(T/N: There is now a p.atreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early release of up to 30 chapters edited smoothly. https://www.p.atreon.com/INeedRest)
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"What's wrong?"
Ace noticed Sasuke's unease and looked up curiously, but he couldn't see anything unusual.
"There's a ship coming this way."
'And it's an old acquaintance…'
He kept the last part to himself, but his eyes grew a bit more intense.
A while later, Ace spotted the approaching ship — a three-masted sailing vessel — quickly closing the distance between them.
The two ships were on a direct collision course.
"Are we boarding?"
The rest of the crew grew excited.
Discovering other pirate groups usually meant they were about to make a fortune.
With Sasuke and Ace leading them, there wasn't a pirate crew in this part of the sea that could rival the Spade Pirates.
"No, don't act rashly."
Sasuke raised his hand, interrupting their excitement, his expression calm and collected.
He couldn't yet determine the intentions of the approaching ship.
Was this just a random coincidence or... were they coming for him?
Not long after, the two ships were less than a hundred meters apart, and on the opposing vessel stood a fishman wielding a large sword.
"Isn't this the supernova Uchiha Sasuke and Fire Fist Ace, both nearing 400 million in bounty?"
The man grinned, his shark-like mouth splitting wide as he looked over with a playful gleam.
"Fishman swordsman... Hoshigaki Kisame!"
Ace's voice grew more serious as he identified the figure.
Kisame had recently gained quite a reputation, not only for his strength but also for his ability to manipulate the flow of water — a dangerous skill on the open sea, especially against devil fruit users like Ace.
On the water, Kisame's abilities made him a formidable opponent.
But Ace, ever the fighter, felt more excitement than fear.
"Hoshigaki Kisame, what's your purpose?" Sasuke's voice was cold as he pressed down on Ace's shoulder, stopping him from acting impulsively.
His gaze unreadable and intense, locked onto Kisame.
To be honest, Sasuke didn't like him at all.
Back when he was in Akatsuki, Kisame had been partnered up with Uchiha Itachi, and anything related to Itachi stirred feelings of bitterness in Sasuke.
However, there was also a sense of jealousy.
Kisame had earned Colt's trust in ways that made him a close ally, almost like a family member.
So, could it be that Kisame's appearance here meant that Colt was displeased with Sasuke and what he had done so far?
'All I did was temporarily join this pirate crew… could it be that Colt thinks I've joined them for good instead of completing the mission?'
Sasuke was overthinking things…
If Colt knew what he was thinking, he'd probably shake his head in disbelief.
He had other things to handle, where would he have the time to follow Sasuke's every move? That's assuming he even wanted to follow his moves.
Joining the Spade Pirates? Even if Sasuke decided to make other life choices and find himself a wife, Colt wouldn't really care.
Well... if he found a wife in this world, he'd still be a little curious.
Sure enough, Kisame looked confused in response to Sasuke's sharp questioning.
He had only approached to greet his acquaintance, but Sasuke was reacting as if he were facing a major threat.
However, Kisame quickly grasped the situation, and a knowing smile spread across his face.
"Relax, Sasuke," he said calmly.
"We're old friends, after all. I just came by to see how you've been."
His tone shifted slightly, becoming more serious.
"But, while it's good to have some dreams…" he continued, his words suddenly carrying a cold edge.
"Don't forget what your real purpose for setting out to sea is."
Though Kisame spoke of dreams, Sasuke understood the underlying warning.
It was a thinly veiled expression of dissatisfaction that Sasuke had not yet completed the task given by Colt.
But as long as Colt didn't personally send someone to reprimand him, Sasuke wasn't worried about Kisame.
His confidence returned, and with his usual arrogance, he responded:
"You don't need to remind me. I know exactly what I'm doing, and I don't answer to you. You can leave now."
Kisame, unfazed by Sasuke's attitude, simply shrugged.
"Just make sure you remember," he said. "Angering a 'God' has consequences, and I think you know exactly what those are."
Without waiting for a response, Kisame signaled his navigator to set sail, leaving Sasuke behind with a dark expression on his face.
His hand gripped tightly around the hilt of his Kusanagi sword as he watched the ship disappear.
"Of course, Kisame knows how to stay in Colt's favor," Sasuke muttered to himself, still scowling.
"Huh? Just gone? I thought there'd be a fight," Ace said, scratching his head in confusion as he watched Kisame's ship sail away.
He could tell that Kisame and Sasuke had some history and clearly didn't get along well.
But the abrupt end to their tense conversation left him baffled.
"What's with all the tough talk, then just leaving like that?" Ace continued, still puzzled.
"This Hoshigaki Kisame is weird. And what's all that about angering a god? There's no such thing, and what does your dream have to do with that?"
"Shut up!" Sasuke snapped, cutting off Ace's rant.
His sudden outburst startled everyone.
Sasuke took a few deep breaths to regain his composure, then spoke in a low, serious tone.
"Ace, there are many secrets in this world that you're unaware of. Be careful with your words."
Though Sasuke's pride made him reluctant to acknowledge any gods, he had long since accepted that Colt had risen to a power above them all.
Even though Sasuke once thought of beings like Kaguya as nothing more than powerful aliens who could be defeated, his perspective had shifted.
Colt had not only controlled the entire shinobi world but also transcended to the point where Sasuke considered him godlike.
At least for the two worlds he ruled, Colt was a god. Yes, Sasuke already considered this world as Colt's.
But this god… was a bit vengeful.
Sasuke's memories flashed back to his younger days, when he constantly sought to challenge Colt, especially after every leap in strength.
One time, Sasuke's eagerness to fight had even interrupted Colt while he was enjoying his time with Hinata.
The outcome… well, Sasuke didn't like to think about it anymore.
Rubbing his side subconsciously, Sasuke muttered, "In the future, Ace, don't go provoking Kisame. That guy's no joke."
Ace raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"Why's that?"
Sasuke sighed.
"You, a devil fruit user, wouldn't stand a chance against him. If you touch water, you're done. His power to manipulate said water is thus deadly. Especially at sea."
Through his Observation Haki, Sasuke could sense that Kisame had become even stronger, possibly reaching a level that rivaled the legendary Second Hokage Senju Tobirama with his water-based techniques.
Ace's abilities, though powerful, were no match for Kisame at sea.
Seeing Sasuke's genuine concern, Ace nodded.
Still, deep down, he wasn't fully convinced.
He had big ambitions—defeating Whitebeard and becoming the Pirate King.
Could he really be afraid of someone like Kisame?
Sasuke, noticing Ace's apparent agreement, pointed ahead toward the Water City.
"We've been delayed too long. The Grand Line is no longer a challenge. It's time to take a break and head to the New World!"
Ace's eyes lit up, and he laughed.
"You heard him, everyone! Let's head to the New World!" He ordered Deuce to raise the sails, his voice full of excitement.
Their next destination: Water 7!
Meanwhile, on the other side, after parting from Sasuke, Kisame thought to himself for a moment before activating the ring on his hand.
He contacted Colt.
"Colt-san, I have some news for you."