A/N: Welcome to chapter 2, reader! First off, I just wanted to point out that this is my first time writing a fighting scene, so it's a little rough around the edges.

Anyways, let's get on with it!


"So, you possess a Devil Fruit, after all," Lucci remarked with a deadpan. The speculation Kaku had turned out to be true. However, what perplexed him was the type of fruit Naruto had. Based on his transformation, he appears to be a hybrid of a Mythical Zoan because of the glowing light engulfing his body. Nevertheless, that class of Devil Fruit was rare, and only a handful of people had it. Furthermore, it could also be a Paramecia, where the light around his body is some sort of protective barrier. He had a lot of theories, but the only way to find out was to fight the blonde.

"A what?" asked Naruto confusingly as he raised an eyebrow. "I don't know what this fruit, or something, is. Does it taste good?" He suddenly felt his stomach growling. The events occurred so fast that he completely forgot about eating. The thought of food made him crave some Ichiraku ramen. Then he slapped his face as he was distracted.

Gritting his teeth, Kaku lunged at Naruto quickly, but the latter placed a hand on the former's head and jumped over him. "You think this is a joke?!" he asked furiously. Fighting against four CP9 members, yet he didn't faze. It brought shame to their team, especially when it's a kid at cause.

"Hey! What gives?!" shouted Naruto as he charged at Kaku and delivered a punch, sending the giraffe-man through multiple walls until he landed outside the tower. The blonde huffed as he pointed at the remaining members. "I only asked a question! It's not my fault that I don't know what you idiots are saying!" he huffed as he became irritated. First, they imprison him, then attack him for asking a question. "What is so special about this fruit, anyway?!"

"Stop talking. You're not fooling anyone," said Blueno as he threw a barrage of punches that the blonde effortlessly dodged. Realizing that his attacks are useless, he creates a door out of space where he disappears and reappears behind Naruto.

"That's cool, but now I understand that you people have some unique abilities…" remarked Naruto as he turned around and grabbed Blueno by the hair before sending a knee to the bull-man's face, making him unconscious. He tossed the body into the ground before grinning at the last two members. "...And I can't afford to overlook it. One-on-one won't work, I guarantee you."

"Hmph! As if I need that cat to kill you!" Jabra shouted as he sent a punch toward the blonde, who easily deflected it. Leaping into the air, Jabra dove and spun like a screwdriver before attempting to stab Naruto. Hearing a squelching sound, he grinned, thinking the blonde was pierced, only for him to feel a burning sensation on his chest. Looking down, he widened his eyes as his torso was all bloodied with a spiral mark. "What…was…that…?" He gasped with blood coming out of his mouth before falling to the ground.

"A Rasengan," replied Naruto. He glared at the last member, Lucci, as they both waited for who will make the first move. The blonde knew his opponents were weak, but he didn't expect them to be that weak. He didn't exert much energy, yet he could almost kill these guys. It was strange feeling boredom during a fight. Maybe this is how Madara felt when he went against the regular shinobi during the final war. "Don't worry, I didn't kill them — well, I don't know about Kaku's condition — but this wolf-guy and bull-man, on the other hand, is only unconscious." Lucci furrowed his eyebrows when the blonde went to normal and was not engulfed by the bright light anymore. "I realized that it was overkill to use that form. Come on. I'll take you on in my Sage Mode," Naruto said and got into a fighting stance.

Looking up, he surprised the man when he had yellow irides and toad-like pupils with orange pigmentation around his eyes. 'Oh, right. This form can be tedious." He placed his hand in a cross position and made a puff of smoke that revealed two clones. The clones then sat in a half-lotus position and meditated.

"Your eyes change, you make clones, and you engulf in an illuminating light. These odd characteristics lead me to assume that you possess a Devil Fruit. There is no denying it. Additionally, the user can't be unaware of their fruit —- unless you have an entirely different ability, one that does not require a Devil Fruit but rather spiritual prowess. Although, making clones of oneself is unprecedented." Said Lucci as he narrowed his eyes. He can't afford to let his guard down, especially in front of an enemy with unknown abilities.

"Here you again with this nonsense. Just what is it with this fruit?!" Naruto asked irritatingly. All this nonsense made him more perplexed. Furthermore, maybe this place has a different name for 'chakra,' but Kurama did say that none of them has it and instead has one similar. He scratched his head from thinking further and raised his fist at Lucci. "Stop talking. Let's just get on with this. I have a lot of things to do," he said in an exhausted tone.

"You may have defeated those fools like mere ants, but don't get ahead of yourself. You're cocky nature will lead to your demise," said Lucci as he grinned wickedly. Although he refused to show it, he was shocked at the ability Naruto displayed. CP9 members have honed their abilities since they were children to perfect the Rokushiki. However, the blonde treated them like mere pirates going against an Admiral. It was absurd and shameful to be defeated this way. If what he said was true that his comrades were alive, then he would have to push them for further training. "I'll have your heart in the palm of my hand."

"Yeah, yeah. The big talk came from a guy who had his comrades beaten like children after getting caught sneaking off late at night. Don't tell me what to do if you can't even protect your friends," remarked Naruto as he chuckled, seeing the annoyed expression on Lucci. He knew that the leopard man was pissed-off, as the veins around his forehead were evident, but he tried to remain calm. "Now stop talking and attack. I still have speedo-Franky and Robin to save."

"As I said, don't get ahead of yourself!" Lucci lunged at Naruto at a speed the latter did not expect. He sent out a kick that made a projectile, and as the blonde dodged it, he widened his eyes when it sliced the tower in half vertically, which caused a slight tremor. Without giving time to process the situation, Lucci went for a Finger Pistol that pierced Naruto's back. However, the leopard-man was skeptical, and he was right. 'Naruto' puffed into smoke and disappeared.

"That was a clone, by the way!" said Naruto as he appeared behind and went for a roundhouse kick towards Lucci, which the latter blocked but skidded a few meters. Afterward, he lunged and sent a barrage of swift punches that Lucci blocked. "You're tough, huh?! You are the leader! Ha ha!" the blonde remarked excitedly.

"You scum!" Lucci backfired as he and Naruto now fought toe-to-toe in martial arts. Every block, kick, and punch — they were almost equal. Although, Lucci gritted his teeth as he knew the blonde underestimated him by not fighting with his true strength. "I'll show you why you shouldn't underestimate me!"

There was a saying that Zoan carnivores were wild beasts. And would not give up until they caught their prey. That's what's happening with Lucci. If he's in his human form, he would be calm, calculative, and quiet. However, he would become the opposite in his hybrid leopard form.

'Huh? He's grinning?' Naruto took note when he saw the maniacal expression on Lucci's as he avoided a bite to the neck. Getting stimulated by the fight, the blonde reciprocated by grinning and pushing the leopard man away to create a distance. Leaping in the air, Naruto sent an axe kick that Lucci blocked with effort. He gritted his teeth at the impact and was astounded at the sheer strength of his enemy. "I can see why you're the leader!"


Spandam sat in his chair while keenly observing a golden Den-Den Mushi, a type of snail used as comms. It has a mysterious ability, where it can telepathically communicate with each other through vast distances. On top of that, they can mimic the speech of a person and even their voices. The golden snail, however, is unique and dangerous. A rare breed that only sends a signal to its counterpart, a silver Den-Den Mushi. It has a single button on its shell that commences the 'Buster Call,' and an entire island would decimate.

Suddenly, the building quaked, resulting in the golden Den-Den Mushi slipping from Spandam's grasp as he panicked and tried to grab it. He sweated profusely and huffed as his trembling hands tried to place the Den Den Mushi on his table. However, he almost dropped it once again as he got startled by a ringing tone. Now exasperated, he stomped to a nearby table to answer the call.

"What?! You fools almost made a grave mistake! Damn it! What do you want?!" he demanded with rage.

'S-sir! We have received repo —Of — Luf — and — Stra —Gang—" The voice was inaudible as the line was interrupted. Spandam shouted to repeat, but it was in vain. They couldn't communicate properly. However, Spandam didn't think considerably of it. With the 5000 soldiers posted all over the island, no one would dare penetrate the sacred land. It would be foolish.

"Stupid comms. Whatever. Lucci and the rest accompanied Cutty Flam and Nico Robin to the Gates of Justice. Although, I do wonder about that earthquake earlier." He remarked as he gazed at his ceiling with a smug grin. Everything was going well. At least, that's what he thought.


Naruto was sent to a nearby wall as he crouched to avoid impact and sprung back to deliver a punch toward Lucci. However, the leopard man anticipated his move and started ascending into the air. Once the blonde landed, Lucci dove and pierced Naruto, but the latter, once again, puffed into smoke. Still, in mid-air, the leopard-man received a kick to his spine as he and Naruto fell multiple floors down.

As they both fell, while in mid-air, Naruto and Lucci delivered a barrage of punches, and they were all bloodied. However, they were far from succumbing to their enemy. It was a fight for opposing Justice. One was fighting to save an individual and the other for the whole world. If CP9 let Nico Robin out of their hands, she would be a significant threat to the World Government.

Lucci swung his tail and trapped Naruto before throwing him hard to the ground, cracking the floor into a bowl-shaped. Once again, the one the former threw was a clone as it disappeared into a puff of smoke. The leopard man got sent flying through multiple walls with a punch while searching for his opponent. This time, he could feel his muscles aching and his ribs shattering. Blood started dripping from his mouth, and as he looked up, he saw Naruto forming a blue spiraling sphere on his palm. Lucci widened his eyes as he felt threatened. However, he could not escape with his legs caught by the clones. Unable to move, Lucci watched as Naruto charged at him before the blue sphere hit his chest, causing him to scream in pain until he passed out.

Wiping the splattered blood off his face, Naruto looked at the ceiling and yawned. The fight against Lucci was, at least, interesting. However, he didn't expect the leopard man to pass out from a single Rasengan. Regretting his actions, the blonde pondered if he should've used his usual form instead. Using Six-Paths was overkill, and he could've dragged the fight on much longer if he didn't use it in the beginning.

"W…where do you think you're going…?" a voice asked in a low, harsh tone. The blonde looked back and widened his eyes as he felt a dark aura emitting — much more than before. Peering into the shadows, he saw Lucci emerging with a bloodthirsty expression, blood dripping from his mouth. His eyes narrowed as they stared at Naruto as if he was prey. For the first time, the blonde felt threatened since coming to this place. "... Did you think an attack like that would end me…?" the leopard-man spat out blood as he huffed with his fangs while grimacing.

"That was quick…." remarked Naruto as he chuckled sheepishly. He made sure to beat up Lucci and use Rasengan as a final attack. Now seeing the fierce face on the latter, he wished to use Rasenshuriken instead. But he discarded the idea at the risk of killing his enemy. However, he underestimated the leopard man's durability. "I don't know whether or not I should get excited or scared," he said as he got into a fighting stance and smiled. "Welcome back! Or not!" He shouted as Lucci already lunged at him fiercely, with his speed seemingly increasing.

Naruto made multiple clones that faced Lucci head-on — only for the latter to puff them away. However, the smoke blocked his vision, and right after he emerged, he was struck in the face, sending him flying. Before he could recover, a bombardment of heavy punches went his way. Every blow felt like a cannon — as if multiple warships attacked him. He was weakening as the blonde continued to hammer him. Mustering all his force, he pushed Naruto away and created distance. Positioning both of his fists toward the blonde, Lucci waited for him to charge.

"What are you waiting for?!" shouted Naruto as he lunged. He's caught off guard when Lucci faces him head-on in an odd position. However, he understood why when a massive shock wave struck his torso as he coughed up blood. The blonde didn't expect the counterattack, considering Lucci was on his last legs. The blonde gritted his teeth as he charged again and formed a spiraling Rasengan with four extensive points — looking similar to a Fūma Shuriken, called the Rasenshuriken. He thrust his attack quickly while taking advantage of the fact that Lucci slowed down. "Take this!" He shouted as the Rasenshuriken penetrated the leopard man's chest, causing blood to splatter. Seeing that Lucci fell to the ground, the blonde huffed as he finally won.

"You tough bastard," commented Naruto as he grinned. Although Lucci was an enemy, the blonde respected him for his grit. An individual who never gives up, despite any obstacles, is always commendable. However, they were just two people with opposing ideals, and not one of them wanted to concede. In the end, one needed to win.

Walking away, Naruto looked at Lucci one last time and saw the latter sitting with his head down — unconscious — before he started ascending the wall to figure out something. During his fight with the leopard man, the blonde was able to perceive another dark 'aura' — while not as wicked as Lucci's — that annoyed him. He opted to look for this person to prevent them from hindering his plans before meeting up with Robin and Franky. Regarding the two, Franky assured him that he would keep the woman safe, and the blonde entrusted him as he felt sincerity from the pompadour man.


Finally arriving at the upper floors, Naruto stared at the enormous door and shrugged as he casually entered. Inside, he met a pale man with a mask, who was startled to see his face.

"W-what are you doing?!" He asked panickily. "Where are Lucci and the rest?!" He widens his eyes as he deems it impossible for the blonde to defeat all his subordinates. They were people who perfected Rokushiki, so they were superhumans!

"Why are you so agitated, man?" Naruto asked as he sighed while he lay on the couch. It was so soft that he could've slept right away if it wasn't for the situation. Growing up, the bed in his apartment was rough, but it was all he had. Nevertheless, after he defeated Pein, he acquired a much more comfortable mattress, as it was one of the gifts for 'saving' the village. 'I miss Konoha. I wonder how everyone is doing…."

'Don't ponder on home right now. We are far away from it.' said Kurama, trying to prevent Naruto from being depressed. Although, the blonde was never the type to ponder on things for too long.

'Oh, shut up. Stop it with the whole 'far away from it.' We are still in the Elemental Nations — possibly some remote village.'

Kurama sighed as he listened to his Jinchuurki. The blonde was too foolish for his good. He wouldn't take anyone's word and must see for himself that they were in a new world. 'You're in denial, that's why. I've lived for thousands of years, so I know whether or not we are in the Elemental Nations — and we aren't. Just accept it.'

'(Sigh) And why don't you accept that I can't stop being in denial? We haven't even gone outside, so we can't reach conclusions yet.'

'How stupid.'

'I know…' he retorted as he didn't want to argue with the fox much longer, as Kurama scoffed at him.

"I asked, who are you!" Spandam shouted as he became enraged after being ignored.

"Oh, right!" said Naruto as he shifted to a sitting position and gazed at the man. He completely forgot about him. "Do you have any water? My fight with that leopard bastard made me thirsty. Oh! How about food? Do you have any?!" He excitedly asked while his stomach growled.

"Y-you! Stop playing games!" the man yelled with veins popping out of his forehead as he turned red from anger. However, he calmed down upon hearing something else. "'Leopard bastard?!' Are you talking about Lucci?" he asked while scoffing with a smug grin. "You bastard is lucky he is not here right now. You would've died just from looking at him! As a matter of fact, how did you escape your cell? And where is that man?"

"Uh… leopard man is downstairs sleeping," he said sheepishly, trying not to blurt out that he defeated Lucci. "So, are you the leader here? I could only guess since you are the only one who didn't fight. I thought he would be the one in command, instead."

"W-what do you mean 'sleeping?'" asked Spandam in bewilderment. Was the blonde joking with him? Lucci has always taken his job seriously and would never lose to a mere brat. "And yes, I am the leader."

"Okay… since you are the leader, can I ask you a question?" he asked with sincerity. Seeing Spandam becoming intrigued by raising an eyebrow, Naruto sighed as he felt his request would be the only way to avoid meaningless violence. He caused too much trouble, and fighting again would be troublesome. 'I suddenly sounded like Shikamaru.' He pondered while shifting his attention back to the masked man. "I want you to call off the remaining members of CP9 and free Franky and Robin." He said with a blank tone.

Spandam gawked at the audacious request before he burst out laughing. The blonde was too naive! "Ha ha! Were you dropped in the head as an infant?" He mocked as he gestured his hand, pointing at his head. "Do you know how valuable Nico Robin and Cutty Flam are?! You damn detestable brat should go back to suckling on your mother's tits! The likes of you have no understanding of this world. We, the CP9, serve to conduct justice! That woman has a dark past! At eight years old, she destroyed a warship and had a 79,000,000 berri bounty! Do you know what the people call her? Huh?"

Naruto remained quiet as he narrowed his eyes. He tried to restrain himself from lunging and attacking Spandam after disrespecting him. However, he was intrigued by Robin and wanted answers about who she was. The blonde gripped his fist and placed his head down.

"Cat got your tongue?" Spandam asked in a mocking tone as he placed his tongue out and laughed. "They called her the 'Devil Child'! A moniker fitting for an assassin that would betray anyone for her benefit! That woman is worst than scum! Also, that woman has the Ohara blood running through her veins! A bitch like that deserves to di —" His mouth was gripped tightly by the blonde, and he couldn't finish. Looking up, he widened his eyes as he could feel rage oozing out of Naruto, and the blonde's pupils turned red with a slit. His body started to quake in fear as he sweated profusely. This person in front of him was not a child but 'Death' himself. He subconsciously prayed that he would get out of this predicament alive.

"That's enough out of you!" Naruto clenched his jaw, trying to quell his anger. Staring at Spandam's terrified gaze, he let go of him and sat back down on the chair. "Why should I believe the words of the likes of you? When I first saw Robin, you know what I saw?" He asked but didn't expect any answer from Spandam, who was in disarray. "I doubt you know. What I saw in those eyes were regret and despair. Those were not the eyes of a 'Devil,'" He said as he recalled his childhood. Sitting alone on that swing in front of the academy, people would make harsh remarks about him and call him the devil. Shunned and ostracized, he was alone and had no one to rely on. However, he eventually did and was able to make inseparable bonds. "Don't call anyone the "Devil" carelessly."

This time, Spandam reverses his fear into anger after hearing Naruto's opinion about Nico Robin. If there was one thing he hated, it was being looked down upon and treated as a joke. "Fool! The crimes of that woman have records! There is no denying it! She is the Devil –"

"I said, stop throwing the word 'Devil' around!" Naruto shouted as he struck Spandam's face and continued hitting him. His fists pounded the masked man's face, which dislocated his jaw and broke his nose.

'Stop acting recklessly, Naruto!' Kurama shouted in his subconscious and saw the blonde twitch. If he didn't interfere, he believed Spandam would be his Jinchuuriki's first deliberate murder victim.

The blonde backed off, his eyes widening, and his hands quivering as he looked at them, covered in blood. "W-what?" The masked man was visibly bruised and his face was unrecognizably different when he looked at Spandam. "I snapped. Damn it!" He sat down on the floor and shouted angrily.

'Control your emotions! Why did you lose it?"

"I-I don't know, Kurama!" replied Naruto worryingly as his face showed confusion.

'Ever since we arrived here, you've been acting strange. You held back against the leopard, and now you are close to murdering someone! What is wrong with you?!'

The blonde pondered as he saw Spandam's body slightly twitching.

Kurama could only infer one thing: Naruto is suppressing some sort of fury. He was furious since he had lost the fight with Sasuke. After losing, the blonde must have felt worthless because he didn't carry out his teammates' requests. The disappointment of the people was too much for Naruto to take, and he accused himself of being weak.

The blonde kept a cool head but was tempted to let his rage out. He resisted using force against Lucci in order to prolong his use of it, and he is now dangerously close to killing Spandam.

"I-I'm sorry, Kurama…." Naruto expressed regret while bowing his head in humiliation. Suddenly, he heard a chuckle and saw that it came from Spandam. Surprised, the blonde approached him but retreated upon seeing the fearful look of the man.

"Hehe! You stupid fool. You fucking dare put your hands on a Government official?!" yelled Spandam, feeling enraged. "You're done. Congratulations, you're officially a wanted criminal. You are helping Cutty Flam and Nico Robin to escape and putting your hands on the Director of CP9. I will put a bounty on your head! And everyone in the world will seize to kill you!" He chuckled wickedly. He then remembered something and stood up wobbly to grab his golden Den-Den Mushi. "Never mind what I said. Enies Lobby shall be the place of your grave. Lucci and the rest already succeeded in our plans to take Cutty Flam and Nico Robin to the Gates of Justice. They would come back for me before the 'Buster Call' commences and kill you in the process." Spandam sat on the floor and laughed uncontrollably. "I won, Naruto!"

Naruto was confused at the sudden change of emotions of Spandam, but he was more interested in the 'Buster Call.' "What is this Buster Call, bastard? Huh?! Tell me!" He shouted as he grabbed the masked man's shoulders and shook him vigorously.

"It's no use," Spandam remarked and smirked as he showed the golden snail and pressed the button. "Your nightmares have begun."

Nothing happened at first. The blonde could hear his hammering heartbeat because it was too quiet. He waited till his eyes grew wide, and he twitched at a sharp ringing sound. He could feel the entire space trembling as a neighboring light in the corner of the wall began to flare.

Naruto looked at Spandam and exclaimed, "What did you do?!" With a smug smirk on his face, the man in the mask declined to respond. Exasperated, the blonde grabbed his collar and hauled him off like nothing. "Answer me!" He violently shook him, but it was ineffective since Spandam was giggling uncontrollably.

"You're going to die! And I will be the hero of this story! Ha ha! As the Director, the CP9 members will keep me safe! You can't kill me!"

Naruto shoved the man behind the mask onto the table while scowling and hurried out the door. It was useless to reveal that he had defeated the majority of the CP9. He needed to focus on more crucial issues. Rushing into a deserted hallway while in Sage Mode, he noticed each person's aura in the space. However, he was upset that he couldn't correctly identify Franky and Robin because they didn't have the 'aura' like the others. He did, however, read the CP9 members, who were pursuing the two, because he believed they would have more than the others. He eventually located them on the fifth floor of the tower and moved quickly, hoping he wasn't running late.


"How futile," remarked Kalifa as her thorned whip wrapped around Robin's neck. Looking back, she saw Kumadori and Fukurou standing over Franky on the floor as he squirmed toward Robin. "You fools dare defy CP9. It's sexual harassment," she said while fixing her glasses. Although the two managed to escape from them, they eventually ran out of stamina and were caught. "Lucci and Kaku should be finishing things up by now. Kumadori, Fukurou — carry these two and present them to the Director. Hurry up —" she stopped as a ringing sound interrupted her. She widened her eyes as she knew what was going on. 'A Buster Call? But why?!'

"Chapapa! We should hurry up! would be expecting our assistance!" said Fukurou as he lifted Franky.

"YOYOI! Oh, my! But a man shall not run! We must face this ordeal head-on!" Kumadori suggested while striking a pose.

"Fools! We need to pick up the pace. This entire island will be destroyed by the Buster Call," quietly stated Kalifa. Although she has not personally experienced the onslaught, her father's accounts of it, which took place twenty years ago in Ohara, have helped her grasp the terrifying power the World Government holds.

When the phrase 'Buster Call' was mentioned, Robin's complexion grew paler. She remembered what happened twenty years ago, and her heart began to pound. Professor Clover, Saul, and even her mother was taken by the dreadful Navy. Furthermore, Robin was forced to cooperate with the CP9 because they threatened to use the Buster Call on the Straw Hats, and she was unable to bear it. She would rather give her life to save her friends. "Stop! Call it off! Do you know how terrifying that power is?!" She shouted in desperation as she became anxious. However, her pleading fell on deaf ears as she was kicked in the face.

"Save it. Who gives you the right to utter a suggestion?" asked Kalifa as she scoffed.

"Please…." Robin continued pleading as her mouth started to bleed.

Franky raised an eyebrow when he noticed the woman's behavior changing. Nico Robin, who had already sunk a vessel and claimed lives at the age of only eight, became well-known throughout the waters. The one in front of him was unique, though. He wondered why she was in such a state of desperation and perhaps terror. He yelled out to her while smirking and spat blood on the ground. "Nico Robin!" She was casting a worried look his way when he called. "Don't worry. Brother Naruto will come to our rescue! I promise! He then scowled at Kalifa while being kicked in the face. "What's going on, woman?!"

"That's sexual harassment. How dare you assume Lucci and the others will be defeated by a mere brat." She spat and walked away as Fukurou and Kumadori followed.


As Naruto dashed into the empty corridor, his ears twitched and became startled when he saw a person with a red shirt flying toward his flank. Unable to maneuver, they both hit the wall swiftly. They groaned in pain as they rubbed their heads while standing up, and the veins on the blonde's forehead started popping.

"What the hell?!" he complained and grabbed the person, who was grinning widely, by the collar. "What was that for?!"

"I should be saying that!" He retorted as he pushed Naruto's face away. He then got into a fighting stance and became wary of the blonde. "Who are you?! Are you also here to stop me?!"

"Huh?! Stop you? Why should I do that, idiot?!" the blonde yelled as he and the person narrowed their eyes at each other. "I don't even know you!"

"You don't?" he calmly asked while picking his nose, which left Naruto appalled. "So, you're not going to stop me?"

"No. As I said, I don't even know you. And stop picking your nose!"

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy! Future King of the Pirates. Who are you, whiskers?" the now named Luffy grinned at the blonde, as the latter raised his fist in annoyance.

"Don't you dare give me that nickname! Bing named Monkey sounds dumber!" the blonde shouted as he felt mocked hearing the name 'Monkey D.'

"It's my real name!" Luffy shouted.

"I don't care! Don't call me whiskers!" Naruto shouted before sighing. "Augh! Whatever. I have people to save, Monkey. I'll catch you later!" he said before running away. However, Luffy followed him and was surprised he caught up with his speed. "What now?!"

"You still haven't given me your name! And I also am looking for people. I'm here to save a comrade."

"Fine. (Sigh) I'm Naruto Uzumaki," he said as he placed a hand in his pocket. "If you're here to save people, then go! Leave me alone!"

"Yeah, I know. But I don't know where they are," said Luffy casually while laughing.

'Is he stupid?' Naruto pondered. "Who are you looking for? Were they prisoners?"

"Yeah. It's a woman named Robin. Oh! And a guy named Franky!"

Naruto stopped in his tracks and widened his eyes. "Robin?! Franky?! They are your comrades?!" He asked in surprise.

"Yeah! You know them?" asked Luffy in excitement.

"Then you're in luck," replied Naruto as he grinned. "We are looking for the same people!"

"Really?"

"Yeah! Then how about we work together?" Naruto asked. He didn't feel any hostility from Luffy, which is why he wasn't reluctant.

"Hmm. I guess!" He replied as they shook hands.

'I hope I don't regret this decision.'

'You will.'

'Ack!'


A/N: I know the meeting between Luffy and Naruto was underwhelming, but I also felt that it was proper. I don't know.

Furthermore, as I said in the previous chapter, powerscaling can be messy. Although Naruto is obviously stronger, I also didn't want to underestimate Lucci.

Well, anyways, I'll see you next chapter!