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You can now get early access up to Chapter 149 of Re: Naruto Uzumaki on my Patreon.
Up to Chapter 10 of Marvel: Star Wars System is also available on my Patreon. Each chapter averages 5,000 words.
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The first 5 chapters of Marvel: Star Wars System are now available, completely free on my Patreon!
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"Why do I always have to carry useless people...?" Naruto muttered to himself.
Shūen was hanging on his back, clinging to his neck with surprising firmness for someone who could barely walk.
"And do you think I like being carried around by a brat?" grumbled the old man, glancing toward Hinata, Reika, Shion, and Sakura, who were walking ahead of them. "I'd much rather be carried in the arms of one of those young ladies..."
Naruto rolled his eyes. "They're my girlfriends, you pervy dwarf. But if you want to risk your life, go ahead and ask Sakura..."
Naruto no longer had any doubt about how Shūen had fathered five children... He was a pervert just like Jiraiya!
"Je… it would be worth dying if it were in the arms of such a beauty…" Shūen murmured with a drooling grin as he shamelessly stared at the girls.
Naruto rolled his eyes again. "You're a disgrace to the Uzumaki Clan… You know that?"
"I'm a pioneer," Shūen corrected with pride, lifting his chin—or at least as much as his wrinkled neck would allow.
Sakura, who had overheard part of the conversation, barely turned her head without stopping her pace. "Touch me, you dirty old man, and I'll shove that cane of yours where the sun doesn't shine."
"Ah! You're even cuter when you threaten me!" Shūen responded with a wheezy laugh.
Sakura felt a chill run down her spine and began walking faster.
Hinata and Reika decided to stop walking ahead, letting Naruto and Shūen pass them.
Shion just shook her head, visibly embarrassed.
"And you got along with this guy?" Naruto asked, raising an eyebrow at Shion. "You didn't tell me he was like this... Naoto could've mentioned it too..."
"He was wiser when he had hair and wasn't so... well, wrinkly," she replied, not hiding her annoyance.
"I'm still wise!" Shūen exclaimed, offended, banging his cane on Naruto's back, much to his irritation. "My mind still runs like a well-oiled machine!"
"More like a rusty door squeaking open…" Naruto muttered, not bothering to hide the sarcasm.
"I heard that, brat!" Shūen growled.
"Want to get off and walk on your own?" Naruto raised an eyebrow without looking back.
Shūen went silent for a second… "No, thanks. My bones could turn to dust with a breeze."
"Thought so," Naruto snorted.
"Is this man really part of our clan…?" Reika asked out loud, her expression incredulous.
Naruto raised an eyebrow upon hearing Reika refer to the Uzumaki Clan as "our" clan.
"Since when are you an Uzumaki?" he asked with a sideways smile, clearly amused.
Reika crossed her arms, raising her chin with feigned dignity.
"Mhpm. You took my purity, now I have no choice but to become your wife, right? Poor little me… married to such an indecent man who can't even settle for just one woman."
Her tone was overly dramatic, full of sarcasm—clearly a joke. She said it with that mix of fake annoyance and proud shyness so typical of her... classic tsundere.
Naruto just let out a small chuckle.
Shūen, from his back, clicked his tongue in disdain, feeling jealous.
He could also hear Hinata clicking her tongue in annoyance.
When they finally reached the other side of the city, in front of the ancient palace of Mōryō, Naruto crouched without a word and dropped Shūen like a sack of potatoes.
"Ow, ow, ow! You could be more careful, damn brat!" complained the old man, rubbing his rear with a pained grimace.
"After all the crap you spouted along the way, rest assured I was gentle," Naruto replied indifferently, dusting off his hands.
Hinata's Byakugan was already active, though even with it, she saw nothing out of the ordinary.
With a push, Naruto opened the enormous palace doors, not waiting for anyone to prepare.
"Shion, stay behind me. Whatever's in here probably won't like you..."
"How are you so sure there's something in there? It looks abandoned..." Shion voiced what everyone was thinking.
Naruto just shrugged.
"A hunch."
Considering the Fūinjutsu affecting the whole city, draining the life energy of its inhabitants, the most likely scenario was that this energy wasn't just vanishing... It was being channeled somewhere.
Naruto narrowed his eyes, observing the palace interior.
That kind of technique wasn't used on a whim. Mass extraction of life energy had a purpose. And usually, a pretty messed up one.
He'd seen enough movies in his past life to know where this was going.
The typical comatose villain, a creature locked deep within, a body about to be resurrected using the life force of hundreds of innocents as fuel…
"All that's missing is a blood moon or a prophecy," Naruto muttered to himself, crossing his arms in resignation.
"Mhpm. It's fine, I got this," said Shion with a confident air, pointing to a small golden bell attached to her dress. "Besides, nothing can hurt me—I've got you."
Naruto raised an eyebrow at the bell. He'd completely forgotten about it.
"Oh, right... that."
He recognized the Mystic Protective Bell that Shion's mother, Miroku, had given her before dying.
It was an artifact with powerful protective techniques, designed specifically to keep the little crybaby princess safe.
Sealed within it was Miroku's power—and by extension, Shion's.
Miroku hadn't spared any resources. It was practically like leaving behind a nuclear bomb as a guardian... compressed into a bell.
That bell contained three main techniques:
The first was a mid-range offensive technique, which fired pink energy blasts at Shion's will. These weren't just pretty lights—they were beams capable of cutting through even Mōryō's Phantom Army like butter.
The other two were defensive techniques, though the third could also count as offensive.
One was the Protective Sphere of Light, which generated a luminous bubble around Shion capable of blocking nearly any attack. She could even use it at a distance to protect others.
Though considering Shion rarely thought of anyone but herself, Naruto doubted he'd ever see that happen.
Then there was the technique Mystic Protective Bell: Release, a Fūinjutsu that unlocked the full power Miroku had sealed in the bell. When activated, Shion's appearance completely transformed, gaining enough power to face Mōryō directly.
Of course… all of that sounded impressive, but the truth was Shion still had no idea how to use any of it.
Thanks to Miroku, who wished a normal life for her daughter, that power was inaccessible unless Shion was in an extreme situation... or discovered it herself.
And if there was anything worse than an arrogant princess like Shion, it was an arrogant princess with mystical superpowers and zero common sense.
There's nothing more dangerous than putting power in the hands of an idiot. Especially one who already thinks she's important without it.
Luckily, he only thought it. If he had said that out loud, the whole group chat would probably already be calling him out.
Even he had to admit how hypocritical his words were...
"Let's split up and search. I'll go with Sakura. Let Hinata go with Shion," Reika said, pointing at the three paths ahead of them: a staircase leading to the upper floor, and two hallways branching off left and right on the ground floor.
Naruto narrowed his eyes.
"Sure, let's split up... What could possibly go wrong?" he muttered sarcastically, crossing his arms.
His gaze slowly shifted toward Shūen, still hunched over and gripping his cane.
"And of course, why not? I'll stay with the dying grandpa..." Naruto added with an exaggerated sigh.
"I'm still alive and in good shape, brat!" protested Shūen, though his shaky voice didn't help his case.
"Do you really want that pervy old man to go with one of us?" asked Reika, raising an eyebrow with her arms crossed.
Naruto frowned. He had to admit she had a point. It wasn't a good idea to leave Shūen alone with any of them… especially not Shion, who had zero filters, or Reika, who'd probably throw him out a window if he looked at her wrong.
"Fine, fine... we'll go upstairs," Naruto relented with a sigh, turning toward the stairs.
But before he could take the first step, a pitiful complaint came from behind.
"Do I have to climb stairs?!" Shūen exclaimed in horror, staring at the steps as if they were the highest mountain he'd ever seen.
Naruto let out a slow sigh.
It was going to be a very long day...