Alright, been WAY too long since I posted an update, for which I apologize. If you all have perhaps noticed the chaotic state of some of my stories, allow me to explain it.
A fanfic writer whose name I shall not mention because I do not want any trouble, was recently purged from the site, causing a bit of a panic amongst fanfic writers (including me) to think the mods are actively going after stories with smut.
If you have noticed, for temporary reasons I had removed my own 'scenes' to avoid banning or complete purge from the site, whereas I have like only five smut scenes in total of all of my fics.
But then later it was found out the writer was removed for other reasons - and that he was perhaps the only person now who got purged, with no other fanfic writer confirmed to be actively purged.
So after a few days of panic, another friend of mine fully detailed the reasons for what happened and convinced me this was not a purge - but still I took the decision to slowly post all my current fics on AO3, in case I do face a purge and you all still have the fics you wish to read.
AmusedLight is the account's name for anyone guessing.
Now back to the story, I hope you all love it, and enjoy the fic.
1516
Land of Water
In the countryside of the Land of Water drove a couple of jeeps through the well-traveled dirt roads that were already used by rubber-wheeled vehicles, in one of those jeeps on the front, sat some very high-ranked officers who just got her number punched in.
The dirt roads had seen their fair share of traffic, but the jeeps seemed to navigate them with ease. used to this kind of terrain, they, however, were not used to seeing what had happened to the nearby settlements.
Multiple buildings that belonged to local farmers were left with nothing but destruction or carcasses of livestock that were already claimed for their meat. With not even the results of the fighting being mentioned, many of these homes have been the victims of the terror that had been brought upon by the biggest problem that scourged throughout the countryside.
"Look, more bandits."
Watching from the backseat, Captain Hina raised her tinted sunglasses and watched what her driver was spotting.
Multiple bandits were seen lined up next to the road while being forced to sit on the mud with their shoes off and nearly stripped off from their clothing with evident marks of beatings they had gone through, all the while they were being guarded by several men of the Expeditionary Forces who were glaring at them with their loaded rifles.
"Excuse me, corporal." The front driver stopped the jeep, "may I have a moment?"
The corporal with the olive-colored army cap, and brown raincoat over his olive-shaded green uniform, turned his face to the jeep, showing that part of his face was void of any emotion, with his eye looking like it was nearly bashed in that turned into a messy scar.
Leaving an impression on the men on the jeep, also did to Hina, whose reaction was not unnoticed by the soldier.
"Ah, you must be the Marine officers we've been told about," The raincoat soldier stood in attention and saluted them, "Corporal Simyon Molovitch, 2nd Vodka, 120th."
"Vodka Kingdom, you say?" The driver asked. "What are you doing with these men?"
"They're local bandits we caught during our anti-partisan operations, sir." The corporal said turning with a glare to these prisoners. "They are spared for their wise decision to surrender, waiting for our commander to pick them up for questioning."
"Right, we need to know where the Foreign Legion is stationed at." The driver got to the point of his intentions. "I need to bring these officers in."
The corporal pointed out. "Follow the road towards the village, there you will find the Legionnaires-"
"RUN!"
The group of bandits took their chance and ran for the open field that led to the woods, trying to make their escape.
*BANG!*
One of those bandits received a shot to the back with his body falling like a rock into the mud, but it did little to stop the running prisoners.
"Idiots! Do not let them escape!" The corporal shouted to his men while pushing the bolt back and leading the hunt. "After them!"
The group of Vodka soldiers started to fire at the fleeing prisoners who were determined to get away from their captors who were in no mood anymore to take them alive. Even in front of the eyes of the convoy.
"Let's go to the town, let them handle it," The driver spoke while reigniting his jeep and started to drive again.
Captain Hina just watched as the last of the running bandits were quickly subdued by the Vodka troops, with more gunfire erupting from the large distance in the woods.
…
Only a short distance away the pink-haired captain found herself driving through a large town that was heavily occupied by a mixture of forces. With battalions of Marines, returning patrol units of Expeditionary Coalition units, and most importantly, Legionnaires, many of them.
But the most noticeable group was the number of cavalrymen seen coming in groups, riding their horses with their sables rattling against their belts with their rifles slung around their backs. They were Vodka Cavalry Corps, these were some of the most ruthless fighters in the kingdom had to offer to the world. These tribal warriors were known for their warrior lifestyle, but also their unmatched brutality.
The brutality that Captain Hina herself saw just a few moments ago disapproved, feeling like they were acting more like bandits with licenses to kill, these fighters sounded more like they'd fit in Kaido's misfits than that of uniformed professional military men.
"Stand hut!"
The jeep stopped just then as Hina was faced with several uniformed men saluting her with a path cleared for her, leading to a large tent that had its entrance guarded by a Legionnaire officer.
"Captain Hina, your arrival is expected."
Taking it as her cue to step off, Hina began to walk towards the tent with her subordinates trying to follow her before the officer at the entrance held up his hand.
"I am sorry, ma'am, but due to safety reasons, only one officer can enter for now, " The young officer told her as he held up the tent opening. "You may proceed."
Nodding as she walked in, Hina walked through the entrance of the tent and was met with two things she came to face with:
The chain of smoke coming from the ashtrays and burning pipes, and the dozens of Legionnaires in khaki uniform officers and orderlies who were standing around a large table with a map of the Shinobi continent and the Land of Water.
"So the anti-bandit operations across the northeast and northwest have resulted in success, for the most part at least." The officer who was debriefing them had their full attention. "I can confidently say that in the span of two months over seventy-five settlements, villages, fisher towns, and coastal positions have been cleansed from pirate and bandit presence."
The person who was debriefing his results to his superiors was the growing success story of Lieutenant Uzumaki Naruto, who had just come back from his post in the center of the country to give all the details his commanders asked him to give. With him now focused on operations towards the central areas, he was the center of attention.
Even Hina herself looked with interest as she heard from Smoker about this young man's rapid successes in this conflict. Having even outpaced multiple Marine commanders, she wanted to at least meet him once if possible given that compliments from Smoker, were rare at best.
"I am glad to see your Raiders have made good progress, Lieutenant." Major Whitehall spoke with acknowledgment as he went further. "Have you made contact with the local forces of the Fifth Mizukage?"
Standing next to him in silence was Shizuka, with the men growing accustomed to her presence as Naruto's 'aide', he continued his briefing.
"Lady Terumī? I haven't been able to do so yet, sir." Naruto responded while shaking his head and continued. "I am waiting for my reinforcements to arrive from the Marines, because I had laid a complaint with the Vodka cavalrymen, and I need real soldiers."
Hina found her opportunity and spoke.
"Real soldiers, you say?"
The room of officers turned to the entrance where they saw the female Marine officer standing there.
"Ah, Hina." Bishop smiled upon seeing his old pupil. "I mean Captain Hina."
"Hey Bishop, good to see you." Hina smiled at seeing her old teacher. "I'm reporting for duty, with who am I assigned?"
"That would be me." Naruto walked around and procured his shirt up before introducing himself to the womanly Marine he saluted her with a confident smile.
"Lieutenant Uzumaki Naruto, at your service."
Present
Marineford
Back to the present, the two officers now stood on polar opposite sides again, but not for formalities, but in the midst of the battle in a war both could not retreat from.
Hina did not like what she had to face, and that was visible from the start and got her a comment from her opponent.
"I can see you do not like the position you are in." Naruto commented, "Just so you know, neither am I glad to stand here."
"Agreed…this is conflicting," Hina responded, still in the position to fight, she continued. "I really wished to have not come across you in combat."
"Then step aside…" Naruto suggested, knowing it was futile to ask, but he still did. "It is easier for the both of us…"
The explosions continued in the background as the fighting went on even with the two veterans who had served together were somehow left alone to their fight, with nobody interfering on either side.
"You know I cannot do that. Neither should I." Hina countered with some grip on her words. "I should instead order you to stand down."
"And you also know better than that I won't do that either," Naruto responded to her, still not reaching for his own revolver, but his hand was close to the holster, "Not while one of my best men is about to be executed."
"Even when he is a pirate, let alone one of Whitebeard's commanders."
"I've dealt with field commanders who showed more incompetence than Ace has ever done behind the lines," Naruto didn't hesitate to defend him, "commanders that were of higher rank than you who threw away the lives of their men for unnecessary reasons."
Knowing that from first-hand experience, Hina could not blame him for even bringing that up as she knew a great amount of those who fought in the war weren't even directed to the enemy they had fought.
"Now I need to go."
"KIMONO SLEEVE CAGE!"
The response Naruto got from Hina was her sleeves releasing a long extended fence-like cage of bars that surrounded the area around Naruto, enough to try and trap him.
"I am sorry, Naruto, but here I will stop you no matter what," Hina said with the full intention of stopping him. "Anybody who tries to pass through me will be bound by the bars of my black cage, but you know that already."
"That I do know, you were never the one to mess around with an order," Naruto prepared himself, "but I have done enough behind bars, so if you'd excuse me-"
"Absolutely not, you won't."
Hina closed both her arms, with both cage fences closing in on the blond. A few marines and pirates were unfortunate enough to get caught in her powerful cage technique and taken prisoner.
Except for Naruto who was too quick, having already disappeared from the spot, causing Hina to look around to try and find him.
"Sorry…"
Nearly gasping, Hina felt something going past her body, and her eyes rolled to the side to see it was Naruto, who just bypassed her with such ease that he could've ended her with one deadly attack and left her behind.
"It was nice to see you, Hina, but I have to go now."
Landing behind her on his boots, Naruto quickly followed it up by running forwards with Hina left behind. Causing her to be stuck there with her hands full with her prisoners.
"Still quick….Hina failed…"
Running with all the strength he had, Luffy found himself getting lesser and lesser resistance for some reason, and even he noticed it to the point he started to look around.
Then came a large wave of marines running across the ice, spotting the black-haired teen and going for him in the hope of blocking him from reaching the Plaza.
"Move out of my way-"
"Get down!"
Luffy tried to turn around-
*BANG!*
A loud shot rang next to Luffy, forcing him to hold his hands over his ears because the sound was deafening to his ears.
"What the heck, hey-" Luffy shouted out to whoever it was, "I have no time for this, I have to save Ace!"
Once turned around, Luffy saw the shot coming from the Mark IV tank with the shot coming from the 6-pounder gun that was smoking, with infantry following the slow killer forcing the marines back.
One of them approached Luffy, wearing a long gray raincoat with a different helmet, a gas canister strapped to his back, and a rifle, with a gas mask covering his identity.
"You Straw Hat Luffy?"
Luffy was confused but nodded without saying a word.
"Follow us and stick close," the masked Legionnaire instructed him. "We will handle the marines, we'll clear a path, now Move out!"
The tank was proceeding to advance with bullets ricocheting off from it as it was taking up speed from the ice with it returning fire with its few machine guns.
"Pioneers! Advance!" The gas-masked man ordered his group while readying his rifle and giving out hand signals to those behind him.
Hand signals that only others of the Legion knew.
…
*PUNCH!*
Another white coat officer fell down in defeat by the furious strength that 3rd Division Commander Jozu did not hold back with his diamond arm.
"Take your positions!"
The tanned man turned to the shouts and saw that the former comrades of Ace, the Legionnaires were seen running for cover with them having taken cover behind an ice wall, where they then took defensive positions.
"Suppressing fire!"
Dozens of riflemen were starting to fire at the Marines from a distance, with already enough shots being fired from those men that it was causing chaos to the self-proclaimed defenders of justice who were forced to back down again.
"Place that MG!"
As then three more Legionnaires were seen running up to the others and setting up something, with the first fighter putting up a tripod mount on the ground.
"Set it up."
The second Legionnaire was putting up the machine gun into placement onto the tripod, An M1917 Browning as he opened it up for the ammunition.
"Load it!"
The third man was carrying boxes of ammunition that he laid down next to him with one opened up with the bandolier of ammo being fed into the gun as he also laid down a bucket of water to cool down the machine gun if it was getting overheated.
"Ready!"
*CHA-CHINK!*
"Open fire!"
The Browning machine gun started from its new position, as this gave the infantrymen that were in position the chance to move along with the covering fire they now were being given.
"Go!"
Their determination gave Jozu something to admire as he turned to his own men. "Support those Legion boys, 2nd Division!"
…
*BOOM!*
A group of Marines screamed while being hit by another shell that was fired from the Mark IV tank that was still advancing, causing more problems.
"Damn it! That tank is getting too close!" One Navy Officer turned to his men, "Destroy it!"
A group of Marines armed with heavy guns and bazookas were being aimed at the advancing tank.
"On my mark!" The officer ordered with his sword raised up, "Ready…fire-"
*SLASH!*
The officer didn't get the chance to say anything as he fell down back to the ground with his sword scattering up, causing the bazooka team to panic.
"What the-"
Appearing out of nowhere, Naruto was holding his Tantō stood now in front of the bazooka team that was caught off guard.
"Sorry guys," Naruto smirked at them, "but not today."
"Shoot him quickly-"
"GUM-GUM WHIP!"
An attack from Luffy hit all the Bazooka team members at once and sent them away from Naruto, taking them all out before they had the proper chance to react.
Jumping, Luffy landed next to Naruto as he stood up, with each other's backs covered.
"Thanks."
"No problem," Luffy responded as he held up his fists. "You got one heck of a crew."
"Thanks for the compliment, my men do good when needed."
A whole group of Navy Officers was seen coming for the duo on orders of Admiral Kizaru, with the intent of stopping them further from getting closer to the plaza.
"Now let's focus back on these bastards!"
Watching from the sidelines, normally having looked on to this war and its casualties with plans for the many corpses he'd claim once this was all over, one of the Warlords was standing there in fear.
Fear was what paralyzed Gecko Moriah, with his teeth gritting at the sight of the Foreign Legion and their commander there, memories of him encountering them made his own spine shiver for a few quick moments.
"I think… I will stay back…for now."
On the execution platform, Ace continued to watch his younger brother and his former captain fighting, with more and more of the Navy's best officers attacking them in large numbers without any hesitation.
Watching as they would take out, man after man who tried to take down either Luffy or Naruto, with each getting closer to hitting them, but then being put down themselves.
And it was one cut that was dealt against Luffy's arm that broke his silence.
"LUFFY STAY BACK!"
…
Stopping in the middle of it. Naruto noticed that Luffy was still running, despite hearing the shouts of Ace to tell him to stay out of it.
"Straw Hat wait-Ugh!"
Naruto grunts in mid-sentence before he can stop the boy, grabbing for his shoulder that was stinging, seeing it was his arm that Haku had treated.
'Damn that arm of yours!"
'Why don't you fix it now instead of complaining?'
'As if I am not doing that - now watch your back!'
"SHAVE!"
Three Navy officers with swords appeared above out of nowhere, with their swords out, they targeted Naruto.
"DIE!"
*SLASH!*
*SMASH!*
*BANG!*
Groaning in pain with blood spattering out, the three marines were mercilessly beaten back.
"Problems, Captain?"
Landing on their boots or sandals around their commanders were Haku, Gin, and another Legionnaire in heavy armor who came to the defense of their blond leader.
"Good timing as always, Haku," Naruto said holding his arm in irritation. "Mind helping out?"
Haku looked visibly angry as he pulled out his med kit and walked over. "One day, that arm of yours is going to be-"
"Yes, yes, the death of me or ripped out, I heard that before," Naruto repeated before he watched Haku get out a syringe and some bandages, "strap it up a bit more."
"On it."
More and more of the Damned Legionnaires caught up, alongside Ivankov's people who arrived in the hundreds. With Jimbei himself jumping into the frame.
"That arm of yours again?"
"Oh shut it, will you?" Naruto hissed as he got the needle pushed into his arm and the bandage put on, "I need you to back Straw Hat now,"
"ACE! I AM YOUR BROTHER!"
Ignoring Ace's pleas to stand back and go away, Luffy's proclamation of his bond with Ace only made those around him that made everyone in an ear's distance of the rubber boy to be shocked by this.
But then he noticed one of the giants rushing to block Luffy.
"Done," Haku finished patching up the arm, "you can go now!"
"Jimbei, on me!" Naruto shouted as he ran. "Quick!"
"Right behind you!"
…
The marines were trying to stop Luffy from getting further with the revelation they had just heard, it brought confusion.
"Both are Roger's sons?"
"Impossible! Both Fire Fists' parents were dead after he was born!"
"It doesn't matter, just keep pushing them back!" One Navy officer shouted. "Do not let him through!"
It was then that one Vice-Admiral with a metal club came into the path of Luffy and smashed his weapon into the ice floor, stopping him from getting any further.
"Not getting any further, pirate scum!"
It was then Naruto and Jimbei landed next to Luffy, and there the trio was facing off the now more nervous Marine forces who saw them all together.
"They look nervous, which means there is a chance," Naruto said turning to Jimbei, "Keep an eye on Moriah, Luffy, stay with me and my men. It is difficult enough already fighting these guys."
Jimbei agreed. "Right."
"For sure." Luffy agreed.
The Marines were however not sure what to do now with these three now working together.
"First son of the Sea Jimbei?"
"We've got to fight a Warlord too? And Uzumaki?"
"GATHER UP, QUICK!" Sengoku ordered through his intercom snail. "You're making a mockery of the Navy! By letting this rookie take control of things!"
The giant returned to the scene.
"Let me have him…"
"I'll crush this squirt into paste!" The giant Marine said holding the metal bat, swinging it at the three with anger, "You first, Uzumaki!"
*BASH!*
The end of the bat hit the ice floor and cracked it, but failed to hit either Luffy or Jimbei, let alone Luffy who just jumped back.
Sheathing his Tantō blade back, he was having enough.
'I'm going to do it.'
'Finally. Put that giant to the ground.'
'Give my arm something, would you?'
'With pleasure.'
At that moment, Luffy was suddenly the target for the giant as he began to swing his bat against the rubber boy with brute force, while in the background Naruto was preparing his next move with Sengoku heard speaking.
"Make no mistake! He's a threat to the Navy! He was raised alongside Fire Fist Ace as his stepbrother, and if that's not bad enough - He is the biological son of the Revolutionary Dragon!"
Reactions were heard and given, but nobody was paying attention to what some others were doing. Which was perfect for those who didn't waste time.
Luffy jumped out of range of the giant, who turned his attention then to Naruto who was holding his hand down to the floor.
"You're mine!" The giant raised his club up again to slam it down. "DIE!"
*SMASH!*
Hitting dead center, the metal bat should've crushed any being underneath the strength of the giant, with no chance of survival.
*CRACK!*
"HUH?"
Cracks appeared out of the bat, much to the surprise of the giant who was watching it happen to his weapon.
"WHAT?"
Then it fully erupted into dozens of metal pieces, with the causation being Naruto himself standing there with his right arm stretched out with an open hand and a blue spiral that was swirling with enough power.
"I-Impossible!"
Naruto wasted no time, jumping upwards and thrusting his arm, his attack, into the belly of the giant, and blasting a devastating blow into the tall enemy.
"RASENGAN!"
The giant stepped backward but was still in the fight but only half-conscious as he absorbed the attack but was on the verge of collapse.
"STRAW HAT!"
Jumping then out of nowhere, Luffy was in the air, near the same level as the giant who had no time to react.
Luffy bit his thumb.
"Third Gear!"
His arm began to inflate, like grow to a size that rivaled that of the giant.
"Huh?"
Luffy's fist grew so much that he now went on the assault.
"GUM-GUM-" Luffy yelled ready to throw. "-GIANT RIFLE!"
*POW!*
Serving the final blow, the giant got the full impact of the mammoth-sized fist hit into his face, knocking the giant out of the fight, in only the span of a few minutes.
With the pirates roaring in celebration at Luffy's victory over the giant, the rubber boy himself wasn't finished yet.
"HEY ACE!"
The giant's body slammed to the ice with still the boy's voice roaring loudly.
"SAY WHATEVER THE HELL YOU WANT! I'M STILL GOING TO SAVE YOU!"
This was enough for the pirates on the ground to give their own approval to this sentiment, and even signs of respect to the rookie.
Naruto however stood back up, gripping his right hand as he ordered out to his men.
"You heard the kid! We don't leave our own behind!" Naruto shouted with conviction, "Get Fire Fist Ace off from that scaffold!"
Joining in on the attack, more Damned Legionnaires followed their captain's orders and charged in with Shikamaru, Chōji, Haku, Gin, and Foster leading the men into further combat.
Watching from the Moby Dick, Whitebeard saw the whole thing happening with a giant smirk on his face, he ordered his second-in-command Marco.
"Hey Marco, don't let that kid die no matter what."
"You got it." Marco smiled and complied, "I don't need to worry about my little nephew, I suppose?"
Whitebeard found himself turning to his surroundings and noticed in the far reaches of the battlefield, several snails focusing on the war. Some of these snails he could see were directed at his grandson.
Like they were mainly focused on him
"No need for that, but I do however want you to keep an eye on him - just in case."