"Bye-bye!" "See you tomorrow, Master!" "Goodnight, Ren."
At the intersection, Ren Kurogane parted ways with Minato and the others and returned to his home. Today, he didn't practice his "Sage" cultivation. Instead, he took a trip to the Brotherhood Space. After waiting for about fifteen minutes without anyone showing up, he returned to reality and drifted into a deep sleep.
Tomorrow, I'll find a chance to draw a vial of blood from Kushina~
The One Piece World
"Hahaha! We're setting sail!"
In the North Blue, within the Kingdom of Totoria, a physically imposing young man boarded a small sailing vessel and left the pier, leaving behind the place he had called home for eighteen years.
"Hehe! Next time I return, I'll be a legendary figure famous throughout the seas!" Pirate Ren vowed in his heart.
"Captain, where is our first stop?" a blonde girl named Hill asked with a smile. She wore a white shirt and tight jeans, standing in golden high-heeled sandals—a breathtakingly beautiful sight against the harbor backdrop.
"No idea!" Ren grinned broadly, looking up at the sails. "Let the wind decide where we go next!"
Hill, the navigator, looked at him with utter speechlessness. She knew her captain was a bit of a blockhead, but did he really have to have an episode right at the start of their journey? To ensure they didn't wander aimlessly, Hill had spent three years studying navigation and spent a fortune on books regarding the Grand Line's climate.
And now, on the day of their departure, the captain tells her to leave it to the wind?
My fist. It's clenching.
However, looking at Ren's head—which she knew was harder than a rock—Hill suppressed her rage. "Fine, do whatever you want. Come find me when you're lost!" She turned and headed into the cabin, grabbing a glass of juice and settling into a lounge chair to watch Ren and the others scramble about.
Besides the two of them, the crew consisted of Grey, a chef whose arms were thicker than Ren's thighs; Blue, a sailor in hemp clothes; and Klin, a swordsman they had befriended a couple of days ago. Although his name was Klin, he wasn't the planet-busting bald guy from Dragon Ball; he was a gentlemanly fencer whose every movement radiated an air of nobility.
Additionally, the ship held three orange trees that Ren had specifically prepared. Scurvy was a nightmare on the high seas, and oranges were the perfect preventative measure!
Starting a journey with five crew members felt great to Ren—at least he had a better starting lineup than Luffy! Speaking of which, Luffy was also setting sail this year; they were bound to cross paths eventually.
Should I interfere in the Paramount War? That's a prime opportunity for fame! Standing at the bow, Ren thought about the future, his lips curling upward.
A shame I haven't seen the Naruto version of myself in the Brotherhood Space for over a year. I wonder if he's still alive...
Ren often checked the space during his downtime, but he hadn't met any other versions of himself recently—not even the Naruto Ren he'd met once before. It was disappointing; he feared that version of himself might have kicked the bucket.
However, he probably wasn't dead. When they had fist-bumped, Pirate Ren was already at Vice-Admiral level strength with mastery over two types of Haki. In the Naruto world, while not entirely invincible, few people during the Second War could actually take him down—especially since that Ren was quite cautious. He wouldn't expose his strength unless it was a sure win, so it was unlikely he'd be discovered and killed.
Ren knew that version of himself was "low-key" because it was the initial version. He remembered his own mindset when he first arrived in the One Piece world: without strength, you stayed quiet and careful to avoid unwanted attention.
"Captain! Pirate ship spotted ahead!" Blue shouted from the crow's nest, telescope in hand.
"Oh? We're open for business already!" Ren's face filled with excitement. "Bring us alongside!"
"Aye, aye!"
Grey and Klin adjusted the sails together, and the Starsea surged toward the distant pirate ship.
"I wonder who the unlucky bastards are~" Hill rested her chin on her palm. "Make it quick. Don't waste too much time."
Unlike the East Blue, the North Blue was chaotic and crawling with pirates. If a fight dragged on, other crews might join the fray, or even worse, the Marines might show up. In the North Blue, speed was the key to survival.
As Ren's crew approached, the enemy spotted them as well. Just like Ren, they immediately turned their prow to close the distance. Run? North Blue pirates weren't cowards!
"A flag I don't recognize. Probably some wet-behind-the-ears rookies," a brawny man with thick body hair laughed. "Come on! Let's give these babies a lesson on the cruelty of the sea!"
"YEAH!!!"
The two ships closed in rapidly. Once in range, the roar of cannons erupted!
BOOM!BOOM!!
"Hahaha! Kid! You've got some nerve approaching me willingly! You clearly haven't heard of the 'Great Bear'!" the brawny man shouted, standing on his ship's railing.
"Great Bear? That's the bastard pirate who slaughters entire towns, isn't it?" Ren clenched his fists. To run into such a vicious scumbag right at the start—his luck was fantastic!
Don't misunderstand; he wasn't a hero of justice. He was excited simply because the "Great Bear" had a decent reputation in the North Blue. The captain, Peshakiss, possessed the Zoan-type Black Bear Fruit. Every time they docked, a town suffered; the men were enslaved, and the women were toyed with until they died. They were an infamous lot.
The Marines had placed a respectable bounty on his head: 30 million Berries!
"If I take you down, my name is made!"
"Arrogant brat! If you want to use my head as a stepping stone, give me yours to use as a garnish for my drinks!"
Behind Peshakiss, his underlings fired crossbows loaded with barbed grappling hooks toward the Starsea.
"Don't let these grunts damage the ship!" Ren commanded.
Slash-slash!
Two flashes of white light flickered, and the incoming bolts were struck down mid-air. Klin elegantly sheathed his rapier and smiled at Ren. "I'll handle these nuisances. Focus on your fight, Captain."
"Haha! Reliable as ever, Klin!"