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Shin, Kushina, and Mikoto strolled through Konoha's bustling food street.
"We're finally rich! We buy anything we want!"
Kushina clutched a handful of snacks, her eyes sing the stalls for more treats.
"We werely poor before, but now we're loaded," Shin said.
With the ten billion Ryo he had swiped from Kirigakure, they wouldn't have to worry about money for a while.
"Let's go get some Yakiniku!"
Shin led Kushina and Mikoto into a popur Yakiniku restaurant.
"Shin!"
A familiar voice called out.
"Nawaki, you're living the good life, huh? Eating Yakiniku? Looks like you're rolling in dough."
Shin teased Nawaki.
"Of course! I've made a lot of moely. I even pleted a k mission outside the vilge!"
Nawaki said proudly.
"Do missions really take that long? You were gone for over half a month."
Nawaki was curious about their long absence.
"Yeah, some missions take time," Shin said vaguely.
He couldn't tell Nawaki the truth. What he had done could make him an enemy of Kirigakure.
If Kiri found out he was the one who infiltrated their vilge, killed their Shinobi, and stole the Forbidden Scroll, they would demand Konoha hand him over.
And knowing Hiruzen, he might actually do it.
If wot out, Shin might bee an enemy of not just Kiri, but Konoha as well.
"By the way, Nawaki, are you here alone?" Shin ged the subject.
"Nope, I'm with some friends. They're not here yet. I came to reserve a table."
"Who's ing?" Kushina asked.
"My team, and Minato's team. We're still w together."
Shin, Kushina, and Mikoto used to be part of their group, but after being in, they had moved on to higher-level missions.
"Since we're all here, let's eat together. My treat!" Nawaki said grandly.
"No, it's my treat. I promised to buy you all dinner whe back."
Shin shook his head. The food here was good, but it was also expensive. Nawaki's allowance probably wouldn't cover it.
"Well, if you insist..."
Nawaki grinned.
They reserved a rge private room. Soon, Minato, Akiko, Tsume, Hiashi, and Kai arrived.
Kai's expression ged when he saw Shin, but he remained silent.
Shin was surprised to see Kai there. He wasly the social type.
"Shin, you're back!" Minato and the reeted them with surprise.
"Yep, that mission was tough."
Shin lied. Kushina and Mikoto had been the ones who defeated the missing-nin; he hadn't even lifted a finger.
"I want to go on B-rank missions too," Minato said enviously.
After pleting a k bandit extermination mission, he was eager for more challenging tasks.
"Actually, after this trip, I realized it's better to stay in the vilge. We're not taking any missions for a while."
Shin said. It was the truth. He wao focus on developing his Ice Release. Training was more important than pointless missions.
After dinner, Shin and his team headed back to the Senju pound with Nawaki. Akiko and Kai, however, went in a different dire.
"What's going on? Don't they live in the Senju pound too? Why aren't they going home?"
Kushina uzzled.
"Didn't you know? Akiko moved out st week. Then Kai suddenly moved out too," Nawaki expined.
"Oh, and there's something else..." Nawaki's expression turned mischievous.
"Akiko seems to like Minato."
Shin, Kushina, and Mikoto remained expressionless. They already knew.
Nawaki was disappoihen tinued, "Shin, you must be w why Kai came with us today. He has a crush on Akiko, so he tagged along."
Still ion.
"Nawaki, I figured that out ba the Academy. You're just realizing it now?"
"Oh... so you knew." Nawaki was surprised.
"Huh?"
Shin suddenly stopped, his eyes fixed on a nearby alley.
"What's wrong?" Mikoto asked softly.
"No point hiding. e on out," Shin said calmly.
"What?" Nawaki looked at Shin, fused.
Kushina and Mikoto, however, drew their Kunai, their eyes alert.
"I 't believe a brat like you discovered us."
Three Shinobi emerged from the alley. They were tall and muscur, with dark skin and a powerful aura.
"You're from Kumogakure, aren't you?" Shin asked.
The leader of the Kumo Shinobi was about to speak, but Shin's question surprised him.
"They really are from Kumo."
Shin saw their surprised expressions and firmed his suspis.
He had never seen Shinobi with such dark skin in Konoha.
Only those from the Land of Lightning had that skin to was easy to tell.
He hadn't beeirely sure at first, but their rea firmed it.
Their hostility was clear. They were here for them, or rather, for the Uzumaki.
In the inal story, Kushina had been captured by Kumo.
Even though the timeline had ged, it seemed Kumo was still targeting Kushina.
"Capture the two Uzumaki brats. Kill the other two. Be quick. Don't attract the Anbu's attention."
The Kumo leader lu Shin.
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