Preparing to Depart

"Yeah!" Samu Kokaze nodded. "I need to go out for something."

"Go out?" Naruto cried. "Out of the village?"

Kokaze glanced at Naruto, who was full of surprise, then calmly nodded.

"There's a carving job that requires me to leave the village to complete. I was just heading home to prepare. Want to come with me?"

Walking along the streets of Konoha with Naruto, Kokaze turned his head and asked.

"Leaving the village... I'm so jealous!" Naruto sighed, clasping his hands behind his head.

"What's there to be jealous of? Once you become a ninja, won't you be able to go out all the time?" Kokaze said with an amused smile as he looked at Naruto's envious expression.

"That's true! But who knows how long it'll take before I become a ninja!" Naruto's eyes suddenly rolled, and he perked up. "Kokaze! How about you take me with you this time so I can have a look around?"

"No." Kokaze rejected him without even thinking.

"Why?" Naruto pulled a long face.

"I have serious business to handle this time, not a sightseeing trip." Kokaze rolled his eyes at Naruto.

"Oh... okay." Naruto's face was filled with disappointment.

Seeing Naruto's dejected look, Kokaze could not help shaking his head. Given Naruto's status as the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki, leaving the village was simply impossible. That old pervert, the Third Hokage, who peeped on people with his crystal ball every day, would never agree to it.

Naruto was only disappointed for a moment before quickly returning to his usual energetic self. "How long will you be gone this time? Did you tell Ino and the others?"

"Probably no more than a month?" Kokaze answered uncertainly. "Early this morning, after I finished handling the things Shikamaru sent over, I went straight to the Hokage to post the mission. I haven't had time to notify Ino and the others yet."

"I see." Naruto nodded upon hearing that, though judging from his expression, he was clearly thinking about something again.

The Hokage Building was not far from Kokaze's home. Amid their playing and bickering, they arrived home in no time.

"We're home!"

Looking at the plaque bearing the words Samu Carving Shop, Kokaze, who had spent two days lying in the hospital, could not help calling out emotionally.

He stepped forward and pushed open the door. The wooden door creaked, and seeing that the house was still fairly clean despite not having been cleaned for two days, he nodded in satisfaction.

"Come in! What are you standing around outside for?" Kokaze called out when he saw Naruto standing blankly at the doorway.

"Huh? Oh!" Naruto snapped out of his daze at the call and ran inside.

"What were you thinking about just now?" Kokaze asked Naruto as he entered the house.

"N-Nothing!" Naruto gave an awkward laugh and changed the subject.

The reason I'm embarrassed to ask someone else to play with me because you're leaving is just too lame. I can't say it at all!

Naruto roared inwardly.

Seeing that Naruto was still somewhat distracted, Kokaze shook his head and went into the inner room. He came out carrying a large bundle that had long been packed, with a string of keys in his hand.

"Naruto!" Kokaze called out after leaving the inner room, looking at Naruto, who stood motionless in the middle of the house.

"Huh? What is it?" Naruto turned around as though startled awake.

"This is for you! I'll leave the house to you while I'm gone."

Kokaze casually tossed the keys in his hand over, then looked at Naruto, who caught them in a fluster.

"The keys!" Naruto looked down at the keys clenched in his hand and happily replied, "Leave it to me, Kokaze!"

"Alright, then that's it! I'm heading out first." He somewhat laboriously slung the heavy bundle over his back and headed outside.

"Wait... wait!"

Seeing Kokaze about to leave, Naruto hurried over to stop him. "Aren't you going to say goodbye to Ino and the others before you go?"

Kokaze looked helplessly at Naruto, who had blocked his way, and pointed at the pile of letters on the counter. "If any of them come looking for me later, just give them the letters according to the names on them. This is urgent, so I really don't have the time."

"But..."

Naruto shouted after Kokaze, who had already walked outside.

"I'm counting on you for everything, Naruto!" Kokaze turned around with a bright smile, a huge bundle on his back.

Naruto watched his receding figure, then looked at the keys in his hand. Suddenly, he realized that he seemed to have... maybe... probably... been tricked?

He closed the door and looked at the letters on the counter inside the house, swallowing hard.

Konoha's village gate.

Samu Kokaze, carrying an enormous bundle, sat on the ground and waited for Guy, panting heavily. The Tanaka Clan's merchant caravan had originally intended to travel with him, but Kokaze had driven them away.

Kokaze did not trust them at all right now. If enemies really attacked, it was entirely possible that while Guy went out to fend them off, someone within the caravan would attempt to assassinate him.

Though Kokaze was not afraid of ordinary assassination attempts.

There was no shortage of people at Konoha's entrance. The ninjas stationed on either side of the gate occasionally cast curious looks toward Kokaze. After all, a seven- or eight-year-old child carrying a huge bundle alone was a strange sight no matter how one looked at it.

Ignoring the gazes around him, Kokaze saw carts loaded with goods entering Konoha from time to time as he waited.

Bored as he sat there, Kokaze could not help recalling Tanaka Keishi's incredulous expression yesterday when he had said he would personally help. The corners of his mouth rose into a smile.

Clip-clop... clip-clop...

The sound of hooves striking the ground rang out. Hearing it, Kokaze's eyes lit up.

It had to be said that although the Naruto World had household conveniences such as televisions and air conditioners, people basically traveled on foot. There were no cars or trains at all. Their technology tree had clearly gone off in some bizarre direction.

This carriage had been left behind before the Tanaka Clan's merchant caravan departed. Otherwise, just thinking about carrying such a huge bundle all the way to the Capital of the Land of Fire gave Kokaze a headache.

The sound of hoofbeats stopped in front of Kokaze. The white horse, not having run to its heart's content, snorted unhappily.

Bang...

A figure jumped down from the driver's seat at the front of the carriage. When Kokaze saw who it was, he smiled and walked over. "Uncle Keishi, you're here."

The newcomer was Tanaka Keishi. As the caravan's leader, after the betrayal by the caravan members two days earlier, he had not returned with the caravan. Instead, he remained behind to guide Kokaze to the capital.

Kokaze had agreed to let him stay because he posed no threat. As an ordinary man who had never refined chakra, Kokaze had a hundred ways to kill him.

"Master Samu!" Tanaka Keishi bowed slightly after jumping down from the carriage and called out respectfully. He then straightened his slightly wrinkled clothes.

"You don't have to be so formal. Just call me Kokaze." Kokaze said with a smile.

"Courtesy must be observed. Master Samu is willing to risk his life to help the Tanaka Clan. You are the benefactor of our Tanaka Clan."

Tanaka Keishi's face was filled with gratitude.

"It's not that exaggerated. Big Brother Yoshikado has helped me a lot too."

Kokaze waved his hand exaggeratedly, then went back and lifted the bundle into the carriage compartment.

Kokaze looked up at the sky, then said to the motionless Tanaka Keishi beside him, "There's one more ninja I hired. Let's wait a little longer. He should be here soon."

"Oh! He's here!" As soon as he finished speaking, Kokaze saw a blur of snowflakes rushing toward the village entrance and called out.

PS: My coworkers are going out for dinner together tonight. I might end up drinking until who knows when, so there'll only be one update tomorrow. Sorry! o(︶︿︶)o Sigh.