Chapter 27: A Journey Across the Sea

[Shinji's POV]

As we moved through the forest surrounding the village, excitement filled the air. This was the first step in our journey to becoming powerful shinobi, and both Akira and Akane were full of confidence and anticipation. I, however, couldn't shake the feeling of foreboding.

Our very first mission is in the Land of Water—the most chaotic place in the Five Nations right now.

'This feels like the kind of thing that happens to a protagonist,' I thought wryly.

Shaking off my unease, I focused on the road ahead as we neared a town close to the Fire Nation border. We had been running for days, taking only short breaks, pushing our stamina to the limit to reach the border this quickly.

"We're finally here. I need a whole day of rest now," Akira panted between breaths, bending over with his hands on his knees.

"Yes, we will rest here for a day. You three stay at the inn. I need to meet the General here and get permission for our journey," Yamato said before walking off.

"What do we do now?" Akane asked, looking at me as Akira also turned expectantly.

"Just wander around, I guess. We can't train much since we'll be moving again tomorrow," I replied.

"Let's explore the town, then!" Akane suggested excitedly.

"I'd rather just stay in the room and sleep," Akira muttered with a yawn.

"When did you turn into a Nara?" I teased.

"I guess Shigeo is rubbing off on me," Akira shrugged before disappearing inside the inn, leaving the two of us alone.

Akane turned to me, eyes shining. "Will you come with me?"

There was no way I could say no to that face.

The border town was surprisingly well-developed, filled with all sorts of shops and entertainment spots. Akane took full advantage of this, dragging me from one stall to another, completely absorbed in shopping. I played along, pretending to be annoyed, but honestly, I didn't mind.

"Look, Shinji! This hat would look cool on you," Akane said, holding up a wide-brimmed cowboy hat.

I frowned. "I like my hair the way it is, and that hat is just obnoxious."

"It's not that bad!" she huffed, pretending to be angry but still smiling.

I smirked and grabbed a conical witch's hat from a nearby stand, placing it on her head. "Then why don't you try this?"

To my surprise, she put it on without hesitation.

Her long, raven-black hair and sharp features gave her a mystical look. I grabbed a black robe and a wooden staff from another stall, completing the ensemble. As I looked at her, a single thought crossed my mind.

If I had a camera, I'd take a picture right now.

"Oh no, do I look weird?" she asked, suddenly self-conscious.

"No," I answered honestly. "You look good in this."

She smiled at my words. "Then I'm buying it!"

I sighed, wondering if this was a mistake.

After spending hours exploring, we returned to the inn for dinner. Yamato had just arrived after meeting with the General.

"It's so good!" Akira exclaimed, stuffing his face. "Eating real food after days of dried rations and soldier pills is amazing!"

"Enjoy it while you can," I warned. "Tomorrow, we're back to pills and dry food."

Hearing that, Akira began eating even faster, making me chuckle.

"Eat like a human, Akira," Akane scolded him. Sometimes, she really felt like the older sibling instead of him.

The mood in the inn was lively. Laughter filled the room, and soon enough, a few people started singing and dancing. The warm atmosphere made it easy to forget that we were about to step into one of the most dangerous places in the world.

But Yamato wasn't as amused.

Before things could spiral out of control, he dragged us back to our rooms.

The next morning, we gathered at the docks, ready to board the ship that would take us to the Land of Water. Yamato's usual calm expression was replaced with something more serious.

"I'm letting last night's behavior slide since this is your first mission, but remember—you are shinobi on duty. That kind of recklessness can lead to severe consequences in the field. Understood?"

"Understood," we answered in unison.

"This won't happen again during missions," I added, knowing full well we had gotten too comfortable the night before.

Yamato nodded and signaled for us to follow him onto the ship. As we took our seats, Akira finally voiced the question that had been bothering me as well.

"Sensei, why is the Water Daimyō hiring Konoha ninjas instead of Kirigakure?"

Yamato gave him a thoughtful look before answering. "Because Kirigakure is on the brink of a civil war. The discrimination there has always been high due to their caste system, which led to purges and the hunting of powerful bloodline clans. Things settled slightly under the Fourth Mizukage, but he is the most ruthless leader Kirigakure has ever had. Their village is in a terrible state, and the Water Daimyō wants to strengthen his alliance with Konoha as a backup plan in case the Mizukage tries to seize full control of the Land of Water."

Akira looked confused by the politics, so I simplified it. "You don't need to worry about all that. Just focus on completing the mission and earning a big paycheck."

"Yeah, that's right!" he grinned.

But I wasn't done. Turning to Yamato, I asked, "Then why us, Sensei? There are plenty of other teams with more experience."

Yamato met my gaze but remained silent, clearly debating whether to tell me the truth.

I already knew the answer.

'We weren't sent because of our skill. We were sent to test me.'

Accepting that, I let the conversation drop.

The rest of the ride was spent in relative quiet, with only the sound of the waves filling the air. A few days later, we arrived on the shores of the Land of Water, ready for our first real mission.

[At the Same Time – Unknown Village]

In a dark, crumbling village, a young girl knelt, handing a piece of bread to a malnourished boy.

"Why are you giving him food? Don't you know who he is?" a nearby man scolded.

"But he looks so hungry… if I don't give him anything, he might die," the girl protested.

The man dragged her away, ignoring her pleas.

The boy sat there, silent, his red eyes glowing eerily as he watched them go.

"Is the outside world… the same as this?" he murmured. "Or is it better?"

He pulled his knees to his chest, the hunger clawing at his insides, his thoughts drifting.

"Will I ever… see it?"

As the cold crept into his bones, he closed his eyes, surrendering to sleep, not knowing if he would wake again.