Shanks politely declined the retired ninja's offer of hospitality. Instead, he chose to spend the night in the same large building where he had slaughtered the Kirigakure occupiers.
The house was a wreck.
Walls were cracked and crumbling. Chunks of the roof had caved in, and debris littered the floor. But none of that mattered to Shanks. He found one intact room—small, quiet, and untouched by the chaos. That was all he needed.
He lay down without ceremony and fell into a deep, undisturbed sleep.
At dawn, he returned to the same modest restaurant and had a quick breakfast. The retired shinobi greeted him with a respectful nod but didn't ask questions. The meal was warm, simple, and quietly appreciated.
After finishing, Shanks stepped outside.
As he made his way through the village, heading toward the outer path, he noticed the stares. Whispers followed him. Villagers peeked from behind doors and shopfronts, murmuring as he passed.
He caught fragments of what they said.
"That's him…"
"He killed them all…"
"He saved the village…"
"Such power, but so calm…"
Shanks ignored the praise. He kept walking, unmoved by the attention. Their words didn't matter to him—not really. He hadn't come for gratitude.
Once he reached the outskirts of the village, he paused.
Then, without fanfare, he bit his thumb, pressing it to the ground.
Summoning Jutsu, he thought.
Black markings instantly spiraled outward, forming a wide summoning circle beneath his feet. A boom echoed, and a cloud of white smoke erupted around him.
When it cleared, a massive white tiger stood before him.
Frosty.
Shanks' trusted summon—majestic, muscular, and silent, with icy-blue eyes that radiated intelligence and deadly calm.
Shanks didn't name the white tiger "Frosty" simply because of its fur. The name carried a deeper meaning.
Frosty possessed the rare ability to manipulate ice—a power that made it not only visually striking, but also uniquely formidable. A beast with elemental control, especially over something as versatile and dangerous as ice, was a rare find even in the world of summoning. Shanks considered himself lucky to have formed a contract with such a creature.
The story of how he met Frosty went back a year.
At the time, Makima had been on a personal mission. Using her control-based abilities, she had been quietly influencing small animals and weaker chakra beasts, hoping to build a wide and powerful network of summoned beasts under her command. 'Controlling' was her specialty, and she was relentless in her pursuit.
Eventually, during her hunt for rare summons, she encountered Frosty.
But she couldn't control him.
There were two reasons why her power failed.
First, Frosty was no ordinary creature. He had ruled his territory for years—a true king of the forest. He looked down on other animals, viewing them not as equals, but as lesser beings. He had no interest in serving anyone, let alone being manipulated like a pawn.
Second, Frosty was strong. In terms of raw physical power and resilience, he rivaled and possibly exceeded most Jōnin. His hide was so tough that even inflicting a minor wound would require a blow with Jōnin-level force.
Makima, recognizing that her strength wouldn't be enough and control wouldn't work on Frosty, was forced to retreat.
But she didn't forget about him.
Later, she told Shanks about the white tiger—about his strength, his pride, and his defiance.
Shanks was intrigued.
He sought out Frosty himself, not to charm him or coerce him, but to challenge him. And when they finally clashed, Shanks didn't draw his sword. He fought with his fist alone.
The battle was brutal—ice clashing against muscle—but in the end, Shanks stood victorious, not by breaking Frosty's body, but by breaking his pride.
Frosty, beaten but impressed, accepted Shanks as his summoner.
After that, and with Shanks' approval, Makima also signed a summoning contract with Frosty.
…
Shanks leapt lightly onto Frosty's broad back, landing with the ease of long familiarity. He gave the white tiger a firm pat on the head and said with a small smile,
"Good friend.
It's been a while since we last rode together. Let's head to the capital of the Land of Hot Water and claim that bounty."
Frosty gave a slow nod in response, understanding the command perfectly.
With a quick gesture from Shanks pointing the direction, Frosty bent his legs, then launched into the air with a powerful leap and sprinted forward at full speed. The wind roared past them as the landscape blurred below.
…
Hours passed.
The sun was already overhead, casting sharp shadows across the road. Frosty ran effortlessly, covering ground at a pace few shinobi could match. Shanks sat atop him, relaxed but alert. His Observation Haki was active—limited to a hundred-meter radius, but enough to stay aware of his surroundings.
Then, something caught his attention.
He sensed movement—light, swift, and low to the ground. A deer.
Shanks smirked slightly.
"Looks like lunch found us," he said, patting Frosty's back. "Let's take a break."
With that, he leapt from Frosty's back in a blur of motion.
In the blink of an eye, he closed the eighty-meter gap between him and the deer. The animal barely had time to register his presence before its head dropped to the ground in one clean, silent stroke.
Efficient. Immediate.
Shanks knelt and began processing the kill with practiced ease. From the carcass, he took only a single leg—more than enough for himself—and tossed the rest to Frosty.
The white tiger tore into the meal without hesitation, while Shanks skewered the leg and started roasting it over a small fire he'd built on the edge of the clearing.
As the meat cooked, Shanks lay back in the grass, letting the scattered sunlight filtering through the leaves fall on his face and the breeze gently move his red hair.
Peaceful.
But the peace didn't last long.
His Observation Haki picked up something—fast, urgent movement just at the edge of its range. A lone girl, moving erratically… being pursued. Several chakra signatures followed closely behind her. Shinobi.
Shanks sat up slowly, his brow furrowing.
Trouble was coming.
----
Want to get daily updates and read chapters on a daily basis? Then join my Patreon!
Patreon Link: https://www.p@treon.com/Hkj822
Join Discord Link: https://discord.gg/P3eXz2Er