Chapter 10
Soaring through the air, Naruto couldn't help feel nostalgic jumping from tree branch to tree branch. But upon reaching his destination, he came to an abrupt stop. Thanks to the powers of sage mode, Naruto had managed to pin point a rough location of the strongest life force signature on the island; in which he assumed would be Juggernaut Jagger. His assumptions served him well as he now concealed himself behind a tree outside the old Suzuki mansion on the southern outskirts of the island.
And what a mansion it was, the largest the blond has ever seen in his life. Tall iron gates surrounded a huge, beautifully decorated front garden. Taller tree's circled the borders of the giant house which Naruto was thankful for as it gave him the perfect cover to gather geographical intelligence.
From what Naruto could see, the front garden was guarded by seven pirate guards scattered around the place with no strategic layout. The jinchuuriki then sneakily leapt from branch to branch to gain a closer look of the property. With pirates lacking the training of shinobi's, moving around without detection was mere child's play for Naruto.
Closing his eyes to enhance his focus on the nature energy in and around the mansion, only two stood out from over a hundred people inside the mansion. One of those life force signatures however was much greater than the second, equal to that of Enel, perhaps even greater.
Beneath the surface though told another story, Naruto discovered a huge group of weaker life force signatures far below the mansion. The only logical explanation the blond could explain how so many people could fit underground was that this house must have a gigantic underground panic room. But then again, looking at how grand the mansion is itself, it wasn't that much of a surprise.
Satisfied with sufficient information on the front of the house and utilising the thick threes and the cover of darkness, Naruto swiftly made his way around the back of the premises. And what he saw solidified everything Angel had said. Beyond the smaller back garden laid a colossal mining facility littered with digging equipment.
'So it's true, they are looking for something. It must be important too if they wanted potential threats off the island so much.'
After memorising the geographical layout of the entire place, Naruto positioned himself a couple hundred meters away from the front gates and performed the appropriate seals to use the transformation jutsu.
Walking up to the opening, tall, metal gates of the Suzuki mansion, the newly transformed Angel was instantly greeted by an overjoyed, beautiful brunette with shoulder length hair and light brown eyes.
The brunette squealed in delight and leaped into the air to hug the transformed Naruto.
"Kya! I'm so glad you're safe Angel-chan. I heard about your mission to see the Straw Hat pirates and I was a little worried that you were sent by yourself." The girl squealed again and tightened her embrace. "But as long as you're safe none of that matters now. So how did it go?"
Recognising her unusual silence and lack of effort into the hug, the new girl released Angel and gave the blonds blank face a strange look. "Hellooo? Anybody home in there? It's me, Misaki? Angel-chan…?"
Naruto was immediately brought out of his stupor and couldn't believe he almost blew his cover from being overwhelmed by the quick hug. He formed an awkward smile and giggled light heartedly. "Oh hey Misaki-chan, I don't know why but I just spaced for a second there."
"Mmm, strange… that's not like you?" She asked suspiciously.
'Shit! She couldn't have noticed I'm not actually Angel did she?'
"Did you fall for one of the Straw Hats? Coz you know Jagger-sama won't be happy if you were being too friendly with the enemy." Misaki advised playfully with a shaking finger.
Naruto thanked his luck and mentally sighed in relieve. "Oh no, no, it's not like that, there were some cute ones but they threatened me so I had to send them all to sleep, shame really." He mentally cringed at his acting.
"Oh so you did have to fight them, and you came back without a scratch? Well that's what you get from my best friend Angel." The brunette expressed kindly.
Angel smiled happily before looking towards the mansion entrance. "I'd really love to stay and chat but I have to make my report to Jagger-sama."
"Oh? Then I'll come with you, I also have to make a report on the hourly guarding duties." She said while accompanying the new Angel to the front door.
'This is good, she fully believes that I'm Angel and now she's taking me straight to Jagger.' Naruto thought optimistically to himself.
After several waves to the other guard in the front garden, Naruto found himself deep within enemy lines.
Inside the mansion was as big and grand as it was from the outside. As soon as he stepped in, he entered a large reception room with marble floors and a wide swirling staircase at the back of the room. The house was teamed with people, loud, laughing people. It seemed however that women were hard to come by in the crew as Naruto failed to spot another female besides Misaki. Pirate after pirate, the fake Angel was greeted by smiling faces all welcoming her return.
Misaki had to hold her hand to pass through the groups of people to get to the staircase on the other end of the spacious room. Successfully reaching the first floor, Misaki and Naruto strolled down the corridor and knocked on the furthest door to the right.
After gaining permission to enter from the deep voiced man on the other side of the door. The fake Angel prepared himself to meet the cause of tonight's unpleasant events. And there he was, the bald, skin tanned giant of a man, Jagger, casually leaning on his desk while reading a document.
Both 'ladies' entered the room but Misaki was first to kneel down and bow. Quickly realising that was the norm, Naruto followed suit, but his actions did not go unnoticed by Jagger.
"Reports from guard duties and the mission concerning the Straw Hat pirates, Jagger-sama." Misaki expressed in all seriousness.
"I see you made it back alive, Angel. I expect nothing less from my crew. Welcome back." The bald man said with an emotionless tone.
Naruto could not prevent his hands clenching from hearing the voice of the man who caused havoc to people wherever he goes.
"Thank you for your kind words Jagger-sama." Naruto forced a reply.
"Report on your mission with the Straw Hats." Jagger commanded.
"Hai. After asking several civilians around the city I manage to find their ship on the eastern harbour of the island. As soon as I successfully snuck on to their ship, my presence was instantly known by one of the Straw Hats."
"Alright then what happened?" The man questioned with a hard edge voice.
"When I told them about our warning they immediately threatened me with force, but I managed to eliminate them before they could even touch me. After I sent them to sleep I steered their ship in a random direction before returning here." Naruto concluded.
Jagger took a long hard look at Angel before replying. "So what of the Straw Hats now?"
"Drifting away in the middle of the sea while living their own versions of hell."
"Good, if that is all then you may leave." The tall man retorted. Angel slowly stood and turned to leave the room but was stopped by the sound of slow clapping originating from behind.
"Well done, I must say that I'm overly impressed with your impersonation of Angel. You would have fooled me too if you hadn't missed one crucial thing. Anyone who knows Angel would know the scent of her perfume from a mile away, but I can't smell anything from you."
Naruto froze on the spot as he thought of a way to explain. "What are you talking about jagger-sa-"
His sentence was cut short by a sudden pain in his chest. He looked down and saw the tip of a bloodied knife through his sternum. Jagger had threw a large knife straight through Naruto's transformed chest and the agony was quick to spread across his body.
Misaki had also frozen on her spot as the brunette struggled to process the sudden events.
"You see you just made a big mistake for coming here, now you're going to die a painful dea-"
*POOF*
Jagger's eyes widened at the quick disappearance of the fake Angel and the fog of smoke that took her place.
"W-what just happened Jagger-sama?" Misaki stood up and anxiously questioned her irritated captain.
"I'm not entirely sure, a clone perhaps?" Jagger then looked at the brunette dead in the eyes. "I ought to dispose of you for failing to noticing a fake and bringing them in our base."
Misaki stiffen at Jagger's sweat inducing words. "Ja-Jagger-sama I, I knew something was wrong with Angel-chan the moment I saw her but I just couldn't place a finger on it and I, and I-"
"Quiet girl, I'm going to need every one of my crew tonight which bodes well for you." The captain said bluntly and folded his arms. "Those Straw Hats, they're behind this. That must have forced Angel to tell them the location of our hideout, if that's true they'll probably know about the men we kidnapped…"
'If those maggots had the nerve to infiltrate our base then that means they were gathering information to prepare for an attack.'
"Find Takashi! Tell him to prepare the men for an all-out war."
Minutes earlier. Thousand Sunny
Luffy's continuous tapping on the table was the sole existing sound on the ship. Apart from that, total silence. Sitting around the table, the Mugiwaras did their best to ignore their mind breaking nightmares by mentally preparing themselves for the inevitable battle.
That was until a vein popped in Nami's forehead. "Can you quit it with the tapping Luffy! You're making me more nervous than I already am!" She screamed with a punch on the head.
Luffy responded by rubbing the comical lump on his head.
Zoro switched his attention from his captain to the man with the plan. "How much longer do we have to wait here before I can slice someone up?" He question with obvious frustration.
"Not long." Naruto said the older swordsman with a pen and a blank laid out scroll. "My clone should have gathered enough information by now."
Then the sensation happened.
Everyone quickly spotted the change in Naruto's expression and body language.
"What happened? Did you find Jagger?" Sanji asked.
Naruto wore a blank, nerve wrecking expression. "I did but we got a big problem. Jagger managed to figure out I wasn't Angel and he killed my clone in the process. Stupid perfume!" The blond yelled with aggression.
"Huuuhhh?!" Screamed the entire crew apart from Robin.
"But you said they wouldn't see past your transformation thingy?" Luffy asked in a panic.
Naruto dropped his head slightly out of self-disappointment. "I did, but I never about my smell when I performed the jutsu, I'm sorry guys."
Nami, like many others felt some sympathy for him. "Hey, it's not your fault, how could you have known he was going to smell you. Don't beat yourself up too much okay?"
Forming a small smile at her reassuring words, Naruto felt his spirits being lifted.
Nodding in agreement and understanding their current situation, Robin gaze at the shinobi in questioning. "What now, Naruto-san?"
Said blond shook all negative thoughts as he retained his composure. He may have failed his infiltration mission but he sure as hell going to redeem himself.
"Now that Jagger knows that we're coming, and since we know the geographical layout of his hideout-" Naruto said as he begun to draw the arrangement of the entire area of the mansion. "We're going to bring the fight to him."
Nami, Usopp and Chopper gulped nervously and wondered where this new side of the friendly Naruto had been hiding all this time they knew him.
"Since we also lost the element of surprise; the plan I thought up earlier is useless. So everybody listen up to the new plan."
1 Hour Later
The Straw Hats all wore their game faces as their captain smashed the mansion entrance gates open knocking it off its hinges in the process. With the sleeping Angel over Franky's shoulder, the crew of ten marched the long walk to the front of the house.
Tension rose to incredible levels as the Mugiwaras were greeted with the entire Jagger pirates with the exception of their captain. All a hundred plus men were armed with swords, guns and fists alike. Above these men was the dark blue haired man Takashi who stood on top of the marble stairs that lead to the front door.
Mere meters away from one another, a cold, uncertain atmosphere quickly developed. That was until Takashi noticed the fallen female over the cyborgs shoulders.
"I see that Angel failed her mission, is she alive or did you just came to stop by to offer her useless corpse?" The first mate of the Jagger pirates quizzed with a heartless voice.
A tone that Naruto did not like to hear coming from one of her nakamas. "No she's still alive, we do things a little differently than you, you see."
Takashi supressed a small wince at the blonde's indirect comment.
"We didn't come here for a fight." Naruto continued where he left off.
"Oh? If you're not here for a fight, then why are you here? And why did one of you pretend to be Angel and infiltrate our place?" Takashi asked with obvious insult.
It was then that Angel begun to show signs of consciousness, her body fidgeted at the awkward positioning and it wasn't long till she was fully awake from her deep slumber.
"Hey…" She weakly announced to Franky. "Can you let me down please?"
Answering to her request, the cyborg slowly settled Angel to her feet. After a couple of unbalanced steps, she finally found her equilibrium and identified the current situation she was in. She noticed her entire crew all ready for battle in front of her eyes. "Hey, w-what's going on here?"
Naruto ignored her question and took a couple of steps in front of the blond to address the enemy crew. "Ahh perfect timing. Hey you up there!?" He pointed to Takashi. "Since Jagger's not here, I'm guessing that he put you in charge of all these guys is that right?"
"That's correct, my name's Takashi and the first mate of the Jagger pirates. It's only natural that I'm in charge."
"Well that's good then." The jinchuuriki said optimistically before looking at currently confused Angel. "That means that you have some authority to make a little trade with us."
"A trade? What type of trade?" Takashi enquired with narrow brows.
"You release all the men you've kidnapped and we'll give you your nakama back."
Angel didn't know what to think or feel as she stared at the back of Narutos blond head while Takashi failed to hide a comical scoff.
"You guys must be out of your minds, there's no way we're going to give you our workforce for her. She couldn't complete a simple mission without being captured by the enemy, by doing so shows exactly how weak and incapable she truly is and we don't need someone like that in our ranks."
Angel felt a pinch of heartache in her chest from her former first mates words. Though she prepared for this inevitable fate, actually hearing the words had crippled her strong will. But the part that hurt her the most was the unmoving faces of the people she once called friends.
'How can they throw away one of their own so easily? These people are unforgivable.' Zoro furiously thought to himself.
"Takashi-san please I beg you!" Angel cried out. "I'll do anything for a chance to come back, I'll show you that I'm not weak please, please give me a second chance!" The girl appealed in desperation. She looked at the face of the root of her motivation to return, but all she could see in Misaki's face was pure confliction.
The first mate gave Angel the coldest stare that the women had ever seen in all her years of living.
"Beg? You're resorting to begging now? Please tell me how did someone like you ever made it in our crew? Only those who are weak beg, only those who are pathetic beg. I can't believe we ever called you our nakama, you don't belong with us Angel-"
Takashi bashed as the young blond lowered her head and clenched her fists. "You don't belong with anyone Angel, where you belong is on the streets with no friends, no family and no one you can call your nakama, exactly like how we found you."
After a pall of unspeakable silence, Angel slowly lifted her head to show her emotionally breaking face to her former crewmates.
"Is this is? Is this how you want to our friendships to end? Can't you see they're just using us!? They treating us like tools, tools that would be thrown away once it can no longer do its job! We don't deserve to be treated this way, they makes us all believe we're free but in fact that there's no difference between us and the very men we made as slaves beneath our feet. I know you are all scared of disobeying Jagger-sama but together he can't stop us from living lives we really want!"
Angel then gazed her pleading eyes to her best friend's conflicted expression. "Please Misaki, let's leave this place and come with me?"
However, Misaki, like every single one of the Jaggers men remained silent. Although to some degree they believed in Angel's words, they were far too brainwashed by Jagger's values to even consider leaving their captain.
"I-I'm sorry Angel-chan, you-you're not one of us anymore." Misaki stuttered reluctantly to the blond.
Above the large group of pirates stood a man that just exploded in sinister laughter. "See? Even your best friend can't stand you anymore! I'm sorry Straw Hats but no trading is going to be happening tonight." Takashi spoke with high authority.
Naruto and the rest of the Straw Hats clenched fists had them near to drawing blood from Angel's conversation. For a crew that valued true companionship, to hear such words from Takashi had increase their hatred for Jagger's values tenfold.
"But let's forget about that and do what you came here do it, men! Take em down!" Takashi ordered from the top of his lungs to initiate the bloodbath.
Bu before his crew could take a single step, a wave of indescribable energy passed through the Jagger pirates' bodies ultimately sending a quarter of the men unconscious.
One by one, Takashi watched a good handful of his men fall to the ground and gritted his teeth. 'Conquering king's haki, at least we found others who don't belong in this crew.'
"What are you fools doing?! Shoot them!" Screamed by the first mate to his frozen crew mates.
Naruto's attention was automatically diverted to the stoic, emotionally broken Angel while the enemy pirates aimed their sights for him and his friends. The blond dashed and pick the lifeless Angel bridal position to evade the riddle of bullets.
Zoro's body moved itself in front of Robin and sliced the incoming bullets into tiny pieces while the remaining Straw Hats jumped, cartwheeled or back flipped to evade the life ending bullets. Sanji, Nami and Usopp reached for multiple kunais in their back pouches in mid-air and embedded them in the chest of those with guns.
Safe and unharmed, Naruto gently set Angel to her feet; a great distance away from the main fight. She remained overwhelmed by the actions of those she once called her friends, especially her best friend Misaki.
Naruto could only feel great sympathy for her as he knows all too well what it's like to be alone. But with everything occurring at once, he knew he hadn't had the time to console the women in distress. In a split second he returned to the side of his nakamas, all spread out in shinobi fighting stances with kunais at the hand with the exception of Luffy, Zoro and Robin.
FLASHBACK
Completing a full, detailed layout of the mansion grounds, Naruto lifted his head to address his nakamas.
"Alright guys listen up, as soon as we get there, our first priority is to deal with Jagger's crew members. Since I sensed over a hundred men in sage mode; who will all be armed to the teeth by now, Luffy and Zoro with their expertise in close quarter combat and my transformed shadow clones will engage with the enemy first."
Zoro smirked at his friends formulated plan. "Got no objections from me."
Next to the swordsman, the rubber man captain punched the air in excitement. "Yeah! Bring it on Jagg-guy!"
Naruto then switched his sights to the elder archaeologist. "Robin with her devil fruit abilities will also join Zoro and Luffy for long range support. If the enemy have created a perimeter around the mansion, then your presence should drag anyone guarding the back garden, but if we're lucky, they'll all be waiting for us at the front of the house."
Robin nodded her head in acceptance. "I understand, but what I don't understand is that you said there were over a hundred men in the mansion, rumours say that Jagger had a crew of one thousand?"
"I don't understand it either but just as you said, it's a rumour. Maybe it was wasn't true?" Naruto replied suspiciously to the women.
END OF FLASHBACK
In the heat of the battle, Luffy, Zoro, Robin and their 'crew mates' were having their work cut out for them. Although defeating Jagger's crew individually was no big deal, but judging from their fighting styles it was obvious that these men were trained and experienced, not like your average sword wielding pirate.
Takashi stood above the brutal battlefield with shaking fists as one by one, his crew mates succumbed to Luffy's onslaught, Zoro's unforgiving blades, Robin's devilish abilities and the taijutsu expertise of Naruto's clones.
Acknowledging her current situation, a tiny smirk formed on the archaeologist lips. She found herself circled by 8 of Jagger's men all wearing menacing sneers and chuckling at her upcoming demise.
In a split second, the men charged and swung their swords to cut her into tiny pieces but the eldest female Straw Hat instinctually crossed her arms to counter the rain of blades.
"Mille Fleur-Clutch"
The distinctive sound of shattering bones immobilised the swinging swords mere inches away from Robin's skin before her enemy's bodies dropped to the ground with a dull thud.
Believing it was safe, the raven haired women analysed her surrounds to calculate her next move, but what quickly caught her attention was the sound of the oncoming blade from behind.
'Another one!?' She panicked to herself. But it was already too late since she had no time to counter the blade.
Closing her eyes to brace herself for the end, Robin narrowed her eyes from the absent feeling of pain. After hearing a small explosion, she opened her eyes to witness her attacker dropping on his knees with smoke lingering on his back.
It took a moment for her to realise what occurred but when she did, a full smile curve her face and gestured a thank you wave to a far off tree into the distance.
FLASHBACK
Naruto centred on the long nosed man. "Usopp, when Luffy's group's within the mansion gates my clones will start conversation with their crew. This distraction will give a small window of time for you to hide yourself here-"The blond pointed to the southern west point of the map. "There's a group of trees here that will give you a clear view of the entire garden."
"O-okay…?" Usopp answered and questioned.
"If you're as good as a sniper as you say you are then you'll have no problem giving Luffy's group some extra support right?" Naruto stated with an air of friendly taunting.
The stuttering Usopp quickly folded his arms and placed his best poker face. "O-of course! I'm captain Usopp there's absolutely nothing I can't do!" He ended with an unbelievable laugh.
'This is great! I'm going to be away from the main fighting, thank you Naruto!'
END OF FLASHBACK
Crying screams, blades clashing and paper bomb explosions; that could only mean one thing, the fight has begun. Hidden behind the cover of trees behind the mansion, a whole new mission was now underway.
Sanji's experienced ears had detected the initiation of the bloodbath between Luffy, Zoro, Robin, Naruto's transformed shadow clones and the Jagger pirates. But hearing the combatting groups only increased his initial frustration.
"Why do they get all the fun?" He question rhetorically out of pure jealousy. Nami, Chopper and Brook all sighed in defeat at the cooks childish moaning.
"We don't have time for this Sanji-san, we need to do our part as well." Brook replied.
The blond released a tiny grunt in displeasure. "Alright fine, please lead the way Nami-san."
Gulping out of nervousness, Nami mustered all the bravery in her being to make her move. "Guys, stay as close as to me as possible and remember to be quiet." She whispered.
Her nakamas all nodded in agreement.
"Let's go."
FLASHBACK
"Sanji, Brook, Chopper and Nami, you will position yourselves here, behind the mansion using these trees for cover. After I make the distraction for Usopp, we'll show these bastards why you don't mess with us. So when you hear Luffy's group engaging with the enemy, that's your signal to enter the mansion through the back door." Naruto calmly announced.
"Ehh! Me? But why me? I'll only get in the way and what's the point of going behind the mansion anyway?" Nami quizzed anxiously.
Naruto focused on the navigator. "Somewhere in that mansion is an entrance to the underground panic room where they're keeping all their prisoners. Your group is to find that entrance and free the prisoners."
"Okay I get that but it still doesn't answer the question as to why me? Wouldn't someone like Franky be a better choice for this sort of thing?" She asked with genuine hope he would reconsider.
The blond slightly shook his head. "Franky needs to stay here and protect the ship just in case someone else from their crew wants to pay a visit. Besides, I want you there because of your nick name, cat burglar. From what I've been told you're pretty good at entering places and searching for what you want and stealing them, am I right?" He said with a teasing smirk.
Nami's faces redden, unsure whether to take his comment as a compliment or insult. "I-I guess?"
His smirk turned into a fuller smile to reassure the obviously anxious girl. "That's why you're acting captain of your team. Your job is to get your group inside the mansion without being seen and find the entrance of the panic room."
He fixed his focus on the doctor of the ship. "Once you guys find it, Chopper will give immediate treatment for those prisoners who needs it. Sanji, Brook, your role is for security. Anything can happen tonight so that's why if your group encounters any enemies, it is your job to protect Nami and Chopper."
"You can count on me Naruto-san!" The skeleton said with energy.
Sanji exhaled a puff of smoke and formed a small smile. "Protecting the beautiful Nami-san, I couldn't think of a better role than that."
Zoro had the urge to interrupt. "But I don't really see the point in splitting up into different teams? I mean wouldn't it better for all us to fight Jagger's crew then free their prisoners as a group?"
"I thought about that." Naruto replied. "But as of right now; we don't know anything about the enemy or what they're capable of. So if we faces their crew as a group and somehow be force into a corner, then there will be nobody around to free the prisoners."
"I guess that makes sense..." Zoro accepted.
END OF FLASHBACK
Hiding behind a tree branch located by the side of the mansion, Naruto tightened the ends of his headband on his forehead and dug his feet into the ground to dash towards and leap over the metal gates with relative ease. Landing smoothly, he redirected chakra on his feet to swiftly climb the brick walls of the gigantic house. Satisfied with selecting the right floor and the window, Naruto slowly creaked the window open to enter the premises.
FLASHBACK
"Does everyone agree and understand what they're doing?" Naruto asked the crew.
"Go in and slice anyone who's not on this ship right?" Zoro said bluntly with a hint of pleasure.
"Sneaking in an empty mansion, should be simple enough?" Nami shrugged her shoulders a little.
Robin grew a small smile. "I must say, to formulate such a detailed plan in such amount short time, shinobi sure are impressive." She added with her trademark smile.
Naruto watched their determined faces and felt proud to call this small group of people his friends. He rolled his scroll and returned it back inside the seal on his wrist. After covering said seal with a bandage, he stood up to head for the door.
"Alright then, let's not waste anymore time and get this show on the road." He said with great energy.
As Nami watched everyone else stand from their seats, an eye brow raising thought struck her head.
"Hey hold on a second Naruto, all this time you've been telling us what we're going to do but this plan of yours hasn't explained about what you're going to do?" She asked curiously.
All attention was drawn onto the standing jounin. He made an awkward chuckle and formed a guilt smile.
"Oh yeah I forgot to mention that, I'm um… gonna… fight Jagger alone?" He whispered carefully and waited for their reaction.
Every pair of eyes rounded at the news.
"You're gonna what?!" Screamed Nami, Usopp and Chopper in unison.
"But that's insane?! How can you even think of fighting an emperor calibre pirate alone?" Nami asked worryingly.
"I agree, Naruto-san" Robin added. "I'm not sure if it's entirely wise to face such an opponent by yourself." She voiced her concerned opinion.
On the other end of the table, Luffy shot up from his seat and pointed at Naruto. "You were planning to have all the fun by yourself from the very beginning weren't you!"
Naruto's guilty smiled turned into a heavy sigh, expecting this sort of reaction from his nakamas. "Guys calm down, I can take care of myself you know that. I only decided to fight Jagger alone because I'm the only one who knows what he looks like and where he's going to be."
Sanji curly brows twitched. "But if this fight is going to be as bad as we think it is, then wouldn't he be waiting for us at the front of the mansion?" He questioned sceptically.
"Possibly, but do you guys remember what Angel said about Jagger, 'like a ruthless general giving orders to his soldiers?' I got a feeling that he isn't the type of guy to get his hands dirty in these type of situations. That's why I'm going to use the fighting from Luffy's group as a distraction to find a way inside through the side of the mansion and find his office." Naruto explained. "I'll fight him alone until Luffy's group handles Jagger's crew and Nami's group frees their prisoners. That way we can use our numbers and finish him off as a group."
Although understanding his logical plan, Luffy remained sceptical about Naruto's motive behind fighting Jagger alone. The rubber man crossed his arms before reply. "Just make sure you don't kick his ass before I get there." He whined childishly.
END OF FLASHBACK.
Leaning against a wall of a dark, empty corridor with one hand on the door knob, Naruto prepared himself for the long awaited confrontation.
'I need to finish this quickly before everyone finishes their missions. If I don't, Luffy will get involved risks reopening his wounds and he could die.'
Naruto shook his head to remove the thought and to concentrate on the mission at hand. He felt guilty for lying to his crew mates and captain but he knew that this was for the best.
"Enter, Straw Hat. I've been expecting you."
Every fibre in Naruto's muscles froze at the realisation of his location being compromised.
'What the hell! There's no way he should have known I was here… unless, his observation haki must be on another level!' He pondered to himself completely stunned.
Accepting a sneak attack was now futile, Naruto slowly opened Jagger's office room door to face his enemy. Jagger, with his hand clasped around his wrist behind his back staring out into the window made a 180 turn to greet his intruder.
"Wait a minute, you're not Straw Hat. Where's your captain?" Jagger questioned. He walked around his desk, leaned on the table, crossed his arms and inspected the blond.
Naruto resisted the urge to clench his fist from seeing the disgraceful excuse for a captain first hand. "He's downstairs too busy dealing with your guys. You're going to have to get through me if you want to get to him."
"Oh? And who might you be?" Jagger questioned with insult.
The blond shaped a sadistic smiled. "Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, the newest Straw Hat pirate." He voiced proudly. "And I'm also the guy who's gonna make you regret threatening me and my friends and kidnapping innocent people." The blond spat with deadly venom.
A small smirk curved Jagger's lips. "Is that so?" The balm man sarcastically questioned. "Don't tell me your pathetic little pirate crew started this whole thing because of something that's not even any of your business?"
Naruto shook his head in irritancy. "You took innocent people away from their homes, their families. You call yourself a leader but treat those who follow you like trash? You really expect me to turn a blind eye to someone like you?" Naruto spat as his blood began to boil at the air of superiority and arrogance from Jagger.
That smirk on the bald man's face faded hastily. "You have some nerve kid, what I do with my crew and the weaklings of this island is up to me." Jagger said before pushing of the table to stand and stretched the kink on his neck. "You know what, you and your group of friends have been meddling with my business for far too long. You know too much already which leaves me no choice to eliminate each and every one of you." He said cockily.
But his comment only peaked Naruto's interest. "Your search for it right?"
Jagger's body twitched at the Straw Hats interested tone. "Simply knowing the fact that we're searching for something only clarifies you know too much." He threatened whilst rubbing his shoulders to prepare for the inevitable fight.
"What is this thing you're looking for? And why is it so important that you need to kidnap over a hundred innocent men to find it?" Naruto enquired with deep fascination.
The bald man stopped his stretching and stared into his opponents eyes straight in the eyes. "That, young Straw Hat, is none of your business."
The jinchuuriki's orbs narrowed and body stiffened. "Oh? Then it looks like I have to beat the answers out of you!" He screamed before using his speed to disappear into thin air.
Rematerializing eye level to Jagger's stomach, Naruto smashed a newly formed rasengan deep within the man's abdomen.
The contact was devastating. The explosive force of the jutsu sent Jagger and furniture alike shattering through the window and onto the back garden.
Satisfied with his work, Naruto looked down to witness the drag mark made from Jagger's unconscious body. He casually leaped down onto the grassy field with several types of fruit trees littering the sides of the garden.
The blond walked up to see the result of his attack believing his job was done. But his step came to an abrupt stop as the supposedly beaten body of Jagger gradually emerged signs of life.
"That's some devil fruit ability you have there, I've never seen or heard anything like that before." He taunted while picking himself back up to his feet.
"But I'm afraid that's not gonna be enough to stop me, young Straw Hat."
Naruto took a hard look in disbelief and questioned his eye sights. His opponent stood tall and seemed unaffected by his jutsu.
'How can he be standing after taking a hit from a rasengan!? Did I miss?' He questioned himself but then noticed the circular hole on Jagger's shirt.
'No, I'm sure it made contact… so then how can he be standing there with a smile on his face like nothing happened?!' He asked himself again and gritted his teeth at the impossibility of the situation.
Jagger ripped his ruined shirt with one hand and threw it to the side, revealing his huge muscular body in the process. "Enjoy this moment while you can, that was the last time you'd ever lay a finger on me."
AN/ This chapter is mostly flashbacks I know but it's only a half of a two parter. Next chapter will focus only on the fights. I would also like to announce that I have made full notes on the context of the entire story from now to the ending. That means that it's no longer a matter of if I can finish the story but when. Look forward to it and see you all in the next chapter.