49- Marry me...

On a passenger ship sailing towards the mainland, Kirito and his companions found themselves in a unique situation. They had hired the entire ship for themselves, ensuring privacy and safety for their journey. Kakashi, the seasoned ninja from the Hidden Leaf Village, couldn't help but express his concern for their injured companion.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with us, Lord Sosetsu?" Kakashi asked in his usual calm tone, his Sharingan eye giving him an air of mystery. He directed his gaze at Sosetsu, who had come a long way in his recovery but was still missing his left arm.

Sosetsu, showing resilience and determination, replied with a hint of gratitude, "Yes, Kakashi-San, I am sure about my decision. I've already instructed my men to escape to the Land of Iron, where Mifune will provide them refuge."

Koyuki, Sosetsu's caring daughter, couldn't suppress her concern and affection. "Father…" she began, rushing to his side.

Sosetsu waved her off gently, mindful of her emotions. "It's fine, Koyuki. I just need a little more rest, and I'll be back on my feet." He didn't want his daughter to see him in his weakened state, but circumstances had left him with no other choice. As Koyuki left the room, he couldn't help but worry about his people back home. "It's been almost a month; I hope they were able to escape from the Snow Country."

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Outside the room, Koyuki approached Kirito, intrigued by his peculiar activity. "What are you doing?" she inquired, her curiosity piqued.

Kirito, a young and skilled swordsman who had embarked on this journey, smiled as he held a fishing rod given to him by Saito. "I'm trying to catch some fish for us."

Miyuki, another member of their group, joined the conversation with a puzzled expression. "But you do realize we're in the middle of the sea, right?"

Kirito exuded confidence as he explained his strategy. "You'll see when I catch a fish."

Miyuki remained skeptical, but Koyuki, who seemed to have an idea of Kirito's plan, decided to challenge him. "If you're so confident, why don't we make a bet?"

Kirito accepted the challenge with a grin. "Sure, that sounds good."

Koyuki laid out the terms, her confidence unwavering. "Here's the bet: If you can't catch a fish by the end of today, you have to marry me. But if you succeed, I'll marry you. Do you dare? Are you brave enough?"

Kirito agreed readily, not fully comprehending the gravity of the situation. "No problem, I agree. But I'm telling you, I won't let you back out when I win. You'll have to marry me if I catch a fish."

Koyuki, however, had a hidden agenda. She knew Kirito didn't quite understand the concept of marriage. She thought to herself, 'I wonder if he knows what marriage really means. But I won't feel guilty; he'll be mine.'

As they continued their conversation, Kirito suddenly shouted with excitement, "Look, it's a big one!"

Koyuki and Miyuki rushed to his side and saw a massive tuna dangling from the fishing rod, easily three times the size of Koyuki herself. Shocked and surprised, Koyuki couldn't help but blush as she remembered the bet she had just made.

"You really caught a fish," she exclaimed, her heart racing.

Grinning with satisfaction, Kirito placed the impressive catch on the ship's floor. "See, I caught the fish. Now that I've won the bet, you'll have to marry me."

Koyuki, still blushing, tried to clarify the situation. "Yes, but not now. We'll need to wait until we're adults."

Kirito, somewhat puzzled by her response, questioned her intentions. "Hey, are you trying to deceive me?"

Annoyed by his doubt, Koyuki turned away, a hint of anger in her voice. "What? You don't believe me? Fine, then I'm not going to marry you."

But Kirito was determined not to let her off the hook. "Oh no, you don't. You made a promise, and you'll have to marry me. Just remember, when we're older, you'll have to."

Koyuki, her heart pounding, couldn't help but laugh inside, knowing that Kirito didn't fully grasp the implications of marriage. She thought to herself, 'He doesn't understand what marriage really means, but I don't feel guilty. He'll be mine.'

On that fateful day aboard the passenger ship, Koyuki, still flushed with embarrassment, muttered under her breath, "Whatever, idiot..." She left the scene, but her thoughts betrayed her true intentions, "Like I would let you off that easily..."

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[[You might wonder how Kirito, at his tender age, remained so oblivious to the concept of marriage. Well, there's a backstory to it. Kirito was an orphan, and the complexities of relationships between men and women were never explained to him. He was truly clueless about such matters. To put it in perspective, he was less than 5 years old, and his focus was primarily on learning jutsu and other ninja-related knowledge.

Additionally, his cherished book, "Ich-Ichi Paradise," focused solely on the beauty of things, with no insights into the intricacies of human relationships. Even during his encounter in Tanzaku City with Kakashi, the latter didn't provide any explanation regarding the mysteries of marriage.]]

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As Kirito tried to savor the scent of his first catch, Sadaharu, a loyal companion and talking dog, woke up from his slumber and emerged from the ship's cabin. With a smile, he commented on Kirito's success, "You got a big catch there, kid."

Grinning, Kirito responded, "Yeah, it's a big one."

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After several days, the ship finally reached the mainland. As it docked, a group of samurai awaited their arrival. One of the samurai greeted Sosetsu with warmth, "Lord Sosetsu, it's been a long time."

Sosetsu reciprocated the sentiment with a handshake, "It is indeed, Urakaku."

Urakaku couldn't help but express his regret, "I'm truly sorry for what happened. I wish I could have helped you."

Sosetsu dismissed the apologies with a sigh, "No, it's fine. Don't blame yourself. I never expected Doto to betray me after all I did for him." The memory of Doto's betrayal stirred a mix of sadness and anger within him.

Kirito and Kakashi decided to leave Sosetsu in the capable hands of the samurai group he trusted so deeply. Meanwhile, Koyuki chose to accompany her father, as he wanted her to learn the art of the sword, but he respected her wish to pursue her own path.

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Three days later, Kakashi and Kirito arrived in the village of Konoha, dressed in Anbu attire. Their destination: the Hokage's office.

Inside the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, listened intently as Kakashi and Kirito reported their findings.

Hiruzen's curiosity got the better of him, and he couldn't help but ask, "What in the world is the 'Guardian God of Distraction'? Why have I never heard of it before?" His gaze shifted to Sadaharu, who was standing behind Kirito.

Sadaharu, displaying his characteristic cheekiness, replied with a childish tone, "Hey, it's not my fault you're ignorant."

Hiruzen, taken aback by the dog's brazen response, decided to challenge him, "Are you joking with me? I find it hard to believe you're as strong as you claim."

In response, Sadaharu emitted a fraction of his chakra pressure, fixing his gaze on Hiruzen. He calmly asked, "Do you believe me now?"

Hiruzen felt an overwhelming force but detected no negative emotions within it. Puzzled, he raised his voice, "Stop, or you'll frighten the villagers!"

With a controlled release of his chakra pressure, Sadaharu explained, "Actually, no one else was affected by my chakra. I directed it solely at you."

Hiruzen's astonishment deepened. "What?" he asked, shocked by the revelation.

Realizing the implications, Hiruzen turned to Kakashi and Kirito. "Did either of you feel any chakra pressure just now?"

Both replied in the negative.

Hiruzen, somewhat flustered, addressed Dog, "Why did you bring him into the village, knowing how dangerous he is?"

Dog, who had accompanied Kirito, denied any responsibility. "I didn't bring him with me. He followed us even after my refusal."

Fox, standing beside Dog, concurred, "I didn't bring him either. He insisted on following us."

Sadaharu, ever nonchalant, added with a shrug, "Yep, I got bored, so I decided to take a stroll around."

After a thorough discussion, it was decided that Sadaharu would remain in the village with Fox and assume the role of a regular ninja dog. Sadaharu pledged not to cause trouble unless provoked.

With Fox and Sadaharu gone, the conversation shifted. Dog shared critical information, "After they escaped from the Snow Country, they returned to the temple and joined the monks who had betrayed them."

Hiruzen nodded, acknowledging the report. "Asuma mentioned that only three of the twelve guardians remain."

With a sense of gravity, Hiruzen continued, "Anyway, I have a new SS-Rank mission for your team..."

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