Zoro had been dragging the cage for what felt like an eternity, his muscles aching and his breath ragged. "Huff...Huff...I think we're pretty far away now. They won't be able to catch up now..." he said between gasps of air. He wiped the sweat from his brow and looked at Naruto, who was still trying to open the cage. "How's the escape coming, kid?" he asked.

Naruto was hunched over on top of the cage, his brow furrowed in concentration. "I'm trying to make a seal to melt the bars," he said, frustration evident in his voice. "But it's not working. I wish I knew fire jutsu! Then I could just melt the bars with my own hand!" He pouted, kicking at the metal bars in frustration.

Zoro suddenly stopped moving and fell to the ground.

"Zoro!" Naruto yelled in panic as he jumped off the cage and ran towards the moss-headed swordsman.

Zoro was struggling to get up and muttered, "This is it...I don't have enough blood. I can't walk anymore." Then, out of nowhere, a dog was staring at Zoro. "Eh? What's up with this dog?" Zoro asked, confused by its sudden appearance.

Luffy looked at the dog and said, "What is this? Is it really a dog?" He turned to his brother Naruto and asked, "Hey, Naruto, the dog isn't moving."

Zoro looked at the dog and said, "Whatever...What it does is up to the dog. Right now, you've gotta figure out how to get out of that cage."

Luffy ignored Zoro and poked the dog in the eye, thinking it would be funny. The dog, however, did not take kindly to this and bit Luffy's arm. "YOU STUPID DOG! WHAT THE HELL YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" Luffy yelled

Zoro had had enough of his idiot of a captain. "YOU IDIOT, DON'T YOU KNOW HOW SERIOUS THE SITUATION IS HERE?!"

After everyone calmed down, Naruto walked towards the dog. He bent down to the dog's eye level and petted its head gently. "Hey, buddy. Whatcha doing here?" he asked softly.

The dog wagged its tail and licked Naruto's face, making him laugh.

Feeling a little jealous, Luffy pouted as he watched his brother get all the attention. "He gets licks, and all I get is the bite? What's up with that?" he muttered to himself.

"That's what you're worried about?" Zoro asks.

What on earth are you guys doing?" said a voice behind them, interrupting their conversation. "Buggy will find you if you're just gonna lay around in the street."

Turning around to see who had spoken, the trio was surprised to find Nami standing there.

Naruto greeted her cheerfully with a smile, "Hey Lady!" he yelled.

While Luffy simply acknowledged her presence by saying, "Oh, it's our navigator."

"Says who?" Nami asks as she lets out a sigh. "Look, I just came here to repay my debt to you."

Naruto appeared confused and looked at Nami inquisitively. "Debt?" he repeated, unsure of what she meant.

Nami's expression softened as she explained, "You saved my life back there, so the least I could do is help you get out of that cage." She reached into her pocket, retrieved something, and threw it on the ground.

Luffy exclaimed, "It's the key! You stole the key!" He flashed a wide grin at Nami, appreciative of her efforts.

Nami let out a sigh, shaking her head slightly. "Although I think what you did was a bit reckless, I had to do something to repay you," she admitted.

Naruto's face lit up with gratitude as he turned to Nami and exclaimed, "Gee, thanks, lady!" However, his words made Nami feel uneasy, and she awkwardly shifted her weight.

As Naruto bent down to retrieve the key from the ground, a dog suddenly appeared and snatched it up.

"YOU STUPID DOG!" Luffy yelled as he lunged at the small mutt, putting it in a chokehold. "Spit it out, Spit it out, you damn mutt! I need that key!!!"

However, the dog did not give up as he clamped tightly on the key.

Luffy's grip on the dog's neck tightened as he struggled to pry the key from the mutt's mouth. But despite his best efforts, the dog refused to give in, biting down on the key with all his might.

Just as Luffy was about to lose his temper, a man suddenly emerged from one of the nearby shops, yelling at the top of his lungs. "Hey! What do you people think you're doing? Don't you dare do anything to Shushu!"

Naruto glanced at the man and then the dog as he attempted to remove the furry creature from Luffy's face. With a confused expression, he looks at the dog and calls out its name, "Shushu?". Suddenly, the dog releases its grip, causing Naruto to lose his balance and fall.

"Who are you, mister?" Zoro inquired, looking at the stranger who had appeared out of nowhere.

The dog let out a burp, causing everyone to turn their attention towards it."I'm the village chief. My name is Boodle," the man replied, introducing himself. "Like the dog?" Naruto asks "What a weird name," he murmured under his breath.Nami glared at Naruto, telling him to keep quiet.

Boodle didn't seem to mind at all. "My house is just around the corner, and your friend doesn't look too good. I can patch him up if you'd like," he offered, noticing that Luffy was in pain.

Luffy's face lit up with relief upon hearing this. "Really? That'd be great!" he exclaimed, and Naruto nodded in agreement.

...

Naruto and Luffy waited outside Boodle's house for news about their friend's condition.

Naruto couldn't help but pace. "Do you think he's going to be okay, Luffy?" Naruto asked.

Luffy, sitting on the ground with his legs crossed, nodded confidently. "Zoro is strong!" he said. He'll pull through; I know it."

"Seriously, guys?" Nami asks. "He got stabbed in the gut and lost a lot of blood. There's no way he's okay after that." Nami said bluntly.

Boodle, the old man who had offered them shelter, emerged from his house just as Luffy and Naruto were about to say something.

"Hey, mister!" Naruto greeted him with a warm smile.

"How's Zoro?" Luffy asked, sounding concerned.

"He's sleeping but needs to see a doctor," Boodle answered. "We have one back at camp. I've been trying to persuade him, but he won't listen. He thinks his injuries will heal after some rest."

"But he has a serious injury," Nami chimed in.

"I know, I told him that," Boodle nodded in agreement.

"Zoro's gonna be okay, though," Luffy said confidently.

"Yup!" Naruto said with a big smile. Then he walked up to Shushu, who was busy devouring his food, sat down, and gently patted him on the head. Then he looked up at Boodle, who had just given Shushu his meal.

"Hey, mister," Naruto said, "shouldn't Shushu eat inside? It's too hot for him to sit outside all day."

Boodle shook his head. "He's guarding this store. I just come by to give him some food."

Naruto nodded thoughtfully. "I see," he said, admiringly looking back at Shushu.

"The owner of this place was a friend of mine," Boodle continued, "and a few years ago, he opened this store with Shushu. This store was filled with precious memories for the two."

Nami, who had been listening quietly, spoke up. "Why is he all banged up?" she asked.

"They're from fighting those pirates and protecting this store," Boodle replied, a hint of sadness in his voice.

Nami looked surprised. "No matter how precious it is, what kind of thing makes a dog guard a store with pirates as the enemy?" she argued. "The store owner is with the other people at the shelter, right?"

The old man let out a deep sigh before answering Nami's question. "I'm sorry to say this, but three months ago, the owner of this store passed away due to an illness," he said, his voice tinged with sadness and regret.

Nami looked around the store, trying to understand why the dog was still guarding the place. "Then why is he still here?" she asked, confused.

"Because this store is something precious to him," Naruto chimed in, eyes scanning the store. "It's his treasure. He loved this place and everything it stood for. He was willing to die for it," Naruto explained.

"Treasure?" Nami asks as she scoffs. "What the hell does that mean? This store doesn't have gold or jewels or anything valuable. It's just a bunch of animal supplies."

Then, out of nowhere, something that sounded like a roar came through the air. Naruto sprang to his feet. "What's that sound?" he asked Nami.

However, before anyone could answer, he noticed that the old man and Nami were sprinting away from the noise source.

Meanwhile, Luffy was still trying to get the key from Shushu. "Come on, give me the key, little guy," Luffy urged impatiently.

Suddenly, a man riding a gigantic lion appeared before them. "I'm Mohji, the beast trainer of the Buggy Pirates," he announced. The man's lion was growling ferociously.

Naruto's eyes widened in amazement at the sight of the lion, and he exclaimed, "Wow, that's so cool!"

In response, Mohji sneered wickedly at Naruto, "Captain Buggy is angry with you two. You have committed some serious crimes."

Naruto, puzzled by Mohji's attire, said, "Hey, mister, you don't look like any beast trainer I've ever seen."

Luffy, equally intrigued, chimed in, "Yeah, and why are you wearing that fur cap?"

Mohji, who was agitated, shouted at them, "YOU IDIOTS! WATCH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING! THIS IS MY HAIR!!"

Luffy turned to Naruto and said, "That just makes it weirder, right, Naruto?" Naruto nodded his head in agreement.

Mohji looks down on them, his eyes full of hate. "You...You're in a cage," he points out to Luffy. "And you," he turns to Naruto, "you're just some kid...you have no idea how scary I am." Mohji glares at the two brothers, trying to intimidate them.

The two brothers stare back at him, completely unimpressed. Mohji's anger grows at their lack of fear.

"I-I'm telling you!" he stammers. "There is no animal in this entire world that won't obey me!" He points at Shushu. "That includes this dog." Mohji dismounts from his lion and stares down at Shushu. "Dog si-." Before he can finish his sentence, Shushu bites his hand, causing Mohji to scream in pain.

"You are just some nameless nobodies," Mohji says as he returns to his lion and tries to pretend nothing happened. "Now tell me where Roronoa Zoro is! Or I will have no choice but to kill you!" he warns, his lion growling in agreement.

Naruto and Luffy grin at each other, unfazed by Mohji's threats. "Nope!" With a smirk, Luffy says while Naruto sticks his tongue out at Mohji.

Mohji had enough of them. "KILL THEM RICHIEE!!!" He ordered, and the lion pounced onto the cage and bit into it, and now the cage finally broke.

"Yahoo! I'm finally free!" Luffy screamed and flew a few blocks away.

Meanwhile, Naruto stood defiantly in front of the pet shop, his eyes ablaze with determination as Shushu barked beside him. "Don't worry, doggy! Your store isn't going anywhere!" he vowed. With a swift hand seal, three clones materialized beside him, ready for action.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto declared ."I need you guys to make protective seals for this pet store!" Naruto commanded.

Then Naruto turned his attention to the lion. "Listen, you stupid cat!" he yelled, cracking his knuckles with a grin. "You are not going anywhere near this store as long as I'm here! So screw off!"

Meanwhile, Shushu growled fiercely beside him, his protective instincts kicking into high gear.

"Richie, what are you doing? Hurry up and finish your meal!" Mohji's voice cut through the tension, urging the lion to attack.

As Richie lunged forward, Naruto sprang into action, his reflexes lightning-fast as he intercepted the lion's swipe with a powerful kick, sending the beast reeling backward.

"How?" Mohji exclaimed, astonishment evident as Naruto stood his ground.

"Man, that guy is weak!" Naruto taunted, his confidence shining through as he maintained his stance, the weights on his legs still in place.

"Shake it off, Richie. It's just one kick!" Mohji reassured his companion, urging the lion to attack once more.

Richie lunged forward again, claws outstretched towards the pet store.

"Crap!" Naruto cursed under his breath, his muscles tensing in anticipation as he swiftly removed the weights from his legs. Then he intercepted Richie's paw mid-air. "I told you, you stupid cat! You are not going anywhere near this store!" Naruto declared. Then he pushed Richie back.

"You brat! This has nothing to do with you! Get out of the way!" Mohji roared

Naruto grinned as he delivered a powerful kick to Richie's chin, sending the lion staggering backward with a resounding thud.

...

Meanwhile with Luffy

As Luffy's feet pounded against the pavement, he couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over him as he stumbled upon Nami and the mayor. "Hey! You're still alive!" he exclaimed as he approached them.

"How the hell are you still alive?!" both yelled in unison, their faces etched with surprise and disbelief.

"Y-You smashed through a house, but you are perfectly fine! And your brother, he's fighting against that monster by himself! Where have you been? He could get killed!" Nami's voice rose in concern, her hands gesturing frantically.

"He's fighting that weirdo?" Luffy asked, his gaze shifting towards the direction of the fight.

"Yes!" the mayor replied, his voice trembling with fear.

"Why aren't you more worried about him?" Nami asked, her eyes narrowing.

Luffy sat down on the ground, his eyes glued to the battle. "Naruto is a strong kid," he said, his voice calm and collected. "He'll be fine," he added.

Y-you're not going to help him?" Boodle asks.

Luffy looked at the two and shrugged. "Nope!" he said, his signature grin still in place.

As Luffy spoke, Naruto managed to make an air palm cannon that sent Mohji and Richie flying far away.

Luffy was quick to praise his brother, "Ooo, look at that! Good Job, Naruto!" he shouted/

Naruto turned around and saw Luffy; his eyes lit up with joy. "Hey, bro, are you okay?" he asked with a smile.

Luffy laughed. "Of course I'm okay!" he said, still grinning from ear to ear. Then he looked around and noticed the store. "Good job with the store!"

Naruto smiled proudly as he gazed at Shushu and patted his furry head affectionately. "You can finally rest easy, my dear doggy! Your treasure is safe from further harm," he assured in a reassuring tone.

Boodle, who seemed curious, asked, "But how did you manage to do it?"

Naruto explained, "I created some clones and used them as protection seals. These seals would ensure that if anyone tried to damage the store, the attack would bounce back as if nothing had happened."

Nami was amazed and couldn't help but ask, "Are you a shinobi?"

Naruto nodded proudly. "Yes, I am. Then, he stood up from his spot next to Shushu and walked towards the mayor. "Listen, old man," Naruto began, "I adjusted the seals so anyone can go into the store and buy whatever they want, but the seals will only last a few months."

"Why is that?" The Boodle inquired.

"After my clones made the seals, the rest of their chakra was put into them, and they had enough chakra to keep the protective seal for two months at most," Naruto explained.

"Isn't that dangerous?" Nami asks. " I mean, don't you need chakra to survive? Why are you wasting it on a store?"

With a smile, Naruto replied, "This is nothing; I have so much chakra that this won't hurt me."

As Shushu approached Naruto, he crouched and let the dog lick his face. Naruto let out a laugh.

Nami watched in awe, wondering how Naruto could be so skilled yet so humble.

____________________________________________________________________

THE END

Okay, I really like this chapter! I decided Naruto would be the one to fight Mohji cause why not! It turned out pretty good! What do you think?

On a serious note, I feel bad not posting chapters; I'm in the final semester of my associate's degree and have been so busy with school that I haven't had time to write. I write as much as I can in my free time. The chapters have been lacking lately, but I hope my workload will lighten soon!

Anyway, I hope everyone has a good week!

BYE-BYE!