Land of Fire
Hot Spring Town
With "I'm very unhappy" written all over his face, Chihane strolled through the streets of Hot Spring Town, followed by a beaming Chiriku.
After learning that Kurenai Yuhi had gone with Shinku Yuhi to the Land of Waves on an escort mission, Chihane was disappointed, but he still had a mission of his own to carry out.
He had originally intended to go alone, but under Chiriku's shameless pestering, Chihane finally relented. After all, their destination was a tourist town, and he had brought quite a few things. Having someone to carry his bags wasn't bad.
With the intelligence provided by the ANBU, Chihane soon led Chiriku to the place where they had spotted Hiruko: the Land of Fire's famous tourist attraction, Hot Spring Town.
Hot Spring Town sat on the Land of Fire's border, where three countries met. Under the protection of an increasingly powerful Konoha, it naturally flourished. Nourished by its unique volcanic mountain range, it brimmed with vitality and was beloved by the rich and powerful of every nation.
Although ninja possessed overwhelming strength in this shinobi world, they weren't the ones who lived most comfortably. That distinction belonged to the nobles who controlled money and power.
By a convention established over centuries, even the most vicious rogue ninja wouldn't attack nobles unless they had no other choice.
Doing so would make them the nobles' common enemy, vermin hunted throughout the shinobi world, unable to survive even among ordinary people.
The great nobles of some countries could even stand on equal footing with the Kage of major ninja villages, and sometimes looked down on those uncouth men.
Hot Spring Town's springs were famous throughout the shinobi world. These moderately hot springs maintained a constant temperature of 49.9°C, with excellent water quality