Kirigakure was much smaller than Konoha, but it had no shortage of ninja clans. Large and small, they numbered in the tens of thousands. Though most were merely civilians, the number of standing ninja was estimated to be at least ten thousand.
Uchiha Gen found the place for commission requests in the village's central district. He had worked it out based on his experience with terrain; most ninja villages followed this layout.
Kirigakure's buildings were quite distinctive. Their foundations were hollow, and the floors were coated with grease to drive out moisture.
When he entered the hall and looked around, however, he found it unexpectedly deserted. Including the ninja at the counter, there were fewer than ten people in total.
"Hello, I'd like to post a commission. What's the process?"
The ninja behind the counter had the face of someone severely malnourished. His sunken cheeks made him look as though his body had been hollowed out. He looked up, saw an unfamiliar face, and although the newcomer was handsome, he could tell at a glance from his clothes that he was not a local.
"From out of town? Fill out a form at that table if you want to post a commission. Once I rate it, you can pay the deposit."
"Uh... okay."
The writing of the Land of Water was softer than that of the Land of Fire. Due to the geography, the paper here was all oil paper. Although they used the same script, anyone familiar with them could tell the difference at a glance.
"You... came from the Land of Fire?"
"What about it?"
"Nothing. I'm just a little surprised that a merchant from the Land of Fire would come here."
The Kirigakure ninja behind the counter carefully reviewed the commission. It said that the client wanted