The Next Day, Hokage Tower – Mission Assignment Desk
"Though it's only a C-rank mission…"
The client, a gardener named Teishi, kept his expression neutral but couldn't hide the flicker of doubt in his eyes as he surveyed the four children before him.
Since he wasn't a ninja, he knew nothing of how ninja were ranked internally. To him, it was puzzling that his protectors turned out to be four minors.
By normal standards, even for the lowest-level "production-type" missions, there should at least be one adult ninja tagging along, right?
"Please don't worry," the Third Hokage said with a smile, effortlessly adding the prefix "most" when praising the younger generation. "Special Jōnin Link is the most gifted shinobi in our village."
Just as Iruka likes to brag about the Third Hokage being "the strongest Hokage," so too does the Hokage—who is still a ninja—treat clients with a particularly warm attitude. As long as it doesn't impede making money, such flattery is no issue at all.
Teishi cast them a hesitant look but refrained from further comment. "Alright, then. I'll trust you with my safety."
"Rest assured," Link replied solemnly; adopting a professional demeanor was crucial.
…
Ever since Gatō's downfall, the Land of Waves had gradually started generating missions again. No matter how poor a place might be, labor itself is a valuable resource. In addition, it's an island nation, so even just cultivating crops, fruit, and seafood could bring in some profit.
Otherwise, why would Gatō have bothered controlling the Land of Waves in the first place, if not for the money?
Exchanging only a few more words, the four-man squad escorted client Teishi away from the mission desk. They soon left the village.
Because the Land of Waves isn't far from Konoha—practically next door—even traveling at a regular civilian's pace, they could reach the national border by mid-afternoon after a morning departure.
Being a famously impoverished and ninja-less nation, Teishi had no grounds to protest the "four little kids" who were supposed to protect him, despite his doubts. Ordinary ronin or bandits, if not large in numbers, posed little threat to genin-level shinobi.
Much like Link's first-ever mission outside the village, the journey was unexpectedly peaceful, almost like a casual outing. Now and then they sensed some suspicious gazes, but those vanished quickly. Too close to Konoha, and trying anything against Konoha shinobi would be risky. And if anyone had the nerve to challenge them, they'd likely wait until the Land of Waves, not in the Land of Fire.
Teishi, being a gardener, was decently fit. By noon, just as the sun began its westward tilt, they reached the seashore.
A newly-built cross-sea bridge—constructed only last year—spanned the waters between the Land of Waves and the Land of Fire. There were plenty of carriages and pedestrians crossing, creating quite a lively scene.
In the past, anyone heading to the Land of Waves had to use a boat, which was both inconvenient and dangerous—especially with Gatō's shipping company acting like gatekeepers. Now that a road existed, and it was a relatively peaceful small nation, many people from the Land of Fire came here for sightseeing, boosting the local economy.
Once they traversed the bridge, they stepped into the Land of Waves. In the Naruto world, there's no formal border inspection or passport system; these smaller nations lack the capacity for strict border control. Besides, there are no ninja here, so it's all quite lax.
Teishi's destination was the mangrove forest, where a client needed a gardener. The pay was decent; Teishi originally lived near Tanzaku Town, and his route to the Land of Waves happened to pass by Konoha. Concerned about possible dangers along the way, he hired Konoha shinobi to protect him on both the trip over and back.
A few hours after entering the Land of Waves, they arrived at a town near the mangroves. This place used the Land of Fire's currency, and its customs weren't so different from those in the Land of Fire; even the residents looked the same…
To Link, it felt pretty much like home.
Just poorer.
Whereas towns in the Land of Fire had all sorts of shops, in this settlement there were only a handful, and just a single rather shabby-looking inn. The busiest places were a produce store and a butcher shop.
He didn't see any entertainment venues. There were some utility poles but none of the ubiquitous transmission antennas found in Konoha—meaning no television or broadcasting channels. Compared to the Land of Fire, it was like being in a whole different era.
As the sun dipped low, Teishi showed no desire to rest in town. He insisted on pushing forward to his employer's residence. The client wanted to keep moving, and the shinobi had no objections, so they followed the mangrove route. An hour outside of town, with the sky awash in orange, they spotted the client's estate.
Many of the Land of Waves' buildings had fascinating designs, and this homeowner's place was no exception: it was built in the trees like a spinning top, standing six levels tall. The surrounding trees were just as towering as those in the Land of Fire—something that always amazed Link. Having transmigrated, he'd gradually gotten used to it; in his previous life, it was questionable whether such colossal trees existed anywhere, but in this world they were commonplace. They also grew remarkably fast, shooting up a few meters in a matter of months, reaching 20-30 meters high in just a couple of years.
Several walls surrounded the yard, though they didn't seem especially effective—better at blocking honest folks than determined intruders, and nowhere near as tall as the trees within. Thick grass covered the ground up to the knees, with a single narrow path leading to the house.
The whole estate covered several kilometers. It looked like the owner was extremely wealthy.
[But something about this place makes me think of Gatō…]
As he followed the earthen path, Link mulled over the opulent construction and massive land holdings perched on the edge of the mangrove forest—prime real estate. Back when Gatō was alive, would he really have allowed someone else with money to enjoy such lavish living right under his nose?
They neared the building. A tattooed man smoking beneath it stubbed out his cigarette and approached, calling out, "Hey, who are you? This is private property—"
The moment he noticed the Konoha forehead protectors, he took half a step back, clear fear showing on his face.
"Is Mr. Ketsu here? I'm the gardener, Teishi, whom he hired." Teishi held up his contract.
The tattooed man swallowed hard but didn't come closer to check. He spoke hesitantly: "Uh, right… wait here, I'll go get him."
Teishi, who'd maintained composure until then, let his tension show once the man disappeared upstairs. In a hushed tone, he said, "Even though Mr. Ketsu gave me some advance payment… still…"
He recalled the menacing look on that tattooed man's face. "No matter what, please do protect me. I'm counting on you guys."
"Relax, leave it to us." Link offered reassurance. "They're just civilians. Even if a hundred or two of them attacked, a single one of us could handle it."
"Don't worry, Mr. Teishi. We'll make sure you're safe."
~~~
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