Predicament * Inn

The Cherry Blossom blossoms had just fallen, and the Hot Spring Street hadn't yet entered its peak season.

Even so, the streets were still bustling with pedestrians. In a corner of the Hot Spring Street, which is a hub for Local Specialty Shops and Bar Center, there is a building covered with Ivy, and on the second floor is a quaint Teahouse.

Jotaro Uzumaki ordered a cup of tea, chose a seat by the window, and leisurely looked down at the bustling Hot Spring Street through the Ivy outside.

It looks so peaceful.

As he gazed at the scenery before him, Jōtarō was preoccupied with something else.

The Land of Whirlpools has been harassed more and more frequently lately.

The probing incursions from the Land of Bears, which is controlled by the Land of Water, are becoming increasingly frequent, and people from the Land of Lightning are also often seen entering and leaving the Land of Hot Water; it's obvious they're scouting ahead.

It seems those major powers have already realized what's happening.

At the beginning of the Shinobi Village's establishment, they didn't think much of it.

Although they had gathered together, the Ninjas were still taking on missions and doing dirty work; it seemed that they had come together only to live longer and better.

Like a pack of wounded wild animals, they tried to huddle together for warmth, yet they were also hostile to each other.

The loose internal structure and deathly silence lulled the nobles into a false sense of security.

Their arrogance made them subconsciously ignore the warnings within themselves. Even though they sensed that having weapons gathered together was dangerous, they took no action and allowed the Ninjas to unite.

Because of their long-standing habits, the Ninjas were unaware of the kind of power they were gathering, and even when they united, they still fought independently as a clan unit.

Six months passed just like that, and everything remained peaceful.

Until that day, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire announced that Konohagakure would henceforth be officially named the Konoha Special Administrative Region, and that Konoha and its surrounding areas would be governed by Ninjas.

Including administrative, legislative, and judicial powers, except for core governing powers such as diplomacy, defense, and the appointment of the chief executive, all policies are decided by the Ninjas themselves.

At first, other countries thought the Daimyo of the Land of Fire had gone mad, giving titles to a bunch of brainless weapons. Could they even manage to govern themselves? What if the Ninjas accidentally killed themselves?

Even the Land of Whirlpools, a nation founded by Ninja clans, thought the same way. They had witnessed the hatred between Shinobi Clans, a hatred so intense that they wished they could grind the other to dust.

Even after half a year, they still didn't believe that the Ninjas could truly put aside their hatred for each other and sit down peacefully to talk things over.

They sent Envoys simply to find out what was wrong with the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, and also to see what qualifications Konoha had to demand such great power.

But as time went on, they suddenly realized something.

When Ninjas gained power, it was equivalent to Samurai gaining power, and their weapons were themselves.

With such power and authority, they would become an even more uncontrollable and immense force than the protagonists of the recently famous the Tale of the Heike!

The Taira failed, but that was because they lacked the overwhelming power of Ninjas! If Ninjas had actually taken that position, things would have been disastrous!

We must not let them unite any longer! We must divide them and divert their attention elsewhere!

However, the Land of Fire already has a powerful Ninja group. If they allow their country's Ninjas to split up now, their country will be quickly torn apart by the Land of Fire, which owns Konoha, once war breaks out.

What should they do then? The nobles racked their brains and realized that they had to make the Ninjas understand that their position must be, and could only be, that of the nation's military force.

How could that possibly be possible?

During their journey to the Land of Fire, the Envoys realized that the era of nobles ruling the world was over, and that the world would eventually be controlled by Ninjas, just as the Samurai group had controlled the country in the past.

Ninjas will undoubtedly be the protagonists of this world in the future.

Therefore, the Envoy's reports all subtly suggested treating the Ninjas better.

But the nobles Daimyo did not think so; on the contrary, their reports only reinforced their ideas.

Ninja can only wield a sword.

They need to understand this.

This idea must be firmly ingrained in their bones, so that they have no chance to turn their lives around.

Therefore, making an example of someone to scare others would be a good solution.

Thus, the operation against the Land of Whirlpools began.

The Land of Water and the Land of Lightning were the first to act, sending Ninjas to constantly harass and probe the Land of Whirlpools, trying to find out its secrets.

The harassment has been so frequent that fishermen on the main island of Land of Whirlpools no longer dare to sail their boats too far. Recently, there have even been reports that patrol boats from the Land of Water have directly rammed Land of Whirlpools fishing nets in disputed waters.

The fishermen not only lost their fishing nets, but were also accused of "fishing beyond their designated area".

Merchant ships suffered even greater losses, with the vast majority of merchant fleets being attacked by pirates or shipwrecked, their cargo either stolen or sunk to the bottom of the sea.

The fishermen who escaped refused to go out to sea again; everyone valued their lives and no one wanted to die without knowing why.

All paths are narrowing.

The island, which I chose to escape the world, is only 10,000 square kilometers in size and surrounded by the sea. I thought the sea was a natural barrier, but now I realize that the azure waters can also be a cage.

The only export is the trade in Sealing Jutsu Scrolls.

The Sealing Jutsu of the Uzumaki Clan are unparalleled in the world, Capital rely on them. However, if trade routes continue to be blocked like this, and even scrolls cannot be transported out, then the economy of the entire Land of Whirlpools will come to a complete standstill before winter.

At this critical moment, the Land of Fire blocked their caravan at its border. Although news came that it was just a misunderstanding, the Land of Whirlpools could not withstand any further turmoil.

Thinking of this, Jōtarō put down his teacup and looked out the window again. And there, on the Hot Spring Street, the figures of those four people came into his view.

All four were dressed in casual clothes. Hashirama Senju was carrying an excessively large bag, and his younger brother, seemingly unable to bear his aimless wandering, grabbed him by the collar and dragged him forward.

The other two were probably Madara Uchiha and Uchiha Izuna. The two brothers walked behind. Uchiha Izuna was pointing excitedly at a Hot Springs bun shop by the roadside, talking about something. Madara Uchiha listened to him with his head slightly lowered, nodding occasionally.

As he got closer, Jōtarō could see the excessively bright smile on Izuna's face.

It does fit the atmosphere of this Hot Spring Street quite well, but it doesn't quite match the image of the extremely imposing Uchiha Izuna that was Quhai.

He stood up, left the tea money on the table, and went to greet them.

The flow of people on the street remained unhurried, and the smell of Sulfur mingled with the sweet aroma of Hot Springs steamed buns in the air.

As he walked, he observed the four figures that were getting closer and closer.

All four were dressed casually.

Hashirama's green coat looked like it was just thrown on, Tobirama wore a dark gray short jacket with tight cuffs, looking neat and capable. He was the one among the four who looked most like he was there on business.

Madara was dressed in his signature Uchiha dark blue casual clothes, with the collar slightly open.

Meanwhile, Izuna, walking on the far side, had somehow acquired a newly bought Hot Springs bun in his hand and was looking down as he unwrapped the paper bag.

They weren't wearing any protective gear, had no Ninja Tool Pouches at their waists, and none of them were wearing the chainmail that Ninjas typically wore.

On this Hot Spring Street, they looked no different from ordinary tourists who came from all over the world.

Only Jōtarō knew that any one of these four people could raze the entire street to the ground within ten breaths.

Even if it's said to be unparalleled in the world, such a lack of preparedness is still quite novel.

Is he truly worthy of being called the strongest in the world?

He gave a bitter smile to himself, but didn't show it on his face. He straightened his clothes and stepped forward to meet them.

"Gentlemen of Konoha," Jōtarō stopped about three steps away from the four and bowed slightly, "Jotaro Uzumaki, I have come to greet you on the orders of the Lord. The journey has been long, you must be tired."

Hashirama straightened his expression. Just moments ago, he had been as excited as a leader of a school trip, but now he instantly switched to the Hokage befitting a Hokage.

He stepped forward and responded in formal diplomatic language, "We are deeply grateful for your warm welcome, Mr. Jōtarō, and for the thoughtful arrangements made by your country. Our purpose in coming here is twofold: first, to visit Mito's family, and second, to discuss future cooperation plans with your country. We hope that both sides will gain something from this meeting."

His tone and wording were just right, expressing Konoha's sincerity while also giving the Land of Whirlpools ample face.

"Lord Hashirama in our country." Jōtarō straightened up, his gaze sweeping lightly over the four of them. "When we received the letter Quhai, the lord said that Konoha's sincerity was deeper than the sea. In particular, Lord Izuna's plan showed us a different future."

Izuna's ears twitched, and he stuffed the rest of the steamed bun into his mouth in a few bites, his cheeks bulging.

He tried to swallow what was in his mouth, and just as he was about to speak, Jōtarō turned to the side and made a "please" gesture.

"Gentlemen, you have come from afar and must be tired. Please come with me to your lodgings."

As he spoke, his gaze unconsciously fell on Izuna.

The young man was frantically wiping the crumbs from the corner of his mouth when Ban handed him a handkerchief.

Izuna took the handkerchief and wiped his face haphazardly a couple of times. He was about to speak again when Jōtarō turned around and took the first step.

This way, please.

Izuna had no choice but to swallow his words again.

The group followed Jōtarō as they walked deeper into the Hot Spring Street along the cobblestone path.

The smell of Sulfur grew stronger, and milky-white Hot Springs water flowed in the ditches beside the road, with steam rising gently in the afternoon sun.

A few late-blooming Cherry Blossom trees still had scattered petals hanging on them, which fluttered down onto the shoulders of passersby when the wind blew.

Hashirama, side by side with Jōtarō, occasionally pointing to the shops along the roadside and asking a few questions. Tobirama lagged slightly behind, his gaze subtly sweeping over the layout of the buildings and the movements of pedestrians on both sides of the street.

Madara continued to walk beside Izuna, while Izuna...

Izuna discovered that this place was filled with "music".

He would have thought they had entered combat if the Detection Field hadn't not appeared.

Open the map and scan it—good heavens, it's full of red names! People from the Land of Water, the Land of Lightning, even the Land of Earth Land of Wind are here!

Did they stumble into a den of thieves... or did they stumble into a den of thieves?

Jōtarō led them through the Hot Spring Street and turned into a slightly secluded stone-paved path.

Along the roadside stood a row of quaint Japanese-style buildings, with wooden signs bearing the names of various Inns hanging under the eaves.

"This is it." Jōtarō stopped and pushed open one of the wooden doors.

Inside the gate is a small and elegant courtyard, with several well-trimmed pine trees arranged in a pleasing manner. In the center is an open-air Hot Springs, with a few pink Cherry Blossom floating on the water, and steam rising from it.

There were no servants or guards; only a few of them were in the courtyard.

Treating nobles this way would certainly draw criticism, but for Ninjas, this kind of environment is where they can feel safe.

Madara thought to himself, "The Uzumaki Clan still hasn't lost the habits that Ninjas should have."

"This is a Hot Springs Inn that His Majesty has specially booked for everyone. It has a private courtyard, is quiet and peaceful, and you will not be disturbed."

"Gentlemen, you may rest here for a while. The formal welcoming banquet will be held in the Land of Land of Whirlpools, but please relax and enjoy yourselves here."

"Once you've finished your rest, you can find me at the Hot Spring Travel Reservation Center, and I'll arrange for a boat to pick you up." He bowed slightly to the four of them. "Then, I'll take my leave."

After saying that, he turned and left, his steps neither hurried nor slow, and soon disappeared around the corner of the stone path.

The courtyard quieted down, with only the gentle murmur of the flowing Hot Springs water and the faint sound of wind chimes in the distance.

Izuna stood at the courtyard gate, having held back his words the whole way, finally breaking down. "Why won't he listen to me! I want to say something to him but he doesn't even have time!"

Hashirama asked curiously, "What are you trying to say?"

"It's that Exchange Student Plan! I came up with a draft, and then when I couldn't sleep at night, I came up with an optimized plan. I originally planned to give him a heads-up during this meeting, but he kept saying 'This way, please, this way' the whole time, and I couldn't even get a word in edgewise."

"That Jōtarō must know this trip is not simple," Tobirama calmly. He had already begun inspecting the courtyard. As he inspected, he said, "The Land of Whirlpools is currently under pressure from many sides. As a close advisor to the lord, he probably doesn't want anyone to think he's too close to Konoha."

"The news of our visit will soon reach other countries, and every word he says to us could be amplified and misinterpreted, so he chose to settle us in first and then leave."

Tobirama stood up, shaking the water droplets off his hands. "But he did a very careful job. This courtyard is very secluded, and there are no hidden sentries around."

"Booking the entire Inn wasn't just to show how important it was, but also to keep diplomatic pomp to a minimum, so as not to attract unnecessary attention to our presence here. Truly befitting of noble birth—understated yet extravagant."

After listening to Tobirama's analysis, Izuna's expression changed from confusion to pain, and then to complete abandonment of thought.

He covered his face and groaned, "So many twists and turns, my head is already throbbing!"

Hashirama patted Izuna's shoulder, both amused and exasperated. "Izuna, you should be careful about these things."

"You've thought of all this too?" Izuna looked at him suspiciously.

"No, I just find it quite comfortable here. Ah, Ban."

Madara came out of the house. "You can stay in the two rooms on the right, and Izuna and I will stay in the left one."

"Then it seems there are no problems."