On the Way to the Mission

After discussing the mission itinerary with the client, they learned that they would still need to wait half a month before setting sail from the harbor. Even Sandayu, who looked quite honest, was somewhat dissatisfied. Fortunately, after Shibi Aburame explained it repeatedly and pointed out that the three children's intensive training was ultimately for his safety, he finally relented. Only then did the group set off for the coast.

Several years had passed since the war ended, yet bandits and thieves had only become more numerous everywhere. Along the way, Yuun and the others dealt with at least three groups of robbers attempting to block the road. That was only because the harbor was not too far from Konoha. If their destination had been somewhere else, things might not have gone so smoothly.

"Mr. Sandayu, let's find an inn and settle in first. It'll be troublesome once it gets dark." The harbor was already visible ahead, and the wind carried the ocean's distinctive salty, fishy scent. Yuun, who was in charge of arranging the journey, made the suggestion. After deciding to let Yuun and the other two complete this mission independently, Shibi Aburame had deliberately left everything along the way for them to handle. Since this was not their first time in such a situation, the three quickly divided their responsibilities. Hana and Itachi handled scouting and route planning, and together they dealt with any bandits, while Yuun took care of food and travel arrangements.

"You arrange it. I'll just wait to return home." Having witnessed the trio's strength along the way, Sandayu, who had initially looked down on them somewhat, put aside his airs and got along well with them. No matter what, once they reached the sea, his safety would still depend on the three of them. Though they all looked only eight or nine years old, recalling the bandits they had effortlessly crushed, Sandayu would never mistake them for ordinary children.

Maybe all ninjas looked younger than they really were, Sandayu could only think.

After settling Sandayu in at the inn, Shibi Aburame took Yuun and the other two to a more secluded beach to begin their training. As for the inn, Shibi Aburame's insects were watching over it, so it was perfectly safe. As for what Sandayu thought about that, who knew?

The sea was vastly different from rivers, as Yuun discovered the moment he stepped onto its surface. River water flowed, but unless something unusual happened, its current did not change. As long as one adjusted chakra output in time, one could stand firmly on the river's surface. The sea was clearly not so simple. The moment Yuun stepped onto it, he tried to find a pattern in the rising and falling waves, but everything became a mess. If his chakra control had not been good enough, he would have fallen straight into the water.

Splash! Before Yuun could find his balance, Hana fell into the water because she could not stand steadily. Fortunately, the water near the beach was shallow. Even if she fell in, it only reached her waist. That was because Yuun and the others were short; for an adult, it would have reached no higher than the thighs.

The sea's movements were irregular. To find a balance point amid such disorder and remain standing, they had to constantly adjust their chakra output. That might not matter ordinarily, but in actual combat, if they could not split their attention, they would probably suffer badly.

Fortunately, none of the three were fools. Even Hana, who had fallen into the sea the first time she stepped on it, adapted quickly within a few days. Once they could stand steadily in the shallow sea, Shibi Aburame had them try training farther out in deeper water on their own. As for himself, he was busy arranging a ship for them. Snow Country lay isolated overseas; it was not enough for the three simply to get there. If they did not prepare a ship in advance, they truly would have no way to return.

Seeing that the three had trained well enough to stand firm even amid waves two or three meters high, and with the ship ready as well, Shibi Aburame told them they could depart. Since this harbor was not far from Konoha, Shibi Aburame's status as a Konoha Jonin still carried some weight here. He found them a medium-sized passenger ship. It had not originally been headed for Snow Country, but with a great Konoha ninja making the request, what more was there to say? They immediately changed course.

Thus, the passenger ship that had originally been bound east for Sea Country made a huge detour, first heading to Snow Country before continuing southeast to Sea Country. After escorting Sandayu to Snow Country, Yuun and the others could only take a ship to Sea Country first, then travel overland back to the village. The route was longer, but there was no helping it. Snow Country, cold throughout all four seasons, was not particularly suitable for human habitation, and far too few ships were willing to go there. Unless Yuun and the others were willing to wait here for three months, when a cargo ship would sail directly to Snow Country and return directly afterward.

The three were not impatient by nature, but they were unwilling to wait three months either. After discussing it, they decided to take that passenger ship to Snow Country. Sandayu had no objections; returning to Snow Country as quickly as possible was exactly what he wanted.

Only after boarding did the three realize they had forgotten the most important thing during their training: they had never ridden on a ship before. Fortunately, ninjas had strong constitutions. Within only a few hours, they adapted to the ship's constant gentle rocking and would not lose their combat ability to seasickness.

Under normal circumstances, ninjas traveling outside would eat food they carried themselves. On one hand, it ensured proper nutrition; on the other, it guarded against poisoning and foul play. But when safety was guaranteed, ninjas did not mind indulging their appetites. Like now, with Yuun and the other two aboard the passenger ship, they took turns fishing from the railings to pass the time. Catching fish from a moving vessel was naturally not so easy, but they were only doing it to kill time. When it was time to eat, they could simply buy a few fish and some seafood directly from the crew.

Having spent more than a year with Shibi Aburame, they had some confidence in their ability to identify poison. Besides, they carried Konoha-made universal antidotes with them, so ordinary poisons could not affect them.

On the third day after they boarded, Yuun was carrying a pot of fish soup back to their room when he encountered a little girl halfway there. She was barefoot and pale-faced. She looked only a few years younger than Yuun, but she was so frail that she seemed as though a gust of wind could knock her over.

Seeing the girl's timid appearance, Yuun could not help softening a little. He gestured for her to follow him, but after walking only a few steps, he turned around and found that she was still standing there, merely staring longingly at the fish soup in his hands.

"Come with me." Yuun sighed helplessly. He did not know whether it was the influence of memories from his previous life or something wrong with his experiences in this one, but whenever he saw little girls, his heart always softened. Fortunately, in the story as he knew it, no little girl would turn out to be a villain. Otherwise, he would have to break himself of this habit no matter what. Even after Yuun spoke, the little girl showed no intention of following him. She seemed quite wary.

"There aren't any bowls here." Yuun explained with a frown. If it were only him, missing one or two meals would not matter, but Hana and Itachi were with him now. He had to be responsible for his teammates. Even after Yuun explained, the little girl merely lowered her head. With no other choice, Yuun set down the fish soup, took out the small canteen he carried, drank the water inside, and shook it dry. Then he ladled fish soup into it slowly. After filling it about halfway, Yuun handed the canteen to the little girl. "It looks like you've been hungry for a while. Drink some soup first. Otherwise, I'm worried your stomach won't be able to handle it."