章 73: Chapter 73
Mist Island
After the incident at the Mist Ninja outpost was exposed, Kamikawa Kaguya took the brunt of the blame from the Hidden Mist Village's higher-ups. He was forced to hand over command of Mist Island to his lieutenant, demoted in name though not in spirit. Kamikawa himself was escorted back to the Hidden Mist Village by the Anbu, their silent procession cutting through the village streets like a shadow.
But anyone with eyes could see the consequences were mostly for show. Sure, Kamiyaragi was reprimanded, stripped of his title, even paraded through the village in a way meant to humiliate. But it was all just thunder without rain—no real punishment would follow for a man of his standing. Such was the privilege of elite ninjas from noble clans; their power and influence made them untouchable, even by the higher-ups. The village council knew it, the villagers knew it, and most of all, Kamikawa knew it.
---
Unnamed Deserted Island
On a small, forgotten island somewhere in the ocean, Tetsuya Fujiwara dashed through the undergrowth, his feet moving faster than his brain could fully process. Behind him, a furious Mikoto Uchiha closed in, her face flushed with a mixture of anger and embarrassment. The reason? An unfortunate mishap involving Water-Style chakra manipulation.
It had happened in a split second—a lapse in focus, a miscalculation of chakra output. Instead of a small, controlled jet of water, Tetsuya's technique had exploded into a tidal wave, drenching Mikoto from head to toe. Her dark, soaked clothes clung to her skin, leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination. Everything he shouldn't have seen, he'd seen.
Tetsuya's face still burned as he replayed the moment in his mind. Despite his vows that it was an accident, Mikoto was hardly in the mood to forgive him, and he could hardly blame her. After twenty minutes of dodging her furious strikes, he found himself backed against a tree with nowhere left to run.
"Mikoto, please!" he pleaded, his voice cracking as he held his hands up defensively. "It wasn't intentional! I'm only a Chunin—I make mistakes with chakra control sometimes!"
Her glare didn't waver. Instead, she delivered a swift, "affectionate" slap across his cheek, sending him staggering. By the time Mikoto's temper had cooled, Tetsuya was nursing a bruised face, trailing behind her through the brush as they continued their trek.
Life on this deserted island was anything but luxurious. Supplies were scarce, and shelter was basic at best. But worse, they had no escape and no rescue on the horizon. Mikoto's mastery of Fire-Style was the only thing keeping them warm at night, and Tetsuya knew that staying on her good side was his best chance at survival.
The two trudged in silence for a while, the sound of waves crashing against the shore filling the gaps. Just as Tetsuya was working up the nerve to apologize again, Mikoto came to a sudden halt, her gaze fixed on the horizon.
"Hey, Tetsuya," she said, a spark of excitement breaking through her usual calm. "Look over there—do you see that?"
Tetsuya squinted in the direction she pointed. At first, he saw only the vast, empty sea. But then, as he strained his eyes, a dark shape appeared, barely visible against the horizon.
"It's a ship!" Mikoto exclaimed, her tone edged with disbelief and hope.
Tetsuya's heart leapt in his chest, and without thinking, he joined her in a mad dash up a nearby tree for a better vantage point. Sure enough, a ship was slowly but surely heading their way. It was no illusion, no mirage—they had a real chance at rescue.
"Mikoto, use your Fire-Style! Light up those trees over there as a signal!" he urged, pointing to a small cluster of trees nearby.
Within moments, flames licked up the branches, thick plumes of smoke rising high into the sky. It was a signal that couldn't be missed, and as they watched, the ship shifted course, adjusting its path toward the island.
"We're saved!" Tetsuya shouted, unable to contain his joy.
But as the reality of their escape sank in, a different feeling settled over him. Glancing at Mikoto, he saw a similar shadow of hesitation in her eyes, a faint trace of reluctance as they watched the ship grow larger on the horizon.
In the days they'd spent together on this island, surviving on wits and luck, they'd formed an unspoken bond. It was a fragile thing, built on shared hardship, laughter, and quiet moments spent under the stars. Now, with the prospect of leaving, that fragile thing felt even more precious, something they'd both carry long after they stepped off the island's shores.
---
The Uzumaki Rescue
The ship approaching the island belonged to the Uzumaki Clan, one of the three vessels dispatched by Ashina Uzumaki to assist Jiraiya in a wide-ranging mission. When the Uzumaki squad spotted Tetsuya and Mikoto waiting on the shore, they were visibly stunned. Two young ninjas, stranded on a remote island with no supplies—surviving alone was an impressive feat.
Seeing their weary, solemn expressions, the Uzumaki ninja wisely refrained from asking too many questions. They assumed the two were still processing the mission's trauma, and it was true in a way—Tetsuya and Mikoto had been through an ordeal, but perhaps not in the way their rescuers imagined.
The two boarded the ship in silence, the weight of the past weeks hanging over them as the vessel set sail. Tetsuya and Mikoto stood side by side on the deck, watching the island grow smaller and smaller until it was little more than a speck on the horizon.
---
The Journey Home
The voyage back was surprisingly calm, the sea smooth as glass beneath a wide, cloudless sky. With every mile, they inched closer to the Land of Whirlpools, the sense of relief mingling with the bittersweet sting of farewell.
When they finally arrived at the dock, familiar faces were waiting for them: Yuhi Shin, Muto Aburame, and Jiraiya, who had returned just in time to greet them. The sight of their friends hit them like a wave, a mix of joy and exhaustion nearly overwhelming them.
"Tetsuya!" a familiar voice called out. It was Shin, rushing forward with a look of relief, his eyes misting over with unshed tears. "You're safe!"
In that instant, Tetsuya felt something give way inside him. His vision blurred, but he didn't bother to hide it. After all the struggle and isolation, this reunion felt like the end of a long, treacherous journey.
"Shin-sensei, Muto!" he greeted, his voice thick with emotion. "We're back!"
Turning to Jiraiya, he added with deep respect, "Lord Jiraiya, thank you for everything."
During the trip, Tetsuya had pieced together the full story of their rescue from the Uzumaki squad leader. He learned that Jiraiya, through his connection with Ashina Uzumaki, had mobilized an entire clan to ensure their safety.
In a world where young ninja casualties were all too common, such an effort was almost unheard of. Without Jiraiya's influence and Ashina's resources, their chance of survival would have been bleak.
The Uzumaki ship docked, and Tetsuya and Mikoto stepped off, setting foot back in their homeland.
As they looked around at the faces of those who had risked so much to save them, a sense of gratitude filled them both, deeper than words could express.
But as Tetsuya glanced at Mikoto one last time, he knew something else had been left behind on that deserted island—something unspoken, something they might never fully put into words.
But it was theirs, a memory they would carry, no matter where their paths led.
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
patreon.com/AmbitiousTranslator
🥰 Support the translation and help me grow.🤓
Read upto 20 Extra chapter in Patreon
週次パワーステータス
-- 推薦
ランキング 
-- 推薦
チケット