Pushing open that familiar wooden door, worn white by the wind and sand, the small bell hanging above the door jingled crisply, carrying the unique dusty air of Sunagakure.
What emerges from behind the door is the warm aroma of the house, always a mix of old goods, dried herbs, and the homemade biscuits of Mother Rira.
"I'm back." Shira stood at the door, her voice not loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the suddenly quiet shop.
Behind the counter, Shiya, the father, paused in his wiping of the shelves, slowly turned around, and his usually stern eyes lit up the moment he saw Shira, before a smile appeared on his face.
" Shira?!" At the same time, Rira's surprised and delighted voice came from the inner room, accompanied by hurried footsteps.
Wearing an apron and with flour still on her hands, she rushed out from behind the curtain. She immediately saw her son standing in the doorway, noticeably darker and more robust. Her eyes instantly welled up with tears. She rushed forward, wanting to hug him but hesitant, wiping her hands awkwardly on her apron.
"You're back? You're really back? Did you get hurt on the way? Let Mom see you..."
"Mom, I'm fine, everything's alright." Shira put down her backpack and the bags in her hands, letting her mother pull her up and down to look her over.
Rira's fingers brushed against a newly appeared fine scratch on his cheek, and his brows immediately furrowed. Shira quickly added, "It was from an accidental scratch during training, it's already healed."
"You child, you're always so careless..."
Rira grumbled, but the worry in her eyes finally melted away and turned into genuine joy.
She then noticed the packages on the ground. "What are these...?"
"The gifts I brought for you, and some are for other people in the village." Shira squatted down and first found the two gifts for his parents. He handed the set of fine iron kitchen knives and the small pot to his mother, and the wooden tea canister to his father.
Rira took the heavy knife, her eyes welling up with tears again. Touching the smooth, cool blade, she murmured, "This... how much did this cost...? The ironware from the Land of Fire is good, but..."
She's used to being frugal, and her first reaction is always to feel bad about spending money.
"It's not expensive, Mom. It's easy to use." Shira interrupted her and then looked at her father.
Shiya took the tea canister, her rough fingers tracing the natural grain of the wood. After looking at it for a few seconds, she said nothing, smiled and nodded at Shira, then carefully placed the canister in a conspicuous yet secure spot on the inside of the counter.
This simple gesture warmed Shira's heart more than any words of thanks.
"And this," Shira pulled the small bag containing the green bodysuit from her bag and stuffed it at the bottom, then took out a few oil paper packets, " Konoha pastries, they taste pretty good, you should try them."
The warmth of home and the aroma of food helped to dispel much of the fatigue from the long journey.
Shira ate a little of the food her mother had heated up in the pot, and answered a few questions about "Is Konoha really full of trees?", "Can you get used to the food?", and "Is the mission dangerous?" She omitted the dangers of Rolling Stone Gorge and the "green training" with Might Guy in great detail, only saying that everything went smoothly and she learned a lot.
After resting for a while, seeing that it was still early, Shira picked up the remaining packages again. "Mom, Dad, I'm going out to deliver the other people's things."
"Go on, go on, come back for dinner soon." Rira was still fiddling with the new set of knives, a smile on her face.
Shiya simply hummed in response, her gaze falling on her son's shoulders, which were noticeably broader than when he left home.
Stepping out of her house, the cool evening breeze of Sunagakure brushed against her face. Shira determined her direction and headed towards the northeast of the village, near the Ninja Academy. Ameno should live there.
He was lucky; as soon as he arrived nearby, he saw a familiar figure practicing Water Release alone in a small open space behind the building.
The slender stream of water struggled to gather and swirl in her palm, but it seemed more stable than when Shira had left.
It was Ameno.
"Hey! Ameno!" Shira called out.
Ameno was startled, and the water in her hand splashed out with a "plop," soaking her all over.
She turned around somewhat flusteredly, and when she saw it was Shira, two red clouds instantly rose to her cheeks, but her eyes lit up, and she whispered, "Zi... Shira? You're back?"
"Yeah, just got back." Shira stepped forward, took out a carefully wrapped pink Kunai from her bag, and handed it to him. "Here, I bought it in Konoha. The color looks quite unique; I don't know if you'll need it."
Ameno stared wide-eyed at the pink Kunai that gleamed softly in the setting sun, her face turning even redder.
She took it somewhat awkwardly, her fingertips touching Shira's hand, she recoiled as if burned, and then gripped the handle of the Kunai tightly.
The metal was cold, but her palms were burning hot.
"Th-thank you, Shira..." Her voice was barely audible. She lowered her head, not daring to look into Shira's eyes, but staring at the pink Kunai in her hand, while the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up slightly.
This was a gift from him...
" Ameno, I have to go now. Don't push yourself too hard in training."
Shira smiled and nodded as she saw that he had accepted the gift. He turned and left, but he could feel Ameno's gaze following him until he turned the corner.
The next target is Gaara's residence. It's located deeper in the village, near the Kazekage's office, and is heavily guarded.
When Shira arrived at the outskirts of that area, she was indeed stopped by two masked members of the Anbu.
"No unauthorized passage ahead," one of the Anbu said coldly.
"I'm here to see Mr. Yashamaru, or Gaara."
Shira, revealing her Sunagakure Forehead Protector and mission credentials, "I am Shira, just returned from a mission. I have some things to give them."
The Anbu checked his credentials and exchanged glances. One of them seemed to have confirmed something in some way, and nodded to Shira: "Wait here."
He vanished in a flash, and a moment later reappeared with a gentle-looking man.
It was Yashamaru.
" Shira?" Yashamaru was somewhat surprised to see Shira, then smiled gently. "Long time no see. Did you complete your mission? It's good that you're back safely. I heard you went to Konoha."
"Yes, Mr. Yashamaru." Shira had a good impression of this gentle uncle who had always taken care of Gaara.
He took out the small gourd, and then the ninja tool pouch buckle for Yashamaru. "This gourd is for Gaara. This buckle is for Mr. Yashamaru. Just a small token."
Yashamaru took the item, looked at the small, exquisite gourd, his eyes flickered slightly, and his smile deepened, tinged with a hint of emotion:
"Thank you, Shira, for remembering Lord Gaara. He'll be so happy."
He paused, then said, " Lord Gaara is in the training grounds at the back. Would you like to go see him? He's doing very well."
"Okay." Shira nodded.
Led by Yashamaru, Shira passed through two hidden sentry posts and arrived at a secluded training ground.
On the sidelines, a red-haired boy sat quietly on a Taiseki, gazing blankly at the distant sand dunes.
The setting sun bathed him in a soft golden glow, yet it could not dispel the innate loneliness he possessed.
" Lord Gaara," Yashamaru called softly.
Gaara slowly turned his head, his deep green eyes looking in this direction. When he saw Shira, his empty gaze seemed to flicker for a fleeting moment.
Shira stepped forward and handed over the small gourd. "Long time no see! This is for you, Gaara bought it from Konoha. You can use it to fill your cup with water."
Gaara's gaze fell on the gourd, and after a few seconds, he didn't immediately take it. Yashamaru stood beside him, smiling encouragingly.
After a while, Gaara reached out and took the gourd. His hand was still so small, his skin pale, and as he held the gourd, his fingertips unconsciously traced the natural patterns on it.
Gaara suddenly beamed with joy, revealing a lovely smile, "Thank you, Shira! Welcome back!"
"Haha, it's okay, I'm leaving now, see you next time."
Shira said goodbye, nodded to Yashamaru, and then turned and left.
To be able to meet so peacefully and receive something is already better than I expected.
Next were Granny Chiyo and Ebizo. The two elders lived in a rather remote place, but Shira knew the way.
He arrived at the house with its small courtyard, which always had a faint scent of herbs, and knocked on the door.
It was Ebizo Gate of Opening, still the same taciturn man with squinting eyes. Seeing Shira and what she was holding, he smiled and stepped aside.
Granny Chiyo was sitting on the veranda, fiddling with some puppet parts. When she saw Shira, she snorted, "Kid, you're back? Did you get blinded by all those colorful things in Konoha?"
"Grandma, I brought you and Elder Ebizo some things."
Shira took out the health-preserving tea and health balls, saying, "They're herbal teas specializing in the Land of Fire, good for calming the nerves and replenishing energy. And this, made of warm jade, spin it around, it's good for your health."
Granny Chiyo stopped what she was doing, glanced at the items, and scoffed, "You're just buying useless stuff. Merchants from the Land of Fire love to rip off fools like you."
Despite her words, she gestured for Ebizo to take the items. Ebizo silently accepted them, examined the pair of smooth jade balls carefully, and nodded.
"By the way, Grandma," Shira asked, seizing the opportunity, "Do you know if Jonin Baki is in the village right now? I have something to give him too."
Granny Chiyo slowly took a sip of tea before saying, " Baki just returned from patrolling the border a couple of days ago. He's probably at the training grounds behind the Kazekage Building right now, training the new recruits. If you're looking for him, go there and check."
"Thank you, Grandma." Shira thanked her, said a few more words, and then took her leave.
Granny Chiyo watched his retreating figure and muttered to Ebizo beside her, "That kid, after his trip to Konoha, he's learned a bit more about human relationships. But that physique of his, so stiff it's like a rock, he's clearly been through a lot of beatings..."
Following Granny Chiyo's directions, Shira arrived at the training ground behind the Kazekage Building. Sure enough, she saw Jonin Baki on the sidelines, instructing several ninjas on wind-style Chakra training.
Baki remained as meticulous and serious as ever.
Shira waited until their training broke before approaching. " Jonin Baki."
Baki turned his head, saw Shira, and nodded slightly. "Oh, it's Shira. Shira, did you complete the mission?"
"Yes. This is for you." Shira handed over the notebook about the geography and climate of the border region. "I saw it at the Konoha Bookstore and thought it might be useful to you."
Baki took the book, flipped through a couple of pages, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes before he regained his composure and nodded. "Hmm, thank you for your thoughtfulness. I'll keep the book. After returning to the team, submit a detailed mission report as soon as possible, and don't slack off on your training."
"Yes!" Shira replied. Jonin Baki as concise as ever.
The remaining gift was simpler. He went to the weapon shop that had once given him a discount and presented the owner with the small jar of sake. The owner beamed with joy.
Then he went to the ninja tool maintenance room that Teacher I Fūgetsu often went to, placed the maintenance oil and grinding stone in his usual spot, and left a note.
Finally, he arrived at the edge of the village, on a relatively quiet hillside suitable for practicing swordsmanship. This was a place he used to often come to practice swordsmanship, and he often encountered that taciturn but exquisitely skilled Special Jōnin —Master Kenmei.
He was lucky; Teacher Kenmei was indeed there.
He was facing a wooden stake alone, repeating the most basic chopping motion with extreme slowness and meticulousness, each movement as precise as if measured with a ruler.
Shira didn't disturb him, quietly waiting until he finished a set of exercises, sheathed his sword, and then stepped forward. "Teacher Kenmei."
Kenmei turned his head, saw Shira, nodded, and said nothing.
Shira took out a fine-textured, highly absorbent cloth specifically designed for wiping and maintaining sword blades, and handed it to her with both hands. "Teacher, I bought this from Konoha. It should be good for cleaning swords."
Kenmei glanced at the velvet cloth, then at Shira, silently took it, twirled the fabric between his fingers, nodded, and uttered two words: "Not bad."
This already showed a considerable degree of approval from Teacher Kenmei. Shira smiled and said, "Then I'll head back now, Teacher."
"Hmm." Kenmei responded, his gaze returning to the wooden stake, and he resumed his slow practice.
All the gifts had been given out. The sun was almost sinking into the sea of sand, with only a last glimmer of dark red remaining on the horizon. Shira walked back to the general store, feeling much lighter in her heart.
These small objects, carrying his feelings and memories, are like invisible threads that reconnect him with the people of Sunagakure.
The experience in Konoha was like a passionate yet fleeting dream.
Now, the dream is over, and he has returned to his own world.
But what I gained in my dream—the increased strength, the broadened horizons, and the spark in my heart—has truly remained in my body.
Next, I need to carefully plan how to use that reward and how to integrate what I learned in Konoha into my future training.
He touched the ninja tool pouch; inside, the green bodysuit lay quietly.
Perhaps, starting tomorrow, when I resume my solo morning exercise, I could try the "handstand walking" that Senior Kai mentioned?
A slight smile played on his lips as he quickened his pace home, braving the rising night winds of Sunagakure...