Chapter 110: The Weight of Revenge and Noodles

Yuta stood with his arms crossed, a playful smirk tugging at his lips as he watched Shinno—still restrained in chains—try to glare daggers at him. Gilgamesh, looking majestic and unbothered as ever, loomed over the captured Shinno with an air of superiority. The once-proud shinobi of the Land of Sky was now bound and unable to move, his rage simmering beneath the surface.

After their little detour on the topic of ramen, Yuta decided it was time to address the real elephant in the room. The smirk faded from his face, replaced by a calm, almost contemplative expression.

"So, Shinno," Yuta began, his voice casual but with a slight edge, "let's talk about the elephant in the room—your ninja village."

Shinno's eyes flared with anger at the mention of his home, his fists clenched as tightly as the chains would allow. "You… dare bring that up?! The destruction of the Land of Sky was nothing but Konoha's ruthless attack! They—"

"Hold up." Yuta raised a hand, cutting off the rest of Shinno's angry tirade. "You're right. Konoha did destroy your village. But honestly, Shinno, wasn't it kinda your fault?"

That statement caused Shinno to freeze mid-rant. His eyes widened in disbelief, as if he couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"What… did you say?"

Yuta shrugged, adopting his usual laid-back demeanor. "I mean, let's be real here. The Land of Sky overestimated themselves, underestimated Konoha, and waltzed right into a war they couldn't win. You basically signed up for your own destruction."

Shinno's face turned red, a mix of fury and humiliation clear in his expression. "We were defending our honor! Konoha is nothing but—"

Yuta waved his hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, defending honor and all that. But the fact remains: you guys thought you could take on Konoha, and look where that got you. Obliterated. Crushed. Boom. Gone."

Gilgamesh, standing beside Yuta with his arms folded across his chest, looked amused by the conversation. "It is the folly of mortals to believe they can challenge powers far beyond their reach," he said, his voice dripping with the arrogance of a king. "Had your people known their place, perhaps they would still exist today."

Yuta couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Exactly! You see? Gilgamesh here gets it."

Shinno gritted his teeth, glaring at both Yuta and Gilgamesh with a venomous intensity. "You speak as if we were nothing. As if our struggle meant—"

"No, no, I'm not saying your struggle didn't mean anything," Yuta interrupted, his tone softening slightly. "But let's face it, you guys bit off more than you could chew. Konoha wasn't just any village. They had the Third Hokage, they had Minato, they had top-tier shinobi. You weren't ready for that level of power."

Shinno's fists trembled in the chains, his anger barely contained. "Konoha… took everything from us. They destroyed my home, my people… I'll never forgive them."

Yuta's eyes darkened a little, his playful attitude temporarily giving way to something more serious. "Look, I'm not saying you shouldn't want revenge. Heck, I get it. But if you're serious about going after Konoha again, doing it alone isn't gonna cut it. You need allies. You need resources. And right now, you've got neither."

Gilgamesh stepped forward, his golden armor gleaming under the midday sun. "Revenge is a tool of the weak if not tempered with wisdom and power. Do you believe yourself capable of standing against Konoha, or any foe, in your current state? You can barely hold your own against us."

The truth stung, and Shinno's eyes narrowed with determination. He wanted to lash out, to scream in defiance, but deep down, he knew they were right. He had been driven by hatred and pride for so long that he hadn't truly considered how outmatched he was.

"You think you can defeat Konoha alone?" Yuta asked, raising an eyebrow. "Because if that's your plan, I'm telling you now, you're gonna fail. Big time. You need a strategy. And more importantly, you need backup."

Shinno didn't respond right away, his mind racing. Yuta could see the conflict in his eyes—the struggle between his deep desire for revenge and the cold, hard truth that Yuta and Gilgamesh were presenting to him.

Yuta sighed and pushed off the tree he was leaning against. "Look, Shinno. What happened to your village was messed up, I get it. But revenge… it's a heavy burden. You can't just charge in, guns blazing, without a plan. And more importantly, without allies."

The silence stretched between them, heavy with tension. Gilgamesh remained silent, his golden gaze fixed on Shinno, as if silently judging his worth.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Shinno spoke. His voice was quieter now, laced with a mixture of resignation and resolve.

"What are you suggesting?"

Yuta smiled, sensing the shift in Shinno's tone. "I'm saying that if you want revenge on Konoha, you need to be smart about it. Build alliances. Gather power. And most importantly, don't fight alone."

Shinno's eyes flickered with uncertainty. "And you? Why would you help me? What do you gain from this?"

Gilgamesh let out a low chuckle, as if the question itself was amusing to him. "We are not helping you out of charity, mortal. You will be a tool—one that serves a greater cause. And in return, you may find your revenge, should you prove useful."

Yuta nodded in agreement. "Exactly. You help us, we help you. It's as simple as that."

For a moment, Shinno hesitated. He looked between Yuta and Gilgamesh, weighing his options. The thought of working alongside these two was a bitter pill to swallow, but the truth was undeniable: he couldn't take on Konoha alone.

"Fine," Shinno finally said, his voice firm. "I'll work with you. But don't think for a second that I've forgotten what Konoha did. My revenge will come, one way or another."

Yuta grinned, clapping his hands together. "Now that's what I like to hear! See? We're already making progress."

Gilgamesh gave a satisfied nod, stepping back as if the matter was already settled. "Very well. You have chosen wisely."

Yuta turned toward Gilgamesh, eyes gleaming with amusement. "So, Gilgamesh, you've been here for a little while now… what do you think of this world?"

The King of Heroes looked at Yuta with an expression of mild curiosity, as if the question was unexpected. "This world… is strange. But not without its intrigue. The people here, though flawed, possess a tenacity that is… amusing."

Yuta smirked. "Amusing, huh? What about the food? I mean, you did say you'd try ramen eventually."

Gilgamesh sighed, clearly exasperated by the direction the conversation was taking. "Ramen. Again with this talk of noodles. I have yet to sample it, but I assure you, when I do, it shall be a feast fit for a king."

Shinno, still bound in chains but now a reluctant ally, couldn't help but interject. "Are you seriously talking about ramen right now?"

Yuta glanced over at him with a grin. "Yep. Priorities, my man. You'll get used to it."

"Ramen is the least of my concerns right now," Shinno growled.

Gilgamesh smirked, an almost imperceptible flicker of amusement in his golden eyes. "You shall learn soon enough, Shinno. There is more to life than revenge. Perhaps even you can find some enjoyment in this world's trivialities."

Yuta chuckled, patting Shinno on the shoulder. "Yeah, don't worry about it. We've got plenty of time to talk about revenge later. But right now? We've got noodles to plan."

And so, with a reluctant Shinno now part of their team, Yuta and Gilgamesh continued their journey, the strange duo bantering about everything from ramen to revenge, leaving behind a bewildered Shinno who was slowly coming to terms with the odd yet undeniably powerful pair he'd aligned himself with.

As they walked into the distance, the sun setting on the horizon, Shinno couldn't help but wonder what kind of madness he had gotten himself into. But one thing was for sure: it was going to be a wild ride.

---

As they continued down the road, Gilgamesh's tone shifted slightly, almost thoughtful. "Yuta, you never told me. Why is it that humans eat ramen with those sticks?"

Yuta blinked. "Chopsticks?"

"Yes, those. Why not use proper utensils, like a fork or spoon? Surely it is more efficient."

Yuta scratched his head, grinning. "I dunno. It's just tradition, I guess. Plus, it's part of the experience. Makes you feel, y'know, cultured."

Gilgamesh raised an eyebrow, his regal aura undiminished. "Hmph. The customs of this world are peculiar. But I shall try these 'chopsticks' when the time comes. If I deem them worthy."

"Yeah, good luck with that," Yuta said with a laugh. "I can't wait to see you try and figure it out."

Shinno, still following behind in silence, let out a long, frustrated sigh. "Are we seriously talking about noodles again?"

Yuta and Gilgamesh exchanged glances before bursting into laughter. And just like that, the conversation continued, light and absurd, as they moved closer to their next destination.