The fisherman chatted with Kakashi for a while longer but soon sensed the boy wasn't much for small talk and tactfully dropped the conversation.
The way technology had developed in this world was rather strange. Chakra dominated warfare, yet Daimyō and nobles, unable to wield it themselves, commanded the actions of shinobi from positions of power. Meanwhile, ordinary people had their own industrial systems, albeit fragile ones, far less advanced than those of Kakashi's previous life.
This particular boat, for instance, had its own engine.
The somewhat pungent smell of diesel drifted to Kakashi and Mei's noses, proving rather off-putting as they ate.
The boat moved at a decent pace, soon leaving the docks behind and heading up an inland river. The water alongside the vessel was bone-chillingly cold. The silver-haired boy borrowed a bucket from a sailor, drawing up some water to wash his clothes and face. It still had a slightly salty taste; once they passed the river mouth, it should become fresh water.
The girl took the opportunity to wash the bloodstains from her own clothes.
The captain and the crew had likely surmised the profession of the young boy and girl. Traveling so far at their age, coupled with the faint scent of blood clinging to them... These sailors had weathered many storms, literal and figurative, and knew it was wise to keep a respectful distance from people like these.
Only one young deckhand, perhaps sixteen or seventeen years old, seemed excited. He had never seen a ninja before, and now two potential shinobi were right in front of him. Harboring dreams of heroism and becoming a ninja himself, the boy approached the pair while swabbing the deck.
"Are you... are you ninja?"
Kakashi ignored him, but Terumi Mei turned to look at the tall, lanky sailor.
"Yes," she replied simply.
"Wow! I heard ninja are incredibly strong!"
"Do you want to be a ninja?" Mei easily picked up on the sailor's underlying wish.
The young sailor scratched his head, embarrassed. "You two look even younger than me, and you're already ninja. So maybe... maybe I could become one too?"
Hearing this, Kakashi let out a cold scoff. "Don't be ridiculous. Have you ever killed anyone?"
"Kakashi!" Mei protested quietly.
"You're too soft, Mei," Kakashi retorted, turning his gaze back to the sailor. "I'm showing him reality. Being a ninja isn't a glamorous job. Do you think being a sailor is safe?"
The sailor glanced around at the thick fog reducing visibility. Sailing in such weather was dangerous, risking collision with reefs or running aground. "In the Land of Water, there's probably no job more dangerous than being a sailor."
"Is that so?" Kakashi's voice was flat. "Let me tell you, being a ninja is far more dangerous than being a sailor. From the moment you start learning at the Ninja Academy, through becoming a Genin, then Chūnin, then Jōnin, you'll face countless life-or-death situations. War is a meat grinder, and ninja? We're the meat inside it."
"But... I heard ninja live well. They don't lack money or power..."
This statement thoroughly angered Kakashi. If this naive fool actually became a ninja, he wouldn't last three seconds on a battlefield.
The sailor stared directly at the silver-haired boy, who was a good half-head shorter than him. Becoming a ninja was his lifelong dream, and even a real ninja couldn't denigrate it like this.
Kakashi's visible right eye gradually turned sharp, almost icy. A wave of palpable killing intent washed over the sailor looking down at him, causing the young man's face to pale and his entire body to tremble uncontrollably.
Mei tugged Kakashi's arm twice, signaling that he was going too far. It was an unwritten rule across the shinobi world: ninja didn't attack ordinary civilians. How many actually adhered to that rule was debatable, but its influence was significant nonetheless.
Kakashi retracted his killing intent. The lingering fear in the sailor's eyes made him pause, momentarily stunned. Was I being too sensitive? he wondered. He's just a kid who doesn't understand the reality of ninja life, clinging to a naive dream. Why get so angry at him?
He took a deep breath of the cold air and splashed more icy water onto his face. Perhaps it was the lack of rest, the tension from constant battlefield readiness still tightly wound within him.
The young sailor retreated from the deck, his dream now clouded with doubt.
Kakashi and Mei went down to the ship's cabin. Inside, the air was completely different from the deck – stuffy, hot, and humid, but at least it offered a place to sleep.
"You sleep for a bit. Wake me when you're rested, then I'll sleep," Kakashi said, sitting down with his back against the wall.
The girl nodded, immediately lying down on the wooden bunk and trying to fall asleep. It was difficult in the unfamiliar surroundings; the hard wooden planks were uncomfortable. She tossed and turned, breaking into a light sweat, before finally drifting off into a hazy slumber after what felt like a long time. Her spirit had reached its limit, and the sudden chance to relax allowed her to sleep deeply and, thankfully, without nightmares.
When Mei awoke again, Kakashi was no longer in the room.
She went out onto the deck. The fog had lifted somewhat, and a faint glimmer of light appeared on the horizon, signaling dawn. Mei saw Kakashi standing near the railing, still as a statue, almost like a puppet. She realized she must have slept through the entire night, meaning he hadn't slept at all.
A pang of guilt hit her. She walked over and gently patted the silver-haired boy's back. Kakashi turned, his visible eye heavily bloodshot, giving him a slightly terrifying appearance.
"Go get some rest," Mei urged softly. "I'll take over from here."
"Alright," he agreed simply.
The clatter of his shoes on the metal deck – tap, tap, tap – was quickly swallowed by the sounds of rushing water and the engine's thrum as he headed back towards the cabin. Mei followed him inside. Less than a minute later, she heard the even rhythm of his breathing.
Taking a towel, Mei dampened it and began to gently wipe down Kakashi's arms and torso. He stirred slightly at the sensation, turning over in his sleep. Mei continued wiping his back. A massive, already healed scar came into view. She carefully avoided touching it, recognizing the wound inflicted by that Hozuki boy when Kakashi had saved her.
Morning had fully arrived.
The captain and sailors gradually woke and began their duties.
Ahead, a city began to emerge from the receding mist – it had to be the capital. Mei spotted two ninja standing guard at the entrance checkpoint. Instantly adopting an alert posture, she quickly hid all weapons on her person that could identify her as a shinobi in a corner of the deck.
"Halt!"
The two ninja called out, stopping the small vessel. They leaped onto the deck using chakra to walk on water. Mei couldn't be sure if they would recognize her; she had already changed her hair to black.
They carefully compared the girl's face to the image on the wanted poster they held. Then, they thoroughly checked the sailors and the captain. Finding no suspicious individuals, they were about to let the boat pass.
"Wait," one of them said suddenly. "There's still someone in the cabin."
The speaker was the young deckhand Mei and Kakashi had encountered earlier.
Mei tensed, ready to fight at a moment's notice, glaring daggers at the boy. That little...! Is he doing this for revenge?
"Looking for me?"
Kakashi emerged calmly from the cabin. He glanced briefly at the sailor, then faced the two inspecting ninja without a shred of fear. He too had changed his silver hair to black and used Genjutsu to alter his eye's appearance.
"No," one of the ninja replied after comparing Kakashi to the wanted poster. They stepped off the deck, signaling for the boat to proceed.
As they entered the capital's waterways, Mei started towards the young sailor, intending to confront him, but Kakashi stopped her.
"There's no need," he said calmly. "He didn't do anything wrong. He's just a civilian."
"He almost got you exposed back there!" Mei hissed, still furious.
"We are missing-nin, aren't we?" Kakashi countered simply.
"But it was still dangerous..."
"It's fine." A slight upward tilt touched the corner of Kakashi's mouth beneath his mask.
The small boat docked. The boy and the girl stepped onto the shore together, arriving in the capital city of the Land of Water.
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