Hyuga Shigeo heard this and laughed softly. He stepped forward, gently patting Nadeshiko Shizuka's head.
"Imouto (little sister), be good. You'll meet someone you truly like in the future. You're still too young right now; you can't be saying things like marriage, you understand? Otherwise, your mother would be heartbroken if she heard this!"
"But Shigeo-nii, I like you!" little Shizuka said, her face full of grievance. This onii-san was so handsome, he had defeated pirates that even grown shinobi couldn't handle, and he saved them. Shouldn't their village be inviting him as a guest instead?
"I really can't bear to part with you… uuu…"
The little girl began crying again. Shigeo comforted her patiently until she calmed down. Then she pointed to her own cheek and said:
"Onii-san, if you like me, then kiss me here. My mother said, someone who kisses you must like you, so you'll kiss me too, right?"
If her earlier words about marriage could still be brushed off as childish nonsense, then asking for a kiss now felt… different.
The other three Nadeshiko kunoichi were shocked.
"Shizuka-sama, you can't do this! In our Nadeshiko Village, women are always reserved. The man must defeat you in battle before being allowed to kiss you. How can you let him now…"
But their words trailed off. Among the people present, who could possibly defeat this child?
He looked only five or six years old, yet he had slain three pirates and saved them. Forget Shizuka—even if the three of them joined forces, they likely wouldn't be his match.
"Why not? Why can't I?" Shizuka suddenly broke free from the adult holding her and rushed forward. She planted a kiss directly on Shigeo's cheek.
That soft, fragrant kiss instantly made Shigeo's face burn like fire. Before, when someone kissed him, it had always been innocent and childlike. But this time, little Shizuka spoke of marriage and husbands… How could he not feel embarrassed?
"Shigeo-nii, I'll wait for you in Nadeshiko Village. When you grow up, you must come find me, okay? I'll be waiting…"
She waved at him before returning to her dumbfounded companions.
Shigeo also waved back, consoling himself in his heart. She was only three or four years old. With time, she would surely forget everything that happened today.
Leaving the coast of the Land of Fire, Shigeo used his other-dimensional transfer, appearing directly at the largest port in the Land of Water… the White Elephant Port!
The town's largest restaurant was packed. Shigeo entered, found a corner, ordered some dishes, and prepared to eat well before continuing his journey.
Voices from the nearby tables drifted into his ears.
"Did you hear? Yesterday, the Conch Ship that docked here encountered the Pirate Trio near the Split Islands!"
"What? They ran into the Pirate Trio and survived? That's unprecedented!"
"Exactly. I heard they only lost three shinobi and one sailor, and the infamous Pirate Trio might have been completely wiped out this time!"
"Who did it? Which village's shinobi?"
"Not shinobi. Rumor says it was a child who defeated the Pirate Trio…"
The entire hall erupted in disbelief.
"Impossible! How could a child beat the Pirate Trio? Those pirates are the strongest in this sea. For years, no one even knew who they were until survivors spoke up. How could such powerful pirates be destroyed by a kid? It must've been the shinobi. Didn't they say three shinobi died on that ship? Maybe it was their doing…"
Others quickly chimed in, defending their own theories.
Shigeo ignored the chatter and continued eating.
Just then, a group of men in sailor's clothes entered, clearly used to the sea. One of them called out:
"Finally unloaded the cargo safely! Time to reward ourselves. Boss, bring your best food and sake! Tonight, we eat and drink properly—to calm our nerves!"
"Yes, yes! Even now I can't believe we made it back alive to the Land of Water," another agreed.
Everyone in the hall turned their attention toward the newcomers. Someone whispered:
"They're the crew from the Conch Ship. I've seen them before!"
Immediately, the whole place perked up. People living in port towns loved hearing sea stories, and this one was unprecedented—the Pirate Trio, undefeated for over a decade, being wiped out? Their curiosity was burning.
"Hey, look! Isn't that him?" one of the Conch crew shouted, pointing.
The others followed his gaze and spotted a familiar figure: a small boy in the corner, eating noodles. His short black hair, his eyes closed, yet radiating an unusual and sacred aura.
"It's him! Our savior!"
The group rushed over, grabbing Shigeo's hand.
"No… not 'kid'—our great benefactor! We didn't expect to meet you here! We were so worried you might be in danger against those pirates, but to see you again—"
Once, they had called him "little guy." But after saving their entire ship, he had become a godlike figure in their hearts, untouchable and sacred.
Shigeo had just taken a bite of noodles when the group suddenly grabbed him. The chopsticks shook, splashing soup everywhere. He hurriedly slurped the mouthful down before speaking.
"So it's you guys. I didn't see the Conch at port, thought you'd unloaded and left already."
They shook their heads.
"No, no—we're at Pier Three, a bit far from here. Benefactor, we've ordered the best food and sake—please join us! Chousei, go call the captain and Jiroumaru-dono from the ship. Tell them we found our savior at the Shinryuu Restaurant!"
"Yes, right away!" one sailor sprinted out.
The entire hall buzzed with shock.
"Wow… he really is just a kid. Looks five or six at most. He actually defeated the Pirate Trio? Incredible!"
(End of Chapter)
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