"Lady Tsunade, Sister Shizune, goodbye!!!"
"Karin, Akira Ren, take care!"
"Akira Ren, remember to look after Karin!"
"Got it!"
"Bye!"
Inside the inn, after finishing lunch, Karin—already packed and eager to go home—couldn't wait to pull Akira Ren along to say farewell to Tsunade and Shizune.
As for Jiraiya's unpaid medical bill, Akira Ren wasn't worried about him running away.
On the rooftop, a faintly visible wooden helicopter sat there. Sunflower-like structures spun, generating strong wind pressure.
Under Tsunade and Shizune's watchful eyes, it carried Akira Ren and Karin straight toward Konoha.
With his increasing mastery of Wood Release, Akira Ren had already combined the Four-Pillar House Technique with the wooden helicopter. Unlike before, it now even had proper enclosed windows instead of open airflow.
"Wow! You were hiding such an amazing technique, Akira Ren…"
Karin looked out the window at the passing landscape, full of excitement.
Inside the spacious cabin, it was just the two of them.
Just thinking about it made her heart race.
Does this count as a date…?
She secretly glanced at Akira Ren, blushing.
"Our journey isn't just about traveling and broadening horizons," Akira Ren said lazily, lying down with his eyes half-closed. "It's about tempering ourselves—body and mind. If things are too convenient, people slack off."
Of course, for him now, after two years of intense training, he had more than enough foundation. If not for accompanying Tsunade, he wouldn't mind using abilities like this more often.
"I see…"
Karin nodded thoughtfully.
"It's about noon. Get some sleep. No rush—we'll arrive by tomorrow morning."
Akira Ren yawned. To avoid bird collisions, he slightly reduced the helicopter's speed.
From the Land of Hot Water to the Land of Fire, with Konoha at the center, the trip would take around ten hours.
"Hmph… annoying Akira Ren…"
Karin pouted, looking at him resting so casually.
But as she stared at his flawless side profile, she became dazed.
"…He's really handsome…"
Snapping out of it, she quickly wiped her drool, afraid he might notice.
But Akira Ren, not fully asleep, didn't open his eyes.
Being too handsome wasn't his fault.
"Wait, Akira Ren…"
After some time, Karin suddenly woke him.
She pointed toward the distance. "Look over there!"
"Hm?"
Akira Ren raised an eyebrow, surprised.
In the distance, a purple figure was flying low in the air.
"It's not a bird… it's a person?"
Explosions flickered below, with smoke rising—clearly from detonating tags.
"That's a battle…"
Karin used her sensory ability, her eyes shining with curiosity. "Their chakra is special… they can fly!"
"Using chakra to form wings through activation…"
Akira Ren stroked his chin. "Interesting technique."
"Wait… I remember this. Only the Star Village in the Land of Bears has something like this… the Peacock Mystical Method."
Curiosity sparked.
Akira Ren immediately redirected the wooden helicopter toward the battlefield.
In midair, the figure with purple chakra wings dodged incoming weapons, then suddenly dived down, throwing kunai to force enemies back.
Landing on the ground, he formed hand seals.
"Peacock Mystical Method: Winged Beast!"
A storm of purple chakra surged, forming a massive beast that roared and charged at the enemy.
In an instant, the wandering ninja were wiped out.
But as the chakra dispersed, the masked man began coughing violently.
"Hotaruboshi!"
Another figure with purple wings descended from the sky—a woman with long purple-red hair.
She rushed to support him, full of concern.
"Hotaruboshi… the chakra from the 'star' is eroding my body more and more… I'm afraid I won't last much longer…"
His face was pale as he removed his mask.
"No… there must be a way…"
Tears welled in her eyes.
Ever since they trained with the "star," their comrades had died one after another, unable to withstand its chakra.
Now… was it her husband's turn?
"Don't say foolish things…"
He coughed weakly. "If I die… please take care of our son, Sumaru…"
At that moment, a sound came from above.
They looked up in alarm.
Soon, in their astonished eyes, a large wooden helicopter slowly appeared and descended nearby.
Two figures stepped out.
"Children?"
Natsuhiboshi was surprised.
A red-haired girl under ten, and a handsome boy slightly older.
"You're ninja from Star Village, right?"
Akira Ren looked at them calmly.
He didn't recognize them exactly, but he had already guessed their identities.
They nodded without denying it.
Though they had left the village, they still wore its forehead protector and considered themselves Star ninja.
They had recently taken on a mission to escort a noble bride from the Land of Bears to the Land of Hot Water—but were ambushed on the return trip.
The attackers likely wanted their secret techniques.
"We are disciples of one of the legendary Sannin, the 'Medical Sage' Tsunade of Konoha," Akira Ren said directly, not bothering with small talk.
Then, without hesitation, he made his demand:
"I can save your husband."
"But in exchange—"
"I want that flying technique you just used."
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