Hui Lingzi

The man called Koji opposite her gave a slight nod. The scar running across his face made him look especially fierce. He got out of the carriage, turned to the drivers, and shouted, "Hurry it up, everyone! We need to get moving!"

After saying that, he looked at Jiang Rui and frowned, but ultimately said nothing. He merely raised an arm in warning, revealing his forehead protector.

A Konoha ninja.

Jiang Rui chuckled softly. No wonder they were hostile toward him. After all, an unidentified ninja had appeared in their territory...

Still, it made Jiang Rui rather curious. What kind of person could warrant protection even during Konoha's wartime, to the point that they would remain unmoved upon encountering a ninja from an unknown faction just to avoid causing trouble?

"I'm a rogue ninja. May I ask where you're all headed? Could you give me a ride?"

Jiang Rui gave a gentle wave, his clear voice brimming with sincerity and innocence.

Yet even after the driver raised his whip, he received no response.

How cautious. Jiang Rui did not mind. A smile still hung on his lips as he took a few steps forward.

Another Kunai shot toward him. Jiang Rui sidestepped it, and the other side's ninja leaped down, Kunai in hand. His eyes narrowed like a dangerous leopard watching its prey and waiting for the right moment to strike.

"I mean no harm." Jiang Rui spread his hands to show that he carried no weapons. "If we're headed the same way, give me a ride. In return, I can protect you. Free labor, after all."

The curtain lifted again, revealing a delicate face. Purple eyes glanced at Jiang Rui with faint interest, but her voice was as clear and tranquil as water, distant and aloof. "I have ninja protection."

As soon as she spoke, a Water Dragon soared into the air, roared, and flashed past her face.

Her scar-faced guard had already been flung by the immense impact into the water beside the carriage, instantly becoming a drenched rat.

"Oh, look. He's gone!"

A voice came from across from her. The corners of his lips curled in a cheerful smile, but his golden eyes were clearly full of mockery.

Her eyes widened slightly in surprise, but she quickly returned to her cold demeanor. Looking at Jiang Rui, her gaze deepened further.

"Brat, you're courting death!" The ninja in the water angrily leaped up, his hands already beginning to form seals.

"Enough, Koji."

"But..."

"Ninja over there, please get in the carriage as well."

"Sure!" Ignoring the warning look from the scar-faced man beside him, Jiang Rui strode over without ceremony, lifted the curtain, and climbed in.

Koji's anger surged. He raised his Kunai, then lowered it again in frustration.

He had quite the temper.

If he were a girl, he might even be kind of cute!

For some reason, Jiang Rui wanted to laugh when he saw that.

"My name is Hui Lingzi."

Hui Lingzi looked at the girl before her. Though curious, she concealed it well beneath her cool expression.

That name did not suit an iceberg beauty at all!

Jiang Rui reflexively mocked her in his heart, then turned to look at the scar-faced man whose expression was as dark as storm clouds.

"Muto Koji." The scar-faced man snorted coldly.

Oh, so his surname wasn't Morino...

"Rimuru!" Jiang Rui's lively voice rang out. "Just call me Rimuru!"

What a strange name.

Hui Lingzi nodded and said nothing more.

"Oh, right, I still don't know where we're going!!" Jiang Rui put on an expression of having only just remembered, earning a contemptuous snort from Muto Koji beside him.

"Stupid brat."

Jiang Rui, who had been acting cute, twitched at the corner of his mouth. Damn it, you're a grown man. Are you really that petty?!

If I didn't think this woman was unusual, I'd have killed you already!

He viciously wrote Muto Koji down in his mental little notebook, while outwardly maintaining an unconcerned look and gazing eagerly at Hui Lingzi.

"The Land of Waves."

"Huh?"

"Where are you going?"

"The Land of Water. Um, it shouldn't be far, right?"

Hui Lingzi nodded and said softly.

"We both need to take the sea route from the port, so it does count as being along the way."

"The Land of Waves? That's so far away. Big sister is so young, yet you can already lead such a huge merchant caravan to do business. That's amazing."

"You're younger than me?"

Hui Lingzi gently poured a cup of tea and handed it to Jiang Rui.

"I'm different. I'm a ninja!"

A ninja...

Hui Lingzi's gaze shifted slightly, but she shook her head.

"I'm not a merchant, either..."

I could tell. Jiang Rui took a sip of tea and mocked inwardly. This teapot alone was worth more than the goods outside...

"Then what does big sister do?"

"I'm merely returning home." The girl let out a soft sigh. "I stayed in the Land of Fire for sixteen years. I've nearly forgotten it."

Her voice was deep and quiet as a well, no longer as cold as before.

Jiang Rui vaguely gained some understanding of her identity.

After all, being sent to a powerful country from childhood while still retaining a noble status made Jiang Rui think of one word: hostage.

"Then why go back?" Jiang Rui asked tentatively. "Isn't the Land of Fire good?"

A chill filled Hui Lingzi's violet eyes, and her tone turned cold once more. "Going there was never my choice. Why would returning be up to you?"

"Ahem." Muto Koji beside them could no longer listen and hurriedly interrupted.

Politics. Jiang Rui felt no ripples in his heart. The open and covert struggles in Naruto—even Danzo, the king of scapegoats, seemed like a political idiot—but that was only the military.

For real political scheming, one had to look to the daimyo... though the daimyo in Naruto seemed like idiots in the anime too...

But thinking about it carefully, Danzo had been taking the blame his entire life.

What for?!

To become the head of a single village, the chief lapdog of the court?!

I mean, if Kotoamatsukami controlled a daimyo or something, wouldn't even the Hokage have to listen to you? Or did Danzo really care deeply about Konoha and simply choose the wrong path?

Forget it. As long as Danzo was happy...

After Muto Koji interrupted them, Hui Lingzi stopped speaking.

That made Jiang Rui understand. On the surface, Muto Koji deferred to her, but in reality, while protecting her, he was probably also responsible for watching her—even supervising her!

Tch.

After watching Jiang Rui for a while, Hui Lingzi suddenly said, "During this time, I have relied greatly on High Ninja Koji's protection, and I will continue to do so in the future. So please, do not entertain any improper thoughts."

Hm?!

A High Ninja? This guy was a High Ninja?

Upon hearing the girl's words, Jiang Rui first mocked him inwardly, then seemed to understand something and gave Hui Lingzi a deep look.

She remained calm, lifting her eyes to meet his golden gaze without the slightest avoidance.

"Haha, then rest assured for the next stretch of the journey. You'll have two experts protecting you now."

Jiang Rui suddenly narrowed his eyes, glanced at the scar-faced man beside him who looked utterly confused, and added, "Until we reach the port."

He really wouldn't even know how he died...

It seemed that the Land of Waves and Konoha were not as harmonious now as they would be later...

"Mm."

Then the two of them looked out the window at the same time, watching the desolate scenery steadily recede as the horses ran.

Tch, politics...

Jiang Rui narrowed his eyes.

For a long time, silence reigned.