After traveling for two days, the three of them finally arrived on the second night at the famous hot spring district of the Land of Hot Water, which bordered the Land of Fire to the southwest.
The streets were filled with passing pedestrians and tourists dressed in yukata and kimono.
The Land of Hot Water had built its nation in the gaps between the Five Great Nations by relying on its hot springs, famous throughout the ninja world, to continuously develop tourism and improve its economy.
Seeing that it was already late, Senya decided to find a restaurant and call it a day.
Jiraiya agreed with Senya's idea, especially since Naruto was with them.
Naruto was already bleary-eyed and swaying on his feet. Though he was excited to have arrived somewhere new and wanted to look around, he had spent the entire journey repeatedly asking Jiraiya about his parents' past.
Having gone the whole day without sleep, he was in poor spirits now.
At this point, Naruto clearly had the desire but lacked the strength.
So Jiraiya pulled Naruto along to the inn across from the restaurant, intending to rest there for the night.
Senya looked at the huge sign over the restaurant. Beneath the orange-yellow lights, three bold words were written: "Izakaya."
Senya could not help but sigh and complain to himself.
Izakaya? Why is every tavern in the ninja world called izakaya? Forget it. I should buy some food and take it back to the inn first. Naruto's an injured kid, after all. He needs something good to help him recover.
The moment he stepped into the izakaya, Senya was about to order from a server when he heard a voice from behind him. That familiar voice made him sigh inwardly.
*The ninja world is way too small.