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Shin, Kushina, and Mikoto strolled through Konoha''s bustling food street.
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"We''re finally rich! We can buy anything we want!"
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Kushina clutched a handful of snacks, her eyes scanning the stalls for more treats.
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"We weren''t exactly poor before, but now we''re loaded," Shin said.
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With the ten billion Ryo he had swiped from Kirigakure, they wouldn''t have to worry about money for a while.
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"Let''s go get some Yakiniku!"
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Shin led Kushina and Mikoto into a popular Yakiniku restaurant.
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"Shin!"
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A familiar voice called out.
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"Nawaki, you''re living the good life, huh? Eating Yakiniku? Looks like you''re rolling in dough."
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Shin teased Nawaki.
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"Of course! I''ve made a lot of money lately. I even completed a C-rank mission outside the village!"
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Nawaki said proudly.
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"Do missions really take that long? You were gone for over half a month."
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Nawaki was curious about their long absence.
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"Yeah, some missions take time," Shin said vaguely.
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He couldn''t tell Nawaki the truth. What he had done could make him an enemy of Kirigakure.
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If Kiri found out he was the one who infiltrated their village, killed their Shinobi, and stole the Forbidden Scroll, they would demand Konoha hand him over.
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And knowing Hiruzen, he might actually do it.
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If word got out, Shin might become an enemy of not just Kiri, but Konoha as well.
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"By the way, Nawaki, are you here alone?" Shin changed the subject.
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"Nope, I''m with some friends. They''re not here yet. I came to reserve a table."
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"Who''s coming?" Kushina asked.
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"My team, and Minato''s team. We''re still working together."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
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Shin, Kushina, and Mikoto used to be part of their group, but after becoming Chunin, they had moved on to higher-level missions.
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"Since we''re all here, let''s eat together. My treat!" Nawaki said grandly.
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"No, it''s my treat. I promised to buy you all dinner when we got back."
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Shin shook his head. The food here was good, but it was also expensive. Nawaki''s allowance probably wouldn''t cover it.
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"Well, if you insist..."
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Nawaki grinned.
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They reserved a large private room. Soon, Minato, Akiko, Tsume, Hiashi, and Kai arrived.
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Kai''s expression changed when he saw Shin, but he remained silent.
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Shin was surprised to see Kai there. He wasn''t exactly the social type.
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"Shin, you''re back!" Minato and the others greeted them with surprise.
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"Yep, that mission was tough."
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Shin lied. Kushina and Mikoto had been the ones who defeated the missing-nin; he hadn''t even lifted a finger.
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"I want to go on B-rank missions too," Minato said enviously.
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After completing a C-rank bandit extermination mission, he was eager for more challenging tasks.
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"Actually, after this trip, I realized it''s better to stay in the village. We''re not taking any missions for a while."
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Shin said. It was the truth. He wanted to focus on developing his Ice Release. Training was more important than pointless missions.
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After dinner, Shin and his team headed back to the Senju compound with Nawaki. Akiko and Kai, however, went in a different direction.
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"What''s going on? Don''t they live in the Senju compound too? Why aren''t they going home?"
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Kushina was puzzled.
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"Didn''t you know? Akiko moved out last week. Then Kai suddenly moved out too," Nawaki explained.
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"Oh, and there''s something else..." Nawaki''s expression turned mischievous.
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"Akiko seems to like Minato."
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Shin, Kushina, and Mikoto remained expressionless. They already knew.
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Nawaki was disappointed, then continued, "Shin, you must be wondering why Kai came with us today. He has a crush on Akiko, so he tagged along."
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Still no reaction.
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"Nawaki, I figured that out back in the Academy. You''re just realizing it now?"
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"Oh... so you knew." Nawaki was surprised.
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"Huh?"
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Shin suddenly stopped, his eyes fixed on a nearby alley.
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"What''s wrong?" Mikoto asked softly.
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"No point hiding. Come on out," Shin said calmly.
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"What?" Nawaki looked at Shin, confused.
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Kushina and Mikoto, however, drew their Kunai, their eyes alert.
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"I can''t believe a brat like you discovered us."
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Three Shinobi emerged from the alley. They were tall and muscular, with dark skin and a powerful aura.
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"You''re from Kumogakure, aren''t you?" Shin asked.
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The leader of the Kumo Shinobi was about to speak, but Shin''s question surprised him.
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"They really are from Kumo."
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Shin saw their surprised expressions and confirmed his suspicions.
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He had never seen Shinobi with such dark skin in Konoha.
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Only those from the Land of Lightning had that skin tone. It was easy to tell.
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He hadn''t been entirely sure at first, but their reaction confirmed it.
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Their hostility was clear. They were here for them, or rather, for the Uzumaki.
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In the original story, Kushina had been captured by Kumo.
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Even though the timeline had changed, it seemed Kumo was still targeting Kushina.
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"Capture the two Uzumaki brats. Kill the other two. Be quick. Don''t attract the Anbu''s attention."
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The Kumo leader lunged at Shin.