Land of Hot Water

In an inn on the border of the Land of Iron, Hyuuga Nen sat on the edge of the bed, a map in his hands.

Hyuuga Nen studied the map while contemplating his next destination.

The ninjutsu his father had left him were all mastered; now, the only things that could enhance Hyuuga Nen's strength were his own growth and the effects of the Cell Activation Forbidden Technique.

Remaining in the Land of Iron will do nothing to increase my strength. I need to witness more ninjutsu, but where should I go?

Hyuuga Nen's finger traced across the map as he murmured, "The Land of Iron is located in the north of the continent, surrounded by the Land of Fire, the Land of Earth, and the Land of Lightning."

I shouldn't go to the major nations for now, lest I invite unnecessary trouble.

Hyuuga Nen turned his gaze toward the countries bordering the Land of Iron.

To the south lay the Land of Fire, while to the west was the Land of Waterfalls. Crossing the Land of Waterfalls would lead to the Land of Grass—Rika's homeland.

However, the Land of Grass is surrounded by the Land of Fire, the Land of Earth, and the Land of Rain. It has historically been a battlefield for the Great Ninja Wars, so there is a certain level of danger there as well.

If I head west, my range of movement will be limited to the Land of Grass and the Land of Waterfalls. The Waterfall Hidden Village possesses a Tailed Beast, and as for the Grass Ninja, even from the Land of Iron, I occasionally hear of their unscrupulous habit of backstabbing their allies.

"The western direction can be ruled out," Hyuuga Nen added.

Hyuuga Nen shifted his gaze to the east of the Land of Iron. "The Land of Fields," he muttered, frowning.

Orochimaru has already defected from Konoha. I recall he joined the Akatsuki, but is he with them now, or is he in the Land of Fields?

Hyuuga Nen did not know when Orochimaru had established the Sound Hidden Village, so he dared not gamble by entering the Land of Fields.

"To the east of the Land of Fields lie the Land of Frost and the Land of Lightning. The Land of Frost has a ninja village, but given the domineering style of the Land of Lightning, it is likely under their control, meaning there would be Land of Lightning ninja there."

Hyuuga Nen sighed as he looked at the map, feeling as though the world was vast, yet there was no place for him to call home.

Hyuuga Nen placed his finger on the Land of Hot Water, pondering the intelligence he had on the country.

Although the Land of Hot Water had a ninja village, there was very little information about them, likely due to their lack of strength.

Although this country is a battlefield between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning, I have almost never heard of them engaging in the kind of behavior seen in the Land of Grass.

Perhaps I can reach the Land of Hot Water by sea. Once there, I can continue southeast, where there are many island nations, including the Land of Water, the Land of Sea, the Land of Waves, the Land of Artisans, and the Land of Tea.

Most importantly, more than half of those island nations have not established ninja villages, making them convenient as my first destination. I just need to avoid the Land of Water and operate in the smaller surrounding countries.

Having decided on his destination, Hyuuga Nen put away the map and lay down on the bed to rest.

The next morning, in the room, Hyuuga Nen and Taro were saying their goodbyes.

"Taro, let's part ways here. Where do you intend to go?"

Upon hearing Hyuuga Nen's words, Taro raised a paw and pointed toward the south.

"You're going to the Land of Fire? Is that where you originally lived?" Hyuuga Nen asked, looking at Taro.

Taro nodded, then walked over to Hyuuga Nen and circled him a few times.

Hyuuga Nen crouched down, gently stroking Taro's fur as he spoke softly:

"Taro, thank you for protecting me and my mother all these years."

"However, I truly cannot take you on this adventure with me. If I did, it might put both of us in danger. If I have the chance, I will come to the Land of Fire to visit you."

Taro looked at Hyuuga Nen, wagged his tail, licked Hyuuga Nen's hand a few times, and then turned and strode away.

Watching Taro's retreating figure, Hyuuga Nen sighed inwardly. In the end, I am alone again. It has been nearly fifteen years since I arrived in this world; it is time to go out and see it for myself.

Although Taro had lived in a forest in the Land of Fire before meeting Rika and had almost never encountered ninjas, Hyuuga Nen still could not travel with him.

If Hyuuga Nen traveled with Taro, it would be difficult to avoid leaving behind many traces. If Hyuuga Nen were unfortunately discovered, Taro would be the first to suffer, and it might even implicate Kuromaru and Hyuuga Nen's father.

Hyuuga Nen packed his belongings and began walking toward the docks of the Land of Iron, where he boarded a ship bound for the Land of Hot Water.

A few days later, Hyuuga Nen arrived in the Land of Hot Water. He found a secluded spot and, through a combination of the Seal of Resilience and the Transformation Technique, disguised himself as an ordinary-looking young man.

Upon reaching the southeastern part of the Land of Hot Water, Hyuuga Nen clearly felt a difference; compared to the northwest, the standard of living here was significantly higher, and the people appeared more relaxed.

The northwest of the Land of Hot Water was a battlefield between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning. Affected by the war, that area is clearly more desolate, even though the war ended over a decade ago, Hyuuga Nen thought to himself.

Hyuuga Nen planned to stay here for a few days. He entered an inn and greeted the proprietor.

After paying, Hyuuga Nen began to chat briefly with the innkeeper.

"Boss, I am a writer, and I am gathering inspiration for my next work. Are there any interesting attractions you could recommend?"

The boss flattered Hyuuga Nen before continuing: "Our Land of Hot Water has a beautiful natural environment and rich tourism resources. The most famous are the hot springs of all sizes throughout our land. Once you try them, you will definitely fall in love with them."

As they talked, Hyuuga Nen steered the conversation toward ninjas. He asked casually, "When I was being checked earlier, I noticed your country's ninjas seemed very friendly, unlike those I've encountered in other nations."

"That is only natural. After all, our Village Hidden in Hot Water is known as the village that has forgotten war. The ninjas in our village advocate for peace and dislike killing," the innkeeper said with a hint of pride.

Through his conversation with the innkeeper, Hyuuga Nen discovered that the leader of the Village Hidden in Hot Water was actually an ordinary person. Hyuuga Nen was somewhat surprised, but the boss could not explain why, so Hyuuga Nen did not press the matter.

Finally, the innkeeper said with a hint of nervousness: "Although most people in our country advocate for peace, there are still some dangerous elements who have formed something called the Jashin Cult. If you encounter them, please stay far away."

When Hyuuga Nen wanted to discuss the Jashin Cult in more depth, the boss shook his head frantically, daring not say another word. To avoid raising the boss's suspicions, Hyuuga Nen bid him farewell and returned to his room.