Naruto: The Forest's Chosen (Mori Mori No Mi)

Hancock collapsed suddenly, as if struck by illness.

Naruto blinked, slightly surprised. He hadn't even left yet, and Hancock was already like this?

He hadn't expected such a strong reaction.

But then again, he thought to himself... I'm different from that idiot.

Naturally, the aftereffects wouldn't be on the same level.

"Sister!" the two Snake Sisters cried as they rushed over to check on her.

Hancock's face was flushed as she gasped weakly.

"What's going on?!" They were both stunned. One second she was fine, and the next, she collapsed?

"Huh?!"

"She's going to die!"

Just then, an elderly voice broke in.

Naruto turned his head slightly.

If he remembered correctly, this was Elder Nyon, the former empress who once left the island for love.

"What did you say?!"

Marigold looked back, startled.

"Don't joke about this, Elder Nyon!" Sandersonia said urgently.

Elder Nyon wiped the sweat from her brow, her tone serious. "The previous empress died from the same illness."

"And the one before her too," someone muttered.

"In fact… I also had this illness."

"But I left the island and survived."

"Snake Princess..." Elder Nyon called softly, eyes closed in memory.

Hancock glared at her.

"Uzumaki Naruto hasn't left yet."

Whoosh—!

Hancock shot up straight.

"Where is he?"

Naruto sighed.

He walked over to her. If he didn't show up, she might really suffocate herself.

Sure enough, the moment she saw Naruto, Hancock's condition improved rapidly.

The blush on her cheeks deepened.

Elder Nyon stared, jaw slack in disbelief.

"You're truly lucky… Uzumaki Naruto."

This iceberg of a woman… moved by you?

Hancock walked up to Naruto and said firmly:

"I won't be a slave to this illness."

The two Snake Sisters exchanged glances, then quietly picked up Elder Nyon and slipped away.

"I really should go."

"Is your current condition… because of love?"

"It's complicated. This is a sickness of the heart—something even I can't heal... Although, there are special remedies."

From a distance, Elder Nyon peeked out and blinked.

"There is a cure?"

"I know it," Naruto replied, glancing at Hancock's lowered head.

She closed her eyes—and as expected, a second later, stars sparkled in them.

"Then I'll follow you to the ends of the earth~!"

"Ah?!!!"

The Snake Sisters and Elder Nyon were dumbfounded, nearly turning to stone on the spot.

Elder Nyon gasped. "Snake Princess is truly suffering from lovesickness..."

"Many past empresses died from falling in love!"

"There's a saying from the East Blue—"

"Love is a storm you can't avoid!"

Hancock turned away, gently pressing her cheek after her sudden confession.

"What's happening to me?"

"I feel like I can't resist anything about Naruto~"

"These words just slipped out, but I don't regret them. In fact, I'm… happy~!"

This… is love.

I love you.

"The pain of longing becomes a sickness. Past empresses, though in love, chose to stay for the island."

"Eventually, that pain consumed them from within."

"It cost them their lives."

Elder Nyon shook her head slightly.

"But this is Uzumaki Naruto… His power and identity are exceptional."

"If the Snake Princess follows him, she may lose her Shichibukai status… That would put the island at serious risk."

Boom boom boom—

Hancock's heartbeat pounded like a drum.

Naruto stepped closer.

He lightly patted her head—a killing move.

Hancock's body stiffened, then collapsed slightly, as though she might fall into his arms at any moment.

"No… I can't look him in the eyes."

She lifted her head, a dreamy smile forming on her lips.

From afar, Elder Nyon's eyes twinkled.

"A woman in love… I've been there once too~"

Naruto's eyebrow twitched. After glancing at Elder Nyon's pentagonal face, he silently reminded himself not to judge a book by its cover.

"Hancock."

He called her name softly.

Hancock raised her head. Tears were about to spill from her eyes.

"Come back with me. We'll return after some time."

"Without your title as a Shichibukai, Amazon Lily will be vulnerable."

"Even though it's in the Calm Belt, the navy has its ways."

Hancock nodded, her eyes reflecting Naruto's image.

"If you don't come back, this illness will consume you again."

"I can feel it. The moment I'm out of your sight, you'll lose control—well, you know what I mean."

Naruto closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan had awakened.

"I can take you into an illusion."

"In there, all your desires will be fulfilled."

He gently placed his palm on Hancock's feverish forehead.

"Don't resist."

The moment he finished, his Eternal Mangekyō began to spin furiously.

But the very next second—

Hancock let out a soft "hmm" and obediently closed her eyes, her expression a mix of nervousness and anticipation.

Naruto: "…"

He sighed as his forehead lightly touched the back of his hand. Hancock couldn't resist peeking—just a sliver.

What she saw was the intricate pattern of Naruto's Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan spinning before her eyes.

"Tsukuyomi."

Buzz—

The illusion world bloomed open. Hancock found herself standing in a vast hall, bathed in light.

She was wearing a flowing white dress, delicate flowers nestled in her hair.

"...Naruto?"

But just as she reached out, Naruto—who had stood right in front of her—vanished like mist.

She spun around, searching desperately.

Seconds passed. Her chest began to ache.

And just when it became unbearable—a large, warm hand gently helped her to her feet.

She looked up.

Naruto stood before her, dressed in a ceremonial groom's robe.

Ugh~!!!

For a moment, Hancock forgot to breathe. Her heart nearly stopped from the sheer joy.

Then, just as quickly, her brows furrowed.

Something felt off.

"...Naruto?"

"It's me, Hancock," he said.

Bang!

A heartbeat later, Hancock whipped around and kicked him square in the chest, turning him to stone.

"You're not the real Naruto!"

Shatter—

The pristine white world shattered like glass.

And the illusion shifted.

This time, she was in a room filled with festive red light. She looked down—now she was seated on a bridal bed, draped in a crimson wedding dress.

But once again, the illusion crumbled.

The moment she sensed something wrong, Hancock's foot flew out.

Another Naruto shattered into pieces.

These Narutos all looked real—worse, they all felt real, with Naruto's thoughts and presence. But Hancock knew—they weren't him.

Beep—

The Tsukuyomi world dispersed.

It had taken Hancock less than an hour to break free.

Naruto exhaled and shook his head. "You really are something else."

"Alright, I admit defeat."

"Naruto~" Hancock called out, her voice soft and full of emotion.

This time, it felt right.

Naruto responded by flicking her forehead gently.

"If my mom saw you like this, she'd lock me up in the house forever."

He formed a quick series of hand signs.

Then stretched out his arm—his hand turned translucent, becoming elementalized wood infused with chakra and the original power of the Pirate World.

A wooden clone grew rapidly from his palm.

Hancock watched, stunned, as Naruto gently took her hand and pressed it against the clone's chest.

Moments passed.

Their hands slowly retracted.

The wooden clone's features morphed—

—and it became a near-perfect replica of Hancock. Same face. Same aura. The same power, even the Sweet-Sweet Fruit ability.

"A perfect match..."

Naruto glanced at her, then dismissed the idea of transferring a piece of Hancock's consciousness into it.

"She wouldn't survive the dissonance," he murmured.

"At the very least, this disposable clone will last a full month—as long as it isn't overused."

He closed his eyes.

Right now, he only possessed fragments of the Pirate World's native power.

Rayleigh's body... Kizaru, who would be pulled into Chibaku Tensei before returning... These were reserves. He'd absorb them fully after returning to the Shinobi World.

Naruto clenched his fists. His body was still evolving—adapting to the laws of this world.

It wouldn't be long now. Soon, he'd be able to absorb their power without returning to his own world.

He would even surpass the limits imposed by this world's Devil Fruits.

Looking up at the sky, he whispered:

"The Thunder Fruit, huh?"

"I'll catch you next time."

And just as he finished speaking—

His mouth was suddenly blocked.

By lips.

—

Meanwhile, on the Sabaody Archipelago...

Bonnie's long white hair fluttered wildly in the wind.

"Franky, watch out!" Luffy shouted urgently.

Franky collapsed onto the ground, completely immobilized.

"Usopp!" Luffy cried out in despair.

Usopp, trembling with fear, finally regained consciousness. He immediately raised his slingshot, aiming with trembling hands.

"You bastard! Stop this right now!"

But Bonnie glanced at him coldly, utterly indifferent.

"Pirates shouldn't exist. The Navy shouldn't exist. The Celestial Dragons shouldn't exist... this world shouldn't exist either."

In the distance, Nami and Robin exchanged stunned looks.

They had assumed that even if these three were not allies, they wouldn't be outright enemies.

But in the blink of an eye, the real Shichibukai Kuma appeared.

The golden figure vanished.

Then, the harmless little girl suddenly exploded with a terrifying force.

"If I heard that right, she just called Kuma... 'Dad'?"

Robin remained calm for now, but Nami's anxiety grew.

Just as they prepared to move, they realized they were trapped.

Mei Terumi slowly lowered her hands from a sealing formation, a faint, apologetic smile at the corner of her lips.

"Sorry, but you'd better stay here for now."

She narrowed her eyes sharply. "I advise you not to say bad things about Naruto. Otherwise... I won't hesitate to kill you right here."

Nami nodded quickly, while Robin asked, "Why?"

The question seemed to catch Mei Terumi off guard.

How could she explain?

There was too much involved — for the ninja world and for her personally.

She shook her head. "Just watch. You'll understand soon enough."

"Also... if you see Naruto's mother, please act natural."

Nami and Robin exchanged confused glances but remained silent.

Before they could say more, Usopp fired several shots.

But all the projectiles stopped dead in front of Bonnie.

A powerful repulsive force pushed everyone back.

Boom boom.

As the smoke cleared, Usopp lay on the ground, his body scorched and bleeding profusely.

"Usopp!!!"

Luffy was stunned, drained of strength.

Yet, as he looked at Usopp's battered form, memories flooded his mind.

"Ah!!" Luffy screamed and rushed forward.

"Luffy, don't!" Sanji yelled urgently.

But just then, the real Kuma appeared behind Luffy.

Bo Ji!

A powerful slap from Kuma sent Sanji flying, vanishing from sight.

Luffy, overcome with grief, stood frozen, dazed.

Another ally was lost.

Hidden in the distance, Sentomaru watched helplessly, speechless.

He quickly grabbed the Den Den Mushi. "Hurry! Connect me to Marine Headquarters!"

"A powerful enemy has appeared... No, three powerful enemies, and their abilities are unknown!"

"If we don't act fast, that blond man who disappeared... damn, where did Kuma send him?"

"If we could get footage back to Navy Headquarters..."

Sentomaru's voice trailed off in disbelief.

Bulu Bulu—

"Admiral Sengoku!"

…

TN:

Support me on P-com/LordMerlin!

🍃 Limited-time 30% discount!

Get 10 advance chaps for $3.50, 20 for $7, and more — ending soon!