Chapter 18: Awakening of a Bloodline
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The scene seemed to be repeating itself. Something Mikasa could see clearly.
The man with the axe was raising his weapon. Naruto had his back turned, completely unaware of the danger.
And for an instant, the image before her mixed with a memory.
The death of her mother.
The same moment before losing someone important. But this time, she wasn't going to stand by and watch.
Something inside her reacted before her own mind could. A strange sensation coursed through her entire body. As if something that had always been dormant inside her had finally awakened.
The Ackerman bloodline.
For generations, that blood had carried a hidden power, an ability that awakened in extreme moments, when the life of someone important was in danger.
That power inherited through her blood activated in that moment of extreme danger.
Mikasa's thoughts became clearer. Her senses sharpened.
The world that had seemed to move slowly before became even more precise. She could see every movement and every small detail.
Without thinking, her body moved.
Mikasa rose with a speed that even she hadn't expected, quickly grabbing the knife that had fallen near her.
Her hand tightened around the handle with such force that, without realizing it, she began to crack it slightly.
Her body moved before her thoughts did.
With a speed she had never experienced before, Mikasa charged toward the man with the axe.
Her movement was fast and precise.
In an instant, she crossed the distance between them.
The man barely had time to turn his head.
"Ahhggg!"
Her scream came out filled with a mixture of fear, rage, and determination. Which echoed throughout the cabin.
Mikasa's movement had been precise. Her arm moved through pure skill and instinct.
The knife found an exact point in the man's body, leaving him completely frozen in place.
His eyes widened in surprise as the axe slowly slipped from his hands and fell to the floor.
Death came instantly.
Mikasa remained standing in front of him for a few seconds.
Her breathing was heavy.
She didn't completely understand what had just happened.
She only knew that her body had reacted on its own. As if a part of her had been waiting for this moment all along.
Naruto, who was still holding the second man, slowly turned his gaze toward her. And for the first time since he had entered the cabin, his expression showed a slight hint of surprise at what Mikasa had done.
He wasn't surprised by the dead man, but by what Mikasa had done.
Mikasa slowly lowered the knife, staring at the man who had taken her mother's life.
She didn't know exactly what to feel.
She could only stand there, trying to understand the power that had just awakened within her.
Naruto continued looking at Mikasa, before glancing at the frightened man he was holding.
The man could barely remain standing. Fear had replaced any attempt at resistance, and his eyes darted from Naruto to the bodies of his companions again and again.
"P-please..." he stammered with a broken voice. "No..."
Naruto remained motionless for a few seconds, before making a quick movement toward the man's neck.
When he struck, a horrible sound of cracking bone echoed through the cabin, followed by the man clutching his neck.
He stammered for a few seconds, before collapsing dead onto the floor.
Silence returned to the cabin.
Naruto looked at the man for a second, before turning his attention back to Mikasa.
She was still standing. Her breathing was beginning to stabilize, although her eyes still reflected the intensity of everything that had just happened.
Naruto began to approach, but then, Aetheria's voice sounded.
[Stop there, Naruto.]
Naruto obeyed immediately.
[It would be better to avoid any physical contact with Mikasa Ackerman.]
[Your strength is far too great for her at the moment.]
[Maintain a reasonable distance.]
Naruto remained where he was, before simply nodding.
Mikasa watched the scene in confusion.
It was strange.
That boy seemed willing to help her, yet at the same time, he stopped on his own before getting too close.
Naruto looked at her for a few moments, while words appeared on the display of his lens, before speaking.
"You don't have to worry anymore, Mikasa," Naruto's calm voice sounded. "They can't hurt you anymore."
Mikasa didn't answer immediately. She continued staring at him, trying to understand who he really was.
"Who... are you?" she finally asked.
Naruto remained silent for a moment, remembering a few things, before answering.
"As I said, my name is Naruto Uzumaki," the blue-eyed boy introduced himself. "I'm someone who was just passing through these parts."
Naruto revealed the truth, which simply sounded like someone trying not to appear suspicious.
Mikasa frowned slightly, as she observed the curious boy who had saved her.
"How did you know I was here?"
Naruto remained silent for a few seconds, remembering what he had been doing.
"While I was walking, I managed to see those guys heading somewhere," Naruto said, before pointing toward the kidnappers. "Out of curiosity, I followed them."
It wasn't a lie.
The answer left Mikasa even more confused, but at the same time, there was something about Naruto's serenity that made it difficult to distrust him.
Aetheria continued guiding the conversation.
[Very good, Naruto. Now don't reduce the distance any further.]
[Let her be the one to decide whether she wants to approach you or not.]
Naruto remained motionless. He made no attempt to touch her. He simply held her gaze while patiently waiting.
Just like Naruto, Mikasa also remained motionless, her eyes fixed on the Uzumaki.
The longer she watched him, the harder it became to understand him.
He had defeated two adult men with an ease that seemed impossible. He had reached her without hesitating for even a moment, and yet, ever since he had stopped on his own, he hadn't taken a single step toward her.
He simply remained there, in silence.
Mikasa's fingers slowly began to loosen, releasing the knife, which fell onto the wooden floor with a dry sound.
The small noise echoed throughout the room.
The girl lowered her gaze toward her hands. They were still trembling slightly, not from fear, but because of everything that had just happened.
She had lost her parents.
She had taken the life of the man who murdered her mother.
Her breathing became unsteady again for a few moments, but she slowly managed to regain control.
When she raised her head again, she found Naruto exactly where he had been before. He hadn't moved even an inch.
After several seconds of silence, Mikasa took a small step toward him.
Then another.
The distance between them slowly began to close.
Naruto remained completely still.
The young Ackerman finally stopped a little over a meter away and, for the first time, was able to observe him calmly.
He was only a child, just like her. He didn't seem much older than she was.
His clothes were somewhat worn from the journey, and some dirt covered parts of his clothing. But what caught her attention the most were his eyes.
They didn't convey pity, nor did they show fear. Only a strange tranquility that made it difficult to distrust him.
Mikasa continued watching him for several seconds. Finally, she lowered her head slightly.
"...Thank you."
Her voice was barely a whisper.
Naruto tilted his head slightly in response.
"You're welcome."
Silence fell once again.
Then, Aetheria's voice sounded in Naruto's mind again.
[Naruto.]
[It would be better to leave this place, as it would be very inconvenient for you to remain here.]
[It is advisable to leave as soon as possible.]
Naruto swept his gaze across the interior. From the three fresh corpses on the floor, to the broken door a little farther away.
Finally, he looked back at Mikasa.
"We should leave, Mikasa," Naruto said, as he began heading toward the exit.
Mikasa remained silent.
Her eyes slowly scanned the room one last time. Then she lowered her gaze.
"...I don't have anywhere to go anymore," Mikasa said quietly, without raising her eyes.
Naruto stopped walking, not understanding why those words felt familiar to him.
As he remained silent, Aetheria's voice sounded again.
[Answer her, Naruto. Tell her to come with you.]
Naruto nodded almost imperceptibly.
"Then, you can come with me, Mikasa."
There was no grand speech. No impossible promise. Just a simple invitation.
Mikasa slowly raised her gaze. Her eyes met Naruto's once again.
And, for the first time since she had watched her parents die, she felt that she was no longer completely alone.
Naruto waited in silence.
He didn't start walking again immediately. He remained where he was, giving Mikasa enough time to make the decision herself.
The young Ackerman looked around the cabin one last time. Her eyes slowly passed over the motionless bodies of the kidnappers, the broken ropes, and the destroyed door.
Without saying a word, she took a step toward the exit.
Naruto simply followed her.
The light from outside greeted them as soon as they crossed the threshold. The fresh forest air replaced the heavy smell of blood that had remained inside the cabin.
For a few moments, neither of them spoke.
The only sounds were the distant singing of a few birds and the gentle rustling of leaves stirred by the wind.
Mikasa slightly raised her gaze.
The forest remained exactly as it had been before.
The trees stood still, completely unaware of everything that had happened.
It was strange to think that the world continued moving forward, even after hers had changed forever.
Naruto remained beside her, maintaining the same distance as before.
Aetheria had already instructed him not to pressure her.
For now, the most important thing was for Mikasa to feel that she could walk by her own choice, without anyone forcing her to do so.
They walked for several minutes without exchanging a single word.
The forest path remained peaceful, while the sound of their footsteps blended with the whisper of the wind through the trees.
Little by little, Naruto raised his gaze toward the sky.
The sunlight was beginning to fade. The warm glow of sunset spread across the forest, and the shadows grew longer between the tree trunks.
His attention returned to Mikasa.
The girl walked silently, her gaze lowered. However, Naruto noticed a slight tremor running through her shoulders.
He blinked a couple of times.
Then he remembered something.
While walking through the streets of Shiganshina, he had seen several people giving their coats or scarves to those who were in the same situation as Mikasa.
Some had even insisted on giving her warmer clothes because of the weather: a thick dark-brown jacket and a red scarf.
Naruto lowered his gaze for a moment.
"Right..."
Without saying anything else, he reached one hand into the air. With a simple blink, he pulled out his jacket and scarf.
Mikasa slightly raised her gaze when she saw those clothes appear out of nowhere.
Before she could ask, Naruto extended both items toward her.
"Here," Naruto offered calmly.
The young Ackerman stared at the jacket and scarf for a few seconds, unable to understand how they had appeared.
"The temperature will keep dropping once it gets dark," Naruto said with the same calmness as always. "You'd better cover yourself. Otherwise, the cold will affect you more."
Mikasa remained silent.
Finally, she extended her hands and carefully accepted the clothes.
The scarf was soft to the touch, while the jacket retained a slight warmth, as if it had been protected from the environment until only a moment ago.
Her eyes returned to Naruto. She had more and more questions about him. But, for some reason, none of them seemed as important as that simple gesture of concern.
As the two continued moving away from the cabin at a leisurely pace, neither of them looked back.
Their silhouettes slowly disappeared among the trees, while the forest gradually returned to the calm that had been interrupted minutes earlier.
The wind gently moved the branches, slowly concealing any trace of their presence.
However, neither of them noticed a small figure moving along another path.
Several meters away, a brown-haired boy hurried through the trees.
A red scarf was wrapped around his neck, swaying with every step he took.
His breathing was labored, as he had run almost the entire way.
When the cabin finally appeared among the trees, he quickened his pace even more. Unaware that it was already too late for him.
The person he had come looking for had just been saved by someone else.
And was now leaving with that person.
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