Kirigakure

"How was it? Pretty spectacular, wasn't it?"

Jiang Rui looked over at the voice. It belonged to a middle-aged sailor with a white headscarf and a weathered face.

"Yeah." Jiang Rui responded, still propping his chin on his hand as he watched the shore fade into a line on the horizon.

"I saw you boarded alone." The sailor uncle walked over and offered him an orange. "You're a ninja, right?"

"Hm?" Jiang Rui smiled. "Why does everyone ask me that when they see me?"

But he did not take the orange.

The uncle smiled without minding. He broke off a segment and tossed it into his mouth before offering the rest again. "Only you ninja are this cautious. You do everything alone... Ordinary people like us, who would let someone so young go out alone?"

Jiang Rui raised his eyes, hesitated for a moment, then accepted it.

It was a kind gesture, Jiang Rui thought. It was not that he feared poison; the Great Sage could warn him in time if there was any. He simply had no appetite. Well, he was a little seasick.

Holding the orange, Jiang Rui asked, "Have you met many ninja, Uncle?"

"Yeah." The middle-aged man looked out over the sea. "And things haven't been peaceful lately. I heard the Great Nation to the East has started a war. More and more ninja have been heading for the East Coast lately. People like you, going back to the West Coast, are rare..."

They probably all died out there...

Jiang Rui lowered his gaze. He could hear a trace of sorrow in the man's voice. Among those ninja who had gone out, perhaps there were his family members or friends...

"Your hair is very pretty."

"What?"

The uncle put the last orange segment into his mouth. He glanced at the untouched half in Jiang Rui's hand and smiled. "It looks a lot like the color of the sea."

"Haha, the Sea God will surely bless you. You'll definitely become an amazing ninja someday."

Startled, Jiang Rui grabbed a lock of his hair and held it before his eyes. Sky blue hair reflected against the deep blue seawater.

The uncle clapped his hands and laughed again. "Haha, if you're seasick, chewing something in your mouth will help a lot. All right, time to get back to work."

With that, he turned and walked toward the cabin.

This was a merchant ship. How many ninja could it carry across the sea? Besides, how many ninja would even choose to travel by ship?

Jiang Rui fell silent for a moment, then tossed the orange in his hand into his mouth.

Mm, it was a little bitter.

Just like the taste of seawater.

He suddenly remembered a novel from his previous life. It had been about a protagonist who traveled to the Naruto World and ultimately destroyed Chakra, leaving the world without ninja.

Jiang Rui considered it, then shook his head.

Without ninja, there would still be Samurai and soldiers.

It was all the same. The only difference was whether he would encounter them himself.

"Tch, an amazing ninja?"

"I'm the future Water Shadow!"

His resolve firming once more, he began seriously considering his plan.

Three days later

The sea breeze was calm. Jiang Rui staggered ashore at the harbor, then let out a long breath.

Why the hell was he still getting seasick despite being a transcendent?

"Notice: Seasickness is unrelated to physical fitness. It is a matter of individual constitution."

"In other words, poor physical fitness is a temporary problem, but seasickness is for life."

???

Great Sage, did you evolve?!

"No. It is merely a matter of learning ability."

Oh. Stay off the internet and stop learning all that weird nonsense in the future.

Jiang Rui shook his head. Seasick for life?

Yeah, right. Dream on.

He would never get seasick again in this life, and he would never take a ship again!

"One Piece."

...??

Had you been browsing some debate forum lately?

Ignoring the Great Sage's latest bout of insanity, Jiang Rui got off the ship. He planned to treat himself to something delicious before heading to Kirigakure.

Over the past few days, everyone on the ship had taken considerable care of him, who looked like a little girl. The reason was actually that she was not as taciturn as other ninja and did not whip out a Kunai at every turn...

Jiang Rui did not know whether to laugh or cry.

Still, it showed just how rare cheerful optimists like Naruto were among ninja.

Of course, Jiang Rui still thought that was called being an idiot...

Or perhaps recklessness?!

He had not noticed it at the East Coast harbor before, but now he realized that nearly half the people walking back and forth outside were ninja wearing conical hats with forehead protectors, hurrying along.

A large portion of them were from Kirigakure.

After thinking it over, Jiang Rui casually picked a squad and followed them.

Half an hour later, he stood at Kirigakure's entrance. Unlike Konoha, which was surrounded by walls, Kirigakure had a natural defensive perimeter.

It was located in the north-central region of the Land of Water, surrounded by mountains on three sides. Only the front had several guard posts, and a long line stretched out at the entrance.

When it was Jiang Rui's turn, he put on a smile and was about to make an intimidating declaration when the guard ninja asked expressionlessly, "What are you here for?"

"Uh... to see the Water Shadow."

"Mm. Go register over there. Next." He nodded toward the other side, then continued calling out without changing his expression.

What a cold and heartless employee.

Still somewhat dazed, Jiang Rui went to collect a form. After filling it out,

the staff member asked, "Are you a ninja?"

"Yes," Jiang Rui replied mechanically.

His mind was still racing wildly.

Holy crap.

Why was it so easy? Could this be a trap?

This was completely different from the heavily guarded, head-of-state-meeting atmosphere he had imagined?!!

In truth, Jiang Rui was overthinking it.

The guard posts were mainly meant to inspect ordinary people and register information: whether they had come to post missions or conduct business, whether they needed residential rights in the Ninja Village.

That was also why Konoha's Security Force was such a lucrative assignment...

As for ninja, even Rogue Ninja generally did not dare enter a Ninja Village. Even if they entered, they did not dare cause trouble. And those who dared cause trouble could not be stopped anyway!

Just like Itachi in the original story, using a single genjutsu or simply climbing over the wall somewhere else was easy enough.

The ones truly responsible for examining and monitoring foreign ninja were other hidden departments, similar to Konoha's Anbu.

As for seeing the Shadow, the Water Shadow would review the request and decide whether a meeting or summons was necessary.

And Jiang Rui's reason had clearly been understood by the sentries as coming to Kirigakure to find relatives and obtain residency rights. Naturally, whether he would be received or not, they would usually just send a Chunin to help.

"No harming civilians in the village, no using ninjutsu, and no eating without paying. Understood?"

"Understood..."

What the hell was that about not paying?!

"Mm, go in. Once the Water Shadow reviews it, someone will take you to see him."

"Oh, um..." Jiang Rui pointed at the form. "There's no problem with what I wrote in the reason-for-visiting section, right...?"

Hm? The ninja froze at that, picked it up, and took a look. The words "recognizing relatives" were written on it.

Pfft. He snorted, then took another look at Jiang Rui. Sky-blue hair, golden eyes, a small delicate nose—wow, what an adorable little girl.

"There's no problem," he said, shaking his head and pulling himself free from the charm-like effect. He resumed a serious expression. "We will report it truthfully to the Water Shadow."

"Okay then." Jiang Rui scrunched up his nose and shuffled aside in tiny steps. After clearing the way, he simply stood there in a daze.

It seemed he had overthought it... orz

Apparently, anyone could request an audience with the Water Shadow. Why, though?

Sigh... He felt even less energetic.

He had clearly come up with so many domineering lines and negotiation tactics, so why was no one following the script? QAQ!

With his little face scrunched up, he stood beside the "staff member."

Sigh... (ˇˇ)

Aha, I got my first little recommendation! Commemorating it, and also thanking everyone who voted during the no-exposure period for your encouragement!

Ah, after rereading it from the beginning, the first volume still feels way too rushed, orz!