In the unrecognizable dense forest, Megumai deactivated the Susanoo and leaped onto a treetop.
"Baby, one bad guy ran away, but all the others were defeated."
"Mama is the best!"
Seiya was overjoyed, feeling immensely proud as if he had personally defeated the enemies.
Megumai wiped the blood from her face and smiled. "It's all thanks to you, baby, that Mama is so powerful."
"Hehe!" Seiya was even happier. He looked up, trying to take credit: "Cheering you on was very helpful, wasn't it!"
"Mhm!"
Megumai's eyes were full of a doting smile. She gently patted her son's head. "Baby played the biggest role!"
A few years ago, she could only manage some of the Shikai (Initial Releases) of her Zanpakuto.
But after giving birth to her son, many Bankai (Final Releases) unlocked spontaneously, and her strength skyrocketed to the top tier of the Shinobi world.
During that time, she hadn't practiced at all; she had only focused on raising her son.
Yet, the gate to Bankai had been completely opened, unlocking one after another.
What could have caused this change?
Megumai thought long and hard. Besides the birth of her beloved son, she could find no other possibility.
Perhaps, Bankai was a gift from her son...
Getting back to the matter at hand, mother and son had once again slaughtered their opponents, achieving an impressive victory.
However, the side effects of the Susanoo were significant.
After maintaining it for only a few minutes, Megumai's vision deteriorated severely, making it increasingly difficult to see.
Besides killing the enemies, this battle also yielded two trophies—the Kubikiribocho (Executioner's Blade) and the Kiba (Lightning Blades).
Although not highly useful, they were better than nothing.
With six out of seven dead, the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen of the Mist were effectively defunct, their lineage all but severed.
After sealing the two Shinobi swords into a scroll, Megumai left with Seiya to rendezvous with the Matsudaira mother and daughter.
The fighting just now had been incredibly loud.
Even several li away, Matsudaira Nai and Matsudaira Tachibana had heard the roaring tremors and couldn't help but worry.
Megumai was alone with a three-year-old child, confronting four Shinobis. With such a massive commotion, would something go wrong?
The thought that the adorable little boy might be harmed by the Shinobis made Matsudaira Tachibana's heart clench.
Matsudaira Nai was also worried. After spending time with her, she truly admired the noble character of Megumai and did not want any misfortune to befall her.
Unfortunately, the samurai could not interfere in a battle between legitimate Shinobis.
Matsudaira Nai had considered ignoring the law and forcefully sending samurai to create a diversion.
But having seen the grand, sky-altering spectacle from afar, she abandoned the impractical idea.
Mere samurai, who struggled to cope with minor rogue Shinobi bandits, would be less than cannon fodder if they went to support a battle of that magnitude!
Matsudaira Nai and Matsudaira Tachibana were powerless. They could only wait anxiously, praying for their friend's safe return.
When they saw the mother and son unharmed, Matsudaira Nai and Matsudaira Tachibana were overjoyed, their worried hearts finally settled.
Before they could even speak, Seiya proactively boasted about his triumphant achievement of working with his mother to defeat the enemies.
After all, his mother's display just now was far more impressive than anything shown in his cartoons!
Seiya was utterly shaken and couldn't wait to tell the world.
After the little boy finished his vivid account, still unsatisfied, he furrowed his brow, trying hard to recall more to tell.
Matsudaira Tachibana smiled faintly, waiting for his next words.
Matsudaira Nai, meanwhile, looked at Megumai and asked incredulously, "Megumai, is this true?"
A three-year-old's description was bound to be exaggerated.
Perhaps the child genuinely felt the sky was falling, but it might not be so dramatic from an adult's perspective.
Megumai simply corrected a few errors in her son's story.
"Megumai, you are too powerful!" Matsudaira Nai exclaimed sincerely.
"You must be virtually on par with your ancestor, Uchiha Madara!"
Megumai smiled faintly and shook her head. "I have not yet reached the level of Uchiha Madara."
Matsudaira Nai was momentarily stunned and speechless, unable to imagine how Uchiha Madara could be even stronger.
At the same time, Matsudaira Tachibana, who had been a good listener for a while, asked Seiya, "Seiya-kun, you look very excited. Weren't you scared of the bad guys at all just now?"
"Of course not!" Seiya said proudly. "Mama is super amazing! I wasn't scared at all!"
Though I cried before, it was because of the blood on Mama's face, not because the bad guys scared me! So it doesn't count as being afraid of bad guys!
I am very brave!
Seiya thought righteously.
Amidst the cheerful laughter, they all boarded the carriage and continued their journey.
A few li away in the forest, the scene was a wreck.
Hot lava, bubbling with heat, had destroyed the grass, melted the trees, and corroded the corpses of Roshi and the others.
A tall man stood on a treetop.
He wore an 'oil' forehead protector, his white hair flowed down to his waist, and he had long red markings under his eyes; he wore a red overcoat, a brown inner garment, and wooden clogs. A small frog stood by his feet, croaking.
"Kirigakure's Kurosuki Raiga... Iwagakure's Roshi... Han..."
Jiraiya frowned, recognizing the bodies one by one.
His frown deepened with each corpse he identified.
"Who could possibly kill two Jinchuriki and one of the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen while holding a child?" Jiraiya muttered to himself.
The frog spoke, "That woman's eye pattern was very strange, very similar to the Sharingan."
"The Sharingan?"
Jiraiya narrowed his eyes, his frown deepening further.
"Let's follow them and see!"
"Yes!"
The frog responded and hopped off to lead the way.
Time flew by.
A month quickly passed, and the carriage carrying Megumai and the others reached the capital, concluding their turbulent journey.
Upon returning to the domain governed by the Daimyo, Matsudaira Nai and Matsudaira Tachibana felt completely at home, their spirits significantly lifted.
The mother and daughter played host, warmly entertaining Megumai and Seiya.
Historical sites, gourmet snacks, intricate toys... the four enjoyed themselves thoroughly in the capital.
All good things must come to an end. Two months later, Megumai and Seiya decided to leave the capital and head for Kumogakure.
Before their departure, Matsudaira Nai and Matsudaira Tachibana fulfilled their original vow, presenting Megumai with fifty million ryo.
As for the wealth and glory, Matsudaira Tachibana secured a hereditary peerage and a fiefdom from her grandfather, the reigning Daimyo, and transferred them to Megumai.
The payment for the bodyguard service was also not forgotten.
Matsudaira Nai generously paid another fifty million ryo.
This price was not only an affirmation of Megumai but also a sign of respect for her daughter's and her own lives.
In addition, there were many large and small farewell gifts.
Megumai politely declined most of them. Her scroll simply couldn't carry that many items.
However, the genuine warmth of their hospitality was hard to refuse.
Megumai ultimately allowed Seiya to accept a gift from Matsudaira Tachibana.
As a result, the little boy now wore a red string around his neck, tied to a delicate jade pendant.
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