Mikoto nodded, her expression tight with worry. Now that she was Shanks's wife—and officially part of the Uzumaki clan and village—the weight of these sudden events settled heavily on her heart. Shanks noticed, but he kept his focus steady. He leaned slightly forward and spoke in a firm, serious tone.
"Frosty, do your best. Use your full strength to pull the carriage. I want to reach the Uzumaki village as soon as possible. The other carriages can follow at their normal pace."
Frosty, the massive white tiger, let out a low rumble of acknowledgment. His breath misted in the air, glowing faintly with chakra.
Before Frosty accelerated, Shanks called out, "Uncle Shota."
Shota, who had been riding outside the carriage, stepped closer.
"I'm leaving everything to you. Bring all these gifts back to the Uzumaki village safely. With the Uzumaki clan emblem displayed so clearly, most shinobi won't dare intercept this caravan. And the summoning beasts pulling the carriages are strong enough to deal with most Jonin and regular ninjas. It shouldn't be a big issue for you."
Shota nodded confidently. "Yes, clan head. Don't worry—I will bring all these carriages back safely to the Uzumaki village."
Shanks gave a final nod. "Frosty, go."
In the same instant, Frosty lunged forward, muscles coiling and releasing in a powerful surge. His speed skyrocketed. As he accelerated, frost-coated chakra flared subtly around him; tiny ice particles formed in the air, glittering like drifting crystals. Each time Frosty's paws struck the ground, a sharp ice-shaped imprint was left behind, freezing the earth beneath it. Within seconds, Shanks's carriage had become a streak of white and crimson vanishing down the road.
…
Meanwhile, the Uzumaki siblings who had responded to the urgent summoning reappeared inside the Uzumaki clan compound. The room they arrived in was large, circular, and dimly lit—clearly prepared for emergency summons. In the centre lay an intricate summoning circle carved directly into the stone floor.
Then—
Boom. Boom. Boom.
Eight distinct bursts of smoke erupted within the circle, each accompanied by the sharp sound of reverse-summoning. One after another, Antares, Yoko, Benimaru, Erza, Makima, Mereoleona, and the rest materialized, landing lightly on the solid floor. A faint shimmer of chakra still clung to them as the smoke slowly dispersed.
Guy and Todoroki stood at the edge of the room, waiting with tense expressions. The moment the last sibling appeared, the atmosphere thickened—something serious was definitely happening.
Erza didn't waste even a second. She stepped forward, eyes sharp, and asked, "What happened? Why did you call all of us so suddenly?"
Guy exhaled slowly, tension visible in his shoulders. "We had no other choice. But rather than me explaining… why don't you all use your sensory techniques and see for yourselves?"
The moment his words ended, the siblings closed their eyes and focused. Chakra rippled through the room as each of them activated their sensory abilities.
A heartbeat later, Erza's eyes snapped open.
"So many chakra signatures heading toward us… Are they from Kirigakure?"
Guy nodded grimly. "Yes. We've confirmed it. An entire army of Kirigakure shinobi is moving in our direction."
The atmosphere in the room instantly grew heavy. Every Uzumaki sibling exchanged tense looks. No one spoke for several seconds.
Then Erza—second-in-command of the Uzumaki village, just beneath Shanks—straightened and took command without hesitation.
"We will spread out in different directions," she said firmly. "Our goal is to stop the Kirigakure forces before they reach the village. With our strength, we can definitely achieve it."
Guy nodded in agreement. This had been his plan as well. The others voiced their approval, though each understood the weight of what they were about to face. The strategy was simple, but its execution was far from easy. Every one of them would be confronting elite squads, and the fact that Kirigakure dared to come this far meant they were confident—and prepared to counter the Uzumaki.
They had to be alert. One mistake could cost lives.
Without wasting time, the siblings dispersed from the room, preparing for battle. Combat uniforms were strapped on, weapons secured. The atmosphere shifted from tension to determination.
Soon, one by one, the Uzumaki siblings stepped out of their room, moving swiftly toward their positions—each ready to intercept the incoming enemy forces before they could ever set foot in the Uzumaki village.
Before leaving for her designated position, Erza made her way to the Uzumaki Police Force's main building. The structure was modest but sturdy, the kind of place built by people who valued discipline over decoration. Inside, she headed straight to the captain's office.
The captain—a former samurai who had wandered through war-torn lands before finally settling in the Uzumaki village—was the strongest among the police force members, his skill roughly comparable to that of a Chunin. The rest of the police force, though not shinobi, were capable fighters who maintained order within the village.
As soon as Erza stepped into his office, he instinctively rose to greet her. But before he could even speak, she delivered the news with unflinching directness.
"We are being attacked by Kirigakure."
The captain froze. The colour drained from his face instantly, and his grip tightened on the edge of his desk. For a brief moment, the air around him faltered.
Seeing his reaction, Erza continued in a steady tone, hoping to ease his fear. "You don't have to worry about confronting them. We Uzumaki siblings will handle the Kirigakure forces. What you need to focus on is keeping the village calm. When the battle begins, the commotion will be huge, and people will panic. You must keep order. Anyone who tries to cause chaos or disrupt the peace—deal with them as you see fit."
The captain took a breath and nodded firmly. "I will definitely do it."
Though the Uzumaki village was relatively new, it had become his refuge—finally a peaceful home after years of running. Surrounded by powerful individuals like the Uzumaki siblings and their clan head, he had vowed to protect this place with everything he had.
Straightening his back, he declared, "Till I am alive, I promise that the Uzumaki village will remain completely calm. No one will be allowed to cause trouble."
Erza nodded, her expression softening slightly. "I believe in you."
With that, she turned and left the office. Moments later, she exited the Uzumaki village entirely, heading swiftly toward her assigned position on the battlefield.
----
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