Chapter 148: The Return Journey

"You, you guys..."

Only then did the Grass ninja start to feel scared, and his speech became stuttering.

Maybe he didn't even know what else to say.

"What 'you'?

"Get the hell out of here right now, and I'll act like nothing happened."

Nawaki suddenly drew his sword and in an instant, the sword tip was firmly against the Grass ninja's throat.

Feeling the chilling killing intent from the young boy opposite, cold sweat dripped down the Grass ninja's forehead.

But now no fellow ninja dared to speak up for him. Without daring to say a single harsh word, they carried him away in a hurry.

"Heh, what a complete useless bum!"

Fugaku disdainfully sneered, then glanced at Misaki behind Nawaki.

She was really a beautiful girl, comparable to Mikoto.

"Um, can I call you Misaki?"

Nawaki turned around, looking at Misaki, and scratched his head a bit awkwardly.

He felt a little embarrassed, but then he thought about what his brother - in - law had said. Compared to that, this was a minor thing.

"Sure, then I'll call you Nawaki too."

Misaki let out a sigh of relief only after seeing all the Grass ninjas disappear around the corner.

"Do you want to come with us?"

After a bit of hesitation, Nawaki just blurted it out. He didn't like beating around the bush.

"Where to?"

Misaki blinked her eyes. She also had her own considerations.

"Misaki, go with them."

At this time, an old lady walked out of the shop with a walking stick. Apparently, she was familiar with Misaki.

"I can't protect you. If you don't go, those ninjas won't let you go."

"Grandma Anzu, what will happen to you if I leave?"

Misaki stepped forward to support the old lady without a trace of blame.

I drifted here from Uzumaki Country and I'm really grateful to Grandma Anzu for adopting me.

"Don't worry about me. They won't do anything to an old woman like me."

The old lady lovingly tidied up Misaki's long hair that had been messed up during the scuffle.

"But I don't want to leave you."

It seemed that the old lady had indeed treated Misaki well. At this moment, she hugged the old lady and started crying.

Having no relatives of her own, she had regarded this old lady as her real family.

All that's lacking is just that dispensable blood - related kinship.

"Sir, Misaki is still young. I'll leave her in your care from now on."

The old lady was quite observant. She was speaking to Nawaki.

She had witnessed Nawaki standing up for Misaki just now.

"Don't worry. My grandma and Misaki are from the same clan."

"I definitely won't treat her badly."

Nawaki readily promised. Minato, standing beside him, slightly curled up the corner of his mouth.

It was quite interesting to see his friend in such an awkward situation.

"Okay, that's good."

The old lady pulled Misaki away and wiped away her tears.

"Misaki, go with this sir."

"Just come and see me when you have a chance later."

As the old lady said this, turbid tears welled up in her eyes. If she could protect Misaki, she wouldn't be willing to let her go with strangers at all!

She didn't know if she would still be alive to see Misaki again after she left.

It was a pity that she couldn't leave. No matter how bad this place was, it was her root.

"Grandma Anzu, I'll do as you say."

Misaki stared intently at the old lady for a few moments, then walked slowly behind Nawaki and fell silent.

"Grandma Anzu, then we'll take our leave."

Not knowing what else to say, Nawaki simply bid farewell and left.

"Go, go."

The old lady watched as the red-haired girl walked away with the group until they disappeared from sight. Then she slowly walked back into the house, leaning on her cane.

Her hunched back was a heart - wrenching sight. She was truly left all by herself, all alone in the world.

...

After leaving the town, Nawaki suddenly realized that having Misaki with them would slow down the group.

He opened his mouth to say something, but didn't know how to begin.

It so happened that Minato was on the same wavelength as him.

When a bro's in a pickle, the little sunshine gotta step in!

"Misaki Uzumaki, we can't move quickly with you."

"Do you think this would work?"

"Find someone to carry you on their back. That way, you won't be tired, and our speed won't be affected either."

Minato walked up to Misaki and spoke to her in a gentle and conciliatory tone.

"Ah?"

Misaki scanned the group. There wasn't a single woman. This time, Minato and his team were all men.

Nawaki saw the look Minato gave him and swallowed the words he was about to say.

He almost blurted out, "This isn't appropriate."

"We have a mission and can't afford to waste time."

Seeing Misaki looking so conflicted, Minato added more pressure.

"Then, then can you carry me, Nawaki?"

As Minato expected, Misaki chose Nawaki.

Fugaku thought it was a hoot watching the two of them pulling that act.

He folded his arms across his chest and watched the situation unfold, as if watching a show.

"Sure, sure."

Nawaki quickly agreed, which made Minato sigh.

Brother, you're so impatient!

Seeing Nawaki squat down in front of her, Misaki climbed onto his back with a blushing face and a nervous heart.

As soon as Nawaki stood up, Minato gave the order to set off.

He didn't give Misaki any chance to change her mind.

As a brother, he could only do so much.

"Are we going to Konoha?"

Lying on Nawaki's back, Misaki had never experienced such a fast speed before.

"Um, we can't go to Konoha right now."

"Let's go to the Land of Rain first. Then I'll arrange for someone to send you to Grandma."

Nawaki had made up his mind that even if he had to beg his sister, he'd send Misaki to Grandma.

His hands were well - behaved, just lightly holding her thighs.

With the help of the Light and Heavy Rock Jutsu[b]Light and Heavy Rock Jutsu[/b], he didn't feel tired at all.

"The Land of Rain is at war, you know."

Misaki had also heard from the town's residents about the war in the Land of Rain.

"Yes, it is, but don't worry. My sister and brother - in - law are really powerful."

Nawaki was too shy to boast about himself, so he brought up Kawaki and Tsunade.

Saying they were powerful, probably no one in the Ninja World would object.

"Since you say they're powerful, they must be really amazing."

In Misaki's eyes, Nawaki was already a great master.

"Well, they are..."

Nawaki originally wanted to brag a bit, but then he thought that Misaki might not even know who Hanzō of the Salamander and the Third Kazekage were.

So he swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

"Is that little boy with golden hair your younger brother?"

Misaki Uzumaki became a bit curious after hearing Minato call Nawaki "Brother Nawaki".

Since she was two years older than Nawaki, it was quite all right for her to call Minato "younger brother".

"To be precise, he's my brother - in - law's disciple, but we have our own way of addressing each other."

Nawaki thought for a while before seriously replying to Misaki Uzumaki's question.

"Oh, so he's a generation younger than you."

Misaki Uzumaki let out a soft laugh beside Nawaki's ear.

"We don't really care about that."

Nawaki gave a simple explanation with a naive look.

Probably having heard them talking about him, Minato looked back.

Nawaki has learned well from his teacher in this regard!

Watching them chatting back and forth, Minato was beaming with smiles.

Thinking of the scene where his teacher coaxed him into confessing to Kushina, he still remembered it vividly.

This Misaki Uzumaki and Kushina have completely different personalities.

But he still preferred Kushina a bit more.

<><><><><><><><>

Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!

~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!

<><><><><><><><>

~ 100+ Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!

~ More *Free* Chapters and Books Available on Patreon!

patreon.com/Tansnovel

<><><><><><><><>