The Sun of The Strawhat Pirates

11: The Battle on The Slope Begins

The sun slowly rises over the horizon, casting a warm glow on the peaceful landscape. Naruto stands motionless, his eyes fixed on the distant sun. He feels a sense of unease creeping up on him, like a dark cloud looming over his head. The moments leading up to a battle are unfamiliar territory for Naruto. He has fought before, but this time it's different. He's not the one instigating the fight but rather waiting for his opponent to strike. Every passing second feels like an eternity as the anticipation builds up inside him.

Zoro noticed that Naruto was quieter than his usual energetic self. "You okay, kid?" he asked with concern.

Naruto turned to him with a puzzled expression, "I'm fine, why do you ask?" he replied.

"You're quieter than normal," Zoro stated, observing Naruto's unusual silence.

Naruto then released a deep sigh, "Oh, I'm okay!" he said, trying to reassure Zoro with a smile.

Zoro, not convinced, continued, "What about earlier today after..."

Naruto's face fell as he suddenly remembered what Zoro was referring to, "Oh, that!" he said, his smile fading. "I'm okay. I'm used to others looking down at my mom and always saying bad things about her," he paused, hoping Zoro would understand.

Zoro then admitted, "I saw something," his voice low and serious.

Naruto tilted his head, curious and worried, "What are you talking about?" he asked, fearing the worst.

Zoro let out a deep sigh and turned to face Naruto, his eyes meeting the other's bright blue gaze. "Nothin'." He muttered before directing his attention back to the sky above.

Naruto raised an eyebrow, unsure what to make of Zoro's strange behavior.

Nami interrupted the awkward silence that had fallen over the group. "Guys, I might be losin' it," she began, her voice laced with worry. "But I swear I can hear something comin' from the north." The navigator cupped her ears, straining to catch the sound more clearly.

Usopp's head snapped up, his eyes wide with alarm. "From the north?" he repeated incredulously.

Naruto's expression grew serious as he, too, listened intently. "Yeah, I hear it too," he confirmed his voice barely above a whisper.

Zoro's brow furrowed in confusion. "What's goin' on?" he asked, his tone laced with concern.

Usopp's eyes widened as realization struck. "There's another entrance into the village from the north!" he exclaimed, his voice trembling with fear.

The news sent a wave of panic over Luffy, his eyes darting around frantically. "Don't tell me you got it wrong!" he yelled.

"Crap!" Naruto cursed, already ripping off the weights strapped to his body. "I'm headin' over there right now!" Without another word, he took off in a blur towards the source of the disturbance.

As Naruto dashed ahead, Nami attempted to stop him. "Wait, Naruto, do you even know-" she implored, but he was too far along to hear her.

"Tell me already!" Luffy yelled towards Usopp.

Usopp, pointing in the direction Naruto had gone, chimed in. "Going in that direction will only take you 3 minutes to get there. The landscape on that side is virtually the same!"

Luffy was surprised. "Three minutes? It'll only take me 20 seconds," he said before dashing off in the direction Usopp had pointed.

Nami's eyes widened in alarm. "Oh no! That's where our ship is! My treasure will be robbed!" As she tried to run after Luffy, she lost her footing and began to slip. "Ahh!" she screamed.