The little girl in front of them was so excited by those words that she bounced up and down as if she had springs in her shoes.
"Really? If that's true, I can't thank you enough."
"Without you, I wouldn't have known what to do next."
Excitement nearly spilled from her eyes.
Naruto turned to look at Kaguya Ōtsutsuki beside him.
"Mark my words, Warship Island is bound to have plenty going on. We'll probably run into danger along the way, too."
"But that's fine. I can take the chance to recruit some talented people."
He had worked it out in his head. One way or another, this trip would be worth it.
Elsewhere...
On the sea, a fleet of Marine ships moved in formation, cutting an imposing sight.
Everyone on deck was busy with their own work.
At position twenty-eight up ahead, the man on lookout duty suddenly grew anxious.
"Report! Ship sighted at one o'clock!"
The lookout wasted no time.
The man's expression turned grim.
"So it's pirates. To think they'd dare sail into waters under Nelson's supervision. They've got some nerve."
"Fools with a death wish. But no matter how much trouble they stir up, they're small fry. There's no need to bother with them."
These waters weren't somewhere just anyone could sail into.
No sooner had the major finished speaking than a calm voice sounded behind him.
Footsteps drew closer, and a man slowly emerged from behind him.
"No. If they haven't been screened, you can't assume they're small fry."
"And judging by that skull, I'd say it's Luffy."
"There's a thirty-million-Beli bounty on his head. Would you call someone like that small fry?"
"We've sent out so many search parties and still haven't found the girl. Someone may have captured her already."
"Whatever kind of