The sea was calm, but the world was not.
Six months had passed since the "Sky Splitter Incident" in the Land of Water. In that time, the legend of the Red Hair Pirates had grown from a rumor into a terrifying reality.
We hadn't been idle. We'd sailed the southern seas. We'd raided a few corrupt daimyo supply ships. We'd accidentally discovered a lost civilization of crab-people (Dr. Bushy Brow insisted on treating their shell rot, so we stayed for a week).
And the crew had grown.
I stood at the helm of The Red Potato, which had undergone significant upgrades. It now had reinforced steel plating on the hull, looted from a Kumogakure transport, and actual cannons.
I adjusted the black cloak on my shoulders. It was tattered, salt-stained, and heavy. I never took it off anymore. It felt like a mantle. A reminder of the gravity of this world.
"Port side!" Yagura shouted from the crow's nest.
The former Fourth Mizukage looked much healthier now. His pink eyes were bright, and he had ditched his drab Kage robes for a more nautical outfit—loose pants, a vest, and his giant hook-staff strapped to his back. He was our Navigator. It turned out, being a Jinchuriki gave you an excellent sense of direction on water.
"Land of Fire!" Yagura called down. "Konoha is a day's journey inland!"
"Finally," Zabuza grunted from the deck, where he was polishing Kubikiribōchō. "I'm sick of fish. I need ramen."
"And I need to witness the YOUTH of the next generation!" Dr. Bushy Brow struck a pose on the railing. "The Chunin Exams! A festival of sweat and tears!"
I smiled faintly. The Chunin Exams. The turning point of the Naruto story. Orochimaru's invasion. The Sand's betrayal.
"Are we really going?" Yagura slid down the mast, landing lightly. "Shanks-san... if I step foot in Konoha, it's an act of war. I'm a former Kage of a hostile nation."
"You're a pirate now, kid," I said, ruffling his hair. "Pirates go where they want."
"Besides," I looked at the coastline. "I promised a certain knucklehead I'd check on his progress."
Konohagakure: The Gates
The village was buzzing. Genin teams from all over the continent were arriving. The Sand Siblings—Gaara, Temari, Kankuro. The Sound Ninja.
Security was tighter than a drum.
"Name?" Izumo asked, bored, looking at the long line of visitors.
"Shanks," I said.
Izumo froze. The pen dropped from his hand. Kotetsu choked on his tea.
The chatter at the gate died instantly. Every ninja within earshot turned to look.
They saw a tall man with red hair, a black cloak draped over his shoulders, and an empty left sleeve. Flanking him were the Demon of the Mist, a strange man in a green jumpsuit and lab coat, and... a child who looked suspiciously like the Fourth Mizukage.
"S-S-Shanks?" Izumo stammered. "The... the Sky Splitter?"
"Just Shanks," I corrected gently. "We're here to watch the exams. Tourist pass, please."
"I... I have to call the Hokage," Kotetsu whispered into a radio, his hands shaking.
"Go ahead," I waited patiently.
Minutes later, a plume of smoke erupted, and Hiruzen Sarutobi appeared, flanked by four ANBU.
The old Hokage looked at me. He looked at my crew. He looked at the absolute lack of fear in our eyes.
"Shanks," Hiruzen nodded respectfully.
"Yo, Old Man," I grinned. "Heard you were throwing a party. Thought I'd crash it."
Hiruzen eyed Yagura. "And you bring... interesting company. Is that..."
"My navigator," I interrupted smoothly. "Yagura. He's retired from politics. He just likes boats now."
Hiruzen wasn't stupid. He knew exactly who Yagura was. A Jinchuriki. A former Kage. But he also knew that if he tried to arrest us right here, the ensuing battle would level Konoha before the exams even started.
"Very well," Hiruzen decided. "You may enter. But Shanks... strict rules. No fighting. No destroying architecture. No... Haki outbursts."
"I'll be good," I promised. "Unless someone starts it."
Hiruzen sighed. "That is what I'm afraid of. Let them pass."
The gates opened. We walked in.
The whispers followed us like a wake.
"That's him!"
"The Pirate Emperor!"
"Is that Zabuza?! I thought he was dead!"
We walked straight to the Academy, where the first stage of the exams was about to begin.
The Academy Grounds
We found Team 7 outside the building. They were arguing with Rock Lee (the real one) and Neji Hyuga.
"Naruto!" I called out.
Naruto spun around. His eyes went wide.
"SHANKS-NII!"
He didn't run; he launched himself. He flew across the courtyard and tackled me. I caught him with my right arm, spinning him around.
"You came! You actually came!" Naruto shouted, burying his face in my cloak.
"I promised, didn't I?" I set him down.
Sasuke walked over. He looked taller. Sharper. He looked at my black cloak, sensing the heaviness of it.
"You're back," Sasuke said, trying to play it cool, but a small smile betrayed him.
"Hey, Shanks-sensei," Sakura waved shyly.
Then, real Rock Lee saw Dr. Bushy Brow.
They stared at each other. The eyebrows. The jumpsuit. The pose.
"FATHER?!" Rock Lee gasped.
"SON?!" Dr. Bushy Brow gasped.
"NO!" Gai Sensei appeared in a puff of smoke. "LEE! This man is an imposter! A stylish, handsome imposter... but an imposter nonetheless!"
"I AM NO IMPOSTER!" The Doctor struck a pose. "I AM THE DOCTOR OF YOUTH! AND YOUR JUMPSUIT IS A SHADE TOO DARK!"
"WHAT?!" Gai looked at his suit in horror.
While the green beasts had an existential crisis, I looked at Naruto.
"So," I grinned. "Ready for the exams?"
"Born ready!" Naruto gave a thumbs up. Then he pulled out the wooden ship carving from under his shirt. "I kept it safe. And I got stronger! I can walk on water now! And I can summon a tadpole! Sometimes a frog!"
"Impressive," I nodded. "But remember the deal? You gotta land a hit on me."
"After I become Chunin!" Naruto promised. "Just you watch!"
Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine.
Not cold weather. Malice.
I turned my head slightly. Across the courtyard, standing in the shadow of a tree, was a Genin from the Grass Village. She had a long tongue and pale skin.
Orochimaru.
He was staring at me. Or rather, he was staring at my empty sleeve and my neck, like a hungry snake sizing up a meal.
I locked eyes with him.
Don't even think about it, snake, I projected with a focused beam of Haki.
Orochimaru flinched. He grabbed his own shoulder, his eyes widening. He broke eye contact and slithered away into the building.
"Bad vibes," Yagura muttered beside me. "That guy smells like a lab experiment."
"Yeah," I said darkly. "He does."
"Shanks?" Kakashi appeared, reading his book. "Good to see you. You're causing a panic, you know. The Council is having a stroke."
"Let them stroke," I said. "I'm just here to watch the kids."
"Just watch?" Kakashi lowered his book. "You know the Sand and Sound are plotting something. I can smell it."
"I know," I said.
I looked at the stadium in the distance.
"If they play fair, I'll watch. If they try to ruin the party..."
I patted Gryphon's hilt.
"...I might have to give them a history lesson."
Zabuza cracked his knuckles. "I haven't killed anyone in six months, Captain. I'm getting rusty."
"Patience, Zabuza," I smiled, but the smile didn't reach my eyes. "I have a feeling this exam is going to be explosive."
"Let's go get seats," I said. "I want front row for when Naruto beats the crap out of someone."
We walked toward the exam hall, the black cloak billowing behind me, marking the arrival of the Fourth Power in a three-way war.
Konoha didn't know it yet, but the Emperor had arrived. And the script was about to change.