Chapter 208: A Boy Must Protect Himself When Traveling

Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye.

In the Hokage's office, Shizune stood before Shinho, her expression hesitant. She wanted to accompany him to the Land of Demons for the mission, but her duties kept her tied to the village.

As the Hokage's secretary, she had to oversee things in his absence.

"Aunt Mikoto's done an excellent job," Shinho said with satisfaction, setting down a report.

Konoha's police force, led by Mikoto Uchiha, had conducted a thorough investigation of the village's three casinos. Unsurprisingly, their owners had connections to Fire Country nobility.

However, such backgrounds held little sway over Shinho.

The investigation revealed that these casinos had engaged in plenty of shady practices, such as collaborating with underground banks to burden gamblers with high-interest loans.

In the ninja world, banks did exist—as evidenced by Jiraiya showing Naruto his passbook in the original story.

With this knowledge, Shinho had no qualms about taking action. 

The Konoha Police Force swiftly seized control of the casinos, leveraging the Sharingan's unique capabilities.

For now, Shinho left casinos outside the village alone, planning to address them later. Since Tsunade rarely left Konoha after becoming Hokage, handling these three establishments sufficed for now.

From this point on, whether Tsunade won or lost at gambling, it would make no difference to Shinho as any money she spent would simply circulate within his control.

However, this arrangement needed to remain a secret. Knowing Tsunade's personality, she wouldn't be pleased, as her gambling wasn't about winning money; it was her hobby. If she wanted to win, she could easily cheat using ninjutsu.

[Achievement Unlocked: "Gambling God" – Reward: Ghostface Gu.]

[Ghostface Gu: Rank Four Gu, Soul Path. It delivers a powerful shock to the soul.]

Two lines of text appeared before Shinho's eyes.

A gambling god? Shinho thought with amusement.

The Ghostface Gu was an advanced version of the Rank Three Ghost Cry Gu. Although it wasn't Rank Five, its rarity and effects made it incredibly useful—especially in the ninja world, where defenses against soul-based techniques were exceedingly rare.

"Shizune-nee, what's on your mind?" Shinho asked, noticing her distracted expression.

"Nothing," Shizune said quickly, shaking her head. "It's time for you to go; it's almost nine o'clock."

"I'll leave Konoha in your hands, Shizune-nee," Shinho said, closing the file and smiling at her.

"It's my responsibility," Shizune replied. After hesitating for a moment, she added softly, "Be careful... and come back soon."

Her voice grew quieter as she spoke, barely audible by the end.

"I promise to return as quickly as possible," Shinho assured her. He stepped closer, leaned down, and whispered near her ear, "But... will there be a reward waiting for me?"

Shizune trembled slightly and instinctively stepped back, but Shinho caught her in a firm embrace.

"Shizune-nee," Shinho said, giving her a playful pat on the back of her pencil skirt. "You know exactly what kind of reward I want."

Shizune's face turned crimson as she bit her lip, her thoughts flustered.

"Wait for me to return," Shinho said, biting her gently on the corner of her lips before turning and leaving.

As Shinho left, Shizune's legs gave out, and she sank to the floor, her black-stockinged legs sprawled ungracefully across the ground. Her mind went completely blank.

…

At Konoha's gate, Sasuke Uchiha and Karin Uzumaki were already waiting. The two stood apart from each other, maintaining an awkward silence.

Sasuke's quiet demeanor was natural, while Karin was simply preoccupied with thoughts of Shinho.

Moments later, Karin's eyes lit up as she spotted him approaching. She hurried forward, exclaiming, "Shinho-ni—Shinho-kun."

Realizing Sasuke was present, she quickly corrected herself.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Shinho said with a nod. "Let's move out."

As he walked, Karin hurried forward, and walked side by side with him, while Sasuke silently followed behind.

Leaving the Forest of Death, the three began running.

There were two routes to the Land of Demons: one passed through the Lands of Fire, Rain, Bird, and Bear, while the other traversed the Lands of Fire, Wind, and Bear.

Shinho chose the latter to avoid the Land of Rain, where the Akatsuki were active.

Nagato possessed a technique called the Rain Tiger at Will Jutsu, which allowed him to sense intruders through rainfall. 

Since it rained constantly in the Land of Rain, or Nagato would create artificial rain as needed, this technique effectively served as a detection system.

Jiraiya had fallen victim to this jutsu in the original timeline. Simply put, anyone entering the Land of Rain would be discovered by Nagato.

Unwilling to risk a confrontation with Nagato yet, Shinho wisely avoided the region.

…

As night fell, the group entered the Land of Wind.

Karin's impressive chakra reserves, inherited from the Uzumaki clan, gave her exceptional stamina. 

Sasuke's Mangekyō Sharingan had enhanced his overall abilities, making long-distance travel manageable. As for Shinho, endurance was never an issue.

Traveling together, the three covered a day's worth of distance in less time than most ninja, reaching the northern part of the Land of Wind by nightfall. They would likely reach the Land of Demons by midday tomorrow.

"This mission involves ninja from Iwagakure and Kumogakure," Shinho explained as they rested around a campfire. "There's a chance we'll run into conflicts with them."

"What should we do if that happens?" Karin asked eagerly, clenching her fists. "Can we take them down?"

"Of course," Shinho replied with a smile. "If they pick a fight, we won't back down. Fight them head-on."

"Got it!" Karin said, practically bouncing with anticipation.

Sasuke, too, felt a stir of excitement. Kumogakure-ninja was known for its mastery of Lightning Release, and he had long wanted to test his skills against their ninja. Perhaps this mission would provide an opportunity.

"But don't go looking for trouble," Shinho warned, giving Karin a pointed look. Her enthusiasm made it seem like she might start a fight the moment they encountered anyone.

"I won't!" Karin said with a cheeky grin. "I'm a good girl."

"Are these otherworldly demons really that powerful?" Sasuke suddenly asked.

"They're about as strong as tailed beasts," Shinho replied casually.

Sasuke's eyes gleamed with interest.

The Uchiha clan's records often described the Mangekyō Sharingan as the ultimate weapon against tailed beasts. Now, he had a chance to test that claim.

"I've heard that Shion, the priestess of the Land of Demons, can predict the future. Is that true?" Karin asked, curious.

"Mostly true," Shinho replied. He said "mostly" because, in the original story, Shion had predicted Naruto's death, but the outcome had proven otherwise. This suggested her predictions weren't absolute—they could be defied.

"Really?" Karin gasped in surprise.

"Shion isn't the only one with foresight. There's also the Great Toad Sage of legend," Shinho explained with a smile. 

"It resides in Mount Myōboku, one of the Three Great Sage Regions. It's lived for a thousand years and was even friends with the Sage of Six Paths."

"I remember Shinho-kun is contracted with Shikkotsu Forest," Karin said suddenly. "Does the Slug Sage have similar abilities?"

"No," Shinho said, shaking his head. "Each of the three Sages has unique talents."

"Is that so?" Karin fell into deep thought. 

Upon reaching the Land of Demons, perhaps she could ask Priestess Shion about her future. She wanted to know if she would end up marrying Shinho.

"Get some rest; we'll set off again tomorrow," Shinho said, clapping his hands. "I'll use kaikachu insects to keep watch, so there's no need for you to take shifts."

Not far away, three tents had been set up. Sasuke Uchiha nodded silently and entered the tent on the right.

As soon as Sasuke left, Karin immediately sidled up to Shinho, clinging to his arm. Pressing her soft body against him, she tilted her head and asked expectantly, "Shall we sleep together?"

"Don't say weird things. Go to bed," Shinho replied, pulling his arm free. It wasn't that he minded her touch, but being too close to Karin made it hard for him to keep his thoughts straight.

Disappointment flickered across Karin's face. She pouted slightly but obediently retreated to her own tent.

As the night deepened, Shinho lay inside his sleeping bag. Suddenly, a familiar scent drifted into his nose. Without opening his eyes, he reached out and pinched a cheek.

"Eep!" Karin squeaked in surprise. "It's me, Shinho-nii."

"I know it's you," Shinho said flatly, opening one eye to glare at her. "Otherwise, you'd be getting a fist to the face."

"I couldn't sleep," Karin said with a sheepish smile, inching closer to him.

The subtle fragrance she carried filled the small space. Faced with her eager expression, Shinho couldn't stay angry. 

His gaze softened as he took in her close-up features. Karin's fair, supple skin glowed faintly in the moonlight, and her cheeks carried a soft pink hue, making her appear irresistibly adorable.

He snorted softly. Sooner or later, I'll make you regret being this bold.

"Go to sleep," Shinho said, closing his eyes.

"Got it!" Karin replied cheerfully.

She unrolled her sleeping bag beside his and snuggled in close. Satisfied, she quickly drifted into a peaceful slumber.

By the time dawn broke, Shinho woke to find Karin sprawled over him. 

At some point, she had left her sleeping bag and climbed onto him in her sleep. Her arms were wrapped tightly around his torso, and her face was nestled against his chest, a contented smile on her lips.

"Karin," Shinho said, pinching her nose gently. "Wake up."

Still half-asleep, Karin yawned, her eyes fluttering open. Slowly, she retracted her leg from where it had draped across him.

"Good morning, Shinho-nii," she said with a grin.

Shinho nodded and unzipped his sleeping bag. Since they were camping in the wild, he had slept fully dressed to be ready for any emergencies.

Exiting the tent, he found Sasuke already awake. A newly lit fire crackled nearby, and Sasuke had fetched two buckets of clean river water.

Shinho joined him to wash up, ignoring Sasuke's curious glances.

Sasuke's sharp eyes had caught Karin emerging from Shinho's tent.

What the…? he thought, momentarily stunned. 

Though Karin's infatuation with Shinho was obvious, Sasuke hadn't expected her to act so boldly.

Women are terrifying, Sasuke thought, shivering slightly as he recalled Sakura Haruno. 

Something told him that she was capable of similarly reckless behavior. Luckily, he could overpower her if necessary.

[Achievement Unlocked: "A Boy Must Protect Himself When Traveling" – Reward: Triplet Gu.]

[Triplet Gu: Rank Three Gu. Guarantees the birth of triplets. Only usable by pregnant women.]

Mid-brushstroke, Shinho paused, glancing at Sasuke out of the corner of his eye.

How did this get triggered? he wondered.

The reward itself was… abstract. 

Shinho now possessed the Single Gu, Twin Gu, and Triplet Gu. However, he had no plans to use them on himself—something about it felt unnatural. 

He preferred leaving such matters to nature.

…

After finishing breakfast, the group continued their journey. Their destination was not the Sealing Shrine but the Priestess Shrine of the Land of Demons.

The Sealing Shrine housed the spirit of Moryo, but its location was not disclosed in the mission request—likely to prevent leaks. 

However, this secrecy had allowed Yomi, the antagonist in the original story, to arrive first and release Moryo's spirit.

Shinho had no intention of warning them. He wanted Moryo to break free so he could defeat it himself, seizing the opportunity to earn significant prestige. In fact, he might even help the enemy along if necessary.

By midday, the trio reached the Priestess Shrine. Unlike most countries, the Land of Demons had no daimyo, as its ruler was the priestess herself, Shion.

The shrine was heavily guarded, with patrols of samurai stationed everywhere. As Shinho and his team approached, they were immediately surrounded.

"We are shinobi from Konoha," Shinho announced, producing the request letter from Shion.

"Greetings, I am Ashiho, the priestess's bodyguard," said a young man, stepping forward to examine the letter. 

After verifying its authenticity, he added, "Please, follow me to meet the priestess."

"Thank you," Shinho said politely.

Inside the shrine, Shinho felt a faint sense of being watched. 

Turning his head, he spotted a familiar figure—C, a Jonin from Kumogakure specializing in genjutsu, medical ninjutsu, and sensory abilities.

The last time they had crossed paths was during the Exploding Insect incident with the Nokizoru Group, back when Shinho was still a child.

He wondered who else beside C from Kumogakure was here.

Probably not Mabui. Or it's Samui?

C observed them as they entered the shrine but didn't approach. 

He didn't recognize Shinho for two reasons: first, he didn't expect the Hokage to personally take on a mission, and second, Shinho had undergone significant changes as he grew up, no longer wearing the Aburame clan's signature white coat and sunglasses. 

"Priestess," Ashiho said with a respectful bow, "these are the shinobi from Konoha."

Shinho's gaze shifted to the young woman seated at the shrine's center—Shion. With her white hair and pale eyes, she looked eerily similar to Hinata.

No wonder Naruto nearly became a prince consort in the original story, Shinho thought.

Shion's gaze swept over the group, her first impression being their youth. However, her attention quickly settled on Shinho.

"Step forward, please," Shion requested after a moment's thought.

"Me?" Shinho raised an eyebrow, curious. Is this like the original story, where she foresaw Naruto's death?

Interested, he walked up to her.

Shion lifted her head, her eyes shimmering as intricate patterns appeared within them. Moments later, her body trembled, and she stared at Shinho in wide-eyed horror.

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