The port of the Land of Dark Forests was full of people. Everyone was fussing, running up and down, being worried, calling for each other, gathering on the docks... It was a true mess.

Most of the people were poorly dressed, however, there were a lot of rich ones too. Most of them carried bags and sacks, full of different stuff. Apparently, they were getting ready to travel by ships.

At a huge dock  there were richly dressed people gathered. Most of them were the relatives of Feudal Lord of the Land. Some others included Okikage, the leader of the Hidden Shadow Village of Land of Dark Forests, the main shinobi department of the Land, and there also were his family members, getting ready to leave.

There were Shin-Lin lords and ladies here too - Lady Lao Shin and her seven siblings, together with their spouses and children. They were guarded by some of the strongest shinobi of the Hidden Fir Village.

All of them had worried and saddened faces.

They were talking to Okikage and his family, as well as each other, waiting for the ship to arrive.

The children were sad just like their parents. Some of them even more, like little Nami Shin, Chao Lin's younger daughter, eight years old, this cute little girl with long black hair and big lovely light blue eyes, which could barely hold back tears. She was grasping her beloved mother's hand, who herself was a beautiful kunoichi, Okikage's younger daughter, married to Lord Chao Lin.

"Such terrible times have come!" the Feudal Lord was lamenting, "A massive war broke out! People cannot rest in peace!"

"We will defend them with all we have," Okikage, this old, white-haired and white-bearded fierce man, puckered, "We will make them back down and know their places!"

"Yes, but we must make sure to keep innocent residents safe," Feudal Lady, the Lord's wife, cut in.

"Well I'm sure they will take care of our people in the west. Feudal Lord of the Land of Lightning is already warned and has taken measures, as well as the Hidden Cloud Village Elders, there in the west," Okikage noted.

The children were listening to the parents' conversation. They started chatting between themselves.

"Looks like parents are really going to ditch us off to the west," Shusui, Chao Lin's older son, noted. He was a thirteen years old boy with black oblong hair covering his right eye. This right bang of his was itself tied in a tiny hair tail. He had several other small hair tails as well here and there. His eyes were deep blue, and really wise and serious.

"You said it man," Kaen, Gao Shin's son, carefreely put his hands on his back, tiredly sighing. He was a fourteen years old boy with black spiky hair and blond line on his right side. He had yellowish-brown eyes of a carefree and proud guy. He carried a heavy sword in shape of a fir-tree on his back.

"So we're really going to be alone?" Nami, Shusui's little sister, fearfully murmured, tears appearing in her eyes.

"Oh, there there, Nami, sis, don't be so scared," Shusui beamed to her lovingly, "Everything will be fine. We will stick together. We're a team. I will always protect you," he caressed her.

Nami calmed a little, smiling back to her beloved brother.

"Yeah, we will protect you girls," Kaen grinned arrogantly.

"Duh, who needs your protection," Hana, Tao Shin's fourteen years old daughter, chuckled and crossed her arms. She had long black hair tied in an upper ponytail, and two bangs in shape of flower petals divided in the middle, framing her face from both sides. She was wearing a green top, green skirt and green boots. Her slim belly was uncovered.

"Well fine, I will protect Shamo then, you stay lonely," Kaen smirked.

Hana rolled eyes.

"Who needs you... I can handle myself," she insisted.

Shamo, already fifteen years old, looked at them with surprised and annoyed face. She was really tall, and wore beautiful clothes - grey kunoichi suit, white mini-jacket with short sleeves, and white to black mini-short, with white cloth around her thigh, the end of which dropped down to her left foot. Over her mini-short she wore a white flexible dress from her thigh to her feet, opened in the front, so that her short and feet could be seen, and she also wore white boots up to her knees. On the right side of her thigh she had girt a sand gourd of her own, with rose and orchid depictions on it, in the middle of which there was depicted the kanji hieroglyph for love - "ai" ( 愛 ). She also wore golden rings on her fingers - a red rose ring on right ring-finger, a white orchid ring on right middle finger, a ruby ring on left ring-finger and an amethyst ring on left middle finger.

Seeing Shamo's annoyed face, Kaen chuckled and innocently scratched his head.

But the one who didn't even pay any attention to the children was Mekano - Dao Shin's and Kokujin Lin's fifteen years old son. He had frightening right arm up to the elbow made of robotic metal, and his feet up to his knees were of robotic metal too. His right eye was replaced with a robotic red eye as well. His left eye was beautiful light blue just like his mother's. His hair was short and risen up, a little spiky, having green colour just like his father's. He was wearing a long blue to green coat and black ninja suit, with blue trousers and green boots. He had a really gloomy face, his eyebrows always puckering.

Kaen spotted him and instantly took his eyes off him, returning to his comrades.

"Anyway, when will this ship arrive?" he asked, scratching his neck.

"You asked that ten times already!" Hana was irritated.

"Well let this be eleventh one then," Kaen ironically chuckled.

Hana rolled eyes.

"Actually, it's already here," Shamo calmly answered, and pointed surprised kids to the sea, where there already was a huge ship approaching, on which there was written: 'Super Ocean Express'.

"Well, I guess it's over then," Kaen said, "We're leaving".

"No!!" Nami started crying and cuddled with her mother's leg.

"Oh, Nami," Chao's wife widened eyes, seeing her child so scared, "Dear, please, don't..." she knelt and embraced the girl, "Everything will be fine darling, it's only for a short time," she smiled to her.

Nami was crying.

"I want to be with you, mommy!" she sobbed.

"Oh, please..." the woman got sad, "Your brother and cousins are going to be with you..."

"But... But..." she was sobbing, "I will miss you, mom..." she looked into her eyes, wiping off her tears.

"I will miss you too, sweetheart," the woman sighed, hugging her.

"Please be careful in battle," Nami murmured, hugging her tightly.

"Don't worry about me dear, your mom's strong," the woman beamed.

Shusui smiled, seeing them.

Then Nami felt as if something shaded her. She looked up and saw Chao Lin, who was looking down at her with his strict, but kind eyes. She got frightened.

"Oh..."

For some reason, Nami was always awed with her father, whereas Shusui enjoyed his company a lot.

But here her father, who was usually very reserved and didn't really show his emotions, smiled kindly and knelt as well, taking her in his arms and pressing her to his chest.

"Take care of yourself, Nami. You mustn't be scared. The world out there isn't any different from the one over here. As long as you stand with your brother and cousins, nothing can touch you," he caressed her.

Nami widened eyes in happiness and cuddled with father.

"Thank you, daddy..." she beamed, kissing him on cheek. He chuckled kindly.

Everyone hugged their parents and bid farewell.

"Goodbye mom, dad!" Hana hugged her parents.

"See you, mom! Take care, dad! Be sure to protect each other!" Kaen grinned and winked to his parents. They laughed, rubbing his head.

"We will protect each other, I promise," Shusui embraced his parents, "Don't worry about us. Defend the village. I'm sure soon we will gain powers and return to help you," he smiled.

"Sure you will, son. You are our children," Chao smiled back, rubbing him on head.

Mekano looked up at his parents.

"Take care, Mekano, dear," Dao, his mother, embraced him, and kissed him on head.

Mekano softly put his hands around her, hugging her back.

"Remember, your union is what makes you strong, so work as a team, alright?" Kokujin, his father, smiled to him, "You're our beloved boy Mekano, and the pride of Shin-Lin clan. Please, make sure to protect our future leader, Shamo, alright?" he beamed kindly.

Mekano looked up at him, showing no emotions.

"I will, father," he quietly said. "Take care. Make sure to win the battle".

"Oh, don't worry, we will," Kokujin smiled and showed him thumb up, "Now go, and make sure to protect your little cousins as well. You are the eldest man there Mekano, so use your strength and wits wisely".

"I will".

Meanwhile, Shamo was looking at Lao with sad eyes.

"Mom, I don't understand..." she said, "Why are you sending us off? We could help you in battle! We want to use our powers too! We want to defend the village side by side with you! Why do you think we're weak?!"

Lao sighed. She put hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"Listen, Shamo, dear, it is not that you are weak... It is that you are yet not prepared..." she bitterly smiled, "I'm not sending you to the west for leisure and relaxation... I'm sending you there on a mission above S-rank..." she gave her a purple scroll, adding a smile. "This scroll contains top-secret information and should not fall in any other person's hands. I entrust this mission only to you and your cousins".

"Really?" the girl brightened in excitement, staring at the scroll, "Who should we deliver it to? Why is it so important? What's written in there?"

Lao laughed.

"Now now, easy there, you have a lot of questions," she giggled, "I'll tell you everything: This scroll contains top-secret information. As a deliverer, until you reach the destination, you should not open it by any means. It is sealed with a strong sand seal, just in case. The receiver's name is not listed because it should stay secret too. But as deliverers, you and your cousins should know it, so I'll tell you - it's meant for the Lord of the Desert, who resides in the west," she smiled.

Hearing this, Shamo gasped in shock, and got amazed.

"What?! You mean... him?!" and she excitedly whispered: "My father?!"

Lao giggled.

"Yes," she answered, "So, will you do this little job for me, Shamo?"

"Absolutely, mom!" Shamo grabbed the scroll, putting it in her little bag, "You can count on me!"

"Use the help of your cousins, and make sure to protect them along the way. It will not be an easy journey," Lao smiled, "Your cousins are entrusted to you, as you're the eldest".

"I will not let you down mom!" Shamo exclaimed, and hugged her. "Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity!"

"Well then, take care, and have a safe trip!" Lao hugged her back, and the children, along with other passengers, ascended the boarded ship.

They looked down from the ship and waved hands to their parents for the last time. Shin-Lin elders also waved back, smiling to them, and being sad at the same time, for seeing their children taking off...

"Eh, they grow so fast..." Shao sighed, smiling, crossing arms.

"Yeah..." Lao sighed too. "I hope they'll be alright..."

"Of course they will!" Shao chuckled, "They're Shin-Lin cousins! They're strong and skilled ninja! They're a perfect family team!" and then he smiled, putting hand on Lao's shoulder, "And after all, you made sure to put him in charge as well, didn't you? You already gave her the scroll for him..." he grinned.

Lao giggled.

"Yeah, you're right, Shao. They'll be fine," she smilingly looked at the sea, her heart being full of hope.