"What... was that?"
"Was it a Devil Fruit ability?"
The Straw Hat Pirates, who had been watching the battle without finding a chance to intervene, stood dumbfounded by the ninjutsu Naruto had displayed. Through this merciless housecleaning, Naruto seemed to have released certain emotions that had been building within himself.
Ever since hearing the truth about his background from Kakashi, a barely perceptible gloom had settled around his heart. Even though he held no memories of the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze or his mother Kushina Uzumaki, they remained his closest relatives. If they hadn't died, perhaps his childhood would have unfolded differently.
Looking at Hatchan, who was still rolling on the ground, Naruto's mood gradually calmed and his cold expression softened. He reached out and grabbed Hatchan's head, lifting him up to stare into eyes that kept trying to avoid his gaze.
"You, and the few others." His gaze swept over the surviving fishmen scattered throughout Arlong Park. All those touched by his stare trembled, not daring to speak or move.
"From now on, you must atone for your past actions." He pointed toward the villagers gathered outside the park gate. "As Arlong's accomplices, you've terrorized this place for eight years. For the next eight years, you must honestly help and protect the villagers."
"The next time I return here, if I hear that villagers have suffered casualties under your protection, I don't need to explain what your fate will be, do I?"
As the old saying goes, those who understand the times are wise. The remaining fishmen weren't naturally hot-tempered—they were more like Hatchan, too easily swayed or too foolish, which had led them to commit so many wrongs.
"Hatchan, you stay here and watch over them. If even one of them runs away, I'll hold you responsible. Do you hear me?"
Only after delivering this ultimatum did Naruto set Hatchan down, then poked his forehead hard with a finger, making his threat completely clear.
"Y-yes, Big Brother Naruto."
Under Naruto's pressure, Hatchan finally recalled the deep "brotherhood" he once shared with Naruto and nodded frantically.
"Good."
Seeing the fishmen's reaction, Naruto nodded with satisfaction, then turned toward the villagers and Luffy's group, about to speak when—
Suddenly, vague information transmitted through his Observation Haki made him pause. Naruto sighed lightly, as if weary of what was about to unfold.
"Luffy, you all need to leave immediately."
"Huh?"
Not only Luffy's group but also the villagers and Nami's sister stared in confusion.
"There's no time to explain. Just leave immediately. Your ship is over there—go now."
"No—"
Luffy instinctively stiffened his neck in refusal, but Usopp beside him suddenly spoke up.
"Are new enemies coming?"
Being one of the few Straw Hat Pirates with normal logical thinking, Usopp immediately recognized that Naruto's serious expression wasn't groundless.
"We can help fight," Zoro added, his wounds now bandaged and no longer bleeding. He was somewhat displeased that they had come all this way without defeating a single enemy. Since Naruto had the bigger fist and was helping them, he couldn't say much. Now, surely it was time for them to prove their worth.
Naruto glanced at him and sighed. "The upcoming battle isn't something you can participate in yet. If you really want to help, take Nami and leave the village quickly. After all, you're all pirates, and what's coming is a Marine Admiral. When the fighting starts, I won't have time to look after you."
These words stung their pride, but the two most troublesome members of the team had just been educated and were still in their "obedient period." Luffy pouted with a disgruntled expression and reluctantly walked toward the Going Merry under Naruto's compelling gaze.
After recovering, Nami had shared a tearful reunion with her sister Nojiko, then accepted Luffy's invitation and officially joined the Straw Hat Pirates as their navigator.
Once their figures disappeared from view, Naruto turned to the remaining villagers and fishmen. "Alright, you all go about your business. What comes next is my affair."
Ignoring the village chief's attempt to express gratitude, he walked alone to another coastline and found a large rock to sit on. The crisis in Cocoyasi Village seemed to end anticlimactically. Due to the involvement of a certain overpowered combatant, what should have been a battle filled with passion, pain, and liberation had ended quickly. But ultimately, the ending was good.
Naruto didn't have to wait long on his rocky perch. A mast slowly appeared on the distant horizon, followed by the ship's hull, then more large vessels. Those ships bristled with an alarming number of cannons, countless sailors running back and forth on deck. Five Marine Headquarters warships over a hundred meters long meant at least five Vice Admirals had arrived.
When he spotted the distinctive bicycle track on one of the warships, Naruto knew who had come. A smile appeared on his face as he reached into his robe and pulled out a sake gourd containing Boss Zeff's specially brewed fine liquor.
He had just taken a sip and hadn't even had time to savor the aroma when the five warships greeted him first.
Bang bang bang bang bang!
Dense cannon fire erupted simultaneously, and cannonballs larger than human heads shot toward Naruto's position like a meteor shower. Fortunately, he had chosen this side of the island far from the village, or such bombardment would have affected innocent civilians. The other side seemed to know this too, so the artillery bombardment showed no restraint.
Smoke from explosions almost completely shrouded the entire coast, and the ground was already pocked with countless craters. But when the smoke cleared, Naruto still sat calmly in place, and even the reef beneath him showed no damage.
At that moment, four figures in the sky rapidly grew from small to large, then landed in front of Naruto. They were four Vice Admirals from Marine Headquarters, each wearing a justice cloak with weapons already drawn.
"Momonga, Doberman, Onigumo, and Strawberry—all familiar faces."
Surrounded by four Marine Headquarters Vice Admirals, Naruto's face remained relaxed, seemingly unconcerned about the tense atmosphere.
"How about sitting down for a drink?"
"Great criminal Naruto Uzumaki, why have you come to East Blue?" The speaker was Momonga, who seemed unwilling to respond to Naruto's invitation.
"Ah—this is East Blue? I thought it was the New World." Seeing the other party wasn't interested, Naruto just laughed it off and put the sake gourd back. "I just got lost by accident... you understand, I'm getting old after all."
Momonga's mouth twitched as he looked at Naruto's appearance—exactly the same as a dozen years ago, without aging even a bit—and almost couldn't maintain his composure. Fortunately, he had professional training and quickly recovered.
"Naruto Uzumaki, if you're unwilling to answer now, you can talk slowly in a cell after we arrest you."
As soon as he finished speaking, all four launched their attacks simultaneously. These four, who were among the elite even among all Headquarters Vice Admirals, went all out from the start. Although they spoke as if they didn't take Naruto seriously, their actions showed they didn't dare underestimate him. After all, Naruto Uzumaki was a dangerous individual who could single-handedly face a Sea Emperor.
Surrounded by attacks from four directions simultaneously, Naruto didn't use the playful fighting style he had employed with Luffy. Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki covered him simultaneously, and black Haki lightning violently struck in all directions. Before the blades could touch Naruto's skin, they were forcibly held in mid-air by the crackling energy.
The four's slashes were swift and fierce, but Naruto's speed proved superior. His fists wrapped in Conqueror's Haki created the illusion of "distortion" in the air at the contact point.
The first to be sent flying was Doberman, whose sword technique was the most aggressive. Then Strawberry's twin swords were knocked away by Naruto, one in each hand. Although he immediately used Rokushiki Iron Body combined with Armament Haki for defense after his swords were knocked away, he was still kicked away by Naruto. The wooden sandals covered in Haki were like divine weapons, directly breaking through Strawberry's Iron Body state.
Momonga and the remaining Onigumo didn't fare any better. Seeing Naruto couldn't spare his hands while sending the other two flying, they seized the opportunity to precisely strike Naruto's neck and abdomen through the gaps. But unexpectedly, he instantly turned into smoke and disappeared.
By the time they realized something was wrong, Naruto had appeared above them, and two precise, straight punches struck them hard. The entire process, from the four Headquarters Vice Admirals attacking to being embedded in the ground, took less than fifteen seconds.
Of course, Naruto had no intention of seriously injuring them here. He simply repelled the four and sat back down.
"Stand down. Naruto Uzumaki isn't someone you can handle."
Accompanying a somewhat lazy voice and gradually dropping temperature came a figure with black curly hair, wearing a white vest with a dark blue shirt, and an eye mask on his forehead. He was one of the Navy's current three Admirals, known as "Aokiji" Kuzan!
"Yo, long time no see, Kuzan."
Naruto looked at him and waved in greeting.
"Don't act so familiar, pirate."
His response was two spears made of ice crystals.
Clang—
Facing a true enemy who could genuinely fight him head-on, Naruto no longer relied on his fists for combat. Accompanied by the sound of metal collision, the sword at his waist—which he had always jokingly called a "decoration"—was finally unsheathed.
[Chapter Complete]
***
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