Chapter 184 (Patreon)

That afternoon, at 13:40.

Ever since returning, Nerona Mihawk had remained inside the house, moving between the bathroom and his room as he carefully washed every trace of blood from his body.

Saeko Busujima was already waiting in the living room, prepared to leave.

She held her bokken and a sword—the sword Mihawk had given her as a gift when he accepted her as his student.

The moment Mihawk emerged from the bathroom, Saeko hurriedly rose to greet him.

The grave expression on her face made it seem as though she were preparing to enter a battlefield.

However, in Saeko’s mind, what she was about to do was far more serious than going to war.

Traveling to another world was the stuff of legends. To her, it was even more unbelievable than a Third World War suddenly breaking out in modern times.

It was as though something born from humanity’s wildest fantasies had suddenly become reality, completely shattering everything she believed she knew about the world.

Saeko had also understood something from Mihawk’s earlier words.

Once she crossed into the other world, she might never be able to return.

She had lived in the modern world for more than a decade. Now, without warning, she was about to leave it behind and enter a completely unfamiliar world.

Even moving to a foreign country would have left her uneasy. Compared to that, traveling to another world was on an entirely different level.

Saeko could not help feeling anxious.

Mihawk had no idea what was going through her mind.

After confirming that Saeko was ready, he used a hair dryer to finish drying his hair. He then placed the storage scroll inside the sealing formula.

Once everything was prepared, Mihawk stood in the middle of the living room, directly in front of Saeko.

He raised two fingers, held them together like the blade of a sword, and lightly slashed through the air.

A narrow black fissure appeared, cutting through the invisible fabric of space.

Saeko’s beautiful eyes widened as she stared at it.

The black fissure slowly expanded, as though a pair of enormous, invisible hands were pulling it apart from both sides.

A space-time portal resembling a black hole soon appeared before them.

“Give me your hand.”

After opening the World Gate, Mihawk held out his hand to Saeko as a precaution.

“Yes, Sensei.”

Saeko quickly placed both swords in one hand before reaching out and taking Mihawk’s palm with the other.

Holding Saeko’s soft, delicate hand, Mihawk led her into the Dungeon Gate.

After the two of them disappeared, the black space-time portal slowly closed, and the space inside the living room returned to normal.

Upon passing through the World Gate, Mihawk and Saeko did not find themselves inside a tunnel resembling a galaxy stretching across the universe.

Instead, a familiar forest appeared before them.

“Sensei, is this the Otherworld?”

Saeko continued holding Mihawk’s hand as she looked around with the wide-eyed curiosity of a child.

Her gaze moved toward the towering trees surrounding them. They were far larger and taller than anything she was accustomed to seeing in a modern city.

“They’re so tall... and enormous!”

A trace of uncertainty flashed through Mihawk’s eyes.

He released Saeko’s hand and began walking in a particular direction.

“Stay close to me. Don’t get lost.”

“Yes, Sensei.”

Saeko hurriedly followed after him.

Despite being a year older than Mihawk, Saeko followed his instructions without question.

During the two days since meeting Mihawk, everything Saeko believed about the world had been completely shattered.

It would probably take a long time before she could return to being the calm, graceful, and seemingly untouchable beauty she had always been.

Before that could happen, she first needed to adapt to this world of supernatural powers and gain a better understanding of Mihawk’s personality.

The two walked through the forest for more than ten minutes before finally emerging onto the bustling streets of Konoha.

“Good afternoon, Lord Mihawk.”

“Lord Mihawk!”

“Ah! Look over there! It’s Lord Mihawk!”

As they made their way home, villagers on both sides of the street greeted Mihawk one after another.

Some young women even recognized him from a considerable distance and began crying out excitedly.

It looked almost like an idol being surrounded by enthusiastic fans.

The sight left Saeko astonished once again.

Such a terrifying Sensei was actually this popular here?

As they continued down the street, Saeko noticed that almost everyone’s attention was focused entirely on Mihawk.

Most of them did not even spare her a glance.

In the modern world, Saeko’s beauty, mature figure, gentle presence, and graceful yet distant bearing ensured that she attracted attention wherever she went.

Being almost completely overlooked was an unfamiliar experience, and it caused a strange feeling to arise in her heart.

Only a few young women noticed her walking half a step behind Mihawk. They gave her puzzled looks, and some even regarded her with faint curiosity.

The reaction of the villagers clearly demonstrated just how much prestige Mihawk possessed in Konoha.

After they had walked a little farther, Mihawk suddenly stopped.

“Yo, Mihawk!”

Saeko turned toward the voice.

A young man wearing a green flak jacket was approaching them. His dark hair was tied into a spiky ponytail, while his half-lidded eyes made him appear constantly tired.

It was Nara Shikamaru.

Saeko quietly observed him with a trace of curiosity.

Shikamaru immediately noticed her gaze.

His eyes shifted toward the bokken and the sword in her hands before he looked back at Mihawk.

“Mihawk, who is she?”

“My student,” Mihawk answered without trying to conceal anything.

Saeko hurriedly bowed to Shikamaru.

“It’s nice to meet you. My name is Saeko Busujima.”

“Busujima? Nice to meet you.”

Shikamaru repeated her unfamiliar family name before nodding in greeting.

He then turned toward Mihawk with visible disbelief.

“You bastard... You actually accepted a student?”

Upon hearing that, a look of annoyance appeared on Mihawk’s face.

It was the first time Saeko had seen such an expression on him, and it left her slightly surprised.

“Is it really that surprising that I accepted a student?”

Shikamaru looked at him and answered bluntly, “For someone as cold-hearted as you, aside from Hinata and her little sister Hanabi, I wouldn’t even be surprised if you cut Naruto down. But accepting a student? That is surprising.”

“Nonsense.”

Saeko continued watching their exchange.

Mihawk had merely nodded in response to the greetings of the other villagers. His attitude toward Shikamaru, however, was completely different.

Was this man Sensei’s friend?

Judging by how casually Shikamaru spoke to him, Saeko made a preliminary judgment about their relationship.

No, he was probably one of Sensei’s closest friends.

Shikamaru knew Mihawk well and did not give him any opportunity to refuse before continuing.

“Speaking of Naruto, he’s received his new arm. We’re planning to hold a party for him, so remember to come.”

Shikamaru glanced at Saeko before adding, “Bring your student with you. You can introduce her to everyone while you’re there.”

Mihawk did not become angry, but his voice carried clear impatience.

“Are you finished? If you are, step aside.”

“Come on, don’t be so heartless,” Shikamaru replied helplessly. “At least let me save some face in front of your student.”

Mihawk stared at him without saying another word.

“Fine. I’ll be going, then.”

Whoosh!

The moment he finished speaking, Shikamaru vanished from the street.

Saeko stared at the spot where he had just been standing, dumbfounded by what appeared to be teleportation.

Did everyone in this world possess superhuman strength?

So this was the Otherworld...