The New World, an island that appeared ordinary at first glance.
Clang!
Boom!
Although the island seems to have no buildings, the sounds of massive collisions can be heard from time to time.
"Whoa! Captain and that guy are still fighting? It's been almost a whole day."
On a sandy beach at the edge of the island, a bandana-wearing pirate turned to his companion.
"Haha, this is just the beginning."
After hearing his words, the pirates beside him laughed, prompting the rest of the crew to join in.
That's right, this is just the beginning.
After all, their captain was none other than one of the 'Four Emperors' of the sea, Red-Haired Shanks!
The pirate who had spoken earlier nodded in agreement. But then, his gaze fixed on the ocean, and his expression stiffened.
"There's… someone on the sea! There's someone out there!"
The others followed his pointing finger and saw a massive sea king's head gradually 'floating' from the horizon.
Beside it was a faint, blurry figure.
Strangely, the person didn't seem to be riding the sea king, and it was more like… they were dragging it across the water.
Unable to tell whether this was friend or foe, the crew immediately tensed, drawing their weapons in readiness.
"Alright, everyone, put your weapons away. That's no enemy."
The first to speak was Yasopp, the sniper of the Red Hair Pirates, clad in a cloak with his dreadlocks swaying. His Observation Haki had already identified the approaching figure from afar.
Lucky Roux, who is as round as a ball, waddled over while chewing on a piece of meat.
"Finally, he's here. Naruto! Time to prepare the feast!"
"Naruto… that Naruto?"
A newer member of the Red Hair Pirates blinked in confusion before realization dawned on him.
"You mean… 'The Great Hero', the 'One-Man Army', Uzumaki Naruto!?"
That name might not have been widely known in Paradise, but in the New World, where the strongest gathered, it was legendary.
"Yep, the same Uzumaki Naruto who's defeated a Marines Admiral and is one of the World Government's top four most-wanted criminals."
A few of the younger pirates began murmuring excitedly.
After all, the name 'Uzumaki Naruto' has frequently appeared in world news since they were young.
It is said that if he was not a lone wolf like Mihawk and had not formed his own pirate group, the New World wouldn't have just the Four Emperors, but a 'Fifth Emperor'.
…
The scene switches to the valley of the island.
The valley, which was once filled with towering rock formations, had been reduced to rubble by the aftermath of the battle.
Had there been any living creatures on this island, they would've been wiped out long ago under the intensity of this clash.
Clang!
Blades coated in Haki collided once more, and a single stray slash split a mountain peak clean in half.
Against the imposing black blade, Yoru, which is shaped like a massive cross, the unassuming rapier, Gryphon, held its ground effortlessly.
Another exchange, another shockwave of Haki and slashing force rippling outward.
Even after a full day of fighting, neither combatant showed any signs of fatigue.
It was as if their stamina was limitless.
At this time, Shanks, gripping his sword with one hand, seemed to sense something and opened his mouth to speak.
But Mihawk showed no intention of stopping, swinging his blade relentlessly.
With no choice, Shanks wrapped his sword in a surge of Haki.
"Divine Departure!"
This slash was far more powerful than any before. Even Mihawk's slash was cleanly severed by it.
The residual force of the slash shot straight toward the valley's entrance.
Only now did Mihawk's Haki detect someone standing there.
But it was too late to fire another slash to intercept the attack. He turned his gaze back to Shanks.
Unexpectedly, Shanks acted as if he hadn't even noticed the attack, sheathing his sword calmly.
Boom!
Even as a mere remnant of the slash, an attack from the world's greatest swordsman was nothing to scoff at.
But the man who had been struck didn't move an inch, he simply stood there and took the hit head-on.
As the dust settled, a tall man with long golden hair tied appeared before the two.
Dressed in a loose-fitting orange haori and wooden sandals, the man with loose ponytail stood there casually, a barrel of sake in his left hand while his right hand remained slightly raised in front of him.
Clearly, he had just effortlessly blocked that attack with nothing more than his bare palm.
At the same time, Dracule Mihawk realized with astonishment that the blond man hadn't even used Haki, and he had tanked the slash purely with his physical strength.
'What a terrifying man.'
"Hey, hey, Shanks… I come all this way with fine sake to share, and this is how you treat an old friend?"
Waving his hand lightly, Uzumaki Naruto clicked his tongue in annoyance before stepping forward in his wooden clogs, making his way deeper into the valley.
"Ahahaha! Naruto, you finally made it! It's been years since we last met, hasn't it?"
Shanks suddenly broke into a goofy grin, rushing over to the man, Uzumaki Naruto, and clapping him heartily on the shoulder with his remaining arm.
At this time, Mihawk sheathed his weapon and approached as well.
"Uzumaki Naruto? To block an attack like that barehanded… Your reputation doesn't disappoint."
As he spoke, his sharp eyes flicked toward the sword hanging at Naruto's waist. From the scabbard alone, he could tell it was a standard katana.
"I'd love to cross blades with you in a proper duel."
Faced with Mihawk's burning fighting spirit, Naruto just chuckled and waved him off.
"Give me a break. This thing's just for show. When it comes to swordsmanship, I'm nowhere near the world's greatest swordsman."
Then, lifting the sake barrel in his hand, he quickly added before Mihawk could say more-
"But if it's a drinking contest you want, I won't lose!"
For men of the sea, battle and feasts were the two great joys of life… They're non-negotiable.
And even for someone as aloof as Mihawk, that much still held true.
…
As night fell, the group gathered around a roaring bonfire, feasting and drinking to their hearts' content.
Bang!
Wooden cups clashed together as the three men downed their drinks in unison.
"Ahhh… now that's good sake!"
Shanks slammed his empty cup onto the ground, his face already flushed red.
Beside him, Mihawk nodded in rare agreement, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"Of course it is. I took… er, borrowed this from old man Rayleigh."
Naruto, sitting across from them, showed no signs of drunkenness whatsoever. It seemed this much alcohol was nowhere near enough to faze him.
But then, for just a moment, his expression dimmed.
"…Naruto, you're still…"
Looking at Naruto's expression, Shanks, who knew the inside story, restrained the smile on his face and asked carefully.
"Yeah. Still no luck."
Mihawk, who was listening to their conversation, also put down his glass.
"Honestly, after searching for over twenty years… I'm starting to forget what my hometown even looks like."
Having said this, Naruto let out a dry laugh before downing another cup in one gulp.
Ever since he had been rescued by Roger over two decades ago, he had been searching for a way back to Konoha.
But no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't find even the slightest trace of his hometown.
Whether it was the Five Great Nations or Konoha, no one on these seas had ever heard of them.
And when he reached Wano Country and saw those Devil Fruit users who called themselves 'Ninja' but actually did not have a trace of Chakra, his heart had sunk even further.
"Don't worry. I know you'll find your way back someday!"
Shanks gave Naruto's shoulder another hearty slap.
"To be honest, I don't even think about going home that much anymore."
"After all, I've spent more of my life sailing these seas than I ever did in that village."
"Maybe… it's just stubbornness at this point."
Seeing the mood turning somber, Shanks quickly steered the conversation elsewhere.
"Speaking of which, we really owe you one for holding off the Big Mom Pirates last time."
At this point, Shanks also smiled.
Before, the Red Hair Pirates had clashed with the Beast Pirates, but but news of the battle reached another Emperor, Big Mom, who immediately set sail with several of her Sweet Commanders.
Though her target remained unclear, the situation was undeniably unfavorable for Shanks and his crew.
At that moment, Naruto, who happened to be wandering the New World, caught wind of the news and decisively moved to intercept Big Mom's forces alone.
Whether an actual battle broke out between him and the Big Mom Pirates remained unknown, but Morgans, the head of the World Economic Journal, published a headline the very next day: [Big Mom Pirates Retreat… Could the Lone Wolf 'Uzumaki Naruto' Be the Reason?].
After that, Naruto's fame began spreading beyond the New World, reaching even the Paradise half of the Grand Line.
"So, did you really hold off the entire Big Mom Pirates by yourself?"
"Well, not exactly, hahaha."
At the question, Naruto quickly snapped out of his earlier melancholy, scratching the back of his head and laughing.
"Honestly, they were pretty friendly. We ended up throwing a feast, drank a ton, and then they just… left."
Though Naruto made it sound casual, everyone present knew better. They were all familiar with Charlotte Linlin's temperament, and there was no way things had been that simple.
And their suspicions were correct.
Before the feast, Naruto had indeed engaged in a fierce battle with Big Mom.
That fight ended in a draw.
Originally, Big Mom and her crew had already decided to withdraw, but Naruto stopped them with lines like 'Meeting like this is fate' and 'since we're already here', and had somehow convinced them to hold an impromptu banquet at sea.
As a result, Naruto's interception not only avoided turning them into bitter enemies but even led to him becoming drinking buddies with Big Mom's strongest fighter, Charlotte Katakuri, the man 'who never lets his back touch the ground'.
"Naruto, you really are..."
"Speaking of which, that kid you entrusted with your dreams and your left arm… isn't he about to set sail?"
As if catching a glimpse of Shanks' missing arm by chance, Naruto took a swig of alcohol and looked over with a teasing grin.
"Yeah, Luffy is 17 years old this year."
"I heard you even gave him Captain Roger's hat? In that case, I really ought to go see this kid for myself."
Having said that, Naruto set down his cup with a smile, his expression turning serious as he stared at Shanks.
"To see if he's truly got what it takes."
Hearing this, Shanks put down his cup as well, his drunken demeanor fading as his gaze sharpened.
"Naruto, don't do anything unnecessary."
The words sounded almost like a cold warning, but Naruto didn't respond, still wearing that same smile.
Suddenly, two overwhelming pressures erupted between Shanks and Naruto, intense it materialized into visible lightning-like sparks, cracking the ground and shattering nearby rocks.
Even the clouds in the sky were split apart by the force.
Some of the newer recruits in the Red Hair Pirates could barely stand under the clashing Conqueror's Haki.
"So… so strong!"
"This is Uzumaki Naruto?! No wonder he's the World Government's most wanted criminal… This presence is insane!"
Meanwhile, veterans like Lucky Roux and Yasopp acted as if this were nothing unusual, even laughing and chatting among themselves.
The two Conqueror's Haki seemed evenly matched, locking in a stalemate for over ten seconds before both sides withdrew at the same time, as if by mutual understanding.
"Hahahaha, you're still as good as ever, Shanks."
Naruto raised his cup toward Shanks and took another hearty swig.
"Stop lying, you weren't even going all out."
Shanks on the opposite side also had a smile on his face, as if the earlier tension had never existed.
"And don't talk like I'm some old man. You're only a year or two younger than me."
Though Shanks complained, he happily kept drinking alongside Naruto.
Mihawk, who had been silently observing the whole time, paid it no mind. He knew neither of them had any real intention to fight.
'However… that level of Conqueror's Haki wasn't even their full strength?'
Mihawk's piercing, hawk-like eyes gleamed through the firelight as he stared at Naruto.
'Uzumaki Naruto… just how strong are you? Fighting you would be something to look forward to.'
"Hey, but you do look like an old man now."
On this side, Naruto shamelessly poked fun at Shanks' appearance.
It was true… while Naruto still looked like he was in his early twenties, Shanks, despite being only thirty-seven, had such a rough, unshaven face that he could easily pass for forty or fifty.
"It's not fair. We're practically the same age."
Though he grumbled like this, the smile on Shanks' face never faded.
He raised his cup toward Naruto, downed several more drinks in quick succession-
And then collapsed, completely knocked out.
"After all these years, how come your alcohol tolerance is still so poor?"
Looking at his old friend's condition, Naruto just smiled and shook his head, then drank the sake in one gulp and raised his glass high.
"Alright! Who's next? Let's keep this going!"
"Oooohhh!!"
Seeing Naruto raising his glass heroically, the Red Hair Pirates roared in excitement, raising their own cups and taking turns challenging Naruto to more drinks.
And so, the feast continued in high spirits.
The night of revelry was still far from over.