Hearing the Daimyo's generous promise, Shanks inclined his head with a broad, genuine smile. His voice carried both gratitude and resolve as he declared,
"The Uzumaki clan will forever remember this kindness. And here, before my brothers and sisters, I make a vow: as long as the Uzumaki stand, as long as we draw breath, the Land of Hot Water shall not suffer alone. Should disaster ever strike your people, we will come to your aid without hesitation, lending our strength to shield this land."
He paused, his tone softening slightly, though his words remained firm. "As for matters of economy, I can promise little. Our new village will be fragile in its infancy, and survival will demand most of our focus. But in matters of protection, of safeguarding life and peace—you will always have us by your side. And so long as your family rules with honor, walking the path of morally good, then your line shall always remain the rightful rulers of this land. None shall be able to contest it—not while the Uzumaki clan endures."
The sincerity in his vow filled the chamber, resonating like an oath carved into stone.
The Daimyo's face broke into an unrestrained smile, his composure nearly slipping under the weight of his elation. Were he not bound by the dignity of his position, he might well have leapt from his seat in joy. To receive such a promise from a man who had defeated Hanzo himself was no small matter. It was a guarantee that, militarily, the Land of Hot Water would have little to fear in the years ahead.
As for economic concerns, the Daimyo's confidence remained unshaken. His nation was already thriving, strengthened further by its recent deals, and he required little assistance on that front. The funds the Uzumaki now held were, after all, earned through missions completed under his patronage. Their success had been mutual, and now, with this oath, their partnership had blossomed into something far greater—an alliance secured by loyalty, honor, and shared prosperity.
After concluding their meeting with the Daimyo, Shanks and the other Uzumaki clan members present in the chamber departed together. Their course was clear now: it was time to return to their homeland, the Land of the Uzumaki.
Once they had crossed through the great gates of the Land of Hot Water's capital, the four paused briefly, gazing out toward the distant horizon. Shanks turned to his siblings, his eyes reflecting a mixture of determination and nostalgia.
"At last," he said, his voice low but filled with emotion. "For the first time after so many years in hiding, we are going back. We will return to the Land of the Uzumaki."
Erza and the others exchanged glances and nodded, their expressions mirroring the same weight of memory and longing. Without another word, they broke into a run, the wind tugging at their cloaks as they surged forward. For six long years, they had lived like shadows in a hidden valley, driven from their birthplace, stripped of the home that once defined them. Now, step by step, they were racing toward the place that held both their happiest memories and their deepest wounds.
Nearly a full day later, they crossed into the borders of the Land of the Uzumaki. As they made their way along the old roads and paths, a heavy silence settled over them. Every familiar turn, every stone and bridge stirred echoes of the past. Once, these streets had been alive—bustling markets, families calling to one another, children racing through the alleys with laughter trailing behind them. The air had been vibrant, warm, and full of promise.
Now, what greeted them was devastation. Houses lay in ruins, walls collapsed, and rooftops blackened with fire scars. Doors hung broken from their frames, and the once-busy roads were choked with weeds and silence. The joyous energy of their homeland had been replaced with emptiness, a ghost of what had been.
At last, they arrived at the ancestral heart of the Uzumaki clan—the compound where the main family had once resided. The sight before them struck deeply. Looters had long since stripped the area bare; every hall, every chamber, every courtyard had been ransacked and defiled. Only a few hidden traps and secret chambers remained intact, their concealment sparing them from discovery. But they were few, mere fragments of a lost legacy.
The siblings stood there quietly, the weight of grief heavy in their throats. Their home, once a proud and thriving village, had been reduced to rubble and memory.
Using their memory, they made their way to the Uzumaki Clan's Mask Storage Temple, the most sacred place of their people. At last, they reached their destination, and before them stood the five sealing masks, still intact and untouched, most probably those fools thought of these masks as some ordinary masks and left here which is very good for their Uzumaki Clan.
Seeing the sorrow in the eyes of his brothers and sisters, Shanks stepped forward and said firmly,
"This is not a time for sadness, but for joy. We will rebuild everything and create a new home for our clan. When we re-establish the Uzumaki Village, this news will spread across the world. Our scattered clan members — those forced to run, to hide, to live apart — will once again have a place to return.
"With my reputation, their safety will be assured. But understand this: the reconstruction of our village will not happen overnight. It will take time. Until then, all of you must work hard, train harder, and become stronger than you are today."
Hearing his words, everyone nodded in agreement.
At that moment, Erza spoke up, her tone serious.
"Onii-chan, there is an important problem we cannot overlook. If we rebuild the village, it will definitely attract attention from Kumogakure and Kirigakure. They will not sit quietly — they will try to disrupt the construction."
Shanks' expression turned cold as he replied,
"Hmph. If they dare to interfere with our reconstruction, then we will kill all who come. If one comes, we will kill one. If a hundred come, we will kill a hundred. If a thousand come, we will kill thousands. We will never allow anyone to stop us. I will personally remain here and make sure the reconstruction continues without issue."
Erza nodded firmly and said,
"Yes, brother. We will also stand with you until the village rises again."
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