A meteor is a unique natural phenomenon, usually occurring when a planet's gravity captures tiny meteorite fragments. As these meteorites fall and friction with the atmosphere causes them to glow and heat up, they create a wondrous sight.
"But that's just a natural phenomenon, so making wishes to me is useless."
Naruto stood with his arms crossed, his body stiff and straight, a mark still visible on his face, and blood even continued to trickle from his nostrils.
Even so, he remained stern and righteous, offering a science lesson to the News Coos that, while soaring high in the sky, hadn't forgotten to make wishes.
After saying this, he turned around, his body floating in mid-air, then swiftly flew back in the direction he came from.
"...Good thing I can fly now..."
When those News Coos, who couldn't clasp their wings together to make a praying gesture, opened their eyes, they found the 'meteor from moments ago had already vanished.
"Caw! (It's gone!)"
"Caw caw caw! (Good thing I already finished my wish! Fish, fish, fish... my big fish!)"
"Caw- (Don't say it out loud-)"
The News Coos continued flying in formation toward the distance.
This was the Calm Belt. Until they reached the Grand Line, they would maintain this formation to conserve energy during flight.
...
Inside Amazon Lily.
Including Karin, almost no one present could react to Hancock's kick.
The cloth Sasuke used to block his vision was blown off by the gust of wind, revealing a pair of scarlet Sharingan fixed intently on the woman ahead, who was radiating an intense aura.
Meanwhile, Stussy covered her mouth with a lady's fan, her eyes curved as if she was also quite pleased with the outcome of Naruto being kicked away.
'This kind of thing was best left to a woman like Boa Hancock. If it were me doing it, that wretched man wouldn't have received such a satisfying comeuppance.'
'Hmph, serves you right for leaving without a word.'
"You... what did you just do to Naruto-san!"
Once she processed what happened, Karin instantly entered combat mode, her golden wings spreading wide as her aura surged wildly.
She genuinely struggled to comprehend that the person who attacked without a single word was actually the mother of that obedient and sensible Kousei.
However, in response to the bristling young girl, Hancock merely retracted her leg and tilted her head slightly.
"Did I do anything wrong?"
Before Karin could speak, the female warriors around them began shouting in unison.
"No!"
"Anything the Snake Princess does is right!"
"Snake Princess, I love you!!"
The fanaticism on those warriors' faces held no pretense, even making the furious Karin somewhat confused about the situation.
'Is... this normal?'
"See clearly now, little girl."
"My beauty is unparalleled, and anything I do can be forgiven."
Speaking as if stating an absolute truth, Hancock's completely natural expression almost made Karin feel that she was the abnormal one.
'No, this woman is seriously off!'
But even with the 'rival' filter, Hancock's beauty and temperament still left Karin feeling stunned.
"Rest in peace, you brat..."
At that moment, the elusive Elder Nyon suddenly materialized beside Karin, clasped her hands together, and silently began the mourning rites.
"Hey, hey... Elder Nyon, I'm still perfectly fine, you know."
Naruto had somehow landed back on the ground, gently placing a hand on the bristling girl's head to signal he was okay.
Without even turning her head, Elder Nyon retorted to Naruto with displeasure.
"Don't think you can just gloss over things like this, you know. Hancock is genuinely angry this time."
"...Ah, I know."
Naruto could only offer a bitter smile in response.
Not far away, Hancock, looking at Naruto who deliberately appeared disheveled and hadn't even wiped off the shoe print on his face, ultimately just snorted coldly. Then, with an air of arrogance, she walked toward her palace, surrounded by her female warriors.
"Let's go too. By the way, I'm getting a bit hungry. Elder Nyon, could you get us some food?"
Naruto seemed equally familiar with Elder Nyon, who is a senior of the same generation as Shakky.
"Yes, yes... But don't mistake me for some kind of nanny, old woman."
Despite her words, Elder Nyon still instructed Kikyo and some other female warriors to prepare food.
She was well aware of this brat's appetite.
Looking at Elder Nyon's face and recalling Shakky's appearance, Naruto could only sigh.
"This is the difference between having love and not having love to nurture one, huh."
Before he could finish his sentence, a soft female voice reached his ears, and a finger painted with pink nail polish gently pressed against his neck's artery.
"Perhaps you should spare some time to be more concerned about yourself?"
Stussy smiled charmingly, maintaining intimate contact with Naruto under Karin's very displeased gaze.
However, only Naruto himself could sense that there was no trace of a smile in those beautiful eyes. Even the fingertip pressing against his neck was already coated with Armament Haki.
If not for the life essence enhancement from devouring an Otsutsuki, a previous version of him, caught off guard, would have had his skin cut open.
"Hmph!"
Karin stamped her foot, then also turned and left.
"It seems you've really managed to attract quite a few people... not even sparing a little girl like that..."
"Was it because the two of us couldn't satisfy you?"
As she spoke, Stussy leaned her entire body against Naruto's shoulder, her red lips almost touching his ear.
Yet, that sharp, cold murderous intent even transcended the limitations of language, making even a powerhouse like Naruto's hair stand on end.
"Karin... is a young girl from my clan. Remember? The other world I mentioned..."
Hearing Naruto's words, Stussy was momentarily taken aback.
She stared fixedly into Naruto's eyes for a long moment before softly saying.
"It seems that while you were avoiding us, you've also experienced quite a few incredible stories..."
"Tonight, I want you to tell me everything, thoroughly and without missing a single detail..."
Watching Naruto and Stussy's departing figures, Konohamaru muttered in awe.
"Is this the world of adults...? It's so complicated."
Beside him, Sasuke, uncharacteristically, offered a response on this matter.
"His case is an exception. You… don't need to learn it."
As he said this, the precocious Sasuke seemed to recall his days at the Ninja Academy, surrounded by girls like Sakura and Ino.
Whether before or after the clan massacre, the young girls around him never seemed to stop.
If he hadn't left Konoha with Naruto and met girls like Karin who felt absolutely nothing for him, he might have thought all girls were like that.
'Naruto... I wish you luck.'
Silently lighting a candle for him in his heart, Sasuke retied the cloth over his eyes and, along with Konohamaru, followed the others.
...
As the saying goes, three women make a stage play.
The situation in the dining room was exactly that.
Whether it was Elder Nyon or the veteran female warriors responsible for preparing the food, they all had a deep understanding of Naruto's appetite.
So, at this moment, the combined amount of food in front of everyone else in the dining room couldn't match the mountain-like pile of food before Naruto.
-Incidentally, the serving platters for the food were also specially made, exclusive to Uzumaki Naruto.
Naruto, acting as if nothing had happened, immediately launched into a frenzied eating mode.
On his left and right sides, each sat a mature woman.
Stussy didn't seem hungry, so she simply rested her chin on her hand, leaning on the table, tilting her head as she carefully observed Naruto eating.
Hancock, meanwhile, showed a cold expression, arms crossed, silent.
Yet, upon seeing food residue sticking to Naruto's face, she naturally reached out and wiped it off for him.
It looked like a harmonious scene of an old married couple.
Sitting opposite, Karin glared intently at Hancock's actions, the steak on her plate already sliced to pieces by her knife.
But she couldn't find words to say.
After all, according to the information they had learned earlier, Naruto and this woman even had a child together… though it might still just be an embryo right now.
And her? What was she?
Perhaps not wanting to let Naruto eat in peace, or perhaps simply out of mischief-
Stussy suddenly spoke up.
"I thought we might see this scene after we woke up in that tavern last time..."
This made Naruto's fingers freeze.
'Not good, the troublemaker is stirring things up!'
Hearing Stussy fan the flames again, Hancock also stopped wiping Naruto's face, withdrawing her hand, then coldly asked.
"Why have you come here? Or has our [Great Hero] finally finished with the matters at hand?"