"#￥%...&"
"I told you not to talk while you're eating..."
Looking at Luffy, who had eaten himself into a ball and was still stuffing food into his mouth while trying to say something, Nami covered her forehead helplessly.
Usopp and Zoro beside her remained silent.
There was no choice—every customer in the restaurant was now watching Luffy eat.
After all, they had never seen anyone eat like this before.
"...I... burp... I will definitely beat this old man!"
Finally swallowing the food in his mouth, Luffy managed to get out what he'd been trying to say.
Hearing this, the other three couldn't help but look at Naruto at the next table—and the even more impressive number of plates on his table.
Because he ate so fast, the dishes hadn't even been cleared before the next course arrived.
Luffy had good timing; normally, Baratie couldn't have prepared this quantity of food.
Usopp, Zoro, and Nami looked at the golden-haired man calmly enjoying his meal, each with different thoughts.
This guy seems really strong—Zoro noticed the katana at Naruto's waist, and his instincts told him this might be the strongest person he'd ever encountered.
Usopp's thoughts were simpler.
There's actually someone who can eat faster than Luffy!? He's like a superhuman.
Nami, unlike the other two men, carefully studied Naruto's appearance.
Hmm... he looks like he's in his early twenties; at least, judging by his face, he's younger than that green-haired guy next to me.
The innocent Zoro had no idea what the little thief cat was thinking about him.
If he could hear her thoughts, he'd definitely protest loudly.
I'm only nineteen!
Indeed, Zoro did look older than his age.
While Naruto appeared young to others, Luffy somehow felt he should call the yellow-haired, fox-faced guy "old man."
Perhaps that was a fool's intuition?
"Hey, drink this. If you can't eat anymore, don't force it."
Just then, Sanji walked over and placed a small bowl of soup in front of Luffy.
It was a special digestive soup he'd prepared.
"Oh! You're a good guy, Cook."
Luffy always responded to kindness with a smile.
After drinking the soup in a few gulps, his belly rapidly deflated in front of everyone's astonished eyes, returning to his normal size in seconds.
That's too ridiculous—
Everyone who witnessed this scene thought the same thing, and even Sanji, who had prepared the soup, wondered when his cooking had become so effective.
"Delicious! Curly-brow, your cooking is amazing!"
After digesting, Luffy laughed and patted Sanji's shoulder, who dodged with disgust, but Luffy's smile didn't fade.
Then he turned to look at Naruto.
What he saw was Naruto calmly finishing another dish and gently wiping his mouth with a napkin.
I lost...
In the short time he'd been digesting, the fox-faced old man had already eaten a huge amount.
But Luffy was never one to stay depressed. He ran over to Naruto, staring wide-eyed at the man whose physique hadn't changed at all.
He seemed completely unable to understand where all that food had gone.
"Old man, you're really amazing."
Looking at the grinning Luffy, Naruto couldn't help but smile.
So similar.
"Interesting kid, what's your name?"
Naruto slowly stood up and asked softly.
"I'm Luffy, Monkey D. Luffy, and I'm the man who's going to be Pirate King!"
"Pirate King, huh..."
Hearing this, Naruto's smile suddenly faded, his deep blue eyes quietly observing the silly-grinning boy.
"Kid, let me ask you—where did you get that straw hat?"
The surrounding crowd seemed to sense something strange in the atmosphere, and the previously noisy environment quickly fell silent.
Nami and Usopp quietly swallowed, these two members of the cowardly trio seemed to trigger their passive ability, sensing something ominous.
Wasn't everything fine just now? How did it suddenly become so tense?
Zoro smiled like he'd spotted prey, his hand unconsciously moving to his sword hilt.
Even head chef Zeff poked his head out from the kitchen, quietly observing the situation in the dining hall.
"The hat?"
Luffy, the person in question, didn't sense any pressure and was just confused by the question, but he answered honestly.
"Shanks gave this to me. I promised him I'd return it when I become Pirate King."
"I see..."
Naruto nodded noncommittally.
"I've eaten enough. Let's go outside and get some exercise."
"?"
Hearing this random statement, Luffy was still confused.
But then he felt his head being grabbed by tremendous force, and his surroundings changed rapidly.
Before anyone could react, Luffy had been dragged outside to the restaurant's deck by Naruto, who was gripping his head.
Zoro was the first to react, drawing his sword and rushing to help.
Although Usopp felt his legs trembling, for his friend's sake, he gritted his teeth and ran outside too.
Even Sanji, an outsider, followed them out.
Only Nami remained inside, her eyes flickering as she looked toward where Luffy had gone.
...
On the deck, Naruto released Luffy, letting him cough a few times to clear the saliva he'd choked on from the rapid movement.
"Hey! Old man, what do you want!?"
After recovering, Luffy immediately pointed at Naruto, shouting.
He seemed like a nice old man, so why did he suddenly attack?
Naruto now seemed like a different person, his face cold and cruel, looking down at Luffy like he was a bug.
"Kid, do you have the resolve to wear that hat?"
"What?"
Luffy instinctively asked back, but his words stopped abruptly.
He felt an invisible aura suddenly emanating from the fox-faced old man, making his face turn pale.
He felt like a bug trapped in pine resin, finding it difficult even to move a finger.
Luffy's legs began to tremble uncontrollably.
Withdrawing his gaze from the boy's legs, Naruto showed no sign of restraining the contempt in his eyes, speaking to Luffy in an extremely arrogant tone.
"Come, let me test whether you're qualified."
He extended his hand and beckoned to Luffy.
"If you don't have the spirit to become a king, then that hat should return to where it belongs."
"You bastard, who are you!? What do you want to do to my precious hat?"
Hearing Naruto say he wanted to take his hat, Luffy immediately became angry, his fury instantly shattering the oppressive feeling Naruto had given him.
This fox-faced old man suddenly became really annoying.
"My name—you don't need to know it yet. Stop talking nonsense and attack first."
"Because if I attack first, you won't have a chance."
Feeling the undisguised contempt, Luffy's head immediately heated up.
He slammed both hands on his knees, forcibly stopping his instinctive trembling.
Then he pushed off hard with his feet, rushing quickly toward Naruto.
"Gum-Gum—Pistol!"
His body shot forward, but his palm stayed in place, his arm stretching like rubber.
Then his arm snapped back with elastic force, and combined with his original strength, his fist shot toward Naruto's face like a bullet.
Slap.
The punch solidly hit Naruto's face, but the next moment, it was Luffy who cried out, clutching his hand.
"It hurts!"
"It feels just like Grandpa!"
Luffy was in so much pain he started talking nonsense.
What he meant was that when Garp hit him with his "Fist of Love," he felt the same kind of pain.
"Pain? What's Luffy talking about? Isn't he a rubber man?"
Usopp poked his head out from the restaurant entrance, looking at Luffy clutching his right hand in pain, completely baffled.
"Give it your all, kid. You have one more chance."
Naruto slowly raised one finger.
[Chapter Complete]
***
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