"The Celestial Dragon-sama was attacked?! Damn it, which bastard did this?!"
"We're finished! Everyone run! A Marine Admiral is coming! All us pirates will be slaughtered if we stay!"
"Run for your lives! A Celestial Dragon was kidnapped! That's a World Noble!"
"That guy's temper is worse than the Celestial Dragons! All I did was say a word, and he attacked one of them!"
"He's insane… No one's dared attack a Celestial Dragon in decades…"
The streets instantly descended into chaos.
Pirates, Marines, civilians—everyone was panicking and scrambling away from the area like their lives depended on it.
Very quickly, the news spread throughout the entire Sabaody Archipelago, throwing the entire island into disarray.
Every pirate turned pale in fear, frantically fleeing to the docks while hurling every vulgar curse they could think of at the madman responsible.
Those whose ships hadn't been coated yet and who were still far from the docks were plunged into utter despair.
In just thirty minutes…
The entire Sabaody Archipelago became a zone of terror.
Panic, confusion, and the scent of impending doom filled the air.
"Seriously, I don't get these people..."
Naruto frowned as he and Nami walked through the chaos, watching the terrified pirates fleeing all around.
"They're pirates. They already cast life and death aside. So why are they all scared to death over one dead Celestial Dragon?"
Back in his past life watching anime, Naruto had never understood it.
These so-called Celestial Dragons—every single one of them was a useless waste.
And yet their slaves had no courage to resist.
They wouldn't even dare to die standing against them.
Even with a slave collar on their necks—if they were willing to die, they could still take one Celestial Dragon down with them.
"Thinking about it now, the Celestial Dragons in the pirate world are pretty much like the daimyōs in the shinobi world... and the Marines are just like the ninja."
As Naruto pondered this, they soon arrived beneath one of the Yarukiman Mangroves.
Following the map's instructions, Naruto dug beneath the tree and unearthed a chest.
Opening it up, a fiery red Akuma no Mi (Devil Fruit) sat inside.
Naruto recognized it instantly from the anime—it was the Mera Mera no Mi (Flame-Flame Fruit), a Logia-type.
"If I eat this Devil Fruit and don't die... I'll probably gain fire powers. Plus, I'll be able to turn into fire itself..."
Naruto licked his lips slightly.
...
"Just arrived on the island and already caused such an uproar... As expected of the last survivor of Ohara..."
In Marine Headquarters, Sengoku glared at the Den Den Mushi, face dark with rage.
He'd assumed that Uzumaki Naruto would lay low for a while on Sabaody—at least until his ship's coating was finished.
But no.
The brat had only been on the island for a day and had already broken the sky—kidnapping a Celestial Dragon in broad daylight.
"Sigh..."
Kizaru let out a long sigh from the side.
Sure enough, Sengoku immediately turned to him and said in a grave tone:
"Kizaru, get over there at once. Capture that demon child—but make sure to protect the Celestial Dragon above all else."
Kizaru spread his hands, exasperated.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, if what Aokiji and Akainu said is true, do you really think I can pull that off?"
Sengoku frowned.
He knew he was being unreasonable.
After all, this was the so-called demon child.
Catching him while protecting a Celestial Dragon was no less difficult than fighting one of the Yonkō.
After a brief moment of thought, Sengoku turned toward Aokiji and Akainu.
"Then go stall him. I'll send Tsuru and Gion to back you up."
Kizaru sighed again.
"Today's youngsters are something else... Not even a shred of respect for the Celestial Dragons."
As he spoke, his body transformed into a glowing form.
Countless points of light burst from him and he shot out of the Fleet Admiral's office.
Inside the office, Sengoku recalled what he had just said and couldn't help but scowl.
"The Great Pirate Era… it's completely out of control."
—
"Mera Mera no Mi… should I eat it now?"
Naruto casually tossed the Devil Fruit in his hand as he wandered toward a nearby shop.
Nami gazed longingly at the fruit in his hand.
"Naruto-sama, is that the one worth 100 million Berries?"
"Yeah."
Naruto nodded slightly and handed her the fruit.
"You can hold onto it for now. I'll find you one of your own later."
Nami carefully cradled the fruit in her arms.
"Wow… so this is what a hundred million Berries looks like..."
Naruto didn't seem to care.
Sure, the average Devil Fruit might go for 100 million, but a Logia like the Mera Mera no Mi?
That price could easily be ten times higher.
What he was really thinking about… was whether he'd die if he ate it now.
He could still swim.
Didn't seem cursed by the sea or anything.
But just to be safe, it was better to return to the shinobi world before eating it.
Still… he'd be stuck here for at least another year.
After thinking it over, Naruto opened the Gate of Consciousness inside his mind and entered the sealed space.
"Kurama. Have you decided yet?"
Naruto looked at the towering fox sealed before him.
Kurama slowly stirred.
It walked to the bars, stared down at the blond-haired boy before it, and growled:
"Uzumaki Naruto… I accept."
Then, with a sudden growl, Kurama lowered its massive head.
Its lantern-like eyes blazed as it roared:
"But!!! If you dare trick me—
—I'll tear you to shreds!!"
Naruto smiled.
"Alright. Then as promised, I'll need your chakra. And in exchange, you'll have your freedom within ten years."
"Hmph!"
Kurama snorted but didn't argue.
It slowly turned back, dragging its nine massive tails behind it.
Then, almost reluctantly, it asked:
"Uzumaki Naruto… On the other side of this ocean… are there really that many giant beasts?"
Earlier, Naruto had shared stories about the pirate world with Kurama.
He'd mentioned Sea Kings, giants, the Mink Tribe… even the massive, godlike Zunesha.
Kurama had been both shocked and intrigued.
A world full of massive creatures like him…
Naruto thought of what was about to happen and chuckled.
"Since you're giving me your chakra… it won't be long before you see them with your own eyes.
"You're gonna be blown away."
The boy and the beast chatted for a long while inside the seal.
Eventually, Naruto sensed movement outside and opened his eyes.
Before him stood a man over three meters tall, dressed in a yellow-striped suit, with a slack expression and tired eyes.
Looking at Nami helplessly, he said:
"Um… like I said, I'm a Marine, not a bad guy.
You really should step away from that man beside you."
(End of Chapter)
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