Okay i wasn't expecting that much like and follow on the first chapter but thank you guys for the support, you really surprised me there.
I'm really happy right now. I was scared that people wouldn't want to read it since most of their favorite characters are practically none existence at this point.
FYI I'm gonna be taking this story one step at a time. I'm not rushing it so you guys can just watch fight scenes. Don't expect a fight every chapter cause it's not happening like that.
But I can promise you I'd do justice to all the legendary moments of all the pirates so don't worry about it.
Disclaimer; I don't own this fiction except for the plots that will be happening in-between the storyline and the efforts used in writing this. So chill, seat back and enjoy the story.
The vessel looked worse for wear and the only thing keeping it from falling apart was the second rate repair done on it.
"This wasn't what I was expecting" Naruto whined as he laid over the ship railing, staring into the deep blue sea with a bored expression.
It's been a few days since he joined Roger and Rayleigh on their adventure. Thanks to Rayleigh and Roger being generous enough to share their food supplies with him, he was able to recover considerably.
However, for those past few days they have been drifting aimlessly across the oceans. During those time they have encountered two different storms. One of them was even a cyclone which they somehow managed to survive.
"Neither did I. I thought pirating was supposed to be fun" Roger complained from beside Naruto as the two of them stared into the water with moody expressions.
However he knew he couldn't blame them. Even he didn't know that his navigational skills would be completely useless in the grand line.
Naruto slowly raised his hand and straightforwardly asked. "Can I resign?"
"IT'S TOO LATE FOR THAT!" Roger immediately slapped his hand back before he even finished his sentence, causing Naruto to flinch. He then looked at Naruto with a grin that made him realize that he was done for. There was no way Roger was gonna let him leave his crew now.
'Dimwits'
Rayleigh shook his head at them before returning his gaze back to the telescope. This was what he has been dealing with for the past few days.
A few hours went by with nothing major happening except for Naruto and Roger ceaselessly asking him if he caught sight of an island yet.
Before they could pester him for the thousandth time he finally caught sight of a black dot on the telescope.
"I think I found an island" Rayleigh said to the two people lying moodily on the deck. The two of them turned their heads towards him so fast that he was afraid their necks would break.
"WHERE?!" Naruto and Roger immediately brightened up and ran up to Rayleigh who pointed at a dark mass on the far reach of the sea.
"Then what are we waiting for? FULL SPEED AHEAD!" Roger ordered energically causing Rayleigh to shake his head at his eagerness to take charge now.
'What a fast mood change' Rayleigh whistled in amusement. He couldn't say the same Roger that was lying depressed on the ground anymore.
'Just how thick is your skin, captain?'
However contrary to their thoughts about their captain, they promptly ran to their stations. With a destination in sight, it didn't take long for the ship to get there.
The people at the harbor were going about their day when they saw a small boat at sea heading to the harbor. At first they were curious about the ship but after taking a good look at the ship they completely ignored it.
"Land at last! And look Rayleigh there are people here!" Roger laughed excitedly when he saw the crowd people moving about the harbor.
The last island they had been to was completely deserted and only had one half dead person on it, so it didn't count.
Naruto also realized the meaning behind Roger's words which caused him to glare at Roger who feign ignorance.
"Alright, alright. Just remember what we talked about. Prioritize gathering information first before anything else. We'll meet back here when we are each done. Got it" Roger grabbed Roger's collar and said before he could run off. Emphasizing each words.
"Aye aye" Roger nodded with a sheepish grin.
"Understood" Naruto said. Right now he was just happy to be on land again.
"Good. Remember not to draw any attention" Rayleigh reminded them one last time before the three of them split up in three different directions.
"It's kinda peaceful around here" Naruto mused as he walked around the town. When they first got here he saw a few pirate ships at the harbor and had expected it to be quite chaotic but he experienced otherwise.
"That should do it" After walking around the town for half an hour he was able to find out some useful information. Now he just needed to rendezvous with Rayleigh and Roger.
"Naruto, you are here. Where's Roger?" Rayleigh asked immediately he saw Naruto arriving at the harbor. The island wasn't too big, so it was easy to gather information. So what was taking Roger so long?
"I don't know. Maybe he's just running late or he missed his way around the island. Some places are really confusing" Naruto shrugged. He felt like Rayleigh was worrying too much. Yes, their captain was a handful but Rayleigh makes it feel like if he let Roger out of his sight for too long something bad was going to happen.
Right at that moment the two of them heard a loud commotion behind them, prompting them to turn around.
"What the hell is going on?" Naruto groaned as he looked for the cause of the commotion.
However, when he finally found the cause, his eyes nearly popped out when he saw a familiar figure being chased by a group of marine.
"IS THAT ROGER?!" Naruto shouted as he turned to Rayleigh who could only shake his head with a tired sigh. He already foresee something like this happening.
'Oh, for goodness sake'
"Come on, Naruto" Rayleigh said as he grabbed Naruto's hand and turned around to run.
"Wait wait wait, they might not have noticed us. We'll be giving ourselves away if we run now" Naruto quickly tried to reason but as soon as he said that Roger also noticed them and started waving happily to them.
"Hey, Naruto! Rayleigh!"
"Those two must be his acquaintance. Get them" The marine in the lead informed when he saw Roger waving at two strangers. They immediately raised their weapons and prepared to catch them too.
"Okay, let's run" Naruto deadpanned when he saw Roger's action and the marines that were noe eyeing them.
"You think?" Rayleigh scoffed before the two of them ran off into the town with Roger and the marines behind them.
The group ran into a crowded marketplace, causing chaos as they pushed and pull through the crowds causing people to shout in protest. Some unlucky souls were even thrown at the marines to slow them down.
"Sorry!" Roger laughed as he pushed a fatman out of the way and into a cabbage stall. He looked back to see a group of marine chasing behind them with their swords and pistol.
"STOP THEM!" The marines shouted as they chased after them.
"what the hell Roger?! What did you do to get the marines on your tail?!" Naruto shouted as he ran alongside Rayleigh and Roger who had caught up with them somewhere during their run.
He was already starting to regret his decision as their captain was more trouble than he was worth.
"Seriously, Roger. I thought I told you to be discreet. Why did you go up to them and declare that you were a pirate. Moreover, you pulled us into your mess" Rayleigh glared at his captain who replied with a sheepish laugh.
"I only wanted to liven things up since our adventures have been boring lately"
"NOBODY SENT YOU! Naruto and Rayleigh screamed at him.
"We already talked about this Roger. We are still new to the Grand line so we need to gather sufficient information before acting"
"Sorry"
The three of them continued to run from the marines for a couple of minutes before losing them in a empty alley.
"Seriously, Captain. Stop doing that" Naruto groaned after catching his breathe. He couldn't remember the last time he had ran that fast. Maybe it was because he couldn't remember most things.
"Sorry, sorry" Roger apologized but his laugh said otherwise.
'Is it really too late to resign now?' Naruto nearly shed tears since he knew that roger never planned on stopping anytime soon. Rayleigh also realized this. could respond with a defeated sigh and said.
"Anyways I was a bar back there. We should be able to gather sufficient information there before we leave this island"
"Okay" Roger nodded and was about to walk ahead but Rayleigh quickly grabbed his shirt and pulled him back. With a scolding tone he said to roger.
"I'll take the lead this time, Roger. You just follow. Got it?"
"Hai" Roger nodded obediently.
"Naruto sweat dropped at this scene. But it wasn't new to him. Whenever Roger stepped out of line Rayleigh would always be the first to put him back in line.
Sometimes he can't help but wonder if Rayleigh was the real captain and Roger was just a figure head.
The three of them walked into a small bar and found a quiet corner to sit. They ordered three glass of rum. Since naruto was already nineteen years of age Rayleigh had no issue with it. While the three of them sipped on their drinks they listened to the conversations taking place in the bar.
"Hey did you guys hear. I heard a famous pirate group was captured by a rookie marine"
"Are you for real?"
"Yes. Apparently it's gonna be all over the news soon"
"What kind of rookie marine could be such a thing?"
"I don't know. But I'll have to be on the lookout for that guy then. I don't want to be the next pirate he arrest"
"It seems there is a lot going on that we don't know about" Naruto said with a thin smile. He was seriously starting to doubt his decision. If a rookie marine could do that then what chance do they have against a veteran.
"He sounds tough. But we are not weak either" Roger said with a raised fist.
'Is it really too late to resign now?' Naruto nearly shed tears since he knew that roger never planned on stopping anytime soon. Rayleigh also realized this. could respond with a defeated sigh and said.
"Apart from that we still need money to fix our ship and buy new supplies. We are almost out of supplies." Rayleigh listed out. He had a little headache just thinking about it."Looks like we have to salvage"
"So what did you guys learn?"
"Apparently a lot of pirates have been entering the grand line from the other seas. Just a few days ago a huge fight occured among two of those pirates resulting in the marines interference. Apart from that this town is just a stop point for pirates that just entered the grand line." Naruto informed before exhaling. The information he had was too little. Nothing about the major goings of the grand line, just done minor details.
"What about you Roger?" Rayleigh turned to the trouble maker. Although the information Naruto revealed was too little it was enough for him to know that there was going to be a lot of competition for resources among pirates.
Roger took a big gulp of wine from his cup. His expression turning serious which was uncharacteristic of him as he said "Well it's nothing major but the folks on this island are calling the grand line a pirate graveyard. Not just that but there are actually seven different routes that a person can follow in the grand line. And to navigate this islands we need a compass called a log pose which I have never seen before"
"What?!" Roger shouted at Rayleigh and Naruto when he saw them staring at him in shock and disbelief.
"Are you really Roger?" Naruto asked while looking at Roger like he had just seen a ghost.
"Don't try me, brat?!"A tick mark grew on Roger's head as he punched on the top of Naruto's head causing him to yelp.
"I guess you really do have your moments"
"Not you too Rayleigh! You are supposed to be my first mate!"
As the three of them were jesting and laughing a group of people walked into the bar and approached their table.
The whole bar fell silent when they saw the group of men walking into the bar carrying guns and swords on their person. Some people even hurried left the bar while others remain seated, wanting to see what was about to happen.
"Hey, you!" The pirate in the lead smashed his foot onto their table causing their drinks to spill over. The whole table fell into silence.
"Can we help you?" Rayleigh asked as he looked at the burly man.
"Can you help me? CAN YOU HELP ME?! One of my pirate crew member was captured by the marines because of the stunt that idiot pulled" The man shouted as he pointed accusing at Roger whose face was shadowed by his straw hat.
"Well that's unfortunate but there's nothing we can do about it" Rayleigh said dryly. He was about to return to his conversation when a hand roughly grabbed his shoulder.
"Is there something else?" Rayleigh asked in a monotone voice as he glared at the owner of the offending hand.
"What's with that attitude? Do you even know who we are?" The thug asked as he pointed a gun at Rayleigh. "We are the gorge pirates with a total bounty of 3oo,ooo berries! And nobody messes with us. Definitely not some no named pirates like you guys"
"Hey Rayleigh" Roger suddenly speak up for the first time drawing everyone's attention. He turned to Rayleigh and asked. "Is it okay for me to deal with these guys?"
The whole bar fell dead quiet when they heard Rogers words. Everybody froze still in shock. They were already in a very precarious situation but Roger just pushed them off the edge.
The gorge pirate crew were known to be vicious and cruel. Although they were not some big named pirate crew. They are still famous in the early half of the grand lines.
However, they soon realized that Roger wasn't the only crazy one in the group.
"Is it okay if I tap in as well?" Naruto asked. Although he knew that Roger was an idiot and a very reckless person. That doesn't mean that he would sit still and watch someone insult his friends. Especially not after all that Roger and Rayleigh have done for him.
The whole bar turned to Rayleigh hoping he would be the voice of reason but their hope was completely shattered.
"Not at all. I was planning on doing the same anyway" Rayleigh said seriously. He was the only one allowed to scold Roger. So there was no way he'd let an outsider bad mouth his captain.
The whole bar immediately fell into a commotion when they heard him.
"They are all mad men."
"They must be mentally retarded"
"Well it's too late for them now. Their journey has ended before it even began"
The pirate group that had been in shock immediately became enraged when they heard their words.
"How dare you?! Die!" The pirate immediately reached for his sword. However before he could a fist smashed into his face, and sent him crashing into the group behind him.
The whole bar went quiet again. A look of horror appeared on their faces when they saw the pirate's unconscious form. They all turned to the blonde youth standing in the pirate's previous location with his arm outstretched.
The pirates were the first to get over their shocks. They immediately grabbed their weapons and charged at the group of three.
"How dare you?!"
"That was our squad leader!"
"You are so dead now!"
"I can't believe you beat me to the punch. I was just about to smack that guy" Roger laughed as he stood up from his seat. If Naruto hadn't been so fast to attack, he would have been the one to hit the guy.
"Sorry. I just couldn't stand to listen to anymore of his rubbish" Naruto said wryly.
"Well, it's alright. Let's just get this over with" Rayleigh said as he unsheathe his saber.
"Got it" Naruto and Roger nodded before the three of them attacked the group.
The inhabitants of the bar the the ensuing battle with shock and disbelief. And just as they expected the fight didn't last long. But the outcome went completely different to expectation.
Shock, fear, horror and a variety of emotions coloured their faces. They stared at the three men standing in the midst of bodies of the bloodied and defeated pirates. None of them daring to make a move.
They felt like they had just seen a nightmare. The fight that had taken place was nothing more than a one sided beat down. The pirates were completely powerless and defenseless against their attacks.
The three of them were like monsters. Especially the blonde haired kid. Even with his frail looking body, he was stull strong enough to knock out a fully grown man.
They watched in silence as the group of three nonchalantly walked out of the bar. Leaving a group of groaning bodies behind.
It was only after they left that the bar broke out in a loud commotion.
"Who the hell were those guys?!"
"I don't know but this is definitely big news"
"They are all in for a shock"
...
Meanwhile while the bar was in chaos over their identities. The said people were walking leisure through town.
"That's 5000 berries!" Naruto said joyfully to Rayleigh after counting the berries he looted from the pirates.
"Stop complaining. You are the reason we got into that fight in the first place" Rayleigh said. Though he said that he was actually glad that they did. Thanks to that they were able to gain enough money for them to buy some supplies.
"Yes but we really luck out this time. Roger said as he brought out an object for Rayleigh and Naruto to see.
"Is that a log lose?! I heard some people gossiping about it. They said it's used to navigate the vast seas of the Grand line" Naruto exclaimed when he saw the compass Roger was holding. The reason they have been moving aimlessly at sea was because they didn't have a log pose. But with this they would have a better time navigating the sea.
"I believe the navigator" Naruto said as he grabbed it from Roger before tossing the log pose to Rayleigh.
"Thanks"
"Now let's get going. We still have a long way to go"
With sufficient berries and a log pose the three of them quickly stocked up on the necessary supplies for their journey and immediately left the island.
However, not long after they left, news of their actions had already spread.
Well that concludes this chapter.
Because of the massive follow and favorite that this story got for it first chapter. I decided to drop another one ahead of schedule.
Hope you guys enjoyed it.
I'm not gonna say much but stay tuned. There's still a lot of fun to be had. So make sure you don't go too far.
Until next time
JA NE