After a long, heavy silence, Shanks finally exhaled and broke the stillness.
"Alright," he said quietly, his voice steady but tinged with fatigue. "We need to keep moving."
Without another word, he turned and began walking toward the rest of the Uzumaki clan.
Erza rose to her feet, clutching the scroll that now held Tatsuya's body. She gave a quiet nod, her expression composed, and followed after him. The two of them walked side by side through the forested path, blood still drying on Shanks's clothes, the tension of battle lingering like a shadow behind them.
Soon, they reached nearer to the rest of their clan. Relief washed over Shanks when he saw from distance that everyone was safe. No major injuries had been sustained—and even if there had been, he knew Erza's unique ability would have taken care of it. Her bloodline power allowed anyone who bit her to recover from their wounds instantly
As they walked, Erza glanced sideways at him, her tone gentle.
"Onii-chan... are you hurt? If you are, just bite me. You'll heal right away."
Shanks didn't slow his pace as he responded, his tone calm but firm.
"Don't worry—I'm not injured. I'm fine. My clothes just got a bit scorched, that's all."
Erza nodded quietly beside him.
After a moment, Shanks continued, his voice carrying more weight.
"And Erza… you don't need to rely on that ability so often. You're not some kind of walking healing bank."
She looked at him, surprised by the shift in his tone, but he went on, his eyes fixed ahead.
"Our Uzumaki clan has a rich inheritance in healing ninjutsu. You should start learning it—master it, even. That way, you'll be able to heal others without putting your own body at risk every time." He glanced at her briefly before adding, "Your ability should only be used in extreme emergencies—when there's no other way. Not for every cut and bruise."
He knew exactly why she had offered. Over the past few days, they had endured more than most could bear. With no proper healer among them, her ability had become their only lifeline. And in those desperate moments, people had no choice but to depend on her. But Shanks didn't want that burden to become her future.
Erza said nothing, but her expression softened with understanding.
Erza gave a firm nod and said softly, "I understand, Onii-chan. I'll keep that in mind."
Shanks stepped forward, standing before the group of weary survivors—now reduced to just nineteen. His expression was serious but composed as he addressed them.
"A few kilometers from here, there's a town. If we stay steady, we should be able to reach it in fifteen to twenty minutes. I don't sense any enemy presence right now, but that doesn't mean we let our guard down."
He scanned their tired but determined faces.
"We'll run when we can. Walking will be our rest. Once we reach the outskirts of the town, I'll go in alone to avoid attracting attention. I'll arrange carriages and get some fresh food for everyone—we need proper rest and nourishment. Don't worry," he added with a reassuring tone, "I won't be gone long. You'll still be within the range of my detection the entire time."
Everyone nodded in agreement. Even the youngest children, barely eight or ten years old, didn't utter a word of protest. They responded with quiet determination, their eyes resolute. Shanks could see it—how much they had matured in just five days. The loss, the running, the fear… it had carved something deeper into them far too early.
But he also saw the exhaustion—the fatigue clinging to every step they took, the haggard expressions on their faces, the weariness weighing down their shoulders.
After a brief moment of thought, Shanks exhaled and said, "Alright, I've changed my mind. We're all going into the town together."
The group looked up at him in surprise, but he continued without pause.
"I'll use my Conqueror's Haki to knock everyone unconscious once we're inside. That way, no one will be able to identify us. Of course, if another village investigates afterward, they might still figure out it was us—but that's a problem for the future."
His voice was calm, but the firm edge in it made it clear—this was the best option, and he had already accepted the risks.
One of the women stepped forward, concern etched into her tired face. "Won't this cause trouble for us later?"
Shanks glanced at her, his expression calm but unwavering. "Even if we're pursued by a team like the one we just faced, I'll deal with them the same way. If they really want to harm us, they'll need to send someone far more powerful."
The woman held his gaze for a moment, then gave a quiet nod, reassured by his confidence.
"Alright," Shanks said, turning to the group. "Let's move."
Their belongings were few—only two or three small bags among them. But that was enough. They were Uzumaki, after all. With their mastery of sealing techniques, most non-living essentials had already been stored away in scrolls.
Their journey began with a burst of movement—running for nearly a hundred, then two hundred meters. Once their legs began to tire and their lungs burned, they slowed to a walk, covering another three to four hundred meters before picking up speed again. This cycle repeated as they pushed forward, determined yet cautious.
Throughout the journey, Shanks remained vigilant. Not even for a moment did he allow his guard to drop. His Observation Haki stayed active the entire time, scanning the surroundings for any trace of chakra. So far, there had been none—no fluctuations, no signatures. A good sign.
After nearly fifteen minutes of this strategic movement, they finally arrived at the outskirts of a town. From what Shanks remembered, this was the port town of the Fire Country—a place bustling with trade and travelers, and hopefully, a safe haven—at least for now.
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