At Uncle Ming's command, the caravan of thirty or forty people set off again along the mountain pass.
As the caravan departed in orderly fashion, all that remained were severed limbs, mangled corpses, and the Scarred Man, whose four limbs had been nailed to a crooked tree.
"Why the hell am I so unlucky? I can't accept this... I can't accept this..."
But with his internal organs shattered by a kick and blood pouring from his limbs, the Scarred Man's consciousness grew hazier as death slowly enveloped him.
Clop, clop, clop...
Even the luxurious carriage at the head of the caravan jolted along the rugged mountain road, though it was countless times better than a donkey cart.
Having witnessed Naruto's terrifying strength, neither the Miss nor Uncle Ming dared speak first, despite their high standing.
Naruto had remained silent since boarding the carriage and taking his seat. After a while, he turned to look at them.
"By my estimate, even if the caravan traveled in a straight line, it would take at least a month to get from the Land of Waterfalls to the Land of Waves. You'd also have to cross the borders of several countries, large and small."
As he spoke, Naruto looked at the Miss. "You have the means to conduct international trade, yet you didn't hire any ninja escorts for this trip?"
Uncle Ming and the Miss both sighed at his question. "Uncle Ming, you explain."
"Yes."
Uncle Ming nodded, then began explaining.
"The Land of Waterfalls actually has its own waters, too. If our coastal resources hadn't been seized, we could meet our own needs for seafood. But... surviving in the cracks between the Great Powers... comes with many hardships."
"That's right. We're weak, so when the Great Powers pressure us, we can only give