[~1100 Words]
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Location: Foosha Village, That Night
The sea breeze had grown cooler by the time Haruki stepped out of the tavern, his footsteps light on the cobblestone path.
The village of Foosha was nearly asleep—lanterns flickered in windows, the waves whispered against the shore, and only the occasional muffled laugh or clink of a dish drifted from behind shuttered doors.
Makino walked beside him, arms loosely folded, a shawl wrapped over her shoulders. She carried a soft scent of herbs and citrus, like warmth after rain.
Neither of them spoke for the first few minutes.
It was a comfortable silence.
Haruki's gaze wandered over the dimly lit houses, his posture relaxed but alert, as always.
His thoughts, though, were uncharacteristically calm—drifting not to betrayal, vengeance, or jutsu, but the sound of cicadas, the glow of lanterns, and the slow rhythm of footsteps in sync.
"So," Makino finally said, voice low and playful, "what does a trained shinobi do when he's not dodging swords or breathing fire?"
Haruki glanced sideways. "Besides eating and sleeping?"
She smiled. "Besides that."
He let out a faint exhale. "I used to cook."
Makino blinked. "Cook?"
"Yeah." He looked down briefly, a shadow of a smile touching his lips. "There was this ramen place in my village. Ichiraku. Tiny shop. Simple. Wooden stools. The best miso broth I've ever had."
Makino's smile widened with curiosity.
"I used to stop there after missions. Eat until I couldn't move." He paused. "I always thought… if I survived long enough, maybe I'd open my own place one day. Small kitchen. Homemade noodles. Serve the kids from the academy. Keep the counter warm."
Makino watched him quietly. "That's… kind of adorable."
Haruki looked at her. "I'm not adorable."
"You were just describing noodle dreams."
He huffed lightly. "I was twelve. World peace seemed too ambitious. A hot bowl of food didn't."
She chuckled gently, her eyes softening. "You've been through a lot."
"I've done a lot," he corrected quietly.
The wind picked up slightly, and they turned down a narrow stone path between two homes, lanterns hanging from crooked wooden beams above.
The flamelight swayed with each breeze, painting their shadows long against the ground.
Makino stepped on a loose stone and stumbled slightly with a surprised gasp.
Before she could fall, Haruki's arm shot out, gripping her waist firmly, steadying her.
Her hands instinctively touched his chest to catch her balance—and suddenly they were close. Closer than before. The warmth of his hand against her side was stark, grounding. His fingers lingered.
Makino looked up, startled, her cheeks coloring pink.
Haruki held her for a second longer than he meant to.
Then he glanced away, removed his hand, and stepped back politely.
"Sorry," he said, his voice quieter now. "Reflex."
Makino nodded once, brushing her hair back behind her ear. "Thanks…"
They walked the remaining few steps to her home in silence.
Outside her door, Makino turned to him. Her lantern-lit eyes were kind, steady. "You're different from when we first met."
Haruki didn't answer at first. He just looked at her.
Then, as if something inside him loosened, he stepped forward and hugged her gently.
It wasn't desperate or romantic—just sincere. A quiet embrace, a moment where the Mission-hardened shinobi let his guard down.
"Thank you," he said softly, his voice roughened with emotion. "For taking me in. For treating me like a person. I'll always remember you."
Makino blinked, heart skipping a beat. Then she smiled, her arms gently returning the hug before she pulled away, her cheeks faintly flushed. "You'll be fine, Haruki. Whatever path you choose."
She opened the door slowly, stepping inside, pausing one last time at the threshold.
"Goodnight," she said.
"Goodnight, Makino-san."
The door closed with a soft click.
Haruki stood there for a long moment, letting the breeze brush his hair, letting the silence settle.
And for the first time in weeks—maybe months—
His heart felt light.
Free.
No vengeance. No blood. No guilt.
Just lanterns. Quiet stone paths. A warm memory of a dream.
At least that night… the hatred did not follow him home.
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Over the next month, Haruki's routine deepened into focused solitude.
When he wasn't sparring with Luffy or helping Makino around the tavern, he could be found near the rocky cliffs just beyond Foosha Village—his mother's Water Release scrolls unrolled before him, water vapor hanging in the air from relentless hours of chakra molding.
Though Konoha's forests were far behind him, the sea here made it the perfect place to evolve.
Water Release Mastery – Up to Chūnin Level
Drawing from the scrolls and recalling his academy and field training, Haruki refined and mastered the following Water Release (Suiton) techniques—most of them falling solidly within Chūnin-level proficiency based on known shinobi standards:
Haruki's Current Water Release Skill List:
Water Release: Water Clone Technique (Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu)
Rank: C
Use: Creates up to 5 physical clones made of water. Each has 1/10th of the user's power.
Haruki's Use: Often combines these with substitution and taijutsu traps to confuse enemies.
Water Release: Water Prison Technique (SuirĹŤ no Jutsu)
Rank: C
Use: Traps the opponent in a sphere of water. Requires constant physical contact to maintain.
Haruki's Use: Practiced timing and endurance holding clones in place while focusing on battle strategy.
Water Release: Hiding in Mist Technique (Kirigakure no Jutsu)
Rank: D–C
Use: Blankets the battlefield in thick mist, reducing visibility and enhancing stealth.
Haruki's Use: Trains combining it with Body Flicker for surprise taijutsu strikes.
Water Release: Wild Water Wave (Suiton: Mizurappa)
Rank: C
Use: Fires a pressurized stream of water from the mouth.
Haruki's Use: Uses it for direct offense and terrain control, practicing stream width and power.
Water Release: Water Bullet Technique (Suiton: Suidan no Jutsu)
Rank: C
Use: Condenses water into a high-speed projectile.
Haruki's Use: Practiced for accuracy, especially when in motion.
Water Release: Water Shield Technique (Suijinheki)
Rank: B (pushing into JĹŤnin-level)
Use: Creates a defensive wall of water.
Haruki's Use: Still struggling with forming the shield without a large water source, but slowly mastering it using ocean waves as a base.
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