Okay, here's the next chapter, people. Hope you all enjoy it.
Coral Hill
Walking through the busy streets, Jimbei had just come back from another mission he had concluded as a Warlord. Having made success of crushing a major bandit attack against a kingdom of the Grand Line. He hopefully had brought in another step closer onto improving the relations between Humans and Fishmen.
In the last year and a half, he himself had encountered many humans, of which many on first appearances of course would start off either rocky or outright despicable.
His first time being called in, was with the other members of the Warlords, which included only 7 members, all who were deemed dangerous as pirates for their deeds they've done, yet were given a pardon if they worked alongside the Marines in combating threats deemed dangerous to the World Government.
Having met with these other Warlords, there were some who he deemed normal but dangerous individuals that, before their status, were infamous people. There were also those of the opposite side who he could only look at from a disgusting point of view, judging them by their demeanor or 'business practices' that were hitting close to home.
But also some were….socially weird. Yet still dangerous.
Of course, the Warlords weren't the only people he has been working together with, as his missions given by the World Government, mainly consisted of him working together local defense groups and military outpost of kingdoms against pirate attacks and bandit raids often in port cities.
And, there were the Marines. The group he distastes of, the one responsible for the Tiger's death, was a daily reminder how he hated those people.
He came across many of them, many captains and commanders who were just as vile sometimes like their Pirate counterparts, and often would make ugly remarks or glares at him. Making him sure that he was 'in his right place underneath them'.
The urge to just sink their ships in the middle of the ocean was too strong for the Fishman at some times. Knowing he couldn't give them the justification.
Yet….he also was exposed into meeting Marines who weren't bad, on the contrary were genuine good people.
There were Marines who had met up with him who showed no bigoted view against him, even one from a certain sector who invited him for a cup of Tea, all because he found out he had military experience.
Of course, this didn't lower the Fishman's guard around his former enemies, as he still felt like he couldn't trust the system he was working in, especially with the Marines who were working in it, and he was surprisingly not the only one thinking about it.
That same tea drinking high-ranking Marine introduced him to many, same-minded people, one of whom he personally befriended with.
It were indeed stranger times to be alive-
CRASH!
Jimbei stopped and stood still.
"What the-"
The earth trembled underneath him, looking around he saw everyone felt it, meaning it must've been something big.
Then some people were running from the big cloud of dust, with fear in their eyes, as this caused Jimbei to listen to some of the concerned voices.
"What's going on?"
"A ship of the World Nobles just crashed in here?"
"What?"
Hearing this, caused Jimbei's legs to move forwards, not losing any time to try and get to the crash site.
Ryugu Palace
Moments earlier
The news got to the Royal Family quickly as possible, with concerned reactions beginning with King Neptune first.
"Wait, are you sure?" The king asked. "It doesn't make any sense."
"I don't know why it is down here, your Majesty." The Minister of the Right, sweating nervously at this newest development, nodded to his king. "But the ship still came and is bound to crash into the lower levels."
"I'm going!" Queen Otohime said, already swimming for the rescue. "Send a rescue team down, now!"
"Queen Otohime-"
"I go welcome them myself!"
This really brought King Neptune to question. "What is an Celestial Dragon doing on the sea floor?"
...
Naruto entered a room, and turned the lights on before he walked right up towards one of the cabinets.
Pulling one open, he reaches for his Colt revolver, and checked the chamber with a spin before leaving the room swiftly as he entered.
Crash site
Back to the crash site, the remaining crowd that was assembling around the crashed ship with the shredded sails of the World Government, and the broken front of where a golden mouse or rat head was seen.
"I can't believe this is happening?"
"Must've been attacked by a Sea King or something."
"Here's what I don't get. They hate us Fishmen, right? So what were they doing sailing such through deep waters?"
"I don't know, do I look like a expert of Human-Fishman relationships to you?-"
BANG!
The crowd dispersed again as the gunshot that was unleashed forced them to go and move to safety.
"Help me, you idiots!"
That gunshot came from the golden pistol that belonged to the Celestial Dragon, Donquixote Mjosgard. Who was laying on the floor, exhausted from the deadly journey he somehow survived, with his head covered in his own blood from the wounds as he didn't wear the bubble helmet that he always wore, because it got broken upon impact on the island.
"My whole worthless crew had to just go and die."
The golden gun then got pointed at the bystanders.
"Bring me a mask, you vulgar fishes!" He demanded with exhaustion. "I can't tolerate your Fishmen stench…." Even with him being on the brink of death, he rudely demanded on gun point. "I demand you bring me a mask! I need you to save my life, you filthy fools!"
However, his demanding demeanor only got a silence response from the bystanders, who could not stand the behavior of the Celestial Dragon.
"This creep got zero respect for us." One Fishman commented.
Another agreed. "He thinks we're going to help him while he's talking to us like that?"
BANG! BANG!
Another few shots rang, as Mjosgard directly tried to force them to do what he demanded, while his shot was terrible and none of his bullets managed to hit anything.
It only got more people to run in panic, as the bullets flew right over their heads and run for cover, which Mjosgard disregarded completely.
"Doctor, now!" He shouted, still breathing heavily from the exhaustion, as he kept on. "I need help!"
While Mjosgard kept on shooting in the air and basically terrorizing the population, a few of the Royal Guard were just standing by and witnessing this pathetic scene, yet they were too scared to intervene because of the man's status.
"Are the medics here?"
One of the guards replied. "They're here, sure, but….they do not want to help, if I'm going to be honest."
"Put him out of his misery."
The guards heard that and turned to their superior officer, Hody Jones, who had a neutral face when he stated that, to which his own men were startled when they heard it.
"He doesn't deserve to live, he's pure scum."
…
No one came to help him, and Mjosgard was beginning to see it for himself, as he started running out of ammo with the amount of warning shots he made.
"This is not how events were supposed to unfold…." Mjosgard muttered to himself as he could only think back now on why he made this despicable voyage he was forced to go on.
He couldn't accept the fact that the World Government, and especially the Gorosei, allowed the Fishmen who were formally his slaves of his private collection, to go free with amnesty. Even after he paid large sums of money for collecting an rich and diverse group of Fishmen, Merfolk and other non-human species.
Yet, he was supposed to sit back and accept this? No, instead he got his ship and a crew that was available and went on to go to Fishman Island, much to the complaints he had gotten from the crew.
Now, they were all gone and dead, even his bodyguards were now even here to fulfil his orders to get a mask he needed now.
Especially, since he couldn't fulfill his own desires anymore for revenge. As some of these were responsible for the death of father. Who, in the night of Tiger's raid, was brutally murdered in the room by these savages with everyone else in that room.
And that, he couldn't accept it.
"Its not fair, this should've been an easy thing to do." Mjosgard complained to himself. "Why didn't anyone tell me the sea floor was so inhospitable…"
"Hey, what are you guys doing?"
It was then when a group finally did approach the wounded World Noble, but with different intentions, as they were all seen carrying firearms, ranging from pistols to bolt action rifles that they still kept at their houses.
Saving it for a rainy day…
It was only then when Mjosgard realized what was happening, as he looked up and saw he got confronted with Fishmen with guns, and they didn't look happy at all.
"Long time no see, huh, Mjosgard?"
"How dare you address me without my title!?" Mjosgard quickly shouted back at them, before realizing and recognizing those Fishmen. "You're all my slaves! My personal property. You must return with me at once! Do you hear? I didn't permit you to run free!-"
KICK!
Mjosgard didn't have the chance to react when one of the Fishman kicked his golden pistol out of his hand, disarming him without much effort.
The former members of the Sun Pirates, those who were former slaves to this man, did not hesitate as they all pulled out their guns on him, all of which were fully loaded.
Mjosgard shrieked by their intentions, and it even caused some of the crowd to be shocked.
"Wait, don't do it you guys!" one of the bystanders warned. "He's a Celestial Dragon. It will ruin your amnesty if you kill him!"
Some of the guards then wanted to intervene, but it was only Hody who held them back, to see and watch what would happen.
"Put that gun down!" Mjosgard demanded, "Know your place! You belong to me and you'll do what I say! I'm your master! YOUR MASTER!"
"Upon the surface, all you have to do is cry, and the admirals will come running to you at the drop of the hat." The Fishman with the scar on his face told him, glaring. "You realize that's the only reason people are scared of you nobles."
Mjosgard flinched in fear.
"But you're in the bottom of the sea floor right now, as long as the islanders stay quiet, and trust me they will. Whatever happens to you…. "The former pirate noted. "They'll think it was an accident."
That realization, quickly got into the minds of everybody, and it was a bad one for the World Noble.
"Hey, he's got a point there…"
"I'll keep my mouth shut."
"Me too, finish him off!"
The shouting then began to be joined by others, with more and more people joining.
"Just look at that creep! He's barely alive, might as well get over with it right now!"
"Give him a slow death, he deserves it!"
Within the crowd, Naruto was watching, as he had now a cloak over his head to conceal his identity, he started moving closer with his gun kept out of everyone's eyesight. Keeping his cool as he moved through the crowd.
The Celestial Dragon Mjosgard, was at the point of panicking, as he was hearing the many angry shouts of murder that he was hearing for the very first time, without anybody coming to help him, protect him and vulnerable, he just could only watch.
"B-but I thought everyone respected me…"
The scar Fishman told him. "I can't forgive you…"
The memories, of him and the others getting worked to their limits and shot, the painful memories were still haunting him.
"Not after what you did, not until my dying breath!"
Mjosgard shouted out. "NO, don't do it!"
"And his life!" The mob kept yelling for them to do it, with nobody wanting this to be stopped.
Until one voice quickly shouted:
"No, don't do it!"
"YOU STUPID FISH!" Is what Mjosgard shouted-
BANG! BANG
BANG!
BANG!
A series of gunshots could be heard around the area, as just every gun was fired at the place where the World Noble sat, silencing the shouting once it was done. Of course, there was some gunpowder, as some of the others had their flintlock rifles with them to use.
It only then took a moment before the dust to settle in, and realize what just had happened:
Queen Otohime, who appeared out of nowhere, had just shielded her body over the disgraceful Celestial Dragon, and had in the process taken a bullet for him that grazed right through her arm.
That realization soon hit everybody and a joint shout could be heard.
"Queen Otohime!"
The mere view of seeing their beloved queen haven taken a bullet, got some to freak out and scream in panic. Yet she herself, the Queen didn't shout in pain or anything.
She grunted in pain, holding her injured arm while a mumbling Mjosgard was just copping with the fact he was almost shot to death.
"Queen Otohime, I…." The former Sun Pirate with the scar couldn't say anything more as the words died in his throat, having just shot his queen with a gun was a problematic thought to him.
"Everyone…drop your guns at once…." She said, turning around and facing the men with an reminder. ""Look around, children are watching."
It was true, many young children were watching and frankly horrified by what they were witnessing, the shouting, the anger, the shooting all rattled their small minds and sought comfort to their parents.
Watching, what was essentially a lynch mob in the making.
…
Just arriving at the site, Aladdin had swum here as fast as he could, having just been given a eering warning about someone coming down here.
"Aladdin!" Turning to his left, he saw Jimbei also had arrived and was deeply concerned by what he had heard.
"I heard about the Celestial Dragon, where is he now?"
"I don't know, got her myself just now." Aladdin said, concerned. "but I'm looking for someone else."
Jimbei questioned. "Who?"
"Naruto, of course." Aladdin stated, he looked uncomfortable. "Madam Shyarly just told me, he left with an loaded revolver."
This got Jimbei to almost turn pale, as he then quickly started running again, with Aladdin right behind him, as they proceeded to the crash site.
Not knowing that Fukaboshi and the others were right behind them, and following up what was happening.
…
Still shaking from the gunshot wound, Queen Otohime still was on her knees as she started copping with the pain.
"Queen Otohime…your wound…."
"It only grazed me." She stated.
"Why?" one of the men asked, not understanding. "Why would you protect him?"
"Don't you understand the pain this 'man' has inflicted on us?"
Otohime herself, stood up while holding her wounded arm, facing the former slaves who were unable to understand her actions still. Seeing their anger that they bore for this man.
"The hell he putted us through, he treated us like we were nothing but animals!"
"I know, I can feel the anguish in your hearts," She responded in her usual manner, "I do not question that."
The crowd was then joined by Jimbei, Aladdin and the Queen's children, with Fukaboshi immediately spotting the wound.
"Mother's been injured."
"Oh no." Young Shirahoshi said, troubled by her mother's wound.
Jimbei and Aladdin looked around, unable to spot Naruto anywhere.
"Damn it, can't see him." Jimbei stated, asking. "Are you sure she saw him-"
"She literally saw Naruto grab for his gun and run out of the café." Aladdin told him, looking around further. "He must be here somewhere."
Fukaboshi was confused by what he heard and asked. "Naruto is here with one of his guns?"
"Yeah, he is." Jimbei said before realizing and asking. "Wait, you know Naruto owns weapons?"
Manboshi nodded. "Yeah, we see him often in the Sea Forest." He explained to them. "Practicing daily, really. He's a good shot."
"Naruto allowed you to come near firearms?" Jimbei asked.
"No…." Shirahoshi was the one speaking now. "We….watching him from a distance, and he always was having this look in his eye when he's shooting."
While Jimbei was hearing this, Aladdin had his eyes on something else, the Celestial Dragon, and it was none other than Mjosgard himself, which made it even worse.
And he laid there, right behind the Queen who had her back turned against him.
…
"I know it's difficult, but you can't pollute the children's mind with your anger towards humans. Your resentment, do not make it theirs! Let the children make up their own mind and interact with humans." Otohime tried to convince the frustrated former slaves.
Their thoughts were struggling with her arguments, and then it came to their mind what their former captain told them to.
'Please…you can't tell them…you have to hold it in… Our tragedy…and….our hatred…must die with us!'
They were one and the same. Tiger's words reminded them of her words, and this finally caused them to give up:
CLANK!
The sound of weapons dropping to the floor was the ending result of the tensions that were going away, with one by one, all the men dropped their weapons.
Otohime smiled, seeing they listened to him and avoid the path of revenge.
Except, she dropped her guard down too quickly.
*Click!*
"LOOK OUT!"
THUD!
BANG!
The gunshot got everyone to put back to their guard, as the shot came from right behind the Queen.
Having been just shoved aside, Otohime landed in the arms of one of the former pirates who shielded her.
"Your Majesty-"
"I'm fine, don't worry." Queen Otohime said. "But what was that shot-"
"AGHH!"
She realized and quickly turned around to that scream, and was horrified by what she saw what had just occurred, that was hollow to watch:
The Celestial Dragon just fell again to the ground, holding his arm in pain, with it being shot by none other than Naruto, who stood right behind the kneeling wounded noble with his revolver pointed at the back of his head.
"Nar-"
"Don't say his name, your majesty!" Aladdin shouted, warning her. "Please don't, or else he'll be in a lot of trouble!"
Understanding it, Otohime didn't say his name.
Naruto, however, walked right over to the wounded Celestial Dragon and kicked the golden gun away from his reach and threatened him. "Do not move or you're dead."
"You filthy commoner Fishman!" Mjosgard wanted to turn his head around. "I'll have you-"
CLICK!
The words died right in Mjosgard's throat when he felt the barrel of the gun pressed up to his head, directly to his skull.
"One more time, and you're good as dead."
"EEEEEH!" Mjosgard shrieked in fear as he held his wounded arm while fearing for his life and screaming.
The scene had just adapted and surprised many citizens of this nation. The only Human resident of the island now had forced the Queen aside and was about to kill the Celestial Dragon right there, and there.
Aladdin was sweating buckets, so was Jimbei. Who then gave a quick warning to everyone else in reach.
"Everybody! don't say the kid's name! Don't forget, he's a runaway slave! Do you all understand me!?"
Everybody understood what Jimbei meant by and made sure to not say Naruto's name. Yet, they all were still themselves digesting the fact this was happening, with many of them having never expected a human to shoot and wound the Celestial Dragon.
Fukaboshi and the other two brothers themselves were shocked by what they were witnessing and whispered silently.
"You don't think Naruto will like…" Manboshi swallowed. "... Kill him in front of mother, right?"
Ryuboshi shook his head nervously. "N-No, he wouldn't…right, Fukaboshi?"
The oldest brother himself was unable to say anything and was forced to watch the scene unfold.
Shirahoshi herself, was horrified by what she saw, and the poor girl was close to crying but tried her best on not to.
…
Otohime herself was out of words and was now faced with an situation she herself was new to dealing with, and tried to figure out how to approach Naruto without him being provoked into killing the Celestial Dragon.
"Na-kid, please." One of the other guys tried to convince him instead. "Just back off now, he's clearly hurt now."
"Bastard tried to take the Queen hostage," Naruto answered, holding his aim at Mjosgard's head. "Even when she saved your skin from being filled with lead, you dare to do that?"
"She's just another filthy-"
"Shut up!"
Naruto kicked Mjosgard in the face hard, making him smack his face right into the ground, with some blood staining on the rocks. Naruto cocks the revolver and aims it at the skull of the Celestial Dragon again.
The queen was about to put a halt to it until-
*Click-Clack!*
"Halt it, kid!"
The sound of someone ordering him to stop and an bolt action rifle being loaded, caused Naruto to stop what he was initially doing.
'That's the sound of a bullet just entering the chamber of an rifle, kid.' Kurama commented, having learned that sound and figured out. 'Whoever did that, ain't one of these Fishmen people.'
"I see…." Naruto mumbled to himself in response. "Whoever's out there, you can come out now."
With everyone confused by Naruto's sudden call out, it was then when one of the children spotted something from the shipwreck and shouted.
"Look!"
At the end of the ship, where a huge opening was seen, caused by the rift of the ship's impact of it crashing into the island, a man was seen standing just in the shadows as he seem to have aimed a weapon directly at Naruto.
"A human?" One of the bystanders wondered. "How could've he survived that?! That Celestial Dragon is barely alive."
"Think it's some high ranking Marine?"
"Oh, no, don't let it be an Admira-"
"I'm barely alive, thanks for asking, everyone!" The person in the shadow stated clearly to the crowd with a thick accent. "And no, I am no Marine neither. Not anymore."
That voice, got Jimbei to widen his eyes in shock, recognizing that voice on the spot.
"No way…"
The man stepped out of the shadow of the wrecked ship and revealed himself to be indeed a human, an older man to be precise, who looked around in his late 40s, as he wore a whole different type of gear that had to be mentioned was mildly soaked wet, yet it didn't seem to bother the man himself.
Wearing what looks like a blue long shirt that was tugged inside his brown pants, he was seen carrying an ammo belt and a bandolier having multiple pouches crossed over each other, a brown poncho that he was wearing like a raincoat, and a brown wide slouch hat that was brimmed on one side.
As he finally stepped out with his pair of army boots, the man kept his rifle aimed at the young man who was holding the Celestial Dragon at gun point.
"Alright, kid. Let's start easing up now, shall we?" The middle-aged man spoke to Naruto in a calmly manner while not lowering his guard down. "How about you lower that piece down?"
Naruto, who hasn't answered yet or even moved, had his eyes for a second moved to look at the old man, and quickly turned back to the threat he now had restrained.
"Nice rifle you got there." Naruto began. "That one of those newer models I heard?"
….
A dry chuckle came out of the old man's mouth as he responded. "It's not exactly new, but you're close. Do you know your way with guns?"
"I guess you can say it's a hobby of mine." Naruto told him, with little as information as possible, he began to speak further. "I see you're carrying an SMLE Mk, III if I'm correct."
"What does the SMLE stand for?"
"Short, Magazine, Lee–Enfield."
"What kind of ammo does it use?"
".303." Naruto responded quickly.
"Hmm, good guess. You recognize things fast, kiddo." The man said, quite impressed by the quick conclusion. "Colt 45. Peacemaker, right?"
"Yeah, it is." Naruto replied.
The standoff, took a turn for the weirder point of view, as the spectators, who were standing by the side, couldn't believe what they were seeing.
"Are they….having a friendly conversation about their guns?"
"I think so."
Their own conversation soon got interrupted by Queen Otohime attempted to end this standoff.
"Young man! I order you to lower that weapon down."
Naruto declined. "No can do, ma'am."
"I think you should listen to your queen, kid." the older man said, trying to persuade Naruto into complying. "There's no need to escalate this any further."
"Well, sorry, old man, but this moron right here is a danger to my home." Naruto said, gesturing to the World Noble underneath his feet. "He just threatened to recapture my friends, and worst of all, attempted to take the Queen hostage."
"Believe me, kid. The little punk is in more trouble now with the chaos he's caused." The man said, adding. "So it's better you'll keep him alive so that he's getting what he deserves once he's back in Mariejois."
"How dare you insinuate such lies and accusations?!" Mjosgard's arrogance went up again, not even caring he was held at gunpoint. "I came back here to reclaim my slaves, and here I am being held captive by these savages-"
"Watch your tone now, boy!" The armed man shouted the Celestial Dragon down, "You've caused enough problems for now."
"Like what-"
"Like taking a ship to the bottom of the ocean and crashing it, resulting in everybody except for you and me dying a horrible death." The man said with much anger hold back in his voice as he added up. "Plus the fact you started shooting at unarmed civilians, threatened them with murder, and have illegally sought to re-obtain your former slaves who've been granted asylum by the World Government. And even attempting to take the Queen hostage."
"But my slaves-"
"-Hasn't your swallowed up head realized what just could've happened?" You were so close to being shot to death if it wasn't for the Queen herself intervening." The man told him what he's been witnessing this whole time and barked at him. "So shut your damn mouth now, and let me handle this!"
Gritting in anger, Mjosgard shut himself up and laid there, without shouting back, but did silently curse out.
"Damn you… Bishop."
…
Much to the surprise of everyone else that was watching, the fact that somebody was openly able to order around and also insulting a World Noble into silence, was an astonishing view to witness.
"Did you see that?"
"That old man just ordered around the Celestial Dragon like a kid, as if it was nothing."
Aladdin was also absolutely stunned by the ordering tone of this to an monster like that without any sense of fear. Wondering who this man was, who was also still aiming his rifle at Naruto.
Fukaboshi was the one who's asking. "Anyone know who that human is?"
"I don't know, young prince." Aladdin said, assuming. "But whoever he is, must be some high ranking Marine-"
"Ex-Marine, Aladdin." Jimbei corrected.
"Huh?" Aladdin was confused. "What do you mean?"
"The man that's standing right there, with the rifle pointed at Naruto, is an ex-Marine." Jimbei said, correcting the record. "Retired a few years ago with the rank of Captain, and has close ties to high level members."
A bystander was listening in and skeptically asked. "How do you know, he a friend of yours?"
Without a moment of hesitation, Jimbei answered."
"... Yes, he is a friend."
It got a few weird out reactions from the people surrounding him, wondering what the Warlord was talking about, even the princes were mentally noting what Boss Jimbei meant by this human being his friend.
While Shirahoshi was still struggling to watch.
…
Now with the tension now easing up, the simple mention that came out of the wounded snotty World Noble, did not escape Naruto's ears.
"Name's Bishop?" Naruto asked, "Am I correct?"
The now named Bishop nodded. "Correct, that's my name….now, can you please lower your gun now?"
….
"Only if you do as well." Naruto said of his condition. "I don't like a gun being pointed at me."
"That's fair enough," Bishop agreed, preparing to lower it. "On three."
"Okay."
Seeing the situation was de-escalating itself, Queen Otohime and the others began to lower calm down slowly, only step by step.
Yet, their failure to eye the World Noble was not planning on doing the same thing.
"One…"
"Two…."
"...Three."
Both the SMLE and the Colt were lowered, and the standoff ended peacefully. With the two men to finally look eye to eye with each other.
"Will say, you got me riled up in my skin, kid." Bishop stated with a chuckle. "Made me feel like my younger self again."
"Sure."
Queen Otohime released a sigh of relief and commented. "Its all over-"
"DAMN YOU!"
'Look out, kid!'
Naruto's eyes quickly turned back to the Celestial Dragon-
BANG!
BANG!
…
That gunshot now caused an very cliff-hanging moment for everybody who was watching, with even the Queen having forced to see what just happened right in front of her.
….THUD!
Naruto fell to the ground on his back, as he just got hit in the chest by a bullet that the Celestial Dragon just fired, only he wasn't the only one-
"AGH, MY ARM!" Mjosgard fell to the ground again as he now had his other arm shot, fully putting him out, as he now laid with both arms taken out of commission as he kept on screaming in pain.
"KID!" Aladdin swam over yelling in panic.
Queen Otohime swam over to Naruto's side and cupped his cheek to keep him awake. "Stay awake, young one, stay awake."
"Fucking hell, you stupid moron." Bishop ran over and pushed both golden pistols away from Mjosgard's reach and went by his side to keep the blood from flowing further. "Stay down and don't turn around, boy."
Meanwhile, Jimbei went had run over to Naruto's side also, with now three surrounding the young child who was laid on his back with a gunshot wound in his chest, they see he was being calm and not panicking unlike the other human.
"Ah…" Naruto groaned as he felt weak now but could still talk. "I just got shot…."
"Hang in there, child." Otohime tried to keep him calm. "You'll be alright-"
"Got shot by that bastard….with a lousy shot." Naruto complained, unable to keep his mouth from turning into a smile. "Typical, playing dirty, that sonofa-"
"Watch your language, young man." Jimbei warned him, not find the language appropriate in front of the Queen. "Not in front of her Majesty, alright?"
"Ah, come on…" Naruto began. "Gimme me at least that-"
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
The sudden out of control crying suddenly got the whole area to try and grab for their ears, as it was coming from none other than Shirahoshi, who had now witnessed way too much in such a short time. The girl was now the center of attention, as her distress was causing now problems of its own.
The earth underneath everyone trembled again, except this time it really felt like the whole island shook to its core, which has never happened before.
"What the-"
"Look out!"
The ship then behind them suddenly got pulled up by a gigantic wave of water had reached itself above in meters high above the ground, causing the ship itself to be taken with it.
And it was then there that whatever had the ship, wasn't the water, and instead it was caught in between the mouth of something gigantic:
It was unbelievable - Four big Sea Kings now had entered and come to Fishman Island, with the middle one holding the ship in its mouth.
"THE SEA KINGS?!" All of the citizens of Fishman Island collectively shouted in shock.
Mjosgard himself was screaming in absolute horror by what he was seeing and couldn't comprehend his mind around it.
Even Jimbei couldn't help but be utterly stricken by shock, as he never imagined seeing the Sea Kings come up this close, nearly choking on his words.
Bishop just look astonished, yet remained calm. As he looked over to the Queen who had a similar reaction to his, calm yet still stunned.
THUD!
Turning around, he saw that, out of pure shock, Mjosgard had fainted and laid there. Making him focus back on the Sea Kings, who he noticed were staring at something.
Only, he wasn't the only one - Naruto had instantly turned to Shirahoshi, who's crying somehow attracted the attention of these enormous creatures who never showed up, yet when she screamed, they came in a heartbeat.
'Kid….did she…' Kurama tried to speak, but was shocked himself. 'Just summoned those creatures?'
"Princess Shirahoshi…." Naruto murmured as he then began to fade in and out of consciousness.
His eyes began to grow heavy, possible because of the gunshot wound, when finally his mind went blank.
Few days later
Ryugu Palace
A few days after the whole incident occurred, many were still left in a state of total confusion and shock on what happened days prior at the entrance.
With the citizens of the Ryugu Kingdom trying to comprehend the incident. Inside one of the palace's many rooms, Jimbei was seen sitting on a chair as he was in a room that was without water, as the person laying on the bed was human.
Naruto was laid under the blankets, as he had been in unresponsive for a few days after he got shot in the chest, and having gone through surgery in which the bullet was removed, with Aladdin himself haven taken part of that medical operation. Making sure he'd make a good recovery.
"Ugh…"
The mere moaning caused Jimbei to jump out of his seat and stand by the bed. Seeing he finally waking up.
"Naruto."
"Where…where am I?" Naruto said, eyes barely open as he still laid back on the bed. "And why do I feel like crap?"
"Don't you remember? You were shot." Jimbei reminded him. "By the Celestial Dragon?"
….
"Oh, no, don't remind me of that, please…" Naruto groaned, holding his head as he grimaced at that thought. "I cannot believe that happened."
"The fact you shot him?"
"No, the fact I lowered my guard around him, I should've checked that fat ass." Naruto regretted not doing that, "Should've shot both his arms, to be fair."
'Should've shot him in the head while you had the chance, kid. Would've done everybody a favor.'
"Don't speak like that, Naruto." Jimbei inclined him to refrain from such thoughts. "You're lucky the bullet lodged into the ribs, so no organs were hit."
"That means the bastard was a lousy shot. Pathetic" Naruto downplayed it, like it was nothing to him. "From such a distance, he's perhaps the lousiest shot I've ever come across."
"Funny, that's coming from you, the person who got shot."
Naruto remembered that voice and turned his head to the right, and saw that it was the person he expected as last.
Bishop, who just came through the door with the escort of the Royal Guards in a bubble, had his rifle slung around his arm and approached the bed and greeted Jimbei first.
"Bishop."
"Jimbei, good to see you." Bishop shook the big man's hand as he talked normally with the large Fishman. "Sorry I couldn't come earlier, was occupied with the moron himself."
"And?" Jimbei asked. "What's his condition?"
"He's responsive, and talking, but barely can get out of the bed. Nor want to listen, typical." Bishop replied, with a smirk on his face. "Which is good, because I can't be bloody bothered to stay around him too much, so the doctors were happily to apply some more sleeping gas to him, giving me some free time away from that idiot."
"I heard." Jimbei said, knowing how those Nobles could get, right then, he decided to re-introduce the two humans to one another. "Perhaps is now the time for a better introduction between you two?"
"I guess so."
"Okay, Naruto, I want you to meet my friend, Frederick Bishop." Jimbei began the proper introduction to each other. "He's someone I became a good colleague with up in the surface level."
Naruto nodded and offered his hand. "Hi, good to meet you."
"You too, kid." Bishop shook his hand and smiled. "Jimbei told me about you, said you were a good kid."
"Okay, cool." Naruto responded. "But he never told me he was befriended with a human."
"We only met a few months prior." Jimbei corrected to him. "He helped me take out pirates at the ports of the sand kingdom."
"Wait, you're a Marine?" Naruto asked, then noted to himself. "Oh, wait, no."
"No, I'm not, not anymore at least. Retired as a captain." Bishop gave a chuckle and added on saying. "But I then recently got myself back to the fighting."
Jimbei mentioned. "You mean that Legion force you're building up?"
"Yes, that one."
Naruto was confused. "Legion force?"
"Naruto, what Bishop means is that he's part of a new fighting group: called the Alabasta Foreign Legion." Jimbei informed to him. "It's relatively new, but it's mainly a group that consists of volunteers who come from not only within the Kingdom of Alabasta, but also people from around the world who wish to join - from what I know now, there were around 600 of them when I was there last time."
"Well, there are now 1500 of them now, Jimbei. Especially after what you and I have done." Bishop corrected the numbers, having increased doubled. "With the defense of Tamarisk, Nanohana and Katorea, my boys really are getting into the spotlights."
Explaining what this group was, it wasn't much of a group then in actuality it being a legion of volunteers that come from all walks of life who came to serve for Alabasta, and were a force that was under the direct control of the Royal command of the Nefertari Family, the current rulers of the Sand Kingdom and the army.
They made their name known worldwide in the last crisis, when multiple large groups of pirates attempted to attack and overtake multiple ports of Alabasta, that included Nanohana, Katorea and Tamarisk, all the port cities that Jimbei and Bishop mentioned earlier. Having fought the pirates off with the odds against them, the new legion was just integrated into the Alabasta military and was able to on its own to fight and send the criminals back to the sea.
"So its true, your program has been successful. That's good to hear." Jimbei said. "And what's the king's intention of your legion?"
"Right now? What he always promised to me, and those two things what I wanted was independent in terms of its recruitment and also training in the newest technology."
That first reason that Bishop brought up, itself, was an controversial subject that met resistance from both within the sand kingdom as from outside, from even within the Reverie and the world. As the group's recruitment standards were unorthodox then that of most countries militaries, as the backgrounds of those who volunteers had ranged from political refugees from distant countries, to even former pirates and revolutionaries.
"Newest technology?" Naruto asked and guessed. "Like…weapons you mean?"
"Like that, yes, but also all the new things you hear about. Like trucks, artillery, explosives, that sort of stuff." Bishop said. "All that, in building a strong and reliable force for King Cobra and country."
"Always the patriot, aren't you?" Jimbei said.
"Can say the same thing to you, big guy." Bishop replied. "You've served your country, and that I salute you for."
Naruto smiled as he felt the pain sting in his chest and was forced by Jimbei to lay back, just then when someone entered the room unannounced.
"I see you've finally woken up, young man."
The voice instantly got Naruto to freeze up, as his eyes wandered to the sound and saw that it was none other than Queen Otohime, who herself had her arm covered in bandages and had a stern look on her face that was directed at the young human.
Right behind her, were her children. The three princes and the princess herself, watching from a distance. Seeing what their mother would do.
Unable to look her directly in the face. As he felt ashamed on what happened, knowing she absolutely was against the use of violence, he had ignored her beliefs and had almost fulfilled his own revenge in front of everyone without a bit of care.
"I'm sorry."
"Huh?" Naruto was confused until he then felt her hugging him with her arms, laying her head above his blonde head, only causing the boy to be more baffled at what was happening.
Why was the queen apologizing?
"I know it is hard for you, Naruto." Queen Otohime began, stroking the boy's hair as she comforted him. "That hate inside you is just the same as of your former crewmates - and I should've paid attention to it."
The fact the Queen herself apologized, for the fact she had to keep the victims of slavery at bay from their understandable desire of vigilantism, was not something anyone would be seeing every day. Especially from a monarch.
"But please, I beg you, do not give in to the hate - it will consume you and ruin your life." Otohime's pleas were beginning to sound clearer. "You've got a whole life ahead of you, and yet you almost blew it all away with the pull of a trigger."
The room stayed quiet as they watched the Queen both comfort, but also tell the wounded young man, an reality he'd almost gotten himself into.
"... I'm sorry, your majesty…but I will never forgive him for what he is." Naruto responded, adding then. "But I'll respect your wishes, to not hurt him."
That promise that he made, sounded cold as the Stoic facial expression he made. No regret and no second thoughts crossed Naruto's mind when he said that.
Not showing her own reaction, Otohime only hugged the child tighter.
"Thank you…"
Few weeks later
It now having been weeks now since the whole incident, the citizens of Fishman Island were glad to see the day had come that they've been waiting for.
The Celestial Dragon Mjosgard, was finally able to walk again and was seen walking to the ship of the Royal Family, that he was provided with to make his safe voyage back to Mariejois, despite his continuing behavior towards the rest of the population. It took them all the patience and calm to restrain themselves, but luckily it was the Queen herself who kept him most of the time around in the palace. But also, the other human named Bishop tried to keep the young noble in line, as much as he could, of course.
It was fair to say, everybody was glad to see this bastard gone, especially Naruto. He was among the crowd, watching how the Celestial Dragon was walking through the path that was paved through by the Royal Guards, who themselves weren't keen to him either.
Now, they were however forced to see the bastard walk towards the ship, who still wanted say something to the people of this country.
"Mjosgard!"
The green haired World Noble flinched in fear, and turned his head towards the ship, where his only remaining guard that survived, Bishop was already there, seen waiting with his arms crossed.
"If you got something to say to these kind people, it better be a thank you." Bishop gave him a clear warning. Having the need of keeping the spoiled brat in line.
Mjosgard greeted his teeth and sucked his pride in, as he did not dare speak up against Bishop, as he proceeded to walk up the boarding plank.
Everybody looked on how the guard easily was telling the World Noble what to do, and they watched how he went on, slowly disembarking from the island and up towards the ship, with some of the Royal Guards even heard whispering.
"That little bastard, no thanks…"
"Well, at least that other human kept him on a leash, cannot complain about him."
"Yeah, he's alright." One of them replied. "Hopefully this will be the last time seeing those World Nobles-"
"Wait a minute!"
Both Bishop and Mjosgard turned in confusion towards the Queen, who herself had now approached the ship, determined to speak up about something, she surprised everyone by what she proposed.
"It is evident to me, you have more to say. So I'll travel to the world above with you to hear you out."
This quickly shocked everybody in the crowd, all of whom did not feel like it was safe for their beloved Queen to go with scum like that Celestial Dragon.
"She can't!"
"Its too dangerous!"
"Mother, no!" Shirahoshi was seen scared. Standing next to her and her brothers.
"You must reconsider, I cannot allow you to face such danger." This thought was then shared by King Neptune, who quickly came by her side. "If you truly wish to negotiate with the Nobles, allow me to go in your place."
She, however, was not convinced and faced her husband. "I know you'd be safe. You're a king and a great knight, and the humans couldn't harm you even if they wanted to."
"That's precisely why I should-"
"You can't." The Queen abruptly interrupted her own husband. "There's no point sending a warrior like you. This is a matter of appearance, our nation needs to see that even someone powerless as I can travel amongst the humans and safely return home. That's the point. Without fear, and with a heart full with trust, I will go myself, that's the only way it could be done."
The king, himself, was powerless to counter those arguments and was forced to watch and see how his beloved wife was entering the ship.
The crowd already were shouting in concern as they saw their beloved Queen embark on a ship with their heartstrings being played by emotions. With even her children being concerned to the max.
With numerous pleas and begging and wondering, the citizens of Fishman Island were forced to watch as their Queen entered the ship, with her exchanging a few words with her husband.
"Please be careful, my wife."
"Trust in me." She smiled at him. "Have faith in the woman you married, and have faith in the humans."
Neptune reluctantly nodded, as Queen Otohime entered the ship fully and waved her citizens goodbye, all the while the two other humans behind her were watching.
Mjosgard grumbled and walked away, while Bishop took the sensible approach and informed her.
"I'll make sure you'll return back home in safety, Your Majesty." He promised her with a bow. "You have my word."
Queen Otohime nodded and replied. "I trust you fully, Frederick Bishop. I really do."
Bishop then turned his head around and told the crew the following orders to set sail for the surface level.
"Set sail, to Mariejois!"
…
From a rock that overlooked the ship finally leaving the island, Naruto was standing next to Jimbei and Aladdin, watching how their Queen had just started the voyage with the Celestial Dragon towards the surface level.
"It's troubling to see her go with that Noble." Aladdin spoke his feelings out, concerned.
"Believe me, I know how you feel. But no-one can stop her." Jimbei understood but reminded him of the Queen's stubbornness that was her goal. "All we can do is have faith and hope for the best."
Naruto, had been nothing but silent for the whole time, and watched on as the Queen was seen departing further away from her home.
"What do you think, kid?" Aladdin asked Naruto for his opinion. "About all of this?"
It took a while, but Naruto then answered it like this.
"Just like Jimbei said, Aladdin. Queen Otohime is unstoppable when it comes to trying to get what she wants."
And they watched, as the coated ship disappeared into the horizon.