"..." Hippolyta took a deep breath and looked at her prisoner again. He was strangely calm. He hadn't done anything. In fact, he had saved her precious daughter, Diana. Looking at her Amazon sisters, she saw that they had the same doubts. They might hate men, but that couldn't cloud their judgment. Sighing, she raised her hand. "Lower your weapons... He's innocent." Several immediately protested and demanded the execution of the blond, who was still bound by the golden rope. However, all their protests were silenced by their Queen's stern gaze. "However, you will be asked to leave and never return."
"I'm sorry, but I can't," the Uzumaki refused, still kneeling. This angered some of the Amazons. They had offered him his freedom, and now he was refusing? It was unheard of. However, to everyone's surprise, the Queen looked puzzled.
"Why would you want to stay?" she asked, sheathing her sword and crossing her arms. Diana stood beside her, holding onto her skirt. The little girl was apparently still curious about the man.
"I just want peace... And this place... I can sense people's emotions, and almost none of you have any malice." This confused the Amazons. The ability to sense emotions? That was dangerous. "I left my home to find peace. All I ask is that you let me stay. Allow me to make this place my home, and I swear by my nindo that I will protect your people and your homeland with my life," he said seriously as he looked Hippolyta in the eyes. She saw no doubt or lies in his words.
"Mom, he seems nice. Besides, this island was meant to be a place where people could live in peace and be happy... I think letting him stay is the right thing to do," said the little black-haired girl, looking at her mother, who continued to think over the situation.
"You're not seriously considering it, are you?" Antiope asked sternly. She was a tall woman who resembled the Queen, except that her hair was darker and tied in a braid. She had a firm hourglass figure, with D-cup breasts, a small waist, and wide hips. She wore gray and gold armor. The woman looked sternly at her Queen and sister. She did not trust men. Her people had already suffered too much at their hands. Hippolyta only looked thoughtfully at her most trusted general. This was a major decision. Never before had a man lived on these lands, but something inside her told her that this was the right thing to do.
"You may stay..." This caused everyone in the room to shout in anger. However, no one expected the powerful blow to the ground that shattered the stone slab beneath the Queen's feet. Everyone fell silent at the blond woman's display of strength as she raised her sword again. "Silence... But if you dare do anything you shouldn't... you will suffer the worst kind of hell... That I can swear by Hera." After her threat, the Lasso of Truth was removed from the blond, who stood up. Smiling, he stretched, trying to ignore the hateful looks from the women.
"Thank you... I'll settle somewhere far from the city so I won't get in your way or bother you..." With that, he turned to leave. As if he were sick, all the women moved aside to let him pass. Diana didn't like this and frowned. Just as she was about to follow him, her mother grabbed her wrist.
"Diana, I know what you're thinking. Stay away from him."
"But Mother, he seems nice. Maybe he could even be a new friend," she said, sounding a little excited. She was a curious and outgoing girl. Meeting a man excited her. She could learn a lot from him, and he could even tell her what the outside world was like. However, her excitement faded when she saw the serious expression on her mother's face.
"My child... I can't stop you from going near him, because I know you won't listen to me... But just be careful," she advised as she released her daughter's wrist. Diana nodded in surprise. Smiling, she followed the blond, who was already outside the castle.
"What are you doing?" Antiope asked, looking at her sister, who simply sat back down on her throne. "Everyone, leave," the general ordered, crossing her arms in annoyance. She would not trust a man, and she never would again.
"Lady Athena... advised me to be careful." At those words, her sister fell silent and looked at her Queen. "Lady Athena told me not to let my hatred of men blind me. Dark times are coming. That boy, I don't know, something tells me that he will be a valuable ally and perhaps even a friend..." she said calmly with a sigh. Her sister simply turned her back on her and began to leave the castle, but not before stopping at the door to look at Hippolyta.
"I don't trust the gods... much less a man." With that, the blond woman left, leaving her sister alone on her throne. Sighing, Hippolyta looked at her hands. According to the human calendar, it was October 10, 1995. Difficult and dangerous times were approaching, and all she could do was ask Gaia to protect her people.
………
"Won't your mother be angry that you're here?" Naruto asked a smiling Diana who was walking beside him.
"No, she gave me permission... Besides, I want to know more about you," she said excitedly as she searched her bag for a book and a pen. The two were walking through a meadow, heading toward an unoccupied part of the island. Of course, the blond was the center of attention among the women, who looked at him with resentment and even hatred.
"There's not much you'd want to know about me... Where are all the children?" the Uzumaki asked, noticing that the youngest girls were teenagers over eighteen years old. It was strange. At his question, Diana became discouraged.
"Well, it's just that I'm the only child on the island. I still don't know where babies come from, but Mother told me that every few decades, we're blessed with a new sister who comes from the sea, carried here by the ocean or something like that," she explained somewhat vaguely. This puzzled the blond. How did these women have babies when they were all women? Well, that wasn't important right now.
"I see... This looks like a good place," Naruto said, looking with interest at a large green meadow with a few scattered trees. Nearby, a river flowed through the area. Taking a deep breath as he walked, he spotted a rock and sat down on the grass under Diana's confused gaze.
"What are you doing?" she asked innocently when she saw him sitting with his eyes closed and a peaceful expression on his face.
"Meditating," he said calmly with a gentle smile. This place was incredible. Not even on the mountain of the toads had he felt so much peace. Taking a deep breath, he smelled the scent of nature. Opening his eyes slightly, he saw the little girl sitting in front of him, imitating him. Laughing softly, he smiled. "Just clear your mind and feel everything around you. The wind, the flowing water, the sounds of the animals," he said gently, advising the little girl, who took a deep breath and followed his instructions.