abilities and spells.
Naruto was pleased that he had something to do now, and made almost every effort to teach the troll as much of the language as he knew.
Vol'jin listened quietly as the blonde spoke to Gen'rash. The boy was certainly odd, in his eyes. He had never met a human, or rather, even anyone, like him. The boy had absolutely no prejudices, against his or any other race. The boy had talked briefly of how he had come to Azeroth, and why he had set out. Even now, Vol'jin didn't understand why the boy was doing it.
It was preposterous, in his eyes that the races of this world could work together in an alliance. There was far too much history between them, they were enemies, and always had been.
And yet…
The blonde's cheerful, optimistic view, coupled with the power that Vol'jin had witnessed previously, as well as determination that had sounded in Naruto's voice when he said that he would help free Vol'jin's people had been refreshing. The blonde had spoken of what he done so far- he had saved the gnomes, annoying as they were, from themselves, and then had gone on to win over the Tauren, the first to leave from the Horde. And now he spoke of eliminating all of the bad blood that was between the troll's and the rest of the Alliance, specifically the humans.
It sounded to him like something that Thrall would do. The Warchief had been raised by humans, and was sympathetic of them. With the ever-increasing power of the Lich King, and the other monsters in this world, Thrall would look to other sources of Alliance.
He had allied with the Alliance before, so why wouldn't he again?
He looked into the darkness, from where Naruto's voice could be heard. If all humans were like that boy, and were so willing to accept, then he realized that it just might be possible.
But until Vol'jin's people were free, and no longer oppressed by the Bloodsail Buccaneers, Vol'jin would forgo his final judgment of the boy.
If the blonde did what he had said he would, then Vol'jin might reconsider his views.
In the background, occasionally the sound of doors opening and shutting, along with the shuffling of bare feet and clopping of boots could be heard. Naruto guessed that they were bringing out trolls to fight, or putting wounded ones back in their cells. He could also hear (and smell) the drunken laughter of several pirates as they joked about never having to heal the trolls, as they would recover quickly enough on their own.
Naruto couldn't wait to get out and fight again, something that in the back of his mind was somewhat bothersome to him. When had he become such a warmonger?
He shook his head, smiling a little to himself. He was just waiting for a chance to get free, not to fight…or to kill.
Somehow, even with the Kyuubi's voice absent from his mind, he could still hear it, mocking his assurances.
A little while later, a pair of pirates, humans, Naruto noticed, who walked in front of his and Gen'rash's cell.
"Oi, brat, get outta here. You an' your roommate arrrree up," he said, grinning maliciously as his companion took a swig of foul-smelling booze.
Naruto stood up and heard Gen'rash do the same. The Skullsplitter troll loomed in the darkness, making him seem even more imposing than when he had been sitting. The pirates, were, of course, unimpressed by the troll's size, and merely waited until both had exited the cell, before one started forwards, gesturing for the two to follow him. When they did, the other pirate started up behind them, making sure that neither would run.
They walked through the seemingly endless corridor, and Naruto saw many other cells in the darkness, with hunched, shadowed figures dwelling within. He spotted a shock of orange hair, a few cells away from his, but was unable to make out the person within.
They walked farther, and then, with a suddenness that startled the two prisoners, there was light. And then sound.
Naruto squeezed his eyes shut from the influx of light as the pirate in front pulled a large, metal door open. Naruto was then roughly shoved through by the pirate behind him, having been momentarily stunned by the brightness of the light, and the volume of the sound. His eyes quickly adjusted, and suddenly he found himself staring at a familiar scene; the arena that he and Vol'jin had battled in.
"Move along, kid, and ye better give us a good show! I could use somethin' to distract me from this bloody forest… and all these bloody insects!" the pirate behind him said, angrily swatting at a fly that was buzzing around his head. He shoved Naruto forwards again, and then shut the door with a loud clang, before locking it with a small iron key that he had produced from his pocket.
Meanwhile, the pirate who had been in front during the trip grabbed Naruto roughly again, and dragged him into the center of the arena, much to the blonde's chagrin. He then left, leaving Naruto, still a bit dazed, in the center with Gen'rash. It was only a few seconds later that the familiar boom of Edward Scool's voice rumbled above him.
"Well maties, you enjoyed 'im so much, that I just had to bring 'im back! The annoying little brat that held his own against the king o' the trolls is back, and facin' off against the Skullsplitter Gen'rash. I can tell ye that this fight will be one ta remember!"
Naruto grinned inwardly at the pirate's words, thinking how right he would be. He settled into a fighting stance, his knees bent, and his hands up in preparation for attack.
Gen'rash's eyes, once a dull amber, seemed to shine in the light, and Naruto could see a fierce fire burn within them.
'He's psyched as well,' the blonde thought, grinning widely, 'that's gonna make this a bit easier.'
"I see no reason to bother ye all with many words, so I'll get straight to the point! FIGHT!" Scool roared, causing the crowd of pirates to explode in cheers and roars.
Naruto and Gen'rash remained still on the battlefield, staring at each other, however, causing the crowd to subside slightly. But they didn't remain so for long.
Naruto rushed forwards, putting on the biggest burst of speed that he could manage. Gen'rash fell back, raising his hands in defense. Naruto's first few punches were blocked, but their strength was evident in that Gen'rash had been forced to take a few steps back during the assault. Naruto then snapped a kick at the troll's shin, dangerously close to the kneecap. Gen'rash jerked back, avoiding the hit, but was unprepared when Naruto suddenly vanished, moving with the incredible speed of the Kazaashi.
It took less than half a second for Naruto to appear inside the troll's flimsy guard, (it was evident that hand-to-hand fighting was not his strong point) and drive a series of light-speed punches into Gen'rash's gut. The troll, taken by surprise, was flung backwards and skidded along the ground, before leaping to his feet, a few yards away from the wall. Gen'rash coughed a few times, spitting up blood, before wiping his mouth and walking forwards again.
Naruto stood his ground, his breathing a little more labored than before he had used the Kazaashi, but still ready to go.
'That really takes it out of you…' he thought.
He turned his attention once again to Gen'rash, who was still walking towards him. The troll, seeing that he had Naruto's attention, reached up and grabbed his tusks with both hands. Then, to Naruto's astonishment, he wrenched them from his flesh, without so much as a grunt. Blood immediately began to gush from the wounds, but once again, Naruto saw that they had already begun to heal, and grow back.
Gen'rash then brandished his curved tusks like swords, and rushed forwards, moving faster than he would have guessed. Witch doctors didn't follow the Tetra-elemental style, though he should have realized that they had some training in internal chakra manipulation.
The troll swiped and Naruto with his tusks, making Naruto dodge to the side, then stumbled back a few times in order to avoid the increasing number of slashes and thrusts that Gen'rash was making. He grunted as he stumbled over a particularly large crack, and suffered a large gash across his chest. He pumped as much chakra into his leg muscles as he could, and then leapt backwards, out of reach. Gen'rash quickly followed with a leap of his own, but Naruto was able to take the following blow with a quick Kongou, before his hand shot out, and grabbed the quickly retracting one of Gen'rash. While he was no match for the troll's strength, he was able to use what leverage he had to maneuver himself inside the troll's guard, by pushing the troll's arm up and sliding in before the other long, spindly, weapon-wielding arm was able to attack. He delivered a powerful elbow to the troll's stomach, knocking the wind from him, and then retracted his elbow slightly, and punched Gen'rash's chin hard, rendering him senseless long enough for Naruto to twist around and grab the tusk from the arm that he still held.
However, before he could remove himself from Gen'rash's personal space, the troll ducked down and gored Naruto through the arm with one of his recently regenerated tusks.
The boy cried out in pain, and was thus unable to stop himself from being lifted up and flung away from the troll. He landed roughly a few yards away, gasping in agony.
He stood up slowly, feeling the wound begin to close, and feeling the familiar rush of the Kyuubi's chakra. He grasped at it, but it felt like trying to grasp water, and it slowly began to dissipate as the wound healed. He growled in annoyance, and felt a bubbling anger within him begin to rise. The demon's chakra began to bubble as well, and focused hard on that feeling of anger.
His eyes bled into red, and his face became wilder as the arch-demon's power surged through him. He was dimly aware that he was now crouching, like some wild animal, as he focused his hardest to maintain the seething rage that made the Kyuubi's chakra react. His bracelets began to crack slightly, and then…
At once, pain like hot needles, needles dripped in acid and that were as thick as pencils began to rage through his body, as Scool activated the defense mechanism of the bracelet, upon seeing them begin to crack. Naruto, however, fought through the pain, and was now rolling on the ground, screaming louder than he had ever before. But nothing, not even the pain, broke his concentration, and the anger that fed the terrifying power of the ultimate creature of hate and anger, the Kyuubi, continued to grow. His arms began to glow, and the bracelets began to split, hanging loose on the blonde's arms. The pain, too, began to disappear, as the power of the bracelets began to fade.
He heard shouts from the pirates, and began to see movement from them as his vision cleared. When the bracelets finally released their grip, falling to the ground in loud clangs as they struck the stone floor, he then felt a tremendous surge of the demon's chakra, accompanied by the Kyuubi's thunderous voice.
'MY POWER IS YOURS, THEN, BRAT. RIP THEM APART.'
Naruto shot forwards, his senses, speed and strength heightened, and came to rest in front of a shocked looking Gen'rash. He grabbed the troll's hand, and with two strikes from his red-glowing fist, he shattered both bracelets.
He then turned, and glared, his blazing red eyes and fox-like grin causing a group of pirates that had vaulted over the wall and into the arena to stop in their tracks, rendered immobile by shock more than fear.
"Oi," he said, flexing one of his clawed hands, "who's first?"
The pirates were quickly shaken from their stupor, and adopted large scowls. One of them, a large, brutish one in a brown leather coat with scars all over his face, said in a low guttural voice, "Brat…ye'll pay for takin' away our entertainment."
Another grinned what could only be described as the grin of a murderous pirate, and said, "I think this'll be plenty o' entertainment, don' you think?"
The others began to nod in agreement, and then, without warning, they attacked. Some drew long, curved blades from their belts, others small daggers, and others a dagger and a pistol. The ones in front fired off their pistols first, but Naruto had vanished, using the Kazaashi. He reappeared in the middle of the charging group, and thrust his hands out in both directions. The red chakra coalesced around his outstretched arms, becoming large, animalistic claws. The reddish chakra claws shot out from him, and slammed into the chests of two pirates, lifting them off their feet and firing them across the arena into the walls. They smashed through said walls, and Naruto retracted the extended protrusions, just in time to block the bullet of one pirate in front of him. He leapt up and kicked that pirate hard in the face, and then using an air-grasping blast to eject himself from the group.
The reddish chakra had covered most of his body by this time, and was forming a vaguely fox-shaped head, and a long, fox-like tail, made entirely of chakra, now protruded from the back of the spectral fox that surrounded him. His blood was pumping in his ears, and though the seething rage still flowed with it, he still felt in control, something that he found to be quite nice. He felt strong, dominant. He would win, without a doubt.
Then he heard a strange bellow, in a language that he had heard briefly before, and spared a slight glance towards Gen'rash, who stood several yards behind him. The troll stood straight up, with his back arched, and his mouth closed. He held a hand seal in front of him, and he looked as if he was about to burp quite spectacularly. Instead, he exhaled, and from his mouth a poisonous green mist erupted, quickly engulfing a group of pirates that was preparing to enter the ring. The cloud obscured them for few moments, but their screams were suddenly audible throughout the entire, and when the smoke cleared, they were all lying upon the ground, clutching at their skin as it sloughed from their bones, falling to the ground in meaty, red chunks.
Naruto almost lost control of the demon's chakra, as he suddenly began feeling queasy, as he watched the pirates, who ranged from humans, to other green-skinned trolls, to gnolls and a few goblins. It was truly one of the most horrible ways of dying that Naruto had seen thus far.
He turned away from the spectacle, back to the pirates that he was facing, who had been frozen in shock at the sight as well. He crouched low again, knowing that he didn't have much time before the chakra began to burn his skin, as it had during his fight with Sasuke.
He flickered away, using the Kazaashi, and tore into the group when he reappeared. He punched with his hands, while the chakra flailed around him, both protecting him and damaging his opponents. He barely noticed it as a series of bullets struck the barrier of chakra that surrounded him, and didn't bother avoiding any attacks from the pirates.
They couldn't hurt him.
He grabbed two pirates with the spectral claws, and slammed them hard into the ground. The gnolls' heads were crushed in an instant under the force, and immediately after he had lifted his hands from the small puddles of gore that had once been their faces, he twirled around, expelling a massive wave of chakra. Most of the remaining pirates were flung back, both two managed to retain their footing, both humans, and slashed at him with their swords. Naruto then gathered his power and formed a Kongou, causing the reddish chakra to become more opaque, obscuring his body slightly. The swords struck it, and shattered, as the chakra lashed out in retaliation. Naruto then rammed his spectral claws into the pirates' midsections, blasting them into the arena walls like so many of their comrades.
And then, he was flying.
He met the wall of the farthest side of the arena, near where he had entered. He smashed through it, feeling a jolting sensation and was knocked senseless for a few seconds. However, he didn't feel any accompanying pain, so he stood and got a look at the one that had sent him on that impromptu flight.
The man was dressed in a deep black coat, with a red shirt and cravat underneath. He wore baggy black pants, and a pair of pirate boots. He was tall, and had long, black hair, and a frightful black beard, which was so thick and mangy that it the even the shaggiest of Kakashi-sensei's dogs couldn't hold a candle to this man. Some of his beard was tied in braids, and seemed to be smoking slightly, as if it had just caught fire.
His eyes were what struck the Kyuubi-enraged boy the most, however. They were a deep, almost soulless black, and seemed to give him all the more frightening an appearance.
He had a massive sword resting on his shoulder, which Naruto guessed was what had struck him. It was straight until it got to the very end; where the blade jutted out in a series of "teeth" before dipping back down to form the point. It was truly a frightening looking weapon, and would have looked at home on the back of Kisame or Zabuza any day.
The pirate scowled, and bellowed in a familiar voice, "Well, lad, ye've gone a made a mess o' things, haven't ye?"
Edward Scool did not look happy, not in the slightest. A group of his men now lay quickly decomposing on one part of the arena, (Naruto noticed briefly that Gen'rash was no longer in the arena, and wondered where he had gone) and another group had been defeated by a child that had somehow been able to break the seemingly unbreakable bracelets that his captain had given him to keep the trolls in line.
And now, he was facing a tremendously dangerous young man that wielded a magic unlike he had ever seen. Granted, he was no connoisseur of magicks, but he was pretty sure that what the blonde was doing was fairly uncommon among his kind. He lowered his blade, undaunted by its weight, and held it out in one hand, while the other gripped a large, double-barreled gun, which he produced from his coat.
"I don' like kids who interfere, ye see? This is a good moneymaker fer me and me cap'n. I can' let a snot-nosed little brat who can fight pretty good change that," he said, pointing the gun at Naruto.
The blonde growled, and adopted a crouching position, his red eyes blazing, and the reddish chakra tail swishing from side to side. He began gathering energy into his legs, and readied himself to leap at the pirate.
Then, Scool fired. The shot was incredibly loud, and was forceful enough to make the pirate recoil slightly, even with his tremendous strength. Naruto used the Kazaashi to dodge immediately, and appeared directly beside the wild-looking pirate, his hand pulled back in preparation for a punch. Scool, however, twisted his body and swung his massive at the blonde. It was nothing more than a silvery blur, slicing the air so forcefully that kicked up a massive gust of wind. Naruto dodged the attack, so that it slammed hard into the ground, creating a massive cut in the stone floor.
Naruto swung his spectral claw at Scool, who narrowly avoided it, and pointed his gun at Naruto's face. He fired twice, blasting Naruto backwards. The demon's chakra managed to stop the bullets from blowing holes through Naruto's skull, but was unable to stop them enough to prevent pain completely. The blonde scowled and got to his feet, letting out another guttural growl. Scool marveled at the blonde's defense.
"That strange power protects ye then…I'll hav'ta change that, eh, boy?" he sneered, lifting his sword again. He charged Naruto, and brought the sword down hard. This time, however, instead of dodging, Naruto's spectral claws shot out and grabbed the blade, but the transferal of force made him sink into the stone floor, and sent small tremors throughout the entire arena. With his own hands, Naruto gathered his chakra and lightning fast, he delivered a blur of almost invisible punches, choosing two spots to strike consistently. Even with his pirate's stamina, Scool found himself sailing backwards, spitting up blood and crashing hard into the stonewall of the arena, which was almost completely destroyed, by this point.
Having released his grip on his sword, Naruto was left holding the weapon with his claws. He grabbed it by its handle, marveling at the weight, before using the strength given to him by the Kyuubi, he hurled it straight at the fallen pirate.
Scool raised his gun and with two blasts knocked the sword out of the air, so it dropped harmlessly to the floor in front of the wall. He growled, and then rushed forwards, grabbing the blade as he went by.
"Little brat!" he thundered, "I'll show ye not to mess wit tha' Bloodsail Buccaneers!"
Naruto prepared to engage the monstrous pirate again, but found, to his horror, that one of his arms had gone numb.
'The Kyuubi's chakra is injuring me again…' he thought angrily. He knew that he now had to finish this even faster. Naruto held out his good hand, and gritting his teeth, he began to make the demon's chakra swirl. His spectral hand became a shapeless mass of chakra, which was quickly spun into a perfect, glowing, red sphere.
Scool raised his gun and fired as many blasts as he could at the boy as he charged. Naruto took three on the shoulders and chest, this time, due to Naruto's exhaustion, they did pierce through, and buried themselves in Naruto's flesh. The wounds weren't deep enough to cause much damage, but they still caused a considerable amount of pain for the young ninja. Regardless, he ignored them completely, and focused all his attention on Scool.
The pirate, seeing that his gun had had no effect, abandoned it, and grabbed the hilt of his sword with both hands. He roared, and swung it with all his might at the charging Naruto. Naruto, however, was already gone.
"Kazaashi Oodama Rasengan!" the blonde roared, reappearing right beside the still moving pirate. Scool, stunned by the speed, twisted his body so that Naruto's hand, clutching the swirling orb of destructive chakra, slid by him. Grinning in triumph, the pirate raised his blade to deliver a final blow, when he suddenly found himself unable to move the sword downwards. His eyes widened, and he looked up to see Naruto's spectral tail wrapped around the blade, preventing it from moving down. With a roar, he gathered all his strength, but before he could finish, Naruto had already slammed the Oodama Rasengan into the pirate's vulnerable stomach.
The reddish chakra tore into the pirate's vitals, and rocketed him away from the blonde, with enough force to rip the blade from his hands, despite the fact that he was gripping it with enough force to nearly break the hilt. He flew way past the wall, and smashed through the stone seats of the arena, all the way of towards the very top, where he smashed straight through, disappearing over the edge.
Naruto was finally given a moment's reprieve, and he sagged slightly, letting his anger and thusly the Kyuubi's chakra dissipated. His right arm remained useless, and numb for a few seconds, but slowly feeling began to return as the Kyuubi began using its chakra to heal him, rather than strengthen him. It also began to replenish his stamina, but even so, the blonde sagged to his knees.
He looked up towards the ruined arena wall and seats, gritting his teeth. 'Nobody could've survived that…'
Feeling confident in his victory, he stood shakily, and turned, only to meet the appraising gaze of Vol'jin and several dozen trolls, of all different colors and sizes, watching him near the entrance to the cells.
Naruto blinked in shock, and took a few steps back.
"You've escaped!" he said, rather unnecessarily.
Vol'jin grinned. "Aye, Gen'rash be freein' us in a flash, after he escape. Dat was a good fight, 'uman. You be a strong warrior, and you be de one who help us escape." He then turned to Gen'rash, who stood a few feet behind him. He muttered something in Trollish, and then jerked his head at Naruto.
Gen'rash came forwards, and produced something from behind him. Naruto recognized them at once.
"My stuff! Thanks, Gen'rash!" he said, grinning.
The troll gave a slightly goofy grin, and said in heavily accented Orcish, "No' be problem!"
Naruto quickly put on his weapons pouch, goggles, and sword, before turning to Vol'jin.
"So, chiefy, where do we go now?"
Vol'jin frowned slightly at the nickname, but let it pass. He pointed towards the main entrance to the arena.
"We head to Booty Bay…dat were all de' pirates be. You an' Gen'rash an' some others be goin' there now, while I an' de rest go to free de women an' chirren from de' small villages dat de pirates take over. We den fight, and win," Vol'jin said, grinning.
Naruto nodded, grinning himself. "Sounds like a plan, so let's go!"
Kira swallowed slightly, as she ducked out of sight once more. Two pirates, reeking of smoke and alcohol, passed by her hiding spot, which was behind a couple of crates near a foul-smelling fish shop on the waterfront of the goblin town of Booty Bay. She had been there for several hours, cursing herself both because of her choice of hiding spot, and the poor timing. She had been in Booty Bay for almost two days, and hadn't seen hide or hair of Kylia. She was afraid that she was too late, and they had already killed her.
But that was only part of the problem (a very large part, mind you, she was very afraid for her friend, but she also realized that her own life was in danger as well.) The other part was the fact that the number of pirates seemed to have increased almost immediately after she had arrived. On several occasions she had almost been caught, but at the very last second had managed to find a hiding spot, usually in a foul-smelling (of which there were many) or cramped space.
She made a mental note to get Naruto to teach her some ninja stuff; it would certainly come in useful, especially if she was forced to do this constantly.
She peeked out from her hiding spot once more, and saw to her relief that the pathway in front of the fishmonger was deserted.
Taking a deep breath, she made several hand seals, and whispered quietly, "Fading Shroud."
Her body slowly began to fade away, becoming transparent, and obscuring her outline. She wasn't invisible, as if she possessed that ability, she wouldn't be crouching near a fishmonger's shop waiting for a chance to go. It made her, for lack of a better word, chameleon-like. She would adopt the exact color of anything she crossed, and would be able to blend in perfectly. At night, she was almost invisible, but during the day, she would get caught unless she was careful. It also took a lot of chakra to use, and exhausted her almost the point of unconsciousness every time she used it.
Getting out from behind the boxes, Kira quickly dodged out onto the wooden boardwalk that went around the entire town. She saw many pirates at various stages along the boardwalk, and also saw many goblins and even a few gnomes. One thing, however, was for sure. Everyone who wasn't a pirate, she saw looked very afraid. She guessed that they had once been residents of this town, before the Bloodsail Buccaneers had taken it over.
She walked quickly, very near the edge, so that if she had to jump, she'd be able to do it quickly. It also gave her a clearer path, and made her slightly less noticeable. All the while, her eyes were darting into the sea of houses above her, searching for the sign of an inn. She had checked the inns on the west side of the town, and was slowly making her way towards the large boat-shaped building on the very east side.
She was so busy searching the houses that she very nearly knocked into someone. Seconds before she actually did, however, she stood straight up and sucked in her stomach, backing up so close to the edge that all that prevented her from falling was the small amount of chakra stuck in her feet.
And it was just her luck that the person she very nearly crashed into was the large, dirty-faced, peg-legged pirate that had helped knock Naruto out.
Whether it was luck, or simply that the pirate was too focused on his companion, the large, hook-handed pirate named Shanker, Kira was not noticed. She almost gave away her position when they passed, by almost releasing a sigh of relief. She held it in, however, and turned towards where they were walking.
'Maybe…if I follow them, they'll take me to Kylia!'
She ducked low again, and crept quickly after them. Though more than once she noticed a person glance in her direction, they always shook their heads, convincing themselves that they hadn't seen a thing.
As she followed, she listened to their conversation.
"-so I was sayin' ta Johnson, that ponce, that I could out drink 'im any day!" Shanker said, grinning and thumping his chest with his good hand.
Grubbins, the other pirate, gave short laugh, "Aye ye could. He's a big talker, that one, dunno why the cap'n keeps him around. Speakin' o' the captain, shouldn't ye be guardin' the Princess' little bodyguard? The message we got from the cap'n says that that'll be the first place the little Princess goes."
Shanker grunted, "Aye, I should be. I got a coupla' those Darkspears to guard her. But I should head back soon. That place is a real rat hole, though. Ye'd think a place called the Shining Shell would be a bit more…shinin'. But I'm wonderin' why the cap'n just doesn't come himself. I bet that fancy eye o' his could find her lickety-split!"
Grubbins smirked, "Our cap'n has other things to do, ye know. He's been packin' up the camp near our ship. We've got it in the bag, really. That little Princess is as good as caught."
Kira had already turned, and was walking quickly in the other direction. She had found out where Kylia was staying; now she just had to get there as quickly as possible.
Unbeknownst to her, however, Shanker was staring at her retreating back, a terrible grin on his scarred face.
The Shining Shell was exactly as Shanker described it, perhaps even more so. It didn't take her long to find it, either, because it was probably the rattiest looking building in the entire town. The sign was faded and rotting, as was the door and much of the rest of the front of the inn. The windows were clouded, and there was a very unpleasant smell coming from the whole thing; a mixture of mildew and fish, as well as various other foul scents that tickled her nose as she walked up to the door.
She glanced around her. The small alley that she had walked into was deserted, something she was grateful for. She released the Fading Shroud technique, almost slumping to the ground when the exhaustion that came after its use hit her. She remained standing, however, and waited a few seconds to catch her breath. She'd need it, she realized.
After a few minutes, she stood up straight, and slowly opened the door. She slipped inside, trying not to sneeze from the musky, dusty scent of the interior of the inn. She glanced about her, and saw to her confusion that there was no host behind the desk that usually checked people in. She looked around some more, squinting into the darkness to make out a few chairs and tables to her left, as well as another few doors. There was a staircase to her right that, to her horror, looked so old that a single step on it would likely break it. Either that, or make a creak loud enough to wake the dead.
She walked over to the foot of the stairs, and peered up them, but saw only darkness. She wished she had some sort of seeing-in-the-dark spell, or that Byakugan thing that Naruto had talked about.
Instead, she steeled herself, and took a step onto the stairs. There was a very faint creaking sound, which made her freeze. She glanced up into the darkness again, searching for the forms of any trolls. She waited a few seconds, then, confident that she had not been heard, she took another step.
It went on like that for some time. Kira would take a step, and then wait to see if she had been heard. The creaks varied in volume as she ascended, and several times she heard an accompanying creak from above, which nearly caused her to go into shock from fear. But each time, it was unfounded, so she continued her slow scaling of the endlessly creaky stairs.
And then, she reached the top.
She once again had to squint in the darkness, to make out anything. She saw a long hallway, which then split in two opposite directions. On each side of the hall, there were many doors, all of them closed and unguarded.
To her relief, the floor wasn't half as creaky as the stairs, so she was able to quickly make her way down the hall, and nearing the end, she saw a dim, but still vary noticeable light, coming from the right of the hallway she was stepping into.
She flattened herself against the right wall, and then sidled up to the corner. Taking a deep breath, she peeked over the wall, spotted what she was looking for.
At the far end of the hall, she spotted a trio of trolls standing in front of a room that, while closed, had shafts of light peeking through the cracks in the door. There was also a small torch hanging on the wall opposite the door. The three trolls, all a deep bluish-purple color, were standing around the door, muttering to each other in their language and looking like they'd rather be anywhere else.
Breathing deeply once more, Kira prepared herself. If she did it correctly, she wouldn't have to fight any of the trolls, which was what she was aiming for.
She made several seals, and then, gathering her chakra, she stepped out into the hallway, and said, "Mind Freeze."
She thrust her hands forwards, and put the tips of her thumbs and index fingers together, forming a rounded triangular shape in the center. She then expelled all of the chakra that she had molded, firing directly at the group of trolls, who had turned in surprise at the movement that she had made. The invisible blast struck them, causing them to stiffen and stop their movements. Then, one by one, they dropped to the ground, falling unconscious from the spell.
Kira gave a silent cheer, and quickly ran to the door and now unconscious guards. The Mind Freeze spell was, she decided, now one of her favorites. She stepped over the prone body of one of the trolls, and then pushed open the door into the room.
Kylia was there, sitting on a small chair and staring at the clouded window, when the door opened, she turned briefly, and upon spotting Kira, stood up straight, eyes wide.
"Mistress!" she cried, rushing over to her, "Are you alright? Are you hurt, what did they…?"
Kira interrupted her, smiling, "I'm fine, Kylia. And don't call me mistress…it's Kira, okay? I'm glad you're safe. I'd thought that they might have…" She did not need to go further.
Kylia smiled a little, before looking crestfallen. "I couldn't protect you…that's was why I came, and I failed. Can you–"
Kira waved it off, "Don't worry about it. Those guys are really strong. The one that defeated you is the leader…and he's the strongest of all." She then glanced behind her, and said, "We should probably get going. We need to get Naruto now as well."
The other girl gave a nod, and they both began to walk towards the door.
"Well, lookit this! I knew that lass had somethin' in her when I heard she had beaten ol' Benson, but now she took out three o' these bloody trolls too!"
Kira froze in horror as Shanker stepped into the room, grinning horribly. His gleaming hook-hand shined even in the dim light. The parrot that was ever present on the pirate's shoulder gave a loud squawk, and ruffled its feathers as Shanker spoke.
"Allo, lass, good ta' see ye again!"
Kylia took a protective step in front of Kira, glaring menacingly at the pirate. "You will not harm her!" she cried, fiercely.
Shanker gave another cackle. "Oh, really?" he sneered, advancing one step.
Kylia narrowed her eyes, and stood her ground, "Yes, really."
The parrot on Shanker's shoulder then gave a squawk and said, "NO WAI!"
Shanker blinked, and then looked at his parrot, before turning back to Kylia.
"Do ye get the feeling that we've just been the subject o' a rather tasteless joke?"
Kylia and Kira sweat dropped, "Yes…" the dark-haired girl said.
Shanker grunted, then raised his hook, "The cap'n didn't say anythin' about keepin' ye alive, girly. If ye won't get outta the way, I'll have ta'–"
Before he could finish, a pirate, a goblin, hurried into the room, looking frantic.
"First Mate Shanker, we've got a problem!"
Shanker spared a glance at the goblin, his eyes smoldering. "Aye, we do, Mr. Enson. But before I solve tha' one, why don' you tell me the other?"
The goblin took a step back, gulping at the look on the massive pirate's face. "W-well sir, we've just seen…trolls."
Shanker frowned, and looked past him, "Aye, so have I, Mr. Enson, behind ye, is that all?"
The goblin shook his head, looking even more frantic, "No, no sir! I mean a whole lotta them! Comin' from the direction of the arena! They're headin' straight for the entrance, an' I think they plan to storm the town! They've got a human with them, too!"
Shanker blinked, and his eyes widened slightly. He glared at Kira and Kylia, who were staring at the goblin with shocked eyes. If there was a human with them, then maybe it was…
'Naruto!' Kira thought, happily.
Shanker didn't look anywhere near as pleased as she, however, and thundered, "Where is Grubbins?"
"He's gone to the sniper tower above the entrance, sir, an' plans to stay there until he's killed them all!"
Shanker nodded, grinning viciously. "Good, then after I finish here, I'll be headin' to the front lines. Those bloody trolls aren' gonna get into the city while Tobias Shanker Guthrie is he–"
"Earth Shock!"
Shanker half-turned at the shout, only to have the open hand of one of the previously unconscious guard trolls shoved into his chest. He was then struck with a massive surge of chakra, which blasted him off his feet and through the wall of the inn. The pirate immediately flew into the building across from the inn, smashing through the much sturdier wall and skidding along the wooden floor, kicking up dust and sending shards of wood flying in every direction.
Kira and Kylia gaped, less at the display, and more at the action. The troll that had done it grinned, and tore the red tunic he was wearing off. Behind him, the two other trolls stood hunched over the body of the goblin, relieving him of his weapons. They too, had shed their blood red shirts.
The troll that had ejected Shanker grinned at the two girls. "Dat be de best news I hear in many years. Now we fight, and if ye join us, girl, den I be forgiven yeh for de spell earlier."
Kira blinked rapidly, "But…what…aren't you…?"
The troll gave a deep laugh, and said jovially, "We join de Buccaneers because of orders from de boss man, not for anythin' else. But now, it seems, de boss man is goin' to fight, so we fight too."
Kira smiled, and suddenly the situation no longer seemed so dire. If there were more trolls who would go against the Bloodsail Buccaneers, then maybe they could beat Blood and stop him from doing what he intended to do. Stop him from killing so many innocent people…
Suddenly, from behind her, there came the loud whistling of metal streaking through the air. Before she could turn, something flew past her and struck the troll in the head. She saw that it was a hook, a very familiar hook, and that it flown with such speed that it had torn straight through the troll's face and sprouted out the back, so that the hook caught itself through his skull. The hook was also attached to a long, golden chain, which, as he followed it, went straight into the hand of the looming form of Shanker, who stood in the hole in the wall of the building next to the inn. The pirate's face was twisted into a murderous snarl, and Kira suddenly felt very afraid.
With a snap of his wrist, the pirate ripped the troll's head clear off, and retracted the hook. He wrenched the troll's head from the bloody weapon, and then glared straight at Kira.
"Lass…ye better be ready ta' fight…the cap'n said that I couldn't hurt ye. But I plan to damn sure make ye suffer afore he kills ye," he lifted his bloody hook, grinning, "I'll start wit' that little bitch next ta' ye, and then I'll find that brat, an' kill him too. I'll be sure ta' make you watch them both die."
Then, he attacked.
Gen'rash roared something in Trollish, making the other trolls yell it as well. The large group could see the former goblin town in the distance; a massive looming wall protected the city, with a large cave as the entrance, and it had excited them into a frenzy of which Naruto had never seen before. There would be no plan of attack. They planned to charge in, and fight until they couldn't anymore. They had exhausted almost every type of tactic against the Bloodsail Buccaneers in their last fight against them, so this time, the trolls planned to just fight, and just win.
All in all, it was a tactic that Naruto preferred to all others.
That was not to say the plan was completely devoid of strategy. The group itself was spread out so that if they used ranged weapons, it would be harder to hit them. Trolls also had very little use for healers, so they only had two out of the many witch doctors that were going to fight designated as healers. The berserkers and axe-throwers, along with Naruto, planned to charge in first, as they were the strongest, and had trained their bodies to heal at a much faster rate than the other trolls. The witch doctors and shaman, and a few hunters would follow, and deliver whatever ranged damage they could. Their presence near the town, and the size of their force, would also spur the trolls that weren't loyal to the Buccaneers to take up arms and attack.
The pirates would be attacked from both outside and in, and, if they fought well, would be crushed by the unyielding might of the trolls.
It was only a few hundred feet away from the entrance, however, that the battle began.
BOOM!
The group scattered as a massive plume of fire erupted in the center of the group. Two trolls were immediately obliterated by the attack, and seconds later another explosion very narrowly missed another duo of trolls. Naruto shoved his goggles on, and quickly used the zoom feature to search out their attacker.
He scowled when he saw, hundreds of feet above the entrance, in a small turret, the peg-legged pirate that had shot him on the boat.
The pirate clutched a large metal tube, part of which rested on his right shoulder. The end of it was smoking, and the pirate had a fierce grin on his face.
Naruto's hands twitched in anticipation. He was definitely going to show that bastard what happened when you shot Uzumaki Naruto in the stomach.
Gen'rash roared something in Trollish again, and the trolls responded by ducking into the jungle, and using the trees to obscure their fast approach. Naruto remained on the road, and ran as fast as he could towards the entrance, a blatant target to draw the pirate's fire. He avoided several more explosive shots, and then, in a flash, sped up using Kazaashi. He reappeared at the entrance, and then disappeared again, flashing up the wall to the turret that the pirate was standing in. He grunted in pain from the strain that the Kazaashi placed on him, but didn't stop, and upon reaching the box, he fired off a round of amazingly quick punches, driving the pirate back into the wall.
Grubbins, however, recovered remarkably fast from the attack, and responded by lifting his peg leg and firing a shot at Naruto. It struck the blonde in the chest, but in a puff of smoke it was revealed to be only a large rock. The real Naruto now stood on top of the roof of the turret, panting.
Below him, the trolls had succeeded in reaching the entrance, and now poured through it, making it impossible for Grubbins to attack them now.
Using the advantage that he now had, Naruto made several seals, and pressed his hand to the roof, crying, "Doton: Tsuchidageki! (Earth Shock)"
The impulse of chakra immediately obliterated the turret, sending hundreds of shards of wood, and even traveling onto the stonewall. Grubbins was flung downwards, however, he still clutched the large gun in his hands, and as soon as he had twisted his body to face Naruto, he fired two shots upwards.
Naruto used the air-grasping technique to jettison himself out of the way of the two bombs, and attached himself to the wall using his chakra.
The blonde then drew his sword, and rushed down the wall towards the falling pirate. Grubbins aimed his peg-leg gun at Naruto, and this time fired a rapid series of bullets at the blonde. The conjured two clones, filling them with enough chakra to stop most of the bullets. He then leapt to the side, and disappeared, moving with the speed of the Kazaashi, and propelled himself hard into Grubbins. The pirate blocked his sword with the large bomb-shooting gun, and then punched the blonde hard in the face. Naruto was flung upwards by the sheer force of the punch, and was astounded by the pirate's strength once again.
'Geez, what are these guys? Only Tsunade-baba could hit harder than this!'
Grubbins then grabbed a gun from his belt and fired a few rounds at Naruto. The blonde jerked to the side to avoid them, but cried out when two of them grazed him. Grubbins gave a laugh, abandoned that gun, and prepared to grab another. Not wanting to give him the chance, Naruto air-grasped and propelled himself into the pirate, further increasing the speed of their descent.
They were now very near the ground, and Grubbins, hoping to transfer the majority of the damage to Naruto, grabbed him and twisted them both over in mid-air, so that Naruto was now on the bottom.
The blonde, not wanting to end up with a large, fat pirate on top of him as well as the added force from the fall, made a seal and bellowed, "Kawarimi no jutsu!"
The blonde vanished, once more, and a piece of the broken turret appeared, a very sharp, jagged piece, one of the posts that had held it to the wall.
And the jagged broken part was now facing his stomach, making the pirate release his grip, with a cry, and he attempted the fling it away from him completely.
But he had already hit the ground.
The sharp post, upon striking the ground, buried itself partially in the ground, while the rest was buried in the tremendous girth of Grubbins. Blood exploded from the wounds, as the post traveled all the way through him and out the end, ripping his spinal cord apart. The pirate then smashed into the ground, creating a massive crater.
Naruto landed a few feet away, crying out from the pain of impact. He had thankfully used chakra to prevent damage to his legs, but it had still hurt!
He then turned towards the unmistakably dead body of Grubbins, a hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach.
He had just killed a human.
He had done it before, he realized, but he had never been so close to the body. He had never smelt the blood, the death, or seen the look on the person's face. It made him shiver slightly. He had seen dead bodies before, but the knowledge that he had done the deed was so much different than seeing the body of another.
He shivered again, but decided that now was not the time to realize this. He ran past the pirate's dead body, and into the entrance to the town.
He did not look back. He was a ninja, after all, and it was in the job description to kill people. No matter how much he hated it.
When Naruto entered Booty Bay proper, the battle had already begun in earnest. He saw trolls fighting the pirates all the way along the long boardwalk that went around the entire bay, and could see that the battle had moved into the streets and alleyways of the town as well. Smoke from where the trolls had used fire spells or pirates had used bombs rose high into the air, forming a dark cloud above them. The air was as thick with this smoke as it was with the scent of blood and gore.
Naruto leapt over the ledge in front of him, and landed soundly on the boardwalk. Immediately a pirate wielding a large cutlass attacked him; he took the initial strike using the Kongou, and then rammed his own blade through the gnoll's chest, slashing to the side and killing it. He turned just in time to meet another pirate, who clutched a pair of daggers. The pirate growled and threw one of the daggers, but Naruto dodged and countered by slashing through the goblin's ankles. The creature cried out, and fell back, unable to move thanks to the wound. Naruto leapt over him, and ran down the boardwalk, spotting a group of gnolls converging on a tiring witch doctor. He conjured several clones with a cry, and ran up behind them.
His clones held their weapons up to their throats, and with a cry of "Naruto Fukuzei (Naruto Ambush)" the blonde slew them all.
The troll gave him a ghost of a smile, which he returned twice over.
The troll, most likely a Darkspear, then pointed behind Naruto, towards the open ocean, his eyes wide. The action prompted Naruto to look as well, and he narrowed his eyes upon catching sight of what had shocked the troll so.
Rapidly approaching the bay was a massive boat, with many rippling, blood red sails depicting a one-eyed skull with two swords crossed beneath it, and a massive skull mounted on the front. The ship despite its size moved so quickly that it seemed to fly through the water, much like that of the goblin ship. He could see hundreds of pirates gathering on the deck, their weapons drawn, howling for blood.
At the very front, Naruto saw a man standing. The man had black hair, wore a blood red coat, and clutched two, curved swords in his hands. One gleaming green eye stared straight into Naruto's, making the blonde freeze from the intensity.
"It be him…" rumbled the troll, standing. "It be…Blood."
Naruto, though it was the first time he had seen the man, did not need the explanation. Only a man with that kind of look in his eye, he thought, could control so many murderers and thieves.
Blood then raised one his swords, holding it high so that it gleamed in the sun. His crew began to roar, making Naruto he was doing it just to spur them into a frenzy. However, seconds later, he found out the true reason.
Blood then swept the blade down in one wicked fast, diagonal motion. Then, the water in front of the ship parted, and continued to part all the way to the dock, straight where Naruto was standing.
The blonde gave a yelp, and dove out of the way, as did the troll, just as the invisible blast of air smashed into the deck. The cleaved it completely in two, causing debris to fly in every direction. It even sliced into one of the buildings directly in front of the water.
Naruto snarled, and grabbing a few shuriken, threw them towards the Captain of the Bloodsail Buccaneers. Blood, however, easily deflected them with a few slight movements of his sword. He then retaliated with more of the wind blades, slashing them in quick succession towards the blonde ninja and the troll.
They ran along the deck, dodging the incoming attacks as they tore through the deck behind the two. Naruto growled in frustration, not being able to fight back.
By this time, the ship had entered the bay proper, and had come to a stop in the center. When the anchor had dropped, cannons poked out of the small openings on the side and front of ship. Huge chains then erupted from the cannons, flying through the air and crashing through buildings. When the chains were secure, pirates began to poor out, in an action not unlike the one that had happened on Shep'rick's ship.
Pirates immediately dropped onto the deck from the two chains that had come from the front of the ship, and charged towards Naruto and the troll.
Naruto, however, ignored them. His attention was focused completely on the man who now looked down at him from atop the massive ship. His face was stony, his eye burning with a fire as great as the ones Naruto's burned with. The two stared at each other, neither backing down.
Naruto pushed chakra into his legs, and leapt high into the air, landing deftly on the ship's deck. Blood didn't move from his position, not even turning to look at the blonde. His eyes were staring up into the town, where he saw smoke and fire, blood being spilt on the wooden deck of the city and the dying cries of both trolls and pirates.
Then, he turned, and looked straight at the blonde.
"Your eyes are strong…so I will let you have the honor of being killed by me, the one who will become a legend."
Done! RAWR!
Sorry about the time it took to put this up…I think I promised you it earlier this week, but I found myself lethargic from my stay in California. Don't worry, though, I didn't do any schoolwork either, so don't feel bad. I just sat around and watched the first season of Digimon Adventure. Boy, that brings back memories of me sitting around watching it on Saturday mornings!
Next chapter: Blood VERSUS Naruto! Battle of the century, don't miss it! We also have Kira and Kylia fighting Shanker, Vol'jin arrives with his reinforcements, and Gen'rash deals with the quartermaster of the ship, an as-of-yet unknown pirate! WEE!
I'm going to let the Popularity Poll run a bit longer, because not many have done it. So do it! Vote for your favorite character, cause I'm curious!
Now, reviewer mail!
Regress35- Yes, I too have read many books with complex heroes, but if you look at it, in ancient legends, heroes are rather like what he says they are. Besides this is a different world, so they have different books…probably. Thanks for the review!
Seeker- Pirates have always been in WoW. In the Stranglethorn Vale, there is a group of pirates known as the Bloodsail Buccaneers, whose name I have taken for Blood's group (they are the same, Blood just took them over from their previous owners). They have a rival pirate faction, the Blackwater Pirates or something, whom they despise. In this the Blackwater Pirates are defeated by Blood.
Grengosaurus- Really? Cool, I've never read Berserk, but I've heard that its good, so I may have to check that out. Blood is so far my favorite original villain! And thanks for the kind words, too! You'll be seeing a lot of Kira, so warming up to her will be pretty easy, she's a great girl!
PersonaJXT- These pirates are more based off One Piece pirates than anything. In order to make them hold their own against Naruto and the trolls, they have to have some sort of incredible ability. So I made them (or at least the humans) super strong, and have incredible stamina and reflexes. They also have their own individual abilities, most of which will be seen in the next chapter. Arthas (The Lich King) will appear, but not anytime soon. He's a major baddie, and though he will be referenced a lot, he'll be more like the final boss at the end of an RPG. You know, like in Final Fantasy there is always that super power guy whose almost never seen until the last fight (e.g. Ultimecia, Necron, Jecht, Yu Yevon, and Safer-Sephiroth). He will have a personality and will be shown sometime before that fight, but otherwise, sorry.
Hmr- Trolls can regenerate any limb, save for their head, so he didn't permanently loose it. That's why they're so cool!MuhiTatsu- That's a great idea, an omake crossover where the Bloodsail Buccaneers meet the Straw Hat pirates! Genius, pure genius! Let me know if you want to right it, or if I should, because either way works out. CLONE WARS RULES!
Gundam Chief- Yes, actually, I do plan to have him learn it. However, it's less of a priority, since the Fire style is a lot more attack oriented. I'll give you a hint to what it entails. Water can be a small trickle, enough to fill a glass of water, or a flash flood, enough to tear down houses and engulf towns, even cities. This is the principle of the Water style.
Death Raptor- I do plan to keep the three year time jump, but I won't say any more than that. Hmm…maybe your spider sense needs a bit of tuning. I will continue for as long as the story I have planned out goes. No other comment, grin.
Well that's all for now!
General Grievous.
Spellbook-
Kazaashi Oodama Rasegan- Combines the incredible speed of the Kazaashiand the power of the Rasengan. Almost certainly fatal to all but the strongest of people.
Acid Mist- A witch doctor jutsu that literally melts the skin of a person's bones. Very powerful.
Fading Shroud- Camouflages the user, making them difficult to see, and thusly less likely to be attacked.
Mind Freeze- It knocks a person unconscious, using the power of the caster's mind. It is not very effective against trolls, apparently.
Bestiary-Edward Scool (Humanoid)(Elite)- Master of the arena, Scool is very cruel person who makes the trolls fight, sometimes to the death, to see how strong they are and to provide entertainment. He is very strong, uses a massive sword named Acheron and a powerful gun, Belial. He is based off of the legendary pirate, Edward Teach, or Blackbeard.