NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 72: Chapter 72
"This isn't the Pure Land, Mikoto! We're not dead!" Tetsuya Fujiwara's voice rose with a strange blend of disbelief and elation. "Mikoto, we made it! Somehow, we're still alive!"
Seeing the girl's astonished gaze, Tetsuya felt a surge of exhilaration. He was grinning like an idiot, completely oblivious to their current, rather...awkward predicament.
In his efforts to save Mikoto, he'd pulled her collar down nearly to her waist, and her clothes were... well, in complete disarray.
Finally, as the sea breeze gently stirred, Mikoto became aware of her state, and the realization dawned on her.
Ten minutes later, with cheeks flushed deep red, Mikoto had finally managed to calm down, seeming to grudgingly accept what had happened. Meanwhile, Tetsuya, his own face as red as a beet, held his stinging right cheek and kept a careful distance behind her, offering a series of stammered explanations.
But really, what could he say?
Such situations—matters of life and death, mingled with awkward feelings—weren't exactly something words could fix.
"Tetsuya-kun," she said at last, her voice low. "So... what should we do now?"
"It's not bad here, I guess, but...when do you think we'll make it back to the Leaf Village?"
Her calm restored, Mikoto was already thinking practically. Their tiny island could be walked around in minutes; it was that small. And back home, they each had precious connections waiting. No matter what, they couldn't leave those bonds behind.
"Mikoto," Tetsuya said, his brow furrowed. "I'm not exactly sure what we should do, either."
"Wait—you've signed a summoning contract with the Uchiha Clan's beasts, right? If so, maybe you can send one to deliver a message?"
He glanced out over the endless sea, swallowing hard. As deserted islands went, it wasn't the worst place to be stranded—especially with company. But if he'd been alone, the sheer isolation might have eroded his sanity.
Mikoto's face dimmed as she answered, "Sorry, Tetsuya-kun... I haven't signed any summoning contracts with the clan's beasts yet." The shame in her voice was unmistakable; she seemed genuinely sorry for not being able to help in such a crucial moment.
"Hey, don't beat yourself up over it!" Tetsuya said firmly. "If it weren't for you, I'd probably have died back there on Mist Island! And now, here I am, breathing fresh air, talking about our next steps..."
They say that facing the ocean brings peace and inspiration. But as Tetsuya stared at the thunderstorm brewing on the horizon, all he felt was a pang of dread.
Turning back to the sparse patch of trees, he shook his head. If he knew Earth-Style techniques, he could at least build them a shelter. But, of course, neither he nor Mikoto had any Earth-Style skills. They'd just have to manage on their own.
As for the future? They could only hope for one of two things: either Jiraiya, Shin, or someone else from the Leaf would come back to search for them, or they'd wait... maybe even years, for a passing ship to notice them.
Over the following days, Tetsuya and Mikoto settled into a simple rhythm: playing by the beach, catching fish with Water-Style techniques, swimming, and roasting their catches with Fire-Style.
Fortunately, the currents hadn't washed away their clothing. Otherwise, things might have been far more...awkward, given how often they'd see each other throughout the day.
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Northern Seas of the Land of Whirlpools
On a boat led by the Uzumaki Clan, Jiraiya had tirelessly searched one desolate island after another. The days blurred as they drifted over the waves, already ten long days into their search.
Over these ten days, perhaps the exposed intelligence regarding Mist Island had forced the Mist Village to pull back their forces. This temporary calm had brought a rare moment of peace to the Uzumaki Clan. At the very least, there had been fewer attacks, and ninja ambushes from the Mist Village had dwindled significantly.
"Lord Jiraiya," an Uzumaki shinobi called out from behind. "The next set of islands up ahead are the last in this area."
"If we don't find Fujiwara Tetsuya and Uchiha Mikoto on these islands, then…" He trailed off, not wanting to say what was on everyone's mind.
The young Uzumaki glanced worriedly at Jiraiya's fatigued silhouette, then fell silent, unwilling to voice the rest.
One of them was only eight years old, the other thirteen. Just kids, really. They'd faced off against four Jonin from the Mist Village and had ended up diving off a cliff into the sea. That story had spread through the Uzumaki Clan, igniting curiosity and pity alike. It was hard to imagine the sheer desperation that must have driven those two young shinobi to make such a choice.
"I understand," Jiraiya said quietly. "Once we've checked these last islands, if we still don't find any trace of those kids… we'll head back to the Village Hidden in Whirlpools."
Staring out over the endless expanse of ocean, Jiraiya's eyes held a rare hint of defeat. If those two had indeed been swallowed by the sea…
How would he face their families back in the Leaf Village? How would he face Shin?
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