Shinobi of the High Seas

Chapter 20: Roundabout Way

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or One Piece. Rise up my minions! Rise up and correct this travesty for me! Army of Kenchi618 unite and bring down the manga bourgeoisie! This art is my art! This art is your art! ...But mostly this art is my art! And I demand it for myself!

Chapter 20: Roundabout Way

Soren's eyes opened as the light of his room blinded him and gave him a headache, "Ow..." He said to himself, feeling his wounds from the fight with Doflamingo. He turned his head to the side where he saw everyone else on the crew and the woman that he and Yosaku had met in the bar there as well.

Naruto walked forward and looked down in his bed at him, "So he's going to be alright isn't he Muret?"

The woman blinked at hearing Naruto speak to her, but quickly recovered, "Yes Uzumaki-sama, he should be fine with bed rest... a lot of bed rest. You will still need a doctor to see him through his recovery in case of any complications in the meantime, but he's fine for now."

Naruto frowned at her. She was scared of him because of the bounty and the Marine backstory, "No Uzumaki-sama. Don't call me that, just Naruto will be fine. The pay is enough right?" Muret nodded, "So how much would it take for you to come with us."

Yosaku blurred from his spot to right in Naruto's face, "Are you serious Naruto-aniki? You'll really bring her along?"

Naruto stared at the uncomfortably close swordsman before making a one-handed tiger seal, "Weight increase, fuuin!" Naruto shouted before Yosaku's weight bands turned blue and crashed into the ground, "I can't do that too many more times..." He said, talking about Yosaku's weights, "...But yeah, if she wants to she can. She needs a job, we need a doctor, we have money, she can heal us up. She did a good job with Soren."

Muret looked at him long and hard, "1 million beli up front." She finally said.

"Done." Naruto said in return, extending his hand for Muret to shake. She looked at skeptically. Did he really have the money to pay one million straight out like that, "I'll get it to you once we leave so you don't try running off with my money. Noji-chan did the Log Pose reset yet? It's been a day."

Nojiko shook her head ,"Nope, it's still acting up Naruto-kun. We might as well take this as a short vacation of sorts I guess." Nojiko looked at Muret with a friendly smile, "Well I guess she can get used to all of you lunatics in the meantime and see if she still wants the job when it's time to leave."

"Well now that that's settled..." Naruto said before moving over to Soren and punching him on top of the head, "You moron! That's for getting your ass kicked and not telling me you went off to fight one of the strongest people in the world!"

Soren glared at Naruto as a bump formed on his head, "It wasn't your problem Uzumaki. Doflamingo is my mark, if you kill him and I don't I will never forgive you."

Naruto crossed his arms and stared at the injured Devil Fruit user, "Fine. But killing him won't solve a single thing, I'm telling you. If you kill him you'll just push your problem onto something else, I guarantee it. They always do..." The only way he could stop Soren was by force though, and that wouldn't solve anything, it would just make Soren resent him in the end. "Look, there are some people in the world that just need to die-."

"And Doflamingo is one of them." Soren said resolutely.

Naruto ignored him and continued, "-But actively hunting them out and making it your life's mission to carry out some vendetta makes you bitter, cynical, and jaded about life." Naruto said before realizing who he was talking to, "Well, more bitter, cynical, and jaded about life. You'll just look past everything in front of you now looking ahead to taking Doflamingo out in the future, no matter how long it takes. No matter what passes you by in the process. Then when you actually do finish him off, what do you have to go back to? What exactly will you get out of all that time you spent? Nothing but one man's blood on your hands?"