Naruto ran across the water, disappearing over the sea in little more than a dozen breaths.
Only four or five months had passed since his last visit to this coastal nation.
Had he not personally witnessed its desolation and despair on his previous visit,
Naruto would never have believed that the thriving, vibrant town before him was the same place.
It happened to be noon, when people were getting off work.
People walked along the streets with all sorts of peculiar tools in their hands.
Although Naruto could not identify most of them,
He still recognized common tools such as knife handles, planes, wooden mallets, and shovels.
Strolling down the street and looking around, Naruto no longer saw craftsmen squatting about with signs begging for work.
"Dad, why are you so late getting back? Mom's already made lunch!"
He turned to look.
A little boy was laughing as he pulled a middle-aged man along by the hand. The man wore a bamboo hat and was covered in dirt. He looked exhausted, but his face glowed with a happy smile.
"The big ship I'm in charge of was finished today. I checked it carefully one more time before leaving to make sure nothing was wrong. That's why I'm late."
The little boy immediately brightened. "Dad, you promised you'd take me to see the big ship once it was finished!"
The middle-aged man stroked his son's head and nodded with a smile. "By the way, how did you do on your exams?"
The little boy nodded proudly. "I was in the top three in my class, Dad!"
"Hahaha... good! That's my boy. You certainly haven't let the headmaster and the daimyo's efforts go to waste."
As he spoke, the middle-aged man gazed reverently toward a mountain peak.
"Son, you need to work