Today, Naruto was acting unusually by not drinking alcohol.
This would have been almost unthinkable in the past.
Those familiar with him knew this guy liked to take out his flask for a sip whenever he had the chance, whether he had a reason or not-
Let alone on a day when there was a banquet.
'Looking back, wasn't every previous feast an occasion for getting thoroughly drunk?'
Sasuke could certainly attest to that.
After eating several more large chunks of roasted meat, and waiting for Fu to hurriedly bring new food from the kitchen, Naruto finally turned his gaze to the little girl beside him.
"Kousei... right? May I call you that?"
Hearing this, the little girl was startled, then immediately put down the bone she was holding, and assumed a formal seated posture.
"Of course you can!"
Seeing the girl's flustered appearance, Naruto actually felt less nervous himself.
He smiled gently, then reached out and placed his hand on the little girl's forehead.
Unlike the casual head rub during the previous fight, this time Kousei truly felt that warmth.
It was a sense of security that even her mother, and anyone else, had never given her.
"Kousei, can you tell me how you came here?"
Over here, Naruto, who seemed to have guessed something, asked in a soft voice.
Karin, who was eavesdropping, also heard Naruto use this tone for the first time.
"#￥￥% Darn it..."
'Darn it, just who is this little girl!'
Karin muttered indistinctly through gritted teeth, while internally freaking out.
"Be quiet, listen."
Sasuke next to her patted her, then also adopted the same posture, pricking up his ears to listen.
Despite Sasuke's usual cool and aloof appearance, he was actually very interested in gossip.
Karin's eyelids lifted, glancing in Sasuke's direction. B, Yugito… even Roshi looked distracted, clearly all secretly listening to the conversation next door.
Their subtle movements naturally didn't escape Naruto's notice.
But he didn't particularly mind these things at the moment.
Right now, Naruto was patiently waiting for Kousei's answer.
Hearing her father's question, Kousei thought for a moment, then took the turtle-shaped device from her bag and placed it in Naruto's palm.
"Pa... Naruto-san, it was through this thing that I came to this world."
She subconsciously almost used the word 'Papa', but since her identity hadn't been completely revealed yet, she couldn't quite bring herself to say it.
"No need to be so formal..."
Naruto first smiled and patted her head, then picked up the turtle-shaped device and examined it. He didn't sense any energy aura from it.
"Since you are looking for your father, you must need to return to your own world to find him, right?"
As he spoke, Naruto handed the device back to Kousei.
In his view, Kousei must have accidentally crossed over while searching for her father, and was presumably also looking for a way back to the One Piece World.
With his Baku Baku no Mi's Ability, he could completely transform his body into a house and take the little girl back to the One Piece World together.
For Kousei, a little girl he felt an immediate connection with, even if he weren't a Hero, Naruto would be willing to help.
- Yes, even with the hints reaching this point, Naruto still didn't consider that Kousei might be his own daughter.
After all, he had just been with those two that night, and she was there the next day?
It couldn't be that fast, right?
Naruto simply assumed she was another world traveler like himself.
After all, with his own special case, another person crossing over wasn't strange.
And on the high seas, searching for one's father was even less unusual.
After all, one of the most criticized, and hard to refute, points about seafaring men was - 'neglecting their families'.
This was something Naruto deeply despised.
Among the people he knew, there were several like this. For example, that sniper in the Red Hair Pirates, and even Roger was counted among them by Naruto.
This was one of the rare things he was dissatisfied with regarding Roger's actions.
'Choosing to turn himself in because his time was short indeed fit Captain's character, but couldn't he have made arrangements for Rouge-nee and the child before surrendering?'
To be honest, Naruto felt that if not for his help, Ace might not have been successfully born.
But even with his mediation, Rouge still died after giving birth because she forcibly prolonged her pregnancy.
In Naruto's own thoughts, either don't have children, or if you do, it's best to take responsibility.
After all, he himself had never experienced parental love and didn't want his future children to end up the same.
This was also the reason why he had never given Hancock or Stussy a definite answer all these years.
Just as Naruto didn't know why he came to the One Piece World, he didn't know when he might leave.
So, he couldn't give them an unrealistic fantasy.
But now...
Kousei's appearance served as a reminder to Naruto.
After this matter was over, he should return to the One Piece World's side.
At the very least, he needed to confirm whether Stussy and Hancock were pregnant.
He didn't want to be an irresponsible man.
Kousei, hearing Naruto talk about sending her back to the One Piece World, didn't react immediately, but just silently gripped the device tightly and lowered her head without speaking.
This gesture was misunderstood by Naruto as her missing home.
He suddenly lifted the little girl up and placed her on his shoulder.
"Don't worry, I keep my word. This is the promise of the Great Hero."
As he spoke, Naruto held his fist out in front of Kousei.
"After I finish handling this matter at hand, I'll take you back. Until then, why don't you stay with me? How about it?"
Seeing this, Kousei was stunned for a moment, then, as if understanding something, also extended her fist to bump against his.
"...Well... there's no need to be in such a hurry..."
The voice, as fine as a mosquito's buzz, still clearly reached Naruto's ears, but he just smiled and didn't say anything.
'This little girl's personality is really quite good.'
'If my own child in the future was like this... it wouldn't be bad at all.'
Gaara, who had been listening the whole time, suddenly changed his expression and stared at Naruto.
"I want to return to Sunagakure."
The cold refusal in his words stunned everyone around.
But Naruto's rejection came even faster.
"Don't even think about it."
Before Gaara could get angry and fly into a rage, Naruto's hand pressed over and directly pinned his forehead.
"Not just you, but that girl over there… yes, you, need to stay with us too."
Fu, who was pointed out, froze for a moment, then pointed at herself questioningly.
"Huh? Me?"
Shibuki, the leader of Takigakure, also heard this, and his expression changed as well.
Before they could say anything, Naruto spoke his next words.
"You've seen it yourselves. The Akatsuki's capture of the Tailed Beasts is no joke. That point doesn't need me to prove it anymore, right?"
"I don't need your protection-"
Smack!
An identical palm smack to the forehead, but with Naruto's strength, it directly sent Gaara falling back into his seat.
"What are you, a weakling, saying? Even Sasuke could take you out in a one-on-one, so stop boasting."
"Hey!"
Sasuke, who was name-dropped for no reason, protested.
'What do you mean 'even me'?'
"I have a grudge against the people in that organization. Call it using you as bait or protecting you, whatever. In short, until the people from that organization show themselves, I won't let you leave."
Naruto turned to look at Zabuza and the other two.
"Remember what I said last time we met? Please repeat it to him."
"Only the strong can control their own destiny, while the weak are controlled by the strong."
Zabuza didn't speak, but clearly Haku's memory was still good.
"That's right."
Naruto looked down from his height at the indignant Gaara.
"If you have the ability, then become stronger and escape from my side. Otherwise, stop boasting."
On his shoulder, Kousei's eyes were shining.
'This is the bearing of the Great Hero!'
'I'll protect you, regardless of whether you want it or not!'
'How willful!'
'So cool!'