"Renya-kun, are we there yet?"
On the road to Yugakure, Senju Hashirama asked with a puzzled expression.
He had a strong feeling that Renya had taken the wrong path.
Logically speaking, Yugakure shouldn't be this far away...
"Renya-kun, are you sure we're not lost?" Hashirama couldn't help but ask.
Renya held a map of the ninja world he bought from a vendor, wearing an overly confident expression.
"Don't worry, Hashirama-san, I didn't take the wrong road!"
But the fine sweat beading on his forehead betrayed him...
He instinctively reached up to wipe away the cold sweat, thinking,
Don't tell me I really took the wrong road...?
Renya felt a wave of frustration—this is what happens when you don't study properly: you can't even read a map.
"Really?" Hashirama leaned in. "Let me see that map."
Renya hurriedly hid the map behind his back and stammered,
"Don't worry, Hashirama-san, we're almost there."
"Alright, alright," Hashirama finally chose to believe him and sighed, "I didn't realize Yugakure was this far away."
"Hashirama-san, we're almost there," Renya replied a little guiltily.
"Haha! Then let's pick up the pace. I can't wait to enjoy the hot springs!" Hashirama laughed heartily, hands on hips.
The two of them sped up their journey.
...
Two days later, there was still nothing around them except dense forest—not a trace of civilization in sight.
It seemed the more they walked, the more off course they became...
Renya looked at the surrounding trees, a little dazed.
"According to the map, there should be a small town here..."
Hashirama had a strange look on his face and couldn't hold back from asking,
"Renya-kun, you really didn't take the wrong road?"
After two days of travel, they had already left the Land of Fire.
Wasn't the Land of Hot Springs supposed to be near the border of the Land of Fire?
Suddenly, Hashirama remembered something—he seemed to recall Mito once mentioning that the Land of Hot Springs was located near the Land of Whirlpools.
But this clearly wasn't the road to the Land of Whirlpools!
As for where they were now, he honestly had no idea.
Renya had taken him through so many twists and turns over the past two days that he had completely lost track of their location.
Renya's hands trembled as he looked at the map.
"Hashirama-san... I think we're lost..."
Senju Hashirama: "???"
Did he really need to say it out loud? Anyone with eyes could see that!
If he had known, he never would've trusted Renya.
He should've taken a look at the map himself the moment he felt something was off.
Though, to be fair, it wasn't entirely Hashirama's fault. He had never imagined that someone like Renya—who had made it to jōnin—couldn't even read a map.
Didn't the academy teach this kind of basic knowledge?
How did this guy even graduate?
Looks like when they get back, a thorough investigation is in order.
The ninja academy is a place to nurture shinobi who uphold the Will of Fire, not somewhere for people to cheat their way through.
This kind of unhealthy trend must be firmly stamped out!
"Hashirama-san," Renya stared seriously at the map, expression grave, "I think the map is drawn incorrectly."
Even now, he didn't think it was his fault.
Senju Hashirama sighed and put a hand to his forehead. He didn't even know what to say.
He'd actually thought Renya had made some discovery—but turns out it was this?
"Renya-kun, give me the map," Hashirama said.
This time, Renya didn't argue. He obediently handed over the map and muttered under his breath,
"Unbelievable... they actually sold me a fake map."
Senju Hashirama: "..."
He opened the map, compared it to the surrounding environment—and immediately felt a wave of dizziness.
"Where the hell did you bring me?!" Hashirama raised his voice, staring at Renya in shock.
If he wasn't mistaken, they were currently at the border between the Land of Grass and the Land of Waterfalls—practically entering the Land of Earth.
They were nowhere near the Land of Hot Springs!
They were in the red circled area on the map...
...
Faced with Hashirama's questioning, Renya scratched his head awkwardly.
"So it was my fault... I really thought the map was wrong."
Hashirama's mouth twitched.
He couldn't help asking, "Didn't the academy teach you guys how to read a map?"
This kind of basic knowledge should've been taught by the teachers.
If not, that would be a serious dereliction of duty.
He'd report this to Tobirama the moment they got back.
"Uhh..." Renya scratched his head again, a little unsure. "I think... they might've taught it?"
Senju Hashirama had question marks all over his face.
"They might've? You're not sure?"
"Hashirama-san, I really don't know," Renya replied with an awkward nod.
He had always slept through academic classes and never listened to a single one.
So when Hashirama asked, he really had no idea.
Hashirama sighed and put his hand to his forehead again.
"Forget it. Now's not the time to argue about this."
The top priority was getting out of here.
Hashirama looked down at the map, compared it with their surroundings, and said,
"We're closer to Takigakure right now. Let's head there to rest."
"Takigakure?" The name sounded oddly familiar to Renya.
Then it hit him—wasn't that the birthplace of Kakuzu, who would one day join the Akatsuki?
It was said this guy had even fought Senju Hashirama in the past, and during his time in the Akatsuki, he bragged about it constantly.
Who knows if it was true...
Well, the person in question was right here. He could just ask and find out.
"Hashirama-san, did you ever fight a guy named Kakuzu?"
"Kakuzu?" Hashirama looked confused as if trying to recall the name.
Hearing that, Renya gave a look like, I knew it.
Case closed. Kakuzu was definitely bluffing.
If he'd actually fought Hashirama and managed to escape, there's no way Hashirama would've forgotten.
Since Hashirama had no memory of him, there were only two possibilities:
One, Kakuzu never fought him at all and was just talking big.
Two, he never actually engaged Hashirama—maybe threw a few shuriken from far away and ran off before Hashirama even noticed.
Renya couldn't help but laugh.
He'd always thought Kakuzu was one of the more honest types—guess he misjudged him.
Hashirama didn't dwell on it and took the lead, map in hand.
Renya silently followed behind.
He still suspected the map was to blame.
Along the way, he kept hoping Hashirama would also get lost—then it wouldn't be just his fault.
Unfortunately, what Renya hoped for didn't happen.
Before long, a modest-sized village appeared before them.
Renya stared at Takigakure in the distance, falling silent.
...
Land of Hot Springs, outside Yugakure.
Kakuzu crouched in a tree, carefully observing the surroundings.
This road was the only way into Yugakure. As long as Senju Hashirama showed up, he'd spot him immediately!
But after two full days, there was still no sign of Hashirama.
"Don't tell me the intel was wrong?" Kakuzu opened the file from the village leaders.
[Senju Hashirama is heading to Yugakure for a hot spring vacation...]
He decided to wait one more day. If Hashirama still didn't show, he'd return to the village and report.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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