The village head, clearly shaken by Shanks's words, responded quickly—his voice tinged with nervous respect. "Yes… I understand. I'll rember that—and I'll make sure the others know as well."
Shanks gave a short nod. "Good."
With that, he turned his attention back to his breakfast. The tension dissipated, and silence returned as he and Tomiko quietly finished their al. Both of them ate until they were full, the food doing its job of restoring strength and calm after a long night.
Once done, Shanks stood and stepped outside with the village head. As the door opened, he was t by a crowd gathered outside. Dozens of villagers had assembled in front of the house, waiting. The mont Shanks appeared, they spoke in unison.
"Thank you for saving us!"
Shanks paused, taken slightly aback by the sight. Their voices carried sincerity—no fear, no hesitation, just gratitude. He smiled faintly, touched in his own quiet way, and gave a nod of acknowledgnt.
Then he glanced over at Tomiko, who had just stepped out beside him.
"Looks like walking out of here won't be easy," Shanks said, scanning the thick crowd. "Too many people in the way."
Tomiko gave a small, knowing smile and nodded. "Yeah... I guess it's ti to disappear."
Shanks turned to the village head, his expression composed. "Alright, I'll be on my way now. And judging by the energy and gratitude from your people, it looks like you didn't try to keep any of the money looted by the Kirigakure for yourself."
He gave a faint nod of approval.
"You have my respect for that."
The village head bowed slightly, humbled. "What I did is nothing compared to what you've done for us."
When he looked up again, his eyes widened—Shanks and Tomiko were gone. They had vanished without a trace.
A mont of silence passed before the old man chuckled softly and shook his head, a smile blooming across his face.
He turned to the villagers and raised his voice. "Our hero may be gone—but rember his na well. The one who saved us is Shanks Uzumaki, of the Uzumaki Clan."
A wave of cheers erupted from the crowd.
"Shanks! Shanks! Shanks!"
anwhile, at the edge of the village, Shanks and Tomiko reappeared near the front gate. They stood silently for a mont, hearing Shanks' na being chanted in unison by the people they had protected.
Shanks gave a small, satisfied smile—but said nothing.
Tomiko glanced at Shanks with a light smile. "Looks like you're a hero now—at least to this village."
Shanks just shrugged, unfazed. "Let's move. If we don't leave now, we won't reach the capital before late afternoon."
Tomiko nodded in agreent. "Yeah, you're right. Besides, if anyone else spots us hanging around, it might stir up more attention—for them and for us."
Shanks gave a single nod and turned without another word. Both of them took off, sprinting through the forest trail, moving swiftly toward the capital of the Land of Hot Water.
After covering several kilotres in silence, Tomiko slowed briefly and perford a quick summoning technique. A small puff of smoke appeared, and from it erged a sleek black cat with bright, intelligent eyes.
She knelt and whispered to it, "Tell the clan head that the threat posed by Juzo has been eliminated. I'll explain the details once I arrive at the capital."
The cat gave a soft ow of acknowledgnt before darting off into the trees, vanishing into the distance as quickly as it had co.
After dispatching the ssenger cat, Shanks and Tomiko pressed forward without pause.
Normally, Shanks would have summoned Frosty, his white tiger companion, to shorten the journey. But with Tomiko alongside him, that wasn't an option. Frosty didn't tolerate riders weaker than himself, and Tomiko wouldn't pass that test—not yet. For now, Shanks would rely on his own legs.
So they ran, side by side, through winding forest paths and open roads, covering ground with relentless speed.
Six hours later, the walls of the capital finally ca into view—tall, fortified, and bustling with the steady movent of guards, rchants, and travelers. The capital of the Land of Hot Water stood ahead, alive and thriving.
At the city gates, they were stopped by guards for registration.
Shanks stepped forward and gave his details plainly: "Shanks Uzumaki, bounty hunter."
The guards exchanged a glance, took down the information, then waved him through. Tomiko followed close behind.
Without further delay, they entered the city.
They had barely walked three or four minutes into the city when a young man appeared in front of them. He looked to be around Shanks's age—close to twenty—and wore a Konoha forehead protector, clearly a shinobi of the Hidden Leaf.
Tomiko's eyes widened in recognition. "Yusiro-san," she said.
The young man, Yusiro, gave her a stern look. "Mikoto," he said flatly, "looks like you didn't complete your first solo mission."
Shanks tilted his head slightly, his brow rising at the na.
Mikoto...? he thought. So her real na is Mikoto Uchiha. Mikoto Uchiha—the future mother of Itachi and Sasuke. She's only fifteen now, which lines up with the tiline. Yeah... it's definitely her.
Mikoto looked away, clearly embarrassed. "Sorry," she said softly. "I blew my cover. I'll report everything to Uncle Yashiro myself."
Her tone was apologetic, but firm—accepting responsibility without hesitation.
Yusiro gave a short nod, then turned his attention to Shanks, his gaze direct. "And who's he?"
Before Shanks could answer, Mikoto stepped in. "He's my savior," she said firmly. "The only reason I made it back to the capital alive is because of him. I'll explain everything in detail later."
Yusiro looked at Shanks for a mont longer, then gave a slight, respectful nod.
Turning to Shanks, Mikoto added, "As you just heard… my real na isn't Tomiko. I'm Mikoto Uchiha."
(AI generated image in comnt section.)
Shanks t her eyes and nodded calmly. "It's fine. I understand."
"Thank you," Mikoto said, her tone softening. "I'm sorry for hiding it, but I had to keep my identity under wraps during the mission."
She took a small breath, then added, "I have to go now. I need to report to my clan. You're staying in the capital for the next few days, right?"
Shanks nodded. "I am."
"Good," she said with a faint smile. "I'll co find you once I've finished eting with the others."
With that, Mikoto turned and walked off with Yusiro, the two disappearing into the bustling streets of the capital.
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