After following the caravan for half a day, Shinju and his team decided it was time to head back to the village.
Just then, Kahiko came rushing over, his face filled with panic.
"Nerugui is missing!"
Naruto frowned in confusion.
"Didn't you say it rarely ever leaves the caravan? Just look around more carefully, right?"
Kahiko hurriedly explained.
"Nerugui disappeared together with that boy named Temujin!"
"You all know Nerugui loves that Temujin boy. It's possible it just followed him."
"You're Konoha shinobi—can you help me find them?"
"I see." Sai nodded. "But before that, we've already delivered the snow ferret to you safe and sound. Our mission is complete."
"If you want us to help you again, you'll need to submit another mission request to Konoha."
Kahiko: "…"
"Do you have to be so rigid? Rules are dead, people are alive!"
"I can pay you double the mission reward, but please, just help me find Nerugui first!"
"Shinju, maybe we should help the old man out." Naruto tugged at Shinju's sleeve. "He even treated us to lunch today."
"Alright."
After thinking for a moment, Shinju nodded.
He was already curious about this Temujin. This would be a good chance to investigate while they searched for the snow ferret.
With that in mind, Shinju grabbed Sai and Naruto by their arms.
"When he fainted earlier, I placed a Flying Thunder God seal on his armor."
The moment he finished speaking, the three of them vanished on the spot.
Kahiko stood there, dumbfounded, staring at where they had been. Then his hands trembled as he gave a shaky thumbs-up.
"As expected of Konoha shinobi… reliable!!"
Beside him, his granddaughter's eyes were sparkling with excitement.
"Grandpa, that red-haired shinobi is sooo handsome! (´◊ω◊｀)"
Kahiko covered his face, speechless. He admired these little shinobi, yes—but that didn't mean he was going to let them take his precious granddaughter away!
"We've traveled across so many lands," Kahiko sighed. "You've seen all kinds of men—what's so special about one shinobi?"
His granddaughter pouted.
"But none of them are as handsome, as strong, or as mysterious as him! I just like him, okay?! (*￣3￣)"
...
Above a valley.
Shinju and his team suddenly appeared behind Temujin like phantoms.
Temujin flinched in shock and immediately drew his sword, thrusting it backward!
At the very last instant, Shinju drew the bone blade from his waist and blocked the strike perfectly.
Clang!
Crack!!!
With one clash, Temujin's longsword snapped cleanly in half.
Both of them froze on the spot.
Temujin was stunned that his sword had been so fragile.
Shinju, on the other hand, was shocked by how insanely durable Kimimaro's bones were…
Awkwardly holding the broken blade, Temujin asked,
"Why did you suddenly appear behind me like that?"
"If you wanted to leave, fine," Naruto complained, "but why did you have to take the old man's snow ferret with you?"
Temujin pouted. "You think I wanted to bring it? It insisted on following me! →_→"
"Then just hand it over to us and we'll head back."
Sai interjected calmly.
Naruto nodded in agreement.
Temujin glanced at the distant mountains, then at the snow ferret perched on his shoulder.
"How about this—you guys come with me to meet Haido-sama first?"
"Our base isn't far from here. If you come with me, I'll let you take the snow ferret back afterward."
Naruto groaned. "So we still have to go even further? That's such a hassle…"
Unlike Naruto, Shinju's face showed curiosity.
He wanted to figure out the source of Temujin's strange energy… and he was also intrigued by this Haido-sama Temujin spoke so highly of.
However, before Shinju could say anything—
The ground suddenly began to tremble!
The vibrations grew stronger and stronger, as if some colossal beast hundreds of meters tall was approaching!
"Look!"
Sai pointed toward the distant mountains, his eyes wide with shock.
Shinju and Naruto quickly followed his gaze.
There, emerging between the peaks, was an enormous steel giant!
A rough estimate put its height at least a hundred meters—maybe closer to two hundred!
Its entire body was encased in steel plating, with bursts of steam venting from its upper structures.
Shinju's eyes widened slightly.
He hadn't expected to see something like this in this world—a massive mobile steel fortress!
Before long, the steel fortress lumbered right up to where they stood.
Clunk—
A large hatch at the base of the fortress slowly opened.
Temujin gestured invitingly.
"This is our base. Don't you want to take a look inside?"
"Yes! Yes! Yes!"
Naruto and Shinju nodded furiously in unison.
No man could resist the temptation of giant machinery.
The three followed Temujin into the steel fortress.
Walking across the cold metal floors, Shinju felt almost disoriented, as if he'd stepped out of the wilderness and into the heart of a new civilization.
Such advanced machinery… this was his first time seeing anything like it on this continent.
Before long, Temujin led them into the main hall of the fortress.
At the center sat a man wearing a half-rimmed monocle.
He wore flowing robes, a tall hat, and had a refined, scholarly air. His warm smile gave off the impression of a friendly neighbor.
Yet Shinju couldn't shake the feeling that there was something… fake about that smile.
The moment Temujin saw the man, he dropped to one knee and bowed deeply.
"Haido-sama."
"In your report, you said you found people whose bodies hold a strange energy. Are these the three you mentioned?" Haido lowered his gaze, examining Shinju and his companions.
"Yes, Haido-sama."
Temujin then drew his broken sword and shifted into a battle stance, facing Shinju's group.
"Come on! Show Haido-sama your chakra in battle!"
Shinju's team: (ー_ー)!!
"I refuse."
All three answered in unison.
From Temujin's tone, it sounded like he was treating them as some kind of circus show.
Haido chuckled softly from his central seat.
"My apologies, my subordinate was being rude."
He rose from his seat and approached Naruto.
"I hear you possess strength equal to—or even greater than—Temujin's? You call this power… 'chakra,' correct?"
Naruto shook his head firmly.
"Nope. My strength is way beyond Temujin's."
Haido smiled faintly.
"Since you have such power, would you consider using it for the sake of world peace?"
"With great power comes great responsibility."
"Join me, and together we can build an ideal nation—one without conflict, where the weak are never oppressed. I need your strength."
Shinju's expression twisted slightly.
This guy… sounded exactly like some shady cult leader trying to recruit followers!
Sai remained expressionless, as if he hadn't heard anything at all.
Among the three, only Naruto showed some hesitation.
"It… sounds kinda tempting, but I'm gonna be Hokage one day, so I can't just leave with you guys."
As they were talking, Nerugui poked its head out from Temujin's armor, baring its teeth at Haido.
"And what's this?" Haido asked, pointing at the creature.
Temujin quickly explained, "It belongs to a merchant caravan. It's been following me around."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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