Chapter 17: Souta's Finances
Meanwhile, the meat's interior, darker and denser, displayed coarse fibers indicating the strength of the predatory bird. A strong smoky aroma teased the nose, bringing a pleasure that could only be derived from food roasted over an open flame.
A drop of the bird's fat remaining on the fattier part of the meat slowly melted, giving a tempting sheen. Coarse desert salt was sprinkled over the meat, providing a deeper and more complex flavor, as if reminding one of the strong simplicity amidst the harshness of this desert.
Pakura stared at Souta's food, appearing silent for a moment. Pakura gazed at the roasted bird meat with eyes that could not hide their curiosity.
Souta, noticing the gaze, smiled faintly. With a calm motion, Souta cut the roasted bird meat into small pieces and placed them on a small available plate. He then handed the plate to Pakura, with a hint of hesitation.
"At least eat this meat as my initial payment," Souta said, his voice softer yet attentive.
Pakura nodded slowly, accepting the plate containing the pieces of roasted bird meat. Pakura did not say many words, but his expression said it all. Without hesitation, Pakura began to eat the meat.
Seeing Pakura eat, Souta felt a bit relieved. Perhaps, even though life in this world was filled with strange things, sharing food was a simple way to build bonds with others.
...
...
...
After they both finished eating, Souta and Pakura stood up from their seats. With a natural motion, Souta and Pakura reached into their pockets and pulled out some bills, then handed the money to the aunt who owned the shop, who smiled warmly while accepting their payment.
The small shop was still bustling with other customers enjoying their meals, while the aroma of Sunagakure's distinctive spices lingered in the air.
Souta and Pakura then walked out of the shop, the sun slowly rising in the vast desert sky. Thin clouds floated high, almost motionless in the pale blue sky.
The dry desert wind blew gently, carrying fine grains of sand that occasionally swirled in the air before falling back to the ground.
Clay buildings lined the street, with walls that appeared rough due to erosion from the wind and heat that had worn them down over the years.
As they walked, Souta began to think about his finances. In one meal, Souta had spent 100 Ryo. That was quite a large amount considering his monthly allowance was only around six thousand Ryo.
Now Souta started calculating in his head—if he ate twice a day, in the morning and at night, then in one day he would spend 200 Ryo.
With that amount, Souta could survive for a full month if he really economized. However, that calculation only covered food expenses. What about other needs? Clothing, ninja equipment, and perhaps unexpected costs if Souta got injured or needed something urgently?
Souta sighed deeply. Living as a shinobi was not just about fighting, but also about surviving in other aspects—including managing finances wisely.
In the midst of his thoughts, Souta realized that they were both heading to the same place as yesterday. Pakura's footsteps were unwavering, as if he had indeed planned to bring Souta here from the start.
Upon arrival, Pakura turned to face Souta, crossing his arms in front of his chest, and his eyes locked directly onto Souta.
"Sit down and close your eyes," Pakura commanded in a serious yet unhurried tone. "I will try to make you feel Chakra. Once you can feel Chakra in your body, the next step is to learn to sense Chakra in the air."
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Chapter 18: Practicing to Feel Chakra Within the Body
"If you can do that, you will start to understand how to control chakra while also strengthening your body with it," Pakura continued casually.
Souta's eyes sparkled upon hearing this. He had been waiting for this moment for a long time.
"I understand! So what are we waiting for? I will close my eyes right away!" Souta said with a bit of excitement, almost like someone who just received a new gift.
After all, this was the first step to surviving in the Shinobi world— the most fundamental step, yet very important. Without the ability to feel and control chakra, Souta was just an ordinary human in a world full of dangerous ninjas.
Souta quickly sat cross-legged on the sand, which was starting to feel a bit cool as the sun began to set. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his mind before slowly closing his eyes.
At that moment, Souta felt something.
A gentle touch on his back.
Pakura's small, delicate hand rested there, applying a little pressure but still feeling light. Souta felt a bit confused—what was Pakura going to do? But he decided to hold back his curiosity and remain silent.
"Remember," Pakura's voice came softly yet firmly from behind him. "Focus on feeling the chakra. Don't try to do anything else."
Souta nodded slowly. "I understand..." he said in a calmer voice, almost like a whisper.
At first, nothing happened.
Souta's body felt the same as before. He could only hear the soft rustling of the desert wind, occasionally carrying distant sounds from the activities of the Sunagakure residents. Souta tried to concentrate, but all he felt was silence.
However, after a moment, something strange began to happen.
Slowly, a warm sensation emerged from within Souta's stomach.
The feeling didn't come suddenly, but rather gradually, like a small flame beginning to flicker in the darkness. The warmth felt faint at first, but gradually became clearer. The sensation was not like the burning heat of the sun, but more like a soothing warmth, flowing gently through Souta's body.
Souta remained silent, trying to understand what he was feeling.
The warm feeling began to spread, flowing like water in a small river, slowly creeping throughout Souta's body. He didn't know how it was happening, but he could feel it clearly—energy moving through specific pathways in his body. Now Souta tried to stay focused, but suddenly...
The warmth vanished just like that.
Souta jolted and unconsciously opened his eyes. He immediately turned to Pakura with a confused expression.
Pakura, seeing this, immediately asked, "What's wrong? Why did you open your eyes?"
"Ah... I guess because the warm feeling suddenly disappeared," Souta replied hesitantly. "I was surprised, so I reflexively opened them."
Pakura looked at Souta for a moment, then nodded slightly. "I see. In that case, try again. This time, focus until you can feel your chakra for at least one minute."
Souta took a deep breath and nodded with determination. "Alright, let's do it again."
Souta closed his eyes once more, allowing his mind to empty and focusing solely on what was within his body.
A few minutes passed.
And then, the warm sensation returned.
But this time, Souta could feel it more clearly.
The flow of warmth moved with a more stable rhythm, tracing through Souta's body along more defined pathways. Souta realized that the energy was not flowing randomly, but rather passing through specific points in his body before finally spreading further. It was as if there were predetermined pathways.
Souta tried to maintain his focus, allowing himself to feel this flow of chakra for as long as possible.
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