"I apologize for earlier. It seems the shinobi I sent were a bit rash. Please forgive them, Yoichi-san," Naruto said, offering a sincere bow as Yoichi entered the Hokage's office.
Naruto quickly continued, "Thank you for coming. I'm sure you've guessed why we summoned you. The prophecy has come true. Last night, a massive tsunami struck the Land of Water, submerging the entire nation. Kirigakure is working on disaster relief, but all communication with them has been cut off.
"The disaster wasn't limited to the Land of Water. The borders of the Land of Fire, as well as the Lands of Waves and Tea, were also struck by the tsunami. From what we can tell, the source of the catastrophe seems to be in the ocean."
Yoichi nodded calmly, then said, "I understand the situation, but unfortunately, I can't assist you. Whether it's stopping the disaster or treating the injured, this is beyond my capabilities."
Naruto sighed inwardly, disappointed but not surprised. He had hoped Yoichi might have a solution.
Shikamaru leaned forward, his tone skeptical. "So there's really nothing you can do? Are we just supposed to stand by and watch these disasters happen?"
Yoichi rolled his eyes. "Do you think you could've stopped Kaguya when she came to this world? Don't talk about things that are impossible."
Shikamaru's brow furrowed, but he didn't press further. Despite his loyalty to the village, his suspicion of Yoichi lingered, and it hadn't gone unnoticed.
Their earlier interactions now felt tinged with animosity, and Shikamaru couldn't shake his doubts about Yoichi's motives—especially after learning of his ability to summon the spirits of the dead.
Naruto quickly intervened. "I'm sorry. We're just very concerned about the ongoing disasters."
Yoichi's expression softened slightly. "If it helps, I can try to sense the situation more clearly. I'm skilled in mental perception and might be able to detect weaknesses in any creatures that appear. But if it's a natural disaster, there's little I can do."
Naruto's eyes lit up. "That would be a huge help! Thank you so much."
Yoichi added with a smirk, "But I have one condition. Any treasure found during the search belongs to whoever discovers it."
"This must be your real goal, analyzing weaknesses just to find treasure—" Shikamaru began but was cut off by Naruto.
"Shikamaru!" Naruto's tone was firm, and Shikamaru quickly realized he had spoken out of turn.
"Forget it. I'm leaving," Yoichi said, turning to walk out.
The room fell silent after Yoichi's departure. Even Sakura, who had been observing quietly, felt Shikamaru's earlier comment had been unnecessarily antagonistic.
While she empathized with his concern for the village, Yoichi had offered to help, and his comment could've been left unsaid.
Breaking the silence, Sakura said, "Naruto, I'll head back to organize the medical teams for the Fire Country's borders."
Naruto nodded. "Thanks, Sakura. Please take care of it."
Once Sakura left, Naruto turned to Shikamaru. "What's going on, Shikamaru? Do you suspect something about him?"
"No, nothing concrete. I was just impulsive earlier. Sorry, Naruto," Shikamaru admitted. "I can't shake the feeling that his motives aren't entirely pure. But I know there's no evidence to back that up."
Naruto gave him a reassuring smile. "You've been under a lot of pressure lately. Maybe you just need some rest. After this crisis is over, take some time off."
Shikamaru let out a small laugh. "If I take time off, are you sure you can handle all this paperwork?"
Naruto glanced at the towering stacks of documents in the room and scratched his head sheepishly. "Well… maybe not. But I'll manage somehow!"
"Don't worry. I'll stay focused. No more impulsive mistakes," Shikamaru promised, setting aside his doubts to tackle the work ahead.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the shinobi world, ninja teams from Kumo, Suna, and Konoha were among the first to arrive at the Land of Water. The devastation left them speechless.
The scale of the tsunami was unlike anything they had seen before. Massive waves had submerged the Land of Water, leaving Kirigakure struggling to manage the aftermath.
Upon meeting the other shinobi, Chōjūrō, the Mizukage, urgently requested aid. In exchange, Kirigakure promised to share critical information. Chōjūrō had intended to reveal this information during the earlier video conference, but the tsunami had destroyed their infrastructure, cutting off all communication.
Fortunately, Kirigakure managed to repair one of its signal stations, re-establishing contact with the other Kage.
During the renewed conference, Chōjūrō formally requested assistance, which the other Kage readily agreed to. They recognized the importance of mutual support and pledged to persuade their respective Daimyō to provide further aid.
Naruto also took the opportunity to share Yoichi's identity and his prophecy with the other Kage, apologizing for not informing them sooner due to uncertainty about its validity.
Darui, the Fifth Raikage, voiced his concerns. "If he can predict disasters, can he foresee anything else? Why are these interdimensional collisions happening in the first place? It's almost too fantastical to believe."
Gaara added, "My bigger concern is whether this is an isolated event. Will similar disasters occur in the future? If something like this happens near Suna…"
The room grew tense. The idea of another disaster was unnerving, especially given the scale of the current one.
Kurotsuchi, the Tsuchikage, spoke up. "Hokage, can that Onmyōji predict the timing of future disasters? Even if we can't pinpoint the location, knowing when would help us prepare."
Naruto nodded. "I'll ask him again. If I get any updates, I'll notify you immediately. By the way, Mizukage, Uchiha Sasuke is currently investigating the source of the disaster in the ocean."
The Kage exchanged further thoughts before concluding the meeting.
Sasuke, meanwhile, had received a message from Konoha detailing Kirigakure's findings. The scroll included reports of colossal sea creatures—massive beasts several kilometers tall, larger than anything the shinobi world had ever seen.
According to Kirigakure's scouts, these creatures were at least four or five kilometers in height, dwarfing even the Ten-Tails. Though the scouts hadn't dared approach, they confirmed the presence of at least three such beasts.
"Monsters bigger than the Ten-Tails…" Sasuke murmured, his expression darkening as he finished reading.
While the message advised him to return to discuss forming a larger team, Sasuke decided to proceed alone. He sent a message back to Konoha explaining his reasoning: with his space-time ninjutsu and Susano'o, he could handle himself. Bringing others along would only slow him down.
Back on the Fire Country's coast, relief efforts were underway. Survivors were beginning to rebuild their homes, salvaging whatever they could from the wreckage.
Amid the ruins, two brothers stumbled upon a peculiar, ornate chest.
"Big bro, look at this! What do you think it is?"
The older brother examined the chest, shaking his head. "I've never seen this before. Mom and Dad didn't have anything this fancy. Maybe it washed up from the sea?"
They stared at the intricate designs and unfamiliar script adorning the chest.
"It's probably valuable! Let's open it and see what's inside," the older brother said, grabbing a hammer and an axe.
After several minutes of trying to break it open, the chest remained intact, showing only minor scratches.
"What now? Should I give it a try?" the younger brother asked.
"Forget it. The chest alone might be worth something. Let's take it to Konoha or the capital. Someone rich might pay a good price for it," the older brother decided.
As he spoke, he recalled hearing about someone in Konoha who specialized in buying rare and unusual items.
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!! For Only $5!!][www.p@treon.com/zaelum]
[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[Thank You For Your Support!]
"Here we are. This is the shop you were looking for—the one that buys rare treasures," Ino said, leading two travelers to Yoichi's pharmacy.
The encounter had been coincidental. Ino, returning from escorting Sakura's medical team, had run into the pair at the village gate as they were asking about the shop. Since she was heading there herself, she decided to guide them.
Ino also had her own reason for visiting Yoichi—Naruto had asked her to pass along a message. Given that she had facilitated Yoichi's earlier prophecy, Naruto assumed they shared a good relationship.
He wasn't entirely wrong, though no one else knew just how "close" they really were.
As the bell chimed upon their entry, Yoichi descended from the upper floor. Spotting Ino, he smiled warmly.
"Ino-san, long time no see."
"It's only been two days!" Ino retorted, trying to suppress the flutter in her chest. With others present, she maintained her composure and gestured toward the travelers. "They're here to sell you something."
"Let's see it, then," Yoichi said, glancing at the two men. His gaze fell on the bundle in one of their hands. "Take it out. If it's genuine, I'll pay you well."
"It's a treasure chest—we've tried everything, but we can't open it," the older of the two explained, unwrapping the bundle to reveal an ornately crafted box.
One glance told Yoichi that this chest didn't belong to the shinobi world. The inscriptions on it were unlike any known script, ancient or modern. Its surface bore faint axe marks, evidence of the brothers' futile attempts to open it.
"It doesn't seem fake," Yoichi mused. The chest's material was impenetrable to physical force but not to his mental energy. Extending his spiritual senses, Yoichi quickly bypassed the outer layer and scanned its contents.
Inside was something that made his eyes widen—a fruit with a flame-like texture and fiery stem.
"This… this is the Flare-Flare Fruit from the One Piece world!"
The resemblance was uncanny. The fruit was identical to its depiction in the other world, down to the swirling flame patterns.
"Boss, are you interested?" the older brother asked hesitantly.
"Yes," Yoichi replied. "How much do you want for it?"
"Two hundred—no, four million ryō!"
Yoichi nodded. "Fine. Wait here."
Moments later, he returned with a suitcase filled with the requested amount. Placing it on the counter, he gestured for them to inspect it.
The brothers' faces lit up as they confirmed the payment. Bowing repeatedly in gratitude, they quickly left the shop, eager to return home before anyone changed their minds.
After they were gone, Ino couldn't contain her curiosity. "What's inside?"
Yoichi smirked. "If I'm not mistaken, it's one of the treasures that appeared alongside yesterday's anomaly. What a coincidence it ended up here."
With a subtle motion, he used his mental energy to unlock the chest, revealing the fruit within.
Ino stared at it, intrigued. "What is this? It looks like some sort of fruit."
"It's likely from another world. Consuming it might grant abilities related to fire. Of course, there could be side effects—but that's only something we'd learn if someone ate it."
Ino examined the swirling flame patterns. "It really does look like it has something to do with fire. I can't believe they just sold it to you so casually."
Yoichi's attention shifted as Ino continued speaking. "Speaking of which, you're not still angry with Shikamaru, are you? He's always overly cautious, especially when he thinks I'm involved in something… delicate."
"I'm not angry, but I don't plan on visiting the Hokage's office again. If they need anything, they can relay it through you."
Ino sighed, noting his resolute tone. Still, her curiosity got the better of her. "By the way, you mentioned your alchemy room before. Could I see it?"
"My alchemy room?" Yoichi's gaze turned playful. "Of course. But you'll need to brace yourself—it's not just a lab; it's where I make magic happen."
Seeing the mischievous glint in his eyes, Ino blushed furiously. "You're thinking of something else, aren't you? Stop it—it's daytime!"
Her protest only made Yoichi chuckle. "Don't worry. Seeing the alchemy room is just a cover—I also want to discuss something important about the prophecy."
Hearing this, Ino's interest piqued. "Really?"
"Absolutely. It's better to talk upstairs."
Reluctantly, Ino agreed, though she couldn't shake a feeling of apprehension as she followed him. Yoichi, of course, trailed behind her, his amusement evident.
Once they reached the third floor, Yoichi closed the door behind them. Ino, slightly nervous, asked, "So, what's this about the prophecy—hey, what are you doing?"
Before she could react, Yoichi pulled her close, silencing her with a passionate kiss.
"Stop—wait, talk about the prophecy first!"
"It's still daylight!"
Despite her protests, Yoichi knew Ino's weaknesses all too well. Though she tried to resist, her resolve faltered.
Afterward, Yoichi whispered in her ear, "I missed you. Now, let's get to the prophecy."
"You're a liar," Ino muttered, her cheeks flushed. Still, she leaned against him, curious. "What's the latest?"
"I used my Onmyōjutsu to divine more details. Another collision between dimensions will occur tomorrow night at midnight. I can't say if it'll be a disaster or more beasts, but the timing is certain."
Ino gasped. "That soon? And how often will this happen?"
"Every three days, the dimensional barriers will collide again. This will continue for about a month until the turbulence subsides. Each collision will bring either disasters, beasts, or treasures like today's fruit."
"A month? That means ten more events!" Ino exclaimed, horrified. "I need to tell Naruto right away!"
Ino jumped to her feet but immediately stumbled. Yoichi handed her a recovery pill, which she swallowed quickly, regaining her strength.
After fixing her clothes, she turned back to him, placing a quick kiss on his cheek. "Thanks for the intel. Consider this your reward!"
As Ino hurried off, Yoichi smirked, wiping his face. "I should've asked her to rinse her mouth first…"
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!! For Only $5!!][www.p@treon.com/zaelum]
[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[Thank You For Your Support!]
Paragraph comment
Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.
Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.
GOT IT