บท 18: Chapter 17

The journey back to Amegakure had been uneventful thus far. Garp and his grandchildren traveled at a leisurely pace, taking the time to study the jutsu scrolls they had acquired from Konoha. The mood was light, with Yahiko's excited chatter about new techniques filling the air, added in by Konan's thoughtful questions and Nagato's quiet observations.

As they neared the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain, Garp's demeanor suddenly shifted. His eyes narrowed, and his posture tensed almost imperceptibly. Years of honed instincts, sharpened by his mastery of Observation Haki, had alerted him to something moving nearby.

"Gramps?" Yahiko asked, noticing the change. "What's wrong?"

Garp held up a hand for silence, his senses stretching out. After a moment, he spoke, his voice low and serious. "There's a group approaching. Five shinobi, moving fast. And they're carrying... a child?"

Konan's eyes widened. "A kidnapping?"

Garp nodded grimly. "Seems like it. You three, stay here. I'll handle this."

Nagato stepped forward, his Rinnegan eyes glowing faintly. "But Grandfather, we can help-"

"No." Garp cut him off, his tone leaving no room for argument. "This could be dangerous. I need you three to stay safe. Remember your training - be alert, be ready, but do not engage unless absolutely necessary. Understood?"

The three children nodded reluctantly, recognizing the rare seriousness in their grandfather's voice.

With a burst of speed that left an afterimage, Garp vanished into the surrounding forest. His large frame moved with a grace that defied logic, leaving barely a rustled leaf in his wake.

It didn't take long for Garp to intercept the group he had sensed. Five shinobi, their faces shining as did their headbands, were leaping through the trees. One of them carried a small, binded figure under his arm - a child with striking red hair.

Garp's eyes narrowed as he recognized the symbol on their forehead protectors. 'Kusagakure,' he thought. 'The Village Hidden in the Grass. What are they doing kidnapping a child?'

Without hesitation, Garp made his move. He appeared directly in the path of the Shinobi squad, his sudden appearance causing them to skid to a halt on a large tree branch.

"Gentlemen." Garp's voice was deceptively calm, "I believe you have something that doesn't belong to you."

The Shinobi tensed, their hands moving to their weapons. The one carrying the child tightened his grip, causing a small whimper to escape from the blindfolded girl.

That sound was all it took for Garp's expression to harden. "Last chance." he growled. "Release the child or face the consequences."

The Shinobi remained silent, their training kicking in. In perfect synchronization, four of them launched themselves at Garp while the fifth, still holding the child, attempted to retreat.

Garp's eyes flashed. "Wrong choice."

The first Shinobi to reach Garp swung a tantō, aiming for a quick, lethal strike. But to Garp, using his Observation Haki, the movement seemed almost comically slow. He simply leaned back, letting the blade pass harmlessly in front of him.

Before he could recover from his missed strike, Garp's hand shot out, grabbing the ninja's wrist. With a twist and a sickening crack, the shinobi's arm was broken, his weapon clattering uselessly to the forest floor.

The second and third shinobi attacked simultaneously, one from each side. Their hands blurred through seals, preparing jutsu. But Garp was faster.

"Soru." he murmured, vanishing from between them.

The Kusa Shinobi's jutsu collided where Garp had been standing a split second before, creating a small explosion. As they looked around in confusion, Garp reappeared behind them.

"Rokuogan." Garp intoned, his voice cold.

The shockwave that erupted from his body caught both Shinobi squarely. There was a sickening crunch as their internal organs were pulverized by the force. They fell from the tree branch, lifeless before they hit the ground.

The fourth ANBU, seeing his comrades fall so easily, hesitated for a split second.

It was a fatal mistake.

Garp was on him in an instant, his fist coated in Armament Haki.

"Fist of Love." he growled, though there was no love in the devastating punch that followed.

His face shattered under the impact, along with most of the bones inside of his face. He was dead before Garp's fist had even finished its arc.

With four of the kidnappers dispatched in mere seconds, Garp turned his attention to the fifth - the one carrying the child. The Shinobi had managed to put some distance between them, leaping frantically from tree to tree.

Garp's eyes narrowed. "Oh no, you don't."

With a powerful leap that shattered the tree branch beneath him, Garp gave chase. Despite the Shinobi's head start and desperate speed, Garp closed the distance with ease.

As he neared the fleeing ninja, Garp could hear the child's frightened whimpers growing louder. His resolve hardened.

"Geppo." Garp muttered, kicking off the air itself to launch himself forward.

The Shinobi, hearing Garp's approach, turned in mid-air, his free hand forming seals. "Doton: Doryūheki!" (Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall)

A wall of solid rock materialized in the air between them. But Garp didn't even slow down.

"Eight Impact Fist!" he roared, his Haki-infused fist slamming into the earthen barrier.

The wall shattered like glass, the force of Garp's punch continuing on to catch the ANBU square in the chest. There was a sickening crunch as the ninja's ribcage collapsed.

As the last Shinobi fell, his grip on the child loosened. Garp, his Observation Haki in full effect, saw what was about to happen before it did.

With speed that would have made even the Yellow Flash of Konoha envious, Garp snatched the child out of the air. He cradled her gently against his broad chest as he landed on a sturdy tree branch, while the body of the last Kusa Ninja crashed lifelessly to the forest floor below.

For a moment, all was quiet save for the child's frightened whimpers. Garp looked down at the small figure in his arms, his expression softening from the hard glare of battle to one of grandfatherly concern.

Gently, he removed the blindfold from the child's eyes. As it fell away, he found himself looking into a pair of wide, frightened eyes the color of warm honey. The girl's hair, he now saw clearly, was a vibrant shade of red that reminded him of another spirited redhead he had known in another lifetime.

"It's alright now, little one." Garp said softly, his gruff voice gentling in a way that would have shocked many who knew him only as a fearsome warrior. "You're safe. No one's going to hurt you anymore."

The girl blinked up at him, tears welling in her eyes. Then, with a heart-wrenching sob, she threw her arms around Garp's neck, burying her face in his broad shoulder.

Garp's arms encircled her protectively, one large hand gently patting her back as she cried. "There, there." he murmured. "Let it all out. You've been very brave."

As her sobs gradually subsided into hiccups, Garp carefully made his way back to where he had left his grandchildren. He found them waiting anxiously, their eyes widening as they saw the small figure in Garp's arms.

"Gramps!" Yahiko exclaimed. "Is she okay?"

Garp nodded, his expression grave. "She will be. Konan, could you get some water? Nagato, there should be a blanket in one of the packs."

As his grandchildren hurried to follow his instructions, Garp gently set the girl down on a fallen log. He knelt before her, bringing himself to her eye level.

"Can you tell me your name, little one?" he asked softly.

The girl sniffled, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "K-Kaya," she stuttered out. "Uzumaki Kaya."¹

Garp's eyebrows rose slightly at the clan name, but he didn't comment on it. "That's a beautiful name, Kaya-chan. I'm Garp, and these are my grandchildren - Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato."

As he introduced them, the three older children gathered around, offering gentle smiles to the frightened girl. Konan handed Garp a water canteen, which he then offered to Kaya.

"Here, drink some water. You must be thirsty after your ordeal."

Kaya took the canteen with shaking hands, sipping the cool water gratefully. As she drank, Nagato draped the blanket he had retrieved over her small shoulders.

"Kaya-chan." Garp said gently once she had finished drinking, "can you tell me what happened? How did those men get you?"

Kaya's lower lip trembled, but she took a deep breath, seemingly drawing strength from the kindness surrounding her. "I... I was playing near the village. Mama always says not to go too far, but I saw a pretty butterfly and followed it. I saw some fire in the direction of the Village. Then... then those men appeared. They grabbed me and put the blindfold on me. I was so scared!"

Fresh tears welled up in her eyes, and Konan quickly moved to comfort her, wrapping an arm around the younger girl's shoulders.

Garp nodded gravely. "You've been very brave, Kaya-chan. Can you tell me where your village is? We'll make sure you get home safely."

Kaya's face fell. "I... I don't know. We traveled for so long, and I couldn't see anything. I don't know where we are!"

Garp shared a concerned look with his grandchildren. They were close to the borders of several countries, and without knowing which direction the Kusa shinobi had come from, it would be difficult to determine Kaya's home village. And if the fire was anything to go by, her Village may no longer be there.

After a moment of thought, Garp made a decision. "Alright, Kaya-chan. Here's what we're going to do. You're going to come with us to Amegakure. It's not far from here, and it's safe. Once we're there, we'll send messages to the surrounding villages to find out where you're from. How does that sound?"

Kaya looked up at him, her eyes wide. "You... you'd do that for me?"

Garp grinned, ruffling her vibrant red hair affectionately. "Of course! I couldn't call myself a grandfather if I left a child in need, now could I?"

For the first time since her rescue, a small smile appeared on Kaya's face. "Thank you, Garp-san."

He watched his grandchildren fuss over Kaya, helping her and trying to cheer her up, Garp felt a warmth in his chest. This, was merely an example of what he was fighting for. A world where children could be children, where they didn't have to fear being snatched away by shadowy figures in the night.

As they set off towards Amegakure, Kaya now riding piggyback on Garp's broad shoulders, the old warrior allowed himself a small, satisfied smile.

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