Tetsuya was a little surprised to find that the ninja waiting for him at the village gate was Hatake Sakuya, but he was happy about it. They already knew each other, after all, which would make communication easier.
"I really didn't expect you to be the one to take my commission."
"Haha, it was a coincidence. Yesterday, right after I handed in my last mission, I saw a new batch of missions posted on the board.
I figured I'd take a look and see if there was anything suitable, and your commission caught my eye right away."
Sakuya was also pleasantly surprised.
"I never would've thought it. It's barely been any time at all, and you're already planning to open Ramen Shops elsewhere."
Tetsuya chuckled.
"It's nothing much. I do have that idea, but I haven't decided whether I'll actually open any."
"I understand. I don't know how to run a business, but I've heard people in my clan say there's a lot to consider. You're right to scout the locations first."
The Hatake Clan was a fairly large clan in Konoha and naturally owned a number of businesses, all managed by clan members who weren't ninja.
Although Sakuya had never managed any himself, he had learned a little about such matters from his relatives.
"Well, I don't know much either. I'm the only one left in my family, after all. I'm just feeling my way along."
As he spoke, Tetsuya patted Sakuya's shoulder and held out his right hand.
"Then I'll be counting on you to keep me safe for quite a while. I look forward to working with you."
Sakuya shook Tetsuya's hand.
"Likewise. I look forward to working with you."
"Haha, come on. Let's get going."
Tetsuya left Konoha with Sakuya, heading for the nearest city in the Land of Fire.
The Land of Fire was vast, and since this was a scouting trip with plenty to consider, the journey was bound to take a considerable amount of time.
Before setting out, Tetsuya had been full of anticipation. Although he had left Konoha before, he had spent most of that time moving from battlefield to battlefield.
This was his first time visiting towns outside Konoha, and he was deeply curious about the towns in the world of Naruto.
After all, both the anime and the manga had mostly focused on the major shinobi villages. Aside from a few specific locations featured in the story, they had shown very little of the world's other towns.
But the greater his expectations, the greater his disappointment.
When they reached their first town, Tetsuya's eyes nearly popped out of his head at the sight of the dilapidated village before him.
"Sakuya, is this our first stop?"
"Yeah. Is something wrong?"
Tetsuya stared at the village for a long time without speaking.
Winding, muddy roads and low thatched houses.
The clothing of the people living here was beyond anything that could be called plain. Had the passersby not been speaking to one another, he might have thought this was a gathering of primitive people untouched by civilization.
But on closer consideration, it made sense. The world of Naruto was relatively backward—no, not backward. Its development was wildly uneven.
Besides, the shinobi village system had only been established a little over twenty years ago, and the First Shinobi World War hadn't been over for long.
Bandits ran rampant outside the shinobi villages. Villages without ninja protection were naturally woefully undeveloped. If they wanted to grow, they would first have to ask whether the bandits would allow it—and whether the ruling class would.
"Sakuya, so the world outside the Shinobi Village is this run-down."
Sakuya wasn't particularly moved by the sight before him. He simply remarked with a sigh.
"Actually, most places in the Shinobi World look just like this. Somewhere like Konoha is already a rare sight.
That's why we really have the First Hokage to thank for the lives we lead.
The First Hokage was kindhearted. He couldn't bear to see everyone living displaced lives, never knowing whether they'd survive another day, so he gathered people and built the village, giving us the lives we have now."
Tetsuya frowned.
"But the First Hokage clearly had the power to change the entire Shinobi World. Why did he only build a village instead of a country with a comprehensive legal system?"
"Well...!"
For a moment, Sakuya was speechless. He didn't know how to answer.
Could he say the First Hokage hadn't been capable of it? But the First Hokage and Madara Uchiha had possessed enough power to overwhelm the entire Shinobi World.
Could he say the people outside the village were none of the First Hokage's concern? But he'd just said the First Hokage was kindhearted.
In the end, Sakuya only replied.
"I don't know. I'm just a ninja. All I need to know is how to carry out my missions. I don't need to think about so many questions."
Tetsuya fell silent. For the first time, he began to reflect on this world, on the Shinobi World.
Chaos, exploitation, oppression, plunder, slaughter—these words were ever-present in every corner of the Shinobi World.
Konoha might seem to be thriving, but that was only Konoha.
He still remembered the scenes Jiraiya had witnessed while traveling the Shinobi World in the manga. They didn't seem much different from what he was seeing now.
"Sakuya, let's go."
"Huh, we're leaving already? Yeah, this place really doesn't seem suitable for opening a shop."
"Opening a shop? Buying things? Haha, the people here are lucky if they can scrape by."
They left and headed for the next town.
The more places they visited, the less Tetsuya smiled.
It wasn't that he had suddenly become a bleeding heart who couldn't bear to see others suffer.
Tetsuya had always believed in respecting other people's fates and never interfering in their lives.
What robbed him of his smile was that, as he saw more, he began to feel that the entire Shinobi World's defining tone was one of oppression and despair.
He suddenly began to understand why Jiraiya had been so obsessed with finding the Child of Prophecy, with finding a Savior.
When someone truly understood a world's sorrow yet was powerless to change it, how could he not place his hopes in the arrival of the Child of Prophecy and a Savior?
Perhaps only someone shrouded in mystery like the Child of Prophecy could change a world like this.
But did Naruto really change the Shinobi World?
Half a year passed in a flash, and their scouting journey was drawing to a close.
"Tetsuya, what's wrong?"
As they walked along the road back to Konoha, Sakuya looked at Tetsuya's wooden expression and asked.
"Over these past six months, I've noticed you've been smiling less and less."
At Sakuya's words, Tetsuya rubbed his face and mustered a smile.
"It's nothing. This is the first time in my life I've been away from the village and home for so long. All the constant traveling has just left me a little worn out."
"Oh, so that's it. Haha, how about we go relax at the Hot Springs once we're back in the village?"
"Of course. Sounds good."
Before you continue