Apart from the Gentle Breeze Town, there were another two towns available on this island.
Whirlpool Island contained two other completed towns. To the north lay Great Eagle Town, a port newly built the previous year. Nikolas had chosen its name in honor of the magnificent Giant Eagles who patrolled the skies as protectors.
Whirlpool Island contained two other completed towns. To the north lay Great Eagle Town, a port newly built the previous year. Nikolas had chosen its name in honor of the magnificent Giant Eagles who patrolled the skies as protectors.
The third town was situated in the very center of the island and would be the destination for Naru and her entourage. This central town lay beside an enormous lake, crowned by a tiny island upon which a grand ancient tree stood. It was so massive that its roots stretched like natural bridges and its canopy could be seen from every corner of the island. Sailors miles away at sea could still spot its enormous silhouette, glowing like a beacon of guidance.
Two natural water channels connected the central lake to the ocean. One flowed south to Gentle Breeze Town and the other north to Great Eagle Town, making the flow of trade and travel smooth and efficient.
A fourth town was also in development, named Citrus Town at Yuzu's request, inspired by her fondness for the fruit.
With that being said, regardless of whichever direction that newcomers were coming from after crossing those whirlpools, they would eventually be intercepted by the vigilant fish-men and merfolk patrolling the water perimeter of the island and would be directed to the nearby port. This arrangement was done in order to avoid unwanted intruders from roaming the island as they pleased.
If anyone dared to resist, the Sea Beasts, and if needed, the mighty Sea Kings themselves, would take over the situation without hesitation.
The security in Uzu was astonishingly tight. Considering that over half of the island's population were former slaves who had finally found freedom here, such vigilance was not only understandable but necessary. Any unknown threat could shatter the precious peace they had fought so hard to build.
The Uzukage was their saviour, who gave them a safe haven, their second home.
Even without her direct orders, the citizens would have protected their home with fierce loyalty. Though their Uzukage possessed strength on par with a Yonko, they felt it was wrong to rely entirely on her and the Generals. They too needed to take responsibility for the protection of their newfound home.
Thus, the Warriors of Uzu were born.
Interestingly enough, it was not Naru herself, nor her four closest companions, who initiated the idea of forming an organized military force.
In truth, building a kingdom had never been on Naru's to-do list.
When Nikolas first informed her that everyone already saw her as their leader, Naru had cringed so intensely she nearly dislocated her soul. Her mortification deepened when Nikolas, with his impeccable lack of subtlety, jokingly referred to her as an empress simply because she was a woman, even comparing her to a certain infamous female Shichibukai.
Naturally, Naru had rejected that idea with every fiber of her being.
There was absolutely no universe in which she would allow herself to be called an empress.
Instead of such a lofty and outdated title, she much preferred the term "Kage."
Thus, the birth of her new title.
The Uzukage.
Although she died before she could achieve her dream of becoming the next Hokage, at least she could still hold the title of a Kage in this life. And what made it even better was that she was the only one with such a title in this world!
Anyway, after a short but warm-hearted interaction with the people of Gentle Breeze Town, their ship continued its journey down the great river. This time, however, the fish-men and mermen warriors who had previously escorted them were nowhere to be seen. Earlier, Naru had firmly insisted that there was no need for such an extensive escort all the way to the central town. After a bit of coaxing and reassurance, the warriors had relented and returned to their duties.
The warriors might be gone, but…
Her attention was immediately drawn to several young mermaids swimming gracefully alongside the moving ship. There were four in total, each a unique splash of color in the sparkling river. Two of them were sisters, their long blue hair flowing behind them in the water, shimmering in the sunlight, while the other two were their close friends, distinguished by their bright pink and green hair.
Naru recognized them.
"You girls do know that you don't have to follow us all the way to the central town, right?" Naru asked, her voice a gentle mixture of amusement and fondness. She smiled warmly, her eyes twinkling with the kind of patience reserved for children she had grown close to over the years.
One of the sisters, the one with long, curly blue hair that seemed to capture the light with every wave, let out a bright, carefree giggle. "We just want to be with Naru-sama! We want to stay close to you when everyone gathers later to welcome you home!"
"Exactly!" the younger sister chimed in, her hair slightly shorter but her enthusiasm every bit as fierce. "Once we arrive, there will be so many people that we will not get to be this near to you anymore!"
The pink-haired mermaid joined in, her voice soft and melodic like a delicate song, flashing a smile so sweet and irresistible it could melt the hardest of hearts. "Naru-sama, come play with us!"
The green-haired mermaid remained quiet, but her sparkling eyes and eager nods conveyed the same excitement, speaking volumes without uttering a single word.
For Naru, who had watched these young mermaids grow over the years, she felt like she could indulge them a little bit.
"Very well then," Naru said, raising both hands playfully.
Almost immediately, the air responded to her command. The wind swirled around them, lively and spirited, lifting the young mermaids from the water. The gentle breeze carried them upward, soaring effortlessly into the open air, their laughter ringing like pure music across the river.
"We're flying!"
"Higher, Naru-sama! Higher!"
Their peals of laughter echoed freely, spilling over the water and into the air. Even the most stoic of adults could not suppress a smile at the sight of such unrestrained joy. Yuzu, often mistaken for a living ice sculpture due to her calm and distant demeanor, allowed herself a faint but genuine smile, a rare crack in her usual composure.
"As expected, it's always Naru who's the best with children," Nikolas said, his voice filled with admiration.
"Mm," Yuzu agreed, her tone soft but certain
Yue, meanwhile, watched the mermaids floating and twirling above the ship, a wistful expression crossing her face. She, too, understood their joy. After all, whenever she used her Devil Fruit powers to fly through the sky, she felt the exact same sense of pure, unfiltered happiness.
Naru continued to entertain the mermaids for a little while until they saw a huge and long arch bridge made of red stones. The bridge was the first bridge that was ever built on this island a couple of years ago with the combined effort of the Uzu people. Due to its arch-shape, it was called the Crescent Moon Bridge that connected the two split lands, which were the Green Woodlands Region and the Rocky Mountains Region respectively. (A/N: For reference, the bridge is based on Fuli Bridge but bigger and longer.)
As their names suggested, the first land was full of big and tall trees, and the second land was filled with rocky mountains and small rivers everywhere. (A/N: Another reference, the Rocky Mountains Region is similar to Guilin, but with rocky mountains. The Green Woodlands is like a rainforest but with giant trees.)
The central town, Namikaze, lay within the Green Woodlands Region alongside Gentle Breeze Town. Across the Crescent Moon Bridge rested Great Eagle Town, named for the majestic Giant Eagles that often perched upon the cliffs near the sea, a natural inspiration that Nikolas had admired when naming his domain. The sight of the bridge signaled to Naru and her companions that they were drawing near Namikaze Town.
Now that the bridge loomed clearly in sight, it meant they were approaching Namikaze Town.
As Naru ceased her playful activities with the mermaids, they followed the ship obediently, their excitement tempered but still glowing in their eyes. The port of Namikaze was quieter than Gentle Breeze Town, its docks holding far fewer ships and almost no strangers wandering about.
Namikaze Town was designed exclusively for Uzu's own citizens. Outsiders were not allowed to casually dock their ships here, much less wander through the town uninvited.
Naru did not restrict outsiders from coming to this place, but taking her people's safety as well as preserving the natures of the island into consideration, she had to make some strict rules and regulations to prevent unwanted situations from happening.
Gentle Breeze Town and Great Eagle Town were designated as the only ports where outsiders could dock, resupply, or explore. Visitors could navigate the main river or venture into the many smaller tributaries of the Rocky Mountains Region, and only the bravest might dare to explore the dense Giant Forest.
However, several sacred places remained strictly off-limits.
For example, the places where the fish-men and the mermaids resided, which were the places called the Eternal Cay and the Blue Lagoon. The Blue Lagoon was a beautiful hidden cove, and the Eternal Cay was a small long island, which was situated right in front of the Blue Lagoon. Both of these places were located at the northwest sector of Uzu.
Almost all of the Uzu citizens were former slaves that Naru had rescued six years ago, and almost half of them were fish-men and merfolk that originated from the Fish-Man Island. Since it was a widely known fact that most people of Uzu were once the slaves of the World Nobles, there had been some cases where some outsiders took the advantage to mock the locals and downgrade their status due to what happened to them in the past. Not only that, but kidnapping attempts often happened to her people as well.
And of course, the ones that were mostly targeted, were the young and beautiful mermaids themselves.
Due to the high value of mermaids in the slave markets, some outsiders who came to the island had the ill thought of kidnapping some mermaids. After all, besides the Fish-Man Island that was located deep in the ocean, where else could unscrupulous merchants find such rare and precious beings to sell?
Obviously it was stupid of them to think that they could do such a wicked act of wanting to take her own people in her own territory.
Because of the incident, the mermaids grew more cautious and didn't even dare to show up on the surface, especially around the areas where there would be a lot of outsiders. They would only dare to show themselves around their own people, the Uzu citizens regardless of their races, but to those who didn't belong here, they were quite wary of them. It wasn't just the fish-men and merfolk tribes alone, but even the humans didn't trust the outsiders that came from outside of the whirlpools sea.
After all, the trauma of captivity and enslavement was not something that simply faded with time.
Naru understood their fears deeply, which was why, when a group of citizens had petitioned her to create a specialized force to maintain peace and protect the people, she had agreed without hesitation. In fact, she was more than happy to entrust the leadership roles to her trusted companions.
Yuzu, Nikolas, Yue, and Barlow.
The funny part (at least according to Naru and Nikolas) was that none of them had ever sat down and agreed to take on such lofty titles. The people simply insisted, and before they knew it, the nicknames had stuck like glue. Not that any of them truly minded.
Naru herself held the ultimate title, the Uzukage, and Nikolas had famously remarked, "Every great leader needs a few loyal ministers." He delighted in the adoration of the citizens, who addressed him as Sir Nikolas. Yuzu remained indifferent to titles, her loyalty entirely to and Barlow, both quiet and reserved by nature, simply shrugged and went along with it without protest.
With that being said, the duty of training those who aspired to become the warriors of Uzu naturally fell to them. Each of these warriors was an expert in their own unique area. Take, for example, Yuzu, who possessed extraordinary swordsmanship, or Nikolas, who excelled in the rigorous art of Haki training. Then there was Yue, who not only possessed remarkable medical skills but was also an expert marksman, and Barlow, who was unparalleled in martial arts. Thanks to their expertise, Naru no longer had to waste her chakra producing clones to guard the island. Their combined abilities made the island's security stronger than ever.
To ensure the safety of the mermaids, many from the fish-men and merfolk tribes eagerly joined the ranks of the warriors. Their duty was simple but crucial, which was to protect the waters around the island. With the ever-present threat of Sea Beasts and Sea Kings, their jobs became somewhat easier. Furthermore, the numerous waterways surrounding the island allowed the fish-men and merfolk to travel freely, giving them the flexibility to patrol every corner of the island's waters.
While the fish-men and sea creatures protected the realm beneath the surface, the human defenders, including a handful of giants residing in the Giant Forest and the mighty Giant Eagles who perched atop the rocky mountains, stood watch over the land above. Together, these valiant warriors and proud creatures, along with Naru and her loyal generals, ensured the security of the island and its people. The safety of the island was never in question, especially after Naru personally stepped forward to deal with any criminals herself.
In addition to the Blue Lagoon and the Eternal Cay, there was another place within the kingdom where outsiders were strictly prohibited from approaching. It was a little island located in the heart of the kingdom. The reason for this exclusion was simple: at the center of this tiny island stood an ancient tree, nearly a thousand years old, a sight of unparalleled natural beauty.
According to Yuzu, the name of the tree was Treasure Adam Wood, the most valuable type of wood ever existed. Due to its high quality, Yuzu was sure that many people would be interested to have even a small piece of that wood. Thinking of the beauty of the tree and how proud it was as it stood in the center of the island for many years, Naru thought that it would be a shame if such a beautiful tree got damaged just because of its value to humans.
Since they only needed the woods that came from the Giant Forest, Naru restricted people from going to the little island for no reason. The people of Uzu understood their ruler's decision as they had been there since even before the island had been developed into a kingdom. It was better for the Old Tree (as what they called it) to stay as it was and become another proud identity of the island itself.
Namikaze Town was the second town that had been built after Naru brought the people relocating from the Gentle Breeze Town to the center of the island, where they could enjoy the view of their proud Old Tree. Being able to stay in this town was a luxury to the people of Uzu since this was the place where outsiders were not allowed to enter without their permission. This was also the place where the fish-men and merfolk could show up on the surface and mingle with the humans without the need to worry of being targeted and mocked by the bad people. After all, the Uzu people, regardless of their races, had faced the same tragedy and went through the same obstacles and nightmares together. They worked and lived together on this island under the leadership of their Uzukage, and together, they built their home, their paradise.
For the people of Uzu, wealth was not their desire. They sought nothing more than peace. In fact, they would not question any decision their Uzukage made because, for them, their lives were already as good as they could have ever imagined. Their peaceful existence on the island was all they had ever needed.
As the ship carrying Naru and her companions approached the small port, the mermaids who had accompanied them began shouting as loudly as they could, announcing the return of their Uzukage. Though there was no real need for such a grand announcement, as everyone in the vicinity knew that Naru-Sama and her loyal companions were nearing home. News traveled fast, and the moment the fish-men warriors, whose swift swimming outpaced Naru's boat, had heard of their arrival, they had rushed to the port to await their Uzukage's return.
While ships were a rare sight near the town, the water was filled with local people rowing boats and rafts, traversing the waterways. Along the shore, people, young and old, human and fish-men alike, waved excitedly at Naru and her group as they drew nearer. The four young mermaids who had been accompanying Naru and her companions since earlier were soon joined by other merfolk, creating a small gathering of friendly faces. The few outsiders aboard foreign ships passing by and unable to dock at the port, gazed curiously at the scene. They marveled at the sight of the mermaids and the beautiful women on the boat, particularly one with distinctive lines on her face.
At the same time, their minds recalled the infamous moment when Monkey D Naru had summoned a legendary Kyubi from her own body, causing destruction at Mary Geoise while remaining in Marineford. A chill ran through them as they remembered the rumors of her incredible power. Fearing the wrath of the Uzukage, they hastily ordered their helmsman to accelerate, eager to leave the area as soon as possible. The woman was stunning, yes, but she was also a terrifying force who could kill without hesitation.
Naru, however, paid little attention to the outsiders. As she had done in Gentle Breeze Town, she accepted the warm words of admiration and the hearty welcomes from her people. At first, she had been uncomfortable with the attention, but over time, she had grown to cherish the heartfelt joy displayed on the faces of her people.