Under Setsuna's guidance, the entire Ninja World was flourishing, steadily improving.
After one year like this, it was time for the journey across worlds.
Setsuna entrusted Konoha's affairs to Minato, saying he needed to go into seclusion to train for a few days. Then he decisively initiated the new world travel.
After a period of temporal and spatial disorientation, Setsuna opened his eyes. Sure enough, he was again in the sky.
"Heh, as expected the world's will has malice. Luckily, I already learned Flight Technique. Last time, it dropped me before the Snake King. I wonder what it will be this time..."
Setsuna was recovering from the disorientation when he suddenly heard a rushing sound behind him.
Setsuna turned to look, only to be run over by an extremely fast-moving island, crashing down from the sky with a boom.
Setsuna: "..."
'Is this f**king reasonable? I was hit by an island while in the air?'
Meanwhile, on an island below.
A young man with a few freckles on his face stood before a giant monstrous bird. With sheer presence alone, he intimidated the bird into fleeing in panic, leaving behind a treasure chest spat out from within the bird's body.
Behind him was a man wearing an eye-mask.
The freckled man spoke first: "Deuce, you weren't wrong. I've been a habitual meal-skipper since childhood. It wasn't wrong for you to suspect me. But if I died just like that, you'd also have regrets, right..."
"Ace, you..." Deuce was filled with shame. He had actually suspected Ace of sneakily eaten the food. And Ace had even saved him from the bird's attack.
"Ah, so hungry..." Ace, having just uttered his noble words, immediately fell to his knees, wailing.
"Right, the chest!" Deuce hurriedly opened the treasure chest spat out by the bird. Inside was an oddly shaped fruit.
"So big! Ace, we have food!" Deuce quickly carried the fruit to Ace. "Quick, eat it!"
Ace drooled, saying: "I am a trained pirate. Mere hunger cannot affect me. You eat first."
Deuce repeatedly shook his head: "What if that monster bird returns? Only if you're full can you deal with it."
After some back-and-forth, they decided to split the fruit in half, one each.
"Haha, then I'll dig in." Just as Ace was about to eat, he saw Deuce's eyes suddenly widen.
Deuce shouted: "Ace, watch out for the meteor!"
"Huh? Meteor?" Before Ace could react, a tremendous force slammed into his back, sending him flying. The fruit went straight down his throat.
Boom!
Ace crashed into the mountain wall like a cannonball, emitting a huge roar.
Deuce, scared, dropped his half of the fruit, rushing forward to dig Ace out.
Before he dug much, Ace emerged from the rubble himself.
Deuce anxiously asked: "Ace, are you okay?"
Ace laughed heartily: "Fine, fine! I feel great!"
Deuce was very worried: "You were hit by a meteor! How could you be okay? Don't tough it out!"
"No, it's just... when I ate that fruit, I gained a very interesting ability." Ace lightly raised his cowboy hat with a finger. Flames ignited all over his body.
Deuce was startled: "Ace! You're on fire!"
Ace casually pointed. A massive fire shockwave made the valley roar. "I have a younger brother who ate a Devil Fruit. Looks like I ate a fire-type Devil Fruit. The Mera Mera no Mi? Seems better suited for combat than rubber!"
At that moment, a voice came from where the 'meteor' had fallen: "Mera Mera no Mi? Isn't that what even a dog wouldn't eat?"
'And better suited for combat than rubber? Don't make your Sun God-sama laugh.'
Ace's smile froze, 'How rude. Even a dog wouldn't eat it? Then what did that make me?'
The two looked towards the source of the voice. They saw a youth about their age standing up from the rocky ruins. Though young, he exuded an aura of authority.
'So it's the One Piece World? Not bad either. The three types of Haki suit me well. Titan can also eat its fill. Dr. Vegapunk's Lineage Factor research might even help me complete transplants.' Setsuna nodded in satisfaction.
Orochimaru's research abilities were indeed strong, but ultimately, time was still too short. The success rate of transplanting Hashirama's cells wasn't even that high.
If there were no better options, he could patently wait patiently. But in this world, there seemed to be a more authoritative expert.
Ace jumped over, examining Setsuna: "You're the meteor that hit me just now? Are you a person who ate the Hito Hito no Mi Model: Meteor?"
Setsuna couldn't be bothered with language compatibility issues now, saying irritably: "What meteor? I was just hit down from the sky by an island."
Deuce beside them was too exhausted to comment, 'Wasn't that explanation even less reasonable than Ace's?'
However, upon hearing this, Ace's eyes brightened: "So interesting! You were actually hit by an island in the sky! How about you join my crew too?"
Deuce suddenly reacted: "Wait, 'too'?"
Ace looked perfectly natural: "Yeah, aren't you already my partner?"
Deuce really wanted to retort, but remembering how Ace had risked his life to save him, he could only sigh: "Alright, I'll be your crewmate then."
Facing Ace's invitation, Setsuna smiled: "On the seas, shouldn't the strongest person be the captain?"
Ace's eyes grew even brighter: "You want to fight me?"
Setsuna nodded: "Whoever wins becomes captain."
This crossover wasn't like the Toriko World, and there was no imminent threat like the Third Great Shinobi War. He could tour the world in a relaxed manner.
"But wouldn't that be bullying you?" Ace looked troubled. "I ate a Logia-type Devil Fruit. You can't even hit me."
Setsuna laughed upon hearing this: "Your elementalization is still an active ability, not passive. Otherwise, you wouldn't have crashed into the rock wall just now. Meaning, I just need to hit you before you can react."
Ace wasn't angry, just laughed heartily: "Seems you're very confident. But I'll make you apologize for what you said about my Mera Mera no Mi."
The two assumed stances. Setsuna kindly reminded: "Careful, I'm about to attack."
"Go all out! Let me see your limit..." Before Ace finished speaking, he was struck by a terrifying force, sent flying, crashing through the rock wall, then sliding over ten kilometers across the island, finally stopping on the beach.
When Ace opened his eyes again, it was already night.
Stars dotted the sky. An tempting aroma wafted over. Ace pushed himself up, discovering dozens of monster birds made into barbecue. He then saw Deuce and that weirdo were eating heartily.
'Weirdo? Should call him captain now.' Ace was depressed. He and Luffy promised to meet at the summit.
But he had just set sail and already became someone else's subordinate.
Though depressed, he didn't plan to go back on his word. Moreover, he genuinely admired the other party's strength, as just one punch had knocked him unconscious.