Chapter 952 : Voluntarily entering the Trap?

Fujin smiled, his smile making everyone believe he was reminiscencing of the time he spent in his village before tragedy struck. They weren't exactly wrong. Fujin was reminiscencing, though it was the few months he spent in the Land of Wind. Takuma may have seen more of the world than the teenagers, but he could never imagine what the boy, who looked harmless and weak, had done.

Fujin answered, “Further than the horizon, if you’re unlucky. The sand gets in everything — clothes, food, your teeth. But when the sun sets, the sky turns into colors you can’t imagine. It’s… beautiful in its own way…”

His words made the imaginations of the teenagers who had never been beyond the island run wild. They quickly painted a picture in their minds, each different from one another. Sayuri, in particular, was completely enthralled by his description. Akari and Itsuki weren't too far behind either.

Sayuri muttered, “That sounds beautiful… And the Land of Lightning? Have you been there too?”

Fujin shook his head, “No. Only studied it on maps and learnt more from others. I heard the mountains there are so high that the clouds wrap around them like scarves. A few of the villages there are perched on cliffs, and huge waterfalls are everywhere in that country. Though, just like the Land of Wind, it ain't all good. I heard the country is plagued with storms… Massive and disastrous storms that make this one look like a pleasant wind…”

Fujin shivered once again, displaying the ‘cyclone’ he experienced still scared him. Before anyone else could say something, he added, “I heard there was a massive hurricane there a couple of years ago. One that wreaked havoc for seven days and nights straight without any signs of slowing down. Only after their powerful ninjas took action did the storm quell.”

Akari sucked in a cold breath, “That's scary!”
Fujin nodded, “Very!”
Itsuki chuckled, “Even then, that's still incredible!”
Sayuri nodded silently, agreeing with Itsuki while looking at Fujin. She muttered, “To think there's so much beyond the horizon… And that the world would be so varied across two countries…”

Taking a moment to gather herself, she bowed slightly and said, “Thank you, Naoki.”

Fujin held her gaze for a moment, before shaking his head. He muttered sincerely, “I should be the one thanking you. I’d still be face-down in the sand without you four. When I was trapped in that cyclone, I thought it was the end of the line for me. You gave me another chance…”

Looking at the three youngsters, Takuma felt a headache, ‘This is troublesome. In order to maintain our current peace, we've forbidden all attempts to travel outside the island. We haven't even constructed any boats to prevent anyone from sneaking away stealthily. The old fellows, who have experienced the outside world, are quite content with life here.
However, the youngsters have an adventurous spirit. Many want to sail to the mainland and see how it is. Even though we repeatedly tell them about the dangers from a young age, it doesn't kill their curiosity. Until now, it was still under control. However, now…’

He glanced at Fujin and thought, ‘Naoki… With him here, their spirits will ignite again. Naoki himself may want to leave the island. After all, his family isn't here. He's also very courageous, or perhaps suicidal, and may not shy away from building a boat and leaving, giving others ideas on how to do it…’

Takuma didn't intervene in the conversation of the youngsters, only passively watching and contemplating how life on the island would change due to the sudden appearance of the stranger.

In the end, he could only sigh internally, ‘Whatever… We knew this day would come. Fortunately, it wasn't a ninja who crashed in here. Or else, we'd be doomed. Besides, this boy is quite pitiful too… Perhaps someone would have ideas regarding how to keep him here…’

“What of the Land of Fire and the Land of Water? Are they just as incredible, Naoki?” Akari asked curiously. However, before Fujin could answer, Takuma said, “Leave the remaining questions for later. First let's get Naoki to the village and treat his wounds properly.”

Though they wanted to hear more, the teenagers didn't argue. They could see Naoki wasn't in a good shape despite their assistance. Naoki was still occasionally shivering. One of the main reasons why they engaged in such chats with him, beyond their obvious curiosity, was his poor mental state.

Fujin shifted to stand, his legs wavered slightly. Itsuki immediately lent a hand and said, “You ain't walking far in that state. I'll help you. The village isn't far from here. Sayuri's grandma is the best doctor! She'll fix you up in no time.”

Fujin accepted his help, but said, “Before we go, could you see if there's anything left in the wreckage? It may be damaged, but if I can still salvage some things…”

Once again, the four felt sorrow in his voice. Sayuri understood, ‘He only spoke of maps earlier. But, how could he undertake such a dangerous journey without any memories of his family?’

Takuma said, “Don't worry about it. We'll help you look through it.”

Fujin didn't refuse his offer. With Itsuki's help, he followed the group to the wreckage of his boat. Takuma stayed behind with him while the three teenagers looked through the wreckage.

After looking for some time, they found some scraps of maps, though none were in good shape. They were torn and incomplete, barely providing any information. They also found several bottles, which previously contained water, and some food crates, but nearly all were destroyed by the storm. Luckily, their village didn't lack food or water.

Nothing else seemed important or useful. They ignored the broken bottles and spoiled food while collecting the incomplete map remains, in case Fujin needed them to recreate the maps. Just before they were about to call it quits, Sayuri noticed something.

Sayuri’s fingers brushed away the wet sand clinging to the object. When she lifted it, she realized it was a locket — a simple brass oval, dulled by salt and age. A faint engraving, a swirl motif common in the Land of Wind, was barely visible along the edges. A jagged crack split across the metal, as though the storm itself had tried to break it apart.

Curious, she thumbed it open. Inside, a thin shard of glass slid out and shattered on the sand. What remained of the photo within was even worse — most of it had been ripped away, replaced by splinters of damp wood pressed against the backing when the wreck was smashed apart. Barely ten percent of the picture survived, showing nothing identifiable, only an empty corner of scenery. Whoever had once been captured in the photo was completely gone.

Sayuri frowned softly, her chest tightening, ‘Something so precious, reduced to this…’

She walked it over to the boy. “Naoki,” she said quietly, holding it out.

Fujin accepted it with both hands, staring down at the broken locket. His eyes lingered on the ruined photo, his expression darkening into something they couldn’t read. Yet again, sorrow flickered in his gaze, heavy and unspoken.

Sayuri hesitated before asking, “What was the photo of?”

For several seconds he said nothing. Then, closing the locket with a soft click, he only shook his head.

The unspoken weight in that gesture silenced them all. None pressed him further.

Takuma cleared his throat awkwardly and said, “We should get going. Even though you seem fine externally, a specialist needs to look at you to determine any hidden injuries.”

Itsuki nodded, steadying Naoki by the arm again. The four led him away from the ruined boat, towards the inland path. Unlike the rough approach Fujin had taken earlier, this route wound gently through the treeline, leading into a narrow valley. The path was well-worn and safe, suggesting generations of use.

As they descended into the valley, the first signs of the village appeared — smoke rising in thin trails from chimneys, the faint murmur of distant voices, and the warm glow of lanterns beginning to flicker on as dusk approached.

As Fujin's gaze set on the secret village he was about to enter openly, he secretly raised his guard to the max. If there was any surveillance, any deadly traps, a secret stratagem, his time in the village would give the Jashinists the perfect opportunity to act. He couldn't lower his guard at any moment until he left the island.