"You're going to Takumi Village too? Did the future you pass along some new information again?"
"Don't worry about that. Just take me there."
Shiori didn't seem inclined to continue this topic. After reaching out to take the clothes Ryouma handed her with both hands, she silently rustled as she put them on.
"Alright, but they just went through a major battle over there. The conditions probably won't be very good."
Ryouma felt that during the fighting in Takumi Village, he had already held back as much as possible. But when two combatants at or above the Six Paths level clash head-on, even if they're mostly using taijutsu, the damage to the surrounding environment is still immense.
Come to think of it, under impacts of that magnitude, the underground drainage system of Takumi Village didn't even burst. That alone was proof of how solid the local craftsmen's spirit really was.
Hearing Ryouma's words of mild warning, Shiori snorted softly and began to activate Tenno Kobun.
"Do you take me for some pampered girl? Back when we slept in tents together, I didn't complain about a thing."
With that said, what objection could Ryouma possibly have? He could only go along with her.
"Alright, we can go."
Shiori briskly fastened her ninja tool pouch, then took Ryouma's left hand.
"Leaving just like that without telling your father?" Ryouma tilted his head slightly toward Shiori, a hint of doubt in his eyes.
"No need to bother with him," Shiori replied curtly.
---
In the distant open sea thousands of kilometers away, the power unleashed in Ryouma and Isshiki's battle caused waves to surge layer upon layer, roaring toward the continents with overwhelming force.
The Land of Rivers bore the brunt of it, suffering the fiercest assault.
Several waves, each more than ten meters high, rampaged like ferocious beasts. Wherever they passed, devastation was left in their wake.
Several coastal towns were mercilessly swallowed. Buildings collapsed under the impact of the colossal waves, and the streets were strewn with shattered bricks and debris washed ashore.
Fortunately, this catastrophe born of unnatural forces came as quickly as it went, and did not deal a truly devastating blow. The same situation occurred in other countries affected by the tsunami.
When the tide finally receded, the once picturesque beaches were unrecognizable, having effectively turned into gigantic garbage dumps. Large numbers of marine creatures were ruthlessly hurled onto the shore, piled haphazardly together, long since lifeless. Under the scorching sun, the corpses emitted waves of nauseating stench. Scattered across the beach were also the wreckage of old wooden ships. Judging by the rotten planks and broken masts, it was hard to tell from which era these vessels came.
A cloud of sand slowly drifted down from the sky and came to rest atop a rocky hill that had been scoured completely clean by the waves.
The sand cloud gradually dispersed, revealing the figures of Orochimaru and Shukaku.
"Thank you, Shukaku."
Orochimaru was a very courteous person. Even when facing a tailed beast that everyone else avoided, he maintained his usual composure.
Shukaku cast a flat glance at Orochimaru.
"No need to thank me. I only did it to protect the Flying Thunder God kunai on you."
Orochimaru merely chuckled softly in response, paying no mind to Shukaku's cold attitude. Compared to that, what interested him more was Shukaku's control over chakra. Under normal circumstances, a tailed beast's raw strength didn't amount to much in the eyes of true experts. Only when paired with a jinchūriki with whom it shared perfect understanding could its power be fully realized.
Yet the One-Tail before him seemed able to wield its strength remarkably well on its own.
They didn't have to wait long. The space in front of Orochimaru and Shukaku flickered slightly, and Ryouma appeared, bringing Shiori with him.
The moment Shukaku saw Ryouma, its eyes instantly lit up. With a sudden pounce, it crashed straight into Ryouma's arms, rubbing its head against him over and over, completely losing the aloof, high-and-mighty demeanor it had shown when facing Orochimaru just moments earlier.
A doting smile appeared on Ryouma's face as he lifted a hand and vigorously ruffled Shukaku's head.
Orochimaru calmly glanced at Shiori, then quickly shifted his attention to more important matters. He looked at Ryouma and asked somewhat urgently, "About that enemy called Jigen..."
"Don't worry," Ryouma knew exactly what Orochimaru was concerned about and replied without the slightest hesitation. "He's already dead, yes, in every sense of the word."
Hearing Ryouma's firm words, the weight that had been hanging in Orochimaru's heart finally lifted.
There was no helping it. Jigen had been far too powerful, and he'd made it perfectly clear that Orochimaru himself was the target. This time, thankfully, someone strong enough had stepped in to block him. If the enemy hadn't been completely finished off, he probably wouldn't have shown his face openly in the shinobi world again.
For no other reason than a simple fear of death.
"By the way, according to what he said, his true name should actually be Ōtsutsuki Isshiki. His origins are rather complicated. Once we get back to Takumi Village and I finish searching his brain, I'll explain it to you in detail."
As he spoke, Ryouma placed a hand on Orochimaru's shoulder and another on Shiori's.
In the blink of an eye, space twisted once more, and the three figures vanished instantly.
---
The surrounding scenery shifted like a fleeting illusion.
But what came into view next was not the interior of an inn. It was an empty stretch of land. Well, not entirely empty. A few bare, skeletal walls still stood stubbornly in place.
Shiori swept her gaze over the desolate surroundings. She could also see several injured villagers huddled together in corners, clinging to one another.
Their bodies trembled uncontrollably.
She hesitated before asking, "This is where we're staying next?"
So Ryouma's earlier comment about the conditions "not being very good" had been a conservative understatement. Even pitching a tent here would probably be uncomfortable, with all the rubble on the ground digging into you.
Orochimaru spoke up calmly from the side. "This area is too close to where Ryouma fought, so it suffered some collateral damage. There are other inns on the western side of the village."
He often came to Takumi Village to make purchases and was very familiar with the terrain. He led the two of them at an unhurried pace toward the relatively intact western part of the village.
Along the way, Ryouma could vaguely hear villagers muttering curses under their breath at the serpent that Orochimaru had transformed into.
After all, both Ryouma and Jigen were the sort who kept things "presentable." The shockwaves from their exchanges had made it impossible for anyone to approach the battlefield.
So, in the eyes of ordinary villagers who didn't know the truth, the first thing they'd seen, a hideous monster of a giant serpent, naturally became the prime suspect in the destruction of their village.
Which was perfectly reasonable.
To be honest, Ryouma did feel a twinge of guilt toward these villagers.
But only a twinge.
After all, Isshiki's ultimate goal had been to replant the God Tree and drain the planet of its last remaining nutrients. Ryouma had successfully stopped that catastrophe at its source. By that logic, he had indirectly saved these villagers' lives.
So really, they ought to be thanking him.
When it came to refusing to spiral into pointless inner turmoil, Ryouma had always taken Obito as his role model. He quickly finished adjusting his mindset.
The three of them continued forward in silence. Just as they turned a street corner, a familiar voice suddenly drifted over from not far away.
"Wait for me!"
They saw Kirin calling out anxiously as she hurried over at a light run.
Shiori's gaze was instantly drawn to the flame-like red chakra cloak wrapped around the girl's body. She turned her head toward Ryouma without saying a word and simply stared straight at him.
Being stared at like that made Ryouma feel uncomfortable all over. He coughed lightly and explained, "Her father is the craftsman who forges swords for me. I happened to run into her nearby before the fighting started, so I gave her a bit of chakra for protection."
"Oh? Is that so?"
Shiori slightly raised her chin. There was an inscrutable look hidden in her eyes, which made Ryouma inexplicably feel guilty.
That's not right. I didn't do anything wrong. Why am I feeling guilty? he thought, then straightened his chest and put on a frank, open expression.
Taking advantage of the pause in conversation, Kirin finally ran up to Ryouma.
"I'm so glad you're okay."
She was gasping for breath, clearly having run around nearby for quite some time.
Ryouma snapped his fingers, and the red fox chakra cloak quickly receded from Kirin.
"Didn't I tell you to go back and find your father?"
"S-sorry. I did do as you said and ran back, but halfway there a huge sandstorm suddenly blew up. I couldn't see anything on the streets, so I hid in a corner, and then I ran into you again."
Kirin lowered her head timidly, not meeting Ryouma's eyes.
"I'm telling you, there's really nothing to apologize for. But the chakra cloak I gave you would have fully protected you in the sandstorm. You could've just run straight home."
"Huh? So that's how it works?"
Hearing this, Kirin only felt that she had been incredibly foolish, wasting the chakra Ryouma had given her.
Ryouma sighed helplessly. "Sigh... Hurry back home first and let your father know you're safe. He must be very worried about you."
Kirin nodded obediently. "Okay, I'll go back right away. Um, are you heading back to your lodgings now?"
"Ah, don't even mention it. Our place was too close to the battlefield and got completely flattened. We're looking for another inn right now."
"Is that so? That's great!"
Kirin blurted it out in excitement, but the moment the words left her mouth she realized it sounded wrong. Her face flushed red as she hurriedly added, "Sorry! I mean, you can temporarily stay at my house for a few days."
"Your house?" Ryouma echoed unconsciously.
"Yes, yes!"
Kirin nodded repeatedly.
"Our backyard is pretty big, and there are lots of empty guest rooms. You can stay as long as you want."
Who knew what kind of scene she was imagining. She grew more and more animated as she spoke, a bit like that salesman at the exhibition hall who had been enthusiastically introducing appliances to Ryouma before.
Speaking of which, Ryouma wondered whether that salesman, what was his name... Anyway, he had managed to escape safely.
"The Chiko Sword Shop is at the far western edge. It probably wasn't affected much, and Masamune would surely be happy to host us," Orochimaru spoke calmly, his tone betraying no particular emotion.
For him, it didn't really matter where he stayed. Going to the Chiko household wasn't a bad option. In fact, he still had an unfinished deal with Masamune, and this would be a good opportunity to move it forward.
"Mm..."
Ryouma fell into brief contemplation, already feeling somewhat tempted.
The main purpose of his trip this time was to reforge Lostvayne. If he could stay directly at the bladesmith's home, communication would naturally be much more convenient, and many requirements could be discussed and resolved far more efficiently.
Thinking this, he subconsciously turned his head to look at Shiori.
"I have no objections. You can decide."
Before he could even ask, Shiori saw through his thoughts at a glance and gave a concise reply.
With all three in agreement, a smile appeared on Ryouma's face as he looked at Kirin and said, "Then we'll be troubling you."
"Please don't say that. It's no trouble at all!"
Kirin waved her hands vigorously.
"Then let's go."
"Yes!"
---
On the western streets of Takumi Village, the Chiko Sword Shop stood quietly.
Just as Orochimaru had said, this area had largely avoided the fighting. Only some debris blown in by strong winds was scattered across the streets.
As soon as Kirin opened the door to her home, she couldn't wait to shout loudly inside, "Father! I'm back!"
Given the chaos outside, her father must have been terribly worried about her. However, the house was silent. No one answered.
"That's strange..."
Kirin was full of confusion. Her brows knit together as she led Ryouma and the others further inside.
The moment they stepped into the backyard, a crisp, rhythmic hammering sound rang out from the forge.
The three followed the sound and saw Masamune completely absorbed in hammering a piece of iron ore. His upper body was bare. With every powerful strike, tiny sparks jumped from the anvil, landing on his sweat-soaked arms before evaporating away.
Masamune keenly sensed the gazes from behind and abruptly stopped his movements.
His brows furrowed tightly.
"Can't you see the sign hanging at the door? I'm not taking work these days. Oh! Oh! So it's you!"
The somewhat ferocious look in his eyes instantly cleared when they fell on Ryouma standing among the group.
The expression on his face switched just as quickly, changing from impatience to a smile.
This man was the key figure who would bring glory to his family history in the future.
"Kirin, what have I taught you? With Ryouma-san gracing us with his presence, why didn't you inform me earlier? This is terribly discourteous. Oh, right, what about the cutting discs I told you to buy this morning?"
Masamune turned to his daughter.
Kirin felt a little speechless. With such chaos outside, hadn't he noticed anything at all?
"I'm very sorry, Father. Just now outside there was..."
"Allow me to explain the details instead. After all, you were hiding in a corner and didn't really see much, did you?"
Ryouma raised his hand, stopping Kirin before she could continue explaining.