As early night descended, lights began to twinkle across the town on Red Island. The streets bustled with activity, far livelier than Sakura remembered. It seemed the incident with the sea monster had inadvertently put Red Island on the map; more merchants now knew of its existence and, crucially, that it was the true source of the legendary Ise Beef.
True to their nature, merchants possessed the keenest noses for opportunity. Despite any initial reluctance from the islanders, the sheer influx of traders had forced Red Island to relax some of its previous restrictions.
With the surge of capital, in just a few short months, Red Village had transformed. New buildings seemed to have sprung up overnight, along with countless shops, spreading outwards from the original village center.
Sakura stared, utterly dumbfounded. Was this really the same sleepy fishing village she'd visited before? The change was staggering.
"Sakura... this is Red Village?" Karin exclaimed, awestruck by the vibrant town. "It's almost more bustling than Konoha!"
"Ha... haha... yeah, looks like it..." Sakura managed an awkward laugh. "Come on, let's go find the village chief here."
Just as they were about to enter the main thoroughfare, Sakura turned back to Kheshik. "Um, you don't need to follow us anymore. You can go find your caravan now. We won't charge you the commission for your rescue."
"Where… where are we?" Kheshik asked, looking around, clearly unfamiliar with the location. His caravan's usual routes didn't include overseas islands.
"This is an island affiliated with the Land of Tea, off its southern coast," Sakura explained kindly. "Uh... you can probably ask around for directions to the port. There should be boats coming and going, though they likely won't sail at night. You should find an inn to stay at."
"Alright, I understand," Kheshik nodded. "In that case… might I commission you to protect me until we reach the Land of Fire?" The shinobi world wasn't always safe; while ninja generally didn't target civilians, bandits and robbers were another matter.
Sakura shot Kheshik an exasperated look. "Please file a formal request at the mission desk in Konoha Village. Shinobi do not accept commissions while away from the village!" Turning her back on him pointedly, she called to her teammates, "Come on, Karin, Neji! Let's go get some beef!" She had no more patience for the old man whose simple request had dragged them into this whole mess.
Leading Karin and Neji through the lively streets of Red Village, Sakura watched Karin gaze around with wide-eyed curiosity. Neji, as usual, maintained a calmer facade, though the surprise in his eyes was undeniable. He really is just a kid who hasn't seen much beyond Konoha and mission sites, Sakura mused. Academy students couldn't just travel like civilians, and even as genin, missions rarely allowed for leisurely sightseeing... Sigh... wait, aren't we technically still on a mission right now...? Sakura flushed slightly. Guess I haven't quite got my priorities straight either...
....
Stopping before an impressively luxurious estate, Sakura rubbed her eyes and looked again at the brightly lit plaque above the massive gate.
"Neji, does that sign say 'Soga'?" she asked uncertainly.
"Yes," Neji confirmed after a brief glance upwards.
"Sakura, is this the village chief's house? He's loaded!" Karin exclaimed, gaping at the sheer size and grandeur of the entrance illuminated by numerous lanterns.
"Apparently..." Sakura mumbled, still processing. She remembered Chief Soga's home being large but simple, almost rustic. How could it have changed so drastically in just a few months?
"Hey, you three! What are you doing lurking around the Chief's house?"
A sharp rebuke snapped them out of their thoughts. They turned in unison towards the speaker.
"You... It's you..." "It's you!"
Sakura and the young man recognized each other simultaneously. The stern voice belonged to Tatsuo Chino – son of Lord Chino, the guard who had shadowed Ryuuichi during her last mission here.
"Why are you here?" Tatsuo demanded, frowning suspiciously.
"Why can't I be here?" Sakura retorted, recalling his stiff, formal demeanor quite clearly.
"Er..." Tatsuo was momentarily stumped. "I mean, what are you doing standing outside the Village Chief's gate?"
"And why can't I stand outside the Village Chief's gate?" Sakura asked, a mischievous glint in her eye as she watched him flounder.
"Uh..." Tatsuo's face flushed red. "What exactly are you planning?"
"I was just passing through and thought I'd pay Chief Soga a visit," Sakura stated innocently.
"You should leave. The Chief won't see you," Tatsuo declared stiffly.
"And who are you to say?" Sakura shook her head, finding his attitude rather childish. He seemed even more rigid and immature than she remembered. "How would you know if Chief Soga wants to see me or not?"
"I am—" Tatsuo started to puff up, but just then, the main gate opened with a soft click.
"Tatsuo, what's all this commotion at the gate? Hurry up and come inside!"
A familiar, elderly face appeared in the doorway. Sakura smiled and waved. "Chief Soga."
"Eh? Is that... Haruno Sakura!" Chief Soga's eyes widened as he spotted her, along with two others he didn't recognize.
"It's me."
"Haha! When did you arrive? Why didn't Lord Chino let me know you were coming?" Chief Soga beamed, clearly overjoyed to see her. "Quick, quick, come inside! You haven't eaten yet, have you? Tatsuo, run to the shop and bring back some beef – the absolute best quality!"
Tatsuo opened his mouth as if to protest, then deflated like a popped balloon and shuffled off glumly to fetch the ingredients as ordered.
Walking through the grounds of Chief Soga's estate, Sakura felt her jaw drop further. If one had to describe the courtyard, 'outrageously extravagant' barely covered it. Compared to the somewhat neglected state she remembered, the grounds were now meticulously landscaped, free of weeds, dotted with exquisite, expensive-looking sculptures, and staffed by numerous servants bustling about. The image of the simple, down-to-earth Village Chief instantly crumbled in Sakura's mind.
Chief Soga personally led the three shinobi into the main house's reception room. Gone was the dim, slightly worn atmosphere Sakura recalled. The room was now furnished with what could only be described as sheer luxury.
Sakura wasn't an expert on this world's luxury goods, but even she could tell the tea set gracing the low table was incredibly valuable, and the cushions they sat on were crafted from the finest materials using expert techniques.
Lifting a teacup, she inhaled the fragrant steam before taking a delicate sip. "Excellent tea," she commented genuinely. Even without being a connoisseur, she could taste it was far superior to the cheap stuff she usually drank.
"Miss Haruno Sakura-sama, and these two are?" Chief Soga inquired politely.
"Pfft—Cough, cough!" Sakura choked slightly, wiping her mouth. "Please, just call me Sakura!" Chief Soga was over a hundred years old; being addressed with such formality by him felt utterly unbearable.
"Haha, very well, Sakura," Soga chuckled. "When did you arrive?"
"Just a short while ago. We didn't come from the Land of Tea this time, though," Sakura explained. "This is Karin, and this is Neji. They're also Konoha shinobi, my teammates."
"Ah, I see," Chief Soga nodded. "Is there another landmass closer than the Land of Tea nearby?"
"No, it was... uh... a mission mishap. We ended up adrift and landed here," Sakura fudged the details slightly.
"Haha," Soga laughed dryly. "Surely 'adrift' is too strong a word? My island isn't such a bad place to land, is it?"
"It's certainly changed," Sakura admitted, nodding. "Did you strike it rich these past few months? It looks completely different from my last visit." Money was nice, Sakura wouldn't deny it, but as a shinobi, dedicating time to earning wealth instead of training was irresponsible, even dangerous.
"Indeed, I have earned a bit," Chief Soga confirmed with a nod. "Truthfully, the villagers here have always been relatively well-off, just with few avenues to spend their wealth. Since the incident last year, people from the mainland learned about us, and investors and merchants of all kinds have flocked here."
"I see," Sakura nodded, still slightly dazed by the transformation. "It's just such a sudden change. I always pictured you as someone who preferred a simpler life."
"Hehe, who doesn't enjoy spending money when they have it?" Chief Soga chuckled lightly. "We were just isolated before. We had some dealings with mainland merchants, but not many. Once word got out that this island was the true origin of Ise Beef, things exploded overnight."
"A blessing in disguise, then," Sakura mused. It figured. Where there was profit, merchants would eagerly swarm, and their activities inevitably spurred local development.
"Yes, yes, indeed," Chief Soga agreed happily. He then hesitated, looking at Sakura expectantly. "Um, Sakura... about that favor I asked you last time... uh... how is it progressing?"
Last time's favor? Sakura blinked, drawing a blank for a second before realization hit her with the force of a physical blow. Oh, crap. Chief Soga had asked her to help lift the curse afflicting his people. So much had happened since then, and she hadn't made any headway back then... she'd almost completely forgotten.
"Oh, that matter..." Sakura coughed awkwardly twice. "Why don't we talk about it after we eat?"