"The rogue ninja Kawada Hei is dead. Should we head back?" Mese asked Shin.
"Shin, let's not go back yet. How about we have some fun out here?"
Kushina took Shin's hand and spoke to him coquettishly.
"Call me big brother, and I'll agree."
Shin smiled at Kushina.
"Darn it, I'm obviously older than you. You should be calling me big sister! I'm not doing it." Kushina turned away and huffed.
"Kushina, did you say you're older than Shin?"
Mikoto stared at Kushina in surprise. She really hadn't noticed at all.
"Of course. I was born three days before him." Kushina said smugly.
"I don't know what you have to be so proud of." Shin tapped Kushina on the head, making her cry out in pain.
When he caught Kushina's resentful look, Shin hurriedly changed the subject. "Anyway, we shouldn't go back to Konoha just yet."
"You agree?" Kushina instantly forgot the pain where he had tapped her and happily hugged his arm.
"We're going to the Land of Water."
Shin looked toward the Land of Water.
"The Land of Water? What are we going there for?" Kushina and Mese asked in unison.
"The Uzumaki Clan's destruction was definitely tied to the Cloud Ninja. So we're going to Kirigakure to collect some interest."
"Won't it be too dangerous for just us to go?" Mikoto asked worriedly.
"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing. There's no danger."
Shin smiled. In the current Shinobi World, even Uchiha Madara couldn't threaten him. If he couldn't win, he could escape.
After leaving the Land of Whirlpools, Shin and the others returned to the Land of Fire, then took a boat from there to the Land of Water.
"I guess I can't escape traveling by boat after all," Kushina said glumly.
"Kushina, even though you