Chapter 109: The Journey to Shinno - A Clash of Power and Pride

After successfully recruiting Hiruko to their cause, Yuta and Gilgamesh found themselves standing at a crossroads—both metaphorically and literally. The vast lands of the Ninja World stretched out before them, each direction leading to one potential recruit or another. As the dust settled from their latest venture, Yuta scratched his chin thoughtfully, eyeing the map in his hand.

"So, we got Hiruko," Yuta mused, tracing the various locations marked on the map. "I'd say we go for the three kids next. Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan. They're still young, but their potential is huge. Plus, they'll probably be the easiest to recruit."

Yuta grinned, clearly pleased with his logic. After all, recruiting younger, less experienced candidates was often less complicated. They had fewer expectations, fewer complications, and fewer reasons to be overly skeptical. But Gilgamesh, standing beside him with arms crossed and his usual air of regal superiority, had other ideas.

"No," Gilgamesh said firmly, his golden eyes narrowing. "I don't care how hard it is going to be to recruit them. What matters is proximity. We shall deal with whoever is closest."

Yuta blinked, his grin fading slightly. "Wait, what? Closest? We're going with the geography approach now?"

Gilgamesh nodded, his expression as resolute as ever. "Indeed. Time is of the essence, and the closest person is Shinno. We go after him."

Yuta opened his mouth to protest, but quickly thought better of it. Arguing with Gilgamesh was like arguing with a brick wall—except this wall could summon treasure-filled portals and obliterate anything in its path. So, instead, Yuta sighed and shrugged.

"Alright, Shinno it is," Yuta said, folding the map and tucking it into his cloak. "Can't say I'm too excited about this one, though. Shinno's... well, he's not exactly the friendly type. The guy's got a serious grudge against the world for what happened to his village."

Gilgamesh smirked, clearly unfazed. "Grudges are insignificant. His anger will be of no concern once he sees the path to true power."

Yuta chuckled. "Sure, sure. If you say so, Your Majesty."

With their destination decided, the two of them set off toward the last known location of Shinno, a rogue ninja who had made a name for himself in the underground circles. His hatred for the ninja system was well known, and he had been working in the shadows to exact his revenge on those who had destroyed his village. Needless to say, recruiting him wouldn't be a walk in the park.

---

As they made their way through the winding roads and dense forests of the Ninja World, Yuta couldn't help but notice how oddly peaceful the journey had been. It was almost... too peaceful. He half expected some rogue ninja or wild animal to jump out at them by now, but instead, the only thing they encountered was the occasional breeze.

"Well, this is boring," Yuta muttered, kicking a small rock along the path as they walked. "I thought traveling with you would be more... I don't know, exciting."

Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow. "You are disappointed by the lack of conflict?"

Yuta grinned. "Not exactly disappointed, but it's like... You're a walking treasure chest, right? Shouldn't people be trying to rob you left and right?"

Gilgamesh let out a haughty laugh, his voice ringing with confidence. "Fools who attempt to rob me would only be greeted by death."

"Right, right," Yuta said, waving a hand dismissively. "Still, I wouldn't mind a little action. Keeps things interesting, you know?"

As if the universe had been waiting for that exact moment, Yuta's wish was granted. From the bushes beside the road, a group of scruffy-looking bandits jumped out, their weapons drawn and their faces twisted into menacing grins. They clearly didn't recognize who they were dealing with.

"Halt!" one of the bandits shouted, brandishing a rusty sword. "Hand over all your valuables if you want to live!"

Yuta couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Seriously? I was just joking about the whole robbery thing, but I guess the universe heard me."

Gilgamesh, however, was less amused. He simply stared at the bandits, his expression one of pure disdain. "Is this what passes for thieves in this world? Pathetic."

The bandits, clearly unaware of their impending doom, stepped forward, eager to claim whatever riches they thought Yuta and Gilgamesh were carrying. "You're surrounded!" the lead bandit sneered. "So just hand over everything, and maybe we won't—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Gilgamesh raised a hand, and a faint golden glow began to emanate from his fingertips. The bandits froze, suddenly sensing the overwhelming power radiating from the King of Heroes. One by one, they began to back away, their faces paling with fear.

"Do you wish to die?" Gilgamesh asked, his voice as cold as ice.

Yuta, still grinning, leaned over to one of the bandits. "Friendly tip: You might wanna run."

And run they did. Without a second thought, the bandits turned tail and fled, disappearing into the trees as fast as their legs could carry them.

"Well, that was... anticlimactic," Yuta said with a sigh. "I was hoping for a bit more of a challenge."

Gilgamesh smirked. "They were not worth my time."

With that brief—and somewhat underwhelming—encounter behind them, Yuta and Gilgamesh continued on their journey. They passed through small villages, winding rivers, and dense forests, each step bringing them closer to their destination.

---

As the sun began to set, casting long shadows over the landscape, Yuta and Gilgamesh finally arrived at the outskirts of a ruined village. The air was thick with tension, and the faint smell of smoke lingered in the breeze. This was where Shinno had made his base—a fitting location for someone filled with hatred and revenge.

Yuta glanced around, his senses on high alert. "This is it. Shinno should be around here somewhere."

Gilgamesh crossed his arms, surveying the desolate landscape with a look of disdain. "A fitting place for one who harbors so much bitterness. Let us waste no time."

As they ventured deeper into the ruins, they soon spotted a figure standing amidst the wreckage of what had once been a thriving village. Shinno, a tall and imposing man with long dark hair, stood with his back to them, his hands clasped behind him as he stared out at the destruction.

Yuta stepped forward, raising a hand in greeting. "Hey, Shinno! We've got a proposition for you!"

Shinno didn't turn around. Instead, his voice rang out, cold and full of contempt. "Leave. I have no interest in whatever you have to offer."

Yuta sighed, scratching the back of his head. "Man, this guy's really not making it easy, is he?"

Before Yuta could say anything more, Shinno turned around, his eyes blazing with fury. "You think I'll just listen to you? After what they did to my village? I don't care who you are—everyone in this world is my enemy!"

Without warning, Shinno launched himself at Yuta, his fists glowing with chakra as he prepared to strike. Yuta barely had time to react, leaping backward to avoid the attack.

"Whoa, whoa! Hold on a second! We're not your enemies!" Yuta shouted, trying to reason with him.

But Shinno wasn't listening. His rage had taken over, and he was determined to fight.

Gilgamesh, watching the scene unfold, stepped forward with a sigh. "Enough of this."

In an instant, Gilgamesh summoned a golden portal, and from within it, a barrage of chains shot out, wrapping around Shinno and holding him in place. Shinno struggled against the chains, his eyes widening in shock.

"W-What is this?!" Shinno growled, trying to break free.

Gilgamesh's expression was one of pure annoyance. "Fool. Did you really think you could challenge me?"

With a flick of his wrist, Gilgamesh tightened the chains, forcing Shinno to his knees. The sheer power radiating from the King of Heroes was overwhelming, and for the first time, Shinno seemed to realize just how outmatched he was.

Yuta, watching from the sidelines, let out a low whistle. "Yikes. You really don't mess around, do you?"

Gilgamesh smirked, stepping forward to stand over the defeated Shinno. "You are weak, Shinno. Your hatred blinds you. But even a blind man can be of use to me."

Shinno glared up at Gilgamesh, his breathing ragged. "You... you think I'll submit to you? Never!"

Gilgamesh laughed, the sound cold and regal. "Oh, you will. One way or another."

And with that, the chapter ended, leaving the tension thick in the air as Gilgamesh and Yuta prepared to bring Shinno into their fold. The journey to build Uruk was far from over, and the challenges that lay ahead were only just beginning.

---

As Gilgamesh tightened the chains around Shinno, completely immobilizing him, Yuta took a step back and casually leaned against a nearby tree. He crossed his arms, looking at Shinno, who was struggling in vain, and then turned his attention to Gilgamesh, who seemed completely unfazed by the entire ordeal.

"Well, that's Shinno taken care of," Yuta said with a casual shrug. "Not bad, right? Though I gotta say, this felt way too easy."

Gilgamesh let out a short, regal laugh. "Of course it was easy. What did you expect? It's only natural for lesser beings to bow before me."

Yuta chuckled and shook his head. "Yeah, yeah, I get it, King of Heroes and all. But I was kinda hoping for more of a challenge. You know, something to get the blood pumping."

Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow, glancing over at Yuta. "Do you seek chaos in every battle, Yuta? Perhaps you are more barbaric than I thought."

"Nah," Yuta grinned. "Just trying to keep things interesting. You can't tell me that wrapping a guy up in chains and watching him flop around like a fish is all that exciting."

Shinno, still caught in the chains, glared up at them, his face red with anger. "I'm standing right here, you know!"

Neither Yuta nor Gilgamesh bothered to acknowledge him. Instead, Yuta continued the conversation, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "So, Gilgamesh, I've been wondering… What's your deal with modern stuff? You're, like, super old and all, but what do you think of, say… ramen?"

Gilgamesh blinked, clearly taken aback by the randomness of the question. "Ramen?"

"Yeah! You know, noodles, broth, toppings. They're everywhere in this world."

Gilgamesh paused for a moment, contemplating the question with the kind of seriousness you'd expect from a king pondering an important matter of state. "I have seen many things in my time, but I must admit… this 'ramen' intrigues me. Perhaps I shall sample it one day, if it is worthy of a king's palate."

Yuta burst out laughing. "Oh, man, you'll love it! I swear, once you try ramen, you'll understand why half the ninjas in this world are obsessed with it."

Shinno, still struggling in the chains, groaned in frustration. "Are you two seriously having a conversation about noodles while I'm tied up here?!"

Yuta and Gilgamesh exchanged a glance, both shrugging at the same time.

"Shinno, buddy, we've got plenty of time to deal with you," Yuta said, waving his hand dismissively. "Right now, we're having an important cultural exchange. You wouldn't understand."

Gilgamesh smirked, turning his attention back to Shinno. "Indeed. Perhaps once you've joined my kingdom, you'll have the privilege of learning more about these… noodles."

Shinno's expression turned from anger to pure disbelief. "This is ridiculous…"

"Get used to it," Yuta said with a grin. "You'll be seeing a lot more of this once you're part of the team. Now, about that ramen…"

And so, as Shinno fumed in silence, Yuta and Gilgamesh continued their lighthearted conversation about ramen, completely ignoring the man they had just captured, leaving the scene with an odd blend of chaos, absurdity, and humor—a perfect prelude to the next step in their journey.