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After all, if it weren't for some ideas, En no Gyōja would absolutely not leave his granddaughter alone here with Shinji, who had just arrived to visit.
"Mmm, since that's the case, I'll leave early and return early," En no Gyōja walked to the edge of the fortress, leaped down directly, and disappeared from everyone's sight after a few back and forths.
Seeing En no Gyōja leave, Shinji suddenly walked up to Hotaru. Seeing Shinji approach her, Hotaru was still somewhat nervous.
"What... is it?"
"Is there a reclining chair here? I'd like to borrow one," Shinji looked at the somewhat nervous Hotaru, understanding in his heart he had been misunderstood.
"Ah? Reclining chair? Yes, yes, I'll go get one for you," Hotaru sighed in relief, quickly running into the house and somewhat strenuously bringing out a reclining chair. Jūgo nearby saw this and directly stepped forward to help Hotaru take the chair and place it by the edge of the fortress.
"Thank you," Hotaru looked at Jūgo who helped her, speaking somewhat shyly.
"..." Jūgo just glanced at Hotaru, then turned his head back towards Shinji.
"Hmph!" Seeing Jūgo ignore her, Hotaru's little girl mentality prompted her to snort.
"Karin, Deidara, Jūgo, go play by yourselves. Be careful not to damage things here," Shinji came to the reclining chair and lay down, looking at the mountain peaks in the distance, feeling a sense of closeness for a moment.
"Okay, Lord Shinji," Karin said happily. It was rare to meet someone who suited her temper so well; Karin also really wanted to communicate with Hotaru.
"Karin, let me take you over there to play," Hotaru, hearing Karin's words, immediately took Karin's small hand, and the two walked towards the back of the house. Deidara, seeing there was no Rage to watch, casually chewed on a foxtail grass stalk, lying down on the other end of the fortress, looking into the distance. Jūgo, from beginning to end, just stood behind Shinji, showing no other movement.
"Jūgo, aren't you going to play?" Shinji sensed Jūgo was always behind him and asked somewhat curiously.
"Lord Shinji, being by your side is the greatest happiness," Jūgo stated calmly, seemingly being behind Shinji was his happiest thing.
"Is that so..." Shinji looked towards the distance, feeling the wind. That was the direction of the sea. Walking further east would be the direction of the Land of Whirlpools and the Land of Water. The direction of the harbor... Suddenly, Shinji's eyes flashed. A very good idea flashed through his mind.
...
...
An unknown amount of time passed. As the sky slightly darkened, En no Gyōja still hadn't returned. Hotaru and Karin had also run around playing wildly. When they came beside Shinji, their heads were already covered in sweat.
"Lord Shinji, I'm hungry..." Karin came beside Shinji, looking somewhat pitifully at him.
"Hungry?" Shinji sat up from the reclining chair, looking somewhat amusedly at Karin.
"Yes," Karin said somewhat embarrassedly. Hearing Karin's words, Shinji's gaze turned towards Hotaru.
"Since your grandpa hasn't returned yet, then I'll cook for you," Shinji smiled slightly, then stood up. Coming beside Karin, he also reached out and patted Karin's small head. Seemingly having her thoughts seen through, a blush flashed across Karin's face.
"The ingredients are over here," Hotaru avoided Shinji's gaze, then rushed into the kitchen like a wisp of smoke and brought out the ingredients. Looking at the ingredients that seemed already prepared, Shinji smiled faintly, then began processing the items.
Watching Shinji's actions, a thought emerged in Hotaru's mind: His movements look even better than her grandpa's. And... Hotaru's gaze suddenly glanced secretly at Shinji, who was processing ingredients, then lowered her head somewhat shyly.
Soon, following Shinji's actions, waves of aroma quickly appeared in the house. Deidara, who was outside chewing foxtail grass and keeping watch, immediately got up upon smelling this aroma and came to the dining room, looking eagerly towards the kitchen.
"Smells so good..." Hotaru smelled the aroma coming from the pot, couldn't help sniffing her nose.
"See? I told you Lord Shinji's cooking is much more delicious than your grandpa's!" Karin said very proudly.
"Well... No, I haven't eaten it yet! Maybe it just smells better," Hotaru said stubbornly, but her actions clearly betrayed her.
"Come serve the dishes," Shinji placed the dishes from the pot onto plates, wiped his hands, and came out. Hearing Shinji's words, Deidara and Karin were the first to react, quickly entering the kitchen to bring out the dishes Shinji prepared. Soon, several people came to the dining table.
"Looks like Lord En no Gyōja probably won't be back so soon. Let's eat first," Shinji sensed the location behind him. There was still no sign of En no Gyōja's aura.
"Let me try!" Hotaru couldn't bear it anymore, picked up chopsticks, and immediately started eating. Today Shinji made a dish they could eat together: Northeast Hodgepodge Stew. Stewing various vegetables like beans, potatoes, eggplants, green peppers, tomatoes, wood ear mushrooms, etc., together with pork ribs until cooked. Although the method looked simple, it was a famous dish most capable of stimulating people's appetite. Of course, Karin and the others had eaten this dish before. But before Hotaru, this local native, it was definitely a rarity.
Taking a bite, Hotaru's eyes lit up. This was too delicious! Hotaru swore she had never eaten such delicious food before!
"Well, didn't I say Lord Shinji's cooking is the best?" Karin said with a grin.
"Mmm... This..." Hotaru suddenly hesitated slightly. Saying it wasn't as good as her grandpa's cooking was clearly a lie. But her sense of trust in her grandpa made Hotaru somewhat unsure how to respond.
"This aroma, who cooked this?" Just as Hotaru was feeling conflicted, En no Gyōja happened to return from outside. As soon as he entered, he smelled the fragrance filling the house.
"Grandpa! You're back," Seeing En no Gyōja enter, Hotaru quickly stood up from her chair and ran over.
"Yes. Just got back. Originally wanted to cook for you all, didn't expect you already finished. Is this Boss Shinji's skill?" En no Gyōja patted Hotaru's small head, then walked to the dining table and sat down. Karin had already placed a prepared rice bowl before En no Gyōja.
"Just casually made something. Lord En no Gyōja, please eat casually," Shinji smiled, then began eating heartily himself.
"This casual cooking really puts this old man to shame. But this taste is really good, much better than mine," En no Gyōja picked up a piece of meat, put it in his mouth, and chewed. Instantly, the delicious taste filled En no Gyōja's mouth, making him praise involuntarily.
Soon, with everyone present, the large pot of Northeast Hodgepodge Stew was quickly finished. Hotaru very consciously cleared the dining table, going to the kitchen with Karin to start washing.
"Well, Lord En no Gyōja, I believe you should be able to bring good news this time," Shinji and En no Gyōja came outside the house. A small table and chairs, two people, one left, one right. A small wine bottle lay on the table, currently divided into two cups. Shinji and En no Gyōja didn't look at each other, but gazed towards the bright moon high in the distant sky. It seemed only the bright moon could speak of the game between them.
"I spoke with our Tsuchigumo clan members. How to say it? There are those who agree, but those who oppose still exist," En no Gyōja looked at the moonlight and stated calmly.
"Then, what is the final decision of your Tsuchigumo clan?" Shinji didn't pick up En no Gyōja's thread, but directly poked the most important point. That is, the final result.
"The final result? Boss Shinji, aren't you curious at all how many people agreed and how many opposed?" En no Gyōja looked somewhat curiously at Shinji. Logically, after he said this, Shinji should be rather curious, but unexpectedly Shinji showed no interest at all?
"I am curious. But no matter how many people agree or oppose, won't there be a final result eventually? So, I only need to be curious about this final decision," Shinji chuckled lightly. This matter really needed the final result to be the final victory.
"Truly worthy of Boss Shinji. Since that's the case..." En no Gyōja suddenly fell silent for a moment, then looked firmly at Shinji. Shinji didn't speak, just quietly looking at En no Gyōja.
"In the times to come, I hope Otogakure can treat our Tsuchigumo clan well," En no Gyōja finally said it. Yes, he had been persuading his clansmen within the Tsuchigumo clan. Only after ensuring everyone agreed did he return to this fortress. That's why it took so long to come back.
"Naturally," Shinji still breathed a sigh of relief. Although he was very confident he could persuade En no Gyōja, ultimately some twists and turns were still needed.
"When do we depart?" En no Gyōja sighed. Speaking of leaving the homeland, he still felt somewhat reluctant at this moment.
"Anytime."
"Then tomorrow. Actually, I already had them pack their luggage and belongings today, ready to depart at any time."
"Alright. Then tomorrow," Shinji's matter was resolved; naturally, he wouldn't have any other thoughts.
"Then you rest early tonight. I also need to pack my luggage," En no Gyōja glanced at Shinji, then downed the wine in his cup in one go.
"Good night," Shinji smiled, looking at the bright moon in the distance. His mission seemed one step closer.
...
...
Early the next morning, En no Gyōja left the fortress early, running towards the Tsuchigumo clan's village.
"Lord Shinji, are we leaving this place together?" Hotaru, although somewhat playful, still heard the conversation between Shinji and En no Gyōja yesterday.
"Yeah. By the way, Hotaru, when did you also start calling me Lord Shinji?" Shinji looked somewhat puzzledly at Hotaru. When did Hotaru also start calling him this?
"It was... Sister Karin who taught me..." Hotaru looked somewhat shyly at Shinji, then shifted her gaze towards Karin. Yesterday, after Karin and Hotaru became friends, Karin discovered she happened to be one month older than Hotaru, so the address 'Sister Karin' couldn't be escaped.
"Karin..." Shinji looked somewhat helplessly at Karin. Teaching good things is fine, but why teach this?
"Boss Shinji, we've all arrived below," Just as Shinji felt somewhat helpless, En no Gyōja suddenly appeared on the fortress.
"All here?"
"Yes. Tsuchigumo clan, total 110 people. Among them, 10 are ninjas. Besides me, the rest are all Genin level," En no Gyōja sighed. The once-grand Tsuchigumo clan, unexpectedly declined to this state at this time.
"Rest assured. Our Otogakure will help your Tsuchigumo clan rebuild its former glory," Shinji saw the grief and indignation in En no Gyōja's heart and directly comforted him.
"I believe Boss Shinji," En no Gyōja stated calmly. Subsequently, several people descended the fortress and came below. At this time, over a hundred people were below, looking somewhat confusedly at Shinji and the others coming down. Their eyes held confusion, helplessness, and a few showed excitement. But most eyes still showed worry about the future.
"This is the Boss Shinji I mentioned, one of the partners of Otogakure. From today onwards, our Tsuchigumo clan is the Tsuchigumo clan of Otogakure," En no Gyōja introduced Shinji to the Tsuchigumo clan members. Hearing 'Otogakure', those Tsuchigumo clansmen couldn't help but glance at Shinji. Just this one person could actually support a village?
"Hello everyone, I am Shinji of Otogakure. Everyone can also call me Boss Shinji. From now on, everyone is a part of Otogakure. Everyone is family!" Shinji's words weren't many, but could greatly mobilize everyone's emotions. Instantly, a glimmer of light flashed in the eyes of the hundred-odd Tsuchigumo clan members.
They had lived in this godforsaken place for a long time, but the Tsuchigumo clan couldn't flourish. Instead, as time went by, they became more and more desolate. Therefore, after En no Gyōja brought Shinji's news, more people actually wanted to join a faction. So, with both sides hitting it off, the Tsuchigumo clan joined Otogakure half-heartedly.
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