Ritual

Jiraiya sat next to Yamanoue while the three Genin hopped on the back of the carriage. Although traveling this way was slower, they wouldn't get tired, so it was acceptable.

Not to mention that there was no other way to carry the load.

As they rode along the road, the village's entrance got smaller and smaller, until it wasn't visible anymore. This filled both Minato and Nozomi with excitement, being their first time outside.

"Do you guys know why this is a C-rank mission?"

Enjoying the scenery, Jiraiya asked his students.

"Well, if we go strictly by their descriptions, these types of missions have little to no chance of combat. If I were to take a guess, the way to the land of tea probably has some bandits, making this mission a C-rank."

"Well said, Minato. On that note, can any of you tell me about the land of tea?"

"Ah! I can!"

Getting her chance to shine, Nozomi gently cleared her throat as he closed her eyes and started explaining.

"Cha No Kuni is a small country that shares its borders with both the land of fire and the land of hot water[1]. Being a peaceful country with no ninja village whatsoever, it is a great achievement for them to have lasted until now, surviving countless eras."

"Their history is rich, and as their name implies, they are well-known for the tea they produce. Their methods have been passed down through generations and could be said to be the best there is. In fact, the land of tea is said to be the oldest out of all other nations!"

"That's completely right, degozaru! Does the princess know why we've been able to stand for this long?"

Nodding at Yamanoue's question, Nozomi continued.

"Although the land of tea is dominated by three forces, namely the Wasabi, Wagarashi, and Ryokucha families, their military strength is nothing compared to the ninja villages. They only have Samurai[2], who are much stronger than normal people, but incomparable to ninja."

"That said, the land of tea has a deep history with the land of fire. Its first Daimyō was a good friend of the land of fire's and this friendship has lasted for centuries. Even now, this country is a popular tourist spot for our people."

"Your knowledge is certainly impressive, degozaru!"

Feeling proud of herself, Nozomi looked at Minato with a provocative glare. Noticing it, he just smiled like usual.

"Earlier, you said that you were part of the Ryokucha family… Why is it that your surname's Yamanoue and not Ryokucha?"

Suddenly, Jun asked a question out of the blue. Hearing it, Yamanoue smiled.

"You see, I'm not actually related to the Ruyokucha by blood, degozaru... I was taken in by my master, and became his step-son, which basically made me part of the Ryokucha family."

"That still doesn't answer my question. Why is it that you still have Yamanoue as your surname?"

"Well, it's a long story. Yours truly would rather not speak about it, degozaru…"

"..."

Noticing that it was a sensitive topic, Jiraiya gave Jun a 'please don't continue' look. Seeing this, he reluctantly gave up… After all, he was just curious.

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Inside an unknown dark cave, the only source of light available was an array of candles, that burned with eerie red flames.

In the middle of the cave, a group of hooded people stood in a circle, holding their hands in prayer and reciting ominous chants.

A weird symbol made of blood was drawn on the ground, which they stood around. In the center of it were countless young girls, all tied up and crying for help.

Standing on a platform in the middle of the young girls, a man with grey hair and dark eyes stood proudly. He had his hands raised in the air as he started praying.

"Lord Jashin! We offer you this sacrifice… So please allow us to kill and destroy! Let us feast on the misery of our neighbors!"

"Kill! Destroy!"

As the hooded men chanted, the blood symbol lit up, and the girls let out shrill screams as their bodies ignited in red flames.

"Hahahaha! I can feel it… I can feel it! Thank you, my lord!"

Laughing hysterically, the man looked up and painted his face with blood, descending into madness.

"Soon… The land of tea is next..."

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[1] Keep in mind that the land of tea is very reminiscent of Japan in the Edo period. Also, in the original series, it's completely filler. In the anime, they said it's composed of two islands, but looking at the map it doesn't make sense. Because of this, I decided to put half of it next to the land of fire and the land of hot water. As for the other half, it will be an island near it.

[2] If I start using the word 'Samurai', don't confuse them with the ones from the land of Iron, such as Mifune. The ones from the land of tea are more like the real ones.

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