NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 55: Chapter 55
Looking out over the horizon, watching as a large fish leaped from the water, Tetsuya Fujiwara couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Not far away, Mikoto Uchiha leaned against the ship's railing, resting after an unsuccessful search. She glanced at Tetsuya's small frame, a slight smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
"Mikoto, do you think Tetsuya is sick?" asked Muto Aburame, suddenly appearing beside her, his face hidden behind his signature dark sunglasses. He was clearly worried about their teammate, his eyes following Tetsuya with concern.
"Should I go check if there's a doctor on board? Maybe we should have someone take a look at him," he suggested earnestly.
Mikoto rolled her eyes at the idea, clearly unimpressed. "Muto, maybe... just maybe... this is what Tetsuya is actually like," she responded, her voice filled with a mix of amusement and disbelief. She didn't bother answering Muto further and instead returned her gaze to their teammate.
"Ha! Not bad, kid!" came a hearty laugh from across the deck. It was Nakamura Kazuo, a merchant from the Land of Hot Water, chatting with Tetsuya.
"You've got a good personality. If you weren't so young, I'd invite you to share a drink or two," Nakamura said, clearly enjoying the exchange.
"Uncle Nakamura, I feel the same!" Tetsuya replied with a wide grin. "And hey, if you ever visit Konoha, look me up! I'll even ask the Hokage for a discount—how does 20% off sound?"
Their conversation, filled with half-hearted promises and empty words, continued as the sun slowly dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the ship.
The night was growing darker.
Back in the cabin, Mikoto and Muto followed Tetsuya inside, quietly shutting the door behind them. Muto scanned the area carefully to ensure they weren't being followed before gently closing the door.
"You sure about this, Tetsuya?" Mikoto asked, her voice low and serious.
Tetsuya nodded, pacing the small room as he spoke. "It should be tonight. Uzushiogakure isn't far from here. Given the ship's speed and the wind, we'll likely reach it by tomorrow evening. Tonight is their best chance for a surprise attack."
He turned to Muto. "Have you released the bugs yet?"
"Of course," Muto replied, adjusting his sunglasses. "They're already out, and I've confirmed everything's in place. No one will take us by surprise."
"Good. Keep monitoring them," Tetsuya said, looking thoughtful. "As for us, we should rest for now. Mikoto, you too."
The "beds" in the cabin were little more than planks supported by two wooden beams, barely better than sleeping on the floor. Tetsuya moved to lie down on the one closest to the window, but before he could get comfortable, Mikoto was suddenly behind him. Without warning, she flicked him on the back of the head—twice.
"Ow! Mikoto, what was that for?" Tetsuya whined, rubbing the growing lump on his head.
Mikoto just smirked. "Don't say things that could be easily misunderstood," she scolded, her voice cool but teasing.
Tetsuya stared at her in confusion, but before he could protest further, Mikoto had already moved to her own bed, ignoring him.
Later that night, as Tetsuya lay staring at the ceiling, sleep eluded him. His thoughts wandered, but he couldn't relax. Beside him, Mikoto's presence was impossible to ignore. She was so close he could make out every detail of her face, smell the faint scent that clung to her, and even hear her breathing.
He found himself silently begging the Mist ninja to attack sooner rather than later, just to break the tension.
Unbeknownst to the passengers, two small boats were quietly making their way toward the ship, hidden under the cover of darkness. Aboard these boats were squads of Mist Village ninja, their forms barely visible under the dim starlight. With practiced silence, they secured the boats and leaped onto the ship's deck.
"Kazuo!" one of the figures called in a hushed voice. "Is everything ready?"
At the sound of his name, Nakamura Kazuo, who had been anxiously waiting, finally relaxed. "You're here. Everything is set," he replied, his tone betraying his relief.
The lead Mist ninja stepped forward. "Has the intel been confirmed?"
"It's all accurate," Nakamura confirmed, nodding. "The Konoha team is led by a jonin from the Yuhi clan. His squad includes a Uchiha and an Aburame—kids. The last one's from some no-name clan. Not worth worrying about."
The Mist ninja smirked at the mention of the Yuhi clan. "And the two Uzumaki brats?"
"They're locked up in one of the guest cabins," Nakamura answered, "with the Yuhi jonin watching them."
The Mist ninja's smile widened, a hint of bloodlust flickering in his eyes. "In that case, let's start with the Yuhi jonin. Take him down, and the rest will be easy. Taima, you and I will handle the jonin. The rest of you—deal with the Konoha kids."
As the Mist ninja prepared to move, they didn't realize that their every action was being monitored. Through his insects, Muto had already relayed the information back to Tetsuya and Mikoto.
"Three squads... quite the welcoming party," Tetsuya muttered under his breath.
Despite his calm tone, Tetsuya knew the gravity of the situation. While he wasn't too concerned about the genin and chunin among the attackers, the Mist squad leaders were a different story. These weren't your everyday foot soldiers. They were seasoned killers, hardened by countless battles.
"Should we help sensei?" Muto asked, his voice tense. "There's no telling how strong their leaders are. If sensei's outnumbered—"
Tetsuya shook his head. "We can't. Sensei told us before: once we're at sea, anything can happen. Our focus has to be here, on dealing with the Mist ninja coming for us. We take them down quickly, then we go help him."
After a moment's silence, Muto nodded in agreement. Tetsuya's plan was their best chance.
The night stretched on, the tension building as they waited for the inevitable clash.
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