"Ridiculous! Our Anbu (Dark Ops) followed your people all the way back to Konoha. Hyūga Shigeo was inside the sealing bag the whole time. You hid him. You want to keep the seven Bijū (Tailed Beasts) for yourselves, or use him to spark war against the other four villages…"
The elder from Iwagakure was the hardest to deal with.
"Hand him over! If you hadn't promised you caught Hyūga Shigeo and would give us all an explanation, we wouldn't have believed you. You Konoha lot are too much—hoarding Bijū and trying to turn Shigeo into your own weapon!"
"Don't forget—he's the enemy of the world. He sent challenge letters to all five villages. Don't think we'll just let this slide!" The envoy from Kumogakure pressed hard.
Sarutobi Hiruzen had a pounding headache. Right now, he deeply regretted provoking Shigeo. If not for his ambition to claim the boy, he wouldn't have been tricked like this. And now the other four villages wanted him delivered.
But the boy was gone. Where could he find him now?
Shigeo vanished. Neither Konoha nor the other villages believed Hiruzen's explanation, so they all joined the hunt.
On the black market, Shigeo's bounty skyrocketed from thirty million to three hundred billion, making him the all-time reigning No.1 wanted criminal, triple-S class.
The entire world went crazy. Some wanted to capture him for money, others idolized him, and some even started selling products under his name.
"Come, come, don't miss out! Hyūga Shigeo's exclusive flask, limited edition! Raise it and drink like the genius hero himself! With his photo and personal signature!"
A middle-aged man shouted while waving a steel flask at a street stall.
A boy with long black hair and glowing blue eyes walked up and spoke softly:
"Mister, you're using my likeness. Don't you think you owe me some money?"
The vendor waved him off. "Get lost, kid! What likeness rights? If you're not buying, don't block my business!"
At the boy's side, a rough man frowned. "My lord, want me to smash him?"
Shigeo glanced at Wu Mang, then at the flask with his photo. To be fair, though the picture was overly edited—with glowing eyes and armor—it looked more like him than the old wanted posters with scruffy beards and monstrous faces. At least this one made him look handsome.
"Rude. Don't always solve things with fists. People will think we're uncultured. Let's go."
They walked down the street. Everywhere, items bore his name: Hyūga Shigeo glasses, Shigeo's favorite candy, Shigeo's restaurant…
Shigeo muttered, "I can't believe this. A year off the island and the world turns into this. Everyone gets rich off me but pays me no tax. How sad."
Wu Mang said, "My lord, you don't lack money."
"True."
"But look there…" Wu Mang pointed.
Shigeo's jaw nearly dropped. Outside a hot-spring resort stood a huge sign:
"New arrivals—Hyūga Shigeo's favorite women's swimsuits."
Beside it, a line of women waited with his posters in hand, blushing.
"You think he'd like me if I wore this?" one asked.
"Of course! It's limited edition, Shigeo's favorite!" the other giggled.
Shigeo's neck stiffened. He looked at Wu Mang, then back at the line, speechless.
Wu Mang smirked. "Didn't know my lord had such tastes?"
"Absolutely not!"
Ten minutes later, both of them were soaking in the hot spring, faces blissful.
Shigeo lay back with a towel over his face, completely relaxed. He hadn't enjoyed a hot spring in over a year. Minami no Kuni (South Ink Nation) had no such luxury, and with the village busy building and hiding from hunters, he had been grounded.
The old Kū no Kuni (Sky Country) had been renamed after much deliberation. To avoid constant raids and to formalize their future, Mu Yōka and the elders proposed a new name. Through a nationwide vote, the people chose: Minami no Kuni (South Ink Nation), and its capital Minami no Shiro (South Ink City).
The name was to honor Shigeo, the savior of the city—"Nanmo" sounding like "Lanmo (Shigeo)." Shigeo had objected, saying he didn't deserve it, but the unanimous vote left him no choice.
The past year, the elders kept him under watch. They even had Wu Qianling guard him personally. That girl's greatest skill was crying. If Shigeo even thought about leaving the island, she would weep from dawn till dusk until her eyes swelled shut.
So he endured for a year before finally being allowed out. Remembering it now, Shigeo chuckled, removed his towel, and splashed hot water onto himself.
"Ahhhhhh—!"
A shriek echoed in the bath. A figure rushed over and grabbed him tightly.
(End of Chapter)
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