Chapter 052: The Laid-Back Kingdom of Soup

In the southeast of the Hidden Hot Springs Village, there was a small town called Hailian. The entire Land of Hot Water was renowned for its hot springs, rich in resources, and its people enjoyed lives far more peaceful and content than those in foreign lands. This nation was even referred to as the country that had forgotten war. Its ninja village, the Hidden Hot Springs, was likewise a tranquil and harmonious place.

Although the first head of the village had established a unique ranking system, it had now mostly faded from memory.

“It could be said that aside from cultists worshipping the evil god, there are virtually no other threats in the Land of Hot Water,” Kakashi summarized. “Granted, those cultists are a scourge here, but they trouble other countries just as much. Besides, the Land of Hot Water has practically given up; they allow ninja squads from other countries to enter freely and purge the evil god’s followers. So you don’t need to worry about local ninja—just keep an eye out for shinobi from the other great nations.”

“You’ve all learned the basic techniques of the major villages at the academy. As long as you survive the first encounter, you should be able to recognize them.”

Sakura could only protest, “But… aren’t we on a C-rank mission? There shouldn’t be hostile ninja on a C-rank mission, right?”

Kakashi only shrugged. “Who knows?”

He glanced back at the palanquin behind them. Their client, Nobushige Koshiji, was seated inside. The palanquins of the Land of Fire were rather odd—very small, barely large enough for a short person to sit cross-legged without room to move.

Surrounding the palanquin, besides the two bearers, were four or five ashigaru armed with spears and bows, as well as two samurai. The samurai wore simple breastplates, long swords at their waists, and their conical hats bore the crest of the Fire Daimyo’s house. Their expressions were vigilant.

One of the samurai even carried a peculiar item at his waist, something like a small mop—it was a saihai, a baton used to direct large troop movements.

“My guess was right,” Naruto said, shrugging. “This mission clearly isn’t about the Land of Hot Water at all. If I’m not mistaken, these aren’t just any samurai and ashigaru—they’re hatamoto, direct retainers of the Fire Daimyo. And if I’m sensing correctly, the men we see are just the overt force—there are plenty more disguised as travelers, scattered along the road.”

“The Land of Hot Water has given up, yet so many hatamoto have been mobilized, and our ninja team brought in as well.”

“He isn’t worth it,” Sasuke said, a note of excitement in his voice—he still hadn’t had a chance to test his skills.

Sakura, meanwhile, was tense. She hoped the enemy wouldn’t appear so soon—at least, not ninja, which would turn their mission into a B-rank task.

“Be alert—someone’s coming,” Kakashi announced suddenly, startling Sakura.

She looked anxiously around but saw nothing unusual. The road was as before, with only a sparse flow of pedestrians, some walking in the same direction, others coming toward them. She didn’t notice that their formation had quietly shifted. Originally, there had been no real formation at all—the three genin walked in front, Kakashi trailing casually behind, ready to converse with their client.

Now, Kakashi had taken the lead, Sasuke just behind and to his side. Naruto had moved between Sakura and Sasuke, subtly shielding them.

A traveler heavily burdened with goods approached from the opposite direction. The man wore a straw hat pulled low, hiding his face, and the haphazard wares dangling from his pack suggested he was an itinerant merchant.

He paid no mind to the path, instead heading straight for their group. Sakura tensed, kunai in hand, ready to strike at Kakashi’s signal.

Yet Kakashi let the man pass. The merchant never even got close to the palanquin—he was shooed aside by one of the sword-wielding samurai.

Watching the merchant’s retreating figure, Sakura gradually relaxed. But Naruto suddenly spoke:

“That man’s a ninja. He’ll be back before long.”

“A ninja?” Sakura blurted out. “Then why didn’t you stop him?”

“On what grounds?” Kakashi explained. “He showed no hostility, made no move to attack. Even if we recognized him, to everyone else he looks like a harmless peddler. If we start blocking travelers for no reason, we’d seem tyrannical. Who would ever hire us again?”

“But… but…” Sakura was anxious. “What if he attacks Lord Koshiji?”

“Impossible,” Kakashi replied, shaking his head. “No matter how foolish, no ninja would strike while surrounded and under enemy surveillance—that’s suicide.”

“But if you want to face them, it’s not unlikely,” Kakashi added, spreading his hands. “I suspect they’ll make another attempt later today.”

“Kakashi, can you tell where these ninja are from?” Naruto asked curiously.

“I can’t say for sure,” Kakashi mused. “They’re too careful, left no clues. But I’ve seen methods like this before—it reminds me of the ninja from the Hidden Mist.”

“The Hidden Mist, huh…” Naruto blinked.

Night fell, and the group lodged at an inn. Naruto sat atop the roof, gazing into the distance. The Land of Hot Water was dotted with hot springs—one could say they were everywhere—and in Hailian, they were especially dense. The streets below bustled with people, glowing with lantern light—a scene of peace and prosperity.

Sakura climbed up using a ladder and called to Naruto, “Naruto, come down! It’s my turn to keep watch.”

Naruto didn’t answer. Instead, he pointed toward the lively hot spring avenue. “Look at that—so crowded. Back in the village, it only gets like that during festivals. Wouldn’t it be nice if our village was always this lively?”

“I think so too,” Sakura replied, her gaze drawn to the distant throng. “But the Leaf is special, after all—it’s the heart of the country’s military. I guess only during the Chunin Exams does it get that lively.”

Naruto sighed. “There have been so many times I wanted to join in the fun, but I couldn’t. Sasuke doesn’t like lively places either, but having him with me makes it easier.”

Sakura asked, “Sasuke doesn’t like festivals? Is it because of that incident? Or…?”

“I don’t know,” Naruto shook his head. “I only met him after we started school. He’s always been like that—except for his brother, he keeps everyone else at arm’s length.”

Sakura sat beside Naruto and whispered, “Um… Naruto? You’ve met Sasuke’s brother, right? Can you tell me what he’s like?”

Naruto replied, “It’s better to let Sasuke tell you himself. If he accepts you, he’ll share everything with you without reservation.”

Sakura muttered inwardly at Naruto’s evasiveness, then remarked, “The Land of Hot Water really is a peaceful country—maybe even safer than our village in some ways.”

“It’s a pity there are those determined to shatter that hard-won peace,” Naruto said with regret. “Have you noticed? The fog is rolling in.”