The three princes of Fishman Island all went pale.
Until now, they'd never imagined that their enemy would be so terrifying.
In the first half of the Grand Line, this person already had a bounty of 400 million Berries, and had even fought against two Marine Admirals.
"Why is it that guy? Wasn't he missing since the Ohara Incident years ago?"
Sweat rolled down Fukaboshi's forehead.
Though he was relieved it wasn't Marine Hero Garp or Red-Haired Shanks—
Uzumaki Naruto was frightening enough in his own right.
He had only been active in the Four Seas, and already had a bounty that reached four hundred million…
Ryuboshi hadn't processed it yet. He patted his chest and said,
"Whew, it's just 400 million. That's not too high. We Fishman Island can handle it."
Beside him, Manboshi nodded.
"Jinbei-nii's bounty is higher than his. No need to worry so much."
"Shut up!" Fukaboshi snapped, cutting them off.
Gripping Naruto's bounty poster, he said grimly:
"This guy… might be just as terrifying as the Red-Haired Pirates."
"It's said that during the Ohara Incident, he was only six or seven years old—yet destroyed over a dozen warships on his own. Nearly wiped out the entire Buster Call."
"And now, the Admirals Akainu and Aokiji both fought him, got injured, and watched helplessly as he escaped. Even to this day, they haven't been able to capture him."
"And now… he's even stronger. And we're the ones who provoked this monster…"
Ryuboshi and Manboshi froze in place.
They hadn't realized just how terrifying this person was.
He had not only fought two Admirals—
He injured them, and escaped.
No one in the seas dared to claim they could handle two Admirals at once.
Fukaboshi could no longer sit still.
He stormed toward the royal palace with the bounty poster in hand.
"I'm going to Father. You two—dig up what exactly Arlong did in East Blue that made him this furious!"
A few hours later.
In the Fishman Island Royal Palace, King Neptune, Prince Fukaboshi, Ryuboshi, Manboshi, and several ministers all stood with grim expressions, listening to a report via Den Den Mushi.
"That damn Arlong… after he left the Sun Pirates, he had the gall to do that in East Blue? He betrayed Fisher Tiger's name!!"
Neptune slammed the table, his fury boiling over.
He was normally a calm and gentle king, but this… this truly crossed a line.
He turned and stared angrily at his eldest son.
"Fukaboshi! You allied Fishman Island with this kind of monster's enemy!?"
"You've not only dragged Jinbei into it—now the entire island is implicated!"
"Do you want this Uzumaki Naruto to treat us the way Arlong treated the humans of East Blue? Like lower lifeforms to be slaughtered and crushed at will!?"
Fukaboshi looked bitter.
"I didn't think it would turn out like this. I just… wanted to help Jinbei…"
Neptune sighed, though he could understand his son's reasoning.
Jinbei was one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea—
The guardian of Fishman Island.
Helping him was supposed to be a good thing.
But this time… the situation was different.
"…Father."
The three princes looked at their king, concerned.
Neptune sighed again.
"I'll contact Jinbei. He's with Whitebeard now. Hopefully, he can help us find protection."
"As for the rest… we'll wait until Uzumaki Naruto arrives. Then we'll explain everything in person."
"…Let's hope he's reasonable."
...
Sabaody Archipelago – Shakky's Rip-Off Bar
"Uzumaki… Naruto?"
Rayleigh stared at the newspaper in his hand.
The moment he saw the photo, his eyes widened.
"That's the kid?"
From their conversation over the Den Den Mushi, he'd known the voice was young—
But this?
The boy in the photo looked barely twelve.
Maybe 1.3 meters tall, with a soft, youthful face.
Shakky lit a cigarette and laughed.
"Don't be fooled. He might look young, but he's probably fifteen or sixteen. Still growing."
Rayleigh slowly shook his head.
"For someone that young to have such power… incredible."
Shakky teased him with a smirk.
"What's wrong, Rayleigh? Worried the little guy'll grow up and come after you?"
Rayleigh burst out laughing.
"If it ever comes to that, I'll just go into hiding. No way he could find an old man like me."
Shakky chuckled along.
Honestly, she agreed.
A retired old man like Rayleigh could disappear anywhere in the world.
...
Grand Line – A Certain Island
"You're telling me… you're attacking me because Rayleigh offended you!?"
Ace stood with a dark expression, staring at the two people in front of him.
A boy around ten years old, with spiky blond hair.
And a girl, maybe five or six, with orange hair.
He had come here for a duel with the Warlord "Lizard King Hanafza."
But before that guy even arrived, these two little kids blocked his path.
And then this.
Naruto nodded calmly.
"Yup. You know the saying—father's debt, son repays. So I'm here to fight you. No hard feelings, right?"
Behind Ace, the Spade Pirates stared wide-eyed.
"Captain… wait, what!? Since when was the Dark King Rayleigh your father!?"
"Seriously!? You've got that kind of background!?"
"No way… I heard Rayleigh's from East Blue. But you… you're actually his son!?"
Ace's face darkened even further.
"Stop talking nonsense!! Rayleigh is not my father!"
Naruto calmly shook his head.
"No, no. I know who you think your father is… but that's not the truth."
Ace's eyes widened in disbelief.
He had a gut feeling this boy really did know something.
But… how?
Only a few people in the world knew the truth of his birth—
His mother.
Garp.
And maybe those two brats from Foosha Village.
No one else.
Naruto looked at him seriously.
"Back then, to protect that person's child, Rayleigh swapped the babies while your mom wasn't looking."
"Classic body double. The 'fox swapping the crown prince.'"
"He didn't want the true heir to be targeted."
"But it wasn't perfect. That's how I found out."
"So… you still think you've got nothing to do with him?"
Ace's eyes widened even more.
A thousand cursed thoughts exploded in his head.
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