Returning to the town, they rented a boat.
Naruto and Karin rested for a night, setting off at dawn the following day.
Yesterday's warning to Iwagakure had proven effective.
A significant number of ninjas had withdrawn from the town.
The Land of Whirlpools was a small island not far offshore.
After sailing for over two hours, they arrived at an abandoned dock.
The air was thick with mist, casting a somber mood.
The pier, extending over the water, was decayed and dilapidated, with only a few broken, barely clinging planks remaining.
They appeared fragile and might suffer heavy damage from a strong wind or a rainstorm.
"Has the Land of Whirlpools always been like this?" Naruto asked softly, gazing at the pier.
The boatman didn't turn his head: "Hardly anyone comes here anymore."
"I remember it used to be a country," Naruto mused.
"Nobody knows why it suddenly vanished overnight," the boatman paused before continuing, "I heard from the elders in the town that this country angered the god of death, provoking punishment that led to its destruction."
Naruto raised an eyebrow: "The god of death? Why say it was the god of death?"
The Land of Whirlpools was an island nation.
Even to ordinary people, the idea of its downfall being linked to 'deities' would more likely invoke 'sea gods.'
Elements like "hurricanes," "earthquakes," "volcanoes" seemed more rational than the appearance of a "god of death."
"I don't know," the boatman shook his head, "that's just what the elders say."
Karin whispered, "My mom said that the Uzumaki clan used to have a custom of worshiping the god of death."
"The rumors of being destroyed by the god of death probably started that way."
The boatman turned back, surprised as he looked at Karin. "I remember now, I think I've heard of it before."
"The ninjas from that country often had red hair."
"Are you one of their descendants?"
Karin didn't reply, instead she continued, "The fall of the Land of Whirlpools, it wasn't because of the Shinigami."
"It was due to the fear other nations felt towards the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques."
"In a single night, they united and brought the Land of Whirlpools to ruin, so swiftly that even their ally, Konoha, couldn't react in time."
The boatman nodded, awakening to the truth. "So that's the story!"
"That's incredible news."
He avoided the dock and threw a rope to tie it around a tree stump on the shore, laying down a plank. Naruto and Karin disembarked, setting foot for the first time on what was once Uzumaki land.
"Wait!" the boatman called out to them.
The two turned back.
Scratching his head, the boatman said, "Though you both look pretty formidable..."
"And connected to the ninja, this fallen country..."
"Still, be cautious."
"There are some original inhabitants on this island."
"I've even heard some pirates live here too."
Naruto flashed him a smile. "Thanks, uncle!"
The boatman watched them leave, then began rowing back.
On the island of the Land of Whirlpools.
The trees were tall, the bushes thick, and everything teemed with life.
Yet, strangely, there were hardly any signs of human habitation.
From the dock, a well-trodden path led into the island, but having been neglected for almost twenty years, it was overgrown, the weeds attempting to reclaim it.
Following the narrow path forward, they entered a town.
This place once thrived economically, thanks to its port.
But now, only broken walls and desolation remained.
"Should we look for something here first?" Karin asked as she peered inside the entrance of a half-collapsed house.
"Let's find the ninja village first," Naruto shook his head.
They continued on their way.
Not long after leaving the town, they heard a commotion and frantic shouting not far away.
In an instant, the two moved swiftly and stood on top of a tree.
The source of the noise was a makeshift settlement.
Houses built from materials salvaged from the town.
A small village of only a few dozen people.
They were being plundered.
"Hurry up! Give us all your food!"
"And your money!"
"Or you'll die!"
The bandits were wildly arrogant.
Though they were only five, they had the entire village too fearful to resist.
The older folks looked numb, while the younger ones and children wanted to fight back but were held back tightly by the adults.
"There are ninjas," Naruto whispered, eyes landing on two individuals.
Though those two had no ninja headbands, their chakra presence wasn't strong, barely better than Sakura's.
But undoubtedly, they were above ordinary people.
"Naruto, are you going to save them?" Karin tilted her head, not particularly concerned about the fate of the villagers, but she was interested in Naruto's perspective.
In response, a golden arc cut through the air.
Naruto intervened in the battle without a sound.
The five pirates' malicious grins froze. Their bodies became rigid as if petrified, unable to move, only their eyes able to dart around—this was the opening Naruto had created.
The five struggled to move their eyes, finally focusing on the head of blond hair.
Fear was etched across their faces.
A powerful ninja?
How could such a force appear on an insignificant island like the Land of Whirlpools?
"To wield greater power yet resort to bullying the weak." Naruto's voice was soft, his gaze sweeping across their faces, "Truly unforgivable."
His hand rested on the hilt of the sword "Nine-Tails."
He drew it an inch out of its sheath.
Without fully releasing it, wielding only a fraction of its power.
Five semi-transparent hands of the tailed beast emerged from the ground.
In the face of their terrified, resistant, and pleading eyes, Naruto did not hesitate, crushing their throats.
Naruto turned around.
The villagers watched, cautious.
"Are you a ninja, sir?" An elder, gathered at the center of the crowd, spoke with a wary tone, "Thank you, honored ninja, for saving our village."
He signaled to the man beside him.
The man clutching money hurriedly ran up to Naruto, prostrating himself in "dogeza," reverently piling up coins at Naruto's feet.
The elder continued, "This is all the money our village has, offered as a token of gratitude for the ninja's rescue."
"We hope the honored ninja will not find it distasteful."
Even though it was a pity to lose the "money."
On this island, there aren't many chances to spend money. In comparison, being able to preserve their food supply is already a blessing.
Karin landed beside Naruto in a flash, standing at his side.
The villagers became even more cautious and restrained.
Another ninja!
Naruto didn't answer immediately. He was pondering something.
After a while, he smiled.
Bending down, he picked up the two largest bills from the pile of coins and handed them to Karin. "This will serve as the payment for rescuing you all."
"As for being a ninja,"
Naruto spoke softly yet firmly, "We're not ninjas."
He paused, trying to find the right words.
"I'm just a hero who happened to be passing by."
The old man was taken aback.
He stared at Naruto's face, his golden hair enhancing that radiant smile, as if dispersing the gloomy fog surrounding the island.
A hero
and not a ninja?
"Hero, might you tell us, your name?" he asked.
Naruto raised his thumb, "Just call me the Golden Flash, Naruto Uzumaki."
Karin giggled, "Naruto, your naming skills don't exactly match your aesthetic sense."
"Golden Flash is cool!" Naruto laughed, "Plus, it's my dad's nickname."
"I'm blonde, too."
"It fits me perfectly."
(End of Chapter)