The tide surged and fell, waves crashing violently against the surface of the sea, sending up roaring sprays of water that echoed like thunder.
A salty sea breeze swept in alongside the roar, making it feel as though one were standing in the middle of an endless ocean.
In the distance—
Faint silhouettes of white seagulls could be seen gliding through the sky.
This was the sensory impact Naruto experienced after pushing open the World Gate by just one centimeter—a glimpse through the narrow crack into the world beyond.
Raging sea winds, tinged with salt, swept through his consciousness like a storm.
As if on the other side lay a vast, boundless sea.
"It's opening…" Naruto stood stunned before the World Gate, eyes burning with intensity as he stared at that tiny crack.
"I can finally push this door…"
Nearly a full year had passed. But now, with his current chakra and physical strength, he had finally begun to open the World Gate.
Snapping out of his daze, Naruto stared with feverish eyes at the sliver of light and gritted his teeth. He pushed again with all his might.
With the sound of crashing waves growing louder, the World Gate creaked open another two centimeters.
That—was his current limit.
Panting heavily, Naruto still couldn't stop himself from smiling as he gazed beyond the crack.
"One Piece world… wait for me. I'm almost there…"
…
By dusk that day—
Naruto noticed something remarkable: the World Gate he had opened hadn't closed again.
This discovery filled him with joy.
Because that meant his journey to the One Piece world could happen much sooner than expected—perhaps in less than a week.
After all, his body hadn't fully developed yet. He only needed 20–30 centimeters of space to squeeze through.
Currently, he could push the World Gate open 2–3 times a day, each time adding 3 centimeters.
"At this rate, two days at best, four at worst—I'll be able to fully open the gate to the One Piece world…"
His eyes glowed brighter than ever.
…
Three days passed quickly.
Over those three days, Naruto had pushed open the World Gate six more times, widening the crack to a full 16 centimeters.
Through that narrow gap, he could now clearly see the horizon where sky met sea.
Even the occasional white seagull flew past.
"This is amazing…" Naruto smiled and instinctively reached his hand through the crack.
He could almost feel the sea breeze brushing his skin.
With a bit of squeezing, he might just be able to pass through into the vast and unpredictable One Piece world.
But he still pulled his hand back.
Now's not the time.
Not only was the other side's environment unknown—he himself wasn't prepared yet.
As much as he loved the One Piece world, Naruto wasn't naive enough to think it was safe.
First off—
What if the other side of the gate opens on a deserted island?
What if he runs into bloodthirsty pirates?
Even if all went well—how would he survive, let alone become stronger?
All of it required careful preparation.
…
The next night, at midnight.
As the darkness of night swallowed Konoha and all grew silent, Naruto slowly opened his eyes in bed.
He stood up and looked out the window into the pitch-black streets. A subtle grin formed on his lips:
"Such a quiet night… perfect for murder and arson~"
Air Door.
A transparent portal opened silently before him, and Naruto stepped into the space behind the door, heading toward the center of the village.
Scattered ninja patrolled the streets.
Ever since Naruto's series of thefts two months ago, Konoha had entered a heightened state of alert.
From the patrols, it was clear—these were elite reconnaissance types: Uchiha, Hyūga, Aburame, Inuzuka…
But Naruto paid them no mind and strolled right past, completely undetected.
He arrived swiftly at the heart of the village.
Beneath the Hokage Rock—
Before the Hokage Tower.
He paused for two seconds… then stepped right into the building.
Though dimly lit in the dead of night, Naruto could still see numerous ANBU ninja patrolling within from his position in the door-space.
Ignoring them, he began passing through every room in the building.
After scouting each one, Naruto licked his lips and slowly extended his hands toward the air in front of him.
Air Door.
A formless door appeared, and through it, he reached into one of the offices—quietly grabbing the massive scroll on the desk and pulling it back into the door-space.
A perfect theft—silent, clean, and completely unnoticed by the ANBU guards.
But Naruto didn't stop there.
From within the door-space, he continued targeting room after room, sweeping the place for valuable loot.
Kunai, senbon, shuriken, explosive tags, Fūma shuriken…
He stole so much that sweat beaded on his forehead and his arms began trembling, but he refused to stop.
After all—everything inside the Hokage Tower was top-tier ninja gear, the finest in the entire shinobi world.
Stuff that couldn't be bought even with money.
The more he took, the safer he'd be once he crossed into the One Piece world.
Naruto's silent heist continued for three full hours.
Until—
Outside the Hokage Tower, a startled ninja suddenly exclaimed:
"Wait… there's something inside the building. No—what is that? Why can I only see two arms worth of chakra?!"
Rubbing his eyes in disbelief, the ninja saw the same thing: two ghostly arms of blue chakra, floating eerily in one of the rooms.
They would appear and vanish—seemingly carrying things in and out of nowhere.
The ninja's expression changed dramatically. He bolted for the tower entrance, shouting at the top of his lungs:
"INTRUDER! THERE'S AN INTRUDER IN THE HOKAGE TOWER!!"
The impact was immediate.
Inside the Hokage Tower, the ANBU responsible for security widened their eyes in shock. Wasting no time, they rushed to the nearest room and flung the door open.
The moment they looked inside—
They were stunned.
"…You've got to be kidding me. Where's all the gear?!"
They clearly remembered—this was supposed to be the weapons storage room. Usually overflowing with kunai, shuriken, explosive tags…
But now?
It was completely empty—like it had just been renovated.
Shivers ran down the ninja's spine. Panic flashed in his eyes as he tore open one room after another.
Room after room after room—
Until finally, the ANBU cried out in despair:
"WHERE IS EVERYTHING?! IT'S ALL GONE!!"
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][www.p@treon.com/zaelum]
[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[Thank You For Your Support!]