Just as expected, the people of Whiskey Peak came rushing out the moment Naruto's crew docked.
A huge welcome party.
Colorful banners.
Food, drinks, and loud cheering.
It looked like a festival thrown in their honor.
Naruto waved both hands in the air excitedly, eating up the attention. "See?! I told you it looked friendly!"
The others weren't so easily fooled.
Sakura folded her arms and narrowed her eyes.
Ino scanned the crowd with a practiced, subtle glance, picking up on the way too many smiles didn't reach their eyes.
Neji activated his Byakugan for a moment — enough to see hidden weapons beneath cloaks and barrels.
Hinata, her own eyes keen, gently leaned toward Sakura and whispered,
"There are men with blades hidden beneath the tables and barrels. They're waiting for something."
Sakura snorted quietly. "Typical."
Kankuro sniffed the air lightly. With years of poison work under his belt, it didn't take a genius to realize the wine and ale being offered was lightly laced — enough to knock out a normal pirate or traveler who indulged too much.
It would have worked... on someone else.
But they were ninja.
Trained to survive assassination attempts, used to chakra-based purification methods, and resistant to low-level poisons by sheer necessity.
Kurenai, one of the adults, gave a barely visible nod to Kakashi, who lazily turned a page in his book and said loud enough for their team to hear,
"Remember what I taught you about 'hospitality' in foreign lands, everyone. Eat lightly. Stay alert."
Kiba laughed quietly. "Eat lightly? You telling that to Choji?"
Choji gave him a death glare but stuffed a rice ball in his mouth anyway.
The "friendly locals" tried to usher them toward a large inn, the centerpiece of the town, claiming a feast was waiting.
Naruto, of course, was already halfway to the door, but Shikamaru lazily grabbed him by the collar.
"Hold your horses, Naruto. Let's not make it too easy for them."
Bellamy, watching from the shadows atop a building, clicked his tongue.
"Heeheehee. Annoying little brats..."
Still, he was curious. These weren't the average greenhorn pirates. They moved too precisely, like they expected an attack.
He grinned wider. Good. That meant he had an excuse to cut loose a little.
Inside the inn, food was piled high. Music played.
Locals toasted to their "brave new friends," pouring drink after drink.
Naruto, Sakura, and even Kiba put on a good show, laughing and pretending to relax — while subtly checking every movement.
When Naruto took a sip of the "special wine," he made a big, exaggerated hiccup, swaying like he was drunk.
In reality, he just wanted to see who would move first once they thought he was down.
He winked at Sakura, who smirked and rolled her eyes. "Idiot."
Meanwhile, Ino and Hinata moved through the room, gently pressing their chakra into the floor, the tables, the food — searching for hidden threats.
Kankuro quietly toyed with a tiny puppet hidden in his sleeve, already preparing a surprise if needed.
And Choji?
Well, Choji was actually eating... but he kept glancing at Shikamaru for the signal to smash.
Bellamy, still lurking outside, finally decided to step in when he saw no one collapsing.
"Heeheehee... guess I'll have to do it myself."
He cracked his knuckles and dropped down from the roof like a predator ready to feast.
-----------------
The air was thick with anticipation as Bellamy stood in front of the group, his arms crossed and a sneer on his face. His spring-loaded body bounced in place, like a tight spring ready to snap. But something felt… off. The ninja exchanged knowing glances, assessing their opponent with a mix of annoyance and indifference.
Naruto, the future Hokage, cracked his knuckles and strolled up to Bellamy like they were old friends. A playful grin spread across his face as he clapped the pirate on the back. "You know, Bellamy," he said with a smile, "the problem isn't that you're too strong. It's that you're way too weak for us."
Bellamy's eyes narrowed. "What did you just say?"
"Oh, don't worry about it," Naruto continued, unfazed by Bellamy's anger. "You're just not strong enough to fight us. But hey, maybe you'll get strong enough to fight our kids one day. Wouldn't that be something? But for now..." Naruto paused for dramatic effect, looking around the crew. "...maybe you should fight our whale."
The entire crew erupted into laughter. Sakura snorted, holding back a giggle. Shikamaru rolled his eyes but couldn't suppress a smile. Ino raised an eyebrow, amused by the exchange.
Bellamy's face twisted with rage. How dare this brat speak to him like that? He wasn't just some weakling. He had power. He had pride. And he wasn't going to let some damn ninja look down on him.
But before he could argue, Kiba stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "Alright, Bellamy. You want to go against us? Then get ready for the real fight. Laboon, come here!" He called, and the giant whale, now equipped with majestic wings, rumbled in response.
Laboon's massive body shifted, his wings stretching wide as the wind kicked up around him. The air was electric with tension. Bellamy, feeling the weight of the moment, clenched his fists. He was going to prove himself today.
Kiba gave a quick nod to Laboon. "Alright, partner, let's show him what we're made of!"
And just like that, the showdown began.
Bellamy's Spring-Spring Fruit powers kicked in. With a boing sound, his legs snapped backward like rubber, sending him rocketing into the air with blinding speed. He landed on a nearby roof, bounced off it, and shot straight at Laboon, fists flying.
"You're about to get a lesson in power, whale!" Bellamy yelled as he rocketed forward, his body stretching and bouncing with insane speed. The ground beneath him cracked from the force of his jump.
But Kiba wasn't worried. He'd been guiding Laboon for a while now. The whale was no longer the slow, lumbering giant it once was. Under Kiba's guidance, Laboon had learned to control the power of his massive body and newfound wings. With Ino's help, Kiba had strengthened Laboon's coordination and chakra flow, allowing the whale to move with precision and grace.
With a giant flap of his wings, Laboon took off, soaring into the sky with unbelievable speed. Bellamy's jaw dropped as the whale darted through the air like a skilled fighter. Laboon spun in mid-air, creating a tornado with the powerful wind from his wings. The whirling gusts blasted Bellamy off course, sending him flying across the battlefield.
"Not bad for a whale, huh?" Kiba called out, a grin spread across his face.
As Bellamy struggled to regain his balance, Laboon dove toward him, water bullets shooting from his mouth like guided missiles. Bellamy barely managed to dodge the first few, bouncing on his spring-powered legs, but the last one caught him square in the chest. The force of the impact knocked him back, sending him crashing into a nearby building.
Bellamy growled in frustration, pulling himself up with his springy limbs. "You think that's enough to stop me?!" he yelled, his pride wounded. His fists clenched as he shot forward again, his legs stretching out to rocket him straight at the whale.
But this time, Laboon had another trick up his sleeve. With Kiba's guidance, the whale soared higher and higher, flapping his wings furiously. As Bellamy closed in, Laboon came down from above, slamming into the ground with enough force to create shockwaves that sent cracks through the earth. The impact sent Bellamy flying backward, tumbling end over end, until he landed in a heap on the ground.
"Not bad, huh?" Kiba shouted again. "He's got more tricks than you think!"
The crew watched in stunned silence as the battle unfolded. Neji folded his arms and observed with calm detachment. "This is interesting… I never thought I'd see a whale fight a human like this."
Sakura chuckled, rubbing her temples. "I didn't expect a whale to be such a pain in the ass. But Kiba's training really paid off."
Choji munched on a snack, his eyes glued to the action. "Laboon's got moves! I think he's even better than some of those other 'strong' pirates."
Meanwhile, Kankuro raised an eyebrow. "I didn't know a whale could do that with its wings. Maybe I should try something similar with my puppets…"
Even Shikamaru, who had been trying to avoid getting involved, let out a quiet laugh. "Well, this isn't what I expected today."
Bellamy was battered, bruised, and now utterly humiliated. He had thrown everything he had at Laboon, but nothing had worked. The whale was too fast, too strong, and now, too skilled.
With one final desperate leap, Bellamy charged toward Laboon, his legs stretching at insane speeds. But just as he was about to strike, Laboon swerved, slamming into him from the side with an earth-shattering force. The collision sent Bellamy flying through the air, crashing into a tree with a sickening crunch.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then, Bellamy groaned, struggling to get up, but his body was too battered to move.
"Alright, alright," Bellamy muttered under his breath, wiping blood from his lip. "You win. I'm done here."
Naruto grinned from the sidelines. "See, that wasn't so hard, was it?"
Bellamy's pride was bruised, but he nodded reluctantly. He wasn't foolish enough to keep going against something that was clearly stronger than him.
Kiba turned to the crew, his grin wide. "I told you Laboon was a fighter. You guys didn't believe me."
Sakura rolled her eyes. "We get it, Kiba. You and your whale are a team. Now, let's just hope Bellamy here learned his lesson and doesn't do something stupid."
-------------------
When the dust finally settled, Bellamy was a Bellamy-shaped crater in the ground, groaning under Laboon's massive (yet somehow very proud) body.
Kakashi, ever the cool-headed sensei, adjusted his forehead protector with two fingers and strolled up to Naruto, who was currently dusting whale hairs off his jacket like this was just another Tuesday.
"So," Kakashi said lazily, "what's the plan, oh future Hokage of World Peace and Other Impossible Missions?"
Naruto grinned, and man, it was the kind of grin that usually meant trouble for everyone except Naruto.
"I'm gonna make sure they don't do anything naughty again," he said cheerfully, like he was offering free cupcakes.
And just like that, he started patting pirates on the head like they were good little puppies. Except — zap! — with every pat, a glowing red seal appeared on their skin. Some of the tougher guys yelped like someone had stepped on their tails.
"What's that?" Kiba asked, pointing like Naruto had just invented portable sunburns.
"Blood Prison Seal," Naruto said casually. "Modified version. If they even think about doing something bad and actually try it... well, they'll be screaming loud enough to wake up the Sea Kings."
He flashed a thumbs-up like this was perfectly normal.
Kakashi, after exactly one second of thought, nodded approvingly. "Efficient. Plus, we can use this island as a base. Always nice to have vacation spots with free security."
Speaking of security...
The mayor — a sweaty little guy who looked like he'd lost his morals along with his hair — was still trembling in the background. Kakashi gave a subtle hand sign, and boom, mind control activated.
The new mayor immediately saluted, starry-eyed like Kakashi had just offered him free ramen for life.
Apparently, the guy had been working with Baroque Works, the sketchy underground group tied to Crocodile and some of Doflamingo's gang. Gross. But not a problem anymore.
Still, Naruto didn't look satisfied. His eyes zeroed in on Bellamy, who had just managed to peel his face off the ground.
"Ino told me all about you," Naruto said, crouching down beside him. His voice was calm, almost friendly — if you ignored the part where he slapped two more seals onto Bellamy's chest. "You've done a lotta bad stuff, Bellamy. Time to make up for it."
One was another Blood Prison Seal. The second... was way nastier.
"Boost Seal," Naruto explained as Bellamy shuddered. "Gives you Kurama's chakra for a power boost. You're ten times stronger now. You're welcome."
Bellamy blinked, then promptly passed out. Classic.
But Naruto wasn't done. He clapped his hands together, and the ground rumbled. Two massive sand golems erupted out of the earth — knights with wings and lances, looking like they'd walked straight out of an anime crossover episode.
"Each of 'em's got ten percent of my chakra," Naruto said, grinning like a proud dad at a school play. "They'll guard the place."
"Cool, cool," Shikamaru said, yawning. "Now can someone explain how this lunatic has a skill set bigger than our mission scrolls?"
That's when Naruto dropped the bomb.
"All the training my clones do?" he said, casually picking dirt out of his nails. "When they pop, I get all their knowledge. Basically, I multitask hardcore."
Dead silence.
Then —
Choji dropped his meat bun. Ino shrieked. Shikamaru looked like he wanted to cry.
"Man, and here I thought I was working hard," Lee muttered dramatically, wiping a tear from his eye.
With their new fortress-town secured, everyone jumped into action.
Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino commandeered a few local buildings, turning them into sleek hotels and cozy restaurants. Shikamaru planned the logistics ("Boring, but necessary"), Ino handled aesthetics ("Because obviously everything needs to be fabulous"), and Choji made sure the food was top tier ("I volunteer as taste-tester!").
Meanwhile, Ino, Hinata, and Sakura decided the place needed serious flower power.
Ino whipped out seeds like a ninja version of Mary Poppins, while Hinata and Sakura used chakra to speed-grow everything into lush gardens. Within an hour, Whiskey Peak looked less like a pirate's den and more like a vacation spot on a fantasy Instagram feed.
Over by the cliffs, Gai and Lee had rounded up the pirates suffering from Naruto's "happy little curses."
"POWER OF YOUTH!" Lee shouted, handing out sweatbands. "YOU SHALL REDEEM YOURSELVES THROUGH PUSH-UPS AND GOOD DEEDS!"
A couple pirates fainted right there. A few others were already trying to escape, but the seals kicked in and they dropped like bad actors in a soap opera.
Laboon, meanwhile, had found a kiddie pool someone left behind and was happily splashing in it like he was five tons of deadly adorableness.
Even Neji — who was normally way too cool to get involved — was spotted leaning against a palm tree, looking half amused, half horrified.
"This is... something," he muttered.
Kiba, who was trying to teach Laboon to high-five with his flippers, nodded solemnly. "Yeah. It's awesome."
By evening, the whole island was buzzing with life: pirates planting flowers, shady taverns turning into trendy cafes, and Laboon trying to cannonball into every fountain he could find.
And for once, no one was stressing.
Naruto's crazy dream of a better world?
Maybe, just maybe... it wasn't so crazy after all.
-----------------
If you thought pirates screaming because of Naruto's "be-good-or-else" seals was the weirdest thing happening that day... buddy, you haven't met Kakashi Hatake and his literary evangelism.
With a suspiciously innocent smile (read: up to no good), Kakashi sat cross-legged in the middle of the town square.
In his hands: the holy grail. A copy of Make-Out Paradise.
"Reading is the key to expanding the mind," Kakashi said wisely, handing out copies like they were rare treasure maps.
A bunch of rough-looking pirates, some with scars bigger than their brains, gathered around. They blinked at the books. Some poked them with their swords like the novels might bite.
"It's a... romance?" one pirate said suspiciously, flipping through the pages and immediately turning bright red.
"Educational material," Kakashi said smoothly. "Very advanced."
By sunset, half the pirates were sprawled around town like lazy cats, reading Make-Out Paradise and sighing dreamily about love and stuff they barely understood.
One guy even started sketching hearts in the dirt with his sword.
Kakashi leaned back against a wall, hands behind his head, looking extremely pleased with himself. "Another generation educated."
Meanwhile, just off Main Street, Kurenai and Asuma had found a cozy little spot under a new cherry blossom tree (courtesy of Team Flower Power).
They were enjoying a rare, peaceful date — Kurenai sipping tea, Asuma lighting a cigarette and pretending he wasn't hopelessly soft on her.
"Y'know," Asuma said, watching a pirate accidentally trip into a flowerbed, "this town's already lookin' better."
Kurenai smiled and reached over to straighten his scarf. "It's all about planting good seeds... and patience."
(Pretty sure she was talking about the pirates. Or maybe about Asuma finally proposing. Who knows?)
Not far from them, Tenten and Kankuro were knee-deep in wires, blueprints, and mechanical parts pulled from their ship.
"Okay," Tenten said, wiping grease off her forehead. "If we reinforce the armor plates and add chakra conduits... we could totally make a Gundam."
Kankuro's eyes gleamed like a kid who just found a ninja-weapon store with a free samples policy.
"YES. And rocket boosters. And a giant shuriken launcher. AND laser fingers."
Naturally, they needed power — a lot of power.
Cue Naruto, who was poking a nearby cactus with a stick when they flagged him down.
"Hey, boss!" Kankuro called, holding up a seal scroll. "We need a month's worth of your chakra! Bless us with thy energy!"
Naruto blinked. "You're makin' a Gundam, aren't you?"
Tenten nodded very seriously. "For the glory of science."
Naruto grinned and slapped his hand on the scroll, pumping it full of backup chakra he'd been saving in case of emergencies.
(Backup chakra. Because Naruto Uzumaki planned for everything now. Who even was this responsible guy?)
On the serious side of things, Gaara — resident Sandman and certified Coolest Kid at the political science fair — had taken over the old mayor's office.
Files were spread out everywhere: maps, ledgers, secret correspondences with Baroque Works, shopping lists for illegal weapons — you name it.
Gaara sat calmly at the desk, sifting through the mess and jotting down actual laws and policies on clean scrolls.
His face said serious business.
His gourd said I am ready to crush anyone who interrupts this Excel spreadsheet of justice.
At the edge of town, Naruto sat cross-legged on a rooftop, acting like he was just chilling.
But inside? Full Sage Mode.
The world bloomed in his senses.
Every leaf rustling, every wave hitting the shore, every shady merchant setting up shop three islands away — Naruto felt it all.
His Sage Mode could now cover an entire country effortlessly — a gift he had painstakingly polished in the last month of training with Jiraiya.
Funny enough, Jiraiya himself hadn't fully mastered Sage Mode before.
It was Naruto's legacy now — the power of the universe itself swirling in his blood, whispering to him, guide it, shape it, protect them.
He cracked one eye open, smiling faintly.
Everything was safe. For now.
Down below, pirates-turned-flower-gardeners argued about fertilizer.
Gai and Lee were organizing a "Power of Youth" festival complete with compulsory interpretative dance.
Bellamy, sweating through seals and mind control, was busy repainting tavern signs to say "Welcome to Sunshine Peak."
And Naruto Uzumaki — prankster, knucklehead, would-be peacebringer — sat above it all, feeling the excitement of a long journey ahead.
---------------------
You ever seen a barbecue hosted by a bunch of shinobi?
Yeah, it's about as insane as you're imagining — now add flower arrangements, pirate karaoke, and enough grilled meat to feed a small country.
The night sky was splashed with stars. Someone (probably Lee) had strung fairy lights between palm trees and half-destroyed rooftops.
The smell of roasting skewers, sweet sauces, and fresh bread filled the air. A few pirates were jamming with makeshift instruments, half in tune, half in total chaos.
It didn't matter. Tonight was about joy.
The music picked up. First, it was the safe stuff: clapping, stomping, simple steps.
But you can only keep ninjas contained for so long.
Soon enough, people were dancing.
Tenten grabbed Neji's wrist and spun him into the circle, grinning mischievously.
Neji — calm, composed, perfect Neji — actually cracked a smile. He let her lead at first, but then showed he absolutely knew how to move.
Apparently, genius prodigies were good at everything. Even not tripping over their own feet.
Nearby, Kurenai was swaying with Asuma, the two moving like they were the only ones there.
Asuma twirled her gently under the fairy lights, his cigarette forgotten behind his ear.
Kurenai laughed — a real, soft laugh that made the whole night feel lighter somehow.
Ino had snagged Shino.
She didn't seem to mind his bugs. Actually, judging by the sparkle in her eye, she thought he looked cool enough to show off with.
Poor guy looked like he might faint from over exposure, even though none could see except for Kiba, Hinata and Naruto.
And in the middle of it all, Sakura found herself dancing with Naruto.
It was weird, she realized — not uncomfortable-weird. New weird.
Because sometime, between Sasuke leaving and the insanity of everything else, she'd actually moved on.
Looking back... Sasuke barely even talked to her.
They had, what, three whole conversations in years? And none of them were romantic unless you counted "Hn" as Shakespearean poetry.
Honestly, Sasuke would probably marry Naruto before he ever held her hand.
And speaking of Naruto...
He had changed. Like, seriously changed.
He was taller now — a head above her. His shoulders were broader, his arms were strong, his hair a little messier in a good way.
He still had that same goofy grin sometimes, but there was something else too: a steadiness. A quiet strength.
Sakura glanced up at him as they danced — casual, light steps at first.
He smiled down at her and said, "You look beautiful tonight, Sakura-chan."
She laughed, feeling a little embarrassed but also... warm.
He said it so easily now, not in that desperate, puppy-dog way he used to.
It was a compliment, not a confession.
Sakura smiled back, wondering where life would take them next.
And then chaos.
Kiba, who'd been whirling Hinata around with about as much grace as a hyperactive puppy, spun her too fast — and Hinata went flying across the circle.
Straight toward Naruto.
Instinct kicked in. Naruto caught her smoothly, one arm around her waist like some kind of action movie hero.
Hinata turned redder than the barbecue coals.
Kiba grinned sheepishly and slid into Sakura's spot like he totally meant to do that.
Sakura, rolling her eyes but secretly amused, stepped aside and gave Naruto and Hinata a wink.
----------------
The music played louder, the fire crackled higher, and laughter filled the island.
Hinata froze in Naruto's arms for a heartbeat, her mind spinning faster than Lee during a drunken taijutsu match.
Was this real?
Was she actually here, being held by Naruto under the stars, the world around them glowing with music and laughter?
For so long, she had loved him quietly — a secret tucked deep in her chest like a fragile paper crane.
In her world, love had been dangerous.
Back then, the Hyuga clan wasn't just cold. They were terrifying.
They kept the branch family under strict control.
And they didn't exactly send "please stop" letters when something displeased them.
If they found out little Hinata had feelings for a boy like Naruto — an orphan, an outsider, the village pariah — they wouldn't have punished her.
They would've punished him.
She'd seen it once — kids who had bullied her on a snowy day, kids Naruto had bravely fought off.
They disappeared.
Not just the bullies, but their parents, too.
All swept under the rug by the clan's silent hand.
After that...
Hinata had promised herself to keep her distance.
Even if it hurt.
Even if it broke her heart a thousand times over.
Because she wanted Naruto to live.
She wanted him to smile.
She wanted him to be free.
But now...
Now she was here.
The Hyuga clan didn't hold that power over her anymore.
The old fears, the invisible chains, the crushing weight of the past — it had fallen away.
Here, with Naruto smiling at her, the warmth of the fire reflecting in his blue eyes —
Hinata took the leap she had always dreamed of.
She pressed her hands together, summoned all her courage, and whispered,
"I'm happy. Thank you for everything, Naruto-kun. I... I love you."
The words hung there, shining in the night like fireflies.
Naruto blinked.
For a moment, his expression was so shocked it was almost funny.
Then his smile softened into something gentle, something kind.
He didn't pull away. He didn't laugh.
Instead, he placed a hand on her shoulder, steady and warm.
"Thank you, Hinata," he said.
"I... I'm not really sure how I feel yet. I've been so busy fighting, training, trying to survive... I haven't really thought about love."
He scratched the back of his head, a little sheepish, but honest.
"But I'm really happy you told me. And I'm glad you're here."
Hinata smiled — a real, open, glowing smile.
Because it didn't matter if he loved her back yet.
He was alive.
He was free.
He knew.
And maybe, just maybe...
The future would take them somewhere even better.
They stood there for a moment longer, while the music swirled around them, and the world kept turning —
Bright and full of endless possibilities.
-------------------
A.N. The romance pairing are not decided yet and the story doesn't really focus on it. Asuma and Kurenai are a thing. Neji and Tenten. Shikamaru is with Temari.