Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and One piece, but I do own… Ehhhh… Yeah, I got nothing in comparison.

Whisker-marked Pirates

Chapter 2: Take a chance!

After getting some sleep, Naruto imagined going back to exercise as he always did in the morning and evening.

However, the blame for not doing that goes entirely to him. He probably shouldn't have drunk a whole bottle of Rum by himself in a matter of 15 minutes.

As Naruto was vomiting over the ship's edge into the ocean, Karin was inspecting the ship thoroughly. She never really took much notice of what Naruto had managed to do with ships, but it certainly was impressive considering he had nobody to teach him.

Everything seemed to work as it should. There weren't any cracks or leaks that might have occurred overnight. The sails seemed to be in a good enough condition, and the rigging seemed just tight enough.

As Karin looked back at Naruto, who was laying on the floor half-dead, she said to herself aloud while sighing, "Guess as usual, I'll do the cleaning…"

As she scrubbed the deck, Karin couldn't help but think just how quickly eight years with Naruto on that island have passed. It seemed as if they were still just kids yesterday, and now they are close to being actual adults.

Once she cleaned the deck, she went to the cabin and saw a reflection of herself. She couldn't help but remember her now deceased mother, to whom she looked so similar. The mother and the daughter both shared long and spiky red hair, and their bad eyesight was completed with brown narrow glasses.

However, the clothing style Karin had was far different as she loved wearing her black, tight shorts that didn't go lower than half the length to her knees. Similarly to Naruto, she also wore big black boots. On her upper body, she wore a lavender shirt with short sleeves.

After finally finishing the cleaning, it was already late at noon, and she couldn't help but think, 'I wonder where we're heading. Surely, Naruto has some sort of plan in his head.'

XxX

Naruto had finally woken up late at noon, yet he still felt the hangover from last night's rum.

The wind didn't seem to blow anywhere as strong as it did yesterday, and luckily for him, as he slept outside the cabin, the sun was under clouds for most of the day, so he didn't get heatstroke.

As Naruto was slowly walking across the ship while looking outwards, Karin came and asked, "So, where are we heading?"

Naruto grinned and answered, "You're the captain, aren't you? You can decide it yourself!"

She sighed and asked him, "Why do you keep insisting on me being the captain? I'm fine with controlling the wheel, but I still feel like you're more captain material than me for the Yellow star.

There was a slightly long tense silence before the blond responded with, "I can be the captain in name, Karin, so if we get in trouble, I'd take the blame."

Naruto looked at the ground with a perplexed expression plastered across his face and a guilty look in his eyes.

Karin rolled her eyes as she realized why he had been so insistent on her being the captain.

"You're an idiot, Naruto. I said that I'm now more or less fine now with going on this 'adventure,' and I did make that dumb bet, so that's on me. Isn't that right, captain?"

Naruto was feeling rather guilty for bringing Karin on his adventure. In reality, he didn't want to leave Karin all alone on an unmarked island as he likely couldn't find or see her for a very long time.

"You think by making me the captain, you'd make me happier? As if I'd want that sort of position," she huffed before continuing, "As I've said, I can steer and take care of the way we are going, but you're calling the shots!"

Naruto finally looked into her eyes and managed to ease his tense face, putting up a small smile of his own.

XxX

Seeing the noon, they expected the day to be the same as it was at noon.

They were wrong. Oh, so wrong.

The storm arose out of nowhere and made their life a living hell for the rest of the day.

The wind was blowing in seemingly all directions. The rain felt as if it was coming in their faces from a downward trajectory.

"I'll reduce the sail, Karin, you take care of steering the wheel and don't let the the ship turn sideways!" Naruto screamed before going to reduce the sails

"On it!" she responded.

Luckily, they both didn't have many items to secure on the deck, as most important equipment was down below.

The ship was getting quite a bit of water in it far quicker than Naruto liked, so he had to grab a bucket and start taking out and pour the water to the vast ocean.

As the thunder roared, Karin couldn't help but curse out loud, while Naruto was multitasking multiple jobs and had his sweat pouring down his face and onto his orange shirt. He decided to avoid wearing his green vest since he didn't want to ruin it with whatever could happen in the ocean.

This went on for about 4 hours, during which Karin ended up vomiting both during and after the thunderous rain. Naruto, however, was still mostly as happy as he was before the storm.

XxX

The day was tiring, but the night was as peaceful as it could get. There weren't even any waves hitting the ship's bottom.

Karin was woken up from her deep, deep sleep by Naruto's scream, which was more like a mix of squealing and screaming.

"Look! Look, Karin! We're getting close to land!" he continued shouting without glancing at Karin and just looking intensely at the moderately sized island.

Karin rose up to her feet and put on her glasses before sarcastically saying, "Thank god. I thought we'd die quicker than reach another island."

Naruto didn't care about her joke, since it was the first time in 8 years he would visit a place different from the unnamed island the size of a big ship.

"What are we even going to do here?" Karin thought out loud.

"Well, we left off without a cent. We have enough smoked meat for some time, but we could use buying some fruits." He responded.

"Let's hope we get a chance to earn that money first…" she once again thought out loud.

XxX

(Circle Island)

As they came close to the ashore, they started preparing their sloop-like ship. Naruto furled and secured the sails, and then, once they approached the shore, Naruto dropped the anchor since the water was deep enough.

They started taking the necessary equipment. Naruto took his gray Jian sword and replaced his shirt with a blue shirt with a green vest on top.

Karin only took her black dagger and decided to give Naruto the two poisonous bottles instead, as she didn't want her gifts to be stolen if anybody came onto the ship. In addition, she certainly didn't want to be caught carrying such deadly poison by anyone

Then, they jumped off the wooden platform that was perfectly close to the place they parked.

They walked in silence, Karin slightly worried while Naruto was enthusiastically assessing the area around him.

The island wasn't as big as they originally thought. It was only a few times larger than the place they lived previously, and it was shaped almost like a perfect circle. Furthermore, the land was completely flat and full of small forests every now and then.

Most of the byway was made out of a mix of rocks and cement, and most houses in it were made of red bricks.

"So, how do you plan to earn some Berry? Surely you don't plan to just walk around and hope something comes?" Karin asked with slight worry.

"I'll do what I always did in the village to get work and food in return," he stated flatly.

Naruto saw a building with a name "Sea serpent's bar," which was a place that he was looking for. People in bars are generally more talkative. Naruto always noticed that people who drink or smoke, generally talk in a more relaxed and open way, so it's easier to get into their good side.

"You can stay here and look around," the blond stated before entering the bar.

With that in mind, Karin continued walking along the path that they were going. However, her eyes found something very interesting after about 15 minutes of walking.

The thing that she stared at was a person running from a store that seemed to sell fishing equipment. Once properly inspected, she realized that there wasn't a single person nor a dog there.

'I'm not a damn pirate like my parents! But that's such a good chance…" she said in her mind before trying to take her hair out.

'Well, I doubt they'll miss anything that much if I only take a bit, won't they?'

XxX

(Sea serpent's bar)

A man with his right side of the face full of long winding scars and black spiky hair had been sitting in the bar for hours. He had an odd aura surrounding him, and none of other villagers wanted to get close to such an intimidating man.

However, that was also due to his troubled job. He was a vice-admiral who had committed many terrible things in East Blue. The disfigured-faced man was standing at around 6 feet, quite a short height for a vice admiral.

He was wearing an outfit that consisted of purple suit with a marine coat draped over his shoulders, and long dark blue pants. He had light blue steel-toed boots.

Upon seeing such a man, Naruto's curiosity went up to a hundred. 'Surely, he's a big deal around here,' he thought while smiling and getting closer to sit down right next to him.

"One glass of water, please," Naruto asked the waiter, who gave him an odd look. Naruto could only afford free things as of right now, so anything else was out of the question.

Once Naruto started slowly drinking, he glanced at the intimidating man every few seconds. He looked as if he was looking right through the wooden table at which he had been staring ever since Naruto came in.

"Having a bad day, eh?" Naruto asked while pouring the last part of the drink into his mouth.

Obito glanced at Naruto with a look that was hard to decipher for the blond. It looked as if he saw a ghost, rather than some random stranger.

He then smiled and started laughing silently. "Where did you find such a good-looking vest?" he asked with an odd smile.

"My parents left it for me. I've avoided using it often, so it's in a pretty good shape," Naruto boasted while lightly tapping his vest.

"Name is Naruto Uzumaki," the blond smiled and extended his right hand.

"Obito. Obito Uchiha," he stated with his deep voice and accepted the handshake.

"Y'know, it's been so long since I've gotten outside of my god forsaken island. I've just started adventuring across the sea!" he exclaimed for no particular reason.

"So you're a pirate?" he questioned, however his voice didn't seem to be threatening, which is odd since everyone knows that he's a marine.

Naruto pondered a bit on what to say exactly, as he wasn't so sure himself. "I doubt I'm in the book where pirates are put into," Naruto said after remembering the time his parents showed their pictures on it.

Obito just smiled sheepishly and said to Naruto, "From the way you approached me, I can tell you want something from me. How about you spell it out? I'm here to listen to whatever you have to say."

Naruto awkwardly scratched his head and said, "Okay you've got me. I thought that maybe we could get some sort of job or a quest to earn some Berry from you. We have nothing in the money department."

"Count yourself lucky today, kid. I've been on the Circle Island for long enough. How about you take me to the marines?" Obito suggested.

Naruto was a bit confused and asked without thinking, "What kind of position do you hold?"

"I'm a vice-admiral, kid. It's been fun resting in East Blue, but I'm getting bored out here. Bring me to Loguetown, and I'll pay you about 10 00 000 Berry and give you a devil fruit that I've had for a very long time without finding any way of using it," Obito said, still having a big smile, which looked rather odd on such a scarred face.

"Deal!" Naruto shouted at a volume that made everyone around the bar look at him.

Right after that, Naruto led Obito to his Yellow star named ship, and along the way, he realized one massive problem in his new job. He didn't even have a map or a compass to get to Loguetown.

XxX

She wasn't proud of herself, but she certainly knew that this was a useful thing to do. It was like taking a candy from a child, though it hardly makes it more justifiable. In fact, it makes it even worse.

Karin decided to take a route around the city since it was safer not to be seen carrying a green backpack, that she stole. Inside the backpack, she had placed two fishing rods with some fishing bait in can glasses.

'Opportunities cannot be wasted,' she thought to herself, remembering that's what her mother used to say.

XxX

Naruto was running through the city with no apparent plan in mind. 'How the hell am I even going to get a compass and a map without anything to pay with?'

After a minute of stressful running, he spotted to be some sort of shop that specialized in travelling equipment. Upon further notice, he entered and started looking around.

"Come on in, young man!" The old man greeted.

Naruto was worried. The old man looked like a really nice person and he certainly didn't want to steal it right in front of him. 'Surely, there was a way?' he thought to himself.

"What interests you, young man?" the old man said with a smile and his eyes closed.

"I need… a map and a compass," Naruto stated, feeling uneasy about what he was about to do.

The old man quickly rushed off, took a map and compass, and placed them upon the wooden table.

Naruto would make up for what he's about to do. Or at the very least that's what he had hoped for he'd do.

"From the land I come from, we always share a drink before we make a purchase," Naruto said, trying to remain composed as he lied to the old man.

"Fine by me!" The wrinkled man poured a glass of beer.

"What's that?" Naruto asked, quickly pouring a slight amount of purple-looking poison into the elderly man's glass. The poison makes the person get dizzy and become unable to remember their day.

"It's… a book. You don't have it in your land?" the old man asked in confused fashion.

"Hahaha. Never mind that, let's just finish the drinks," Naruto gulped before taking a sip.

They continued talking about things that Naruto brought up just to stretch the time so the poison could work.

About 5 minutes later, the elderly man sat down and looked completely dozed out.

"Sorry, jiji. I promise I'll come back here someday and pay you back!" Naruto promised to ease his consciousness

Naruto quickly made his way from the store and went at a fast pace to his Yellow star ship.

XxX

Karin looked at the odd man from distance with one of her eyebrow raised in confusion. Apparently, Naruto had somehow managed to find high ranking marine on this strange island.

The girl's worrying increased as she had just stolen fishing equipment from a shop and now had it hidden in her backpack. 'Surely, they didn't send someone as threatening as him to take care of me,' she thought to herself.

Obito was looking around the ship, searching for the most comfortable place to sit down. Once he noticed the redhead, he stared at her with evident interest in his eyes.

"Are you Naruto's sister or…" the mysterious man asked as Karin approached him.

"Cousin. Karin is the name," she replied with a slightly worried voice, her eyes still fixed on the scarred man.

It didn't seem that Obito wanted to talk or cared about her that much, as he just started gazing at the wide ocean.

'Phew, thank god he didn't ask anything about the rods sticking out of my backpack,' she thought.

In almost any situation, no one's first thought would be that she had stolen something. That idea just came to her mind out of the fact that this was her first serious account of theft.

There was a long, but not awkward silence between the two after Karin put down the backpack in her cabin.

A whisker-marked boy broke the silence by loudly running towards his ship. An explanation was made for Karin as to what had between him and Obito.

"What's the name of the devil fruit?" Karin thought out loud.

"It's a mythical Zoan-type fruit, called "Kyūbi Kyūbi no Mi!" Obito smirked, knowing what kind of reaction he would get.

This left the both teenagers with their mouths wide open.

"Y-you a-are giving us 10 00 000 Berry and THAT!" Karin almost roared.

"Of course! Good kids like you deserve something more than 10 00 000 Berry! I don't need it anyway, as I've had my own devil fruit for many years," Obito turned around to hide his ever-growing smirk.

The two friends just glanced at each other before both yelled in a unison, "We'll get you to Loguetown in a matter of seconds!"

The Yellow Star quickly departed from the Circle Island with enthusiasm and hype among the teenagers.

It seems they got really lucky at the start of the adventure. However, luck sometimes blinds people, and in this case, it certainly did. They completely forgot to pack anything to eat during the trip.

Oh well, at least they have their fishing rods, right? Well at least they functioned as fishing rods, since they were just sticks that had lined tied to the end of the pole.

XxX

(2 weeks ago)

(Uchiha Island, Ninkai country)

The land of the Uchiha was a place where the proudest, strongest, and most resilient soldiers were born. Even in the New World, they were known to be a land to better avoid.

Surrounding the island was a massive wall averaging a height of 2000 feet at some places. However, the difference was rather significant, as the land wasn't flat, and in some areas, it rose up to 3000 feet above the water.

A similar wall is built on a neighboring island that belongs the Uchiha's natural enemy Senju. Ever since The World Government started to try to get into the Ninkai country, an unstable union was made to first and foremost get rid of the foreigners trying to get into their lands.

The island had an irregular shape, being massive in scale. A dense jungle covered much of its terrain, interspersed with numerous lakes and mountains. In fact, at the center of the island stood the tallest mountain, reaching a height that touched the sky. It's a place very few dared to venture onto.

Growing up in such a treacherous location, surrounded by vicious and powerful enemies, and facing dangerous animals, the Uchiha clan had to adapt or die. It seemed that the Uchiha men and women consistently produced respectable and loyal members of the clan. However, there was one man each of them despised, one of their own clan members, which made the situation so much dire.

Obito Uchiha, also known as the Phantom within the Uchiha clan, had faced countless assassination attempts made by the Uchiha themselves. Yet, none of them seemed to have worked, and more often than not, the hitmen were apprehended and imprisoned by the said man.

However, today, Fugaku Uchiha full-heartedly believed that the person he would send after the Phantom could change everything. His son was believed to be the strongest Uchiha, even surpassing his all-powerful father.

Though Obito was never counted into the 'strongest Uchiha debate.' He was a traitor, after all, and they didn't consider him worthy of such a surname.

"I understand, father. I'll depart as soon as possible" Itachi responded to his father's command.

Fugaku Uchiha looked at his elder son with pride in his eyes. He then said, "While I trust of you to succeed all alone, you need to take a proper ship and crew this time, Itachi."

"I do not believe it to be necessary, father," he responded in a flat tone.

"That's an order. Unlike your usual ventures, this one is far away. Many things can go wrong, and taking a reliable crew and a powerful ship will guarantee success in the travel department," Fugaku ordered, staring into his son's dark eyes. If Itachi felt any care about being ordered around, he didn't show it.

"I understand, father. I promise I'll bring the head of the traitor," Itachi said once again in a monotone voice, not showing any concern or hatred towards the man he was supposed to kill.

The Uchiha clan head let out a wide grin. "Oh, and take your younger brother with you. I know you are not a fan Sasuke venturing in the New World, but this time you're only going through it into area where weaklings live."

This time, Itachi showed just a slight hint of annoyance at his father's orders.

XxX

(Shells Town)

"Don't move! I'll shoot Koby if you do!" a yellow haired man-child screamed at the top of his lungs.

However, the blond man-child never shot the kid named Koby in the head. A teenager with a straw hat before anything bad could happened shouted "Gomu Gomu no Pistol!" and stretched his left arm so far that he reached the blond man, hitting him right in his head. Instantly, he fell to the floor.

Behind the straw hat, a tall and muscular Marine readied his giant axe ready to decapitate the boy with the straw hat and a scar on his face. Before that could happen, Roronoa Zoro, a prolific pirate hunter in the East Blue, intervened with his three-sword technique. The giant man fell within seconds after the attack.

The two newly made comrades quickly departed shortly after in their small little boat, fueled with aspirations that couldn't be described as anything other than absurdly ambitious, considering their situation.

Roronoa Zoro aspired to become the World's greatest swordsman, determined to endure whatever injuries that might come his way. He had been striving for this goal for as long as he remembered and wasn't planning to stop anytime soon.

Monkey D. Luffy wanted to become the Pirate King, a title previously held by Gol D. Roger, who hid all of his treasures in One piece, hence the name.

It seems that large adventures are awaiting in a world that could only be described as limitless by the newly created Straw Hat Pirates.

Thanks for the reviews! As you wished, Naruto will be the captain, though I had that in mind since the first chapter myself.

I want to specify, for a user named "manners," that this fic is a big AU(I added that in the summary now for clarification). Naruto doesn't have sage of six paths and etc. He will grow and get stronger along his journey, acquiring powers in some way or another.

This fic is a mix of Naruto and One Piece worlds. The power system will be mostly from One Piece, with some specific powers taken and/or integrated into devil fruits. Although some will remain specific to clans and specific people. There will be many characters from both worlds.

I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, and I hope you also enjoyed it! Next chapter might take some time since I'm managing two fics at the same time.

Dendras out.