As soon as Shanks' voice faded from Guy's mind, a crown-shaped mark appeared in the air before him—thin, intricate lines forming a symbol that shimmered faintly.
Guy immediately recognized it.
Shanks' Flying Thunder God mark.
In the very next instant, space itself seemed to fold inward, and Shanks appeared at that exact spot as if he had always been standing there.
The surrounding Uzushiogakure ninjas reacted at once. They bowed deeply and said in unison, "Lord Uzukage."
Shanks acknowledged them with a slight nod before walking toward the gathered Kumogakure and Kirigakure teams. The sand shifted softly beneath his steps as the sea breeze tugged at his cloak.
"If you try to seal the bodies one by one," he said calmly, his gaze sweeping over the massive pyramid of the dead, "it will take you years just to finish. Let me give you both a hand."
Without waiting for a response, he took a scroll from one of the Kumogakure ninjas. Moving to stand before the pyramid formed from Kumogakure's fallen, he spread the scroll across the ground.
Then he began forming hand seals.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Each seal was precise, fluid, practiced to perfection.
After the fifth, he pressed his palm firmly onto the scroll.
A surge of light erupted outward, enveloping the entire pyramid. The glow was neither violent nor chaotic—it was controlled, contained. The massive structure of bodies was bathed in brilliance, and then the light began to draw inward, flowing toward the scroll like a tide being pulled back into the sea.
Within moments, the enormous pyramid began to shrink.
The light condensed, compressing everything into the scroll, and a large, complex sealing mark etched itself across its surface.
The shore fell silent.
Shanks straightened up and handed the scroll back.
"I have sealed all the bodies of your fallen ninjas into this," he said evenly. "When you unseal it, you will find them arranged in the same pyramid structure. And to unseal it, these are the hand signs."
He demonstrated the required seals once, slowly enough for them to memorize.
Then he moved toward the second pyramid—the one belonging to Kirigakure. Spreading their scroll across the sand, he repeated the process.
Five hand seals.
Palm pressed down.
Light engulfed the pyramid.
Again, the massive structure shrank under the pull of the sealing technique, and another large mark appeared upon the scroll.
Even the Uzumaki siblings watched in stunned silence.
Their clan had mastered a technique capable of sealing a hundred objects at once under a single mark. That alone had placed them at the pinnacle of sealing arts.
But what Shanks had just done…
He had sealed an entire pyramid—thousands—into one single mark.
This was their first time witnessing this technique.
It was one of the skills created by Raphael, known as the Ten-Thousand Sealing Technique. It could seal thousands of objects simultaneously, with a limit reaching up to ten thousand.
But such power came at a cost.
Even for Shanks, whose chakra reserves were enormous—surpassing even many of the tailed beasts—sealing these two pyramids had consumed nearly one-third of his chakra.
The air around him remained steady, but those sensitive to chakra could feel the slight dip in his vast reserves.
After finishing, Shanks turned toward both groups.
"My message has already been relayed to your villages by Guy and Benimaru," he said, voice calm but firm. "But I will say it again. You attacked us multiple times, yet we have not attacked your villages even once."
He paused briefly, letting that sink in.
"And the reason is not because we fear you. You all know this very well."
The wind swept across the shore again, carrying the faint scent of salt.
"It is simply because we do not wish to push our newly formed village into a war. Though," he added lightly, "I doubt I would even call it a war. But whatever."
His gaze hardened slightly.
"As for the hatred between Uzushiogakure and Kumogakure… and Kirigakure—we have let go of our hatred after this. Technically speaking, we have killed all of the old generation who participated in the conquest to destroy our Uzumaki. But if there are other attacks then…"
There was no anger in his voice. Only a statement of fact.
After saying that much, Shanks offered nothing further.
A familiar crown-shaped mark flickered faintly in his house.
And in the next moment, he vanished—using his astral imprint—returning to his home, leaving behind silence, sealed scrolls, and the lingering weight of his words.
After Shanks left, both Kumogakure and Kirigakure had obtained the bodies of their fallen here in Uzushiogakure. Technically, there was no reason for them to remain any longer. Nor were they welcomed to stay.
Without unnecessary words, both groups departed, carrying the sealed scrolls that contained thousands of their dead.
Days continued to pass.
In the following days, a proper base was selected for the Shadow Guards' operations. The chosen location was close to the Uzumaki clan compound—strategic and secure. The structure itself was designed carefully: only one-third of it would remain above ground, while the remaining two-thirds would extend deep beneath the earth. Hidden, fortified, and controlled.
For now, their number stood at only ten members.
But that number would slowly increase.
Across Uzushiogakure, tests were being conducted. Evaluations, screenings, measurements of chakra control and mental fortitude. Results were gradually being compiled. However, Shanks did not yet have the complete data. The full report from Benimaru was still pending.
Once that report arrived, the official numbers would be determined—how many among the people of Uzushiogakure were eligible to become part of the Shadow Guards.
At the same time, Shinku had accepted Shanks' offer and begun working as a teacher at the Ninja Academy. As promised, Shanks ensured that Shinku and his daughter were given a good house—spacious, with a proper courtyard and everything necessary for a comfortable life.
For now, Kurenai was not allowed to join the ranks of the Uzushiogakure army because of her age. The rule here was clear: to join the army, one must be at least fifteen years old. She was only twelve.
Even if she had once been part of Konoha's ninja forces, that rule did not apply here.
Until then, Kurenai could live like a normal girl. She could spend her childhood like a normal girl.
And when Benimaru learned her true age, he had felt visibly embarrassed. The other Uzumaki siblings had consoled him, telling him it was not his fault—it was simply how mature Kurenai appeared.
That matter ended there.
But time did not stop.
Soon, Mikoto's due date arrived.
Shanks sat in the corridor of the Uzushiogakure hospital. The faint scent of antiseptic lingered in the air, and the corridor was quiet except for distant footsteps and muted voices. In front of him was the ward where Mikoto had been admitted—where his children were about to be born.
Though he sat calmly on the bench outside, hands resting lightly on his knees, it did not mean he was unaware of what was happening inside.
Through his God's View ability, he constantly monitored Mikoto's condition and the state of his soon-to-be-born children. Every fluctuation of chakra, every change in her heartbeat—he observed it all.
He could not afford even the slightest mishap.
Minutes stretched longer than they should have.
Then—
His first child was born.
A few minutes later, the second followed.
Both children showed no abnormalities. Their chakra signatures were stable. Their breaths steady. Mikoto herself was safe.
Relief washed over Shanks in a way that even he had not anticipated.
For a brief moment, his shoulders eased.
They're safe…
He felt blessed.
He truly wanted to rush inside at once, to see them with his own eyes now that they had been born. But he restrained himself. He remained seated, composed.
The other Uzumaki siblings were also present in the corridor. With their powerful sensory abilities, they could feel what was happening inside, even if they could not see it. The moment the newborn chakra signatures flared to life, they had sensed it.
Their niece or nephew had been born.
Naturally, they wanted to meet them.
But like Shanks, they waited.
----
Want to get daily updates and read 20+ chapters? Then join my Patreon!
Patreon Link: https://[email protected]/Hkj822
Join Discord Link: https://discord.gg/c4m4BxQq