Seiran breathed a sigh of relief as Shibi approached. He turned to Might Duy and Guy with a smile. "Senior Duy, since my teacher has agreed, you can join our squad."
Might Duy's face brightened, but he glanced uncertainly at Ryosuke, whose expression suggested he was contemplating disappearing into the earth itself. What was he supposed to do now? People were inviting them. If he refused and made Shibi worry about him, she'd definitely find time to deal with him on the road.
With Ryosuke's reluctant silence, Duy's nose tingled. Tears welled up in his eyes before he could stop them, and he surged forward to wrap his massive arms around Seiran.
"Whoohoo, thank you so much! The flames of my youth are burning hotly again!"
Seiran instinctively twisted away, desperately trying to keep the man's tears off his clothes. Behind them, Anko Mitarashi and Rin Uchiha had just arrived, and they stopped dead at the sight.
"Seiran... when did you get so affectionate?" Rin asked, her dark eyes narrowed with amusement.
"It's surprising," Anko added, tilting her head slightly. "Beneath all that laziness and that bottomless appetite, he's actually pretty sunny."
Duy's iron grip made Seiran feel like his ribs might crack.
"Duy—Senior Duy, let go. Please."
"Ah, sorry, sorry!" Duy released him immediately, stepping back with an apologetic bow.
Seiran gasped for breath, straightening his clothes. He was about to speak when Might Duy and Guy suddenly knelt down together, holding each other as tears streamed down their faces.
"Guy, did you hear that? Someone actually invited us to join their squad!"
"Yes, Father! I'm so moved!"
"This is the true flame of youth, Guy! Let it burn eternal!"
"Yes, Father!"
An awkward silence fell over the group. Rin covered her face with her palm, sighing deeply. "I take back what I said. Having these two join us will be a problem."
"Maybe not," Anko offered with an awkward smile. "Guy's personality is unusual, but he's reliable when it matters."
Taro Iyama, the caravan leader, finally stammered, "Uh... can we move out now?"
His impatience had been building for minutes, but when he'd noticed how respectfully—almost fearfully—Ryosuke treated Shibi Aburame, something had shifted. This ninja must be incredibly strong and highly ranked. Absolutely not someone to offend. So he'd stood there, watching Duy and Guy's emotional display unfold.
"We can proceed," Shibi said simply, nodding at the group.
---
Hours later, the caravan wound through the Land of Fire's forests, traveling along roads cut through dense wilderness. Within it, two completely separate scenes unfolded.
Around Shibi, caravan members crowded like flies on honey.
"Lord Shibi, this watermelon is from the Land of Grass—exceptionally sweet. You should try it."
"Lord Shibi, this is beef in special sauce from the Land of Iron. Truly exceptional."
"Lord Shibi, this—"
On the opposite side, Jianren bit into dry rations, his eyes practically glowing green as he stared at the feast surrounding Shibi.
"Those bastards," he muttered. "When we arrived, they were all over us. Now they've abandoned us like we're nothing."
"Keep your voice down," Ryosuke hissed, his entire body tensing. "If Aburame Shibi hears you, we're finished."
Jianren's neck shrunk into his shoulders. "Ryosuke-sama, is she really that terrifying? You're a shinobi too. Why are you so afraid?"
"It's not fear," Ryosuke whispered, glancing around nervously. "It's respect. Respect for strength. Shibi Aburame is legendary among the jonin ranks."
He leaned in closer. "Before she left the ANBU, she ran missions with a nine in ten casualty rate. She broke entire organizations. Always worked alone. No one walks away from her in one piece."
"I never expected her to take on a team. If I'd known, I never would have... let her worry. It's the most terrifying thing I've ever experienced."
Jianren swallowed hard, suddenly very interested in his dry rations.
Across the caravan, Shibi's frown deepened as she tuned out the endless chatter.
"Incredible. No wonder Ryosuke respects her so much," one caravan member whispered to another. "Even this food doesn't reach her eyes."
"That's the cold demeanor of the truly strong, I think."
"Lord Shibi's presence is like a mountain. We can only worship."
The sycophancy was reaching fever pitch. Seiran watched the rainbow of flattery bloom around Shibi and had to suppress a gag.
Don't they realize she's ignoring them because she has social anxiety?
He understood Shibi far too well. Behind that cold exterior was a woman who panicked when surrounded. Numb. Distant. He could practically hear her inner monologue: Why are they staring at me? Do I have something on my face? Stop looking, stop looking... Make it stop, please hurry up!
Seiran's eyes gleamed with determination. I know what I have to do. A good student saves his teacher from suffering.
He rushed forward and snatched the watermelon from a caravan member's hands.
"Wow, the legendary watermelon from the Land of Grass! Look at all that juice!" He bit into it eagerly, juice dripping down his chin. "And this beef from the Land of Iron—incredible aroma! I'd be foolish to pass this up!"
The caravan members froze, anger flickering across their faces. But since Shibi said nothing, they held their tongues.
"Hey, Rin, Anko, Senior Duy—you've got to try this!" Seiran called out, watermelon rind stuck to his face as he grinned. "This is something special!"
Rin's jaw dropped. Anko's eyes went wide.
"This is... unexpected," Rin said weakly.
"I hope they don't get angry," Anko muttered. "The mission just started. Trouble now would be bad."
But Might Duy and Guy didn't hesitate for a second. They charged over and started devouring watermelon pieces alongside Seiran.
"Delicious!"
"So moved! Seiran shares his treasure with us! The flames of youth burn brighter!"
They embraced each other, tears streaming down their faces.
Ryosuke's team watched in stunned silence, the dry rations suddenly tasting like ash in their mouths.