"I understand what you're thinking, and I know why you're suspicious. But before anything is confird, the fact remains that these two young n helped us—there's no disputing that."
"Even if you still don't trust them, you shouldn't speak so harshly."
What truly angered Reki was that point.
Although the two gate guards were still unconvinced, they knew there was no point arguing further. If they kept pushing, they'd only end up being labeled ungrateful. So after shooting Shinji and Hidan a fierce glare, they turned away and refused to look at them again.
"Hey—my temper's flaring up!"
Hidan was thoroughly displeased and wanted to butcher the two of them on the spot.
Shinji didn't exactly stop him—he just reminded him to wait for a better opportunity. Picking a fight now would only make their earlier good deed pointless.
Well… not entirely pointless.
That mummy curse spirit earlier had been a Grade 1 curse, worth five hundred curse points. No matter how you calculated it, they hadn't lost out.
Out of respect for Shinji, Hidan retracted his fangs and didn't rush forward to bite anyone to death.
But anyone who's ever raised a husky knows this well: that brief mont of obedience is only preparation for future lawlessness!
"I apologize. Those two were only doing their duty, so their words were inevitably a bit sharp. They weren't targeting you personally."
"Allow to introduce myself. My na is Reki, from the Sand Village's Sealing Squad. This is my partner, Maki."
"We truly must thank you for earlier. If you hadn't stepped in to stop and kill that monster in ti, letting it escape would've been bad enough—but who knows how many innocent people might have lost their lives because of it."
Reki sighed. His words and actions carried a decisive, straightforward boldness that made him easy to like.
"It's nothing. I understand."
Shinji replied flatly, without the slightest hint of sincerity.
Not holding a grudge?
As if.
Did you ask my dog first?
Noticing Shinji's attitude, Reki let out a bitter smile. He knew the two gate guards had offended them, but he could understand—and didn't take it too seriously.
After all, this was the Land of Wind. The Sand Village's ho turf.
Even if these two were strong, so what?
Were they really going to dare lay hands on Sand ninja?
Suicidal, much?
So be unhappy if you want.
What Reki didn't know was that there existed a creature called a husky—one that feared neither heaven nor earth, capable of emoting in chats and tearing down houses in battle.
There was nothing Hidan the Husky wouldn't dare do.
"Brother Reki, everything over there has been handled. You should clean your wounds and bandage them as soon as possible," Maki said worriedly.
Reki laughed it off. "Don't worry. I already took an antidote. It was specially prepared by Lady Chiyo herself—I'll be fine."
Then he looked at Shinji and Hidan. "I hear you two are wandering ninja? Coincidentally, I have a commission here. The pay is quite generous."
"What kind of commission?"
"Escort us back to the Sand Village."
Seeing the sincerity on the other man's face, Shinji almost believed him.
Sure enough—thick brows and honest looks were all lies.
Where was this place?
The Land of Wind.
The Sand Village's backyard!
Two jōnin proficient in sealing techniques, leading a group of chūnin and genin, needed outsiders to escort them ho?
Anyone without a severe head injury wouldn't believe that nonsense.
Shinji saw through it imdiately. This guy kept saying he was grateful, but deep down he was definitely suspicious—of why they were here, of their identities, of their motives.
Because they had helped so much, he couldn't turn hostile outright.
So he ca up with this plan: monitor them along the way, and throw in so paynt as "thanks."
Once they reached the Sand Village, whether they were kneaded or flattened would be just a word away.
An average person might get sold and still help count the money.
Shinji wasn't falling for it. He rejected him outright.
"No need. I know you're trying to thank us in this way, but my brother and I never accept charity. That would be an insult to us."
Acting skills?
Veteran actor Akagi Shinji reporting for duty!
"No, that's not what I ant—"
"I understand, so we're not angry. We just hope you won't bring it up again."
"You've misunderstood, I—"
"I get it. You're genuinely thinking of our well-being. But please forgive us—we really can't accept."
You understand. You get it.
You understand jack shit!
You get my ass!
Reki was cursing nonstop inside, the smile on his face completely stiff.
What annoyed him most was that he genuinely couldn't tell whether this guy was being sincere—or deliberately playing dumb.
Today, he'd really run into a worthy opponent.
"Uh… the reward really is quite substantial. Are you sure you don't want to reconsider?"
"Say another word, and we won't even be friends anymore."
Damn it.
Who the hell wants to be friends with you?
Feeling ntally exhausted, Reki gave up entirely.
"Fine. I respect your decision. If you ever need help in the future, you can co find in the Sand Village."
"Mm, absolutely. Definitely. Next ti for sure!"
The two exchanged a long, affectionate look, then parted reluctantly.
The mont they turned away, they both silently greeted each other's families with their lips—extrely polite.
"Kazane, Kanin—take two more people and follow them. Keep an eye on them for ."
"Rember, if they don't do anything out of line, don't act rashly."
"Though surveillance is the priority, if anything unexpected happens—if you discover they intend to do anything harmful to the village—you are authorized to act imdiately."
"Life or death doesn't matter."
Upon hearing Reki's new orders, the two gate guards instantly beca excited like five-hundred-pound children.
"We guarantee mission success!"
Truthfully, they wanted to say that just the two of them would be enough.
Just two wandering ninja—even if they'd happened to snag an easy kill earlier, so what?
Put them in that position, catching the enemy off guard, and they could've done the sa thing.
At least, that's what they believed.
Kazane, Kanin, and two other Sand ninja quietly departed soon after.
Maki seed uneasy about this. Reki, however, was calm.
"I'm grateful to them, but I also have to be on guard. Lord Rasa is currently leading a team to hunt down the 'Sand Spirit.' If anything goes wrong, we won't be able to bear the responsibility even if we die a thousand tis."
"I hope I'm just being overly cautious. But necessary investigation is still required. If it's confird in the end that there's nothing wrong with them, I'll personally apologize."
After hearing this, Maki imdiately looked embarrassed. "Of course I trust you, Brother Reki. I was just thinking too simply."
"No. Your purity and kindness are the most beautiful qualities of all. It's only the world that's complicated."
Reki raised his head and gazed toward the horizon, his face filled with I have a story—now all that was missing was soone with wine.
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20 Power Stones= 1 additional chapters.
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