Using the Sky Step Technique to kick off the air several times, Hikari swiftly charged past the whirlpool's range, then dashed toward the large ship with the three kids in tow.
"Set sail! Don't stop!"
Asama Sandayū, who had initially wanted to say something, could only retreat dejectedly to the lower deck and direct the crew.
*Thud! Thud!*
Shikamaru and Chōji were unceremoniously dropped onto the deck by Hikari. Seeing Chōji's lack of reaction, Shikamaru rubbed his own backside, wincing in pain.
Was it because Chōji's extra padding cushioned the impact?
Thinking this, Shikamaru glanced at Ino, who was still clinging to Hikari's arms, refusing to let go. He cleared his throat and covered his mouth with his hand.
"Ahem... we're on the ship now!"
"Huh? Ah! AHHH—!"
Ino treated everyone to a demonstration of what a true soprano sounded like.
Unfortunately, this world had no professional singers—otherwise, she could have easily become a powerhouse vocalist.
Hikari rubbed his ears, exasperated. "Were you trying to kill me with your voice? Anyone listening would think I did something terrible to you."
At his words, Ino immediately covered her mouth, glancing sheepishly at Shikamaru and Chōji, who were also holding their ears.
"Uh... how did we get back?" she asked, her face flushing as soon as the words left her mouth.
As shinobi, maintaining composure was crucial. Yet here she was, not even aware of how she'd been rescued—how embarrassing.
"Obviously, I brought you back!"
Hikari gently pressed his finger against Ino's forehead before flicking it.
*Snap!*
A light forehead flick.
Ino pouted, but Hikari remained unmoved.
"You guys were too panicked. The moment you saw that shadow, your minds went blank, didn't they?"
With their skills, the trio should have been able to escape—or at least ensure two of them got away.
Chōji set down his bag of chips and looked up at Hikari, sensing this conversation involved him.
"Shikamaru, your clan's secret techniques are coming along well, but you still need more practice. Once you can extend your shadows to cover your body, you'll be able to defend against basic taijutsu and ninjutsu. At that point, your ambush and escape abilities would have made leaving that area trivial."
Shikamaru nodded, about to admit his mistake, but Hikari waved him off.
"Beyond that, you're the brains of the team. If I hadn't been here today, all three of you would have been swallowed by whatever was beneath that shadow. If you'd died, it would've been a complete team wipe. Tell me—what could you have done to ensure at least one or two of you survived?"
Sacrificing one life sounded cruel, but compared to all three perishing, it was the lesser tragedy.
Shikamaru thought for a moment before answering.
"In that situation, my priority was saving all three of us. But I underestimated the danger. The moment the shadow appeared, I should've immediately retreated with Ino and Chōji—but I didn't. And when we were trapped in the whirlpool, I should've had Chōji use Partial Multi-Size Technique to throw Ino and me out of its range."
By the end, Shikamaru glanced apologetically at Chōji.
If they'd done that, Chōji would have been the only one left behind.
Chōji didn't say anything, simply smiling at Shikamaru.
If it had come to that, he would've gladly given his life to save Shikamaru and Ino.
One death was better than three.
"Good analysis. Honestly, your skills are already at chūnin level. What you lack is experience and mental resilience. When danger strikes, you freeze up instead of adapting."
"First, the blood on your bodies was what drew those fish. If you'd washed it off, you could've escaped easily. But you were too fixated on following my orders, which trapped you."
"Remember this: On the battlefield, even the commander's orders can be defied."
"Your life comes first. Only by surviving can you complete the mission. If you die, it's over."
With that, Hikari turned and walked toward the cabin.
The current Ino-Shika-Chō trio reminded him of Kakashi in his early days. His words to them now were similar to what Obito had once told Kakashi—except Obito had fallen to darkness, while Hikari remained steadfast.
'Sigh... I've got a lot to think about.'
Shikamaru scratched his head, messing up his already disheveled spiky hair.
"Want me to stay with you?" Ino asked softly, noticing his dazed expression.
Shikamaru didn't answer, merely pointing at the bloodstains still smeared across Ino's clothes. The pungent metallic scent instantly hit her nose.
"Ugh!"
"I—I need a bath! Why did I agree to this training?!"
Horrified by her current state, Ino bolted for the cabin.
She needed to wash up, change clothes, and feel clean again.
"Chōji... do you think I failed?" Now alone with Chōji, Shikamaru relaxed, slumping against a tarp.
"Not at all. You're the smartest person I know. You'll make the right call."
"Hope so... I'm still too weak. If I were as strong as Hikari-senpai said, I could've gotten us all out today."
"Don't overthink it. Besides... don't you think Hikari-senpai is kinda mysterious?" Chōji glanced back, ensuring no one was listening. "That whirlpool was insane, yet he carried all three of us out like it was nothing. That's not normal for a chūnin, right?"
Shikamaru lay flat on the tarp, ignoring the blood on his clothes, and stared at the sky.
"I never thought Hikari-senpai was just an ordinary chūnin. Besides—"
"GROOOOOAAAAN—!"
Before Shikamaru could finish, another deafening roar shook the heavens—this time far louder than before.
"What the—?!"
Shikamaru scrambled to his feet and rushed to the railing, staring into the distance.
A colossal creature emerged from the sea, dwarfing their ship like a toy.
A massive wave surged toward them, kicked up by the beast's movement.
"Was that thing beneath us earlier?"
Even from this distance, only a fraction of its body was visible. If it fully surfaced, its sheer size would be unimaginable.
Hikari appeared beside them, unfazed.
"That's a Sea Whale. Over a hundred meters wide, and several times that in length. Thankfully, it's mindless—if it were intelligent enough to be a summon, whoever contracted it would rule the seas."
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