Chapter 24

Portgas D. Naruto

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"W-what, you found the legendary treasure!?" Nico Robin asked with wide eyes as she did her best to comprehend what the captain of the Whirlpool Pirates just said

It was then Nami's turn to step forward and make her voice heard, "There's no way! I-i-it's impossible! That treasure has been missing since the time of Gold Roger! How did you manage to find it!"

Naruto made a grin, "I had lots of help!" He expressed looking back towards the door, where on the outside stood his three most trusted crew members. "Without my crew I'm nothing, they helped me every step of the way and have the same right to say that they found the One Piece as I do." The captain continued as Nami brought a hand to her head and processed the information

"Hold on, correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't that make you the new King of the Pirates, you know since you found the One Piece." Zoro piped up as Naruto brought a hand to his chin, not known to the others, Luffy still stood shocked to the core in the corner of the room

The Yonko thought for a second, "I never thought of it like that; I guess by your logic it would, but I have no desire to become the Pirate King." He spoke, looking up from his thought

Everyone looked at him shocked to the core that he would say something like that. Not want to be the Pirate King!? It was every sailor's dream to drown in the glory that the title of Pirate King granted. "Why not!? Anyone would jump on the chance to be the King of the Pirates, why not you?!" The Straw Hat cook questioned, cigarette almost falling from his mouth

"For once I agree with the pervert. To be King of the Pirates is the ultimate title which essentially makes you King of the Grandline and the four blue seas." The swordsman voiced as Naruto chuckled

The Captain of the Whirlpool Pirates sat back into his seat and then began to explain himself, "I already have a mission, and becoming King of the Pirates isn't a part of that. The only thing it would do is put an even bigger target on my back which could prevent me from getting the work I need done. Besides there's only one man now who's worthy of becoming Pirate King alive today. And that man is you Luffy!"

Luffy's eyes shot up as he met his brothers gaze, with a shocked expression he responded, "Do you mean that bro?" He asked the Yonko

"Every word." Naruto responded with a genuine smile

Robin sat silently in her seat as she watched the exchange between the brothers and started to grow a little impatient. In front of her was one of the few people who have actually seen and read the Rio Ponoglyph to her knowledge and she must know what it says. "Please tell me about the Rio Ponoglyph!" She blurted out which made the Yonko raise a brow at her

"And remind me again why you would ant to know about that?" The Yonko questioned her

She swallowed, "My people studied the ancient text written on all of the Ponoglyphs in hope to find the secret of the Void Century, ever since I had found out about the topic I've been dying to know the truth about it. So please, what is the truth of the Void Century!" Robin explained as Naruto made a light sigh

"I could tell you the history of the Void Century, what the One Piece is, where they are both located. But if I did what would compel you to go and see for yourself, in my eyes if I told you that information I'd be robbing all of you of an adventure." Naruto told the whole Straw hat crew as the nodded along and Robin remained silent

A smile then came over the Yonko's face as he rose from his chair and extended a hand onto Nico Robin's shoulder. "But don't worry, you'll find it in due time. In my time at sea I've never seen more capable crew as this one. If anyone is going to conquer the Grandline it'll be you guys!"

After Naruto's words Luffy began to laugh, "Big Bro is right Robin! If we were to know about all that stuff right now just imagine all of the sights that we wouldn't get to see and all of the places we wouldn't be able to explore!" Luffy told her with a bright smile. Robin lowered her head a little before raising it once again, and with a look of determination nodded her head in confirmation.

"If I may ask, how did you come to understand the markings of the Ponoglyphs? I thought my people were the only ones able to read them?" Robin questioned the Whirlpool Pirates Captain as he laughed to himself and answered

"You see." He began, "I learned from your people, I heard of what had happened to your native island of Ohara and had decided to see if there was anything there that could possibly help me on my journey and I had stumbled across this book." The man then removed a book from his coat pocket that had shown some wear and tear, having some burn marks on the seams from the Buster Call on Ohara all those years ago. "I found this in the wreckage on the island, and inside it had contained everything anyone would need to know about reading the ancient markings, and a little bit more." Naruto then opened the book to the back cover and presented the faces of the Strawhats with a letter glued onto one of the pages. The letter itself was very simple, having no special attributes about it; but the name on the front of the parchment made everyone in the room go wide eyed.

Nami was the first to speak, "I-it's addressed to Robin!?"

"But why would Robin have a letter stashed in this old book?" Chopper asked as he looked up to the green-haired swordsman for answers

Sanji turned away from the group and lit his cigarette. "I swear if it's from some perv trying to get with my beloved Robin I'll murder them." He said under his breath

Naruto stood up from his seat and closed the book, letting his hand holding it drop to his side as he spoke to the crew once again, "I don't know who wrote the letter, nor do I know the contents inside. But I do got a pretty good idea of the author."

"Who's that Big Bro?" Luffy questioned as he sat cross legged on a piece of wood

The red head looked at Luffy then back at the book before he held it up once again. "Well when I first discovered it I glossed through the pages quickly just to get an idea of what was in it until I stumbled across some ancient writing on the back cover which until recently I couldn't translate. But after teaching myself the language I found out that it read the author's name, Nico Oliva. So that leads my to believe that this letter is from her as well."

Robin was shocked to learn this as she went wide eyed and continued to stare at the book. "I trust this person meant something to you Robin?" Naruto asked as the lady slowly nodded her head in response.

"She was my mother." Robin answered as the rest of the crew dare not speak up, listening intently on the conversation

Naruto did a slow nod as he outstretched his arm and handed the book to Robin. "I had a feeling that might be the case so that was a part of the reason I came here, to deliver this to you."

Robin took the book slowly from his firm hands and turned it open to the page with the letter. She then torn the parchment off of the page it was glued to and opened the packaging. She swiftly read the contents of the letter and the crew watched on as a few stray tears began to fall down her elegant face.

"W-what does it say Robin?" Chopper quietly asked as he pulled on her leather jacket slightly to get her attention

She wiped her eyes as she looked down at the letter once again and spoke it to the Reindeer, "It says, no matter the circumstances, or hardships you may face, remember where you came from and don't be oppressed by anyone. Live free Robin, I'm sorry I can't be with you in your times of peril but I'll always live on in your heart. With all my love, your mother, Nico Oliva."

The crew remained silent as Naruto clenched his fist silently and out of view to everyone as the words of encouragement on the letter sounded strangely familiar to the same words his father had left him with. Without warning, Robin extended her arms around Naruto's cloaked body and squeezed him tight, her head leaning against his chest as she looked up to him with teary eyes. "Thank you." Was all she spoke as the red head just smiled back at her and wrapped his arm around her back, returning the hug for a few seconds before they both separated.

The Captain of the Whirlpool Pirates took a seat back into his chair as he began to speak once more, "So Robin, I realize we got a little off topic but I must know if you know the location of any of the Ancient Weapons."

The woman in question sat there for a moment wiping her eyes and thinking before she responded to him, "The only one I know of is Pluton, and it's . . ." She was cut off before she could finish

"In Alabasta, I know, after you all left I looked around and read the Ponoglyph there. Is there any others that you know of?" He asked with a raised brow

The archaeologist shook her head, "No I'm afraid not." She responded, a little disappointed not being able to help

Naruto leaned back into his chair and took a second to think, he then pulled himself up, and out of the chair and stood up. "I see, then if that's the case then we should be going."

"What but you just got here! Don't you wanna party?! Let loose a little?!" Luffy asked his older brother but Naruto just held up his hand

"Unfortunately we can't stay, if what Robin says is true we gotta go back on the hunt for those ancient weapons. The world is changing, you and crew may not see it yet but it's been foretold that something will happen, something big, that will turn the world upside down." Naruto told them cryptically

The red-head began to walk to the door when Luffy got his attention and smiled, "Hey Naruto! Will we see you again!?"

The man to whom he was speaking to cracked a smile and turned back slightly to face his younger brother. "Eventually, by the time we all see eachother once again it will be in the New World, I need to make one more stop in Paradise but then I'll be returning to my territory on the second half of the Grandline." Naruto responded to him, "Oh and Luffy, before I forget. When you arrive at Sabaody, the halfway point in the Grandline, seek out Rayleigh the shipcoater. He will assist you in whatever you need and set you off prepared for the challenge that is the New World." The Captain of the Whirlpool Pirates finished as Luffy nodded and smiled with his trademark grin

The Strawhat Captain spoke up once again before his brother left. "Ya know I really would've thought Ace would've joined with you Naruto!"

His elder didn't look back as the door opened, he took a step out and let a breath go that was inaudible to the rest of the people still inside. "Me too." He muttered silently, only barely being picked up by the rest of the crew and Luffy. "Remember Straw Hats, stay safe." Was the last thing the Yonko said before walking out the door

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Outside. . .

After walking out of the house, Naruto was greeted to the sight of his 3 heavenly kings standing guard like he had asked them to do minutes earlier.

"Took your time in there didn't ya capn'. If I knew you'd be in there for that long I might've pulled out a lawnchair and somethin' of the sort." Russ told him, pulling his captain's leg a little bit but Lucy wasn't having it

"Hmph, you'd think one of Yonko's top men would treat him with a little more respect. You're such a stupid idiot Russ!" She told him flat out which made the marksman's blood boil

Kiji just looked at the two and sighed before turning to his captain. "Does the woman know anything about the ancient weapons?" The fish man asked as Naruto slowly shook his head

"She only knew about Pluton, nothing more." He told Kiji as both Russ and Lucy snapped out of what they were doing to come and convene

Russ laughed a little, "Then what's the plan now?" He asked his crew

"I mean we could go and ask if your friend from Sabaody knows anything Captain." Lucy suggested as Naruto nodded along

"Great idea Lucy, and Kiji, didn't you say that one of the ancient weapons was tied to Fishman Island?" The Yonko asked his first mate as the brute nodded along

"Indeed." He answered plainly

The red head smiled as he looked over his three crew members. "Right, so we'll go on to Sabaody to talk with Rayleigh and then go down to Fishman Island to see if we can find anything out about the ancient weapons." The Captain explained as the crew nodded along in understanding before the group turned and began to walk off towards the Great Wave. The group eventually arrived to where it was docked on the outskirts of the island and began to get themselves ready for the voyage ahead.

Kiji looked back as he placed yet another box of goods into the storage area before yelling into the comm on the wall. "Hey Russ! Did you load up all of the ammo into the ship yet?!" He asked through the comm link

"Roger doger! I loaded it up shortly after we got 'em here!" Russ responded back through the comm

Naruto was listening from his end of the comm from another room before he too spoke into it, "Well done Russ, is there anything else that needs to be taken care of before we depart?"

"Nothing on my end." Kiji's voice sounded through the device

Russ then responded, "Everythin's good up here Capn'."

"Um Naruto?" Lucy's voice echoed through the comm drawing the attention of the other three

"Yes what is it Lucy?" Naruto asked his navigator as he turned to face full attention towards the comm, awaiting her response

I took a second for her to speak once again. "I'm currently seeing the Straw Hat ship sailing away from the island."

Kiji, Russ, and Naruto each had a puzzled look on their faces as each of them wondered what was so bad about that. "I don't see the problem Lucy." Naruto admitted to her

"The problem is they're being followed by a Marine ship." She told him as each of the boys ran up to the top of the ship where she was

Each one of them looked out to just off the shore of the island and spotted a different vessel but it still rose the Strawhat flag being chased by a bulky Marine vessel. "Is that. . ." Naruto began to say as he was swiftly cut off by a booming voice over a megaphone coming from the Marine ship

"OI LUFFY! CAN YOU HERE ME! IT'S YOUR GRANDPA IT'S YOUR GRANDPA! SORRY BUT I'M COMING AFTER YOU! IT'S MY DUTY AS A VICE-ADMIRAL!" The voice explained as Naruto brought his fingers to his temple and exhaled

Russ laughed a little as he patted his captain on his back in a comical way, coming to the realization that Naruto was related to this Marine Vice Admiral on the ship, "Well Capn' it's just one suprise after another with ya isn't it! Ha ha!"

Kiji smirked, "Who would've thought that you'd be related to a Vice Admiral!" The Fishman voiced as Lucy giggled a little in the background

The redhead exhaled, "Well we gotta do something to help the Starwhats. You guys continue getting the ship ready for departure, I'll swim over there and have a little chat with Gramps." Naruto told his crew as he jumped head first into the water below

The Yonko used his manipulation of water to make it so no water touched him as he shot himself forward like a torpedo, heading straight for the Marine ship. Once close enough he shot himself upwards and onto the deck where his Grandfather was standing. Most of the younger and inexperienced Marines had looks of shock and terror on their faces as they looked onto Naruto while a select few kept their cool.

The Yonko looked around for a second and noticed a great Marine presence on the deck as well as an Admiral lounging in a chair. "Well it's good to see you again." Naruto told the older man as he lifted the megaphone to his mouth once again

"IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU TOO!" Garp yelled into the device as it delivered a shattering sound to the Yonko

Naruto held both of his ears as all of the Marines raised their weapons at him, most of them hesitant to do so. Garp then put down the megaphone slowly, not taking one eye off of his grandson. "Why're you here kid?" Garp asked him

"I got my reasons, but I'm on your ship right now to protect the Strawhats and make sure they don't get caught!" Naruto told him as Garp shot a fist forward as Naruto crossed both of his arms to block it

A tic mark then grew on the elders face as he barked at the Yonko, "DON'T THINK THAT CAUSE YOU'RE SOME HIGH AND MIGHTY PIRATE NOW MEAN THAT I'M GOING TO TAKE IT EASY ON YOU! YOU'RE ONE OF THE MOST WANTED! AND TO THINK YOU COULD'VE BEEN A GREAT MARINE!"

"Yeah yeah it's old news old man!" The Yonko told him as he pushed the older man back a bit

Garp gritted his teeth as Admiral Kouzan began to stand up from his chair and remove his eye shades, "I didn't think I'd have to fight today but you might be the exception Portgas ." He told him as parts of his body began to freeze over

Just then the Strawhat vessel started to collect energy at the rear of it before shooting off into the sky, away from Water-7. "Well look at that." Naruto said as he straightened up, getting out of his fighting stance. "I hate to get everyone so worked up but my job here is done. See ya later old man!" Naruto waved as he dropped of the edge of the boat and shot back over to the Great Wave as it had begun to move itself.

Kiji saw his Captain get out of the water and then walked over to him, "So what happened?" He asked

Naruto answered plainly, "I just said hello and kinda started a fight which I had no intention of participating in." He said with a smile

Kiji chuckled to himself, "I see."

"Anyways off to Sabaody!" Naruto yelled out to his understaffed crew as they sailed yet again onto the open sea